The Downballot
@the-downballot
The premier source of information for the thousands of elections below the presidency, from Senate to city council. Our site:
State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole's first attack ad hitting Rep. Ed Case, whom he's challenging in next month's Democratic primary. Be sure to stay for the catchy jingle at the end featuring some traditional Hawaiian ukulele sounds. (Ad first shared by @andrewsolender.bsky.social)
Just two Republicans in contested races responded when Politico asked them if they'd attend the GOP's midterm convention in Texas in September—and one wouldn't say. The rest all went silent. www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Have you bookmarked The Downballot's chart of 2024 presidential election results calculated for all 435 congressional districts—including updated data for all 10 states with new maps this year? Here it is! the-db.co/presbycd
Graham Platner finally files withdrawal paperwork. Dems can now officially pick a replacement. x.com/hollyotterbe...
It's funny you should mention that. We *do* have an alternative map that we're in the process of updating. This is what it looks like, though please note that this is for the *2024* maps, not the 2026 maps. As I say, we're working on a new version!
We also publish detailed calculations for each state that show how every county—and county sub-part, since many counties are split between districts—voted. The screenshot here shows South Florida, for instance. Find every state here: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
As a result, there are now 23 "Trump-Democratic" seats and eight "Harris-Republican" seats. That's a big increase: Following the 2024 elections, there were 13 of the former and three of the latter. Here's the complete list.
A very unusual development, via @scottbraddock.bsky.social x.com/scottbraddoc...
Republicans can't decide whether Graham Platner was a martyr (Senate Leadership Fund) or a "racist, woman-hating Nazi" (RNC)
New video from Maine Dem Party says Platner's team is trying to "put their thumb on the scale" of what the process for picking a replacement will look like. "We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner's team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate"
Just a few weeks ago, the @wsj.com published a piece on the Democratic strategist who recruited and vetted Graham Platner, Dan Moraff. www.msn.com/en-us/news/p... An excerpt:
Hannah Pingree, the Dem nominee for #MEGov, calls on Platner to drop out
A large number of prominent figures have endorsed Platner. Eric Swalwell's campaign for #CAGov imploded after his top backers all quickly rescinded their support following sexual assault allegations. Something similar could happen here.
New Platner video: "So regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" x.com/grahamformai...
From @politico.com: "A woman who dated Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner says he forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago despite her repeated objections, an allegation Platner denies." www.politico.com/news/2026/07...
Attorney Eric Chung, one of the three Democrats running to flip open #MI10, reports raising $400,000 in the second quarter of 2026 and having $1 million on hand. Primary is Aug. 4.
Lots more in our newest Digest, including our first look at candidates' newest fundraising totals from the just-completed second quarter!
Well well well. Look who just took the lead in the #COGov GOP primary.
Oh man. This chart of the #COGov GOP primary is an all-timer from the gambling markets. They know the winner neither before polls close nor after! (And we don't, either: The race remains uncalled, with Kirkmeyer ahead by just 953 votes.)
The second quarter of 2026 ended Tuesday evening, and candidates are sharing their totals ahead of the July 15 deadline. Democrat Cait Conley, who is running to flip a swing seat in New York's Hudson Valley, says she raised $1.6 million for the quarter and has $1 million cash on hand. #NY17
In a statement congratulating Phil Weiser on winning the #COGov Dem nomination, Sen. Michael Bennet does not mention anything about seeking reelection or serving out his term.
So amend this law? Would require a 2/3rds vote of the lege to call itself into a special session ... or the assent of Polis. 😬
Coloradans for a Level Playing Field on the state Supreme Court rejecting Dem-backed initiatives to redraw the state's map: "While Trump and his MAGA allies regularly sidestep the law and ignore voters, efforts to respond have once again been dealt a legal setback over a technicality."
We've just published new policies governing our use of AI and prohibiting political gambling by our staff. You can find them on The Downballot's About page: www.the-downballot.com/about#%C2%A7...
In a separate opinion, the CO Supreme Court also rejects related redistricting measures on a more traditional single-subject basis www.coloradojudicial.gov/system/files...
CO Supreme Court rejects Dem-backed ballot measures to allow passage of a new congressional map, ruling that an "initiative violates the single subject requirement when its effectiveness is conditioned on the passage of a separate initiative." www.coloradojudicial.gov/system/files...
We wrote about Espaillat's attack ads on that topic www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-di...