All articles tagged with #elections 2026
Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida’s CD-20 faces a crowded primary field as she fights a 15-count federal indictment and ethics scrutiny, with party donors cautious and several challengers—including Luther Campbell and Rudolph Moise—entering the race amid potential redistricting that could reshape the district.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added five red-leaning districts to its battleground map (Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, South Carolina, and Virginia’s open 1st District), boosting red-leaning targets to 44 as Democrats push to flip the House. Trump carried all five districts by double digits in 2024, making them uphill wins for Democrats, who cite recent special-election overperformances; Republicans label the expansion as optimistic and note potential Virginia redistricting could shift the race.
House Republicans released an amended SAVE America Act that would require a passport or birth certificate to register to vote and impose a nationwide photo ID to cast a ballot, dropping the earlier provision to prove citizenship at the polls. The citizenship-registration requirement could affect about 21.3 million voting-age Americans lacking ready access to those documents, and excluding college IDs would hit students who often vote Democratic. Supporters say the measure protects elections; critics call it a voter suppression effort. Prospects in the Senate remain uncertain.
Republicans are fast-tracking the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register and a citizenship-based photo ID to vote, effectively forcing many voters to show passports or birth certificates at polling places. Analysts say up to about 21 million Americans could be disenfranchised, given that many lack passports or readily available birth certificates, and roll-cleaning could inadvertently purge eligible voters. The bill faces a difficult path in the Senate amid Democratic opposition and filibuster concerns, while a companion MEGA Act would roll back mail voting and other practices. President Trump and GOP leaders back the effort as a safeguard against noncitizen voting, but critics warn it would constitute a major voting-rights rollback.
Democrats must flip four Senate seats to win a majority in 2026, needing to hold Georgia and Michigan and pick up Maine and North Carolina, while Republicans seek to capitalize on a favorable map and turnout. Beyond the four marquee races, Alaska, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, New Hampshire and Minnesota offer openings, with several high‑profile primaries in Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana and Massachusetts shaping the broader contest; the environment—economic concerns, voter enthusiasm, immigration politics and the post‑Trump political dynamic—will influence turnout as primaries kick off in Texas and North Carolina.
Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan (R) announced he will retire from Congress after 20 years, exiting the GOP-leaning 16th District along Florida’s Gulf Coast and signaling another open seat in a challenging midterm climate for Republicans. Buchanan, a long‑time Ways and Means member known for tax, trade and health policy, steps away as part of a wave of retirements; the live updates also note ongoing Capitol negotiations over DHS funding and the looming risk of a government shutdown as lawmakers spar over immigration enforcement provisions.
Hungary will hold parliamentary elections on April 12, 2026, pitting long-time PM Viktor Orbán against a resurgent opposition led by Péter Magyar; early polls show the opposition ahead, with voters drawn to pledges on judicial independence and anti-corruption, signaling a possible end to Orbán’s two-decade grip.