Yes
They can.
No
They can’t.
Democrats are projected to take control of the House and Senate after the 2026 midterms. Republicans will get their next chance to win back both chambers in 2028, when the presidential race will also be on the ballot. A comeback is possible, but the GOP would need to put together two separate paths to a majority. The House is won district by district, while the Senate depends on which states have seats up for election and how those races unfold.
In the House, every seat is up for election in 2028. Republicans can look at districts they narrowly lost in 2026 and consider what it would take to win those voters back. They also have to defend their own competitive seats. A strong challenger may put a Democratic-held district within reach, while a Republican retirement can make another district harder to hold. That balance matters because the party needs enough net gains to reach a majority.
The Senate offers fewer opportunities in any single election. Only about a third of Senate seats are regularly scheduled to be on the ballot in a given cycle, so the states that happen to be voting matter a great deal. A strong national campaign can help with fundraising and turnout, but candidates still have to build a statewide coalition. That may mean winning back voters in suburbs, improving margins in rural counties or competing in communities where the party has struggled.
What happens in Washington before 2028 could also influence the races. With President Donald Trump in the White House and Democrats set to run Congress, voters will see how both parties handle funding deadlines, spending disputes and proposals tied to the cost of living. Where they reach agreements, candidates can point to specific results. Where talks break down, voters will have to decide whose priorities they supported and who they think was willing to compromise.
A voter could reasonably see an opening for Republicans in the House while remaining skeptical about the Senate, or vice versa. The presidential race will draw much of the attention, but the individual contests will determine whether Republicans regain one chamber, both or neither.