All articles tagged with #senate elections
President Donald Trump’s endorsement helped Sen. Darline Graham win the South Carolina Republican Senate primary, signaling his ongoing influence in GOP races, and the piece notes a Trump-backed candidate also won in Oklahoma.
Cook Political Report moved the open Senate races in Iowa and Texas from Lean Republican to Toss Up, highlighting rising competitiveness as Ken Paxton runs for Texas’ open seat and Trump carried both states by double digits in 2024.
During the sole SC GOP Senate runoff debate, Darline Graham admitted she’s not informed on national security when pressed on Taiwan and the South China Sea, highlighting a vulnerability despite Trump’s support. She defended her military backing but noted a gap in foreign-policy experience compared with her brother Lindsey Graham’s advisory role to Trump. Her opponent, Rep. Ralph Norman, touts conservative credentials as the runoff nears, with Trump planning to campaign in Myrtle Beach.
Abdul El-Sayed’s primary win in Michigan has tied Democrats’ bid to retake the Senate to a candidate some party members cannot fully back, complicating Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s strategy and potentially risking the majority. The race hinges on Michigan’s swing-state dynamics, with El-Sayed’s criticism of Israel unsettling Jewish voters and forcing Schumer to balance electability with party unity; if El-Sayed falters, Democrats would need to flip another Republican seat in deep-red territory.
President Trump is weighing an all-in endorsement for Darline Graham in South Carolina’s GOP Senate runoff, including the possibility of a rally, as intra-MAGA tensions flare over support for his chosen candidate.
Unexpected primary results, scandals, and insurgent winners are complicating both parties’ paths to controlling the House and Senate in 2026.
Julian Beaudion withdraws from the South Dakota Senate race, clearing the field for independent Brian Bengs to take on incumbent Republican Mike Rounds in a contest that could shift dynamics in a GOP-leaning state.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is pressing Sen. Mitch McConnell to prove his capacity to serve or resign after McConnell’s absence stretches into a seventh week following a fall and pneumonia. Beshear cites limited communication with constituents and signals a potential legal battle over filling McConnell’s Senate seat under Kentucky vacancy laws.
Sch Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer declined to endorse Troy Jackson, who is expected to be the Democratic nominee in Maine to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Schumer said his focus is on taking back the Senate and will back the nominee after Maine Democrats pick one at their convention. Jackson has suggested he might not support Schumer if he remains Democratic leader, underscoring intra-party tensions ahead of a pivotal race.
Sen. Darline Graham says she will seek a full six-year term after Gov. Henry McMaster appointed her to succeed her late brother Lindsey Graham, following Trump’s urging; she will face a competitive Republican primary in August (with a possible runoff).
Former Maine Senate president Troy Jackson quickly took the early lead to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee, with Jackson’s union backing and county-level delegate slates giving him momentum as Platner exited amid allegations, positioning Democrats to challenge Sen. Susan Collins in November.
A Detroit News/WDIV-TV poll shows Haley Stevens ahead of Abdul El-Sayed by about seven points in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary (48% to 41%), with Stevens strongest among Black, non‑college‑educated and Detroit‑area voters, while El‑Sayed leads among college‑educated and White voters as the race serves as a test of the party establishment versus its progressive wing.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan’s competitive Democratic Senate primary, the first Senate endorsement of the year for her, in a race where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backs Haley Stevens and other Democrats back different candidates ahead of the Aug. 4 primary.
Democrats backing Senate hopeful Graham Platner in Maine say that, with Donald Trump in the White House and Senate control at stake, the era has lowered political standards and purity politics are less helpful, as they push to flip the Senate to check the president even as Platner faces past questions.
Two Dan Sullivans are running for Alaska’s Senate—incumbent Republican Dan S. Sullivan and challenger Dan J. Sullivan—sparking GOP claims that the lesser‑known candidate is trying to confuse voters and aid Democrat Mary Peltola. There are complaints filed with the FEC and Alaska is investigating; Dan J. Sullivan says his candidacy is legitimate and not coordinated with Democrats.