Kathy Hochul May Be Challenged by Her Number Two
New York Times: “Many lieutenant governors toil in the deep shadows to serve their state governors. But Mr. Delgado has apparently gone rogue, fueling speculation that he may seek to challenge Ms. Hochul’s re-election bid in 2026.”
“He has done little to tamp down the rumors, telling donors that he plans on running for a statewide office. In an interview, he said that he had no ‘intention’ of challenging Ms. Hochul in 2026, but also allowed that he planned to ‘stay ready’ and that he wanted to be an ‘independent actor.’”
Said Delgado: “I definitely plan to be a part of the future of New York. I’m ready to serve in whatever capacity New Yorkers think is best.”
Harris Debates a Run for California Governor
“Top aides and people close to Kamala Harris have divided over whether she should head home to run for California governor in 2026 — and it all comes down to whether they believe she could win the Democratic nomination for president in an expected competitive primary in 2028,” CNN reports.
“Some believe a repeat run, after quickly improving her reputation and raising more than $1 billion over her surprise 100-day race, should be hers for the taking. Others worry that in a longer campaign, against some of the other major Democratic contenders who already sat out 2024 in deference first to Joe Biden and then to her, Harris might fizzle out and follow her loss to Donald Trump with the humiliation of being rejected by her own party.”
Democrats Look Deep Into GOP Territory for 2026
“A super PAC closely aligned with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is circling districts that voted for their Republican incumbents by as much as 30 percentage points as it charts a course back to the majority,” Axios reports.
“Democrats are cautiously optimistic that they can pull off a repeat of the 2018 ‘Blue Wave’ as Trump’s right-wing policy agenda and appointments come into view.”
Jon Ossoff Seeks Common Ground with Trump
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) “first ran for office seven years ago with a promise to get under Donald Trump’s skin,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
“As he seeks another U.S. Senate term, and the president-elect prepares a return to office, the Democrat is stressing his ability to work across party lines.”
Ossoff says now that he is “actively seeking opportunities” to find common ground with Trump and other Republicans.
John Fetterman Is On Truth Social
Politico: “The Pennsylvania senator appears to be the first Democrat in the chamber to join President-elect Donald Trump’s social media site.”
“In his ‘first truth,’ Fetterman advocated for Trump to be pardoned from the New York hush money case for which he was found guilty of 34 felony counts, comparing the case to Hunter Biden’s and saying they were ‘both bullshit.'”
Democrats Begin Recruiting Effort for Midterms
“House Democrats launched a new effort Wednesday to recruit challengers for Republican districts in Arizona, Michigan, California and Virginia that were not contested this year, as a first step to taking back control of the House after falling just three seats short,” the Washington Post reports.
Pete Buttigieg Weighs Political Future in Michigan
“Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has met in recent months with several prominent Michigan Democrats, some of whom believe the former presidential candidate is considering a campaign for governor,” the Detroit News reports.
“Some of the sources said they saw the meetings as an indication Buttigieg was seriously looking at the possibility of a gubernatorial run, while others said they believed Buttigieg’s plans might have been altered by the Nov. 5 presidential election.”
“Because Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris lost to Republican Donald Trump, Buttigieg will likely have to decide whether to run for governor of Michigan in 2026 or president in 2028.”
Nancy Mace Eyeing a Run for Governor or Senate
“Just weeks after winning reelection to her House seat, Rep. Nancy Mace is already looking at a statewide bid in 2026,” NOTUS reports.
“The sources said Mace has been discussing two positions: South Carolina governor or a Senate race. (Sen. Lindsey Graham is up for reelection in 2026.)”
“But three of the sources said Mace is particularly looking at the governor’s seat, which Henry McMaster has held since 2017 when he replaced Nikki Haley after she was appointed to be Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations. McMaster is term-limited in 2026 and can’t run again.”
Bill Cassidy Gets a Primary Challenger
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming (R) announced that he is running for the U.S. Senate in 2026 for the seat currently held by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R), WBRZ reports.
Cassidy who voted to convict Trump after he was impeached post January 6.
Detroit Mayor to Launch Independent Bid for Governor
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, a longtime Democrat, says he will run for Michigan governor as an independent in 2026, the AP reports.
Said Duggan: “It’s clear to me that there are a lot of people in this country who are tired of both parties and tired of the system. And so I want to offer people a choice.”
Huge Wave of House Members Eyes 2026 Exits
“With votes still being counted in the 2024 election, at least two dozen ambitious House members are already sizing up runs for higher office in 2026,” Axios reports.
“This extraordinarily large cohort could cause all kinds of headaches for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) as they navigate a razor-thin House majority.”
“Both sides are trying to maximize attendance and minimize early retirements in one of the most closely divided Houses in history.”
Seth Moulton Could Draw Challengers
“Rep. Seth Moulton drew swift condemnation from local Democratic leaders and LGBTQ+ advocates for comments he made about transgender youth in sports in the wake of Democrats’ defeats earlier this month,” Politico reports.
“But will the discontent translate to real competition next cycle? It’s early, but some potential challengers are already beginning to stir.”
The Big Decision Facing Kamala Harris
Playbook: “Her tropical interlude hasn’t been entirely about R&R. Harris has spent a lot of time on the phone since her loss to Donald Trump three weeks ago tomorrow. And she has given all of the allies she has spoken to the same message: ‘I am staying in the fight.’”
“The question she faces is: In what capacity does she plan to do her fighting?”
“Put simply, Harris has two possible tracks should she wish to stake a place at the highest level of Democratic politics: (1) position herself for a 2028 presidential run or (2) pursue a run for California governor in 2026.”
NPR: After Harris’ loss, black female political organizers are unsure what to do next.
Sherrod Brown May Run Again
Sen. Sherrod Brown, who was defeated Nov. 5 in his reelection bid, said he won’t rule out running for the Senate again or for governor of Ohio in 2026, Politico reports.
Mark Robinson Not Considering Another Run for Office
“Outgoing North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R), who lost his bid for governor this month, said he is still deciding what his next step will be,” WRAL reports.
“But the Republican said another run for office — including the U.S. Senate in 2026 — is unlikely.”
Said Robinson: “That is not on my radar at all. Running for office is not on my radar at all. Certainly not.”
Thom Tillis Faces an Early Trump Loyalty Test
NOTUS: “More than any other Senate Republican, the North Carolina lawmaker is stuck between the demands of a restive MAGA base and an expected reelection campaign in 2026 in which Democrats consider him a top electoral target.”
“Vote against a cadre of Trump’s most controversial picks — including Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for the Health and Human Services Department and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence — and Tillis risks a serious primary challenge; support all of them, and he could be vulnerable to a political backlash that gives Democrats a chance to win his seat.”
Democrats Look to Hakeem Jeffries
“Hakeem Jeffries nearly became House speaker. Instead, he’s steering the Democratic Party through an identity crisis and hoping to avoid an ugly intraparty civil war,” CNN reports.
“Even without the gavel, many Democrats across Washington say House Minority Leader Jeffries — a 54-year-old New Yorker with centrist roots and messaging chops — is about to become the de facto voice of the party’s future and the face of resistance to Donald Trump.”
Taegan Goddard
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.
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