Republican control of the Senate could return as soon as the 2028 general election, but only if the party can pull off a series of crucial victories in competitive races, a possibility that seems distant following Tuesday night’s devastating Democratic sweep.

As of publication, Democrats and independents who caucus with them have secured 54 Senate seats, a total that could grow to as many as 56 pending election calls in Mississippi and Alaska. 

Assuming Republicans hold the vice presidency in 2028, far from a guarantee, they would need to flip at least four seats during that election cycle to win the Senate back.

While there are ample pickup opportunities for Republicans in 2028 if the party can return to its typical national performance benchmarks, several vulnerable GOP-held seats could complicate their efforts to retake the upper chamber.

DEMS FLIPS YET ANOTHER SENATE SEAT IN TRUMP COUNTRY AMID SWEEPING GOP UPSETS

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, for instance, turned 93 in September and faces a decision about whether to seek another term in 2028, when Republicans will be defending his seat in a state where Democrat Josh Turek just defeated Republican Ashley Hinson by roughly four percentage points. His departure before then could also give Iowa’s incoming Democratic governor the opportunity to appoint a temporary replacement.

Another possibility that could make the GOP’s path back to a majority even more uncertain is the admission of Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., to the union as full states. 

Such a move would likely require the Democratic-led Senate to abolish or overcome the legislative filibuster, something lawmakers representing more moderate or competitive states may balk at, as well as support in the House and either presidential approval or enough votes to override a veto.

CHUCK SCHUMER AFTER SWEEPING DEMOCRATIC MIDTERM VICTORIES: ‘I’LL BE RE-ELECTED AS MAJORITY LEADER’

Even if the filibuster is done away with, President Donald Trump could veto admittance bills. Democrats currently lack the numbers to override such a veto.

If Republicans lose the White House in 2028, however, Democrats could have a clearer path to advancing statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., a move that would add four Senate seats and potentially complicate Republican efforts to win back the chamber, though significant political and legal obstacles would remain.

Assuming none of that happens, Democrats will be defending six Senate seats that could offer Republicans potential pickup opportunities in 2028.

Republicans will have pickup opportunities in New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Ohio that year. They will, however, be forced to defend vulnerable Senate seats in Wisconsin, Iowa and North Carolina. 

Indiana, which saw a significant blue shift, also has a Senate seat up for contention in 2028, while Nebraska, where independent Dan Osborn mounted a competitive but unsuccessful challenge to Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts on Tuesday, will not hold another regularly scheduled Senate election until 2030.

While 2028 could deliver Republicans a majority if they play their cards right, another defeat on the scale of 2026 could put the Democratic Party dangerously close to the 60-vote threshold necessary to invoke cloture and counter a filibuster.

«It may be unlikely, but I do think it’s feasible,» Chip Wyatt, Heritage Action’s government relations director, told Digital. «We’re just as capable of having a night like the Democrats had on Tuesday in 2028. 

«If anything, that election, the election we had on Tuesday, has shown us that two years is a very, very long time in politics. I think if you had told anybody in 2024 that this is what happened in 2028, they probably wouldn’t believe you.»

For Republicans to have a good night in 2028, Wyatt argued that conservatives would have to focus on affordability issues while Democrats overstep their mandate by allowing the fringes of their party to dictate its policy agenda.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz took a similar line in reacting to Tuesday night’s election results.

«We will rebuild as a true blue-collar party, not by embracing socialism, but by being real free-market conservatives, the way we built the Texas economic miracle in the first place, and we will build and rebuild America as well,» he said. 

«When the zealots overreach, and they will, we will stand ready to lead in the direction of freedom, of prosperity, of safety and security and common sense. We will return to a new dawn of freedom in America.»

The year 2030 features slightly fewer pickups for the GOP with a comparable number of states to defend. While Republicans will have pickup opportunities in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin and Michigan, they will also be forced to defend seats in Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

MAJORITY LEADER THUNE SAYS SENATE GOP WON’T ‘STAND IDLY BY’ AS DEMOCRATS TAKE CONTROL OF CONGRESS

The 2032 election will feature the same regularly scheduled Senate seats contested in 2026, giving Republicans another opportunity to retake deep-red states they blundered this year, such as Kansas and South Carolina. Historically, however, some moderate Democrats have managed to hang on to statewide offices in typically red states, making a reversion far from a certainty.

Former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, for instance, managed to survive multiple GOP challenges in the deep-red state. Kansas and Kentucky, similarly, have Democratic governors that survived Republican challenges in races that received national attention.

While many Republicans, and even some Democrats, have suggested liberal pickups in deep red states could be one-cycle wonders, Wyatt cautioned against complacency.

«We should always assume the politicians want to get re-elected, and, so, the senators in the deep red states that have been recently elected as Democrats are going to want to keep their seats. And, so, they’re going to be very strategic in how they vote and in what kind of bills they’re introducing,» Wyatt said. 

«In some of these deep red states, it’s going to be difficult for [Democrats] to hold on to these seats. … Now, granted, I’ve already said two years is a long time, six years is an even longer time. 

«So, who knows what kind of political landscape we’re looking at in 2032, but Republicans should definitely start off with a strong advantage in many of these states. … But it’s never wise to counter chickens before they hatch.»

Electoral politics is famously unpredictable. Nobody in 2024, for instance, envisioned South Carolina or Kansas sending Democrats to the Senate in 2026. It is possible that the Republican path to a Senate majority, or lack thereof, will be comparably surprising.

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Protesters in France are continuing to demonstrate in Paris and across the nation despite police prohibitions on gatherings in the capital.

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The Paris Police Prefecture denied numerous formal requests for permits allowing protests in various areas of the city, citing October riots that led to thousands of arrests and violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement.

«These events demonstrated the intention of certain individuals to target the institutions of the Republic, specifically through actions directed against public buildings and State services in order to undermine the foundations of the Republic,» the police wrote, according to a Fox News Digital translation of a police order.

«That these elements characterize a particular and serious risk to public institutions, agent safety, and the normal functioning of public services during such demonstrations,» the statement continued.

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FRANCE’S MACRON BLAMES PROTESTS ON ‘ULTRA-LEFT GROUPS WHOSE AIM IS TO BRING DOWN THE REPUBLIC’

Protesters face policemen during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

FRANCE DEPLOYS 70,000 POLICE OFFICERS TO PREPARE FOR NEW WAVE OF PROTESTS ON HALLOWEEN

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Police also prohibited a rally of France’s popular Yellow Vest protest movement scheduled for Place de la Concorde, citing security concerns.

Despite the ban, prominent Yellow Vest members attended and were arrested at the National Assembly in front of Place de la Concorde.

Benjamin Ball, a member of the Yellow Vests coordination group, and spokesperson Azelma Sigaux, were both arrested early in the afternoon Saturday, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).

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PHOTOS SHOW AFTERMATH OF RIOTS AS MASKED GROUPS CLASH WITH POLICE ACROSS FRANCE

Protesters wave flags during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

France’s Interior Ministry anticipated 170,000 people to protest nationwide Saturday, a day marking the fourth straight week of protests.

The country deployed 70,000 security forces to quell the demonstrations, according to the AFP.

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«The risk is exactly the same as on previous Saturdays,» Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, instructing authorities «not to lower their guard,» AFP reported.

LIMOGES TOWN HALL ‘LARGELY LOST’ AFTER FAR-LEFT RIOTERS SET HISTORIC BUILDING ON FIRE AMID FRENCH UNREST

Protesters run in tear gas during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Videos and photos showed French authorities deploying tear gas and detaining rioters while fires burned throughout Paris.

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French authorities also report that protesters have lobbed projectiles at police.

Demonstrators are protesting high costs of living, among other things, as student and teacher unions join Yellow Vests at the mass rallies.

Policemen help an injured colleague during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

On Monday, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is due to meet with leaders from the unions to discuss wages and purchasing power, AFP reported.

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Despite the planned tête-à-tête, union leaders are calling for fresh strikes on Tuesday to keep the pressure on the government, claiming the unions are «in a position of strength (and) the government in a position of weakness and starting to yield.»

Policemen walk past a burning bin during a demonstration for higher wages and in support of the high school protest movement in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Since student and union protests began in mid-September, National Assembly Deputy Leader Marine Le Pen has surged in national polling and is now seen as likely to force a runoff in the presidential election after announcing her candidacy in October.

Fox News Digital contacted the French Interior Ministry and Paris Police Prefecture for further information.

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El presidente de Honduras, Nasry Asfura, anunció una serie de cambios en el sistema público de salud, que incluyen remodelaciones hospitalarias, adquisición de equipos especializados para atender a pacientes con cáncer y la implementación de un sistema digital para controlar la disponibilidad de medicamentos e insumos quirúrgicos.

Desde Madrid, España, donde participa en la Cumbre Iberoamericana, el mandatario aseguró que los resultados de las medidas que impulsa su administración comenzarán a observarse en los próximos meses y prometió una transformación en los servicios sanitarios del país.

“Ustedes van a ver en unos meses más un cambio considerable”, manifestó Asfura al referirse a las intervenciones que se preparan desde la Secretaría de Salud, institución cuya administración también está bajo su responsabilidad.

Entre los proyectos destacados mencionó la instalación de centros de imágenes médicas en Tegucigalpa y San Pedro Sula, así como la incorporación de aceleradores lineales y tomógrafos para fortalecer el diagnóstico y tratamiento de enfermedades, particularmente el cáncer.

El gobernante señaló que el Hospital Escuela, en la capital, y el Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas, en San Pedro Sula, figuran entre los establecimientos que recibirán estas mejoras.

También anunció remodelaciones en diferentes centros hospitalarios y aseguró que el abastecimiento de medicamentos y materiales quirúrgicos constituye una de las prioridades de su gestión.

De acuerdo con el presidente, ya comenzaron a llegar medicamentos e insumos a los establecimientos asistenciales, especialmente a los dos principales hospitales de referencia del país.

En ese sentido, invitó a verificar las existencias en las bodegas y farmacias hospitalarias para constatar el ingreso de los productos destinados a fortalecer la atención de los pacientes.

Otra de las medidas anunciadas por Asfura es la implementación de un sistema digital de consulta de medicamentos e insumos quirúrgicos, mediante el cual los médicos podrán conocer las existencias disponibles antes de realizar procedimientos médicos.

El mecanismo contempla la instalación de pantallas en las salas hospitalarias para que el personal sanitario tenga acceso a información actualizada sobre los productos disponibles en las farmacias y bodegas de cada establecimiento.

El objetivo, explicó, es mejorar el control de los inventarios y evitar que se reporten faltantes de medicamentos o materiales cuando estos realmente se encuentren disponibles dentro del hospital.

La iniciativa busca reducir las dificultades administrativas que afectan la atención médica y facilitar que los profesionales puedan identificar con anticipación los recursos necesarios para atender a los pacientes.

El mandatario también anunció la implementación de servicios de telemedicina, vinculados con los nuevos centros de imágenes médicas, para facilitar la interpretación de estudios especializados sin que los pacientes tengan que trasladarse hasta las principales ciudades.

Asfura explicó que esta modalidad permitirá que especialistas realicen valoraciones a distancia, lo que podría beneficiar a personas que viven en comunidades alejadas y necesitan acceder a diagnósticos médicos.

A estas iniciativas se suma un convenio suscrito con la Fundación Abrigo para brindar asistencia a los familiares de pacientes hospitalizados en el Hospital Escuela y el Mario Catarino Rivas.

El acuerdo contempla alimentación durante el día, con desayuno, almuerzo y cena, además de alojamiento, kits de higiene y otros servicios para quienes acompañan a sus familiares durante los procesos de hospitalización.

“Ya no queremos ver a nadie en el pasillo o en una silla en las aceras”, expresó el presidente al referirse a las condiciones que enfrentan los acompañantes de pacientes que permanecen en las afueras de ambos centros asistenciales.

La medida pretende ofrecer condiciones más dignas a las personas que deben permanecer cerca de los hospitales mientras sus familiares reciben atención médica.

Durante sus declaraciones en Madrid, el presidente también fue consultado sobre su continuidad al frente de la Secretaría de Salud y la responsabilidad de dirigir esa institución mientras ejerce la Presidencia de la República.

En respuesta, defendió su papel como administrador de la cartera sanitaria y sostuvo que su función no consiste en ejercer labores médicas, sino en garantizar el uso adecuado de los recursos públicos.

“Mi trabajo no es ser doctor, mi trabajo es administrar los recursos de una de las carteras más grandes del país”, manifestó.

Asfura agregó que mantiene comunicación permanente con médicos y trabajadores de la Secretaría de Salud para conocer las dificultades que enfrentan en los hospitales, identificar los obstáculos que retrasan la atención y buscar soluciones.

El mandatario insistió en que su gobierno trabaja en una reestructuración del sistema sanitario y aseguró que las medidas anunciadas permitirán atender parte de los problemas que históricamente han afectado a los servicios públicos de salud en Honduras.

Sin embargo, los cambios anunciados deberán reflejarse en mejoras concretas en el abastecimiento, la capacidad hospitalaria y el acceso de la población a diagnósticos y tratamientos especializados.

corresponsal:Desde Tegucigalpa, Honduras