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RandySF's JournalMayoral candidates build war chests for election next summer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With about 10 months to go until their primary, the two major Republican candidates for Knox County mayor are stockpiling cash.
Knox County Commissioner Larsen Jay has raised the most so far -- about $542,000 compared with Knox County Board of Education member Betsy Henderson's almost $82,000, according to disclosure records filed this month that are current through June 30.
They are set to face each other in the May 5, 2026, primary. Whoever takes the GOP primary will run against whichever Democrat emerges to run.
Jay put his name out there last year. Henderson announced her plans to run in May. Mayor Glenn Jacobs is term-limited.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/mayoral-candidates-build-war-chests-election-next-summer/51-8ea3acf9-b41a-46be-bb35-87e6c45e01b3
MN-HD24B: 4 candidates file to run in special election for vacant Minnesota House seat
At 5 p.m. Tuesday, the window closed for candidates to file to run in the special election for Minnesota House District 34B, left vacant after the assassination of former Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman.
Three Democrats and one Republican have filed to run. The Democrats that filed by the deadline for the special election are Hennepin County prosecutor Erickson Saye, a Liberian-American, former Brooklyn Park City Council Member XP Lee who served until last year representing the East District and current Brooklyn Park City Council Member Christian Eriksen who represents the Central District.
The only Republican that filed is Ruth Bittner.
A special primary election will be held on August 12 to determine the Democratic party nominee since more than one filed to run. Whoever wins that primary will face Bittner at a special election that will be held on September 16.
https://mshale.com/2025/07/22/4-candidates-file-to-run-in-special-election-for-vacant-minnesota-house-seat/
Bridgeport's Castillo backed for re-election despite facing criminal charges for election violations
Bridgeport's Castillo backed for re-election despite facing criminal charges for election violations
Alfredo Castillo, first elected in 2013 to represent the Hollow neighborhood and some of the East Side, was backed by his district representatives on the Bridgeport Democratic Town Committee at Tuesday's convention in the downtown government center.
Castillo was arrested in June 2024 and again in February 2025 for alleged misuse of absentee or mail-in ballots in, respectively, the 2019 and 2023 elections during which he backed incumbent Mayor Joe Ganim. He has pleaded not guilty to all 22 counts and his next pre-trial court date is Aug. 13.
Despite those pending criminal cases Castillo's re-election candidacy was quickly endorsed Tuesday with no debate. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/bridgeport-ct-castillo-election-city-council-20778595.php
MI-SD35: Candidates enter race for Michigan's open 35th District Seat before special election is called
MID-MICHIGAN, Mich. (WJRT) - It's been about 200 days since Kristin McDonald Rivet vacated her senate seat in mid-Michigan's 35th District.
And the seat has still not been filled -- leaving 270,000 mid-Michiganders without representation.
However, there's optimism as a few people have thrown their names in the hat to run for the seat, which could lead to a special election.
President of the State Board of Education Pamela Pugh and former Bridgeport Township trustee Brandell Adams, both Democrats, have filed paperwork to run, starting their campaigns.
https://www.abc12.com/news/candidates-enter-race-for-michigans-open-35th-district-seat-before-special-election-is-called/article_e400adcb-3032-4644-9741-c1406382c3fc.html
Monday begins early in-person voting for Primary election
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Monday is the first day you can vote early in this year’s Primary election.
If you want to vote early, you’ll have to stop by the election office at 510 Main Street before July 31, when satellite voting sites open.
If you requested a mail-in ballot, make sure to return it to a polling place or drop it in the mail by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 5.
There’s expected to be a low turnout this year because it’s a non-partisan election. Historically, there’s about a 6 percent to 10 percent turnout.
https://www.kwch.com/2025/07/21/monday-begins-early-in-person-voting-primary-election/
State Dem Party through federal account outraises state GOP by more than $136K in June
he state Dem Party outraised the state GOP by more than $136,000 in June through its federal account.
Dems reported $374,369 raised, while the Republican Party reported $237,906 in June, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
In May, Dems outraised Republicans by $258,627. Republicans reported raising $157,307, while Dems reported receiving $415,934 that month.
In the June report, the state GOP noted transfers from U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil’s joint fundraising committee from both Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler, with each giving $10,000. The billionaire twins are known for their investment in cryptocurrency and a lawsuit against Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook. They also donated a combined $1 million to GOP governor candidate Bill Berrien’s PAC in the two months after it launched.
https://www.wispolitics.com/2025/state-dem-party-through-federal-account-outraises-state-gop-by-more-than-136k-in-june/
MI-AG: Eaton County prosecutor, a Republican, announces run for Michigan attorney general
Lansing — Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd announced Tuesday that he is running for the Republican nomination for state attorney general.
Lloyd, who has served as the county prosecutor since 2013, is the third county prosecutor to enter the race and the second Republican candidate to have announced his intention to run.
"Michigan deserves an attorney general focused on law and justice," Lloyd said in a statement announcing his candidacy. "We’ve had eight years of a politically motivated attorney general, and every single Democrat in the race is in her mold."
Lloyd, who lives with his wife, Mina, in Delta Township, has two sons. He is a past president of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan and served on the state Drug Treatment Court Advisory Committee.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/22/eaton-county-prosecutor-announces-run-for-michigan-attorney-general/85331511007/
VA-05: Democrat Mike Pruitt.Announces Candidacy
VA05 is a tough district for Democrats – Trump won it by 12.2 points in 2024, Hung Cao actually beat Tim Kaine there by 9.9 points, and insurrectionist/far-right-extremist John McGuire won the US House race by 15 points. Which is why Larry Sabato’s “Crystal Ball” has VA05 as “Safe Republican.”
However…with all that said, I’d make a few points: 1) with a Republican in the White House, and a VERY unpopular one at that, it’s quite possible that the midterm elections next year – assuming they’re free and fair of course – will be a “blue wave” or even a “blue tsunami,” like in 2018; 2) John McGuire is truly a horrible Congressman; as extreme as they come, and completely incompetent in terms of actually representing the district…and hopefully at least *some* Republican voters and certainly independents in VA05 see that (?); 3) it’s possible that former Rep. Bob Good (R) could run, possibly under the “America Party” banner or as an independent, which could draw support from McGuire; 4) Democrats obviously need a strong candidate with roots in the district who also runs a top-notch campaign.
So that’s definitely the type of background that might appeal to voters. The question, of course, is whether it might appeal to ENOUGH voters in a solid-red district like VA05, along with a “blue wave” and possibly a Bob Good candidacy, to propel someone like Mike Pruitt to victory. First, of course, he’ll have to win the nomination; we’ll see if other Democrats throw their hats in the ring for this. But whoever the Democratic nominee ends up being, whether Mike Pruitt or someone else, I strongly encourage them to speak very loudly, clearly and plainly about your vision, of course, but also about why John McGuire is a *disaster* and a *disgrace* to the district – and why it’s absolutely time for better leadership!
https://bluevirginia.us/2025/07/democrat-mike-pruitt-navy-veteran-civil-rights-lawyer-who-grew-up-in-a-blue-collar-family-in-a-rural-corner-of-the-blue-ridge-announces-candidacy-for-va05/
PA-GOV: Sen. Mastriano (R) teases gubernatorial run as GOP leaders question how serious he is
Doug Mastriano is getting a lot of social media mileage by teasing another run for governor. Whether he’ll actually do it remains to be seen.
Mastriano — the Republican state senator who represents Franklin and Adams counties — has been playing into speculation about whether he’ll seek the GOP nomination to run against Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2026, potentially setting up a rematch of the 2022 gubernatorial race. Mastriano lost to Shapiro in 2022 by a relatively wide margin.
In recent days, Mastriano even polled his followers about which design of “Doug Mastriano for Governor” logo they preferred and has been posting a series of what appear to be AI-generated images of people from the 1930s chalking “Doug 4 Gov” onto brick walls.
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/07/sen-mastriano-teases-gubernatorial-run-as-gop-leaders-question-how-serious-he-is.html
TN-05: Columbia mayor weighs run as Democrat in 5th Congressional District
Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder confirmed this week he is “strongly considering” entering the 5th Congressional District race as a Democrat, potentially setting up a 2026 race with Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles.
If he enters the contest, Molder would join Metro Council member Mike Cortese, who has announced his candidacy and filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, adjunct professor Joyce Neal and healthcare executive Jim Torino in a Democratic primary. Political activist Maryam Abolfazli, who lost to Ogles in 2024, has made overtures about running again.
“We deserve a congressman who wants to go to Washington to make local headlines for the right reasons, instead of attempting to make national headlines for the wrong reasons,” Molder said in a statement to the Lookout. “Our current congressman’s latest antics of attacking Belmont University are disturbing, and are becoming too familiar to all of us in the 5th Congressional District. For these reasons, I can confirm I am strongly considering this race – not because of encouragement from outsiders, but because of encouragement from those who live inside the district.”
Molder’s statement references Ogles’ call for a U.S. Department of Education investigation of Belmont University and cut in the school’s federal funding for allegedly renaming a diversity, equity and inclusion program as “Hope, Unity and Belonging” to keep it intact, despite a federal law and executive order requiring DEI programs to be eliminated.
https://tennesseelookout.com/2025/07/22/columbia-mayor-weighs-run-as-democrat-in-5th-congressional-district/
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