Gillibrand to chair Senate Democrats' campaign arm for 2026 cycle

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) will chair Senate Democrats' campaign arm this cycle, teeing up the party’s attempt to regain the majority in 2026.

Senate Democrats will have critical races next year in Georgia, Michigan and Maine, where swing-vote Republican Sen. Susan Collins is up for reelection. They will also have potential pickup opportunities in Texas and North Carolina, though those states have proved tricky for Democrats to topple in the past. While the 2026 map is not miraculously favorable for Senate Democrats, it's far more friendly than the 2024 map that had them on defense in virtually every race, including red states like West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, all of which went to the GOP.

Gillibrand has made no secret of her interest in chairing the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In a release Monday morning, the senator said in a statement that she is “confident that we will protect our Democratic seats, mount strong challenges in our battleground races, and look to expand our efforts into some unexpected states.”

One thing to note: Gillibrand's new role means both New York senators will have a notable amount of power over the next two years. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) continues to serve as Senate minority leader, making him an integral part of Democrats' 2026 campaign strategy as well. He wrote in a statement that Gillibrand “is the right person to lead our campaign to victory in 2026.”