Because of Vance and Rubio: 35 Seats in the U.S. Senate Up for Election

In the U.S. midterm elections, 35 Senate seats are up for election today, two more than the regular cycle, following the resignations of Marco Rubio and J.D. Vance. 22 of the seats are currently held by Republicans. The battle for control of the Senate may take several days to resolve, with ranked-choice voting in Maine and Alaska.

In the U.S. midterm elections, which opened today (Tuesday), 35 Senate seats are up for election — two more than the regular cycle of 33, due to special elections for seats vacated when Trump took office. 22 of the seats are currently held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate; Democrats need 51 seats to take control, while Republicans need only 50, as the Vice President breaks a tie. The special seats are in Florida, where Marco Rubio left to serve as Secretary of State and Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Ashley Moody in his place, and in Ohio, where J.D. Vance resigned upon being elected Vice President and Governor Mike DeWine appointed John Husted. The appointments are temporary, and the special elections were tied to the general election day. The winners will serve only the remaining two years of Rubio and Vance's terms, until January 2029. According to CBS, the battle for Senate control is expected to be decided in 11 key states, including Maine, North Carolina, Michigan, and Texas. The outcome may be delayed several days due to ranked-choice voting in Maine and Alaska.