Year: 2026
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Nineteen U.S. House primaries are contested in North Carolina this year — the second-most since 2014
This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina was Dec. 19, 2025. Sixty-seven candidates — 40 Democrats and 27 Republicans — are running for North Carolina’s 14 U.S. House districts. That’s 4.8 candidates per district. There were 4.6 candidates per district in 2024 and 7.14 in 2022.…
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Over the past two weeks, constitutional amendments were certified in Colorado and Wisconsin, and signatures were submitted for initiatives in Maine and Oklahoma
As of Feb. 4, 65 statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in 32 states, eight more measures than the average number certified at this point in other even-numbered years over the past decade (2014 to 2024). Here’s an update on the latest ballot measure activity during the past two weeks: One constitutional amendment,…
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Trump's ended January with a 42% approval rating, the third consecutive month with this rating
President Donald Trump’s (R) approval ratings in his second term did not change from January, while the 119th Congress’s approval rating improved. At the end of January 2026, polling averages showed Trump’s approval rating was 42%, the same as it was in November and December 2025. Fifty-five percent of voters disapproved of his performance. The…
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Rep. Christian Menefee takes office — ending the vacancy in Texas’ 18th Congressional District
On Feb. 2, 2026, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) swore Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas) into the U.S. House of Representatives, filling the vacancy in Texas' 18th Congressional District. The vacancy began on March 5, 2025, after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas). In a runoff election on Jan. 31, 2026, Menefee defeated…
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Mississippi has no open U.S. House districts this year — the sixth time since 2014
This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Mississippi was Dec. 26, 2025. Fifteen candidates — nine Democrats and six Republicans — are running for Mississippi’s four U.S. House districts. That’s 3.8 candidates per district. There were three candidates per district in 2024, 5.8 in 2022, 3.8 in 2020,…
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Arkansas has no open U.S. House districts this year — the sixth time since 2014
This year’s filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arkansas was Nov. 12, 2025. Eleven candidates — six Democrats and five Republicans — are running for Arkansas’ four U.S. House districts. That’s 2.8 candidates per district. There were 2.3 candidates per district in 2024, three in 2022, 1.8 in 2020,…
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Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001
There were 41 vacancies out of 890 authorized federal judicial posts as of Jan. 30, 2026. Forty of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month: By January 30—378 days in office—President Donald Trump (R) had nominated 39…
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Maine is one of four states that could see a ballot initiative requiring public school sports teams designated for girls or boys to be limited to students of the corresponding sex
The campaign Protect Girls Sports in Maine submitted more than 82,000 signatures in support of a ballot initiative that would require that public school sports teams designated for girls or boys be limited to students of the corresponding sex, as recorded on their original birth certificate. On Feb. 2, the campaign submitted petitions with Maine…
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Incumbent Valerie Foushee (D), Nida Allam (D), and Mary Patterson (D) are running in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 4th Congressional District on March 3, 2026
Incumbent Valerie Foushee (D), Nida Allam (D), and Mary Patterson (D) are running in the Democratic primary for North Carolina's 4th Congressional District on March 3, 2026. As of January 2026, Foushee and Allam led in endorsements, fundraising, and local media attention. The primary is a rematch between Foushee and Allam, who ran for the…