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

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California's schools chief announces 2026 run for governor
BY JULIA MUELLER - 09/26/23 11:49 AM ET

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond speaks outside of Enrique S. Camarena Elementary School Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Chula Vista, Calif. The school is among the first in the state to start the 2021-22 school year with full-day, in-person learning. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Tuesday that he’s running for governor of the Golden State in 2026.

“California’s had a lot of governors. My story is nothing like theirs. I didn’t come from money, power, or influence,” Thurmond said in a video posted to X over clips of Ronald Reagan and other past gubernatorial figures.

“I’m running for Governor to be a voice for those who need one — because California may be working for millionaires and billionaires but for the rest of California — we need real change,” he said.

The term of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) is up in 2027.

Link: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4 ... -governor/

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Spanberger won’t seek reelection, will run for Va. governor, sources say

By Laura Vozzella
November 11, 2023 at 4:50 p.m. EST

RICHMOND — Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) will not seek reelection in Virginia’s 7th District next year so she can run for Virginia governor in 2025, according to two people familiar with the Democrat’s plans.

Spanberger, who won a third term last year in one of the state’s most competitive swing districts, will announce her gubernatorial bid very soon, according to the two, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the congresswoman had hoped to make her announcement a surprise. One of the two said she was preparing to launch her campaign “imminently.” The other was more specific, saying she would do so Monday with the release of a video.

Spanberger’s campaign declined to comment.

The congresswoman’s interest in seeking the Executive Mansion has hardly been a secret but her “imminent” entry, whether it’s Monday or even a few months away, would be unusually early — nearly two years before Election Day in November 2025.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... eelection/

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Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announces run for governor in 2025

Source: Washington Post

December 4, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EST

RICHMOND — Mayor Levar M. Stoney, who has led Virginia’s capital through a historic reckoning with its Confederate past and a contentious period of economic growth, announced on Monday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025. Stoney, 42, will try to become the second African American elected governor in Virginia’s history. His announcement tees up a tough nominating contest with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who said last month that she will not seek reelection to Congress so she can run for governor.

“I’m running for governor because I want to give every Virginian a fair shot at success,” Stoney said in an interview Sunday with The Washington Post. “The state needs someone with the experience of running something and who can get things done for every Virginian.”

First elected in 2016 as Richmond’s youngest-ever mayor, Stoney is term-limited and had made no secret that he was pondering a gubernatorial bid. But that he and Spanberger would announce nearly two years ahead of the election signals how hard-fought — and expensive — the next Virginia governor’s race is likely to be.

No Republican has declared yet for 2025, but Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Attorney Gen. Jason S. Miyares are widely thought to be positioning to seek the GOP nomination. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), like all Virginia governors, is barred by the state constitution from seeking a second, consecutive term.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va ... rnor-2025/

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[firestar464]

The reliability of this poll is questionable IMO (really? Nypost? Save the Senate PAC?)

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Steve Sweeney, Former New Jersey Senate President, Launches 2025 Gubernatorial Bid
December 11, 2023

Introduction:

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS/AP) -- Steve Sweeney, a former top Democratic lawmaker and New Jersey Senate president, said Monday he's running for governor in 2025, touting his credentials as a union ironworker and longtime legislator who worked to pass a minimum wage indexed to inflation, paid family leave, and several other measures.

Sweeney, 64, posted a video online to announce his political comeback bid to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in the 2025 election. Sweeney served as the state Senate president from 2010 to 2022, unexpectedly losing a reelection bid to Republican Ed Durr in 2021.

In his campaign launch, Sweeney leaned heavily into his career history, first as an ironworker, then as a labor leader and legislator. He opened the announcement by saying that his daughter Lauren, who was born with Down syndrome, provided the "spark" for him to seek public office.

"I will always put New Jersey's kids, working families, and seniors first," he said. "You know that's who I'll fight for because that's who I've always fought for."

Sweeney's campaign was widely expected. On election night last month, his friend and former legislative colleague John Burzichelli exacted political payback by defeating Durr. Burzichelli said after his victory that he expected Sweeney would have an announcement soon about seeking office again.

Read more here: https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/n ... r-race/

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DeSantis moves toward running again in 2028 - and draws ire from Trump's inner circle

Source: CNN Politics

Published 7:00 AM EST, Mon February 26, 2024

CNN — A month after ending his White House bid, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is already making moves toward his next one. DeSantis has made a concerted effort to keep in touch with the people who supported his presidential campaign, including donors and leaders in the early nominating states. Those close to him say he is actively considering how best to maintain his national profile and influence, including potential endorsements in congressional races. He is likely to start raising money for his political operation once again in the near future as well, one source with knowledge of the planning said.

He even popped up in South Carolina just days before the state’s primary for a curiously timed appearance that briefly sparked a flurry of confusion among advisers to former President Donald Trump, whom DeSantis endorsed but hasn’t spoken to since dropping out of the race. The appearance was ultimately unrelated to the contest between Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the Palmetto State, which DeSantis brushed aside as outside his purview.

“I’m not following the back and forth,” he said of the primary race there. His recent moves appear distinctly aimed at keeping intact his political operation and his popularity with Republicans. For his part, DeSantis hasn’t denied he is considering another presidential campaign as soon as 2028. “I haven’t ruled anything out,” he said in a private conversation with supporters, according to multiple outlets that reviewed a leaked recording and confirmed to CNN by three individuals who listened to the call.

But DeSantis’ remarks on that call – which included criticisms of Trump and his team – also provoked a heated response from the former president’s advisers and allies. The public lashing served as a reminder to the Florida governor that his political future may yet rely on his standing in Trump’s world.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/politics ... index.html

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FL-GOV: Here's who might run for Florida governor in 2026

Democrats

State House minority leader Fentrice Driskell
Driskell, the Democratic leader in the state House, has seen her party badly outnumbered in Tallahassee. But from her post, she’s had a platform to speak out against Republican legislative priorities like abortion bans and expansions of school voucher programs.


Nikki Fried, Florida Democratic Party chair
Fried ran for governor in 2022. Could she give it another shot in 2026? “No time for that right now,” Fried wrote in a text message in response to a question about her 2026 plans.


Democratic state Sen. Shevrin Jones
Jones, 40, a vocal Democratic state senator from the Miami area, is seen as a rising star in his party. However, he’s also untested on the statewide stage.


U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz
There’s trying to raise your national profile, and then there’s what Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, 43, has been doing for the last few months.

Democratic state Sen. Jason Pizzo
Pizzo, a South Florida state senator, often speaks out against Republican priorities in the state Senate.





https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/05 ... r-in-2026/

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[firestar464]

f*ck, they trying to build a DeSantis dynasty or what?

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Basically, the dark blue represents states that will swing to the Democrats, and the dark red represents states that will swing to the Republicans. I guess I am just a pessimist, but I think it is more likely that Georgia (GA) will go Republican than it is that Texas and North Carolina (NC) will go Democrat. Texas (TX) is especially frustrating. Just when demographic shifts would seem to benefit the Democrats, Republicans have made inroads in gaining support among Hispanics, especially younger Hispanics.

Maine (ME) will depend upon whether Susan Collins decides to run again. She has managed to convince voters that she is an "independent centrist" even as she makes sure that any dissenting votes on her part do not affect the ultimate outcome on any given issue. If she decides not to run, that state would become a prime target for a Democratic pick-up.

Alaska (AK) could also be interesting. There is only one representative in the House of Representatives from that state, and she is a Democrat. To me, this suggests that Alaska should also be considered as up for grabs, although I would still rate the Republicans as having the advantage.