State and Local Elections

Is 2026 the Year of the Independent?

Is 2026 the Year of the Independent? Is 2026 the Year of the Independent?

An unprecedented number of candidates in this year’s midterms are running outside of the two-party system. What’s more, a lot of them could win.

Aug 11, 2026 / Feature / John Nichols

“Nobody Is Resting”: Meet the Grassroots Advocates Defending the Right to Vote

“Nobody Is Resting”: Meet the Grassroots Advocates Defending the Right to Vote “Nobody Is Resting”: Meet the Grassroots Advocates Defending the Right to Vote

At a time when the US president is actively interfering in elections, these groups, activists, and officials are protecting their local systems from federal sabotage.

Aug 11, 2026 / Feature / Sasha Abramsky

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

Insurgents Are Revitalizing the Democratic Party Insurgents Are Revitalizing the Democratic Party

And despite all the establishment pushback, voters know it.

Aug 10, 2026 / Katrina vanden Heuvel, John Nichols for The Nation

El-Sayed Wins

El-Sayed Wins El-Sayed Wins

 The big melt.

Aug 7, 2026 / Steve Brodner

Democratic Senate primary winner Abdul El-Sayed and Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow on August 5, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan

Will El-Sayed’s Centrist Opponents “Vote Blue No Matter Who”? Will El-Sayed’s Centrist Opponents “Vote Blue No Matter Who”?

It’s time for the Democratic establishment to take its own medicine.

Aug 6, 2026 / Aaron Regunberg

Ben Wikler Has a Plan to Supercharge American Democracy

Ben Wikler Has a Plan to Supercharge American Democracy Ben Wikler Has a Plan to Supercharge American Democracy

Democrats can save the country from an authoritarian takeover, but to do so they must focus on systemic reforms, the author argues in this adaptation from his new book.

Aug 3, 2026 / Feature / Ben Wikler

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani plays goalkeeper in Central Park on June 8, 2026. During the World Cup, the city secured 1,000 affordable tickets for residents and kept soccer pitches open and illuminated overnight.

Zohran Mamdani and the Politics of Joy Zohran Mamdani and the Politics of Joy

And it’s backed up by actions and initiatives that seem designed to genuinely foster a joyful city.

Jul 28, 2026 / Katrina vanden Heuvel

Troy Jackson

How Troy Jackson Became the Heir to Graham Platner’s Movement How Troy Jackson Became the Heir to Graham Platner’s Movement

This weekend, Democrats in Maine overwhelmingly showed that they believe the former logger and longtime state senator can dethrone GOP Senator Susan Collins.

Jul 21, 2026 / Kyle Paoletta

A “Dream Team” shirt featuring images of Democratic House candidate for New York Darializa Avila Chevalier, former New York City comptroller and Democratic House candidate for New York Brad Lander, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and New York State Representative and US House candidate Claire Valdez, outside a polling location at PS 84 during the primary election in New York City on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

The Students Betting on a New Democratic Party The Students Betting on a New Democratic Party

Gen Z is playing an instrumental role in propelling Mamdani, his slate of candidates, and his progressive vision to office.

Jul 16, 2026 / StudentNation / Cate Latimer and Paul Hudes

An estimated thousand rally and march for climate change in Philadelphia on September 20, 2019, as tens of thousands across the nation and millions globally participate in the Climate Strike.

Will Climate Voters Turn Out in Pennsylvania? Will Climate Voters Turn Out in Pennsylvania?

Interviews across this crucial swing state offer lessons for Democrats hoping to flip the House.

Jul 16, 2026 / Mark Hertsgaard

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