Edward Silha: Staring at the 2026 Senate map makes the problem obvious. Democrats have to defend every deep blue seat, sweep the lighter blue battlegrounds, and then flip at least two of the reach states shaded in gray just to scrape together a 51–49 majority. Miss anywhere, and the math collapses.

Staring at the 2026 Senate map makes the problem obvious. Democrats have to defend every deep blue seat, sweep the lighter blue battlegrounds, and then flip at least two of the reach states shaded in gray just to scrape together a 51–49 majority. Miss anywhere, and the math collapses.