The 2026 midterms are becoming a watershed election for primary meddling, mysterious super PACs, alleged straw candidates and all other manner of political shenanigans. Why it matters: With the number of battleground House districts diminished by redistricting and the fight for the Senate extremely tight, each one of these schemes could have an outsized impact on control of Congress. Green Party spoilers: Democrats are accusing the Green Party nominee in Pennsylvania's 7th District of trying to aid Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Pa.) by siphoning progressive votes from Democrat Bob Brooks. - The Pennsylvania Green Party and a group of 7th District voters are both suing to get the third-party candidate, Andrew Tupone, off the ballot. - The…
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC ) is employing an unusual tactic to blunt what they say is Republican meddling in their primaries: - They have teamed up with the candidates they see as the "strongest" in key battleground districts, launching joint ad buys to squeeze out their Democratic primary opponents. Why it matters: This practice has infuriated parts of the party, particularly the progressive wing. - "If DCCC were a good judge of electability, then we wouldn't be in the mess we're in," said Ravi Mangla, a spokesperson for the progressive Working Families Party, in a statement to Axios. - DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton said in a statement that "the stakes are incredibly high for the midterms" and it is…
Mr. Brooks will face Representative Ryan Mackenzie, a Republican, in the fall. He earned endorsements from across his party, including Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania.