Primary voters prize ideology over electability as their parties get low marks
By Ben Kamisar, Bridget Bowman and Alexandra Marquez As party primaries kick off ahead of the pivotal battle for control of Congress this fall, Democrats — and especially Republicans — say they are prioritizing ideological alignment instead of electability when they pick candidates, according to a new national NBC News poll. Meanwhile, the nation overall has a negative view of both parties, led by independents. The survey asked primary voters whether they prefer to vote for a candidate who comes closest to their views on issues over a candidate who has the best chance to win in November. Seven in 10 Republican primary voters prefer
What Democrats’ sky-high turnout in the Texas primary does — and doesn’t — mean for November
By Steve Kornacki Democrats in Texas are feeling enthusiastic about their voters’ enthusiasm — and for good reason. For the first time in a generation, it appears they have outpaced Republicans in turnout for a midterm primary in the state. It’s a significant achievement for a party that believes that in James Talarico and 2026, it has finally found the nominee and the moment to deliver a breakthrough victory in the traditional Republican stronghold. But while Democrats are emerging from Tuesday’s primary with understandable optimism about Talarico’s chances of capturing a Senate seat, the results come with some cautionary notes, too. Start with the numbers.
Voting confusion in Texas rooted in conspiracy theories about ballot counting
By Jane C. Timm The Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court order to keep Dallas County polling sites open two extra hours Tuesday, throwing votes cast during the extended hours into question. The state’s top court ordered all ballots cast by voters who were not in line before 7 p.m. local time to be separated from the rest of the day’s votes. The court issued a similar ruling for two polling locations in Williamson County. The rulings were the latest development in a muddled situation in the two Texas counties that led Democratic Senate candidate Jasmine Crockett to tell
James Talarico defeats Jasmine Crockett in blockbuster Democratic primary for U.S. Senate
By Kayla Guo State Rep. James Talarico defeated U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, emerging victorious over the well-known congresswoman in Texas’ most hotly contested Democratic contest this century with a populist, “top-versus-bottom” message rooted in his Christian faith. “This is a people-powered movement to take on this broken, corrupt political system,” Talarico said in a brief address to his supporters in Austin before the race was called. “Tonight, the people of our state gave this country a little bit of hope, and a little bit of hope is a dangerous thing.” The Austin Democrat’s
Members of Congress prepare to face angry, dissatisfied primary voters in 2026
By Ben Kamisar Lawmakers in both parties face a reckoning from within their own ranks this year — and the first major primary day of the midterm elections puts all of those pressures on full display. Three high-profile Texas Republicans face spirited primary challenges from their right flanks, with challengers questioning their conservative bona fides and their commitment to President Donald Trump’s cause, while a Democratic incumbent in North Carolina’s Research Triangle faces a significant challenge backed by key progressive groups who argue this pivotal political moment needs new faces. And the March 3 primaries are just the start of a
The geographic and demographic dividing lines shaping Texas’ combative Senate primaries
By Steve Kornacki A pair of volatile Senate contests in Texas will headline the first primary night of the 2026 midterm season. And a few groups of voters are set to play critical roles deciding these races — and possibly hint at the keys to other campaigns to come this year. The drama centers on the seat held by Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who is in the underdog role as he seeks his fifth term. Cornyn faces primary challenges from state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt. If Cornyn is defeated, he will be the first senator to be
Republicans praise U.S. strikes on Iran as Democrats question the administration’s strategy
By Megan Lebowitz Members of Congress split largely along party lines in their assessments of the U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, with Republicans mostly backing the operation and Democrats urging the administration to seek congressional approval and questioning President Donald Trump’s strategy. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that it’s not the United States’ job to pick Iran’s next leader and that the U.S. should not put boots on the ground after Iran’s supreme leader was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes. Pressed by moderator Kristen Welker on whether the U.S. has a plan to ensure that Iran’s
A competitive Texas Senate race looms over Tuesday’s primaries
By Bridget Bowman AUSTIN, Texas — Democrats are starting to believe that the stars at night, big and bright, just might align in Texas. Those lyrics from “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” the Lone Star State’s unofficial anthem, blared through the speakers at a packed rally for state Rep. James Talarico ahead of Tuesday’s primary, with the prospect that Democrats could have a real shot at winning this year’s Senate race weighing heavily on voters’ minds. “I get so excited every time,” said Certya Lockett, a Democrat from Austin who attended the rally, as a friend noted that Lockett “gets
Minneapolis woman who Ilhan Omar took to State of the Union needed medical care after arrest
By Frank Thorp V, Inshara Ali and Raquel Coronell Uribe WASHINGTON — Aliyah Rahman, a Minnesota woman whom Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., took as her guest to the State of the Union address Tuesday, needed hospital treatment after she was arrested during the speech, Rahman and Omar said. Rahman silently stood up during the part of President Donald Trump’s speech in which he called on Democrats to restore funding for the Department of Homeland Security. The people around her remained seated. When U.S. Capitol Police approached and asked Rahman to sit down, she refused. During her conversation with Capitol Police officers, the crowd around
Trump heads into the State of the Union facing diminished voter trust on the economy
By Sahil Kapur President Donald Trump has spoken before Congress plenty of times. But when he delivers his State of the Union speech Tuesday, he’ll be standing on unfamiliar political ground: Americans watching the speech distrust him on the economy. An AP-NORC poll this month found that just 39% approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 59% disapprove. It’s the latest measurement, but it’s no outlier, with other surveys showing Trump’s economic approval rating underwater. Over the last year, Trump has seen his ratings on the issue sink. That’s a marked contrast from his first term, when he largely broke even or
