Republicans held onto a reliably conservative U.S. House district in Tennessee's special election , but only after a late burst of national spending and high-profile campaigning helped them secure a margin less than half of last year’s race. Even with that victory, the outcome contributed to a gloomy outlook for the party going into the 2026 contests that will determine control of Congress. Republicans will need to defend much more vulnerable seats if they have any hope of keeping their House majority, while Democrats are capitalizing on President Donald Trump’s unpopularity and the public's persistent frustration with the economy . “This is one of the biggest flashing red light warning signs we’ve seen yet for Republicans,” Matt Whitlock, a Republican strategist, wrote on social media. If
Republican victory in Tennessee special election fails to dispel 2026 midterm concerns
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