The important primary in Texas is the Republican, the Democrat one doesn't matter as much. Both Democrats could beat Paxton, but both would lose to the other Republicans. TEXAS POLL - SENATE TEXAS POLL - SENATE🟥 John Cornyn: 46.9%🟦 James Talarico: 44.1%⬜ Not sure: 9%—🟦 James Talarico 45.6%🟥 Ken Paxton 45.6%⬜ Not sure: 8.8%—🟥 Wesley Hunt: 47.1%🟦 James Talarico: 43.6%⬜ Not sure: 9.3%——🟥 John Cornyn: 48.2%🟦 Jasmine Crockett: 42.5%⬜ Not sure:…— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) January 15, 2026
I don't think that three polls with Talarico within the margin of error of a Republican statewide incumbent / Member of Congress count as either candidate "leading."
Jon Tester is throwing his weight behind an independent candidate for the Senate seat in Montana, a candidate who seems like he was made in a lab: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seth_Bodnar Current University of Montana president, West Point grad, Rhodes Scholar, active-duty military career after that, currently in the Montana National Guard. Complicating factor is that the Montana Democrats are not on board with this plan. “This text from Tester, or whatever it is, we don’t know if it exists really, or where it started, and all the rest of it. This helps Steve Daines. It helps the Republican Party. It helps [Republican Gov. Greg] Gianforte, who is well-equipped because he has the Board of Regents. And the Board of Regents, they direct the activity of the person who is theoretically running,” said former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer in an interview with MTFP on Wednesday."
I just got a text asking me to respond to a poll. It’s for Mark Whatley who is running for Senate in NC as the “Trump endorsed” candidate. The poll had some solid ideas about lowering housing costs. Most of the rest of the ideas his campaign is field testing ran from unconvincing to bad, as I tried to put myself into the headspace of a moderate-left centrist Democrat. The key one is banning large investors from buying homes. Democrats need to prepare a policy response and a slogan response to that. Or maybe agree with it, I dunno.
That started on the Left and, even now, is out of step with most Republicans. Especially when you consider the Republican base is now billionaires.
I had a similar poll from a similar candidate in Indiana. I have been meaning to go back and read more about any actual proposals. It seems like an interesting idea...but what's more interesting is that it sounds like dems are being targeted with that specific issue. The candidates don't actually even need to do anything in real furtherance of it, but it plants the seed of thought that they're maybe not as poisonous as they seem.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6988916/2026/01/21/michele-tafoya-senate-campaign-minnesota/ Michelle Tafoya is running to be the Republican nominee for senate in Minnesota.
Female friend of mine went to school with her; said she was "a real bitch"--however... They were both up for the same entry level job post-graduation, and it being a time when everybody in NM was looking to hire token Hispanic females instead of pretty blondes, Tafoya got the job, in the process setting back my friend's career severely, so I'm not exactly sure it is a dispassionate assessment. I always thought she was pretty good on screen, so it is a disappointment to hear she's one of those... btw-- @yossarian-- Bruce Cutler has died, and my alumni quarterly's obit, written by a couple of his DKE brothers says that he gloried in his association with the Gottis referring to them as honorable and influential men "so make of that what you will." The tenor of the piece strongly suggests that the writers did not know what to make of it and so chose to focus on his college time instead of his subsequent career...
Spent an hour watching the first Democratic debate for the open Senate seat in Illinois, and man, that was not an impressive showing by any of them. Candidates invited were Reps Kelly and Krishnamoorthi, and Lt. Gov Stratton. They’ll all be lock-step party-line votes so it doesn’t really matter who wins, but I was hoping to see at least a couple of things that made me want to vote for any of them. Recording here if anyone else wants to suffer: https://www.youtube.com/live/xIXDOCY6qgw?si=fcCQKpA7Wx1wWCm0
Saw some highlights of it. The Lt Governor went hard after Krishnamoorti for his vote “thanking” ICE. She came out strong for “Abolish ICe as well. I suspect that may be a big issue in a democratic primary, specially in Illinois.
She is going to be steamrolled in Minnesota. She was on Fox or Newsmax defending ICE over the weekend…..
That's if she reaches the general election. Wikipedia lists five Republicans including Royce White, who lost to Amy Klobuchar for the other Senate seat in 2024, so he has name recognition. David Hann, who used to be chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, is also running. We will not find out who wins soon because the primary is on August 11. Earl Starkey of the Legal Marijuana Now Party entered the Nebraska Senate race, which will make it slightly harder for Independent Dan Osborn against Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts.
1. A man running on legalizing marijuana whose name is Starkey should change it to Stankey. 2. Royce White has no chance to beat Klobuchar. Check out what he says about himself according to Wikipedia. For example, he thinks women are “too mouthy.” He’s a former NBA player. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_White#Political_career
I didn't know there was a reptilian flu... https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/sen...-experiencing-flu-symptoms/story?id=129834622
We need Paxton in Texas to have a chance. "New - Republican internal poll for the NRSC shows Talarico is beating Paxton with 3 points" New - Republican internal poll for the NRSC shows 🔵 Talarico is beating 🔴 Paxton with 3 points pic.twitter.com/VNeZVqWT8A— Political Polls (@PpollingNumbers) February 4, 2026