The Downballot
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The premier source of information for the thousands of elections below the presidency, from Senate to city council. Our site: http://the-downballot.com/
We've updated our Open Seat tracker TWICE today to reflect GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards' decision to end reelection campaign in #NC11 and Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar's loss in primary for #MI13.
The Downballot's House open seat & uncontested race tracker
docs.google.com
The AP has called the #MISEN Democratic primary for Abdul El-Sayed, and it projects Donavan McKinney has defeated Rep. Shri Thanedar in primary for safely blue #MI13. Check out our cheat-sheet for a rundown of Tuesday's action, as well as the races still undecided. docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Lots more in a packed Digest that covers: • Tuesday's big elections results, including key primaries that have yet to be resolved • The latest in redistricting battles in Maryland and Missouri • A scandal-ridden Republican ending his reelection campaign in North Carolina • And much, much, more.
The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 2h agoRepublican Rep. Max Miller refuses to drop out as his scandal worsens, with the House Ethics Committee now investigating him over accusations of “domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.”
Republican Rep. Max Miller refuses to drop out as his scandal worsens, with the House Ethics Committee now investigating him over accusations of “domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.”
Morning Digest: Max Miller now faces an ethics investigation. Will he stick around?
Some Republicans want him to drop out, but Trump hasn't demanded it
the-downballot.com
Embattled Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards is ending his reelection campaign for North Carolina's 11th District, he announced on X at 3:32 AM ET. GOP will pick a new nominee to take on farmer Jamie Ager, a Democrat who has run a strong campaign to flip a western North Carolina seat Trump won 54-45.
Rep. Chuck Edwards drops re-election bid after censure recommendation over harassment claims
“After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign,” Edwards, R-N.C., said early Wednesday after mounting pressure over his conduct toward two female staffers.
nbcnews.com
From the @missouriindependent.com: "All eight of Missouri’s congressional districts opposed both Amendment 4 and Amendment 5." missouriindependent.com/2026/08/04/m...
The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 10h agoThe final margins on those two GOP amendments in Missouri are really wild. Better than 4 to 1 against for both!
Oh, and this isn't some random Republican primary in a D+99 district. This is a super-swingy seat where the top GOP super PAC previously booked $2.5 million in TV time to try to flip it.
The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 11h agoSeems like an upset might be brewing in the GOP primary in #MI08 to take on Dem Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Trump endorsed Amir Hassan, but he currently trails an absolute nobody who suspended his campaign a month ago by a wide margin.
#MI07 candidate Bridget Brink congratulates William Lawrence on winning Dem primary: "Now we come together as one to take on Tom Barrett and work to elect a leader who will listen and fight for what matters most to our community here in mid-Michigan."
The final margins on those two GOP amendments in Missouri are really wild. Better than 4 to 1 against for both!
Seems like an upset might be brewing in the GOP primary in #MI08 to take on Dem Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet. Trump endorsed Amir Hassan, but he currently trails an absolute nobody who suspended his campaign a month ago by a wide margin.
Climate activist William Lawrence, an outspoken progressive, has won the Dem nod for swingy #MI07, held by GOP Rep. Tom Barrett. Lawrence was aided by the fact that two more moderate candidates appeared to split the vote.
Polls closed a few mins ago in WA. We're watching 3 races: #WA03: MGP has a tough Nov battle but spent millions ahead of the primary w/a lefty challenger #WA04: Dan Newhouse, an R who voted to impeach Trump, is retiring #WA05: Indy trying to get past Dem to take on GOP Rep. Mike Baumgartner
The Downballot's cheat-sheet for the 2026 primaries
docs.google.com
We're still waiting on calls in four MI races: Sen: AES+3 but much closer than it looked early in the night—still lot of vote to count 07: Lawrence with double-digit lead as moderate split vote 10: Christina Hines likely to win D nod for John James' seat 13: Thanedar+8 but lotta vota left
The Downballot's cheat-sheet for the 2026 primaries
docs.google.com
AP calls #MIGov GOP primary for John James, but despite having Trump's endorsement, it's not a dominant performance. Trump spent much of the race complaining that James wasn't seeking reelection to his swingy House seat! He'll now face Dem SoS Jocelyn Benson in the race to replace Gretchen Whitmer.
Quite an upset in the #KSGov Dem primary. State Sen. Cindy Holscher, who came out against data centers and the Kansas City Chiefs stadium deal, has defeated state Sen. Ethan Corson, who had a big financial edge and an endorsement from term-limited Gov. Laura Kelly.
A group called the 1861 Initiative spent more than $2.2 million to help Army vet Noah Taylor win the Dem nod for #KSSen. The race was already called for pastor Adam Hamilton, and Taylor is currently in third.
State Sen. Jeremy Moss wins Dem primary for safely blue #MI11, Haley Stevens' seat. He'd be Michigan's first LGBTQ member of Congress.
Two more GOP amendments go down to crushing defeats, both in MO. #4 would have made future ballot initiatives impossible to pass by requiring winning a majority statewide *and* in each congressional district. #5 would have eliminated the state income tax.
AP calls a DEFEAT for Kansas Amendment 1, which would have replaced the current merit-based selection of state Supreme Court justices with partisan statewide elections. GOP wanted this change to try to overturn a ruling protecting abortion rights, but voters emphatically said no.
Dem Rep. Wesley Bell easily fends off a rematch from Cori Bush, whom he ousted in the primary for the safely blue #MO01 two years ago.
Ty Masterson, the Trump-endorsed state Senate president, wins the GOP primary in the race to replace term-limited #KSGov Laura Kelly. Dem primary is very close—might be a while before there's a call.
Methodist megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton wins #KSSen Dem primary to take on Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in November.
Polls have now closed in the remainder of MI and KS, so we may be getting some calls soon...
The Downballot@the-downballot.com · 15h agoOkay then! Polls are now closed in (most of) Michigan, (most of) Kansas, and all of Missouri. In addition to primaries, there are major constitutional amendments on the docket in both KS (to select Supreme Court justices via partisan elections) and MO (to make future initiatives all but impossible).
Five states have no race for either U.S. Senate or governor this year. Two of them have primaries tonight: Missouri and Washington. (The other three: Indiana, North Dakota, and Utah.)
Okay then! Polls are now closed in (most of) Michigan, (most of) Kansas, and all of Missouri. In addition to primaries, there are major constitutional amendments on the docket in both KS (to select Supreme Court justices via partisan elections) and MO (to make future initiatives all but impossible).
The AP calls the #VA01 Dem primary for prosecutor Shannon Taylor, who was the DCCC's preferred pick to take on GOP Rep. Rob Wittman. This district went 52-47 for Trump, but it was the very rare district that moved left in 2024 vs. 2020.
Polls closed a little while ago in Virginia, one of five states holding primaries tonight. Most of the rest close at 8 PM ET, with Washington not until 11 PM ET. While you wait for the results to come in, get up to speed with our comprehensive preview! www.the-downballot.com/p/michigans-...
Michigan's bitter Senate primary will finally be decided on Tuesday
Our guide to the biggest election night between now and November
the-downballot.com
NEW: Maryland Democrats just passed a constitutional amendment that would let them redraw the congressional map for 2028 in response to Republican gerrymanders elsewhere. If voters pass it in November, Democrats could enact a map like this earlier proposal to target the lone Republican, Andy Harris
Stephen Wolf@stephenwolf.bsky.social · 6d agoMaryland Democrats have unveiled their constitutional amendment that would let them redraw the congressional map for 2028 if voters approve it in November. It would insulate congressional maps from legal challenges and specify that existing restrictions on maps only apply to state Senate/House maps
Three ways Republican SoS Denny Hoskins might go: 1) Certify referendum - very unlikely 2) Rule signatures insufficient - unlikely 3) Rule that congressional maps cannot be targeted by veto referenda - most likely #3 is based on the discredited "independent state legislature" theory.
The Redistrict Network (mirror 🤖)@redistrictnet.bluesky.bot · 23h ago#NationalNews: The Missouri Secretary of State will hold a major press conference on Missouri's congressional map and the Missouri Redistricting Referendum today at 4 p.m. CT. Members of the public can watch here: www.sos.mo.gov/default…
Some New Jersey Democrats still don’t get what’s at stake with Trump and Republicans pushing extreme gerrymanders on the whole country. Unilaterally disarming won’t save democracy when gerrymandering requires a national solution
