Lauren Egan: “For the past year, Democratic party leaders have been privately resigned to the idea that the 2026 Senate map was too difficult to overcome. It was a take rooted more in math than cynicism. The party had lost touch with voters in many of the states it needed to win and had no clear or compelling argument for how to rebuild a winning coalition.”

“But Tuesday’s election results have changed that thinking. The party’s strong showing in races across the country—from the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, to state legislative elections in Mississippi and even utility board seats in Georgia—has Democratic leaders believing that winning back the Senate is a distinct possibility in 2026.”

“And it’s not just spin from party loyalists. In my conversations with Democratic leaders and operatives over the past twenty-four hours, it’s clear that the party’s sense of defeatism about the Senate is beginning to fade away, that they’ve begun actively planning potential investments in states, and that they are convinced that a relentless focus on affordability can open up various pathways to fifty-one seats.”