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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As Senate race heats up, political expert cautions candidates about going too far to the right
There is still more than a year from the 2026 midterm election, but in battleground Georgia the race for Senate is heating up. U.S. Rep. Mike Collins officially announced on Monday that he is running for Senate, as Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King just last week announced he was suspending his campaign in the race. Collins now joins fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter in the race to unseat Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff. 'So, in these primaries, you tend to have to go pretty far to the right,' University of North Georgia political science professor Nathan Price told Channel 2's Richard Elliot. Both Collins and Carter are trying to court the GOP base as both men hope to get President Trump's endorsement. Price isn't surprised that both men are racing to the right. RELATED STORIES: Insurance Commissioner John King suspends campaign for U.S. Senate Gov. Kemp announces decision on Senate run in 2026, ending speculation With Brian Kemp not running for Senate, which Georgia Republicans could challenge Jon Ossoff? He thinks it's necessary to win the GOP primary but cautions that going too far right could turn off moderate voters in places like Cobb and North Fulton counties, places where voters like Republican Gov. Brian Kemp but don't much care for Trump. 'If you move too far to the right where you are not able to win those highly educated, suburban voters in those swing states, it makes the math very difficult,' Price said. Kemp reportedly told the Republican Senate campaigns he wouldn't endorse any of them, something that may have led to King's exit from the race last week. Kemp reportedly plans to endorse his longtime family friend Derek Dooley once Dooley decides if he wants to run. Either way, the Republicans could be in for a messy and expensive primary - something they wanted to avoid. 'The Republicans to have a good shot at this seat want to avoid a messy primary fight that causes them to spend a lot of resources before they even get their chance at that general election,' Price said. Elliot reached out to people close to Dooley to see if he could get a hint of when and if he may make a decision to run. So far, he hasn't heard back from them.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 2026 Senate map is tough for Democrats, but Republicans have their own headaches
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are encountering early headaches in Senate races viewed as pivotal to maintaining the party's majority in next year's midterm elections, with recruitment failures, open primaries, infighting and a president who has been sitting on the sidelines. Democrats still face an uphill battle. They needs to net four seats to retake the majority, and most of the 2026 contests are in states that Republican President Donald Trump easily won in November. But Democrats see reasons for hope in Republicans' challenges. They include a nasty primary in Texas that could jeopardize a seat Republicans have held for decades. In North Carolina and Georgia, the party lacks a clear field of candidates. Trump's influence dials up the uncertainty in several states as he decides whether to flex his influential endorsement to stave off intraparty fights. Republicans stress that it remains early in the cycle and say there is plenty of time left for candidates to establish themselves and Donald Trump to wade in. A look at what is happening in some key Senate races: An ugly Texas brawl Democrats have long dreamed of winning statewide office in this ruby red state. Could a nasty GOP primary be their ticket? National Republicans and Senate strategists are worried that state Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is facing a bevy of personal and ethical questions, could beat Sen. John Cornyn for the nomination. They fear Paxton would be a disastrous general election candidate, forcing Republicans to invest tens of millions of dollars they would rather spend elsewhere. But Cornyn has had a cool relationship with Trump over the years, while Paxton long has been a loyal Trump ally. And Paxton raised more than three times as much as Cornyn in the second quarter, $2.9 million compared with $804,000, according to Federal Elections Commission reports. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas is also weighing a run. Will Trump be persuaded to endorse or will he choose to steer clear? Will North Carolina have a Trump on the ballot? The surprise retirement announcement by two-term Sen. Thom Tillis has set off a frenzied search for a replacement in a state widely seen as Democrats' top pickup opportunity. He had repeatedly clashed with Trump, including over Medicaid changes in the tax cut bill, leading the president to threaten to back a primary challenger. All eyes are now on Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who is mulling whether to run in her home state as other potential candidates stand by. Having a Trump on the ballot could boost a party that has struggled to motivate its most fervent base when Donald Trump is not running. But Lara Trump currently lives in Florida and has so far sounded muted on the prospect. Others possible contenders include RNC chair Michael Whatley, who led North Carolina's GOP before taking the national job, and first-term Reps. Pat Harrigan and Brad Knott. Democrats are waiting on a decision from former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper, seen as a formidable candidate by both parties in a state Trump carried by just 3.2 percentage points last year. In Georgia, a pickup opportunity with no candidate yet Republicans see Georgia and the seat held by Democrat Jon Ossoff as one of their top pickup opportunities next year. But the party remains in search of a well-known challenger after failing to persuade term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp to run. A growing potential field includes Reps. Buddy Carter, Mike Collins and Rich McCormick, Insurance Commissioner John King and Derek Dooley, a former University of Tennessee football coach. Ossoff took in more than $10 million in the second quarter of the year, according to FEC filings, after raising $11 million from January through March. He ended June with more than $15.5 million cash on hand. Michigan GOP waits on Trump Republicans hope the retirement of Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and a crowded, expensive Democratic primary, will help them capture a seat that has eluded them for more than three decades. Here, too, all eyes are on Trump. Republicans are rallying around former Rep. Mike Rogers, who came within 20,000 votes in 2024 of ending that losing streak. But other Republicans could complicate things. Rep. Bill Huizenga has said he is waiting for guidance from the president on whether he should run against Rogers. Democrats have their own messy primary, with state Sen. Mallory McMorrow up against Rep. Haley Stevens, state Rep. Joe Tate, and former Wayne County Health Director Abdul El-Sayed. They were pleased to see that, even without any declared challengers, Rogers' main campaign account raised just $745,000 during the second fundraising quarter, lagging behind both Huizenga and several Democrats. (He brought in another nearly $779,000 through a separate joint fundraising committee.) McMorrow, by comparison, raised more than $2.1 million. In Louisiana, another Trump antagonist faces voters Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy has faced scrutiny from his party in Louisiana, in no small part for his 2021 vote to convict Trump after his second impeachment. Will Trump decide to seek retribution against the vulnerable two-term senator or ultimately back him? Though Cassidy already faces two primary challengers, Louisiana is a reliably Republican state, which Trump won last year by 22 percentage points. Democrats are hoping a strong contender — potentially former Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has attracted Republican votes in the past — might mount a competitive challenge. Republicans are awaiting word on whether Rep. Julia Letlow will run. In May, Gov. Jeff Landry and Trump privately discussed the two-term congresswoman entering the race. ___ Beaumont reported from Des Moines, Iowa.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cook Political Report moves Texas Senate race to ‘likely Republican'
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report changed its rating of the 2026 Texas Senate race from 'solid Republican' to 'likely Republican' this week as the contentious GOP primary between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton rages on. The ratings change comes as polls consistently show Paxton leading Cornyn in the Republican primary. However, in hypothetical general election polling, Paxton appears more vulnerable against Democrats than Cornyn does. The dynamic has made Democrats more hopeful about their chances in the Lone Star State, which has not seen a Democrat win statewide since 1994. Last month, the Texas Majority PAC and the Texas Democratic Party launched an eight-figure campaign dubbed 'Blue Texas' aimed at electing Democrats up and down the ballot. Former Rep. Colin Allred (D-Texas), who lost his challenge against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) last year, has jumped into the Democratic primary along with retired NASA astronaut and Air Force pilot Terry Virts. President Trump has held off on endorsing in the intraparty contest; Paxton and Cornyn are both considered allies of the president. Cornyn told NBC News earlier this week that Trump has told him he is not ready to endorse in the race. 'I've talked to him about it a number of times. He is not ready to make that endorsement,' the senator told the network. 'I think as we start advertising and closing the gap in the polls, hopefully he'll see fit to make that endorsement, but we can't wait. 'I pointed out to him, and he knows this, that if he endorsed me, the race would be over.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Scoop: Mega-MAGA candidate pushes to deport "every single illegal immigrant"
Kentucky Senate candidate Nate Morris is rolling out a new ad that ups the ante on mass deportations right as a fresh debate over amnesty roils MAGAworld. Why it matters: Morris is casting himself as the most pro-Trump candidate in the GOP primary against Reps. Andy Barr and former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron — both of whom have ties to retiring former Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. And he's leaning into one of MAGA's most foundational issues to do it. "I'm sick of watching the elites give handouts to illegals while working-class families struggle. I'll lead the fight against amnesty by stopping all immigration until we deport every single illegal immigrant in America," Morris says in the ad. "I'm a Trump guy, not a McConnell boy," Morris concludes in a barb at Barr and Cameron. Between the lines: The ad, launching Friday as part of a seven-figure buy that's running statewide on broadcast and streaming platforms, hits on a GOP third rail right as Republicans convulse over how to tackle the millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally. MAGA raged against suggestions from Trump that undocumented immigrants in the agriculture and hospitality industries could receive deportation protections. Critics called those proposals tantamount to "amnesty," which Trump denied, instead labeling the prospect a "work program." A new bipartisan House bill that would offer legal status to undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States since before 2021 is being met with the same hostile reaction by MAGA. Morris himself has taken a hardline immigration stance, having advocated for a moratorium on all immigration to the U.S. until every undocumented immigrant is deported. Zoom out: Morris is centering much of his campaign on his MAGA bona fides. The businessman has touted his outsider status, declared he stands with Trump "100%" and hammered McConnell, a Trump foe and establishment stalwart. Morris has also blitzed MAGA media to increase his name recognition with movement loyalists, appearing on "War Room," "The Charlie Kirk Show," Benny Johnson's podcast, Vince Coglianese's show in Dan Bongino's old time slot, Breitbart radio and more. "We don't care about traditional D.C. media because those aren't where our voters are," one strategist close to Morris said. "Kentucky GOP Primary voters are watching War Room, listening to Charlie Kirk and reading Breitbart. We also have a candidate whose aggressive style and unapologetically America first message is a perfect fit for MAGA media," the strategist added. What they're saying: Barr's campaign said the congressman "has never supported amnesty and never will" and bashed Morris' "new attempt to play MAGA on TV" as "lame."
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
'Sacred Covenant' – How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton came out strong Friday morning, announcing a "historic" $2.9 million fundraising haul over the past three months for his Republican Senate campaign. Paxton, a MAGA champion and longtime ally of President Donald Trump – who has been battered over the past decade by multiple controversies – is primary challenging longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, in what is shaping up to be an expensive and bitterly brutal battle. The fundraising announcement by Paxton came hours after a new development rocked the Lone Star State's primary race. Paxton's wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, a Republican, announced Thursday that she's filed for divorce from her longtime husband. "Today, after 38 years of marriage, I filed for divorce on biblical grounds," the state senator wrote in a social media post. "I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation," she added. "But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage." In his own statement, Ken Paxton said that "after facing the pressures of countless political attacks and public scrutiny, Angela and I have decided to start a new chapter in our lives." The attorney general added that "I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with, and I remain committed to supporting our amazing children and grandchildren. I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time." Paxton, who first won election as Texas attorney general in 2014 and has been re-elected twice, was impeached a couple of years ago by the Texas House of Representatives on allegations of corruption, which included claims related to an extramarital affair. He was later acquitted by the state Senate. A veteran Texas-based Republican strategist, when asked how the divorce bombshell will impact the Senate primary, said the key is whether there are more damaging revelations to come. "Most people I'm talking to are expecting a lot more details in this story that Republican primary voters aren't going to be too happy about," said the strategist, who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely. "I think there is quite more to come and soon." Paxton, in his fundraising release, highlighted that he was "blown away by the support I've received since launching my campaign. The grassroots movement to fire John Cornyn continues to grow stronger every single day, and this is only just the beginning." "Our voters have been excited to send John Cornyn packing for years, which is why he's down over 20 points, and his campaign is getting more and more desperate," Paxton said, as he pointed to a number of recent polls indicating his lead over the senator. Thanks to his strong support among MAGA world, polling has never been Paxton's' problem in taking on Cornyn. The more important issue was whether he could compete financially with a senator with a history of strong fundraising. Cornyn's campaign has yet to announce its second quarter fundraising. But Texans for a Conservative Majority, a Cornyn-aligned super PAC, announced on July 1 that they had raked in $10.9 million over the past three months. A separate GOP consultant in Texas, who also asked for anonymity, said Paxton needs to quickly answer questions to make sure supporters and donors don't jump ship. "The people that are backing him with their public support, such as elected officials, or people who are backing him financially, are going to want answers very quickly, as in today, about what's the damage. Is this true? Do you deny it? What other issues may come up if your spouse is looking to tell their version of the truth," the consultant said. And the consultant noted that what Paxton's wife says going forward will be crucial. "State Sen. Angele Paxton had been by Ken's side for the entire saga over the last decade and up close and personal with all the issues he's been accused of. She's been front and center for it all." While Cornyn's campaign didn't put out any statement regarding the divorce news, it did issue a release titled: "Ken Paxton's TERRIBLE week." It included a social media post from Matt Schaeffer, a conservative former member of the state legislature who argued that "Paxton is morally unfit to hold office." While Trump has stayed neutral in the primary so far, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) are backing Cornyn. There's a possibility another Republican could enter the Senate primary. Three-term Rep. Wesley Hunt, a rising MAGA star who represents a Houston-area district, has been mulling a Senate run. Sources confirmed to Fox News earlier this year that Hunt had made his case to President Donald Trump's political team that he's the only person who can win both a GOP primary and a general election. And on Friday, a Texas-based conservative strategist who asked to remain anonymous to speak more freely, told Fox News he believes "Hunt is still the only candidate in Texas that can win the primary and the general election." A different consultant noted that "the possibility that Ken will exit the race changes the dynamics dramatically," and that "it absolutely does give Hunt something to think about."
