Ag Policy Blog
Midterm Elections Bring Tight Races Across America's Farm Belt
WASHINGTON (DTN) -- The closest races called in the U.S. midterms weren't necessarily in the district's analysts spent months calling toss-ups or lean Democratic seats.
Some of the tightest contests played out in districts with strong agricultural ties.
In Indiana's 5th Congressional District, J.D. Ford (D) defeated Rep. Victoria Spartz (R), 51.7%-48.3% (D+3.4). Spartz, who comes from a farming family, opposed the checkoff program and sought to reform it.
In North Carolina's 7th Congressional District, Rep. David Rouzer (R) led Kimberly Hardy (D), 49.9%-49.1%, a margin of just 0.8 percentage points. Rouzer's district includes rural southeastern North Carolina.
In Nebraska's 1st Congressional District, Rep. Mike Flood (R) defeated Chris Backemeyer (D), 50.3%-46.2% (R+4.1). The race remained competitive despite the district being rated likely Republican, with Flood retaining a seat representing eastern Nebraska.
In the race for a record-setting 22nd term in Congress, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D) defeated Derek Merrin (R) in Ohio's 9th Congressional District, 52.7%-47.3% (D+5.4). The result marked the second consecutive election matchup between the two candidates. Despite Ohio redrawing its congressional map in October 2025 to make the district more favorable to Republicans, Kaptur will continue her 43rd year in Congress.
In Minnesota's 1st Congressional District, Jake Johnson (D) has claimed victory, although a full tally and confirmation from the Associated Press were not announced. He ran against farmer and Rep. Brad Finstad (R). With 99% of votes counted, the race stood at 49.99%-49.89%, a margin of 0.10 percentage points. Unofficial results showed Johnson ahead by 323 votes, a margin small enough to meet Minnesota's threshold for a recount.
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Finstad's district covers southern Minnesota with cities of Worthington, Mankato and Rochester, bordering Iowa. Finstad, who was elected to Congress in 2022, is a former staffer for the Minnesota Farm Bureau and served as USDA's director of Rural Development in the state during the first Trump administration.
SENATE'S CLOSEST RACES
The Senate's closest races were in Iowa, South Carolina and Ohio, where Democrats made significant gains and flipped seats in all three states.
In Iowa, Josh Turek (D) defeated Ashley Hinson (R), 50.51%-46.40%, a margin of 4.11 points.
"The environment was really good for them," said Tim Gannon, an Iowa native and former U.S. Department of Agriculture official in the Obama and Biden administrations who now serves as a principal in Invariant's food and agriculture practice in Washington, D.C.
Gannon pointed to Democratic investments in organizing and voter outreach, along with economic concerns, as factors that helped drive turnout in counties, some more than Obama's 2008 elections.
"They had good candidates who fit their districts and understood who understood concerns of voters in a way that that really resonated this cycle, and it was all of them," he said.
In South Carolina, Annie Andrews (D) defeated Darline Graham (R), 51.13%-46.65%, winning by 4.48 points and flipping the seat for Democrats.
In Ohio, Sherrod Brown (D) defeated Jon Husted (R), 50.01%-45.15%, a margin of 4.86 points, also flipping the seat for Democrats.
While the results above have been called by AP News, many races have not counted all ballots or have secured a certification of the election yet.
Also see, "Historic Midterm Win for Democrats, Flipping Senate and Governor Seats,"
See the midterm election results, "DTN's Election 2026 Quick Takes,"
Jake Zajkowski can be reached at jake.zajkowski@dtn.com
Follow him on social platform X @jzajkow
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