Author: Nathan Maxwell
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Jocelyn Benson (D) won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in Michigan
Jocelyn Benson defeated Chris Swanson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Michigan on August 4, 2026. Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) was term-limited, leaving the office open in 2026. Michigan has a divided government, meaning neither party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office, which is called a state government…
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Elaine Luria's (D) primary victory sets up general election rematch in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District
Elaine Luria defeated Nila Devanath, Bill Fleming, and Patrick Mosolf in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District on August 4, 2026. Luria and Devanath led in fundraising and media attention ahead of the election. Luria will face incumbent Jennifer Kiggans (R) in the general election. Luria represented the district from 2019 to 2023.…
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Below average number of open state legislative seats in Hawaii in 2026
Four seats are open in Hawaii’s state legislative elections this year, meaning no incumbents filed. That is the second-fewest since 2010, above only 2016 which had three. Newcomers are guaranteed 5% of the legislature next year. Twenty-three incumbents face primary contests in Hawaii’s state legislative elections this year, matching the average since 2010 and up…
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Primaries and incumbent contests down in New Hampshire this year—record lows since 2010
In 2026, 25% of the state legislative incumbents running for election in New Hampshire will face primary contests, a record low since 2010. In total, 77 incumbents face contested primaries across the New Hampshire House and Senate. The average number of incumbents contested each year from 2010 to 2024 was 111. Sixteen of the contested…
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Two states have veto-proof majorities opposite their governor's party — that could change this year
Heading into the 2026 elections, there are two states with a governor of one party and a veto-proof state legislative majority of the opposing party: Kansas and Kentucky. At least one legislative chamber is up for election this year in both states, meaning their veto-proof majority status could change. Voters in Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina,…
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U.S. Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38) and Mitch Clemmons (R) compete for California's redrawn 41st Congressional District
Linda Sánchez (D) and Mitch Clemmons (R) are running for U.S. House of Representatives in California's 41st Congressional District in the November 3, 2026, general election. The district was redrawn following California voters' approval of Proposition 50 in November 2025, one of ten states with new congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections. Inside…
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Four general election candidates to compete for Montana's open U.S. Senate seat
Alani Bankhead (D), Kurt Alme (R), Kyle Austin (L), and Seth Bodnar (I) are running for the U.S. Senate in Montana in the November 3, 2026 general election. Alme, Bankhead, and Bodnar lead in polling and media attention. On March 4, 2026, incumbent Steve Daines (R) withdrew his candidacy and endorsed Alme, who filed to…
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Six battleground Democratic primaries in the Massachusetts Senate this September
Six Democratic primaries for the Massachusetts Senate are scheduled for September 1, 2026. All 40 seats are up for election in the chamber, in which Democrats have a 35-5 majority. All six of those primaries qualified as battlegrounds under Ballotpedia’s battleground primary criteria. Two are open-seat contests — the 2nd Middlesex District and the 5th…
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Colorado's pre-2028 redistricting measures blocked, but mid-decade redistricting potential continues in three other states
New congressional maps remain possible in at least three states – Wisconsin, Maryland, and New York – ahead of the 2028 elections, after the Colorado Supreme Court blocked a set of competing ballot measures that would have redrawn the state's map for that cycle. On June 29, the Colorado Supreme Court ruled against five congressional…
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Seventeen candidates compete in top-four primary for open Alaska governor's office
Seventeen candidates are running in the top-four primary for Governor of Alaska on August 18, 2026. Six candidates — Tom Begich (D), Click Bishop (R), David Bronson (R), Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D), Bill Walker (Nonpartisan), and Bernadette Wilson (R) — lead in polling and media attention. Incumbent Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) is term-limited. Alaska's last Democratic…