The political landscape in several key U.S. states is already heating up as candidates, controversies, and party rivalries begin to define the 2026 midterm elections. From Maine to Georgia and Kentucky, the coming contests are shaping up to be consequential not just for individual states, but for the balance of power in Washington and the future direction of both major parties.
In Maine, Democratic Governor Janet Mills is reportedly taking concrete steps toward a run for the U.S. Senate in 2026, according to the Associated Press. Mills, who is term-limited and will leave the governorship next year, has started making calls to prospective campaign managers. While she hasn’t formally announced her candidacy, Mills told reporters she was “seriously considering” a Senate campaign and plans to make her decision public by mid-November 2025.
If Mills enters the race, she would be the latest in a line of prominent Democrats with statewide experience to jump into high-stakes Senate contests. Mills is no stranger to tough races—she won reelection in 2022 by defeating Republican former Governor Paul LePage by about 13 percentage points. Maine itself has leaned Democratic in recent presidential contests, with Kamala Harris besting Donald Trump by about 7 percentage points in 2024. Still, the state’s rural 2nd Congressional District has trended Republican, with Trump carrying it three times.
The potential Senate race could pit Mills against five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins, a formidable incumbent who has long branded herself as a bipartisan centrist. Collins has been a challenging opponent for Democrats since her first election in 1996, winning four consecutive reelections—three by double digits, including a 37-point landslide in 2014. Her 2020 victory over Democrat Sara Gideon by 8.6 percentage points was her narrowest margin but still a decisive win.
Mills’ path to the nomination isn’t clear-cut. She faces a primary with oyster farmer Graham Platner, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban, and Jordan Wood, a former chief of staff to California Rep. Katie Porter. The Democratic Party, meanwhile, is hoping to flip enough seats to regain the Senate majority—no easy feat, as most of the contested races are in states Trump won handily in 2024. Yet, Mills’ statewide popularity and recent headline-making moments—such as her public spat with Trump over transgender athletes and federal funding—could give her an edge. When Trump threatened to deny Maine federal funds if she didn’t comply with his order, Mills shot back, “We’ll see you in court.” Trump’s retort: “Enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
Elsewhere, other Democrats are making moves. In North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper announced his Senate run after Republican Senator Thom Tillis decided not to seek a third term. In Ohio, former Senator Sherrod Brown, who lost his seat last year, is running again, reportedly at the urging of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer. These developments signal a Democratic strategy of fielding experienced, well-known figures in battleground states.
Turning to Georgia, the rivalry between Donald Trump and Governor Brian Kemp continues to cast a long shadow over state politics. Both are two-term incumbents—now lame ducks—but their 2020 clash over Trump’s “stolen election” claims still reverberates, as reported by New York Magazine. Kemp has refused to run for Senate, instead supporting the bid of his friend, former football coach Derek Dooley. The Senate race itself is drawing national attention, with Republicans eager to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents.
The contest to succeed Kemp as governor is equally fraught. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican who famously resisted Trump’s pressure to overturn the 2020 election results, has announced his candidacy for governor. Raffensperger survived a Trump-led purge attempt in 2022 and boasts near-universal name recognition. His campaign is expected to highlight his conservative credentials established before the election drama, but the state’s MAGA faction remains unforgiving. In June, the Georgia GOP passed a resolution opposing his right to run in the Republican primary.
Other GOP hopefuls include Attorney General Chris Carr and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, a staunch Trump ally and 2020 “fake elector.” Meanwhile, former Republican Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, another Kemp ally who left the party and endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024, is running in the Democratic primary. Duncan faces a crowded Democratic field, including former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state legislator Jason Esteves, and longtime official Michael Thurmond. There’s also quiet speculation about a comeback by Stacey Abrams, who lost to Kemp in 2018 and 2022 but would be a frontrunner if she entered the race.
The 2026 Georgia gubernatorial contest is expected to be fiercely competitive, with old wounds from the Trump-Kemp feud likely to resurface. The state’s changing demographics and its must-win status for Democrats only heighten the stakes.
Meanwhile, Kentucky is seeing its own share of political drama. On September 17, 2025, military veteran and former CIA officer Joel Willett announced his Democratic campaign for the U.S. Senate, as reported by the Associated Press. Willett pointed to the recent revocation of his security clearance by the Trump administration as a driving force behind his decision. “I’ve seen firsthand how the Trump administration and their far-right allies are trying to weaponize the government against anyone who disagrees with them,” Willett said, adding, “That just made me more determined to run.”
Willett’s career spans military service, time in the CIA—including a stint in the White House situation room under President Obama—and executive roles in private industry. He was one of 37 national security officials who lost their security clearances, some of whom had signed a 2019 letter critical of Trump. The memo from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused those targeted of politicizing intelligence, though no evidence was provided.
Willett joins a Democratic field that includes state lawmaker Pamela Stevenson and attorney Logan Forsythe, who has criticized Republican policies on Medicaid and food assistance. On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, former Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and businessman Nate Morris are vying for the seat long held by Mitch McConnell, who is not seeking reelection. Kentucky hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1992, but Willett is running on a populist platform, denouncing tax cuts for the wealthy and cuts to Medicaid.
Back in Georgia, the State Ethics Commission sanctioned five candidates for Senate District 21—including Democrat Debra Shigley and Republicans Lance Calvert, Stephanie Donegan, Steven West, and Brian Will—for failing to file personal financial disclosures on time. All have since filed the required forms and paid fines ranging from $125 to $250. Shigley advanced to a September 23 runoff against Republican Jason Dickerson to replace former Senator Brandon Beach, who left to become U.S. treasurer under Trump. The commission also fined three state legislators for various late filings, highlighting the ongoing importance of transparency and accountability in state politics.
With seasoned incumbents, party-switching contenders, and a swirl of ethical and procedural controversies, the 2026 midterm cycle is already shaping up to be one for the history books. The outcomes in Maine, Georgia, and Kentucky will not only determine local leadership but could also tip the balance of power nationally—making these races well worth watching as November 2026 approaches.
