Which states to watch as the battle for Senate control heats up ahead of 2026 midterms

A total of 35 Senate seats will be on the ballot this November, with only 11 rated as remotely competitive by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Republicans are on defense in more of those seats than Democrats, but Democrats need a longshot sweep to take control of the chamber. Lisa Desjardins speaks with Jessica Taylor, senate and governors editor at the Cook Political Report, for more.Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. Geoff Bennett: Much of the focus this midterm season has been on the fight for the U.S. House, with redistricting battles dominating the headlines. But this week also brought new developments in the race for the U.S. Senate.Our congressional correspondent, Lisa Desjardins, has more. Lisa Desjardins: The Upper Chamber with direct power over Supreme Court and other nominations is increasingly in the 2026 conversation. A total of 35 Senate seats will be on the ballot, but just 11 are rated as remotely competitive by The Cook Political Report With Amy Walter.Republicans in red are on defense in more of those seats than Democrats, but Democrats need a long shot sweep, a net gain of four seats to