INSANE: 25 | Vintage Vibes

State legislative incumbents are retiring at a lower rate, facing primaries at a higher rate in 2026

Welcome to the Monday, June 22, 2026, Brew.

Ballotpedia · Jun 22

Vermont enacts vote denial prohibition, campaign finance changes in 2026 session

The Vermont General Assembly adjourned its 2026 regular session on May 29 after passing one election-related bill, which Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed on June 8.

Ballotpedia · Jun 20

Three statewide candidate filing deadlines in the next two weeks

As we approach the longest day of the year on June 21, candidates and voters in multiple states have election-related deadlines to be aware of as the 2026 election cycle continues.

Ballotpedia · Jun 19

White House issues executive order implementing Schedule Policy/Career

Highlights from this edition of Checks and Balances include an executive order implementing a new job classification for about 8,000 federal workers, and a gubernatorial lawsuit in Kentucky against the state Senate and several cabinet officials.

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

California voters will decide on dueling initiatives backed by Uber and trial attorneys in November

Two initiatives, with rideshare companies and trial attorneys taking opposing sides of the campaigns, qualified for the November ballot in California on June 17.

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

Democrats have the second-highest generic ballot lead in May of any midterm year

The Democratic Party led the generic congressional ballot by 7.6 points at the end of May, according to RealClearPolitics. Since the start of the second Trump Administration, the highest Democratic lead recorded by RCP was on May 28, 2026, when Democrats led Republicans 49% to 41%, an eight-point margin.

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

California billionaire’s tax qualifies for the November ballot; competing measures pending signature verification

California voters are set to decide on a one-time 5% tax on the net worth of the state’s billionaires in November. The secretary of state reported on June 17 that at least 980,438 of the more than 1.6 million signatures filed were valid, qualifying the ballot initiative.

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

Robert White wins Democratic primary in race to succeed 18-term U.S. House incumbent in Washington, D.C.

Robert White defeated Trent Holbrook, Greg Jaczko, Brooke Pinto, and Kinney Zalesne in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C., on June 16, 2026. White, Pinto, and Zalesne led in polling and campaign fundraising ahead of the election.

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

Incumbent Karen Bass to face Nithya Raman in L.A. mayoral runoff, a first for an incumbent since 2005

Incumbent Karen Bass and Nithya Raman are running in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Los Angeles, California, on Nov. 3, 2026. In the June 2 primary, neither received more than the 50% of the vote required to win the election outright. Bass is the first incumbent to face…

Ballotpedia · Jun 18

U.S. Treasury previews guidance for federal Education Freedom Tax Credit scholarship program

On June 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a preview of the forthcoming guidance implementing the Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) scholarship program, which is set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. President Donald Trump (R) enacted the tax credit as part of the One Big Beautiful…

Ballotpedia · Jun 18