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US midterms: 10 under-the-radar races worth watching

The Guardian flags ten lower-profile contests where Republicans could find openings, even as forecasters have shifted their calls in recent days; the big races get the cash.

On air: Hank Ledger, Dale Bearman and Dr. Nina Byte on Wake Up, America
Published 5:24 AM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: Serenity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Dale Bearman and Dr. Nina Byte on this story, from Wake Up, America at 5:24 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The Guardian's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Serenity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: A polling place — Photo: Serenity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by The Guardian: “US midterm elections: 10 under-the-radar races worth watching”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 5:24 AM ET on Wake Up, America, by Hank Ledger, Dale Bearman and Dr. Nina Byte.
Topics: US.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The GuardianUS midterm elections: 10 under-the-radar races worth watching

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThis is a BBN special report. The Guardian says Democrats hold a strong edge heading into November's midterm elections, and polls back that up.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBut while the marquee races from Maine to Michigan soak up the attention and the money, the paper points to ten lower-profile contests across the country where Republicans could find an opening and an upset could land.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThat matters at home because a lot of what touches your life gets decided in races you have never heard of, and recent days have seen election forecasters shift their calls.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentThe data point is that a strong edge is not a guarantee.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentSmall contests have small samples, so one bad week of polling can flip the whole picture.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorSo the races that decide everything are the ones nobody is watching. That is the most reassuring thing I have heard all week.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentReassuring?
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorUnwatched things always end up in charge. Ask anyone who has ignored their houseplants.

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