2026 Midterm Elections

[Free]

Will they even happen?

Trump on 2026 midterms: 'We shouldn’t even have an election'

President Donald Trump, rejecting criticism from within his own party, the economic challenges facing the American people, and polling on Greenland, suggested that his second-term accomplishments were so extensive that they should render the 2026 midterm elections unnecessary.In an interview...

www.alternet.org

President Donald Trump, rejecting criticism from within his own party, the economic challenges facing the American people, and polling on Greenland, suggested that his second-term accomplishments were so extensive that they should render the 2026 midterm elections unnecessary.

In an interview with Reuters, President Trump “expressed frustration” that Republicans may lose control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate in the November midterm elections.

Calling it “some deep psychological thing,” Trump told Reuters that “when you win the presidency, you don’t win the midterms.”

He then “boasted” of his accomplishments, telling the reporter, “when you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election.”

When you think of it, we shouldn't even have to be dealing with your shit, Mr. President. And yet...

 

[Veritable Quandry]

One more go at redistricting, this time for Dems.

Virginia lawmakers back redrawing congressional maps, paving the way for a voter referendum

Virginia voters will decide whether to back a redrawn district map that favors Democrats in the tit-for-tat battle for the U.S. House after the left-leaning Senate advanced a proposed constitutional a...

www.yahoo.com

Virginia has a redistricting clause in their state Constitution like California that requires a popular vote, but they can put new districts in place for November.

 

[Ellie]

Imagine arriving at your polling place in November only to be turned away because you changed your name when you got married. You’ve voted for 20 years with valid identification. Nothing matters. The SAVE Act passed the House in April, and 69 million American women are about to discover their names don’t match their birth certificates while the deadline to fix the problem has already closed.

Republicans Will Detonate Their Secret Weapon at the Midnight Hour to Stop Women from Voting

 

[Noodles]

Its so fucking disgusting how they essentially KNOW they are incredibly unpopular and their policies suck ass and they literally have to do cheating horse shit to win.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Republicans Will Detonate Their Secret Weapon at the Midnight Hour to Stop Women from Voting

They need 60 votes in the Senate. There are 53 Republicans.

 

[Rose Karuna]

Republicans Will Detonate Their Secret Weapon at the Midnight Hour to Stop Women from Voting

If this passes, I will probably never be able to vote again because my mother arbitrarily changed my name in grade school to match my step fathers, completely not legal. Just went in and told the school my name changed. Things were a little loose in those days and nothing I have legally is in my birth name. Nothing. Also, I know a lot of people, both male and female who don't even have their birth certificates. What a mess this will be if it passes.

And it won't just stop democrats and women from voting.

Edited to add that if this passes, it's like the first step to this country becoming the handmaidens tale like Margaret Atwood predicted.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

They need 60 votes in the Senate. There are 53 Republicans.

I thought arrangements for elections were the exclusive preserve of individual states, save for various constitutional protections for individual voters (e.g. the equal protection clause, which I would have thought would be an issue here, since the measure would disproportionately affect women).

 

[Noodles]

I thought arrangements for elections were the exclusive preserve of individual states, save for various constitutional protections for individual voters (e.g. the equal protection clause, which I would have thought would be an issue here, since the measure would disproportionately affect women).

That's only when Democrats have power, duuuuh.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

I thought arrangements for elections were the exclusive preserve of individual states, save for various constitutional protections for individual voters (e.g. the equal protection clause, which I would have thought would be an issue here, since the measure would disproportionately affect women).

It depends entirely on how they phrase the law and how the courts accept it. This law is framed as a voter protection measure that prevents diluting lawful votes with fraudulent votes. They are in a grey area.

 

[detrius]

If this passes, I will probably never be able to vote again because my mother arbitrarily changed my name in grade school to match my step fathers, completely not legal. Just went in and told the school my name changed. Things were a little loose in those days and nothing I have legally is in my birth name. Nothing. Also, I know a lot of people, both male and female who don't even have their birth certificates. What a mess this will be if it passes.

And it won't just stop democrats and women from voting.

Edited to add that if this passes, it's like the first step to this country becoming the handmaidens tale like Margaret Atwood predicted.

It'll be just like literacy tests in the Jim Crow era, when one group of people had to solve complex math equations while others just had to fill out their name.

In this case, people living in Democratic strongholds will have to bring binders full of documentation to the voting booth while people in Republican-dominated areas will just have to sign a declaration that they are who they claim to be.

 

[Ellie]

Replying to Veritable Quandry: I don't hold out much hope some Dems won't defect. Perhaps I don't understand US politics that well?

Seven House Democrats broke with much of their party to vote in favor of funding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), helping advance a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spending measure in committee despite strong opposition from progressives.

https://www.newsweek.com/seven-democrats-vote-approve-ice-funding-full-list-11401600?utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=reddit_main

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Finding 7 votes in the Senate is much harder than in the House.

 

[Noodles]

Finding 7 votes in the Senate is much harder than in the House.

Well, Fetterman is there, so they only need to find 6 votes.

 

[Free]

This sounds like a fantastic idea.

RNC takes steps toward a 2026 GOP midterm convention

Republicans are one step closer to finalizing plans for a midterm convention later this year.

The Republican National Committee approved a rule change during its winter meeting on Friday that would allow the party to hold a convention during a midterm election year.

“I’m incredibly excited about the possibility of hosting midterm convention to highlight what President Trump and Republicans have been able to accomplish this year,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said after the rule change was adopted. “If the president wants us to host a convention to highlight the great work this administration has done for the American people, we are doing the work now and will be ready to act when that time comes.”

Put President Trump in the public spotlight even more than he's doing. Yes, please.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

This sounds like a fantastic idea.

RNC takes steps toward a 2026 GOP midterm convention


Put President Trump in the public spotlight even more than he's doing. Yes, please.

Other than that it will please the cheeto Caligula by providing him with an appreciative audience, what purpose will this convention serve?

In the UK the major political parties have annual party conferences, which provide a similar opportunity to showcase their policies and attack their enemies, but no one other than the extremely politically engaged pays them much attention. The speeches will attract brief coverage on the news, and they provide the parties' social media teams with plenty of material from which to produce clips to post online, but otherwise the media are interested primarily in things going wrong or when internal party rows surface in public.

I can't imagine the midterm convention is going to be much help to any Republican candidates in winnable contests.

 

[Free]

Other than that it will please the cheeto Caligula by providing him with an appreciative audience, what purpose will this convention solve?

You've named it. Pure ego stroking.

 

[Rose Karuna]

You've named it. Pure ego stroking.

Which if successful in his eyes, may make him less likely to do something that stops the midterm elections.

 

[Free]

Which if successful in his eyes, may make him less likely to do something that stops the midterm elections.

From your mouth to Odin's ears.

 

[Free]

The unfolding violent invasion of Minnesota by ICE is having some effect.

Chris Madel ends GOP bid for governor, says he can’t support federal ‘retribution’ against Minnesota

Republican Chris Madel made a stunning exit from the Minnesota governor’s race on Jan. 26, saying he cannot support the national GOP’s “stated retribution on the citizens of our state, nor can I count myself a member of a party that would do so.”

In a surprise video announcement, the Minneapolis attorney said he supported the originally stated goals of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s operation in Minnesota, including the deportation of undocumented immigrants with serious criminal records, but the effort has “expanded far beyond its stated focus on true public safety threats.”

“United States citizens, particularly those of color, live in fear. United States citizens are carrying papers to prove their citizenship. That’s wrong,” Madel said.

 

[Noodles]

I don't think she is in my district so I can't vote for her but I hope she wins.