WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans appeared to have a firm grip on the Senate heading into the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. But with less than two months until Election Day, control of the chamber is now up for grabs.

Democrats have found themselves competing in states that once seemed beyond their reach as President Donald Trump’s slipping approval ratings and voters’ dissatisfaction with the economy create a difficult political environment for Republicans. But races Democrats once counted on winning have also become more complicated.

It’s a battle that’s expected to exceed $3.4 billion in spending across all races during the midterm campaign. The implications are huge for Trump’s agenda and his ability to fill administration jobs and open court seats for the remainder of his term, as the Senate is empowered to confirm or block presidential nominees.

Republicans say it’s unlikely for everything to break in Democrats’ favor, but they acknowledge they’re facing a difficult landscape. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told South Dakota’s KELOLAND News last week that he does “worry” about losing the chamber.

“I’m a realist,” Thune said. “I don’t ever try and sugarcoat things. I think it’s a competitive environment right now.”

Democrats face a scrambled path to the majority

Democrats need to net four seats to win the majority. The original path had been to hold Michigan, Georgia and New Hampshire while winning back Republican-held seats in Alaska, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio. But things have changed.

“We now have multiple paths for the majority,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said last month. “We found new states — Iowa, Texas — which people a year ago weren’t even paying attention to.”

Some of the states where Democrats were feeling most optimistic at the start of the election cycle, such as Michigan and Maine, have grown murkier.

In Michigan, where there’s an open seat this fall, no GOP candidate has won a Senate race since 1994. But Democrats are struggling to unite behind nominee Abdul El-Sayed. The favorite of progressives narrowly defeated moderate U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens in the August primary, and feelings remain raw from a bruising contest that saw nearly $70 million spent against El-Sayed.

Republicans believe Mike Rogers, who lost the 2024 Senate race by fewer than 20,000 votes, has an improved shot against El-Sayed. The Senate Leadership Fund — Senate Republicans’ spending PAC — added $6 million to its Michigan advertising investment after El-Sayed won, bringing their total spending to $51 million, the third-highest total.

Progressive Graham Platner easily won the nomination in June, but he left the race the next month over a sexual assault allegation that he denies. Democratic delegates in late July chose Troy Jackson, a lesser-known former state legislative leader, to replace him.

Jackson has been forced to play catch-up. Collins and aligned super PACs have spent almost $80 million so far, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, while Jackson and Democratic-aligned groups have spent and reserved close to $45 million since he became the nominee.

As one path narrowed for Democrats, others widened

Democrats increasingly see a real possibility in Texas, a state that has been an elusive goal for decades, and other GOP-led states including Iowa, Alaska and Ohio.

In Texas, Democrat James Talarico faces state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who ousted four-term incumbent Republican Sen. John Cornyn to win the GOP nomination. Senate GOP leadership backed Cornyn, seeing him as the stronger general election candidate.

Paxton has been shadowed for decades by legal and ethical questions, including indictments for securities fraud, though he was not convicted.

Talarico and allied groups have spent nearly $30 million on advertising since the May runoff, compared to less than $3 million by pro-Paxton groups. The political fund associated with Trump last week spent $10 million on TV and digital ads to help Paxton — the first major general election investment by MAGA Inc. for the midterms. Senate GOP leaders had petitioned Trump’s political team to spend some of the more than $400 million it had last month to help Paxton.

Democrats have also upped their spending in Alaska, Iowa, Ohio and North Carolina, all states currently held by Republicans. The GOP, meanwhile, is feeling more optimistic about New Hampshire as well as Michigan, while spending more to defend seats in Iowa and Alaska.

The expanded map has upped the anticipated total spending this cycle. AdImpact in June projected $3.4 billion in advertising spending on Senate races, a significant increase from the $2.8 billion the ad spending firm projected in the fall of 2025.

Why more states are in play than expected

Democrats’ path has widened in part because of Trump’s slumping job approval, notably on handling the economy, which was at 32% according to an AP-NORC poll in July — down from 40% in March 2025, shortly after he took office.

Trump’s trade policies and the war in Iran, with its corresponding inflated fuel costs, have added to the economic uncertainty for voters less than two months before Election Day.

“Things still cost too much. And so we’ve got to work on that issue,” Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio told The Associated Press. “We understand that and we know that’s real.”

Ohio Sen. Jon Husted heard the concern firsthand at a roundtable last month. Husted is looking to fend off a comeback from former Sen. Sherrod Brown in another key matchup for both parties.

During the discussion on housing, one attendee told Husted that costs were “skyrocketing” in part because of uncertainty around tariffs.

“Uncertainty is the killer to this economy,” said Dean Windham, a real estate developer who previously ran for office as a Republican.

Some Republican Senate candidates have defended Trump’s policies while confronting concerns about their economic impact.

In Michigan, where Trump’s tariffs on Canada have become a central issue, Rogers has backed the president’s approach while leaving room for disagreement.

“President Trump is right to put America First — and tariffs are necessary, but are not a one-size-fits-all solution,” Rogers said in a recent statement.

Republicans believe the math still favors them

Even if Democrats hold every seat they currently control, they would need to flip at least two seats in states Trump carried by double digits in 2024 to win the majority.

Republicans are betting that those underlying advantages will matter more as Election Day approaches — particularly as Trump and the party turn their attention toward mobilizing voters who helped return him to the White House.

Trump told reporters last week that he will “be making a lot of stops” in the last 30 days before the election.

Next week, Republicans will hold a midterm convention in Texas, where Trump is set to speak and top Senate candidates including Rogers and Husted are expected to attend.

But Republicans acknowledge they have work to do.

“Politics is local,” Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota said. He pointed to Trump’s decision to import beef, which he said made farmers and ranchers “feel just like the administration pulled the rug right off from underneath” them.

“They’re hurt,” Rounds said. “They feel like they’ve been let down.”

___

Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.

The outlook after that looks reasonably good for London. The Met Office’s long-range forecast predicts “a trend toward some longer dry interludes between systems as we head toward mid-September”, although a return of the dry, settled weather of the summer “looks unlikely”.

By GENIE HARRISON – EXECUTIVE TRAVEL EDITOR

Published: 00:02 BST, 8 September 2026 | Updated: 09:57 BST, 8 September 2026

The beginning of a holiday should set the tone for what’s to follow: a glass of champagne in the departure lounge, a leisurely browse of duty free and watching planes jet off into sunny skies before boarding your flight.

But this is often very far from the reality when travelling through UK airports.

Prolonged delays in stuffy, overcrowded halls, limited and overpriced food and drink options as well as disappointing customer service have rapidly become the norm for air travel.

This year’s survey by consumer champion Which? has revealed which airports are the worst offenders for holidaymakers in 2026 – with factors such as ‘Late cancellations’, ‘Check-in queues’, ‘Passport control queues’ and ‘Food and drink outlets’ all taken into account.

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This year, Manchester T3 has been declared the nation’s worst airport, with a 52 per cent customer score. The aviation hub scored a paltry two stars in all categories surveyed, including ‘Cleanliness’ and ‘Seating’.

One customer declared the airport, which primarily operates Ryanair flights, ‘quite appalling for a supposedly modern airport’, reporting two-hour check-in queues due to broken machines, 20-minute queues for cafes and toilets, and also complaining that there is ‘nowhere to sit’.

Manchester’s Terminal 3 has been awarded the title of the nation’s worst

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Another reflected that the experience at T3 was defined by a ‘poor layout’ and a ‘lack of passenger consideration’.

The airport has been criticised particularly for its ‘excessive’ walking distances, as security and lounges are currently located in the former Terminal 1 area, which officially closed last November.

In a statement to Which? following the results of the survey, Manchester Airport told the consumer champion there is a ‘project ongoing to remove and replace the old travelators’ as part of a multi-million pound refurbishment scheme.

Scoring the poorest of any of London’s airports, Luton Airport was named the second worst airport in the country, with a customer score of only 57 per cent.

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The Bedfordshire spot scored just two stars in most categories reviewed, managing three stars for only ‘Baggage reclaim wait’ and ‘Cleanliness’.

Third from the bottom marked a return up north: Manchester Airport’s Terminal 2 received a customer score of 58 per cent and was awarded only two stars in all categories barring ‘Cleanliness’, for which three stars were achieved.

Join the discussion

Which UK airport do you think offers the worst passenger experience?

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Which? says that Exeter is the UK’s best airport – reaching an 83 per cent customer score 

Similarly poor performers were London Stansted, with 58 per cent, and Edinburgh Airport, with 61 per cent. 

On the other end of the scale, Exeter airport was crowned the very best of Britain’s airports, earning an 83 per cent customer score.

The Devon airport scored a full five stars in three categories: ‘Check-in queues’, ‘Airport security queues’ and ‘Cleanliness’. Its lowest mark was for ‘Food and drink outlets’, for which only three stars were awarded.

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So pleased was one customer with the experience at Exeter airport that they called the hub ‘a lovely little place’, admitting they enjoyed their pre-departure experience.

Liverpool John Lennon took second place, with a 79 per cent customer score, while London’s City Airport was awarded third place with 78 per cent, the highest scoring of all six of the major international hubs in the capital.

Indeed, the top performers demonstrated a trend across the survey, with small-to-medium airports providing a more seamless travel experience than their larger counterparts.

UK’S AIRPORTS RANKED BEST TO WORST 

Airport	Customer Score
1. Exeter	83
2. Liverpool	79
3. London City	78
4. Norwich	78
5. Cardiff	77
6. Bournemouth	76
7. East Midlands	75
8. Southampton	74
9. Belfast City	73
10. Newcastle	73
11. Glasgow	70
12. Aberdeen	68
13. London Heathrow Terminal 4	66
14. London Heathrow Terminal 5	66
15. Belfast International	64
16.  London Heathrow Terminal 2	64
17. Birmingham	63
18. London Gatwick (North)	63
19. London Gatwick (South)	63
20. Bristol (435)	62
21. Leeds Bradford	62
22. London Heathrow Terminal 3	62
23. Edinburgh	61
24.  London Stansted	58
25. Manchester Terminal 2	58
25. London Luton	57
26. Manchester Terminal 3	52

VV Season, founded in 2020, sold “luxury” streetwear online and developed a following of more than 17,000 across Instagram and Facebook.

A notice published on September 7 revealed that liquidators were appointed on August 27.

Within months of launching, the brand was already attracting high-profile fans, including professional footballer Dion Sanderson, now with Derby County, who was pictured holding a bag of VV Season clothing.

Clothing brand loved by sports and music stars enters liquidation (Image: Kennedy News/VV Season/Facebook)

In July, founder Jordan Banks shared a candid update on Facebook.

Mr Banks posted to Facebook to tell fans “this year so far hasn’t gone how I’d hoped.”

He explained the second release of items this year “lost the momentum built from the first”, which was said to have “hit targets.”

The note said he “needs everyone’s support through July to keep the brand moving forward” and admitted that he’d have made different decisions if he was starting the business now.

He thanked customers for their support and launched a 70% off sale with a request for feedback on the brand’s products.

Clothing brand loved by sports and music stars enters liquidation (Image: Kennedy News/VV Season/Facebook)

On September 7, The Gazette confirmed that Kevin Ley and Adam Harris of S&W Partners had been appointed as liquidators.

Liquidation is the formal process of closing a business, where its assets are used to pay off its debts.

VV Season’s website remains online, offering shorts, t-shirts, hats, jackets, and hoodies.

No official statement about the liquidation has yet been shared on the brand’s social media channels.

What happens when a company goes into administration?

When a company enters administration, it means that it is unable to pay expenses, debts, or other liabilities, according to SquareUp.com.

Companies House adds: “When a company goes into administration, they have entered a legal process (under the Insolvency Act 1986) with the aim of achieving one of the statutory objectives of an administration. This may be to rescue a viable business that is insolvent due to cashflow problems.

“An appointment of an administrator (a licensed insolvency practitioner) will be made by directors, a creditor or the court to fulfil the administration process.”

A statutory moratorium is put in place once a company enters administration, giving it “breathing space” to allow for financial restructuring plans to be drawn up free from creditor enforcement actions.

A company can continue to trade while in administration, but daily management and control are handed over to the administrators.

Companies House continues: “Within 8 weeks it is the administrators’ role to formulate administration proposals.

“Creditors are then asked to vote by a decision procedure to approve the administrators’ proposals.

“If the administration involves a sale of all or part of the company’s business, the proceeds (after the costs of the procedure) will be distributed to creditors in a statutory order of priority.”

Administration will end automatically after 12 months unless the administrator asks the court or creditors for an extension.

Through administration, a company can be:

• Rescued and passed back to the directors
• Enter liquidation
• Be dissolved

Other UK companies that have closed or entered administration/liquidation in 2026

It has been a tough year for the UK high street, with several other retailers entering administration or liquidation and others announcing widespread store closures.

Major high street brands LK Bennett, Claire’s, and Quiz have been forced to close all their remaining stores after falling into administration.

UK fashion retailer Leading Labels is also set to close its remaining 15 stores after falling into liquidation in May.

Whitbread confirmed it will be closing all its UK restaurants in September:

TG Jones and the British Heart Foundation will also be closing around 150 stores each across the UK.

Other retailers have been forced to close stores this year, including:

The company responsible for iconic British bikemaker Raleigh, Accell Group, has also collapsed into administration, putting the 139-year-old British bikemaker at risk of closing.

Several UK travel companies have ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:

Wayfairer Travel Limited has also suspended all services “until further notice” as it looks to appoint an administrator.

Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation:

UK delivery company Yodel is set to be phased out after being acquired by InPost.

It’s also been reported that Morrisons is looking to sell some of its in-store pharmacies as it continues to cut costs.

It hasn’t all been bad news for the UK high street, with several major brands announcing new store openings for 2026, including Aldi, M&S, and Superdrug.

Meanwhile, brands including Evans and Bodycare have returned to the UK high street this year after previously closing all their stores.

Have you purchased furniture from VV Season before? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.

A panel of international journalists assembled by France Football decide the 30 finalists for the men’s Ballon d’Or and the Yashin Award shortlist for the world’s best goalkeeper.

The voting process was altered in 2022 to include a media member from each of the top 100 nations in the FIFA men’s world ranking (for the men’s Ballon d’Or voting) and from the top 50 nations in the FIFA women’s world ranking (for the women’s Ballon d’Or vote).

Those members vote by choosing names from the list of finalists, and they rank their selections. Each vote is weighted with different point totals assigned based on the specific ranking of the player on the ballot. After all the votes are totted up, the player with the most points is awarded the Ballon d’Or.

Andreas Schleicher, director of education at the OECD, said reading was the “mother of all skills” and that the steep decline was a concern.

He said children’s ability to read complex texts had declined by the equivalent of “two school years” in the last decade.

Longer-term Pisa research suggested students who read longer books performed best, he added, as it helped them to learn to hold complex information in mind.

Schools like Meadow Park, in Coventry, are adopting a range of approaches to improve pupils’ reading skills, including weekly book club discussions led by tutors.

Year 10 pupil Ampaabeng said the sessions have had a “really positive impact” on his reading since they were brought in a year ago.

The school has also invested in a wider range of books in the library, where reading for pleasure at lunchtime is encouraged.

A mobile phone ban was introduced at the school two years ago to reduce distractions – an approach which is commended by the new report.

“In a digital age, it’s easier to pick up a phone than it is a book,” head teacher Bernadette Pettman said.

She said reading together had enabled the school to “break down that fear of reading” and that pupils had “absolutely embraced it”.