Author: Joseph Brusgard
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State executives are retiring in two states where the filing deadline passed in February
In February, the filing deadline passed in five states: Ohio (Feb. 4), Indiana (Feb 6), Louisiana (Feb. 13), Maryland (Feb 24), and Idaho (Feb. 27). Across these five states, 23 seats are up for election. In Ohio, every single state executive office is open, while in Indiana, Maryland, and Idaho, every incumbent is seeking re-election.…
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Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17
Four candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Illinois Comptroller on March 17, 2026: Margaret Croke (D), Stephanie Kifowit (D), Holly Kim (D), and Karina Villa (D). Incumbent Susana Mendoza (D), who took office in 2016, is not running for re-election. The Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson and Jeremy Gorrner wrote that Mendoza's retirement "creates…
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Tom Malinowski became the first former House member running for a formerly held seat to be defeated in 2026
Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) became the first former member of Congress to face voters in a bid for their old office in the 2026 election cycle. In the special election for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, Analilia Mejia (D) defeated Malinowski 29% to 28%. Malinowski represented New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District from 2019 to 2023.…
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Incumbent justices are running for each other's seats on the Arkansas Supreme Court on March 3
The terms of two Arkansas Supreme Court justices will expire on December 31, 2026. The two seats are up for a nonpartisan election on March 3, 2026. The Arkansas Advocate's Ainsley Platt wrote, "The outcome of the race won’t change the ideological tilt of the court, where justices linked to Republicans hold a 5-2 majority...But…
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Just one minor party candidate received more votes than the margin of victory in 2025
In 2025, just one minor party candidate received more votes than the margin of victory in an election. This is the smallest number in any election since 2020. In the three odd-year elections Ballotpedia has covered, five minor party candidates received more votes than the margin of victory in 2021, and three candidates did so…
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Seventeen Kentucky state legislative incumbents will face primary challenges in 2026
Seventeen Kentucky state legislative incumbents face primary contests in 2026, the fewest since 13 incumbents ran in contested 2020 primaries. Thirteen of the contested incumbents are Republicans, and four are Democrats. Fourteen are state representatives, and three are state senators. Kentucky has 40 contested state legislative primaries in 2026, down 5% from 2024. Of these,…
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Eight candidates are running in the Republican primary for governor of Georgia on May 19
Eight candidates are running in the Republican primary for Georgia governor on May 19, 2026. Four candidates have led in media attention: For more information about each candidate's policies, click here. Cook Political Report with Amy Walter's Matthew Klein wrote, "Ever the swing state, Georgia is gearing up for yet another competitive and expensive gubernatorial…
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Trump 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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Six state executives retired in states where the filing deadline passed in January
The filing deadline for candidates seeking office in 2026 passed in three states in January: Alabama (Jan. 23), Kentucky (Jan. 9), and West Virginia (Jan. 31). Kentucky and West Virginia do not hold state executive elections in mid-term years. In Alabama, nine state executive offices are up for election. Of those offices, six current officeholders…
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January saw President Donald Trump’s (R) fourth-lowest monthly executive order total thus far in his second term
January saw President Donald Trump’s (R) fourth-lowest monthly executive order total thus far in his second term President Donald Trump (R) issued nine executive orders in January, bringing his total to 234 in his second term. This was the third-lowest monthly total of his second term thus far. Trump issued orders on foreign policy, the…