Year: 2025
-
An early look at the race to 2026 U.S. Senate election in Kentucky
Voters in Kentucky will elect one member to the U.S. Senate in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. On Feb. 20, 2025, incumbent Mitch McConnell (R), who first took office in 1985, announced that he would not seek re-election in 2026. According to NBC News’ Ben Kamisar, “McConnell’s departure opens up a plum political…
-
Incumbent Larry Krasner defeats Patrick Dugan in Democratic Primary for district attorney of Philadelphia
Incumbent Larry Krasner (D) defeated Patrick F. Dugan (D) 64.4%-35.6% in the Democratic primary for district attorney of Philadelphia on May 20. Before the election, WHYY Radio’s Carmen Russell-Sluchansky wrote, “The contest pits two competing philosophies against each other: Krasner’s commitment to continuing to overhaul a historically punitive system and Dugan’s pledge to restore a…
-
Corey O’Connor defeats incumbent Edward Gainey Democratic primary for mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Corey O’Connor (D) defeated incumbent Edward Gainey (D) 54.5%-45.5% in the Democratic primary for mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 20. A Democrat has held the mayor’s office since 1934. O’Connor and Tony Moreno (R) will now run in the general election on Nov. 4. Moreno defeated Thomas West (R) 70.6%-29.4%. Before the election, PennLive’s…
-
Alaska voters to decide on campaign contribution limits ballot initiative in Nov. 2026
Alaska voters will decide on a ballot initiative in 2026 to establish new limits on campaign contributions to state and local candidates. The measure, a citizen initiative backed by the group Citizens Against Money in Politics, would set specific caps on how much individuals and groups may give to candidates and political organizations. As an…
-
Anti-ESG bill dies in Texas House
A Texas bill that sought to shift the legal burden in shareholder lawsuits involving ESG policies failed in committee last week. The House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee voted it down 9–1. If enacted, the bill would have been the first to make it easier for shareholders to challenge ESG-related decisions by requiring companies to…
-
North Carolina House passes bill to increase legislative control of rulemaking
What’s the story? The North Carolina House passed House Bill 402, named the NC REINS Act, on April 16, 2025, by a vote of 68-44. The bill would increase legislative oversight of proposed agency regulations. It was scheduled for a May 21 hearing before the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee. HB 402 would make any regulation…
-
Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos running in June 7 San Antonio mayoral runoff election
Gina Ortiz Jones and Rolando Pablos are running in the June 7, 2025, runoff election for mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Ortiz Jones and Pablos advanced to the runoff from the nonpartisan general election on May 3. Ortiz Jones received 27.2% of the vote and Pablos received 16.6%. The two advanced to a runoff because…
-
Republican party committees lead in cumulative fundraising as of fourth campaign finance deadline of the 2026 election cycle
As of April 30, 2025, the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $122 million and spent $116 million in the 2026 election cycle, while the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $143 million and spent…
-
Texas voters to decide on three property tax exemption amendments, including third homestead exemption increase in three years
The Texas State Legislature voted to send three property tax exemption amendments to the Nov. 4 ballot this week—increasing two existing exemptions and authorizing the creation of a new one. Senate Joint Resolution 2 would increase the property tax exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 of the market value of a homestead. This will be the…