Stories credited to Ballotpedia News, by publication date. ChamberLight collects articles that mention the officials it tracks, so this shows its own coverage of this source, not how much the source publishes.

Stories from Ballotpedia News
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Month	Stories	All outlets
March 2026	2	148
April 2026	7	4,537
May 2026	0	none collected
June 2026	0	none collected
July 2026	0	none collected
August 2026	0	1 (collection gap)
September 2026	0	598

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Party of the officials these stories are mainly about, across all 12 officials named. A story counts once for each official it is mainly about, so the split is over 14 story–official pairs, from 9 stories.

Republican43% · 6 pairs
Democrat29% · 4 pairs
Party not recorded21% · 3 pairs
Independent7% · 1 pair

Most covered

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+ 2 other officials (2 story–official pairs)

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Good Look: 4 (44%)
Mixed: 2 (22%)
Informational: 3 (33%)
Bad Look: 0 (0%)

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Articles served from news.ballotpedia.org

Cait Conley (D), Beth Davidson (D), Effie Phillips-Staley (D), and three other candidates are running in the Democratic primary for New York's 17th Congressional District on June 23, 2026

Cait Conley (D), Beth Davidson (D), Effie Phillips-Staley (D), and three other candidates are running in the Democratic primary for New York's 17th Congressional District on June 23, 2026. As of April 2026, Conley, Davidson, and Phillips-Staley led in endorsements, fundraising, and local media attention. Decision Desk HQ and Roll Call both included incumbent Michael Lawler (R) on their lists of most vulnerable U.S. House incumbents in 2026. Lawler defeated incumbent Sean Maloney (D) 50.3%–49.7% in 2022 and challenger Mondaire Jones (D) 52.1%–45.8% in 2024. The Peekskill Herald quoted Pace University professor Stephen Rolandi as saying, "We’re looking at a very close election for control of the House...Michael Lawler’s seat fits in that equation because if the Dems can get that one back they’re probably on their way to a majority in the House." Reporting on Conley, Davidson, and Phillips-Staley appearing at an April 9 candidate forum, The Journal News' Chris McKenna said, "With few sharp policy differences among them, each sought to stand out based on their personal and professional backgrounds and feats in local offices and public service." Conley is a U.S. Army veteran. Conley served on the National Security Council and at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under President Joe Biden (D). Her campaign website says she has "the courage to do what’s right, the strength to fight and win against Donald Trump and his enablers like Mike Lawler, and the leadership to deliver results on Day One." Davidson was elected to the Rockland County Legislature in 2024. Davidson served on the Nyack Board of Education from 2017 to 2023. Davidson is running on her record in office and an emphasis on bipartisanship. Davidson's campaign website says she has "worked across the aisle [in county government], sponsoring a household gun safety law and partnering with Republicans to cut property taxes and hire additional patrol officers to keep families safe." Phillips-Staley was elected to the Tarrytown Village Board of Trustees in 2021. Phillips-Staley is running on her experience in office and as a nonprofit executive. Phillips-Staley's campaign website says she has "dedicated her life to social justice and public service...She is running for Congress because this moment demands transformational change, not politics as usual that serve corporations and the ultra-rich while working families fall behind." Also running in the primary are John Cappello (D), Jessica Reinmann (D), and Mike Sacks (D). As of April 2026, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Inside Elections with Nathan Gonzales rated the general election Toss-up. Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Lean Republican.

Apr 16, 202614 votes

Mikie Sherrill to become first New Jersey governor in 20 years to live in the state's official governor's residence

On April 3, Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) announced she would be moving into Drumthwacket, the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. Sherrill will be only the third governor to live in the mansion since it was built in 1981. Only Governors James Florio (D-N.J.), who left office in 1994, and Jim McGreevey (D-N.J.), who left office in 2004, have lived in the mansion. Sherrill’s decision to move into the governor’s mansion makes her one of 38 state governors living in their state’s governor's mansion. Five other states have governors who lived outside the mansion, and Ballotpedia was unable to determine whether the governor lived in the mansion in two states. This number does not include summer homes or any other supplementary residences. Additionally, five states do not provide the governor a specific residence. The five states where the governor does not reside in the mansion are California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In the case of Montana and Oklahoma, both states official resident status is in flux. In Oklahoma, a new mansion is being built, with an expected completion date of 2026, meaning the winner of this year’s gubernatorial election will be the first person to reside in the new governor’s mansion. In 2024, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) bought the historic Hauser House with the intention of donating it to the state upon completing his term in 2029. The Montana Department of Administration reportedly plans to take over the Hauser mansion for future governors to reside in. The official Montana governor's mansion is currently unoccupied and in disrepair. Repairs to the mansion have been delayed, as according to a statement on the official website for the governor of Montana, “Due to inflation, supply chain shortages and delays, and the low availability of skilled labor, the Montana Department of Administration paused repairs on the Montana Governor’s Residence.” The state has sought public input on the future of the residence through an official survey, the results of which have not yet been publicly discussed. To read more about the official governor’s residence in each state, click here.

Apr 16, 202613 votes

Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd Congressional District

Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd Congressional District on June 9, 2026. Joe Baldacci (D), Matthew Dunlap (D), Paige Loud (D), and Jordan Wood (D). Baldacci, Dunlap, and Wood have led in fundraising, media attention, and polling. Incumbent Jared Golden (D) is retiring from public office. Maine Public's Kevin Miller wrote, "Maine's 2nd District is a perennial battleground between the two national parties. Golden, a centrist Democrat often willing to buck his own party leadership, has held the seat for seven years despite the district's increasingly conservative lean." In 2024, Donald Trump (R) won the district over Kamala Harris (D) 53.5% to 44.5%. Golden won re-election that year, defeating Austin Theriault (R) with 50.3% of the vote, or about 2,700 votes. According to an analysis from The University of Virginia's Center for Politics, Golden represents the most Republican-leaning Democratic-held district. The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter wrote that Golden's retirement "gives Republicans a much better chance at [winning the 2nd District] ... that has largely voted for Republicans in statewide races over the past decade." Baldacci was elected to the state Senate in 2020. Baldacci says he is running "because Maine needs a fighter in Washington D.C. — someone who understands what it means when groceries, health care, and housing become unaffordable, and who will actually do something about it." He is campaigning to preserve Social Security and Medicare, and his campaign website says, "We need to protect your benefits while ensuring that generations to come are able to enjoy the fruits of their labor." Baldacci says, "As city councilor and mayor, I have fought Paul LePage and won, and in November, you can count on me to beat him again." Dunlap was elected state auditor in 2022. He says he is running "because Mainers deserve a fighter who won’t cave to Donald Trump ... When I’m in Congress, I’ll stand up for Maine, and I’ll fight for affordable healthcare, a lower cost of living, and higher wages for hardworking people." Dunlap supports implementing Medicare for All and says he wants to "re-establish [ACA] tax credits, but overall, I think the real answer is Medicare-for-All and just cut to the chase." Dunlap says his campaign could win Democrats who did not approve of Golden's record: "A lot of the Democrats I’ve spoken to ... are very excited by [this campaign]. I think they’ve felt like they haven’t had a lot of choices in these last few elections, and I offer a choice." Wood was the executive director of the PAC democracyFIRST. Wood originally ran for U.S. Senate, but switched races on November 12, 2025, saying, "With Jared not running, it leaves open one of the most competitive House races ... so I’m stepping up to take that on, because I believe we must." He is campaigning on campaign finance and electoral reforms, saying voter trust in elections "has been shaken by dark money, gerrymandering, and attacks on voting rights. We need big reforms to restore faith in our system." Wood says voters want to see new leaders in Congress, saying, "the focus of this campaign for Congress is going to be ... the need for a new generation of leaders to step up that are going to deliver [on corruption, democracy, and affordability]." This election uses ranked-choice voting. Maine voters approved the system in 2016, and it has been in use since 2018. Maine is one of three states to use the system statewide. Paige Loud (D) completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read those survey responses, click here. This is one of 56 open races for the U.S. House of Representatives this year in which an incumbent is not running for re-election. Across the country, 21 Democrats and 35 Republicans are not running for re-election. In 2024, 45 incumbents — 24 Democrats and 21 Republicans — did not seek re-election.

Apr 16, 20268 votes

Alabama voters to decide two constitutional amendments related to the pledge of allegiance and school prayer

Welcome to the Wednesday, April 15, Brew. By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Alabama voters to decide two constitutional amendments related to the pledge of allegiance and school prayer A roundup of recent election administration legislative activity Mikie Sherrill to become first New Jersey governor in 20 years to live in the state's official governor's residence Alabama voters to decide two constitutional amendments related to the pledge of allegiance and school prayer Alabama voters will decide on two constitutional amendments related to the pledge of allegiance and student-led school prayer on Nov. 3. In Alabama, constitutional amendments require a 60% majority vote in both chambers. Currently, Republicans have a Republican trifecta, in which the party controls the governorship and both legislative chambers. The first amendment, House Bill 511 (HB 511), would require each local board of education to adopt a policy for every public K-12 school to conduct the pledge of allegiance to the United States flag. State Rep. Reed Ingram (R-75) introduced HB 511 on Feb. 25. It is an updated version of House Bill 43 which Ingram also introduced. HB 511 passed the House 94-3 on March 10, and passed the Senate 30-0 on April 8. Three Democrats voted against it in the amendment. HB 511 would also require each local board of education to allow for student-led prayer. According to the amendment, a student must initiate and lead the prayer, and no student would be required to participate. The amendment also says that any policies local boards of education adopt should allow students to opt out of the pledge of allegiance or prayer. Currently, these policies exist as state statutes. However, if voters approve the amendment, they will become part of the Alabama Constitution. Current Alabama law requires public K-12 schools to conduct the pledge of allegiance at the start of each school day, while allowing students to opt-out. Alabama law (Section 16-1-20.2) addressed teacher-led prayer and was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Wallace v. Jaffree (1985) as a violation of the First Amendment. A separate provision, Section 16-1-20.3, addresses student religious expression and allows student-initiated prayer. This provision has not been struck down and remains in effect. The amendment differs from current law in that it would explicitly require school boards to adopt policies allowing student-led prayer at the beginning of the school day, whereas existing statute generally provides that students may engage in voluntary prayer at school. The second amendment, Senate Bill 5 (SB 5), would require all public schools to broadcast or arrange for the performance of the first stanza of the Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week. State Sen. Gerald Allen (R-21) introduced SB 5 was introduced on Feb. 5. It passed the Senate 23-5 on March 3, 2026 — 23 Republicans voted for the amendment, while five Democrats opposed it. The amendment then passed the House 75-27 on April 9, with 74 Republicans and one Democrat voting in favor while 27 Democrats opposed. In 2022, following the release of the U.S. Census, Alabama had 743,012 students enrolled in a total of 1,479 schools in 138 school districts. Both measures join three other constitutional amendments on the Nov. 3 Alabama ballot. Alabama voters will also decide on two constitutional amendments on May 19. Click here for more information about all the constitutional amendments that Alabama voters will decide this year. A roundup of recent election administration legislative activity State legislators have introduced 4,357 bills on election policy and administration this year, more than the 4,234 at this point last year. With 30 state legislatures currently in session, lawmakers enacted 26 bills in the past week, 29 bills passed both chambers of a state legislature, and governors vetoed six bills. So far, 61% (99) of all enacted bills have been in states with Republican trifectas, while 30% (49) have been in states with Democratic trifectas and 9% (14) have been in states with divided governments. In the past week, there was more legislative action in Democratic trifectas. Of the bills acted on last week, 50% (144) were in states with Democratic trifectas, 40% (115) were in states with Republican trifectas, and 10% (30) were in states with divided governments. One noteworthy bill enacted last week was Kansas HB 2437. On April 9, the Kansas House and Senate overturned Gov. Laura Kelly’s (D) veto of HB 2437. The House voted 84-39 to overturn the bill and the Senate voted 28-11. Kelly vetoed the bill on April 9. HB 2437, titled the SAVE Kansas Act, requires scheduled checks of the state voter list against the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security. It also requires county election officers to remove voters with driver’s licenses issued by another jurisdiction from the rolls if no confirmation of Kansas residency is confirmed within 45 days of receiving a confirmation notice. Three states ended their legislative sessions in the past 40 days. Utah: Before adjourning on March 6, lawmakers sent 14 election-related bills to Gov. Spencer Cox (R), who signed all of them. Utah has a Republican trifecta in which the party controls the governorship and both legislative chambers. Utah enacted 30 election-related bills in 2025, 14 in 2024, and 16 in 2023. Among this year’s bills was HB 209, which requires individuals to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in state and local elections. The law allows voters who do not provide proof of citizenship to cast a ballot in federal elections only. Washington: Before adjourning on March 12, lawmakers sent 10 election-related bills to Gov. Bob Ferguson (D), who signed all of them. Washington has a Democratic trifecta in which the party controls the governorship and both legislative chambers. Washington enacted 11 election-related bills in 2025, four in 2024, and 11 in 2023. Two of the 10 bills amended the state’s Voting Rights Act. HB 1750 prohibits political subdivisions from adopting election policies or practices that burden protected classes of voters. The bill also establishes legal guidelines for courts that are reviewing claims from voters, groups, or tribes alleging violations of this prohibition. HB 1710 requires certain local governments that are proposing election-related changes — like altering voting methods, redistricting, or relocating polling places — to obtain approval from the state attorney general before implementation. Washington is one of five states to advance legislation creating or amending a state-level voting rights act in 2026. Washington, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia have Democratic trifectas. Vermont has a divided government. Wisconsin: Before adjourning on March 19, lawmakers sent three election-related bills to Gov. Tony Evers (D), who signed two of them and vetoed one. Wisconsin had a divided government in which the governor is a Democrat and Republicans control both legislative chambers. Wisconsin enacted four election-related bills in 2025, two in 2024, and eight in 2023. On April 8, Evers vetoed AB 595, which would have required the Wisconsin Elections Commission to remove ineligible voters from the voter rolls. Currently, officials designate those voters as ineligible but do not actually remove them from the voter registration list. Click here to sign up for The Ballot Bulletin — our weekly email that follows developments in election policy around the country. You can also click here to see a full list of the bills we're following in 2026. Mikie Sherrill to become first New Jersey governor in 20 years to live in the state's official governor's residence On April 3, Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) announced she would be moving into Drumthwacket, the official residence of the governor of New Jersey. Sherrill will be only the third governor to live in the mansion since it was built in 1981. Only Governors James Florio (D-N.J.), who left office in 1994, and Jim McGreevey (D-N.J.), who left office in 2004, have lived in the mansion. Sherrill’s decision to move into the governor’s mansion makes her one of 38 state governors living in their state’s governor's mansion. Five other states have governors who lived outside the mansion, and Ballotpedia was unable to determine whether the governor lived in the mansion in two states. This number does not include summer homes or any other supplementary residences. Additionally, five states do not provide the governor a specific residence. The five states where the governor does not reside in the mansion are California, Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, a new mansion is being built, with an expected completion date of 2026, meaning the winner of this year’s gubernatorial election will be the first person to reside in the new governor’s mansion. In 2024, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) bought the historic Hauser House with the intention of donating it to the state upon completing his term in 2029. The Montana Department of Administration reportedly plans to take over the Hauser mansion for future governors to reside in. The official Montana governor’s residence is currently unoccupied and in disrepair. Repairs to the mansion have been delayed, as according to a statement on the official website for the governor of Montana, “Due to inflation, supply chain shortages and delays, and the low availability of skilled labor, the Montana Department of Administration paused repairs on the Montana Governor’s Residence.” The state has sought public input on the future of the residence through an official survey, the results of which have not yet been publicly discussed. Click here to read more about the official governor’s residence in each state.

Apr 15, 202611 votes

A look at the June 9 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine

Three candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine on June 9. As of April 2026, Janet T. Mills (D) and Graham Platner (D) lead in media attention, fundraising, polling, and endorsements. The winner of the primary will face incumbent Susan Collins (R) in the general election. According to the New York Times, "The stakes of the race, which has quickly become one of the most contentious Democratic primaries of the midterm season, could not be higher for the party. To have any chance of retaking the Senate, Democrats must defeat Ms. Collins, a Republican who is widely seen as vulnerable but who has repeatedly dashed their hopes of unseating her. As they look toward the general election, Maine Democrats are debating whether it is safer to nominate an experienced, older governor who struggles to energize the party’s base, or a younger insurgent who is feeding off the country’s anti-Washington energy but appears to have significant political baggage." Mills was elected governor of Maine in 2018. Mills was a member of the Maine House of Representatives from 2002-2009 and the state's attorney general from 2009 to 2011 and again from 2013 to 2019. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey (D) have endorsed Mills. Her campaign website said, "Janet doesn’t just fight, she wins for Maine: protecting our health care when politicians try to rip it away, taking on the drug companies fueling the opioid crisis, and defending our state from Donald Trump’s attacks." Platner is a Marine and U.S. Army veteran, and oyster farmer. U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have endorsed Platner. Platner's campaign website said, "I view most of my job as a US Senator as to do two things: one, to ban billionaires buying elections; two, to dismantle the 'billionaire economy', in favor of an economy that works for the American worker, for small business, for the vast majority of Americans." Both Mills and Platner have said that they would be the best suited to challenge Collins in the general election. Mills has said that Republicans “will tear [Platner] apart if he’s the nominee” and has run campaign ads criticizing Platner's past social media comments about sexual assault. Platner has said that “it is far more risky to go with someone who’s been in politics for a very long time.” When Mills first launched her campaign, Platner released an ad in which a woman says, "Janet Mills, again? She was a good governor, but I think it's time for a change." In October 2025, multiple news outlets published stories including deleted social media posts that Platner made between 2010 and 2021. In the posts, Platner wrote about multiple topics, including his political views, the police, the military, and sexual assault. In response, Platner apologized for the posts and said that he had made them after returning from his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan and that he was struggling with PTSD and depression. Also in October 2025, Platner appeared on an episode of the podcast Pod Save America and responded to a video of himself, in which a tattoo on his chest was visible that some observers said resembled a Nazi symbol. Platner said he was unaware of the resemblance and later posted a video showing that he had gotten the tattoo covered up. Click here to learn more. David Costello (D) is also running in the primary. His experience includes working as an environmental policy consultant. Costello also ran for Senate in 2024. In that election, he placed third of four candidates and earned 10.8% of the vote statewide. Maine uses Ranked-choice voting (RCV) in primary and general elections for federal and state offices. Click here to learn more. As of April 2026, the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the general election a Toss-up while Inside Elections rated it Tilt Republican. Thirty-three of the 100 U.S. Senate seats are up for election this year, and another two seats are up for special election. Democrats hold 13 of the seats up for election, and Republicans hold 22. The Senate seat in Maine is the only one that Republicans are defending in a state that Kamala Harris (D) won in the 2024 presidential election. Democrats are defending two seats in states that Donald Trump (R) won in the 2024 presidential election: Georgia and Michigan. Heading into the 2026 elections, Republicans held a 53-45 majority in the chamber and both independent U.S. senators — Sanders and Angus King (I-Maine) — caucus with the Democrats. Maine is also holding elections for it's two U.S. House seats, governor, and state legislature this year. Click here to learn more.

Apr 14, 202612 votes

Ballotpedia's 2026 trifecta exposure ratings: Nine exposed trifectas nationwide

Welcome to the Tuesday, April 14, 2026, Brew. By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: Ballotpedia's 2026 trifecta exposure ratings: Nine exposed trifectas nationwide Fifteen Democrats are running to succeed Eleanor Holmes Norton as Washington D.C.’s delegate in Congress Wisconsin and Kansas Governors veto bills opting into federal school choice tax credit program Ballotpedia's 2026 trifecta exposure ratings: Nine exposed trifectas nationwide Ballotpedia assessed potential changes to the landscape of state government trifectas in this year's elections, analyzing the exposure of existing state government trifectas to breaking and the potential for new trifectas to form in the 2026 elections. We rated nine existing state government trifectas as the most exposed to breaking this year – four Democratic and five Republican. A trifecta is considered exposed when one or more of its three components — the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature — meets the following criteria. The gubernatorial election is rated a Toss-up, Lean, or Tilt. A state legislative chamber's partisan majority is small enough that a shift in seats could change partisan control. Ballotpedia evaluates each component individually, looking at three factors: The ratings for the gubernatorial election. The percentage of seats up for election required to change control of the upper chamber. The percentage of seats up for election required to change control of the lower chamber. One important caveat: our exposure ratings reflect the size of legislative majorities, not the electoral landscape. A trifecta can be rated exposed even when the political environment makes an actual change unlikely. Click here to read more about our methodology. Here are some highlights from our analysis. In three states, fewer than five seats in at least one state legislative chamber would need to change party control for the state's trifecta status to change. Maine has had a Democratic trifecta since 2019. Democrats have a 20-14-1 majority in the Senate and a 75-72-3 majority with one vacancy in the House. To break the Democratic trifecta, Republicans would need to gain four seats to win a majority in the Senate, four seats to win a majority in the House, or win the governorship. The gubernatorial election is rated Likely Democratic. Oregon has had a Democratic trifecta since 2007, except for 2011 and 2012, when the House was split. Democrats have an 18-12 majority in the Senate and a 37-23 majority in the House. To break the Democratic trifecta, Republicans would need to gain four seats to win a majority in the Senate, eight seats to win a majority in the House, or win the governorship. The gubernatorial election is rated Safe Democratic. Texas has had a Republican trifecta since 2003. Republicans have an 18-12 majority with one vacancy in the Senate and an 88-62 majority in the House. To break the Republican trifecta, Democrats would need to gain four seats to win a majority in the Senate, 14 seats to win a majority in the House, or win the governorship. The gubernatorial election is rated Safe Republican. In six states, between five and ten state legislative seats in at least one chamber would need to change party control. Democratic trifectas in New Mexico and Washington were rated somewhat exposed. To break the trifecta in Washington, Republicans would need to gain six seats to win a majority in the Senate or 22 seats to win a majority in the House. To break the trifecta in New Mexico, Republicans would need to gain ten seats to win a majority in the Senate or win the governorship. The gubernatorial election is rated Likely Democratic. Republican trifectas in Iowa, Montana, and New Hampshire were rated somewhat exposed. To break the trifecta in Iowa, Democrats would need to gain nine seats in the Senate, 18 in the House, or win the governorship. The gubernatorial election is rated Lean Republican. In Montana, Democrats would need to gain eight seats in the Senate or nine in the House. In New Hampshire, Democrats would need to gain five seats in the Senate, 25 seats in the House, or win the governorship. The gubernatorial race is rated Likely Republican. The Republican trifecta in Georgia was rated moderately exposed. To break the Republican trifecta, Democrats would need to gain six seats in the Senate, 13 seats in the House, or win the governorship. The governor’s race is rated Leans Republican. Democrats and Republicans each have trifecta pickup opportunities in two states. Seven states are pickup opportunities for both parties. Ballotpedia assessed the chances of new trifectas forming in states that currently have divided governments. Possible Democratic trifecta pickups are Kentucky and North Carolina, while possible Republican pickups are Alaska and Kansas. In Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Wisconsin, either party could establish a state government trifecta. Additional information A state government trifecta occurs when one party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. There are currently 39 state government trifectas: 23 Republican trifectas and 16 Democratic trifectas. The remaining 11 states have divided governments. Thirty-six states are holding gubernatorial elections in 2026, and members of 88 of the country's 99 state legislative chambers are up for election. This means that while the states mentioned above have particularly close legislative majorities or competitive gubernatorial races, trifecta status could change in up to 46 states holding elections for at least one trifecta office. Four states are not holding elections for any trifecta offices. Elections for one or more trifecta offices are taking place in: 21 of the 23 states with Republican trifectas, 14 of the 16 states with Democratic trifectas All 11 states with divided governments. Heading into the 2026 elections, Virginia is the most recent state to become a trifecta, when Democrats won the governorship in 2025. Democrats lost trifectas in Michigan and Minnesota in the 2024 elections. Republicans did not gain or lose any trifectas in 2024. Between 1992 and 2025, 118 state government trifectas were broken or created. Click here to learn more about the trifecta outlook in the 2026 elections. Fifteen Democrats are running to succeed Eleanor Holmes Norton as Washington, D.C.’s delegate in Congress Fifteen candidates are running in the June 16 Democratic primary to succeed incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) as the District of Columbia’s non-voting delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives. Brooke Pinto, Robert White, and Kinney Zalesne lead in polling, fundraising, and media attention. On Jan. 26, Norton announced she would not seek re-election this year. Norton was first elected in 1991. The Associated Press' Matt Brown wrote, "Her retirement opens up a likely competitive primary to succeed her in an overwhelmingly Democratic city," and NOTUS' Taylor Giorno wrote that the race "is shaping up to be one of the most expensive in the district’s history." While the non-voting delegate cannot cast final votes on bills, they can introduce legislation, serve on and vote in committees, offer amendments, and speak on the House floor. Pinto represents Ward 2 on the D.C. city council. Previously, Pinto was an assistant attorney general in D.C.. Former D.C. city council member Mary Cheh, D.C. Firefighters Association president Dave Hoagland, and Shaw Main Streets board chair Gretchen Wharton have endorsed Pinto. Pinto is running on her record, specifically as chair of the council’s judiciary and public safety committee. In an interview with WAMU, she said that crime and public safety were her areas of expertise and that she could “educate many members of Congress on how our system works, and where the federal government can be helpful when it comes to public safety, like in filling judicial vacancies, and where it would not be helpful, like undermining our ability to change our own criminal laws.” White is an at-large member of the D.C. city council. White's experience includes working as legislative counsel to Norton, director of community outreach for the D.C. attorney general, and adjunct professor at Georgetown University law school. Several labor unions, the Working Families Party, and City Council member Janeese Lewis George (D) have endorsed White. Koma is running on his experience working for Norton and as a city councilor. White’s campaign website said that his top priority is “fighting for D.C. statehood and ensuring that Washingtonians finally have the same voice as every American across the country.” Zalesne worked as an attorney, strategist, and manager at Microsoft, as well as president of the non-profit College Summit, and deputy national finance chair of the Democratic National Committee. U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.), U.S. Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.), and U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) endorsed Zalesne. Zalesne is running on her experience working for the DNC. In an interview with WAMU, she said that D.C’s non-voting delegate “has never been a job merely for someone who has been on the council. It’s a national job, and it needs someone with national relationships and national networks. And that’s what I bring to the race.” D.C.’s non-voting delegate is one of six non-voting members of Congress. The others are from American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Deirdre Brown, Gordon Chaffin, Samuel Greenfield, Trent Holbrook, Greg Jaczko, Robert Matthews, Greg Maye, Jerry McClairn Jr., Angel Rios, Michael Smith, Sandi Stevens, and Kelly Mikel Williams are also running. Click here to learn more about the Democratic primary in D.C. Wisconsin and Kansas governors veto bills that would opt their states into the federal school choice tax credit program The Democratic governors of Kansas and Wisconsin both vetoed bills that would have opted their states into the federal school choice tax credit scholarship program. They became the fourth and fifth Democratic governors to veto bills to opt into the program. At least 27 states have officially opted in, 23 of which have Republican trifectas. Democratic vetoes On April 6, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) vetoed House Bill (HB) 2468, which would have permanently opted the state into the program. Kansas has a divided government, but Republicans in the Legislature have a veto-proof majority. Kansas’ legislative session ended on April 10. There was no motion to reconsider the vetoed bill. On March 30, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) vetoed Assembly Bill (AB) 602, which would have required the state to opt into the program annually. Wisconsin has a divided government, with a Republican-controlled Legislature and a Democratic governor. Republicans in the Legislature do not have a veto-proof majority, meaning they cannot override Evers' veto without Democratic help. Wisconsin requires two-thirds of members present in both chambers to vote to override a veto. Currently, Republicans have an 18-15 majority in the Senate and a 54-45 majority in the Assembly. As of this writing, there was no motion to reconsider the vetoed bill. State legislators in both Wisconsin and Kansas voted mainly along party lines, with Republicans generally supporting and Democrats generally opposing. No Democrats in either state supported the bill. Some Republicans in both Kansas chambers also voted against opting into the tax credit. Three other Democratic governors have vetoed similar bills. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) vetoed HB 1 on March 16, but the Kentucky General Assembly overrode the veto on March 17. The new law requires the Secretary of State to opt into the program each year. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed SB 1106 on Jan. 16, but has not yet signed or vetoed a similar bill that the Legislature sent to her on April 8. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) was the first governor to veto a similar bill, doing so in August 2025. In his veto message, Stein said, “Once the federal government issues sound guidance, I intend to opt North Carolina in so we can invest in the public school students most in need of after school programs, tutoring, and other resources.” The North Carolina General Assembly is scheduled to vote on whether to override the veto on April 21. Thirty-five states have taken action indicating whether they will participate in the program. Here’s a look at the breakdown of state participation by trifecta status: Click here to learn more about state participation in the federal K-12 education tax credit scholarship program. To learn more about how the program works, visit this page. Plus, to see our previous Daily Brew and Hall Pass coverage of this program, clickhere, here, and here.

Apr 14, 202613 votes

Forty-five candidates are running for Nevada’ four U.S. House districts — the most since 2014

This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Nevada was March 13, 2026. Forty-five candidates — 20 Democrats and 25 Republicans — are running for Nevada’s four U.S. House districts. That’s the highest total number of candidates to run for the U.S. House since 2014. Twenty-two candidates ran in 2024, 33 ran in 2022, 40 ran in 2020, 42 ran in 2018, 37 ran in 2016, and 19 ran in 2014. This year, there are 11.3 candidates per district. There were 5.5 candidates in 2024, 8.3 in 2022, 10 in 2020, 10.5 in 2018, 9.3 in 2016, and 4.8 in 2014. Here are some other highlights from this year’s filings: Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District is the only open district this year. The district’s incumbent, Rep. Mark Amodei (R), is retiring from public office. Two districts were open in 2018, and one was in 2016 — those were the only other election cycles since 2014 in which districts were open. Twenty-four candidates — 11 Democrats and 13 Republicans — are running for Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District. That’s the most candidates running for a district this year. Seven primaries — three Democratic and four Republican — are contested this year. There were six contested primaries in 2024, seven in 2022, eight in 2020, eight in 2018, seven in 2016, and six in 2014. Two incumbents — Rep. Dina Titus (D) in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District and Rep. Susie Lee (D) in Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District — are facing primary challengers this year. Three incumbents faced primary challengers in 2024, three in 2022, four in 2020, two in 2018, two in 2016, and two in 2014. Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all four districts, meaning no districts are guaranteed to either party. Nevada and three other states — Maine, North Dakota, and South Carolina — are holding U.S. House primaries on June 9, 2026. In Nevada, the winner of the primary election is the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes, even if they do not win more than 50% of the vote.

Apr 6, 20266 votes

Sen. Alan Armstrong takes office — ending the day-long vacancy in Oklahoma’s class II seat

On March 24, 2026, President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) swore Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.) into the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy in Oklahoma’s class II seat. The vacancy began on March 23, 2026, after Markwayne Mullin (R) resigned from the U.S. Senate to serve as the U.S. secretary of homeland security in President Donald Trump’s (R) second term. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Armstrong to represent the state in the U.S. Senate on March 24, 2026. Armstrong is the third person to represent the class II seat since 2020. In the 2020 general election, then-Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) won re-election, defeating Abby Broyles (D) 63% to 33%. On Feb. 25, 2022, Inhofe announced that he would resign on Jan. 3, 2023. Ahead of Inhofe’s resignation, Mullin defeated Kendra Horn (D) 62% to 35% in the 2022 special general election for the seat. As of March 24, 2026, Republicans have a 53 to 45 majority in the U.S. Senate. Additionally, both independent members of the chamber caucus with Democrats. Vacancies in the 119th Congress So far in the 119th Congress, there have been nine vacancies in the U.S. House of Representatives and four in the U.S. Senate. Of those vacancies: Three in the U.S. Senate were filled via appointment. One in the U.S. Senate was filled when Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) was sworn into office 11 days after the start of the 119th Congress. Justice delayed his swearing-in to fulfill the remainder of his term as governor of West Virginia. Six in the U.S. House were filled after special election winners were sworn in. As of March 24, 2026, three vacancies in California's 1st Congressional District, Georgia's 14th Congressional District, and New Jersey's 11th Congressional District have not been filled. Congressional vacancies since the 113th Congress During the 113th through 118th Congresses, there were 88 vacancies in the U.S. House and 16 in the U.S. Senate. The average length of a vacancy in the U.S. Senate during that period was seven days. The average length of a vacancy in the U.S. House during that period was 138 days. The longest vacancy in the U.S. Senate during that period was in New Jersey. The vacancy occurred during the 118th Congress, when Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) resigned on Aug. 20, 2024. Following Menendez's resignation, the seat was vacant for 20 days. The longest vacancy in the U.S. House during that period was in Michigan's 13th Congressional District. The vacancy occurred during the 115th Congress, when Rep. John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) resigned on Oct. 27, 2019. Following Conyers' resignation, the seat was vacant for 359 days.

Mar 30, 202610 votes

Sen. Alan Armstrong becomes the 11th U.S. senator to announce he won’t seek re-election in 2026

Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.) signed an affidavit on March 24, 2026, stating that he will not run to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate in 2026. On March 24, 2026, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) appointed Armstrong to represent the state in the U.S. Senate. Markwayne Mullin (R) previously held the seat before he resigned on March 23, 2026, to serve as the U.S. secretary of homeland security in President Donald Trump’s (R) second term. After Armstrong's appointment, Oklahoma law required him to sign an affidavit stating that he would not run for a full term in the U.S. Senate in 2026. On his appointment, Armstrong said, “My short time in the Senate will be tightly focused on meaningful permitting reform to get Americans access to whatever affordable energy solutions they choose. Infrastructure is foundational to growing our economy, ensuring American energy independence, and driving innovative solutions that Oklahomans have always delivered.” As of March 17, 2026, independent race forecasters The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections have rated the 2026 general election for the seat as Solid Republican. Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Republican. As of March 27, 2026, Armstrong is one of 68 members of Congress — 11 U.S. senators and 57 U.S. House members — who have announced they will not seek re-election to their current seats in 2026. Of the senators not running for re-election, 10 — Armstrong, Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) — announced their retirements from public office, while the other, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), is running for governor of Alabama. Compared to the last four election cycles, there were eight Senate retirement announcements at this point in 2024, six in 2022, four in 2020, and three in 2018. Between January 2011 and March 2026, 52 U.S. Senate incumbents announced they would not seek re-election. During that period, an average of three incumbents announced their retirement plans each year. January had the highest number of members announcing they would not run for re-election at 12. The fewest announcements took place in April, June, July, August, and December at one each.

Mar 30, 20268 votes

Sen. Alan Armstrong takes office — ending the day-long vacancy in Oklahoma’s class II seat

Mar 30, 20268 votes

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