Vue lecture

Michael Whatley, R.N.C. Chairman, to Run for Senate in North Carolina

His entry will pave the way for a marquee contest in 2026, with former Gov. Roy Cooper planning to seek the Democratic nomination.

© Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

President Trump has long spoken favorably of Michael Whatley, a Republican operative he chose to lead the Republican National Committee last year.
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Roy Cooper to Enter North Carolina Senate Race, Lifting Democrats

The campaign for the open seat will be one of the biggest of 2026, after the incumbent Republican, Senator Thom Tillis, announced his retirement.

© Allison Joyce/Getty Images

Roy Cooper is poised to join the Senate race in North Carolina, with an announcement expected in the coming days, an aide said.
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Democrats’ 2024 Autopsy Is Described as Avoiding the Likeliest Cause of Death

An audit being conducted by the D.N.C. is not looking at Joe Biden’s decision to run or key decisions by Kamala Harris’s team, according to six people briefed on the report.

© Eric Lee/The New York Times

A Democratic audit of the 2024 election is said to be focusing less on the Biden and Harris campaign and more on how outside groups supported the effort.
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Democrats Broach Potential Walkout to Block Texas Redistricting

Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, told Texas Democrats on a call on Tuesday that the moment required everyone to take extraordinary actions.

© Desiree Rios for The New York Times

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas had called for the 30-day special session to begin later this month to include the redrawing of the state’s political maps, along with potential legislation to address the deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country.
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Democrats Are Workshopping New Tactics After Losses of 2024

Among the ideas being promoted: knocking on every single door in a House district and awarding cash prizes for the most effective new ways to reach voters.

© Kristian Thacker for The New York Times

Door knocking — both where to do it and whether it is still effective in a digital age — is being studied by Democratic strategists to identify what went wrong in 2024.
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Abbott Asks Lawmakers to Redraw Texas’ Congressional Maps in Special Session

Democrats criticized Gov. Greg Abbott for seeking a redistricting, favored by President Trump’s political team, just days after devastating floods in Texas.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times

Gov. Greg Abbott added redistricting to a special session set to start later this month. The session was already going to consider new legislation to improve how the state prepares for floods.
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