All posts tagged: incumbents

In Indiana, Trump supports challengers over Republican incumbents : NPR

In Indiana, Trump supports challengers over Republican incumbents : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Outside a polling place in West Lafayette, Ind., Republican state Sen. Spencer Deery greets voters arriving for early voting on April 28. Deery is a Republican incumbent President Trump has targeted after he opposed the president’s redistricting push in Indiana. Tamara Keith/NPR hide caption toggle caption Tamara Keith/NPR Stay up to date with our Politics newsletter, sent weekly. Knocking on doors in West Lafayette, Indiana, Spencer Deery is campaigning for his political life. The state senator zips from door to door of a subdivision on an electric scooter he bought on Amazon, which he says improves his efficiency. He writes his cell number on a glossy campaign flyer and leaves it at one house after another, hoping to persuade voters one by one that he’s not the RINO (Republican in name only) they’ve heard about in the TV ads. “It’s really going to come down to one issue, and that is how many people just believe the ads,” Deery said. Deery is one of seven incumbent Republican state senators up for re-election, who late last …

AI data center risk for Pennsylvania GOP incumbents

AI data center risk for Pennsylvania GOP incumbents

Published by Sam Flores

A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Jan. 14, 2025. Ted Shaffrey | AP The AI-driven data center boom in Pennsylvania — which includes a $20 billion investment from Amazon — is leading to political angst in districts in the Keystone State that could help decide control of the U.S. House. The four competitive House races are in the eastern part of the state, where Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is focusing his data center expansion plans. Republicans represent all four districts and are looking to not only hold on to their own seats in November’s election but to retain control of the House, where the party holds a five-seat majority. Political analysts say the data center dynamic could harm incumbents, who will take the brunt of public backlash for unpopular development. All four districts are considered in play by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, which rates every congressional race. The 7th, 8th and 10th Districts are all …

Young candidates rival older incumbents in midterm fundraising : NPR

Young candidates rival older incumbents in midterm fundraising : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Tennessee State Representative Justin Pearson takes a selfie with protesters at a “No Kings” protest on October 18, 2025 in Memphis, Tenn. Pearson is looking to unseat his former boss, Rep. Steve Cohen. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images Stay up to date with our Politics newsletter, sent weekly. More than 10 years ago, as a teenager, Justin Pearson interned for Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat representing his hometown of Memphis. Now, Pearson, a member of the Tennessee state house, is running to unseat Cohen, and he’s outraising the 10-term incumbent more than two times over. “We need someone who has new ideas, new energy and a new perspective to be an advocate for our community,” said Pearson, 31, who is looking to defeat Cohen, 76, in the state’s 9th Congressional District. “I’m not running against a person, I’m running against the problem, and the problem is the status quo.” Pearson is part of a growing wave of younger candidates who are challenging older members of Congress — especially House Democrats …

Texas Reps. Menefee, Green advance to runoff as first midterm primaries show incumbents on shaky ground

Texas Reps. Menefee, Green advance to runoff as first midterm primaries show incumbents on shaky ground

Published by Sam Flores

Christian Menefee and Al Green. Al Drago | Sergio Flores | Reuters The first round of primary elections is showing how this year’s midterms will be taking place on shifting political ground for incumbents. That was particularly true in Texas — the first state to redraw its congressional districts last year — where incumbent members of Congress have been pushed to runoffs and another has been scuttled from the House altogether. Former Rep. Colin Allred, who abandoned his initial U.S. Senate run to pursue Texas’ 33rd Congressional District, is headed to a runoff with Rep. Julie Johnson, who holds the U.S. House seat that used to be his. Democratic Rep. Al Green, an outspoken liberal who has twice been ejected from President Donald Trump’s State of the Union addresses for protesting, and newly elected Rep. Christian Menefee will compete in the May 26 runoff for a Houston-area district. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican and former Navy SEAL with an independent streak, faced attacks from the party’s hard right that he was not in lockstep with …