What did Ione Wells say would count as a good night for Republicans in the 2026 US midterms?

BBC Washington correspondent Ione Wells said many Republicans already expect to lose the House of Representatives, so holding on to the Senate would be seen as a successful night. Taking the Democrat-held Michigan Senate seat would be a bonus, she said, because it would make it harder for Democrats to reach a majority. Democrats hope to win both chambers and feel they have a shot even in former strongholds like Texas and Kansas.

• All 435 House seats and 35 of the 100 Senate seats are being contested.
• Wells named affordability, especially petrol prices since the Iran war, as the main issue.
• She said aggressive ICE raids have put off some Hispanic voters in Texas and Florida.

▸In their words

“I think a good night for the Republicans would be if they managed to maintain control of the Senate.” Ione Wells · at 9:46 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Global News Podcast (2026-11-03). Read the whole episode summary →

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