All articles tagged with #2026 elections
Democrats argue that President Trump's Iran war is hurting everyday Americans through higher fertilizer and gas prices, making the conflict an economic issue in the 2026 elections. Polls show broad concern over rising costs, and campaign ads reflect the shift from foreign policy to affordability, with both parties framing the war through its economic consequences as November approaches.
Gov. Kathy Hochul says NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani will campaign for her reelection, aiming to mobilize the young, left-leaning base that propelled him to City Hall while managing potential backlash from Jewish voters and the business community. Their working relationship has yielded state support for New York City initiatives, including expanded no-cost childcare, and Hochul defended backing a surcharge on high-cost second homes. The move signals a broader, big-tent strategy to boost down-ballot Democratic turnout amid intra-party tensions and a push to flip House seats this fall.
Trump-backed Rep. Harriet Hageman, who rose to prominence by defeating Liz Cheney, won Wyoming’s GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate to replace retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis and will face the Democratic nominee in November; in the reddest state, the race is expected to stay Republican, with Hageman entering as the best-known, best-funded candidate backed by Trump.
Ryan Elijah, a former local TV reporter, won a four-way Republican primary for Florida’s 7th District, defeating incumbent Rep. Cory Mills amid controversy including a House Ethics probe and a restraining order; Elijah will face Democrat Bale Dalton (NASA veteran) and Libertarian Christopher Dennison in November, with support from local sheriffs and Florida GOP leaders, while Mills struggled to raise funds despite Trump’s endorsement.
Wyoming’s 2026 U.S. Senate primaries: open-seat race as Sen. Cynthia Lummis retires. Harriet Hageman wins the Republican nomination with about 63% of the vote (Sam Mead ~30%), while James Byrd wins the Democratic nomination with roughly 78% (Billy Benavidez ~22%). NBC News live results show ongoing county-by-county tallies and projected votes remaining, setting the stage for a November contest for Lummis’s open seat.
NBC News projects Republican Ryan Elijah as the leading vote-getter in Florida’s HD7 GOP primary with 47.1% (Cory Mills 34.2%, Sarah Ulrich 10.5%) with 96.8% of votes counted. In the Democratic primary, Bale Dalton leads with 45.6% (Marialana Kinter 35.4%, Alan Grayson 18.9%) with 83.5% counted. Both Elijah and Dalton are projected winners for their respective parties based on AP data and county results.
In Alaska’s high-stakes Senate race, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan faces a comeback bid from former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola. National Republicans have stepped up spending to back Sullivan as polls show a tight contest—Alaska Survey Research has Peltola ahead by 2 points while a NYT/Siena poll has Sullivan up by 2. Peltola leverages statewide name recognition and Alaska Native heritage, while Sullivan touts his record and alignment with the GOP agenda. The open primary on Tuesday will test the landscape, though turnout dynamics in Alaska’s remote districts complicate projections; the outcome could influence whether Republicans maintain their Senate edge in November.
Ten House incumbents have lost renomination in 2026—the most in non-redistricting years since 1970—split 7 Democrats and 3 Republicans. While mid-cycle redistricting contributed in some races, experts say a broader antiestablishment mood and generational/ideological shifts are driving challengers from the left and loyalties to party leaders are waning. Notable defeats include Democrats John Larson, Dan Goldman, Adriano Espaillat, Shri Thanedar, and Diana DeGette, and Republicans Thomas Massie and Dan Crenshaw. The piece also touches on related policy and defense stories in this issue.
Former NBC sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya won Minnesota’s GOP primary for the U.S. Senate, defeating the endorsed Adam Schwarze and Royce White; with about 75% of precincts reporting, she led with 54% of the vote to Schwarze’s 23% and White’s 11%, advancing to the November ballot. Tafoya, who launched her campaign in January, framed the race as a rejection of Minnesota’s one‑party rule and campaigned on immigration enforcement and government accountability.
In an interview where a guest floated declaring a national-security emergency to influence the 2026 midterms, Trump declined to rule out the option, a move CNN describes as part of a pattern of signals toward greater federal involvement in elections. Legal scholars say nationalizing elections is constitutionally dubious and that election administration is primarily handled by states, but the exchange highlights Trump’s continued interest in expanding federal influence, alongside ongoing debates about election procedures such as mail voting and voter list access.
White House officials urged Ohio Republicans to back off pressing Rep. Max Miller to drop out amid domestic abuse allegations, as Miller refuses to withdraw and faces a House Ethics Committee probe; the decision preserves a contentious race that could jeopardize a so-called safe seat and complicates GOP messaging and fundraising in a district unlikely to tilt blue in 2026.
Trump and Republicans brand Abdul El-Sayed as a socialist/communist and anti-American after his Michigan Democratic Senate primary win, pointing to his policy ideas like Medicare for All and his ties to far-left figures to energize the base ahead of the 2026 midterms, while El-Sayed pushes back and emphasizes his coalition-building and healthcare goals.
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee faces a high-stakes Democratic primary against Helena Foulkes, with the Washington Bridge traffic crisis becoming a symbol of voter frustration over costs and government responsiveness. The rematch from 2022 pits McKee’s incumbency record against Foulkes’ populist platform amid a broader anti-incumbent mood shaping the 2026 elections, including labor support shifts and debates over housing, energy, and safety.
Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed drew online backlash with a vow of five debates against Republican Mike Rogers and a promise there would be 'no safe quarter' from accountability, a line critics say risks escalating hostile rhetoric. Conservatives highlighted El-Sayed’s overseas property disclosures (Dubai and India) to question his credibility on accountability. The remark comes as El-Sayed moves from his primary victory toward a November 3, 2026 general election, spotlighting the broader progressive-versus-establishment debate within the party and the scrutiny he faces from opponents and pundits.
Abdul El-Sayed defeated the Democratic establishment to win Michigan's Senate primary on a populist platform, buoyed by voter discontent with party elites and Israel policy, overcoming a large spending gap and opposition from party leaders.