How to watch critical 2026 midterm election races in TX, OH, MI, WI, GA, IA, NV, ME and FL

Control of Congress is on the line Tuesday as voters decide pivotal Senate and House races across the country, while closely watched contests for governor will shape the political landscape in key states during President Donald Trump's second term.

Republicans are fighting to defend their congressional majorities as Democrats seek gains in battlegrounds from Texas and Georgia to Michigan and Maine. Open seats, vulnerable incumbents and competitive statewide races have put nine states at the center of the fight for power in Washington and state capitals.

With races stretching across multiple time zones, here are the key contests to watch, when polls close and how to follow live results as Election Night unfolds.

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Texas voters face two major statewide showdowns, with Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton battling Democratic state Rep. James Talarico for the Senate seat held by outgoing Republican John Cornyn, while GOP Gov. Greg Abbott seeks a historic fourth term against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.

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The Senate contest has emerged as an unusually competitive race in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since Lloyd Bentsen in 1988, pitting Paxton's conservative appeal and history of legal controversies against Talarico's campaign focused on political change.

Meanwhile, Abbott's reelection bid offers another test of Republican dominance, with border security, education and the economy shaping the fight over the state's future.

Ohio features a Senate rematch of sorts, with former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown seeking a return to Washington against Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed to fill Vice President JD Vance's former seat. Brown is attempting a political comeback in a state that has shifted toward Republicans, while Husted seeks his first electoral victory for the Senate.

Husted's campaign also enlisted Ohio native and former NFL coach Jon "Chucky" Gruden for campaign appearances.

Voters will decide who succeeds term-limited Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy facing Democrat Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's campaign recently pulled a controversial ad featuring Acton's estranged mother after criticism from fellow Republicans, including DeWine.

Michigan's open Senate seat could prove pivotal to the balance of power in Washington, with former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers facing Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the contest to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.

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The Senate race has grown increasingly contentious as Rogers and Republican allies have raised allegations about El-Sayed's family's purported ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, citing old social media posts by his h