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

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[Cyber_Rebel]

So glad I no longer live in that state. Just wash, rinse, and repeat the same BS over and over ad infinitum.

[weatheriscool]

[caltrek]

How Democrats Can Win Back the Senate
by Flynn Nicholls
November 11 2024

Introduction:

(Newsweek via MSN) Republican candidates have ousted Democratic Senate incumbents in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Montana, winning an upper chamber majority of 53 seats to the Democrats' 47, so it is hard to see how the losing party can win it back anytime soon.

The seats up for reelection in the 2026 midterms are challenging for Democrats. Polling analyst Nate Silver has speculated that their best hope is to try to win the majority back over two elections, winning two seats in 2026, and two more in 2028, while defending all the seats they hold now.

Before November 5's presidential election, Democrats held a narrow majority of 51 seats (including four independents who caucus with the party), while the Republicans had 49.

Writing on X, Silver said Democrats would need to strategically target key races and capitalize on shifting demographics and a possible backlash against Donald Trump.

In his view, one possible path would be winning three of the following four Senate races: Maine in 2026, North Carolina in 2026, Wisconsin in 2028, and North Carolina's other Senate seat in 2028.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politic ... 12&ei=41

[weatheriscool]

[raklian]

After Trump, they can't really complain about a candidate's age, right?

[weatheriscool]

yeah, that is for sure!

Florida Gov. DeSantis calls for immediate special elections to replace GOP congressmen
https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-gov- ... 53546.html

In a stark departure from when previous vacancies occurred, Gov. Ron DeSantis wants special elections scheduled immediately to fill two congressional vacancies needed to protect Republicans’ majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

DeSantis, on a trade mission to Italy, gave instructions to Secretary of State Cord Byrd to quickly schedule the elections, now that President-elect Donald Trump has plucked two Florida GOP congressmen for his administration.

Republicans won enough seats to maintain control of the House as of Wednesday.

[caltrek]

Marco Rubio has been put forward by Trump to serve as Secretary of State. If, as is now highly likely, Rubio does become Secretary of State, DeSantis will be able to fill Senator Marco Rubio's seat by an appointment until 2026 when a special election would be held to fill the two-year balance of Rubio's term. That would open up another possibility for Democrats to flip a Senate seat. A long shot, but if extremist Trump policies create a backlash and Democrats field a strong candidate it is at least possible.

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/pl ... s-00189783

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

More on that by Jewish Insider:

https://jewishinsider.com/2024/11/new-y ... democrats/

[caltrek]

Huge Wave of House Members Eye 2026 Exits
by Andrew Solender
November 27, 2024

Introduction:

(Axios) With votes still being counted in the 2024 election, at least two dozen ambitious House members are already sizing up runs for higher office in 2026, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: This extraordinarily large cohort could cause all kinds of headaches for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as they navigate a razor-thin House majority.

• Both sides are trying to maximize attendance and minimize early retirements in one of the most closely divided Houses in history.

Driving the news: The scale of House members eyeing bids for higher office in 2026 is far greater than is publicly known, according to lawmakers and aides who spoke to Axios.

The article goes on to discuss 26 identified House members who may move on to run for some other office.

Read more here: https://www.axios.com/2024/11/27/house ... nor-2026

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

More on that by The Dallas Morning News:

https://archive.ph/RVkjW

Honestly it would truly be wonderful if you could post from more reliable news sources instead of random right-wing X accounts in the future.

[weatheriscool]

[caltrek]

Pressure on a Senator Shows What's Next for Those Who Oppose Trump
by Jill Colvin, Lisa Mascard, and Hannah Fingerhut
December 12, 2024

Introduction:

(ABC) WASHINGTON -- She’s an Iraq War combat veteran and sexual assault survivor who has advocated for years to improve how the military handles claims of sexual misconduct.

But when Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, appeared initially cool to the nomination of President-elect Donald Trump ’s choice of Pete Hegseth to serve as defense secretary — a man who once said women should not serve in combat and who has himself been accused of sexual assault — she faced an onslaught of criticism from within her own party, including threats of a potential primary challenge in 2026.

“The American people spoke,” said Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of the Family Leader and a conservative activist in Ernst’s home state.

“When you sign up for this job, it’s a big boy and big girl job, and she’s feeling the pressure of people vocalizing their disappointment, their concern with how she’s handling this.”

The pressure campaign against Ernst, once a rising member of the GOP leadership, shows there is little room in Trump’s party for those who can’t get to yes on Hegseth or any of his other picks for his incoming administration

Read more here: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/pr ... 16716577

[weatheriscool]