The next big battleground test: A Wisconsin race that has tortured Republicans
Republicans looking to recover after bruising electoral losses in November are sharply divided over one of the next big electoral tests: a statewide judicial race in battleground Wisconsin.
Wisconsin voters will head to the polls in April to pick the state’s next Supreme Court justice for the fourth time since 2020. In the last three contests, liberal candidates have demolished the GOP-backed ones, sending conservatives — who in as recently as 2023 enjoyed a majority on the court — deep into the wilderness.
And some Republicans in the state are already at odds over how to try to reverse that losing streak: Embrace the Republican Party brand, Trump and all, or try to separate as much as possible from a partisan label in a throwback bid to less contentious judicial contests.
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Democrats bet on a ‘Trump slump’ to take back Nevada
LAS VEGAS — Democrats looking to win back Nevada’s gubernatorial mansion want to tie incumbent GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo to Donald Trump’s agenda — but the first-term governor is not making it easy.
Despite receiving Trump’s endorsement, Lombardo, a former sheriff, has at times split with the White House and GOP-led Congress. He criticized cuts to Medicaid, publicly complained in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgumabout cuts to wind and solar projects in Nevada and asked the administratration to end tariffs on lithium.
Democrats, meanwhile, have attacked the governor for not standing up to Trump, saying in a press release last month that Lombardo “refuses to defend” Nevada after the Trump administration canceled a massive solar project.
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Federal court allows Republican-led North Carolina redistricting plan to proceed
North Carolina Republican lawmakers prevailed Wednesday on a preliminary injunction that would have blocked a 2026 congressional map redrawn to favor the GOP.
The redrawn map is GOP lawmakers’ response to President Donald Trump’s push to change voting maps across the country to help Republicans retain control of the U.S. House in 2026.
The North Carolina NAACP, Common Cause of North Carolina and a group of voters identified as the Williams plaintiffs had argued that a 2026 congressional map passed by the General Assembly last month reflects unconstitutional racial discrimination.
ncnewsline.com/...
And Then There Were 10
Liam Elkind is ending his campaign in the crowded race to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler.
The Rhodes Scholar was the first challenger to file and planned to take on the 78-year-old Nadler in 2026. But after Nadler said he wasn’t seeking reelection, the field quickly filled up with more experienced candidates, including several sitting elected officials and a Kennedy. So Elkind was boxed out.
“I entered this race with one goal: deliver the next generation of leadership to the Democratic Party,” Elkind said in a statement. “I’m lucky to be spoiled for choice as a NY-12 voter. At the end of the day, mission accomplished.”
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'Not a turf war’: GOP lawmakers say they will appeal Utah’s new congressional map to the Supreme Court
Responding to a stinging legal defeat in the state’s redistricting battle, Utah Republican legislators said Tuesday that they will convene a special session Dec. 9 to put a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot in an effort to ensure lawmakers have the ability to draw political boundaries.
Republican legislative leaders said they also plan to appeal a recent district court ruling implementing new congressional boundaries for the 2026 midterm elections.
The amendment, Sen. President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said Tuesday morning, will clarify that ballot initiatives — like 2018’s Proposition 4, known as the Better Boundaries initiative — can’t override the Utah Constitution in ways that cannot be adjusted. Utahns, he said, “deserve a process that is clear, functional and accountable.”
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Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino launches bid for NY-21 seat
Anthony Constantino, CEO of Sticker Mule and a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, officially announced Monday night that he is running for New York’s 21st Congressional District.
The seat will be open next year as current Representative Elise Stefanik seeks the Republican nomination for governor, making her ineligible to run for re-election in her district.
Constantino made his announcement during a campaign kickoff event on Elk Street in Amsterdam, where he drew a large and energetic crowd. After teasing what he called a “big surprise,” he distributed free frozen turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving after formally declaring his candidacy.
wnyt.com/...
Indiana Republicans Unveil Map to Eliminate Both Dem Congressional Seats
Republicans in Indiana’s State House released a draft congressional map that could eliminate both districts currently held by Democrats – though it remains unclear whether the GOP has enough votes in the Senate to pass the gerrymander.
Republicans published the map Monday in response to months of pressure to gerrymander from President Donald Trump and weeks of escalating threats and harassment.
The Indiana House could pass the map this week, teeing up a vote in the state Senate when it convenes Dec. 8. The House announced its election committee will hold a public hearing on the map Tuesday morning, giving Hoosiers who want to attend less than 24 hours notice.
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