New Jersey’s 12th District House Race 2026

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday, a day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill released a 61-page report from a four-month investigation, led by former Attorney General Christopher Porrino's law firm, substantiating findings of sexual harassment and repeated ethics violations. Investigators found credible evidence that Caldwell made an unwanted romantic advance toward a staffer's friend, sought a promotion for a state employee he was secretly dating, and brought unpaid guests to ticketed events despite prior warnings. Sherrill said the episode reflected a longstanding Trenton culture of overlooking sexual harassment that her administration would no longer tolerate.

Caldwell, who is Black, suggested race played a role in the allegations and disputes the report's findings, saying he resigned to avoid distracting from Sherrill's administration; days later he preached at his church about false accusations. Acting Comptroller Shirley Emehelu now oversees the Division of Elections ahead of the midterms, while Senate President Nicholas Scutari serves as acting governor when needed. Sherrill has 45 days to name a permanent replacement, with reports suggesting she may favor another Black leader, possibly a woman, for the role.

Republican Rep. Greg Steube of Florida introduced legislation to bar the federal government from purchasing, operating, or accessing Flock Safety automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras without a judicial warrant. The bill, called the Facilitating Liberty and Accountability for Flock Observations (FLAFO) Act, would also tie Department of Justice grants for local law enforcement to adoption of similar privacy safeguards. Steube said the Fourth Amendment requires warrants before Americans can be tracked while driving, and criticized Flock Safety's network as too expansive and prone to abuse.

ALPR systems, originally designed for limited vehicle identification, have expanded into broader AI-powered surveillance, drawing scrutiny over misuse, including the wrongful jailing of a Florida woman falsely linked to a crash by Flock data. In New Jersey, Edison approved dozens of new cameras and its first thermal-equipped drone despite privacy objections and ACLU criticism of the state's long data retention. In Texas, the fight has split communities: cities including College Station, Carrollton, Kyle, Conroe, and Laredo have voted to keep or renew Flock contracts even after Gov. Greg Abbott froze state funding amid an investigation into grant spending, while roughly two dozen other Texas cities and counties have moved to end their agreements, and Houston and Dallas are scaling back grant-funded cameras while keeping city-funded ones running.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill called on Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to resign by Friday after an independent investigation found he engaged in sexual harassment and violated state ethics rules. The 61-page report, led by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino, concluded that Caldwell twice sought a state job promotion for his girlfriend, made a sexually charged comment to a staff member, and ignored repeated warnings about his conduct.

The probe began in May after Sherrill's office received an anonymous letter alleging inappropriate behavior by Caldwell, a former president of Centenary University. Caldwell has denied the allegations through his attorney, Thomas Calcagni, who called the investigation one-sided and lacking due process; Caldwell has suggested race and gender bias played a role, as he is Black. Sen. Cory Booker and other Democrats have backed Sherrill's call for resignation. Caldwell has given no indication he intends to step down, raising the possibility of a prolonged standoff with the governor over New Jersey's second-highest office.

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell is facing an internal investigation launched by Gov. Mikie Sherrill's administration over allegations he behaved inappropriately toward women, according to multiple reports. Former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino of Lowenstein Sandler is leading the probe alongside partner Shontae Gray, a former assistant U.S. attorney; the inquiry reportedly began with an anonymous tip in late spring and has included interviews with state employee complainants and witnesses. Investigators are also examining possible ethics violations, including allegations Caldwell offered a state job.

Sherrill's office declined to confirm the inquiry but said any reports of misconduct would be taken seriously. Caldwell, a 66-year-old pastor and former Centenary University president who was sworn in alongside Sherrill in January, is cooperating with the investigation and continuing his public duties, including recently serving as acting governor for three days. New Jersey Republican Party Chairwoman Christine Giordano Hanlon and other GOP officials have called for him to step aside or be placed on unpaid leave, questioning how many complaints were filed and why disclosure was delayed. The episode compounds political pressure on Sherrill, a first-term Democrat viewed as a rising national figure, amid separate scrutiny over noncitizens erroneously added to voter rolls.

Lawyers for two Orthodox Jewish synagogues, Bais Brucha and Khal Anshei, are asking a federal magistrate judge to sanction Toms River, New Jersey, for failing to preserve laptops and phones tied to a religious discrimination lawsuit filed in 2021. The suit alleges the township worked to block expansion of the Orthodox Jewish community through discriminatory zoning, including a former 10-acre house-of-worship minimum and parking rules the shuls say unfairly burden religious sites.

Plaintiffs' attorney Roman Storzer says of 24 relevant township laptops, 11 are missing and three are encrypted; of 25 cell phones, nine are lost and five are inaccessible. A judge already fined Toms River $29,750 in October for contempt over discovery failures. Complicating the case, the township's insurer-appointed law firm is again seeking to withdraw as counsel, a request a judge denied once already. Toms River is separately suing its excess insurance fund for more coverage, arguing the case is a civil rights matter, not a land-use dispute, as the township has already exhausted $2 million in existing coverage.

Since 2001, Lakewood Township has transferred 220 acres of public land near the Jersey Shore BlueClaws stadium at no cost to a development arm of Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), a large Orthodox Jewish yeshiva. The entity, Cedarbridge Development, has resold the land to builders for nearly $70 million, while developers have saved over $8.6 million through local tax breaks (PILOTs) since 2018. A 2010 lawsuit challenging the deal as unconstitutional was dismissed. Constitutional experts say the arrangement may violate the state constitution's "gift clause" barring giveaways of public property without clear public benefit.

The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation is now examining similar municipal land deals involving PILOT tax breaks statewide, without confirming whether Lakewood is a specific target. The scrutiny comes as Lakewood faces a budget shortfall, a hiring freeze, and warnings of 2027 layoffs.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis campaigned in Mercer County days before Election Day, Nov. 3, urging turnout for Democratic candidates. Davis pledged Pennsylvania would not become a right-to-work state if reelected, emphasizing workers' rights to union representation, health care, and negotiated wages. Both officials endorsed Justin Wagner, a Democrat challenging incumbent Michael Kelly in the 16th Congressional District, who criticized his opponent's nearly 16-year record of prioritizing PAC donors over Western Pennsylvania. Shapiro framed the election as a moment for voters to push back against political dysfunction and reaffirmed his commitment to serving constituents if given another term.

Monmouth County voters decide Tuesday whether Republicans retain full control of county government. Incumbent Commissioner Erik Anderson is paired with Tony Perry, longtime Middletown mayor, against Democrats Chelsey Tanner and Sofia J. Ugarte. Republican incumbent Ross F. Licitra is not seeking reelection. The GOP ticket emphasizes fiscal restraint and the county's AAA bond rating, while Democrats focus on workforce support and accessible county services.

Voters will also choose the county surrogate, overseeing probate, estates, and guardianships. Republican incumbent Maureen T. Raisch, seeking a second term, points to administrative modernizations, while Democratic challenger Anthony L. Cherry Jr., a defense attorney, is campaigning on expanding court accessibility.

Republican Keith Faber and Democrat John Kulewicz, the two candidates for Ohio attorney general in 2026, agree corruption is a priority but disagree sharply on strategy. Faber, Ohio's current state auditor, wants to create a permanent anti-corruption task force within the AG's office, pairing dedicated attorneys with investigators and forensic accountants to pursue fraud in areas like Medicaid and childcare programs and to streamline cases such as the Columbus Zoo spending scandal. He says current efforts have been "haphazard" and would build on the 170 convictions his auditor's office has helped secure since 2019.

Kulewicz argues Ohio already has adequate legal tools and structures, and that the real problem is weak enforcement, not organization. He criticized Faber for not committing to continue the prosecution of former FirstEnergy executives tied to the Sam Randazzo bribery case, and questioned why Faber didn't push for a task force earlier in his tenure as auditor. The debate follows years of high-profile scandals, including the House Bill 6 bribery case, though the issue has had limited political traction for Democrats.

Republican Keith Faber and Democrat John Kulewicz, the two nominees for Ohio attorney general, have agreed to debate on Oct. 19 at Youngstown State University, becoming the first candidates in any of Ohio's nine statewide races to commit to facing off before the Nov. 3 election. The event, moderated by Tony Paglia of the Youngstown Press Club, follows a joint statement from both campaigns pledging a "free, fair, and informative" discussion for voters.

Faber, the current state auditor, has emphasized support for law enforcement, consumer protection, combating trafficking, and resisting federal overreach. Kulewicz has focused on consumer protection and price-fixing enforcement, arguing the office should prioritize state issues over national political lawsuits. Both candidates have outlined anti-corruption plans, and differ on continuing the prosecution of former FirstEnergy executives and on regulating license-plate camera technology. No debates have yet been scheduled in Ohio's higher-profile Senate or governor's races, where candidates have so far resisted or failed to arrange face-offs.