2026 Midterms
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uctoday.comMaine Senate Race: Collins Trails Democratic Challenger by 6-9 Points in Latest Polls
Recent polls show the Republican incumbent behind her Democratic challenger by margins ranging from seven to twelve points. The race is one of several that could determine Senate control in the 2026 midterms.
nbcnews.comTexas Republicans Nominate Ken Paxton for Senate Seat
Texas Republicans selected Attorney General Ken Paxton as their Senate nominee on Tuesday. Democrats view the outcome as an opportunity in a state that has leaned Republican in recent cycles.
680news.comRepublican Incumbents Face Primary Challenges From Within Party
President Trump's actions have produced short-run gains for his personalist brand of politics. As the fall election approaches, they portend a divided and disabled Republican Party against energized and progressive Democrats.
NewsweekDemocrats Debate Messaging Strategy Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Democrats continue internal discussions over whether to center their 2026 midterm campaign on opposition to President Trump or on specific policy priorities. Recent polls show mixed voter views of the party.
msnbc.comRepublicans Discuss Strategies to Retain Congressional Majority in 2026 Midterms
NBC News interviewed about 30 Republican National Committee members and GOP activists on efforts to maintain control of Congress. Interviewees cited recent court rulings, fundraising advantages, and tax legislation as factors in their outlook.
realitytea.comPresident Trump Discusses Midterm Outlook and Iran Policy Focus
President Trump has stated he is not focused on Americans' financial situation and is prioritizing preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Reports indicate he has discussed midterm election outcomes with aides.
usatoday.comSupreme Court Declines to Block Virginia Supreme Court Redistricting Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court on May 15, 2026, rejected Virginia Democrats' emergency appeal seeking to block a state court ruling that struck down a voter-approved redistricting amendment. The Virginia Supreme Court had ruled the amendment's passage unconstitutional days before the sta…
abcnews.go.comRep. Steve Cohen Says He Will Not Seek Reelection
The 76-year-old Democrat, who has represented Tennessee's 9th Congressional District since 2007, announced his retirement from public life on May 15, 2026. The decision follows the GOP-led legislature's approval of a new congressional map that splits his majority-Black Memphis di…
Fox NewsDemocrat Sarah Trone Garriott Seeks Iowa House Seat as Old Podcast Comments on Race Draw GOP Criticism
Sarah Trone Garriott, 47, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary for Iowa’s 3rd congressional district and seeking to unseat incumbent Rep. Zach Nunn. resurfaced podcast remarks from nearly a decade ago in which she described feeling uncomfortable at the number of white p…
Nbc NewsDemocratic Think Tank Searchlight Institute Calls for Free Primary Care for All Americans
Searchlight Institute released a policy report calling for free primary care delivered either by expanding the ACA preventive services mandate or through a new American Health Gateway public option. The proposal arrives after enhanced ACA subsidies expired at the end of 2025, lea…
SemaforOcasio-Cortez Adopts Cautious Approach to 2026 Endorsements
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is selectively choosing which candidates to endorse and campaign for in the 2026 midterms. She has described her endorsement process as more deliberate than in previous cycles. Interviews with more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers, aides and operati…
citizen.co.zaRFK Jr. Announces He Will Not Run for President in 2028
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told KFF Health News he has no plans to seek the presidency again as a Republican. His remarks came amid tensions with some MAHA supporters over vaccine policy and recent Trump administration nominations at the CDC and sur…
dnaindia.comSen. Susan Collins Maintains Perfect Voting Record, Attends Senate Session During JD Vance Visit to Bangor
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins remained in Washington on May 14, 2026, instead of joining Vice President J.D. Vance in her hometown as she nears her 10,000th consecutive roll call vote. The Maine Republican, seeking a sixth term, has never missed a vote since…
abcnews.go.comSupreme Court Rules Voting Rights Act Does Not Require Race-Based Proportional Representation in Redistricting
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a decades-old precedent, ruling that only overt racism can nullify state congressional maps and that partisan gerrymandering remains constitutional even if it dilutes minority voting power. The decision prompted immediate map changes in multiple So…
abcnews.go.comVideo Shows Democratic Campaign Coaching Pennsylvania Candidate on Messaging
An unedited video posted by a Democratic campaign group shows Pennsylvania House candidate Bob Brooks receiving guidance from an off-screen staffer while speaking with Pete Buttigieg. The session, filmed by The Bench, includes prompts on emphasizing affordability and reaching vot…
Nbc NewsDemocrats Target State Legislatures to Prepare for 2028 Redistricting
Democrats are focusing on state legislative races this fall after court rulings limited their ability to counter Republican-drawn congressional maps before the 2026 midterms. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has allowed several Republican-controlled states to redraw maps, pot…
Nbc NewsSupreme Court Allows Louisiana and Alabama to Change Congressional Maps Before 2026 Midterms
The Supreme Court issued rulings that permit Louisiana and Alabama to redraw congressional districts, eliminating some majority-Black districts. The decisions came less than three weeks before Louisiana's scheduled primary and prompted both states to postpone their elections.
nypost.comDemocrats' House Flip Odds Decline After Southern States Redraw Maps
Prediction markets have lowered the probability of Democrats gaining a House majority in the 2026 midterms following redistricting in several Republican-led Southern states. Kalshi's odds fell from 86 percent in mid-April to 74 percent, while Polymarket's dropped from 87 percent…
abcnews.go.comBipartisan lawmakers cite federal deficit ahead of midterms
A Pew Research Center poll found 66% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans view the federal deficit as a very big problem, showing rare agreement across party lines. The national debt surpassed $39 trillion in March as interest payments strain the federal budget. CNN polling analys…
urbanmilwaukee.comStates Review Congressional Maps Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
Multiple states are examining their congressional district boundaries as part of the redistricting process. Officials are considering changes that could affect representation in the 2026 elections. The review follows standard procedures after the most recent census.
Fox NewsSouth Carolina Republican Senators Block Redistricting Plan
Five Republican state senators joined Democrats on Tuesday to defeat a proposal that would have allowed a vote on redistricting after the current legislative session. The move came hours after a social media warning from the White House that the president was watching the proceed…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewSouth Carolina Senate Rejects Bid to Extend Session for Redistricting
The Republican-led South Carolina state Senate voted 29-17 on May 12, 2026, against extending its legislative session to consider new congressional district lines, falling two votes short of the required two-thirds majority. Five Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the measu…
abcnews.go.comTrump Approval Holds at 36% in Latest Economist/YouGov Poll
A new Economist/YouGov poll released Tuesday shows President Donald Trump's approval at 36 percent and disapproval at 58 percent, matching last week's figures and producing a net rating of -22 percent. The survey arrives on the same day as a Bureau of Labor Statistics report show…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewNebraska Democrats Select Nominees in Primary Elections
Cindy Burbank won the Democratic Senate primary in Nebraska but plans to drop out to endorse independent Dan Osborn against incumbent Sen. Pete Ricketts. Republicans renominated Sen. Shelley Moore Capito in West Virginia with presidential backing and Gov. Jim Pillen for a second…
ABC NewsNebraska Holds Primary for Open U.S. House Seat in 2nd Congressional District
Voters in Nebraska head to the polls Tuesday to select a Democratic nominee for the state's 2nd Congressional District, a longtime Republican seat that has become a top target for the party this midterm cycle. The district, known as the 'blue dot' for splitting its electoral vote…
Fox NewsRNC Announces Multimillion-Dollar Expansion of Election Oversight Program Ahead of 2026 Midterms
The Republican National Committee is hiring directors in 17 states and deploying its first wave of field staff as part of an initial seven-figure investment that is expected to reach tens of millions. The effort builds on its 2024 operation that recruited more than 230,000 volunt…
winnipegfreepress.comPoll Shows Republican Candidate Leads in Michigan U.S. Senate Race
A new poll released on Tuesday shows the Republican candidate leading three potential Democratic opponents in the race for Michigan's U.S. Senate seat. The seat has been held by Democrats since 1979. President Trump carried Michigan in both 2016 and 2024, making the state a targe…
Washington ExaminerVirginia Republican Congresswoman Calls for Radio Host's Firing
A Republican congresswoman from Virginia agreed with a radio host who told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to keep his "cotton-picking hands" off Virginia politics. The congresswoman later said she did not condone the language but was agreeing that Jeffries should stay out…
Fox NewsNebraska and West Virginia Hold Primaries
Voters in Nebraska and West Virginia head to the polls Tuesday in primaries that could shape the 2026 midterm battles for Congress. In Nebraska, Democrats are competing to challenge for the state's 2nd District, known as the "blue dot," in hopes of flipping a Republican-held seat…
NewsweekVirginia Rep. Jen Kiggans Agrees With Radio Host's Comment About Hakeem Jeffries
Rep. Jen Kiggans agreed with a radio host who told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to keep his "cotton-picking hands" off Virginia during a discussion about redistricting. Democrats condemned the exchange as racist and demanded an apology or resignation. Kiggans said she di…
thenation.comDemocrats Release 2026 Midterm Fundraising Totals
The Democratic Party lacks a clear leader 15 months after the last administration left office, with former President Obama expected to campaign for the party. The DNC trails the RNC significantly in fundraising and cash on hand while carrying substantial debt.
Fox NewsSouthern Republican States Redraw Congressional Maps
Republican-led legislatures in Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina have taken steps to redraw congressional maps following the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais that limited the use of race in drawing districts under Section 2 of the Voting Ri…
realclearmarkets.comCalifornia Prepares to Vote on 5% Tax on Billionaires’ Assets as SNAP Enrollment Declines Under New Federal Work Requirements
More than 665,000 SNAP recipients in California could lose benefits under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed in June. A proposed one-time 5 percent tax on more than 200 billionaires, which qualified for the November ballot after gathering 1.5 million signatures, would direct 1…
NewsweekEconomist/YouGov Poll: Trump’s Net Approval Among Independents at -38, Down From -20 Last Year
Economist/YouGov polling shows President Donald Trump’s net approval rating among independent voters at -38 in May 2026, an 18-point decline from May 2025. Aggregated trackers and averages from Silver Bulletin, RealClearPolitics and CNN also show the president underwater with the…
Washington ExaminerSenator Says Democrats Need Better Message Than Opposition to Trump
A Democratic senator from Pennsylvania told Bill Maher that some party candidates are running on opposition to President Donald Trump rather than offering voters a positive agenda. The senator, who has differed with progressives on several issues, said the party must find a new p…
Nbc NewsVirginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Congressional Map, Ruling Democrats Violated Ballot Procedure
The court overturned a special election that would have created four additional Democratic-friendly congressional districts, ruling Democrats failed to follow proper ballot procedures. The decision comes days after the U.S. Supreme Court limited the use of race in drawing distric…
nypost.comNRCC Internal Polling Shows Republicans Competitive in Five Democratic-Held Districts
The National Republican Congressional Committee released its first internal polling of the 2026 cycle showing Republican candidates competitive in five districts held by Democrats that President Trump won in 2024. The poll found a Republican candidate leading in two districts and…
Los Angeles TimesABC Requests FCC Ruling on 'The View' News Interview Exemption
ABC and KTRK-TV submitted a filing made public on May 8, 2026, arguing that FCC actions targeting the long-running show's bona fide news exemption threaten decades of settled law. The dispute stems from a February 2026 interview with Senate candidate James Talarico and broader FC…
gellerreport.comVirginia Supreme Court Rejects Democratic Redistricting Map
The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a voter-approved congressional map that would have favored Democrats, ruling the amendment process violated the state constitution. Democrats filed an emergency motion asking the court to delay its mandate while they petition the U…
Fox NewsVirginia Supreme Court Strikes Down 2026 Congressional Map, Citing State Constitutional Violation
The court ruled Friday that Democrats violated the state constitution by fast-tracking a gerrymander referendum that voters narrowly approved in 2026. The decision nullifies a map signed into law by Gov. Abigail Spanberger that could have delivered Democrats four Republican-held…
theyeshivaworld.comMike McGuire Campaigns in Rural Northern California Ahead of Congressional Races
California state Senator Mike McGuire has held nearly 40 town halls in the newly drawn first congressional district over the last five months. The district includes rural Plumas County, which has voted Republican in recent elections. McGuire faces Republican and progressive Democ…
winnipegfreepress.comLouisiana, Alabama and Tennessee Move to Redraw Congressional Maps
Three Southern states are advancing new congressional district maps following a Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. The states aim to complete the changes before upcoming primaries and the 2026 midterm elections. Logistical, legal and political questions remain about th…
Nbc NewsHarris Says DNC Should Release 2024 Campaign Review
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has told allies she believes the Democratic National Committee should publicly release its review of the 2024 presidential campaign. DNC Chairman Ken Martin has kept the findings private after previously promising to make them public.
crooksandliars.comSen. Susan Collins Discloses Longstanding Benign Essential Tremor
The 73-year-old Senate Appropriations Committee chair confirmed she has lived with the neurological condition for decades, including her entire Senate career since 1996. Collins, who is seeking a sixth and final term, has a consecutive voting streak of 9,966, the second-longest i…
Nbc NewsSen. Susan Collins Says She Has Long Had Benign Essential Tremor
The Maine Republican, 73, said she has lived with the neurological condition for nearly 30 years in the Senate with no impact on her work. Collins, seeking a sixth term, faces Democrat Graham Platner in what is expected to be one of the most contentious races of the 2026 midterms…
The GuardianVirginia Supreme Court Invalidates Voter-Approved Congressional Maps
In a 4-3 ruling on May 8, 2026, the court voided maps narrowly passed by voters in April after finding the General Assembly submitted a constitutional amendment after early voting had begun. The decision leaves Virginia's court-imposed districts in place for the 2026 midterms. Cu…
winnipegfreepress.comCenter for Politics Shifts Ratings for 17 House Districts Ahead of 2026 Midterms
The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics updated its House race ratings Wednesday after changes from redistricting, primary results and congressional scandals. Nine shifts occurred in Florida following approval of a new congressional map. Overall, 213 districts rate as Sa…
The FederalistSupreme Court Agrees to Expedite Louisiana v. Callais Case
The Supreme Court issued an order late Monday to waive its standard 32-day transmission period for the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, which found the state's congressional map to be an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in a 6-3 decision. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented al…
SemaforFormer President Biden Endorses Candidates in Georgia and Massachusetts Primaries
Former President Joe Biden endorsed two candidates in Democratic primaries last week, supporting Keisha Lance Bottoms for Georgia governor and Dan Koh for a Massachusetts House seat. In California, Xavier Becerra is campaigning on his record as Biden's Health and Human Services s…
The IndependentTrump Endorses Candidates in Indiana Primaries; Vance Campaigns in Iowa
Primary elections in Indiana and Ohio on Tuesday test President Trump's influence, with challengers targeting state senators who opposed his redistricting push. Vice President JD Vance cast his vote in Ohio and visited Iowa to support a congressional candidate. The events highlig…
winnipegfreepress.comPolymarket Predicts 51% Chance Democrats Win Senate Control in 2026
Prediction market platform Polymarket currently shows a 51% probability that Democrats will gain control of the U.S. Senate in the 2026 midterm elections. This assessment comes amid ongoing political developments as the elections approach in November. The odds reflect trader bets…
upi.comFlorida Governor Signs New Congressional Map
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional map that could add four Republican-leaning seats, prompting a lawsuit from Democratic voters and a voting rights group. The map follows a Supreme Court decision striking down race-based redistricting. The changes could shift th…
The FederalistFlorida Governor DeSantis Signs New Congressional Map
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a redrawn congressional map into law, potentially shifting four U.S. House seats toward Republicans for the 2026 midterms. The changes follow a Supreme Court ruling restricting race-based redistricting and reflect the state's population growth…
msnbc.comDemocrats Add Eight House Candidates to 2026 Red to Blue Program
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added eight candidates to its 'Red to Blue' program targeting battleground seats. The expansion includes contenders in states like Arizona, California, and Texas. This move signals confidence in flipping Republican-held districts ah…
jta.org53 Candidates Questioning 2020 Results Seek Election Oversight Roles in 23 States
A new analysis identifies candidates who have denied past election results running for roles in certifying future elections in 23 states, including five swing states. The report, from States United Action, tracks 53 such candidates in statewide races this year. This comes amid on…
Fox NewsSupreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Redistricting Map
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against racial considerations in congressional redistricting, invalidating Louisiana's 6th District map. Democrats defended their own redistricting plans as a response to Republican-led efforts in several states. The decision could prompt map revision…
upi.comFlorida Legislature Approves New Congressional Maps
Florida's Republican-controlled legislature has passed new congressional district maps proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, potentially adding four seats to the Republican majority in the U.S. House. The changes reshape several districts currently held by Democrats, prompting criticism…
Washington ExaminerFlorida and California Approve New Congressional Maps
Florida's legislature approved new congressional maps pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, potentially adding four Republican seats and challenging several Democratic incumbents. In California, redrawn districts under Proposition 50 create competitive races that could determine House maj…
jewishjournal.comGeorgia Senate and Governor Races Show Competition Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Georgia's primary voting is underway for the 2026 midterms, with Republicans yet to unify behind candidates in the Senate and governor races. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff holds a fundraising lead and polling advantages in potential matchups. The state's political landscape remai…
apnews.comBolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Coup Attempt; Son Announces Presidential Bid
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro remains in jail serving a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup d'etat, denied basic medical treatment amid a recent near-death emergency. His son Flávio Bolsonaro announced a presidential candidacy with surging poll numbers, while autho…