Key Takeaways
In the 2024 election, all U.S. House of Representatives and 34 Senate seats will be up for reelection. The Senate seats up for grabs are from the following states: Washington, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Hawaii and Florida.
The President can only be successful if the House and Senate collaborate with them to pass, implement policies, and bring about meaningful change.
In the upcoming election, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona are the key state races that are expected to be competitive.
The 2024 Election Breakdown: Hot Battleground States You Need to Know!
I’m sure we have all been following the drama unfolding at the top of the 2024 Presidential ticket, right? With former President Donald Trump selecting a young, up-and-coming senator from the Nation's Rust Belt as his running mate and Vice President Kamala Harris moving up to the top spot on the Democratic side, there is a lot of national news surrounding the Presidential race and the candidates running for the top office. Although the top of the ticket gets a lot of national attention, we can’t forget about state races that will shape the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate which ultimately decide how the incoming President will be able to govern for the next four years.
Due to our system of checks and balances, the incoming President will have to work collaboratively with both chambers of Congress, the House and Senate, to pass and implement policies and enact meaningful change. The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives play a crucial role in shaping and influencing the decision-making power of the president. The Senate's powers include confirming presidential nominations for critical positions such as Supreme Court justices and cabinet members, ratifying treaties, and conducting impeachment trials. Likewise, the U.S. House of Representatives has subpoena and investigatory powers.
Additionally, both chambers of Congress must agree on legislation supporting or challenging the president's agenda. The United States Congress, however, is currently divided, with the Republican Party controlling 220 of the available 435 seats in the House and the Democrat Party leading the Senate by controlling 47 of the 100 seats, along with 4 Independent members who lean Democrat.[1]
In the 2024 election, all House and 34 Senate seats are up for election. Out of the 34 Senate seats, 10 are currently held by Republicans, 20 by Democrats, and 4 by Independents who align with the Democrats.[2] This means that in the 2024 election, control of the House, Senate, and Presidency is up for grabs. Although these are state-based elections, every vote cast in November will contribute to determining control of the House and Presidency. If you reside in one of the 34 states whose senator is up for reelection, your vote will also have a stake in determining Senate power.
The Senate seats up for grabs are from the following states: Washington, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, North Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Hawaii and Florida.
It's important to note that state party representation doesn’t change very often, and historically, a state that is Republican or Democrat usually remains so. However, there are occasions when a state can flip or is likely to, indicating the potential for a shift from its historical representation to a new party. These states are referred to as battleground states or swing states, and parties pay particular attention to them.
According to a CNN analysis, the states that could be a potential battleground or swing states this November are:
Minnesota, which went Democrat in 2016 and 2020 but has the potential to be competitive in 2024
Wisconsin, which went Republican in 2016 and Democrat in 2020
Michigan, which went Republican in 2016 and Democrat in 2020
Pennsylvania, which went Republican in 2016 and Democrat in 2020
Maine, which went Democrat in both 2016 and 2020 but has the potential to swing Republican in 2024
New Hampshire, which went Democrat in 2016 and 2020 but could flip Republican in 2024
Nevada, which went Democrat in the last two elections but has the potential to swing Republican in 2024
Arizona, which went Republican in 2016 and Democrat in 2020
Colorado, which went Democrat in 2016 and 2020 but could go Republican in 2024
[1] Ballot Pedia, https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate; https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_House_of_Representatives (Last visited July 28, 2024).
[2] Ballot Pedia, https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2024 ( Last visited July, 28, 2024).