Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has been tapped to serve as the next chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).
Gillibrand has been tasked with leading the party’s campaign arm as Democrats strive to seize control of the upper chamber in the 2026 midterm elections.
“We are excited to announce Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will serve as the next DSCC Chair for the 2026 cycle working to build strong campaign infrastructure, hold Republicans accountable, and mobilize voters to win the majority for Senate Democrats!” the official account for Senate Democrats wrote in a post on X.
Republicans secured control of the Senate in the 2024 elections. Currently, the Senate has 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats. In the 2026 midterm elections, a total of 35 Senate seats are up for grabs, including special elections in Florida and Ohio. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to seize control of the upper chamber, according to politics tracker 270towin.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) noted the importance of Gillibrand’s new role as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House for a second term.
“Electing more Democrats to the Senate in 2026 is the most important thing we can do to limit the damage of Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans and do more for working families,” Schumer said in a statement. “I have worked side by side with Kirsten Gillibrand for nearly two decades and I know she will be an outstanding DSCC Chair. With her hard work, tenacity, and discipline, Sen. Gillibrand is the right person to lead our campaign to victory in 2026.”
According to Schumer, Gillibrand has proven to be a “battletested campaigner,” winning four statewide elections by high margins. In November, Gillibrand won a third term after defeating Republican opponent Mike Sapraicone by 18 points.
In 2009, Gillibrand was appointed to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate after she became the Secretary of State under President Barack Obama. Gillibrand also ran for president in 2020 but officially ended her campaign in August 2019.
Currently, the senator is a member of the Senate Appropriations, Armed Services, and Intelligence committees.
“I am incredibly honored to serve as DSCC chair for the 2026 cycle,” Gillibrand wrote in a post on X. “From now until Election Day, I will work my hardest to support our Democratic incumbents, recruit the strongest possible candidates, and ensure they have every resource needed to win.
As Democrats strive to take control of the Senate, Republicans are working to defend and widen their majority even more in 2026. In November, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) ran uncontested for chair of the GOP’s campaign arm, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC).
“We took back the U.S. Senate in 2024, and there is no one I trust more to protect the majority in 2026 than Tim Scott,” NRSC Chair Steve Daines said in a statement.
The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3, 2026.