Year: 2026

  • An early look at state supreme court retention elections this year

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    This year, 32 states will hold elections for their state supreme courts. Fourteen of these states will hold retention elections, 12 will hold nonpartisan elections, and six will hold partisan elections. Retention elections are not like traditional elections, as a justice doesn't run against other candidates, but is subject to a yes-or-no vote. The most…

  • An early look at the most competitive state legislative chambers in 2026

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    Eighty-eight state legislative chambers will be up for election this year. Of these chambers, Republicans control 51, Democrats control 34, and three are held under divided government. Nationwide, Republicans hold 56 chambers, Democrats hold 40, and three are held under divided government. Both parties are looking to expand their majorities or gain control of chambers,…

  • Hall Pass: Your Ticket to Understanding School Board Politics, Edition #187

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    Welcome to Hall Pass, a newsletter written to keep you plugged into the conversations driving  school board governance, the politics surrounding it, and education policy.  In today’s edition, you’ll find: Reply to this email to share reactions or story ideas! On the issues: The debate over third-grade retention policies In this section, we curate reporting,…

  • JPMorgan shifts U.S. proxy voting to AI system

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    In this week’s edition of Economy and Society: In Washington, D.C., and around the world Investor group urges SEC to oppose forced arbitration What’s the story? The Council of Institutional Investors (CII) sent a letter on Nov. 6, 2025, to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul S. Atkins opposing recent SEC actions related to…

  • OpenAI and Common Sense Media announce joint California ballot initiative to regulate minors' use of AI chatbots

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    Welcome to the Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2025, Brew.  By: Lara Bonatesta Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: OpenAI and Common Sense Media announce joint California ballot initiative to regulate minors' use of AI chatbots On Jan. 9, OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, and Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that focuses…

  • Rep. Neal Dunn becomes the 47th U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026

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    Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) announced on Jan. 13, 2026, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. In a statement announcing his retirement, Dunn wrote, “The time has come to pass the torch to new conservative leaders, return home to Panama City, and spend more precious time with my…

  • Fifty-five members of Congress have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026

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    As of Jan. 12, 55 members of Congress — 46 representatives and nine senators — have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026. That’s the most retirement announcements at this point in an election cycle since 2018. Since our Dec. 17 update, four representatives and one senator announced they will not seek re-election. Here’s…

  • Incumbent Julie Johnson (D), Colin Allred (D), Zeeshan Hafeez (D), and Carlos Quintanilla (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Texas' 33rd Congressional District

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    Incumbent Julie Johnson (D), Colin Allred (D), Zeeshan Hafeez (D), and Carlos Quintanilla (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Texas' 33rd Congressional District on March 3, 2026. As of January 2026, Johnson and Allred led in fundraising, endorsements, and local media attention. Allred is running for a House seat against the representative who…

  • We're breaking down state legislative competitiveness in all 50 states. First up are Illinois, Arkansas, and North Carolina

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    Welcome to the Tuesday, Jan. 13, Brew. By: Briana Ryan Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: We're breaking down state legislative competitiveness in all 50 states. First up are Illinois, Arkansas, and North Carolina. As filing deadlines pass for the 2026 state legislative elections, we’ll take a look at the…

  • Record number of candidates and contested primaries in the 2026 Texas state legislative elections

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    Texas has 465 major party candidates running for state legislative office, the most of any election cycle since 2010. Of the 465 total candidates, 238 are Democrats, up 20% from 199 in 2024. There are 227 Republican candidates, up 7% from 212 in 2024. Texas also has 103 contested state legislative primaries this year, an…