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Which U.S. senators are up for re-election in 2026 whose terms end January 3 2027?
Executive Summary
The claim asks which U.S. senators are up for re-election in 2026 whose terms end January 3, 2027 — in other words, which members of Senate Class II are on the 2026 ballot. Multiple analyses referenced here confirm that the 2026 contests are the Class II cycle and identify many but not all of the sitting senators whose six‑year terms began January 3, 2021 and expire January 3, 2027; the available materials provide partial lists and several overlapping names but no single, definitive roster. This report extracts the key claims from the supplied analyses, consolidates the names those analyses identify as Class II incumbents up in 2026, highlights areas of disagreement or omission, and points readers to the most reliable next steps for a complete, authoritative list.
1. What the supplied analyses actually claim and what they omit
The supplied materials uniformly state that the 2026 Senate contests correspond to Class II senatorial terms that expire January 3, 2027, and note a partisan split of seats contested (a plurality of Republican‑held seats in most summaries). Several analyses list specific incumbents they say are up for re‑election in 2026, but none of the provided items supplies an exhaustive roster with corroborating, dated primary sources. The summaries differ on the number of seats described (some cite 33 contested seats overall, others 35 including specials) and on which individual senators are highlighted as competitive or noteworthy; that variance reflects editorial emphasis rather than contradicted legal reality, but it leaves gaps for anyone seeking a single canonical list drawn from original Senate records [1] [2] [3].
2. Consolidated names the analyses identify as Class II incumbents for 2026
Across the provided analyses a recurring group of senators is identified as having terms expiring January 3, 2027: Democrats mentioned include Jon Ossoff (GA), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Tina Smith (MN), Mark Warner (VA), Cory Booker (NJ), Richard Durbin (IL), Ben Ray Luján (NM), Gary Peters (MI) and others; Republicans named include Susan Collins (ME), Thom Tillis (NC), John Cornyn (TX), Bill Cassidy (LA), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Mitch McConnell (KY) and more. Individual summaries name different subsets and single out competitive states such as Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas; some sources also flag open seats where incumbents announced retirements [4] [2] [3].
3. Where the analyses agree, where they diverge, and why that matters
The pieces agree on the class assignment — these are Class II terms ending January 3, 2027 — and on several prominent incumbents repeatedly mentioned across analyses, which supports the basic claim. They diverge on exact counts and which incumbent names to prioritize, with some lists including senators who subsequently announced retirements or who face special election circumstances; those editorial choices and minor factual gaps produce incomplete rosters rather than direct contradictions. The divergence matters because readers relying on a single analysis may miss retirements, special elections, or state‑specific filing changes; the supplied material does not uniformly flag retirements or special vacancies, so a cross‑check with official Senate records or state election offices is necessary [4] [3] [2].
4. How recent and authoritative the supporting sources are
Among the supplied items one analysis includes an explicit publication date (May 9, 2025) and others are undated summaries; the dated piece offers mid‑2025 context about likely 2026 matchups and retirements, while undated summaries reflect compiled lists or forecasts. The materials cite forecasting outlets and an overview of Class II membership but none is the primary legal source — i.e., the Senate historical roster or state secretary of state candidate filings — which are the definitive records for whose terms expire on January 3, 2027. For legal certainty about who is on the 2026 ballot, consult the Senate’s official Class II roster and each state’s election authority for candidate filings and any special election notices [4] [3] [2].
5. Bottom line and practical next steps for a definitive answer
The overarching fact is clear: the senators up for re‑election in 2026 with terms ending January 3, 2027 are the members of Senate Class II (terms 2021–2027). The supplied analyses name many of those incumbents but do not present a single, fully authoritative list; they also highlight competitive and open seats useful for context. To produce a definitive, current roster, retrieve the Class II membership from the Senate’s official roster and cross‑reference each state’s 2026 candidate filings and any special‑election proclamations. That approach yields a legally accurate, up‑to‑date list of the senators whose terms expire January 3, 2027 [3] [4] [2].