Michael Cohen told New York Magazine that he will challenge Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) in the 2026 Democratic primary: “He’s been in office 30 years. We thank him for his service, but it’s enough already.”
Nadler responded to Playbook: “What a great country America is. Anyone can run for Congress — even con men.”
“Gov. Brian Kemp is no die-hard Donald Trump supporter after clashing with the former president for much of the past three years. And he’s steered clear of increasingly MAGA-fied Georgia GOP events since 2022,” the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
“So why is he headed to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July?”
“The second-term governor doesn’t have a formal speaking slot during the four-day event, and he may not get one. But he aims to continue to build his influence, both within and without MAGA world, as he contemplates whether to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026 or run for president in 2028.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said Friday he will certainly run for reelection, a decision that could put him on a collision course with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) in 2026,” the Dallas Morning News reports.
You're reading the free version of Political Wire
Upgrade to a paid membership to unlock full access. The process is quick and easy. You can even use Apple Pay.
Politico: “During a high-dollar fundraiser at the Pierre in Manhattan on Tuesday night, Trump pointedly asked Rep. Byron Donalds if he planned on running for governor… Trump, apparently toying with the hopeful pol, then noted that he had a lot of friends who were likely to enter the race.”
“Trump’s exchange with Donalds — which was in front of other people — quickly came out. It was a stark reminder that, even amid a public peace treaty with ex-primary rival DeSantis, Trump is eager to show he has every intention of dominating the state they both call home well past the 2024 election. It also amped up suspense about when, how and whether Trump would endorse and spilled the already active jockeying for 2026 into public view.”
“The contest to succeed Gavin Newsom in the nation’s biggest, bluest state is already turning bitter. And it’s still more than two years away,” Politico reports.
“California’s gubernatorial sweepstakes are well underway in a stampede for early blessings from powerful insiders, scheming among the growing field of contenders and hushed conversations with major donors.”
“The tortuous path to 2026 — when Newsom’s term ends — started last year and is among the longest-running electoral battles in America given the immense challenge of nurturing a statewide profile. It’s also a revealing snapshot of California in the 21st century: Candidates are engaged in a race to the left where all of the competition is in the Democratic Party, no political giants are lying in wait and none of the candidates have more than a regional base of support.”
“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday knocked down speculation that his wife, first lady Casey DeSantis, would run to succeed him in 2026,” Politico reports.
“The Republican governor insisted at an event in event in Coral Gables that Casey DeSantis, a former television anchor who was a near constant presence on the campaign trail when he ran for president, had “zero” interest in running for governor.”
“Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is considering leaving the Biden administration to mount a run for California governor in 2026,” Politico reports.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) said he won’t run to replace Gov. Doug Burgum (R) after the incumbent governor announced Monday he wouldn’t pursue a third term, Politico reports.
Said Cramer: “In the second six-year term, you probably like quadruple your influence. Seniority is probably more important.”
“When Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds staked out opposing positions on shutting down the government, they framed it as a fight over spending,” Politico reports.
“On ousting Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the two Florida Republicans disagreed over whether it was a referendum on McCarthy’s leadership or a distraction from urgent House business.”
“What they didn’t say is that the divergent views were also likely about the next campaign for governor of Florida.”
“Gaetz and Donalds are two of the most prominent Republicans expected to run to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2026, a distant contest that is already churning up political conflict at the state and national level. They have positioned themselves differently in Congress: both as stern conservatives, but with Gaetz as a rebellious gadfly and Donalds as a more conventional hard-liner, a dynamic that helped shape the shutdown fight.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), who was acquitted last week in his historic impeachment trial in the state, took swipes at Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and kept the door open to a possible run for the senator’s seat in 2026, saying “everything’s on the table” at this point, The Hill reports.
“The idea that Rep. Matt Gaetz will run for Florida governor in 2026 has been the topic of several conversations in Tallahassee over the past few days, including during a reception Sunday night for the incoming speaker of the Florida House,” NBC News reports.
“Gaetz has long been considered on the shortlist of those who will try and seek the Republican nomination for governor, a field that is expected to be crowded because the incumbent, Ron DeSantis, will be facing term limits. DeSantis is currently running for president but would have two years remaining in the governor’s mansion if that run falls short.”
Said one GOP operative: “He’s 100 percent in. I think Gaetz is an instant frontrunner and from what I hear he’s already won the Trump primary.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) wouldn’t rule out challenging Gov. Brian Kemp (R) in a GOP primary for the U.S. Senate seat in 2026, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
Said Greene: “I haven’t made up my mind whether I will do that or not. I have a lot of things to think about. Am I going to be a part of President Trump’s Cabinet if he wins? Is it possible that I’ll be VP?”
Greene called serving as Trump’s running mate “an honor” and something she would consider “very, very heavily.”
Doug Mastriano (R) “is in the very early days of another run for governor in 2026, which raises the prospect of a rematch with Gov. Josh Shapiro, who soundly defeated him last year,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) is considering a primary challenge to top Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Politico reports.
“Graham isn’t up for reelection until 2026. But after he was booed by his own constituents at a Trump rally in South Carolina earlier this month, conservatives who have long distrusted him feel they may have an opening to take him out.”
“Many on the right have long viewed Graham as a centrist who embraces conservative values only when it’s politically convenient. The more isolationist wing of the party has grumbled about his steadfast support of Ukraine. And Trump allies — even Trump’s own inner circle and family — have complained that he has been disloyal at times.”
“Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is in Washington this week meeting with Senate Republican leaders — and creating a little buzz for Georgia’s next Senate race,” Politico reports.
“There’s no Senate race in Georgia this cycle, but there is one in 2026 — which just so happens to be when Kemp’s gubernatorial term expires. Kemp won his reelection campaign in 2022 by 7 points. Sen. Jon Ossoff will be up for reelection in 2026.”
“California Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis (D) on Monday launched her campaign to become the first woman governor of the nation’s most populous state, pushing out ahead of what’s expected to be a sprawling field in 2026,” Politico reports.
“Kounalakis will open a campaign committee for governor and immediately start raising money and building her nascent public profile for the distant election.”
Politico: “Several colleagues and those in Florida Republican circles anticipate Gaetz could run for governor of the Sunshine State in 2026 after Gov. Ron DeSantis leaves office. DeSantis is expected to run for the White House in 2024.”
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) “has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to create Hardworking Americans Inc., a federal PAC that will allow the Republican to boost his national profile,” Axios reports.
“Kemp’s unique success defeating a Trump-backed opponent in a primary and a Democrat in a key battleground has made him something of a case study for Republicans. It’s also paved the way for speculation about his future national ambitions.”
“The new PAC could set Kemp up for a federal run, including for U.S. Senate. Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) will be defending his seat in 2026, the same year Kemp’s gubernatorial term will end.”
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”
— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”
“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”
— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report
“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”
— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report
“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”
— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia
“Political Wire is a great, great site.”
— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”
“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”
— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post
“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”
— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit
“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”
— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.