Former Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) has filed to run for Congress against Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), the Bangor Daily News reports.

Golden is weighing a gubernatorial run.

“Serving as governor used to be a stepping stone to the Senate. These days, not so much,” NOTUS reports.

“Governors are refusing to run for open Senate seats — despite heavy lobbying from the national parties — and sitting senators are opting to run for governor rather than for re-election. The Senate’s current slate of governors-turned-senators say there’s a good reason why.”

Said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD): “They see the same thing that we see in terms of a dysfunctional operation in the Senate and the House. We don’t even do appropriations. We do continuing resolutions. We’re not able to build consensus. Those are not good things.”

Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball says Arizona and Michigan start as the only two Toss-ups in their initial 2025/2026 gubernatorial ratings.

However: “The high number of open seats makes us think that we could see an upset or two in a state we might not expect.”

“Kamala Harris will reemerge in California on Wednesday night for her first major speech since her departure from the White House, and she is expected to condemn President Donald Trump’s effort to upend democratic institutions, deny facts and create a culture of fear for many in his first 100 days in office,” the Washington Post reports.

“Nearly six months after her loss to Trump, the former vice president has kept a low profile as intrigue swirls around whether she will run for governor in her home state in 2026 to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is term-limited. Though she set a deadline of mid- to late summer to make that decision, it has been complicated by her desire to keep the door open to another run for president and to explore other paths outside elected office.”

Harris will speak but are people ready to listen to her?

Cook Political Report: “Wisconsin’s sprawling, largely rural 3rd District voted for Trump by a seven-point margin in 2024. But Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden won reelection by less than three points against Rebecca Cooke, a 37-year-old small business owner who ran as an unabashed moderate.”

“Cooke’s early momentum, coupled with encouraging results for Democrats in this month’s state Supreme Court race, moves this race from the Lean Republican column to Toss Up.”

“A lawyer for John Reid, the GOP’s nominee for Virginia lieutenant governor, sent a cease-and-desist notice to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s top political adviser Monday, escalating a political spectacle that began last week when the governor asked that Reid abandon his bid over racy social media posts that Reid says are not his,” the Washington Post reports.

“Progressive groups, emboldened by the Democratic grassroots’ extreme dissatisfaction at their party’s older establishment, are preparing to go big in their efforts to unseat Democratic lawmakers,” Axios reports.

“Three months into the new Congress, more than half a dozen House Democrats already are facing primary challengers. That number is about to skyrocket.”