Mid-Term Elections and What’s at Stake

Harvest season is upon us, and that means it’s almost election day. On Tuesday, November 3, voters will head to the polls in what is shaping up to be a very interesting and impactful election. Both the Senate and House of Representatives are operating with razor thin majorities. Even a few overturned seats could alter the political landscape in Washington, D.C., and impact how policy is (or isn’t) passed.

Our 8-state territory has several highly contested elections and newly open seats due to retirements, or the incumbents opting to run for another office.

House of Representatives

In the House, there are five open seats in New York, two in New Jersey and 1 each in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Maine. Additionally, there are at least four races that are considered a “toss up” or could flip parties.

Senate

In the Senate there are five elections in our territory, including an open seat in New Hampshire and a close race in Maine. While this may sound like a bad math question, I assure you the impact of these races will be felt far and wide.

Congressional Lay of the Land

Currently, Republicans hold the majority in the Senate with 53 seats, while the Democrats hold 45. There are two Independent Senators, however they caucus with the Democrats, giving the Republicans a small majority. Like the Senate, Republicans also hold the majority in the House of Representatives with 218 seats, while Democrats hold 214 with 1 Independent. The House currently has two vacancies, underscoring the small margin held by the majority.

In both chambers, the majority party makes up the leadership roles and dictates the rules in which the chamber will function. The majority party also dictates committee leadership and assignments. In short, the majority party, calls the shots and sets the tone for the political agenda.

Through this session of Congress, it has been relatively “easy” to pass legislation (at least on paper) due to the Republican-held majority in both chambers. However, we have seen on more than one occasion where votes fall short or legislative efforts fall apart. In the Senate, most major legislation requires a 60-vote threshold to invoke cloture and avoid a filibuster. Though the House can pass legislation on a simple majority, that threshold can be hard to meet due to a number of factions within the Republican party. These nuances require a delicate balance of bargaining and compromise among members of Congress.

What’s at Stake

There is a lot hanging in the balance as we await Election Day results. Political analysts and prediction markets can give contradicting forecasts, but what we know for sure is the makeup of Congress will look different at the beginning of the next session. Even if the Republican Party holds the majority in both chambers, there will be changes to committee leadership — specifically on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.

House Agriculture Committee

Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15), House Agriculture Committee Chair, is at the end of his 6-year term at the helm of the committee. Recently, Thompson requested a waiver to allow him to serve another term. If the request is not approved, we can expect to see a new chair of the House Agriculture Committee.

Senate Agriculture Committee

In the Senate Agriculture Committee, Ranking Member, Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), is running for Governor. If she is successful, we will see a new leader on the committee. It is speculated that Senator Michael Bennet (CO) and Senator Cory Booker (NJ) have shown interest in the role. If the Senate majority party changes, Senator John Boozman (AR) could find himself as the Ranking Member next to one of these likely candidates as Chairman.

2026 Farm Bill

Outside of filling the many potential leadership changes, Congress still has work to do following the election. There are only a few working days left during the “lame duck” session and several legislative priorities are still pending, specifically the 2026 Farm Bill.

Regardless of Election Day outcomes, there will be a lot of relationship building and work to do in the next Congress.

If you have any questions or want to discuss this topic further, please contact Danielle Cummins, Legislative Affairs Officer, at Danielle.Cummins@farmcrediteast.com.