US House Of Representatives

More Turnover In Congress As Lawmakers Choose To Leave!

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With the Midterm Elections 2026 about eight months away, there is more massive turnover than has been seen in the past.

Out of the 535 members of Congress in both houses, an amazing total of 68, about one of every eight members, are choosing to leave.

In the US Senate, eight members are retiring, while four others are running to be their states’ governors. Four Democrats and four Republicans are leaving for retirement, while two Democrats and two Republicans are running for governor.

In the House of Representatives, 50 members are leaving, with retirements being 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans for a total of 23, while 27 others (8 Democrats and 19 Republicans) are running for Governor or Senator).

Many of those retiring are leaving due to their ages, but others because of disillusionment as to what Congress can accomplish in a divided nation, which is more so than since the 1960s.

As State Of The Union Address Occurs, Donald Trump’s Ratings Are Rapidly In Decline!

Ronald 65 Comments

President Donald Trump is about to give his State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress this Tuesday, February 24, just as public opinion ratings demonstrate that he is rapidly declining in support among many voter groups.

As it is, his ratings have been, depending on the poll, as low as 36 percent positive, and at best 40 percent.

The issues of the economy (Affordability), the Epstein Files Scandal, the horrors of ICE, the Health Care cuts, and now, the Supreme Court rejection of his tariffs, are all weighing on him, as he lashes out at his critics, and has personally attacked the Justices who rejected his tariffs, particularly two of his own appointments—Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—along with Chief Justice John Roberts.

Also, Trump’s aggressive foreign policy is also alienating many voters, and his unstable rants and attacks on his critics alarm many Americans.

Various groups that made the mistake to support him in the Presidential Election of 2024 are turning strongly against him.

This includes:

White Women
Latinos
Working Class Non White Voters
Young Men
College Educated Suburban Voters

The strong Democratic gains in the off year elections in November 2025, and the gaining of seats in state legislatures and other offices in areas traditionally Republican in special elections, is also an alarm bell in the night for the upcoming Midterm Elections of 2026.

Even with mid decade redistricting occurring in Texas and elsewhere at Donald Trump’s insistence, the likelihood of Democrats taking back the House of Representatives majority, and even having a growing possibility of regaining the Senate majority, is seen as strong.

We are seeing Americans alarmed at the threat of interference by the Trump Administration on the issue of the right to vote, and attempts to restrict those who can vote.

This includes the fear that ICE might have agents at voting locations, which would be a massive threat designed to intimidate voters.

Speculation Begins On Potential Democratic Presidential Contenders

Ronald 6 Comments

It is nine months until the Midterm Elections of 2026 for Congress, and state and local government.

But already, speculation has begun on who might run for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2028, and the list is long, and not just the usual speculated candidates.

Among those assumed to be likely to run are, in no special order:

Former Vice President Kamala Harris
California Governor Gavin Newsom
New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

But beyond these much speculated potential candidates, there is a much longer list of others, in no special order:

Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy
Maryland Governor Wes Moore
Former Chicago Mayor and Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel
California Congressman Ro Khanna
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff
Maryland Congressman Jamie Raskin
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego
Billionaire Entrepreneur Mark Cuban
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin
Hawaii Governor Josh Green
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock
Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen
Comedian and Political Commentator Jon Stewart
Colorado Governor Jared Polis
California Senator Adam Schiff

So the total potential list is at least 25 candidates, and who knows, if someone not on this list joins the fray!

There are 8 Governors on the list; 9 US Senators; 3 House members; two former Mayors and Cabinet members or Ambassadors; two outside government leaders; and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

And the list is extremely diverse in nature, including:

4 Women
6 White Male Christian
2 Latinos
4 African Americans
1 Hindu
11 Jews
2 Gays
2 Outside of Government

Kentucky Becomes A “Wild Card” In Opposition To Donald Trump

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Who would think that the state of Kentucky, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, would become a “Wild Card” in opposition to Donald Trump’s agenda in various ways?

This is the state of Senator Rand Paul, a well known libertarian, who has expressed strong disagreement with Donald Trump’s agenda in a number of ways.

It is the state of Congressman Thomas Massie, who has become a thorn in the side of Trump on a number of issues, most notably on exposing the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

It is the state of former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has done such damage in so many ways, but now in his last years in the Senate, has become an open critic of Trump on a number of matters.

And it is the state of Democratic Governor Andy Beshear, who has managed to keep the Governorship for two terms, and has shown courage and principle in fighting the dominant Republican Party in his state.

Texas Senate Primary On March 3 A Crucial Moment For Both Political Parties

Ronald 8 Comments

What may be the most crucial Senate race of all in 2026 is the Texas race, where Republican Senator John Cornyn is being seriously challenged by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and African American Congressman Wesley Hunt; and where Democratic African American Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett is being challenged by Texas State Representative James Talarico, with the upcoming primary to be on March 3, less than a month from today, and if a runoff is needed, on May 26.

Cornyn has been in the Senate since 2002, and is now 74 years old, and has held leadership positions in the Senate, including Senate Republican Whip from 2013-2019. Not considered “Conservative Enough”, he is facing a tough intraparty battle with Ken Paxton, embattled and hardline MAGA conservative often praised by President Donald Trump, although so far, Trump has remained neutral in this intraparty battle.

Paxton has been shown to be corrupt in his dealings and rhetoric, and was impeached by the Texas House Republicans, although found not guilty by the Texas Senate Republicans. He is considered highly corrupt and outrageous in utterances, and also was revealed to be cheating on his wife, who now has filed for divorce.

Congressman Wesley Hunt, 20 years younger than Paxton, and thirty years younger than Cornyn, is a “wild card” in the primary race. A military veteran who graduated from West Point (the US Military Academy), and remained in the military for eight years, he would represent a modernization of the Republican Party in Texas, and could help decide whether Cornyn or Paxton win the nomination, and with an outside chance with three candidates, that he could pull off an upset. If no candidate gains a majority in the primary, there will be a runoff.

A major “revolution” in Texas Republican politics would be if, somehow, Hunt could win over both Cornyn and Paxton, and even more so, if he faced Jasmine Crockett, making for two young African American politicians with vastly different viewpoints as the finalists in the Senate race. However, if Texas State Representative James Talarico, who is only 36, was to run against Hunt, that would also be a major “revolution” in Texas politics.

The “youth” movement would be served by Hunt and Crockett, both born in 1981, and Talarico, born in 1989, rather than the old, stodgy leadership of Cornyn, or the corrupt leadership of Paxton.

The thought at the moment is that if Paxton wins the Republican nomination, it would make it easier for Crockett or Talarico to win the Senate seat, while if Cornyn won the nomination, he would have an edge over either of them.

But Talarico has done well in public opinion polls, and could be the most exciting Senate candidate of the 2026 Senate cycle, if he can triumph over Crockett.

If either Crockett or Talarico can win the Senate race, it would be a sign of a likely takeover of the Senate majority by the Democratic party.

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul Courageously Critical Of Trump Domestic And Foreign Policies

Ronald 3 Comments

Anyone who has read my blog over the past 17 plus year since August 2008 know I am not a fan of Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul.

His father, former Congressman Ron Paul, was also not someone I would endorse.

Both Pauls were and are “libertarians”, which is a viewpoint I totally disagree with on principle.

When Rand Paul contended for the Presidency in 2016, it was made clear by this author and blogger that the thought of him in the White House was horrifying.

However, in the present, Rand Paul has taken stands that this author and blogger can agree with.

Paul has been a critic of the invasion and overthrow of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, particularly in regard to the Trump Administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio not informing Congress under the War Powers Act of 1973.

Also, Paul has been a critic of the tactics and actions of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), and has been concerned about the damage to civil liberties and the Bill of Rights. He is calling for testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, for which he is the Chairman, by the heads of ICE and Customs and Border Protection, in February, in the light of the murder of Alex Pretti and Rene Good in Minneapolis in January.

Paul has been willing to go against Donald Trump openly, more than almost any other Republican Senator, except for Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and soon retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis.

So as a Senator with true beliefs, and an element of courage, it is appropriate that Rand Paul be saluted for behaving in a proper, principled manner on these issues, while this author and blogger reserves the right to be critical of Paul on other matters.

Amy Klobuchar Becomes 4th Sitting Senator In 2026 Running For Governor Of Their States

Ronald 1 Comment

The announcement by Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar that she is running for Governor, makes her the fourth sitting US Senator who is choosing, if the voters agree, to transfer from the legislative branch to being Chief Executive of their state governments.

The other three sitting Senators taking the same path are:

Michael Bennet (D) Colorado
Marsha Blackburn (R) Tennessee
Tommy Tuberville (R) Alabama

Klobuchar has been in the Senate since 2007, and if she were to fail to win the election this fall, she would keep her seat in the Senate, secure until 2030. She is a national figure, due to her run for the Presidency in 2020. The odds are heavy in her favor to win the Governorship of a state strongly “Blue”, and to succeed Tim Walz.

Michael Bennet has been in the Senate since 2009, and would keep his seat until 2028 if he lost the Governorship, but is heavily favored to win what is a largely “Blue” state. He also was a Presidential contender in 2020.

Marsha Blackburn has been in the Senate since 2019, and would keep her seat until 2030 were she to lose the Governorship race, which is unlikely. She also served in the House of Representatives from 2003-2019.

Tommy Tuberville has been in the Senate since 2021, and his former football coach background insures that he will, very likely, win the Alabama Governorship, just as his one Senate term ends in 2026.

With the likelihood that all four Senators will win their state Governorship election, and adding the nine Senators who are retiring from the Senate at the end of 2026, that means at least 13 Senators will be newly elected this November.

This does not include the contended Senate seats, which could bring about up to another 4-8 newly elected Senators.

So we are witnessing what could be one out of every five Senators being new to the body, and as it is now, at least one of every eight!

There have been, historically, 2,018 Senators, and after these meidterm elections, they will be greater than 2,030 in number!

Many Members Of Congress Seeking State Governorships!

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The number of members of Congress seeking nomination and election as state governors in the Midterm Elections of 2026 is a revelation of their disillusionment with being members of either branch of Congress.

Among those trying to be nominated and elected as governors are the following.

US Senate to Governor (3)

Tommy Tuberville, Alabama (R)
Michael Bennet, Colorado (D)
Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee (R)

US House Of Representatives to Governor (12)

Andy Biggs, Arizona (R)
Katie Porter, California (D)–former
Eric Swalwell, California (D)
David Jolly, Florida (D)–former
Byron Donalds, Florida (R)
John James, Michigan (R)
Deb Haaland, New Mexico (D)–former
Nancy Mace, South Carolina (R)
Ralph Norman, South Carolina (R)
Dusty Johnson, South Dakota (R)
John Rose, Tennessee (R)
Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin (R)

Of these 15 members or former members of Congress, at this point, the odds would be that eight will become Governors, including all three Senators:

Tommy Tuberville, Alabama
Michael Bennet, Colorado
Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee

and five House members or former:

Eric Swalwell, California
Byron Donalds, Florida
Deb Haaland, New Mexico
Nancy Mace, South Carolina
Dusty Johnson, South Dakota

On Tragic Anniversary Of Second Trump Inauguration, Three Republicans Share The Greatest Blame And Responsibility For Unhinged Donald Trump!

Ronald 4 Comments

On the tragic Anniversary of the Second Trump Inauguration, three Republicans share the greatest blame and responsibility for the unhinged Donald Trump and his authoritarian bent.

As leaders of the legislative and judicial branches, they had the responsibility to protect American democracy, the US Constitution, and the rule of law, which they have totally failed at doing.

This is referring to

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts

One might claim that no one could expect them to control their party members in both chambers, and the other Supreme Court Justices.

But this author and blogger vehemently disagrees.

The two legislators were more interested in protecting their own positions than doing what was right, refuse to support and endorse the horrors perpetrated by Donald Trump and his Cabinet in the past year.

And Chief Justice Roberts could have worked with the three Democratic members of the Supreme Court, and with Trump appointees Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh to insure judicial intervention to curb Trump’s authoritarian bent.

So Johnson, Thune, and Roberts are NOT Profiles in Courage, but rather Betrayers of their oaths of office, and their names and reputations in history long term will be that they were villains, enemies of American democracy!

They have solidified their negative stain on history, which will never be overcome, as they should be perceived as Traitors!

Four Potential Senate Gains For Democrats In 2026

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Beyond Alaska and Maine, and long odds Iowa, there are four other Republican Senate seats that are in play in the Midterm Elections of 2026.

Nebraska has Republican Pete Ricketts, former two term Governor, and part owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, running for a full term, after succeeding the retired Senator Ben Sasse in 2023. Ricketts has a conservative record, and will NOT have a Democratic opponent, but interestingly, he will have an Independent opponent, Dan Osborn, who polled well against Senator Deb Fischer in 2024, losing by only 6 points, amazing result, with no formal backing by Democrats.

A former labor union leader and US Navy veteran, he is running again with a populist platform, appealing to the middle and working class, and he is seen as intriguing, with a possible chance to win.

North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis is not seeking reelection, and former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper is the favorite to win the seat over Republican Michael Whatley, former North Carolina Republican Chairman, and also Republican National Chairman in 2024-2025.

Cooper was an exceptional governor in a state where the opposition Republicans often controlled the legislature, but he gained a reputation for principled leadership, and had a background as four term State Attorney General before his two terms as Governor. There is real optimism that Cooper can swing this state to the Democratic camp, with Cooper ahead in public opinion polls.

Ohio also is a state that Democrats are optimistic will swing their way in the Senate race, with former Senator Sherrod Brown, who served three terms, but lost his seat in 2024, trying for a comeback against appointed Senator Jon Husted, former Lieutenant Governor, who replaced Vice President JD Vance, when he was elected Vice President to Donald Trump in the Presidential Election of 2024.

Brown was considered one of the most liberal members of the Senate, and earlier had served in the House of Representatives and in the state legislature. Husted has been strongly conservative, and served as Secretary of State of Ohio before becoming Lieutenant Governor. It will be a tough race, but Democrats are hopeful that Brown can return to the Senate in the upcoming election. Polls indicate a very close race between Brown and Husted.

Finally, the crucial state of Texas, strongly Republican in recent decades, but having a three way primary in the Republican Party, of incumbent Senator John Cornyn, State Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Congressman Wesley Hunt.

Cornyn has been in the Senate for four terms, but is facing a serious challenge from the controversial and crooked Paxton, and African American Congressman Hunt. Cornyn has more support from the party and funding, but Paxton in particular could possibly upend the race, although his corruption is a significant issue, as he was impeached, although not convicted by the Texas legislature. Polls show an extremely close race for the nomination, with African American Congressman Hunt seen as a wild card.

The Democrats have an even more exciting race of outspoken African American Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, and State Representative James Talarico. Either candidate would be an exciting addition to the Senate, with Crockett more controversial and outspoken, while Talarico brings a soothing brand of noncontroversial Christianity and idealism to the race. Talarico would be the youngest US Senator if he won the seat. There is something very inspiring to this author and blogger about Talarico, particularly.

There will be plenty of “fireworks” in Texas, with the state primaries coming in March. And were Crockett or Talarico to win the seat in November, almost certainly, the Senate would become a Democratic majority for the 120th Congress (2027-2029).