Democrats are heading into the holiday season on a high note after sweeping wins in the 2025 elections and judicial blows dealt to Republicans over redistricting efforts. However, new data and analysis show that Democrats will need to do more than ride this temporary blue wave if they want to be successful in the 2026 midterm elections.

Recent polling shows Democrats are in a strong position less than a year out from next November’s elections. A Marist-PBS-NPR poll found Democrats have a 14-point lead on the generic ballot, the biggest advantage for control of Congress in eight years. Though likely an outlier, other surveys have found the party leading the generic ballot anywhere from 5 points to 9 points.