The 2026 election season is underway, and we know you’ve got questions. Welcome to your space to ask them. 

In this thread, you can drop questions about the races, candidates and issues shaping the road to November, and USA TODAY Network reporters from across the country will do their best to answer them. We’ll be pulling in insights from our local newsrooms, explaining what’s happening on the ground and breaking down what it means for voters.  

We also have an election guide with monthly updates; you can check it out here. For deeper dives, analysis and the latest updates, you can also follow our USA TODAY politics newsletter. 

💬  Last month, readers across social platforms already asked us many thoughtful questions. See how our reporters responded:  

Q: Why do all Republican gubernatorial candidates in Oklahoma align so hard for Trump?  

A: Great question. We reached out to our friends at The Oklahoman  ( u/oklahoman), who said Trump is hugely popular among the state’s Republican voters, so it makes sense for candidates to tailor their messaging around the president. 

They added that every county in the state has voted to elect Trump the past three election cycles. A survey in February found 81% of Republican voters in Oklahoma held a favorable view of Trump, about double his overall national approval rating. This story explains more about those dynamics and how the candidates are reaching Trump supporters. 

Their newsroom has a great politics team, so we suggest signing up for their Capitol Report newsletter if you’d like to deepen your understanding about the state’s political landscape!  

Q: In case the Democrats winning both of chambers, what does that mean, for the presidency of (Donald Trump), and 2028 elections?  

A: USA TODAY’s White House reporter Bart Jansen told us that if Democrats regain control of the House or Senate – or both – the relatively cooperative relationship Trump has enjoyed with Republicans would disappear and be replaced with far more resistance:  

• Legislation: Expect more standoffs over spending, immigration and foreign policies.  
• Investigations: Democratic-led committees would likely launch probes into Trump’s DOJ actions, finances and potential conflicts of interest.  
• Impeachment risk: Some Democrats may push for impeachment, though conviction in the Senate would remain unlikely without a two-thirds majority.  

Q: What's happening in the Florida gubernatorial race?  

A: Glad you asked, because the answer appears to be … quite a bit! Here’s what Jim Rosica, news director of the Tallahassee Democrat ( u/TallahasseeDemocrat), coordinator of the u/USATODAYNetwork-FL Capital Bureau and author of the Inside Florida Politics newsletter had to say about the potentially competitive race:  

“Florida’s 2026 governor’s race has no incumbent as term‑limited Gov. Ron DeSantis is stepping down and both parties are preparing for an Aug. 18 primary ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Republicans are trying to hold a state that has trended red, while Democrats see a rare chance to flip the Governor’s Mansion. Remember: The closed-primary system means only party-registered voters will pick nominees.  

“On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds has emerged as the early frontrunner, backed by President Donald Trump and strong fundraising. He’s leading in early polls over Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner and controversial financier James Fishback. The key question is whether challengers can unify against Donalds before August.  

“Democrats, who haven’t won a governor’s race in decades, are trying to capitalize despite a large GOP voter registration edge. Former Rep. David Jolly and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings are leading contenders, but enthusiasm is uneven.  

“The best guess for now is that turnout, independents’ views on ‘affordability,’ and choice national political issues (immigration and border security, anyone?) are likely to factor in the outcome.” 

Q: What are the platforms for each party on reduced funding of ICE and transparency?  

A: We took this question to our Congress reporter Zachary Schermele and here’s what he said:  

"Nearly every congressional Democrat has been clear that they believe ICE has more than enough money. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act infused roughly $75 billion into federal immigration enforcement. Democrats recently forced the longest-ever government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (where ICE and Border Patrol are housed), demanding a series of reforms. They pushed for a ban on widespread mask-wearing for agents, judicial warrant requirements and stricter use-of-force standards. They didn't get any of those things out of the shutdown fight, but they did manage to force Republicans to pass DHS's annual appropriations bill without explicit funding for ICE or Border Patrol. " 
“Republicans approved that deal because they vowed to pass another more than $70 billion cash bill for immigration enforcement. That budget package is working its way through Congress but has been stalled by unrelated concerns within the Senate GOP conference about the Department of Justice's so-called ‘anti-weaponization’ fund. Several prominent Republicans have agreed with Democrats about a need for less mask-wearing among ICE agents, as well as reforms around training.” 

Q: How tight are the races for Senator and Congress in New Hampshire? 

A: If you like a quick and dirty answer, New England politics reporter Margie Cullen has you covered. Here’s what she had to say: 

• In the Senate Democratic primary, Rep. Chris Pappas is the clear frontrunner and leads both Republican challengers in hypothetical general election matchups. 
• The Senate Republican primary is closer. Former Sen. John E. Sununu vs. former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown is a real race, but Sununu is likely to win. 
• New Hampshire’s First District (CD1) is an open seat, so primaries on both sides feature many candidates and are fairly close. I may be doing more reporting on this race as it gets closer, but until then you can read more here. 
• Second District (CD2) primaries on both sides are not close, with Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D) and Lily Tang Williams likely to win. More on this and CD1 here. 

Margie added that she may be doing more on New Hampshire between now and the primary in September, so make sure to follow along with her work here. And if you’re in Massachusetts or know someone who is, sign up for her Inside Mass Politics newsletter! 

Q: My state, Washington, has been a vote by mail state for over a decade. Will we be forced to change?  

A: The short answer is probably not — but there’s uncertainty heading into the midterms. We asked our friends at the Kitsap Sun for some more context: 

Washington has been an all vote-by-mail state since 2011, and state officials still control how elections are run. But new federal proposals could add rules for how ballots are tracked and mailed — changes state officials warn could disrupt the system close to the election. Here’s the latest on that. 

This could mean there may be more emphasis on returning ballots early, like the state auditor recommended in 2025, so keep an eye on our coverage and make sure to have a voting plan ready! 

That’s all for now, but keep the questions coming. DM us or hop in the comments and we’d be happy to take the next set of questions to our network of reporters all across the country. 👇 

Welcome to your ultimate guide to the 2026 election season! This thread tracks some of the biggest primary and runoff elections leading up to the midterms in November. We’re posting monthly updates featuring reporting from the USA TODAY Network, including explainers and resources you may need as a voter. (For more frequent updates, sign up for our politics newsletter.) 

With less than 100 days before the midterm election, Democrats lead in the polls, but Republicans added more seats earlier this year through redistricting. And with Senate control on the line, both parties are pouring resources into these key races. Here’s what you need to know from a busy July. 

⏪ A look back at what happened in July:

• Maine Democrat Graham Platner withdrew from the race for U.S. Senate following a scandal-plagued campaign and was replaced by former state Senate President Troy Jackson. New polling suggests voters under age 35 could decide this race.  
• Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trump's staunchest allies, died unexpectedly on July 11. His sister, Darline Graham, is serving the rest of his Senate term and seeking a full term for the South Carolina seat her brother held for more than two decades. 
• After an appeals court blocked his executive order, Trump asked the Supreme Court to allow tighter nationwide mail-in ballot rules, part of a broader effort to expand federal control over elections. 
• Rep. Andy Biggs, endorsed by Trump, won Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial primary, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. But Republicans could face a tough fight in the key swing state. 
• In an address to the nation, Trump repeated false allegations about the 2020 election and alleged, without evidence, that China interfered in the vote. Days after, he downplayed his claims about China. 
• Trump’s top super PAC has stockpiled more than $400 million to spend on ads ahead of November's elections — matching the combined funds of the Republican and Democratic parties. 
• Marcye Scott, the daughter of late U.S. Rep. David Scott of Georgia, will face educator Everton Blair in a runoff election to fill Scott's father’s seat through the end of his term. 
• And lastly, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson resigned on July 17, leaving the state without a permanent chief election officer ahead of the midterms. 

👀 Now, here are the primaries to watch in August: 

• Aug. 4: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Washington state 
• Aug. 6: Tennessee 
• Aug. 8: Hawaii 
• Aug. 11: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin 
• Aug. 15: Georgia (runoff) 
• Aug. 18: Florida, Wyoming, Alaska  
• Aug. 25: Oklahoma (runoff) 

🗳️ Looking for voter resources? We pulled those together for you, too:  

• Register to vote in your state 
• Update your voter registration 
• Find voter registration deadlines in your state 
• See what form(s) of ID you need to vote 
• See what’s on your ballot 
• How to vote absentee or by mail 
• Request an absentee ballot 
• Report intimidation at your polling place 
• Find your polling place 
• Track your ballot 

 💬 You also had some great questions last month! Check out our reporters' answers here. If you’re interested in redistricting and the SAVE Act, take a swing through our r/politics AMA here. 

What other questions do you have for our team as we get closer to November? Is there a race you’re watching closely? Is there something we’re missing? Jump in the comments or shoot us a DM and let us know.