5 things to know about the 2026 midterm elections

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, January 29, 2026

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., speaks during a press conference on the "Epstein Files Transparency Act" at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18, 2025. | DANIEL HEUER/AFP via Getty Images

4. Special elections

Before this year’s midterm elections take place, four special elections are scheduled to fill vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives. The resignation of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and the death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., earlier this year, reduced the number of House Republicans to 218.

Should any more GOP members resign or die before the end of the year or before special elections to replace the current vacant seats take place, Republicans will no longer hold a majority of the 435 seats. Meanwhile, two seats formerly held by Democrats, New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District and Texas’ 18th Congressional District, remain vacant and must be filled.

The special election in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District, the seat formerly held by Greene, is scheduled for March 10. A Republican is expected to prevail, as Trump won the district by nearly 37 percentage points, according to data compiled by The Downballot.

In California’s 1st Congressional District, formerly represented by LaMalfa, a nonpartisan primary will take place on June 2. All candidates will appear on the same ballot regardless of partisan affiliation. The two candidates who receive the most votes will advance to a special election scheduled for Aug. 4. Trump carried the district by nearly 25 percentage points in the 2024 election, meaning it will likely remain in Republican hands.

In New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, formerly represented by New Jersey’s Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill, a primary election will take place on Feb. 5, and a special election is scheduled for April 16. Harris won the district by nearly 9 percentage points, making it likely that a Democrat will win the special election.

A special election will take place to fill the vacancy in Texas’ 18th Congressional District on Jan. 31. The two candidates in the special election, who took the top two spots in a previously held nonpartisan primary, are Democrats. The district backed Harris by nearly 40 points in 2024.