Federal Managers Association

In the News

• 8 midterm races for federal employees to watch - October 13, 2026

• Several high-profile races, including Senate elections in Maine, Georgia and Texas, could impact civil servants.

  Sean Michael Newhouse, Government Executive

  The Trump administration’s efforts to downsize and remake the federal workforce could be curtailed if Democrats win back a majority in the House and/or Senate during the midterm congressional elections on Nov. 3.

  Here are eight competitive congressional races for federal employees to watch, many of which feature lawmakers who are involved with the annual agency funding process or veterans’ issues.

  1. Maine Senate

  Susan Collins — the chair of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for allocating funding among most federal agencies — is up for re-election in a close race. A Republican, she frequently breaks with the president, including over funding for inspectors general and impoundments, which is when the executive branch delays or withholds congressionally approved spending.

  Her Democratic opponent is Troy Jackson, the former Senate president of Maine. While in the state legislature, he sponsored legislation to provide no-interest loans to federal employees in Maine during a government shutdown. The state enacted an identical bill last year after Jackson had left the Maine Senate.

  Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss up.

  To read the full article, click here.

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