What is the current state of US politics?

Here's a snapshot of where U.S. politics stands as of mid-to-late September 2026:

Midterm Elections Loom (November 3, 2026)

The country is deep into the 2026 midterm cycle, with control of Congress hanging in the balance. A September 2026 analysis by the Cook Political Report shows Democrats leading in 206 races and Republicans leading in 208, making the House extremely competitive. In the Senate, odds favor Republicans retaining control, as Democrats need to not lose any of their contested seats while winning four seats currently held by Republicans. Key Senate races to watch include North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas for Democrats, while Republicans see Maine's Susan Collins benefiting from a rival campaign's collapse and Michigan featuring a close contest. Notably, Georgia is considered the state least likely to flip, with Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff leading his GOP challenger in polls despite Georgia being a Trump-won state.

Redistricting Wars

A major storyline this cycle is aggressive mid-decade redistricting. Seven states changed their congressional maps (California, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Utah, and Virginia), while four others introduced legislation to redraw theirs. This has produced legal battles — the Virginia Supreme Court ruled in May that a voter-approved Democratic-favorable map was unconstitutional and blocked its use, while Florida's GOP-controlled legislature approved a new map in April that could add up to four Republican House seats, though it faces a likely court challenge since the state constitution bars politically motivated redistricting.

Trump Administration Tensions with Press

Just this past week, Trump announced he had banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House over what he called "constant 'reporting' FAKE NEWS," warning other outlets could follow.

DOJ and Political Prosecutions

Freedom House's latest report notes ongoing controversy over Justice Department actions: under pressure from the president, the DOJ opened investigations into perceived opponents, ultimately indicting former FBI Director James Comey, New York AG Letitia James, and former National Security Advisor John Bolton. Separately, the administration tried to install Trump allies as U.S. attorneys by bypassing Senate confirmation, though federal courts repeatedly invalidated these appointments.

Notable Losses in the Senate GOP

The Republican Party lost two significant figures this year. Sen. Lindsey Graham died of an aortic dissection in July, just hours after returning from a trip to Ukraine; Trump said his last call with Graham may have been the night before. Congress subsequently passed sanctions legislation named in Graham's honor. More recently, former Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona died at age 84 due to complications from a neurological disease.

2028 Positioning Already Underway

Even with midterms unresolved, potential 2028 Democratic contenders are staking out policy turf — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called for federal AI regulation while opposing a development pause, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to accelerate AI regulation, including a potential "kill switch" for emergency shutdowns.

State-Level Battles

Beyond Congress, 88 state legislative chambers across 46 states are up for election, with Democrats recruiting substantially more candidates than in previous cycles — including contesting every seat in Texas and breaking recruitment records in Georgia, Indiana, and North Carolina.

Overall, the political landscape is defined by an intensely competitive midterm battle, unprecedented redistricting fights in multiple states, escalating friction between the White House and media, and continued legal wrangling over DOJ actions against Trump's perceived political opponents.