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

[weatheriscool]

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[firestar464]

Trump-endorsed Ed Gallrein unseats Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky GOP primary

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics ... r-AA23Bbic

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[caltrek]

Mike Collins and Derek Dooley Head to Runoff in Georgia Senate GOP Race
By Erin Doherty
May 19, 2026

Introduction:

(Politico) Rep. Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley advanced to a runoff in Georgia’s Republican Senate primary, dragging out a bitter contest to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.

The result plunges Republicans into another monthlong intraparty fight. Meanwhile, Ossoff, who already has a massive name ID and $31 million and counting in his warchest, can continue building and conserving his resources in the marquee race.

It also sets up a proxy battle between President Donald Trump, who holds Collins as a close ally, and Georgia’s GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, who backed Dooley for the nomination. Dooley, who was polling in third place ahead of Election Day, had a late burst of momentum after casting himself as a political outsider and leaning on his ties to Kemp.

The outcome now intensifies pressure on Trump, who didn’t support a candidate in the primary, to intervene. The president’s endorsement in a runoff — where the electorate tends to be highly engaged voters — could prove decisive.

The primary was marked by infighting and state Republicans’ escalating concerns that the national GOP was shifting its attention to other battleground states instead of Georgia.

With 99% of the vote counted the two leading contenders finished as follows:

Mike Collins : 369,395 (40.5%)
Derek Dooley: 275,392 (30.2%)

Read more here: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/ ... -00929116

[caltrek]

Republicans Burt Jones and Rick Jackson Advance to a Runoff in the Georgia Governor Primary
By Adam Edelman
May 19 , 2026

Introduction:

(NBC News) Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire Rick Jackson will advance to a June runoff in the state’s Republican primary for governor, NBC News projects.

The head-to-head contest will pit two candidates against each other who have aggressively vied for the support of President Donald Trump’s base in Georgia. Jones has Trump’s official endorsement, but Jackson, a healthcare executive who shook up the race with his unexpected entrance this year, has painted himself in the mold of Trump.

Jones and Jackson will face off June 16 after no candidate in Tuesday’s crowded primary won more than 50%. With 87% of the expected vote in, Jones was at 38% and Jackson was at 33%.

The field vying to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Brian Kemp also included Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and state Attorney General Chris Carr.

Conclusion:

The winner of the June 16 runoff will face off in November against former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, NBC News projects.

Read more here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026- ... na345004

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[caltrek]

New Poll Shows Democrats Take the Lead in Florida Senate and Governor Races
By Sam Stevenson
May 19, 2026

Complete Article:

(Newsweek) Florida has trended decisively Republican in recent elections, but a new poll of the 2026 races for governor and U.S. Senate suggests Democrats are mounting a competitive challenge ahead of this year's midterms.

A survey commissioned by Freedom Project USA and conducted online by Change Research, a Democratic-aligned polling firm, shows Democratic former Representative David Jolly narrowly leading Republican Representative Byron Donalds in a potential general election matchup for governor, offering an early signal that the race may be tighter than Florida’s recent Republican dominance might imply.

It also shows Democratic retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Alex Vindman narrowly leading Republican Senator Ashley Moody with likely voters in a key race as Democrats try to take control of the Senate, while Democrat José Javier Rodríguez leads in the state attorney general's race against incumbent James Uthmeier.

Read more here: https://www.newsweek.com/florida-democ ... lot.com

caltrek's comment: It is truly mind blowing to think that Alaska, Texas, Florida and Nebraska are all in play for this coming election.

Edit: Based on an article I cite below (on May 30, 2026), it looks as if we might be able to add Mississippi to the list of mind-blowing possibilities.

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

Talarico is def winning imo

[weatheriscool]

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[firestar464]

[weatheriscool]

I think it is good to be transgender so I am more likely to support.

[firestar464]

uhm, what?

[weatheriscool]

I was talking about your post above

[caltrek]

‘I Need Chevron’: The Oil Company at the Center of the California Governor’s Race
By Jake Bittle
May 26, 2026

Introduction:

(Grist) When it comes to California’s climate future, the most important figure in the state’s chaotic governor’s race may not be any of the candidates on the debate stage. It may not even be outgoing governor Gavin Newsom or President Donald Trump.

Instead, it might just be Chevron, the multinational oil company that was founded in the Golden State more than 100 years ago. It is among the largest producers, refiners, and sellers of petroleum products in a state rapidly shifting toward electric vehicles. Depending on which candidate is talking, the company is an example of how Big Oil is strangling consumers or an example of how climate regulations are strangling the state economy.

The behemoth — it reported $12.3 billion in profit last year — took the spotlight last month when an interviewer asked leading Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra about Chevron’s contributions to his campaign. The former state attorney general and Biden-era health secretary gave what seemed to be a candid response:

“Chevron, that’s the problem with politics. They’re not the bad guy. Does everybody here drive an electric vehicle? You need Chevron. I need Chevron. My people of the state of California need Chevron … Chevron wants to give me a check, that’s — that’s their prerogative.”

The phrase “I need Chevron” soon appeared in anti-Becerra videos by the likes of climate hawk Jane Fonda, implying that the candidate was saying he needs Chevron to get elected. Progressive billionaire Tom Steyer, Becerra’s lead Democratic opponent, urged him to return the contribution and said he is “doing [the] bidding” of Big Oil. Representative Katie Porter, another leading Democrat, said in a statement that she “hasn’t made millions off Big Oil or taken their checks.”

Read more here: https://grist.org/politics/chevron-oil ... -steyer/

[caltrek]

New Poll Finds Latino Voters Blaming Trump
By Jeff Brumley
May 29, 2026

Introduction:

(Baptist News Global) Economic issues are the leading concern for Latino voters, and significant majorities of them disapprove of the job President Donald Trump is doing heading into the 2026 midterm election, according to a new survey by UnidosUS.

The May 27 report also found two-thirds of Latinos consider the country to be headed in the wrong direction and more than half believe the Trump administration will not respect their civil rights.

“Latinos across the country are suffering the consequences of a disastrous economy and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and they blame President Trump and Congressional Republicans for failing to fix them,” UnidosUS President Janet Murguía said. “Latinos have also faced the relentless assault of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign and the violence and terror it has brought to communities.”

The spring poll conducted with BSP Research identified cost of living and inflation (60%), jobs and wages (40%), health care (37%) and housing (27%) as the leading issues Latinos will consider at the polls in November.

“Only 15% of Latino voters say they live comfortably. The other 83% are locked in a continuous daily struggle to stay financially afloat — stretched by the cost of food, gas, housing, health care and basic necessities that keep climbing while wages stay flat and Washington stays distracted or takes actions that make matters worse,” the study said.

Read more here: https://baptistnews.com/article/new-p ... ng-trump/

Here is a link to the referenced May 27 report: https://unidosus.org/wp-content/upload ... terms.pdf