Who Will Win New York’s 24th Congressional District in 2026?

Several Long Island-area members of Congress introduced bills in the final days before the House adjourned for the year, measures that experts say have little realistic chance of becoming law this session. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) filed a bill with two New Jersey Republicans creating a federal tax deduction of more than $4,000 annually for commuting costs, including gas, transit fares, and tolls like New York City's congestion pricing—introduced five days after the House had already left Washington. Other late entries include a Gottheimer-LaLota bill restricting Chinese AI on U.S. government systems, a Suozzi-Tenney bill targeting healthcare fraud and waste, and a Garbarino-Gillibrand measure to reimburse pension systems for 9/11-related death and disability benefits.

Congressional scholars, including Binghamton University's Donald Nieman and Georgetown's Joshua Huder, describe such bills as "messaging" or "position-taking" efforts aimed at campaign talking points rather than governance, since lame-duck sessions rarely advance new legislation. Some sponsors dispute that characterization, citing bipartisan backing and hopes for eventual passage.

President Donald Trump campaigned in Syracuse Friday night for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman, drawing about 2,500 supporters to the Oncenter while roughly 4,000 protesters gathered nearby. The rally came a day after an ICE agent shot and wounded Oscar Belgal, 28, in Manhattan's Marble Hill neighborhood while he was driving with his 5-year-old son; federal authorities alleged Belgal had gang ties.

In a speech lasting more than 80 minutes, Trump attacked Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James over immigration, energy and tax policy, repeated disputed claims about election fraud and the Interstate 81 teardown, and promised Blakeman would sharply cut electric bills and taxes. Blakeman pledged to end New York's sanctuary-state status by executive order on his first day in office if elected. Hochul's campaign has branded Blakeman "Trump's puppet" and defended her record, including the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act limiting local cooperation with ICE, which some upstate sheriffs are suing to overturn. Immigration enforcement and affordability remain central issues as the governor's race enters its final weeks.

President Trump escalated his trade dispute with Canada by threatening to rename Lake Ontario "Lake America." The proposal drew a cool reception in Oswego, N.Y., a Republican stronghold on the lake's shore that Trump carried by a wide margin in 2024.

Local GOP officials, including Oswego Mayor Rob Corradino, Assemblymember Will Barclay, and County Legislature Chair Jim Weatherup, said they see the idea as a negotiating tactic rather than a serious proposal, and none support changing the name. They argue the region depends on Canadian trade and tourism, noting Canadian visits to New York have dropped sharply amid the tariff fight, hurting Oswego attractions like Harborfest, Fort Ontario, and Oswego Speedway. New York exchanges tens of billions of dollars in goods and services with Canada annually. Officials warned that further escalation, including rhetoric like the renaming threat, could damage a longstanding cross-border relationship. Residents interviewed in Oswego, several of them Trump supporters, also rejected the "Lake America" idea.

The renaming proposal emerged amid a broader war of words between Trump and Ontario Premier Doug Ford after U.S.-Canada trade talks broke down, with Canadian officials describing the economic standoff as an "attack." The dispute has also drawn political mockery, including from Michigan Senator Debbie Dingell, who criticized Trump's environmental record on the Great Lakes.

New Hampshire held primary elections Tuesday to pick nominees for Congress, governor and the state Legislature, with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's retirement reshaping the ballot. Rep. Chris Pappas led a five-way Democratic Senate field that included progressive challenger Karishma Manzur, a research scientist and democratic socialist whose late surge, fueled by criticism of Pappas' pro-Israel donor support and his "present" vote on restricting arms sales to Israel, narrowed his once-commanding lead despite his large fundraising advantage and Shaheen's endorsement. On the Republican side, John Sununu, endorsed by President Trump over rival Scott Brown, held a wide edge among eight candidates; both Sununu and Brown are former senators previously defeated by Shaheen. The seat is one of a handful nationally that could help decide Senate control, with Democrats needing a net gain of four seats.

Pappas' departure from the 1st District opened a crowded race, with Stefany Shaheen (Jeanne Shaheen's daughter) and Maura Sullivan leading a nine-person Democratic field; Republicans chose among five candidates including Trump-endorsed businessman Anthony DiLorenzo and repeat candidate Hollie Noveletsky. In the 2nd District, Democratic Rep. Maggie Goodlander faced a primary challenge from state legislator Paige Beauchemin, while Republicans chose from candidates including repeat nominee Lily Tang Williams. Gov. Kelly Ayotte easily advanced toward a second term against two Republican rivals, favored against unopposed Democrat Cinde Warmington. Winners have eight weeks to campaign before the November 3 general election, as New Hampshire shifts future primaries to June starting in 2026.

Many Republicans facing tough November races are avoiding next week's GOP midterm convention in Dallas, the first held by a major party in over four decades. A POLITICO survey found roughly 45 of more than 70 GOP candidates and members contacted are skipping or undecided, citing scheduling conflicts, high attendance fees, and reluctance to appear alongside President Donald Trump, who is set to headline with Vice President JD Vance. Top leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune plan to attend, along with 2028 hopefuls like Sen. Ted Cruz.

Separately, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is weighing disciplinary action against Reps. Jared Golden and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez after the two Democrats helped Republicans pass a procedural rule, prompting a referral to the caucus's rules panel. Other pending items include a bipartisan bill policing lawmaker misconduct, a possible September floor vote on Russia sanctions legislation, and an unresolved GOP split over regulating data centers ahead of the midterms.

Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, centered on Omaha and one of just eight districts nationally that backed Kamala Harris in 2024 while electing a Republican to the House, is shaping up as a marquee 2026 midterm contest following Rep. Don Bacon's retirement. Republican Omaha City Councilmember Brinker Harding, who has President Trump's endorsement and backing from House GOP leadership, faces Democratic activist Denise Powell, co-founder of Women Who Run Nebraska, who has campaigned alongside potential 2028 Democratic hopefuls Pete Buttigieg and Rahm Emanuel.

Trump plans to headline a Republican midterm convention in Dallas and has been visiting contested districts to energize the GOP base despite low approval ratings. Democrats, meanwhile, are betting that anxiety over Medicare and affordability, plus backlash to Trump, can flip the historically Republican-held seat, building on a local "Blue Dot" movement. Nebraska has voted Democratic for president only once since 1964, but the district has split its electoral vote three of the last five cycles, making it a rare swing-district test of Trump's midterm influence.

President Donald Trump made his first visit to Syracuse as a sitting president, headlining a rally for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman ahead of New York's November elections. About 2,500 supporters packed the Oncenter while a roughly equal number of protesters gathered at Clinton Square before marching toward the venue; no arrests or violence were reported. Trump repeated familiar campaign themes, criticizing immigration policy, downplaying climate change, and claiming credit for the Micron Technology project despite the deal predating his second term. He urged supporters to vote as though he were on the ballot.

Notably, many local Republicans skipped the event, including Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick, reflecting lingering friction after the GOP's historic losses in Central New York last year. Trump's approval rating in New York sits at 34%, and Blakeman trails Gov. Kathy Hochul in every poll. The visit underscored the high stakes of the governor's race and down-ballot congressional contests, as both parties battle for control of Upstate districts and Congress.

Several New York Democrats running in competitive House races are putting distance between themselves and Gov. Kathy Hochul weeks before Election Day. Rep. Tom Suozzi skipped a Hochul campaign stop on Long Island, citing a scheduling conflict, while Rep. Laura Gillen attended. In New York's 17th District, challenger Cait Conley was caught on video agreeing with GOP Rep. Mike Lawler that "Hochul has got to go," later calling Hochul to smooth things over. Blake Gendebien, running in the 21st District, declined to say if he'd support Hochul. Recent Siena polling shows Hochul's favorability underwater and her lead over Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman narrowing in suburban and upstate areas, reviving concerns about coattail effects seen in 2022.

New York political leaders are calling on the federal government to act quickly on artificial intelligence oversight, following warnings from AI lab CEOs about potential risks from unchecked development. Mayor Zohran Mamdani called recent AI warnings "incredibly alarming" and said the city would explore protective measures, while Gov. Kathy Hochul urged Washington to set national standards prioritizing public safety over the race to build more powerful AI systems. President Trump has dismissed such concerns as a "hoax" and opposes new regulation, citing competition with China.

New York City and State have already taken steps, including the RAISE Act, a one-year data center moratorium, and a ban on AI chatbots for young students, but a state comptroller audit and a city public advocate report both found more oversight is needed. The debate has also become a flashpoint in competitive congressional races, with data center policy emerging as an attack line, and Assemblymember Alex Bores launching a multimillion-dollar push to unify Democrats around AI regulation.

An investigation commissioned by New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill found that Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell engaged in conduct constituting sexual harassment and violated state ethics rules. The 61-page report, released Thursday, concluded Caldwell told a female staffer that "you young women are looking for young sperm" after she said a younger friend was not interested in him — a remark investigators deemed harassment and found his denial not credible. The staffer said she later tried to distance herself from him at work. The report also substantiated ethics violations: Caldwell twice sought a promotion for his girlfriend without disclosing the relationship, continuing even after being notified of the investigation, and brought nonpaying guests to seven official events despite repeated warnings and training.

The inquiry began in May after an anonymous complaint to the state's ethics officer. Attorney Christopher Porrino and former prosecutor Shontae Gray led the investigation, interviewing at least 17 people. Caldwell has denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations false and politically motivated. Sherrill gave him until Friday to resign, calling the findings "extremely troubling" and citing a pattern of behavior. Caldwell oversees the Department of State and elections, including the upcoming November midterms.