Matthew Klein

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday that he would not seek a third term as governor, kicking open Democrats’ primary floodgates in arguably the nation’s most competitive state.

Three years after Republicans used redistricting to split Nashville across several seats, the party is getting its first real test of how Tennessee’s gerrymander will withstand an unfriendly cycle. The Dec. 2 special election to replace former Rep. Mark Green is now in full swing, and some GOP operatives are increasingly concerned that low engagement among the Republican base could put the 7th District — which opted for President Donald Trump by 22 points last year — uncomfortably close to upset territory for Democrats.

Rep. Elise Stefanik’s roller coaster of a year has finally reached its end. The Republican pulled out of the race for New York governor — and also passed on a reelection bid — on Dec. 19, explicitly acknowledging that “it is not an effective use of our time … to spend the first half of next year in an unnecessary and protracted Republican primary.” Her decision leaves Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, 70, as the clear frontrunner for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul.

After losing Arizona’s governorship by less than one point in 2022, Republicans are ready for a do-over. They view Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs as unusually vulnerable and unprepared for a growing GOP voter registration advantage that has only recently begun to raise concerns within her party’s ranks.

In a cycle packed with competitive contests, the elections to oversee America’s elections may be among the most consequential.The individuals tasked with running the 2026 midterms are already in place, having been either elected or appointed over the past few years. But the victors of this year’s races for secretary of state and other election offices will wield considerable influence over how the 2028 and 2030 cycles are administered, reaffirming their offices’ significance as the nation gears up for what is likely to be another highly contentious presidential election.

It’s an inescapable law of politics: Money can only propel a campaign so far when its candidate’s flaws act as an anchor.

Democrats’ redistricting week from hell just keeps on thumping.On May 7, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee approved a new congressional map that turns the state’s last remaining Democratic-held seat — the Black-majority 9th District — into an ironclad Republican stronghold. Though the compact Memphis-based seat had historically been protected by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Supreme Court’s weakening of the law’s racial protections in Louisiana v. Callais paved the way for a redraw on partisan grounds that may very well withstand further judicial scrutiny.