Julian Beaudion, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in South Dakota, withdrew from the race just before the ballot removal deadline, leaving independent candidate Brian Bengs as the sole challenger to Republican incumbent Sen. Mike Rounds in the deep-red state.
Democrats are positioning healthcare issues, including rural clinic closures and potential congressional oversight, as a central campaign theme for the 2026 midterm elections, with the issue showing potential to sway traditionally Republican voters in states like Iowa while Senate races remain complicated by candidate controversies.
A Democratic group that previously focused on presidential races is launching a $50 million advertising campaign targeting more than a dozen House and Senate contests in the 2026 midterm elections, with many races in Republican strongholds. The campaign begins Tuesday as Democrats seek to flip control of Congress.
The Democratic National Committee published its long-awaited autopsy report analyzing the party's 2024 presidential election loss, a 192-page document that notably omits discussion of Gaza, Israel, Palestine, and foreign policy issues despite their prominence in the campaign.
The Supreme Court rejected Virginia's bid to restore a Democratic-drawn congressional map that would have given Democrats a chance to pick up four House seats in the 2026 midterms. The map had been approved by voters in an April referendum but was struck down by the Virginia Supreme Court.
Virginia voters approved new congressional maps designed to favor Democrats, potentially adding up to four House seats for the party in November's midterm elections. The redistricting represents a significant shift in the political landscape ahead of the 2026 midterms.
