State attorney general

Texas voters head to the polls with Republicans defending longtime dominance amid Democratic hopes fueled by opposition to President Trump. The marquee race pits Democratic state Rep. James Talarico against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, with control implications for Trump's final two years. Gov. Greg Abbott faces an unexpectedly close challenge from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa despite a fundraising edge. Down-ballot, polling shows tight margins for lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and a Railroad Commission seat. Democrats must flip 14 Texas House seats and four Senate seats for majorities. No Democrat has won statewide in Texas since 1994. Early voting runs through October 30.

Early voting is underway in Texas's midterms through Oct. 30, ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Gov. Greg Abbott faces Democrat Gina Hinojosa, while in one of the most expensive nonpresidential races on record, Republican Ken Paxton battles Democrat James Talarico for U.S. Senate, with ad spending topping $442 million and Republicans outspending Democrats roughly three to one. Polls, including recent FOX News and New York Times/Siena surveys, have shown Talarico consistently ahead since September, raising the possibility Texas could elect a Democrat statewide for the first time since 1994. Trump made three campaign visits backing Paxton, who faces past fraud indictments and an impeachment acquittal. Prominent Texas attorney Thomas J. Henry, who had previously backed Paxton with a $600,000 super PAC donation, has now endorsed Talarico after meeting with him, a notable crossover in the closely watched contest.

The Trump administration has warned California election officials that processing ballots cast by suspected noncitizen voters could expose them to criminal investigation and prosecution. A letter from acting deputy attorney general Trent McCotter called noncitizen voting a federal crime and said officials who knowingly facilitate it risk being treated as aiders and abettors. The DOJ sued California after it missed a 48-hour deadline to cross-check a federal list of roughly 20,000 flagged names; federal prosecutors have since charged 28 green-card holders across California, 11 arrested, saying all appeared on that list. Secretary of State Shirley Weber called the demand unprecedented and said officials provided too little information to verify names. Governor Newsom calls the suit voter suppression; the dispute looms over competitive California House races in the midterms.

Texas's 2026 elections feature unexpectedly competitive statewide races, a rarity in a state no Democrat has won statewide since 1994. The marquee contest pits state Rep. James Talarico against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, with control of the chamber and the final two years of President Trump's term potentially at stake. Gov. Greg Abbott faces a tighter-than-expected challenge from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa despite a large fundraising edge. A recent University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll showed Democrat Vikki Goodwin narrowly ahead of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Nathan Johnson slightly leading Mayes Middleton for attorney general, with all surveyed races within the margin of error. Republicans' new congressional redistricting plan will also be tested.

Texas Democrats are testing whether anti-Trump sentiment can break the GOP's decades-long statewide winning streak, with no Democrat having won statewide office since 1994. The marquee race pits Democratic state Rep. James Talarico against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for a U.S. Senate seat that could affect the chamber's balance. Gov. Greg Abbott faces an unexpectedly close challenge from state Rep. Gina Hinojosa despite a large fundraising edge. A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project poll found several other statewide races within the margin of error, including lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, and a Railroad Commission seat. The elections will also test a Republican plan to redraw five Democratic U.S. House districts.

Florida filed a civil lawsuit against Discord on Thursday, accusing the platform of misleading children and parents about its safety protections. Attorney General James Uthmeier's suit, filed in Glades County circuit court, alleges Discord's "minimal safety settings, hands-off moderation, and lax rule enforcement" have made the app "a hotbed for predatory and exploitative activities" targeting minors. The state is seeking potentially millions of dollars in damages.

Discord, which has more than 90 million daily active users and is especially popular among younger users, has drawn growing scrutiny from state officials. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the company in May, after a probe tied to its use by the man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed similar suits in May and June, respectively, each alleging Discord failed to adequately warn families of risks to children on the platform.
Florida sues Discord over alleged lax child safety protections, joining Texas, Nevada and Arkansas in legal action against the platform.

Florida's two marquee 2026 statewide races present unusual racial pairings, and candidates are handling the dynamic very differently. In the Senate race, Democrat Angie Nixon, a progressive from Jacksonville, faces Republican Ashley Moody, the former state attorney general appointed to the seat Marco Rubio vacated. In the governor's race, Republican Byron Donalds, who could become Florida's first Black governor, is running against David Jolly, a former Republican turned Democrat with strong Black voter support.

Analysts say Donalds has mostly avoided Black-specific outreach and race-focused messaging, emphasizing the economy and school choice instead, reflecting a common strategy for Black conservative candidates wary of alienating their base. Despite recent efforts to court Black voters, polling shows Jolly holding a commanding lead among Black voters. Nixon, by contrast, has leaned into discussing race directly while also courting white working-class voters with economic messaging, trailing Moody in current polling but with strategists calling her a credible underdog capable of winning with strong turnout.

Donalds has continued to draw national attention on other issues, recently criticizing far-left Florida Democrats who have called to abolish ICE amid the broader immigration debate.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman met in their only televised debate ahead of New York's gubernatorial election, hosted by NY1. Polling shows Hochul leading by a wide margin, putting pressure on Blakeman to produce a breakout moment while Hochul aims to project gubernatorial competence, particularly on affordability issues like utility bills and cost of living. Blakeman's campaign has leaned into an alliance with President Trump, including a recent joint rally in Syracuse, while Hochul has worked to tie her opponent to the unpopular president. Trump's standing in deep-blue New York remains a central dynamic of the race, amplified by fallout from a recent ICE shooting in Manhattan that has strained relations between the administration and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The debate followed a separate state attorney general matchup last week between Democratic incumbent Letitia James and GOP challenger Saritha Komatireddy, whose strong performance generated viral attention. Both races are being closely watched as bellwethers heading into the broader midterm cycle.