2025-2026 election thread for Senate, House, State and cities

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'The Mississippi GOP is panicking' as Democratic Candidate Surges in Polling
By David McAfee
May 30, 2026

Introduction:

(Raw Story) "The Mississippi GOP is panicking," according to a hopeful candidate.

The chair of the Mississippi Republican Party is sounding the alarm about a statewide race that recent polling shows has tightened into a statistical tie, warning fellow Republicans against complacency as Democrat Scott Colom continues to gain ground against former Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.

"We can't sit back," the Mississippi GOP chair said, according to a campaign email from the Colom campaign. "We can't have this comfortable mentality that Mississippi is just a red state and we win every time."

Colom, a seventh-generation Mississippian and current district attorney, has built a grassroots campaign that his team says has rattled state Republicans enough to prompt the unusually candid admission from their own party chair.

The race is drawing national attention as Democrats look for pickup opportunities in states that have long been considered safely Republican.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... b&ei=16

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Graham Platner’s wife told his Senate campaign he sent sexually explicit texts to several women, report says

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 86571.html

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Nancy Mace Stuck in 5th Place in South Carolina Governor’s Race After Trump Snubs Her On Endorsement:
By Jennifer Bowers Bahney
June 1, 2026

Introduction:

(Mediaite) Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is stuck in fifth place out of a field of seven Republican hopefuls in South Carolina’s governor race after failing to secure President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

A new primary tracking poll by the Trafalgar Group conducted between May 29 and 31 showed Mace with 14.8% of the vote for the June 9 Republican primary. She trails Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who has 26.3%; businessman Rom Reddy, who has 17.2%; Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has 16.9%; and Rep. Ralph Norman, who has 16.1% of the vote.

The only candidates Mace leads are Jacqueline Dubose, who was disqualified for not paying the election filing fee, and state Sen. Josh Kimbrell, who has 1.9% of the vote.

Undecided voters are at 4% just over a week before the primary.

Despite not receiving Trump’s endorsement, Mace has continued to post photos of herself with Trump on X, declaring herself “MAGA MACE,” and writing, “I’m the only candidate running for Governor who worked for President Trump and helped get him elected in South Carolina in 2016 – the very first time he ran.”

Read more here: https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/na ... ew-poll/

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The Los Angeles Drama Drags On
By Steven Sloan, Steven Peoples, Humera Lodhi, and Simran Parwami
June 3, 2026

Introduction:

(ABC - Eyewitness News) The Los Angeles mayor's race was jolted by the candidacy of Spencer Pratt, who starred on the reality television show "The Hills." The Republican has been trying to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Democrat Karen Bass, who is seeking a second term.

Bass secured enough votes to make the November runoff, but it was unclear who her opponent will be. Also running is Nithya Raman, a progressive members of the City Council.

Read more here: https://abc7news.com/live-updates/elec ... 9187694/

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California Election Results: Governor Race Still Too Close to Call
By James Ward,Noe Padilla, Ernesto Centeno Araujo,Daniella Segura, and Paris Barraza
June 3, 2026

Introduction:

(USA Today) With vote counting continuing across California on the morning after Election Day, the governor’s race remains highly competitive — and still too early to call in a closely watched statewide contest.

Republican Steve Hilton led the field with 27.5% of the vote, followed closely by Democrat Xavier Becerra at 25.5%.

Democrat Tom Steyer, who has vowed not to concede until every vote is counted, trailed in third with 19.6%. Republican Chad Bianco garnered 11% of the vote, while the remaining gubernatorial candidates lagged in the single digits.

Three Democratic contenders — Matt Mahan, Katie Porter and Antonio Villaraigosa — conceded on Election Night.

Read more here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/na ... 6174007/

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Paralympic Gold Medalist Josh Turek Wins Iowa Senate Primary with Establishment Support
By Samuel Benson
June 3, 2026

Introduction:

(Politico) Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek won his Senate primary Tuesday, a victory for national Democrats who helped boost him as they seek to flip the critical seat.

He will face Rep. Ashley Hinson, the GOP nominee, to compete in what has become one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races, as both parties battle for control of the upper chamber.

Turek, a wheelchair basketball player who was on teams that won two Paralympic gold medals, defeated state Sen. Zach Wahls in a chaotic primary election that turned into a proxy war between the Democratic Party’s leaders and its anti-establishment wing. Wahls frequently accused Turek of being beholden to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — who didn’t formally endorse in the race but whose leadership PAC maxed out to Turek’s campaign — and outside groups like VoteVets, which spent more than $10 million on advertising for Turek. That figure is more than three times the combined spending from Turek’s and Wahls’ campaigns.

In the end, that money — in cohort with Turek’s “prairie populism” pitch focused on building up the working class — helped him prevail.

2026 IOWA DEM PRIMARY
U.S. SENATE
estimates
99% of votes counted
CANDIDATE VOTES PCT
Josh Turek 120,213 62.7%
Zach Wahls 71,621 37.3%
Updated June 3, 2026, 12:39 p.m.

Read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/ ... 00947727

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‘Shaping Up to Be a Clean Sweep’: Sanders-Backed Candidates Prevail in Tuesday Primaries
By Brad Reed
June 3, 2026

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) Progressive candidates endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders swept to victory on Tuesday in Democratic primaries across the US.

In New Jersey, surgeon Adam Hamawy prevailed in the Democratic primary in the state’s 12th Congressional District, while Rep. Analilia Mejia (D-NJ) easily defeated primary challengers in the state’s 11th Congressional District by garnering more than 80% of the vote. Sanders (I-Vt.) endorsed both candidates.

Sanders-backed candidates in California also put in strong showings, with former San Francisco city supervisor Jane Kim advancing to the general election in the race to be the state’s next insurance commissioner.

Political scientist Randy Villegas, meanwhile, is currently edging out rival Jasmeet Bains in the jungle primary in California’s 22nd Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.).

And in Montana, former smokejumper and union leader Sam Forstag won the Democratic primary to represent the state’s 1st Congressional District, where he’ll face off against Republican Aaron Flint in the fall.

Read more here: https://www.commondreams.org/news/ber ... ates- win

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MAHA-backed Zach Lahn Defeats Trump-backed Randy Feenstra in Iowa GOP Primary for Governor
By Jonathan Allen
June 2, 2026

Introduction:

(NBC) Businessman Zach Lahn defeated Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa’s Republican primary for governor, NBC News projects, as party voters rejected President Donald Trump’s late endorsement in the race.

Earlier Tuesday night, Billy Fuerst, a spokesperson for Feenstra’s campaign, confirmed that he had conceded to Lahn.

It’s the first time in the midterm elections that a Trump-backed candidate for governor, the House or the Senate has lost a primary.

With 99% of the expected vote counted, Lahn had 37.8% of the vote to 37% for Feenstra.

Additional Extract:

Now Lahn will face Rob Sand, the Democratic nominee, who already has been able to focus his energy on November’s general election because he did not have a primary opponent.

Read more here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026- ... cna347471

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Democratic Nominee to Take on Tom Kean Jr. Has the Race to Herself — for Now
By Matt Friedman
June 3, 2026

Introduction:

(Politico) After her landslide primary victory Tuesday in New Jersey’s highly competitive 7th Congressional District, Democrat Rebecca Bennett is in an enviable position for a swing seat challenger.

She has the race all to herself, at least for a little while. Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has been out of public view with an undisclosed illness since he last voted on March 5. And some Republicans are worried about his future and whether he can hold onto the seat in November's midterms, where Democrats are favored to reclaim the House.

Bennett has not said much about Kean’s absence.

“I sincerely wish him well. I hope he has a good recovery. But he’s absolutely failed this district, so we’re going to hold him accountable for his voting record,” Bennett sad in a phone interview Wednesday. “It wasn’t like he was doing anything for us when he was showing up for work versus when he was not.”

But Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot who works for a telehealth company, doesn’t really need to talk about it. Kean’s near-silence has elevated his absence to a national news story, and one of the top political narratives in New Jersey.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politi ... ca&ei= 89

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Bitter GOP Primary for South Dakota Governor Heads to Runoff
By Joe Walsh
Jume 3, 2026

Introduction:

(CBS) South Dakota's incumbent Gov. Larry Rhoden and businessman Toby Doeden, a self-described political outsider, will advance to a runoff for the Republican nomination for the state's governor, CBS News has projected.

A July 28 runoff election is necessary because no candidate in Tuesday's GOP primary is on track to win 35% of the vote
The competitive and frequently contentious primary included the sitting governor, a congressman and a state legislative leader.

Doeden was the top vote-getter in Tuesday's primary, with Rhoden in second place. Rhoden was the state's lieutenant governor until he was elevated to the state's top job when President Trump picked then-Gov. Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary last year.
…
The eventual nominee will face Democratic former state Sen. Dan Ahlers, who ran unopposed for his party's nomination. Democrats have not controlled the South Dakota governor's mansion since the 1970s, and this year's race is expected to strongly favor the Republican candidate.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... 32&ei=70

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Well, the democrats just lost Maine.

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Relying on 270 to Win for polling results, here is a summary of close U.S. Senate races.

Maine - Platner (D) 48% to Collins (R) 43%. Platner leads in polling results in the primary to win the Democratic party nomination. Platner is facing recent sex related scandal headlines. Collins has a history of dramatically overperforming over poll results. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Platner win.

Ohio - Brown (D) 53% to 45% for his Republican opponent. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Brown win.

North Carolina - Cooper (D) 50% over Whatley (R) 39%. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Cooper win.

Michigan - Stevens (D) 48% to Rogers (R) 41%. Other poll results show Rogers at 42% versus Stevens at 39%. Stevens leads in polling results in the primary to win the Democratic party nomination. This would be a pickup for the Republicans should Rogers win in the general election.

Texas - Talarico (D) 47% to Paxton (R) 44%. Expect a lot of money to boost Paxton's chances of reversing this early result. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Talarico win.

Alaska - Peltola (D) 48% to 44% for her Republican opponent. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Peltola win.

Florida - Vindman (D) 47% to Moody (R) 45%. Another poll shows Moody winning 48% to 40% over Vindman. This would be a pickup for the Democrats should Vindman win.

Nebraska - Osborn (I) 47% to 42% for his Republican opponent. In the absence of a strong Democratic contender, Democrats are hoping for a win for Osborn. Presumably, Osborn would caucus with the Democrats should he win. This seat is currently controlled by a Republican.

Source of polling results: https://www.270towin.com/polls/latest-2 ... pilot.com

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Hardcore Trump Backer Sweats as Farmers Threaten to Flip His Seat Blue
By Travis Gettys
June 5, 2026

Introduction:

(Raw Story) President Donald Trump is heading to Wisconsin to campaign for Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a third-term incumbent whose rural district is being squeezed by the policies he has spent two years defending.

Van Orden represents Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, a stretch of farm country that produces more milk than most states and depends on roughly 17,000 farms to drive its broader economy. Politico reported that the region is directly impacted by Trump's tariff regime, rising fuel and fertilizer costs and trade disruptions caused by the war with Iran.

“I think [farmers] are growing frustrated with Trump’s administration for which Van Orden is a huge cheerleader,” said beef producer Max Hart. "They probably can't bear to vote for a Democrat. But they probably don't support Trump or Van Orden's policies."

The Cook Political Report recently moved the race from lean-Republican to a tossup. Van Orden's likely Democratic opponent, Rebecca Cooke, has outraised him and secured a spot in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red to Blue program, which channels money and organizational support to candidates positioned to flip GOP-held seats.

The White House has responded with an unusual level of intervention. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is making her second appearance alongside Van Orden in less than six weeks, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a press conference inside a machine shed earlier this week. Trump's visit Friday will be framed around his administration's support for farmers, with the White House touting lower input costs, new trade markets and expanded rural opportunity zones.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... 08&ei=13

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Democrat Richard Pan Regains Second Place in 6th District Primary, Set to Face Kile
By Mathew Miranda
June 5, 2026

Introduction:

(The Sacramento Bee) Former state Sen. Richard Pan has retaken the second spot in California’s 6th District primary election and appears poised to face newly Independent Rep. Kevin Kiley in November.

Sacramento County’s election results update Friday afternoon catapulted Pan past Michael Stansfield, an unknown Republican candidate who had surprised many with his position on Tuesday night.

Pan now has nearly 23% of the vote compared to Stansfield’s 21.2%. Kiley leads the race with 25.4% and has been expected to advance to the general election. About 66% of the vote has been counted as of 4:46 p.m. Friday, according to the Associated Press.

The latest results will ease the concerns of some Democrats who worried about the slight possibility of a Kiley and Stansfield runoff. The 6th Congressional District, which mostly consists of Sacramento and Placer County, is supposed to be a safe blue seat.

But the number of high-profile Democratic candidates split the vote and left an early possibility that none from the party would make the general. Besides Pan, Sacramento County District Attorney Thein Ho, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and Lauren Babb Tomlinson, a Planned Parenthood leader, also ran in the district.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... f&ei=88

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