What is the current state of US politics?

Current State of US Politics (as of late September 2026)

Government Control & Congress
Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress heading into the November midterms. Republicans control both chambers of Congress, holding a 53–45 majority in the Senate, while two independents caucus with the Democrats, effectively giving the Democrats 47 votes for organizational purposes. In the House, Republicans have a 218-214 majority, with three vacancies. House Speaker is Mike Johnson (R) and House Minority Leader is Hakeem Jeffries (D).

2026 Midterms (Election Day: Nov. 3, 2026)
This is dominating political attention right now. The 2026 midterm elections will determine who holds office in the 120th Congress beginning in January 2027, with all 435 House seats and 35 of 100 Senate seats on the ballot. Democrats need to gain a net of four seats to win a Senate majority, while Republicans can lose no more than two seats to retain their majority.

Key battlegrounds: as of mid-September, seven Senate races are noted as "toss ups" by the Cook Political Report, held in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Texas, with five held by Republicans and two by Democrats. Notably, in Texas, Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico are on the ballot in a race considered competitive.

Redistricting has reshaped several House maps: as of January 31, 2026, four states — California, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas — will use different congressional maps for the 2026 election than they did in 2024 because they voluntarily underwent mid-decade redistricting. There's also been notable turnover, with 61 representatives and two non-voting delegates (26 Democrats and 37 Republicans) having announced their retirement, 29 of whom are retiring to run for other offices—the second-highest retirement count in a single cycle in US history.

Politically, a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll finds President Trump's unpopularity is an outsize factor in why most voters say they want Democrats to win the midterms. Notably, in September 2026, Trump featured in a two-day midterm convention in Dallas to rally support—historically reserved for presidential years—though many Republican candidates skipped it, with the RNC chairman dubbing it a "Trump-a-Palooza," following the GOP's weaker-than-expected 2025 election performance.

Press Freedom Conflict with the White House
A major ongoing controversy involves the administration's relationship with the press. The Department of Justice defended President Trump's recent media ban, arguing that reporting by CNN, MS Now and Politico jeopardized national security and spread falsehoods. In response, CNN, MS NOW, and Politico asked a federal judge to hold the president in check for what they say is a violation of their Constitutional rights. This dispute has partially resolved: a federal judge's ruling restored CNN, MS Now and Politico's access to the White House, though experts note better procedure alone may not resolve the broader First Amendment fight.

Other Notable Developments

Overall, US politics right now is centered on the high-stakes 2026 midterm battle for control of Congress, intensifying press-freedom and executive-power disputes, and continued fallout from redistricting fights across multiple states.