The Key Congressional Races that Could Shape the Final Years of Trump
We’ll discuss races across the nation, and how issues like inflation and Trump could influence the outcome.
BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: A pumpjack operates amid a vineyard in Kern County, which has a long history of oil production, in California’s 22nd Congressional District on October 23, 2026 near Bakersfield, California. Randy Villegas, the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, is challenging Republican incumbent David Valadao in California’s 22nd Congressional District, a competitive southern Central Valley district with a majority Latino population. The toss-up race could be consequential in the November 2026 midterms amid local concerns about federal cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, as well as intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Airdate: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at 10 am
Next week’s midterm election will decide which party controls Congress for the second half of President Trump’s term. And in the wake of California’s redistricting in favor of Democratic candidates, the state could play an outsized role in shaping the outcome of the midterms. We’ll dig into key races here in California and across the nation, and how issues like inflation and Trump’s approval rating could influence the outcome. Join us.
Guests:
- Erin Covey, editor covering the U.S. House of Representatives, The Cook Political Report
- Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED’s California Politics and Government Desk