2026 U.S. Midterm Elections Trivia Quiz

Answer: Texas

Following contentious Republican and Democratic Texas Senate primaries, in which there was believed to have been animosity between the winners and supporters of the losing candidates (John Cornyn for the Republicans and Jasmine Crockett for the Democrats), there was a belief that the candidate who could consolidate their own party and perhaps win crossover votes would be the one who took Texas.

There was little evidence that Democratic constituencies failed to turn out due to primary bitterness; however, there appeared to have been a decline in Republican turnout and possibly increased Republican support for the Democrat, James Talarico, after President Donald Trump endorsed Ken Paxton, effectively denying Senator John Cornyn a chance to retain a seat he'd won four times.

Texas voters also replaced their Republican governor with Democrat Gina Hinojosa (the first Latina to be elected governor of Texas), while numerous other state-wide offices went to the Democrats.

Answer: Florida

Republican Ashley Moody was able to fend off a challenge by Democrat Angie Nixon to hold on to her Senate seat (to which she was appointed when Marco Rubio became secretary of state). At the same time, Republican Byron Donalds eked out a victory over Democrat David Jolly in the gubernatorial race.

Some commentators have speculated that the ability of Florida Republicans to hold on to their seats in the face of sweeping Democratic gains has strengthened the hand of Florida's GOP (including Governor Ron DeSantis) in steering the direction of the party going forward.

Answer: Georgia

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms won her race against Republican Rick Jackson by a healthy margin, a sign of growing Democratic influence in a state that could remain competitive for decades to come. She becomes the first black woman ever elected governor in the U.S. Only five black women had been elected to the U.S. Senate up to that point (one being former vice president Kamala Harris and another being Juliana Stratton, who was elected to represent Illinois in the Senate in 2026).

Jon Ossoff's race for re-election to the Senate in Georgia saw a dominant performance from him, leading some to point out that with a Democrat in the governor's seat (Lance Bottoms), he would be free to run for the White House if he so chose (this would allow a Democrat to replace him in the Senate rather than a Republican).

Answer: Kansas

The Kansas Senate race was a fascinating one to watch. Incumbent Roger Marshall was hit with accusations that, while he was a practicing OB-GYN, he sued hundreds of his patients (many of them pregnant women or new mothers) over unpaid medical bills, with some cases resulting in arrests and incarceration.

In combination with Hamilton's attacks on Marshall over Trump-supported tariff policies and a series of immigration actions affecting agricultural and meatpacking communities, there was fertile enough ground for the Democrat to win in a state with a long tradition of sending Republicans to Congress.

Answer: Mississippi

The first Black senator elected from Mississippi since Reconstruction, Scott Colom had long been considered an underdog in that Southern state's Senate race. Some polling suggested a close race, buoyed by strong black turnout, with additional resources coming toward the end of the race to help him secure victory.

However, Colom has pointed out that it was very difficult to convince donors and other party leaders that his race was worth investing in, emphasizing his belief that it is worth Democrats competing in the South.

Answer: Minnesota

Along with Flanagan's election, the 2026 midterm elections saw the first Native American woman elected governor of a state with Democrat Deb Haaland's win in New Mexico. Peggy Flanagan (who is also of Irish descent) had long worked as a Native American organizer and Democratic politician before her election to the Senate, serving as lieutenant governor under Tim Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2024.

Answer: Ohio

Democrat Amy Acton, who previously served as Ohio's health director during the COVID-19 pandemic, faced Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate backed by Donald Trump. The race became particularly controversial when Ramaswamy's campaign released an advertisement featuring Acton's estranged mother, who accused her daughter of lying about her childhood. Acton had been separated from her mother since the age of 12, following allegations of sexual abuse by her stepfather.

The advertisement drew criticism from both parties, including Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who called for its removal, although Trump and Vice President JD Vance defended it. Ramaswamy eventually stopped airing the advertisement, and Acton went on to become the first woman elected governor of Ohio, as well as the state's first Democratic governor elected in 20 years.

Answer: Maine

Republican Susan Collins had held Maine's Senate seat since 1997 (which was no easy feat in a state that so often voted for Democrats in presidential elections). However, with a wave election year staring her in the face and criticisms that she was too closely tied to President Donald Trump, Democrats were able to declare victory with former logger and state senator Troy Jackson.

Answer: North Carolina and South Carolina

Democrats Roy Cooper and Annie Andrews defeated their Republican opponents, Michael Whatley and Darline Graham, to win Senate seats in North Carolina and South Carolina respectively. While North Carolina had long been a swing state and a target of Democrats as a possible Senate win, the victory in South Carolina came as a surprise to many on election night.

One House seat was picked up in South Carolina, but in North Carolina, the Republican-led redistricting seemed to have backfired, with Democrats flipping a strong majority of House seats. One silver lining for Republicans in South Carolina is that they held on to the governorship.

Answer: Michigan

After a very contentious primary race between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens, it appeared there would be Democratic unity when Stevens endorsed El-Sayed and said she would stick with the party's candidate. However, just two days before the election, she changed her mind, endorsing Republican Mike Rogers and appearing with him, with several Democratic leaders condemning her actions.

In the end, El-Sayed (who had previously worked as a physician and public health official) won his race, becoming the nation's first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate from a state that is known for having a substantial Muslim population.