All articles tagged with #endorsements
LeBron James is using Fanatics corporate aviation to commute between New York City and Philadelphia for 76ers games, a benefit included in his multiyear endorsement contract. The arrangement saves him time and costs, while his 76ers salary is a career low.
Democrat Jared Golden of Maine, known for breaking with his party, endorsed Republican Mike Lawler in New York’s 17th District—a toss-up race—arguing Lawler embodies the pragmatic, fact-based approach Democrats should back. The move drew criticism from Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who called it a late, out‑of‑town endorsement, while Golden highlighted cross‑partisan cooperation (including a lobstermen bill) as the basis for his support. The endorsement underscores ongoing cross‑party dynamics in the 2026 elections.
Former Michigan Democrat Sander Levin endorsed Abdul El-Sayed for the open U.S. Senate seat, saying he aligns with El-Sayed on climate, trade, and health care but disagrees with his Israeli-Palestinian views; Levin stressed loyalty to the Democratic ticket and highlighted his family’s Michigan political legacy as context for the endorsement while noting El-Sayed’s campaign with Hasan Piker drew scrutiny from some Jewish voters.
Texas GOP nominee Johnson endorses Brandon Herrera, the AK Guy with a large gun-rights following and a Trump endorsement, arguing Herrera’s provocative online persona is part of a broader contrast with Democrat Katy Padilla Stout; Herrera is running in a district Cook Political Report rates as likely Republican, a race that follows former Rep. Tony Gonzales’s resignation amid misconduct allegations.
President Trump continues to mock Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s appearance and delivery while praising his work, sparking debate over whether the digs are a genuine quirk or a deliberate strategy to help Paxton in a tight Texas Senate race or to cushion a potential loss by casting blame elsewhere. Explanations range from Trump’s fixation on image to attempts to steer attention to Paxton’s competence, with polls showing a close race and unclear effects of the tactic.
The NBA findings allege the Los Angeles Clippers, led by billionaire Steve Ballmer, orchestrated off-the-record endorsement deals for Kawhi Leonard with multiple companies to evade the league’s salary-cap rules. The league imposed its harshest penalties to date: a $30 million fine, the loss of first-round picks for five years (2029–2033), a one-year suspension for Ballmer, a one-year suspension for president of business operations Gillian Zucker, and a six-month ban for president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. The Clippers deny the charges and plan to appeal; Leonard acknowledged lapses by people in his inner circle, including his uncle and business manager, with on-court impact limited by injuries and the franchise facing a long path to competitiveness.
The Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America endorsed Councilmember Nithya Raman for mayor after an online vote among its members, giving her a left-leaning boost as she challenges incumbent Karen Bass in the November election; about 1,500 ballots were cast from a DSA-LA pool of more than 6,000 members, with 937 in favor of endorsement, 484 against, and 52 abstentions, and the endorsement is part of DSA-LA’s Shake Up LA slate highlighting Raman’s alignment on renter protections and housing policy while noting concerns about her reliability on DSA priorities.
Former Biden White House aide Dan Koh won the Massachusetts 6th Congressional District Democratic primary to replace Rep. Seth Moulton, riding endorsements from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, support from former Boston mayor Marty Walsh, and a fundraising edge aided by pro‑AI super PAC spending; Koh is the heavy favorite in the deep-blue district for the November race.
Former President Donald Trump urged the FCC to punish NBC's Kristen Welker for remarks about his endorsements on Meet the Press, claiming she mischaracterized his record; NBC defended Welker, while the FCC notes its authority to sanction journalists is limited, and the piece places the incident in broader tensions between Trump and media coverage.
President Donald Trump accused NBC's Kristen Welker of inaccuracy in describing the impact of his endorsements and threatened to report her to the FCC for ‘rebuke or punishment.’ He pointed to what he calls mixed results despite recent wins by some endorsed candidates, while others underperformed. Welker, who hosts Meet the Press, did not directly press Trump on endorsements during the program, but had recently commented on the endorsements’ influence on the midterms. Trump has a pattern of criticizing Welker and other female journalists.
Donald Trump called on the FCC to rebuke or punish NBC’s Kristen Welker after a Meet the Press segment described his endorsement record as mixed, highlighting ongoing friction between Trump and the media even as his endorsements have produced many wins.
President Donald Trump says NBC's Kristen Welker will be reported to the FCC over coverage of his endorsements ahead of the midterms, alleging inaccuracies in her reporting; NBC has not commented, and the piece notes ongoing questions about media coverage and FCC scrutiny.
President Donald Trump’s endorsements will be tested in two Tuesday GOP runoffs: South Carolina’s Senate race, where he has backed appointed Sen. Darline Graham for a full term, and Oklahoma’s gubernatorial contest, which he also weighed in on. After a shaky August for his favored candidates, the results will indicate whether Trump’s influence with GOP voters remains durable or is fading and could reshape his strategy for the rest of the 2026 cycle.
Former Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan endorsed incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska's unusually crowded Senate race, intensifying a clash with a third candidate named Dan J. Sullivan who Republicans say is a Democratic plant to confuse voters. Alaska's top-four jungle primary and ranked-choice voting system add complexity to the contest, while legal fights and investigations swirl around the same-name challenger as Dan S. Sullivan and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola move toward the general election.
In South Carolina's Senate runoff to fill Lindsey Graham's seat, Darline Graham leans on a Trump-backed push and a post-debate remark—“national security is not my thing”—as a strategic move to appear relatable and distinguish herself from opponent Ralph Norman, while outside groups flood the race with spending and endorsements shift.