27 States in the Midst of Record GOP or Democratic US Senate Winning Streaks
Six of the Top 10 longest Republican Party state records are currently active across three regions of the country
[This is the fifth in a series of Smart Politics reports examining electoral trends documenting the decline of competitive, battleground states. Previous reports focused on the rise of single party U.S. House delegations, Democratic and Republican parties currently owning record presidential winning streaks in 38 states, the 119th Congress setting a record for the lowest number of split U.S. Senate delegations, and the number of single-party state congressional delegations reaching a 70+ year high].
Last November’s U.S. Senate elections did provide a handful of flipped seats and 11 contests decided by single digits, but did not put an end to the many record partisan winning streaks that are still in effect in more than half the states in this nation.
Through the 2024 cycle, the Republican Party has amassed record consecutive U.S. Senate victories in 16 states – including winning two straight contests for the first time in Montana (with Tim Sheehy ousting three-term incumbent Jon Tester) and tying the record of two straight wins in West Virginia (with Governor Jim Justice claiming the open seat).
The GOP has racked up 10 or more straight victories in nine states: Kansas (33 in a row), Wyoming (19), Utah (18), Idaho (16), Mississippi (16), Oklahoma (14), Texas (13), Tennessee (12), and Kentucky (10).
The mark in Kansas is tied for the biggest streak in the direct election era for either party (Louisiana Democrats also won 33 in a row from 1914 to 2002) and bests the second largest GOP record of 25 set in Vermont from 1914 to 1972.
Republicans in Wyoming (#3), Utah (#4), Idaho (tied #5), Mississippi (tied #5), and Oklahoma (#10) are currently enjoying Top 10 all-time party marks.
State GOP records are also ongoing in South Carolina (nine in a row), Arkansas (five), Louisiana (five), North Carolina (five), and Florida (four).
Democrats, meanwhile, are in the midst of record U.S. Senate winning streaks in 11 states – tying all-time marks last November behind incumbents Maria Cantwell in Washington (10, also recorded from 1950-1976) and Amy Klobuchar in Minnesota (eight, also matched 1954-1976).
Hawaii Democrats have the longest active streak for the party at 20 consecutive victories since 1974. That is tied (with Florida) for ninth all-time in party history trailing eight southern states: the aforementioned Louisiana (33, 1914-2002), Alabama (27, 1914-1978), Georgia (26, 1914-1978), North Carolina (25, 1914-1968), Mississippi (23, 1916-1976), Virginia (22, 1916-1966), Tennessee (21, 1916-1964), and West Virginia (1958-2012).
Other active state Democratic records are in New Jersey (18 in a row), California (15), Maryland (15), New York (12), Delaware (11), Michigan (10), Oregon (seven), and New Hampshire (four).
One state can be added to the GOP list in 2026 with Iowa Republicans seeking to win their sixth consecutive contest since 2010.
The Hawkeye State GOP also won six elections in a row from 1950 to 1966.
Follow Smart Politics on X.
[…] and Republican parties currently owning record presidential winning streaks in 38 states and U.S. Senate winning streaks in 27 states, the rise of single party U.S. House delegations, the 119th Congress setting a record for the […]
After some speculation (and perhaps vacillation on her part) two-term IA US Senator Joni Ernst purportedly has decided to stand down.
– I for one am not certain whether that development reduces or augments (in light of her ‘gaffe’ at a town hall months prior) the party’s chances of holding her seat.
– Even if the Republicans manage to garner their 6 straight win, the *seat* will continue its tradition of having relatively short-term occupants; only Democrat Tom Harkin has won more than 2 full terms for this seat since the direct vote began, if I am not mistaken.