US Midterm Election Preview, Part Two:  This Time, It’s Senatorial

Although, barring an Act of God or a flagrant abuse of power, a Democratic takeover of the US House of Representatives in the Midterm Elections on November 3 seems assured, given the mood of the country, control of the Senate is much less certain.  That the upper chamber is in play at all is due solely to the incompetence, venality, and narcissistic focus of Donald J. Trump, who continues to spread anarchy, instability and failure to any and all who come into contact with him, regardless of party affiliation.

Republicans went into this cycle with 22 of 35 contested seats held by GOP incumbents, as opposed to just 13 for Democrats.  Incumbency is a huge advantage, and there was little hope of turning the tables and making Democratic advances, let alone wresting control of the Senate.  But that was before Trump took a series of actions that increased costs for average Americans, and made drastic cuts to the social safety net for those already in need.  His tariff policies began the slide into steeper inflation and higher prices in 2025, exacerbated a year later by his ill-considered war on Iran, which has sent energy and fuel prices soaring, creating a genuine crisis of affordability (a term which Trump has called “a Democrat hoax”).

That the Dems have any chance at all of gaining control of the Senate this cycle is little less than a miracle, and still very much in doubt.  Let’s see if the cosmos has more confidence in this outcome than your intrepid astro-stenographer.  [Note:  the following analysis is based solely on the placement of pertinent PNAs (Personal-Named Asteroids) representing the candidates on Election Day, and not on the natal potential or transit structure of any individual candidate, which will of necessity contribute to success or failure, but a detailed examination of which is well beyond the scope of this article.]

In Part One of this series, we noted that a Sun/Mercury conjunction at the fulcrum of a T-Square with asteroids Victoria 12 and Demokritos 6129 gave a general imprimatur of electoral (Mercury) victory (Victoria) for Democrats (Demokritos).  We also established that a conjunction of Venus with asteroid Senator 8603 imaged a large infusion of cash (Venus) into the Senate races (Senator), as well as generally favoring female (Venus) candidates, and that this pairing’s opposition to TNO Eris 136199, with a Nemesis 128/Whitehouse 4036 conjunction on the fulcrum of a second T-Square, portrayed elevated levels of discontent and fractiousness (Eris) among the electorate, with the Trump administration (Whitehouse) acting as an inimical influence for potential ruin (Nemesis).

The path to Democratic victory leads through Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas; seven of nine are currently held by Republicans, and Dems need to pick up four of these, while retaining Georgia and Michigan, to gain the majority (or pick up a fifth if one of these is lost).  Let’s start with seats currently held by Republicans, in alphabetical order.

Alaska’s contest features Republican incumbent Senator Dan S. Sullivan versus Democrat Mary Peltola.  Although not formally so styled, the qualifying ‘S’ in Sullivan’s name is necessary for this round of voting, because there are two Dan Sullivans running for Senate in Alaska in November, the incumbent and Dan J. Sullivan, a retired schoolteacher who may garner just a few thousand votes, but could prove a spoiler in a close race, one way or the other.

The Geminian circumstance of twin Dan Sullivans in the same race is compounded by a combination of asteroids Daniel 2589 and Sullivan 15133 in the sky, conjoined from 2 Scorpio and 28 Libra, respectively, and this, in turn, is further complicated by an inextricable, irreconcilable, union of asteroids TRIUMF 14959 and Losse 340579, at 28 and 27 Libra, right in the mix.  The cosmos is simply not playing fair here, inserting diametrically opposed markers of the outcome within a degree of each other, with TRIUMF named for an acronym of a Canadian science research facility, which functions as its homophone “triumph,” an unqualified success; and Losse a phonetic match for “loss,” or failure.

We can safely state that, vis a vis each other, one of the Dan Sullivans will play the TRIUMF role, and one the Losse role, and it’s fairly easy to determine which is which, but how the winner fares against the Democratic challenger is harder to call.  Asteroid Daniel conjoins asteroid Senator at 20 Libra (Sullivan is a bit too wide, but does conjoin Lesser Benefic Venus at 25 Libra), which could imply an identification with the job, but since incumbent Dan S. Sullivan already has it, this may simply be an identifier, without consequence.  The remaining aspects, an opposition to Eris and a square to Nemesis/Whitehouse, ties him directly to Trump and voter discontent.

Mary Peltola, on the other hand, already given a generic boost, as a female, by the Venus/Senator conjunction, is represented specifically by asteroid Mary 2779 at 17 Leo, conjunct Mars and asteroid Victoria at 19 and 20 Leo, and squared the Sun/Mercury conjunction at 11 and 13 Scorpio, suggesting being spotlighted (Sun) with a winning (Victoria) campaign (Mars) for the election (Mercury).  The Cosmic Bookie puts this one in the Democrat column.

Moving on to Iowa, we see Republican Ashley Hinson versus Democrat Josh Turek, vying for the seat of retiring Senator Joni Ernst.  Hinson also has that “female candidate” boost from Venus/Senator, and with asteroid Ashley 6752 at 9 Scorpio, conjunct Sun/Mercury, she’s got a better than fair shot at helping to keep the seat in Republican hands. 

But challenger Josh Turek can’t be counted out.  There’s no stand-alone “Josh” asteroid (nor “Joshua,” for that matter, his given name), but there are two CNAs (Compound-Name Asteroids) which begin with it, and can be used to represent him.  Asteroid Joshemery 8242 (“Josh Emery,” written as one word, common in asteroid naming convention) at 10 Aquarius is squared Sun/Mercury, widely opposed asteroid Victoria at 20 Leo, and sextile asteroid Nike 307 at 9 Sagittarius, named for the Greek goddess of victory.  As well, asteroid Joshgrindlay 129186 at 23 Scorpio squares Victoria, for another dose of “winning” energy.  So both candidates have solar connectivity, and each has additional mitigating factors in his or her favor.  The Cosmic Bookie calls this a true toss-up, with perhaps a very slight edge for Turek.

Kansas is about as Red a state as it gets, but even here, there are signs of a Democratic surge.  The last time the Sunflower State sent a Democrat to the Senate was in 1932, in the wake of Republican President Herbert Hoover’s Depression.  But this year, Democrat Adam Hamilton, pastor at a United Methodist megachurch in Leawood, largest of that denomination in the country, is giving incumbent Republican Roger Marshall a run for his money.  Recent polling has Hamilton within striking distance, and if the Blue Wave portended by the cosmos materializes, it could wash away even GOP candidates in historically safe districts.

Both candidates have connections to Sun/Mercury, with Adam Hamilton represented by asteroid Adam 6461 at 3 Cancer, in trine and embedded at station, marking a critical turning point; and asteroid Hamilton 452 at 11 Scorpio, exactly conjunct the Sun.  Roger Marshall is seen as asteroid Rogeria 920, for Roger, appearing at 18 Cancer in trine, with asteroid Marshall 32279 at 18 Aquarius in square.  Rogeria is also squared asteroid Senator at 20 Libra and Venus at 25 Libra, but this is counterbalanced by an opposition to asteroid Nemesis at 21 Capricorn, a symbol of self-generated ruin or destruction.  This may well be the case, with recent reporting indicating that Marshall, a former OB/GYN, regularly sued low income, uninsured patients for nonpayment, even having almost 100 arrested, a circumstance that doesn’t sit well with voters.  The Cosmic Bookie gives the odds to Marshall, but it could easily go the other way.

Maine’s Susan Collins has been fighting political headwinds for most of her career, but always seems to pull it out, and 2026 looks no different.  First elected in 1996, Collins, now 73, is trying for her sixth term as one of the most at-risk but indomitable GOP candidates on the ballot.  Represented by asteroids Susanna 542 (for Susan) at 11 Scorpio, exact with the Sun, and asteroid Collins 6471 at 15 Aquarius, in square, Collins’ lock on her seat may be absolute.  Democratic challenger Troy Jackson is seen as asteroids Troja 3912 at 18 Virgo (the Latin word for the ancient city of Troy), trine Nemesis at 21 Capricorn and sesquiquadrate Pluto at 3 Aquarius, which can provide devastating outcomes (think asteroid Hillary opposed Pluto in 2016, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump); and Jackson 2193 at 6 Aries, conjoined restrictive, limiting Saturn at 9 Aries.  Not a great combo – the Cosmic Bookie keeps this in the Republican column.

North Carolina is becoming increasingly Blue in recent years, and with popular former two-term Democratic Governor Roy Cooper now running for the Senate, a Dem pick-up here seems likely.  Asteroid Roy 14533 at 4 Pisces is trine Sun/Mercury, and squares asteroid Nike (winning) at 9 Sagittarius.  As well, asteroid Cooper 1248452 at 21 Taurus widely opposes Sun/Mercury, shored up by a square to asteroid Victoria (also winning) at 20 Leo.  One caveat – Roy also conjoins Damocles 5335 at 0 Pisces, carrying the potential for a looming threat or peril hanging overhead, something unforeseen which shakes up the race at the last minute.

GOP challenger Michael Whatley is trailing behind in polling, but can’t be discounted.  Asteroid Michael 345574 at 15 Scorpio conjoins Sun/Mercury and squares Victoria, definitely putting him in the running on Election Day.  Asteroid Whiteley 18839 is closest to Whatley; if it can be used as a cosmic placeholder for the Republican candidate’s surname, then its position at 5 Gemini, conjunct Uranus at 4 Gemini and opposed Nike at 9 Sagittarius, could signal an upset (Uranus) victory (Nike) for Whatley (Whiteley).  All things being equal, however, the Cosmic Bookie gives this one to the Democrats.

Ohio’s situation is an intriguing one.  Republican Jon Husted is the current Senator, appointed in 2025 to fill the seat vacated by incoming Vice President JD Vance.  Democrat Sherrod Brown is a former Senator, trying to reclaim a seat he lost in 2024.  As with Josh Turek, there is no matching “Jon” asteroid, but there is a Jonanderson 4886, and an asteroid Brown 1643, which exactly conjoin each other at 15 Gemini, perfectly imaging the clash between them.  Both oppose asteroid Nike at 9 Sagittarius, tentatively offering victory to each, but Brown gets an extra helping of winning vibes with a second referent, asteroid Sherrod 117736 at 16 Virgo, forming a T-Square.  The Cosmic Bookie puts Ohio in the Democrat column.

Texas is probably the most high-profile Senate race in the country, with an open Republican-held seat due to Trump’s endorsement of incumbent John Cornyn’s primary opponent, Ken Paxton, a seriously flawed candidate if ever there was one, impeached by his own Party for corruption as Attorney General of Texas.  Buoyed by Trump’s support, Paxton beat out Cornyn, and now faces Democrat James Talarico in the general. 

Neither candidate has a suitable referent for his surname, but James Talarico is seen as asteroid James 2335, and Ken Paxton shows as asteroid Kenny 10107.  Asteroid James at 2 Aquarius conjoins Pluto at 3 Aquarius, which could increase personal power, but could also devastate.  James is also widely squared the Sun, and more closely squared TRIUMF at 28 Libra (but also Losse at 27 Libra).  Asteroid Kenny at 20 Pisces conjoins Buysballot at 21 Pisces, and is widely trine the Sun.  The types of electoral shenanigans predicted by Buysballot are likely the only thing that would drag Paxton over the finish line ahead of Talarico, but in Texas, these can’t be ignored.  The Cosmic Bookie calls this a toss-up, but real-world data suggest a slight edge for Talarico.

Democrats currently hold two of the contested Senate seats – Georgia and Michigan.  Of these, Georgia is likely the safest, occupied by incumbent Jon Ossoff, who has been polling well ahead of his Republican opponent, Mike Collins.  Ossoff is a very talented politician, and should easily fend off Collins, but the skies seem to favor the Republican, so this may be an instance where the Cosmic Bookie stubs his toe. 

Like Susan Collins of Maine (no relation), Mike Collins is well tapped into the day, with asteroid Collins at 18 Aquarius squared Sun/Mercury, opposed Victoria; and asteroid Michael at 15 Scorpio conjoined and squared.  Jon Ossoff, whose given first name is Thomas (though he never uses it, it still serves as a marker), is less well connected.  There is no stand-alone Jon or Jonathan asteroid, but three CNAs that can be used – Jonathanli 27194, Jonathan Murray 2392, and Jonathanma 32049, as well as asteroid Thomas 2555.  At 22 and 27 Aquarius respectively, asteroids Jonathanli and Jonathan Murray oppose Victoria, while asteroid Jonathanma at 18 Aries opposes asteroid Senator at 20 Libra (though, as an incumbent, this might be merely descriptive of Ossoff’s current status).  We have to look to asteroid Thomas for a solar contact; at 27 Virgo, it’s semisquare Sun/Mercury.

So while there are certainly favorable factors for Ossoff, the candidate with the better celestial resume is Collins.  A win for the Republican in Georgia would indeed be a shocker, but the Cosmic Bookie calls them like he sees them.

Michigan’s open Senate seat is currently held by Democrat Gary Peters, who is retiring.  A battle royal between moderate candidate Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed ensued for the primary in August, with El-Sayed coming out on top.  El-Sayed is being attacked on two fronts, for his Muslim faith and his ties to the Democratic Socialists of America Party (with which he is not affiliated, but shares some similar views), but appears to be maintaining a lead on Republican challenger Mike Rogers in polling. 

Asteroid Abdulla 22638, an alternate form of Abdul, appears at 12 Taurus, closely opposed Sun/Mercury and squared Victoria.  We’ve already encountered the GOP candidates’ first-name asteroids in other races, but to reiterate, asteroid Michael at 15 Scorpio conjoins Sun/Mercury and squares Victoria.  Asteroid Rogers 7894 at 8 Aries conjoins Saturn 9 Aries, often signaling restriction, limitation or loss.  The Cosmic Bookie calls this one for the Democrats, but with grave misgivings.

So the final tally for the US Senate Sweepstakes, as handicapped by the Cosmic Bookie, is four for the Democrats, three for the Republicans, and two toss-ups, both leaning Democrat.  Subtract the improbable win for Collins in Georgia, and it’s looking like a very good night for Democrats, and democracy.

Title Image Credit:  drawn by ChatGPT

Alex Miller

Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .