HBCU Grad Heads To Runoff In Election to Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene In Congress
By Bridget Bowman Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris advanced Tuesday from a crowded field to a runoff in the special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia, NBC News projects. Fuller, a district attorney, benefited from President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the solidly GOP district in the northwest corner of the state. Harris, a retired Army brigadier general and cattle rancher, lost to Greene in the 2024 general election in the 14th District. Neither candidate was projected to win the majority needed to avoid a runoff in the special election. With 99% of the expected vote in, Harris
Voters head to the polls for special election in Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Georgia district
By Owen Auston-Babcock The Georgia district that sent Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a fierce defender of Donald Trump, to Congress is now deciding how to replace her — and whether to let the president make the pick. Voters are heading to the polls for a special election Tuesday in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District where all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party. Of the 17 Republicans in the race, five unofficially withdrew after the deadline and will still appear on the ballot along with three Democrats. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters
Senate Republicans splinter over SAVE America Act’s path as Trump calls for more revisions
By Sahil Kapur, Brennan Leach, Fiona Glisson and Ryan Nobles WASHINGTON — The prospects for President Donald Trump’s SAVE America Act grew murkier Monday as divisions deepened among Senate Republicans about how to pass it and whether it’s possible to overcome Democratic opposition. Some say they’re convinced a “talking filibuster” under current rules could lead to passage of the sweeping election overhaul bill, even though it hasn’t worked before. Another GOP senator proposed a different path with less support. And the Senate’s top Republican emphasized that the path is “unclear” as the 60-vote rule may be too difficult to overcome. “Having studied it and researched it pretty thoroughly, you
Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley set to face off in key North Carolina Senate race
By Bridget Bowman The matchup is set in North Carolina’s crucial Senate race, with Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper and former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley winning their primaries, NBC News projects. The North Carolina race will be central to this year’s battle for the Senate as Republicans defend their 53-47 majority. It’s a must-win race for Democrats if they have any hope of netting the four seats they need to take control of the chamber. Democrats are confident that Cooper will be a formidable candidate after he won races for governor in 2016 and 2020 even as President Donald Trump carried the
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
