Politalking US 
A federal appeals court heard arguments Sept. 9 over whether Louisiana can sue to force a nationwide return to in-person dispensing of the abortion and miscarriage medication mifepristone, and judges on the panel focused heavily on whether the state has the legal right to bring the case at all. The three-judge panel of the 5th … Read more
This briefing reflects reporting and polling available as of Sept. 12, 2026. Candidates, endorsements and polling can change before Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026. Why This Race Matters Los Angeles, the nation’s second-largest city, is deciding whether to give Mayor Karen Bass a second term or replace her with a progressive city councilmember running … Read more
This briefing reflects reporting and polling available as of Sept. 12, 2026. Candidates, endorsements and polling can change before Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026. Why This Race Matters Texas’s open attorney general seat has drawn less national attention than the state’s marquee Senate race, but it may be just as consequential for how the … Read more
This briefing reflects reporting and polling available as of Sept. 12, 2026. Candidates, endorsements and polling can change before Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026. Why This Measure Matters California’s Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state’s roughly 200 billionaires to fund healthcare, food assistance and education. … Read more
This briefing reflects reporting and polling available as of Sept. 12, 2026. Candidates, endorsements and polling can change before Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026. Why This Measure Matters Virginia is one of just three states whose constitutions permanently strip voting rights from anyone convicted of a felony unless the governor personally restores them, one … Read more
A Florida county’s mail ballot envelopes, used without incident since 2024, were briefly rejected by the U.S. Postal Service this month over a spacing gap of 0.014 inches, offering a concrete preview of the kind of technical rejections officials have warned could disrupt mail voting if new federal design rules take effect. Leon County Supervisor … Read more
What Happened A new lawsuit filed by Common Cause alleges that federal agencies have systematically surveilled and intimidated private citizens who try to peacefully observe and record immigration enforcement operations. The suit describes seven Common Cause members in Maryland, Minnesota and New Jersey who say they were photographed, followed, reported to local police, pepper-sprayed, or … Read more
A group of Vietnam War veterans suing to block President Trump’s planned 250-foot “triumphal arch” asked a federal judge Friday to stop the government from starting excavation work at the site, after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the digging would begin within two weeks. The veterans argue the project still lacks required federal approvals and … Read more
What Happened The House passed a bill this month that would strip federal student aid eligibility from colleges and universities that participate in certain boycotts of Israel. The Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act passed 237-169, with 203 Republicans, 33 Democrats and one independent voting yes, and 167 Democrats and two Republicans voting no. It … Read more
Republicans held their first-ever midterm convention Sept. 9 to 10 in Dallas, and President Trump used it to make two pledges that dominated national coverage. On opening night, he promised a $5,000 “dividend” check to every adult American citizen if Republicans hold the House and Senate in November. On closing night, he led the crowd … Read more
Race status as of September 10, 2026. Polling and campaign finance figures in this race change frequently. Why this race is on our list New Hampshire is one of only two states that elects its governor every two years, so voters here get a fresh verdict on state leadership in the middle of every presidential … Read more
Race status as of September 10, 2026. Polling and campaign finance figures in this race change frequently. Why this race is on our list A former senator is trying to reclaim the seat he lost nearly two decades ago, in a state where his own brother was governor for eight years. Both parties’ nominees won … Read more
