By Joseph Ax

(Reuters) -Out of power since Donald Trump took office and deeply unpopular in opinion polls, Democrats are clinging to a glimmer of hope ahead of the 2026 midterm elections: a string of impressive finishes this year in more than three dozen special elections.

In 42 state legislative and U.S. congressional races across 18 states in 2025, Democrats have improved their margins by an average of more than 15% over the gap between Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris in the same districts last year, according to data collected by the political website The Downballot. The Democratic nominee has outdistanced Harris in all but six of those contests, including in deeply conservative areas.

The results suggest Democrats are on track to win back a majority in the U.S. House of Representat

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