2026 Election https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election 2026 Election en-US Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:39:52 GMT Sununu to Face Pappas in New Hampshire Senate Race https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/sununu-pappas-new-hampshire-primary-senate-race Associated Press The Republican and Democrat won their respective primaries to square off in November. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:39:52 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/sununu-pappas-new-hampshire-primary-senate-race Election 2026 Senate New Hampshire
Former Sen. John E. Sununu won the Republican primary to seek his old seat again. (Holly Ramer/AP)
By HOLLY RAMER and KATHY McCORMACK

CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire primary voters chose candidates for Congress, governor and the 424-seat state Legislature on Tuesday, and incumbents weren’t the only familiar names on the ballot.

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, a Republican, will face Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in November in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, whose decision to not seek reelection created a cascade of competitive races.

Two of the eight Republicans hoping to replace the three-term Democrat were former U.S. senators she previously defeated: Sununu and Scott Brown. Pappas, whose departure from his 1st Congressional District seat in turn attracted a crowd of candidates, defeated four candidates in the Democratic primary for the open Senate seat.

Shaheen’s daughter, Stefany Shaheen, was among those seeking the Democratic nomination for Pappas’ seat, along with former candidate Maura Sullivan. Several other candidates in top races also were making repeat appearances.

Anthony DiLorenzo won the Republican primary in the 1st District, while Lily Tang Williams won the GOP primary in the 2nd. She’ll face U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, a Democrat seeking a second term.

Ex-GOP senators sought a return to Congress, while House member wants promotion

Sununu, who spent six years in the U.S. House and one term in the Senate before being ousted by Shaheen in 2008, has this time focused on themes including affordability for housing, healthcare and energy, holding Congress accountable and constituent service.

“I’ve been out of politics for 17 years. I’m not worried about reelection,” he said during a campaign stop last month. “I don’t need an appointment or a job. I don’t need to make anyone happy. I need to do one thing: Stand up for the people of New Hampshire.”

Brown previously represented Massachusetts, where he won a special election in 2010 after the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy before losing in 2012. He unsuccessfully challenged Shaheen in 2014 and served as ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa during President Donald Trump’s first term.

In a July interview, he said he decided to run again because New Hampshire Republicans have no representation in Congress and because, in his view, his experience as a veteran, lawmaker, ambassador and grandfather is unmatched.

He accuses Sununu — whose father and younger brother are former governors — of coasting on his name. Sununu also has the backing of Trump, despite having called him “a loser” in 2024, but Brown said that will just make him beholden to the president and other special interests.

“I’m the only truly independent candidate here who can actually vote on anything with a clear conscience and with New Hampshire’s best interests at heart,” Brown said.

Jim Loomis, 83, of Bow, said he backed Brown in 2014 but not on Tuesday because “he never got traction back again.” He acknowledged Sununu had been out of politics for even longer but still voted for him.

“I think what he’s done for work over the years has kept him close enough to what’s going on, and then with his family ties, I just think he’s got a more stable base,” he said.

Pappas, who is giving up his House seat after four terms, raised twice as much money as Sununu and Brown combined and dwarfed his Democratic primary opponents, as well. He also enjoyed a wide lead in polls, though recently lost some ground to scientist and democratic socialist Karishma Manzur.

Kristin Selesnick, 41, of Bow, said Pappas was a “fine” candidate but she doesn’t like that he accepts money from super PACs and that he voted “present” on a measure to restrict weapons sales to Israel instead of voting no. She voted for Manzur.

“I just like her whole platform,” she said. “I think she would be a great voice for the Granite State.”

Open seat in 1st District attracts a crowd, while 2nd District was quieter

Stefany Shaheen and Sullivan were the leading candidates among seven seeking the Democratic nomination in the 1st District.

Shaheen is a former city councilor in Portsmouth. She founded a business to help people with chronic medical conditions after one of her daughters was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She also is part of a bio-tech initiative in New Hampshire to advance regenerative medicine.

Sullivan is a former Marine and Iraq War veteran who served as an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs under President Barack Obama. A vice chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, Sullivan ran for the 1st District seat in 2018, losing in an 11-candidate primary to Pappas in his first congressional bid.

On the Republican side, political newcomer DiLorenzo, who owns a chain of car dealerships and has been endorsed by Trump, won the Republican primary. He defeated three other candidates, including Hollie Noveletsky, a veteran and nurse practitioner who runs a steel fabrication company and ran for the same seat two years ago.

In the 2nd District, first-term incumbent Goodlander overcame a primary challenge from Paige Beauchemin, a progressive state lawmaker and nurse. Tang Williams, who was the nominee two years ago and was making her third attempt at the seat, won the Republican primary.

Nominations for governor and down ballot races were also at stake

In contrast to the all-Democratic congressional delegation, Republicans dominate state government.

Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte defeated two little-known opponents in her primary as she seeks a second two-year term. Cinde Warmington, a healthcare attorney, was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Voters also were nominating candidates for the entire state Legislature, where Republicans hold a roughly 40-vote majority in the 400-member House and outnumber Democrats in the Senate 16-8.

Accustomed to going first when it comes to presidential primaries, New Hampshire is among the last states to hold state-level primary elections, leaving the winners just eight weeks to woo voters before Nov. 3. But legislation passed this year moves future state primaries to the second Tuesday in June.
]]> Prosecutor Says Man Accused of Charging Ohio Candidate Wanted to Ask Questions https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/prosecutor-charging-case-amy-acton-ohio Associated Press The man had weapons but never brandished them, authorities said. Wed, 09 Sep 2026 00:23:47 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/prosecutor-charging-case-amy-acton-ohio Election 2026 Ohio Governor
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was not harmed in Sunday's incident. (Jay LaPrete/AP)
By JOEY CAPPELLETTI and JAMIE STENGLE

CANFIELD, Ohio — An armed man accused of charging toward Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a campaign stop at a fair was trying to ask the Democrat questions, a prosecutor said during the man's arraignment Tuesday.

No one has publicly said what 38-year-old Patrick Havas wanted to ask Acton, but authorities have said he never brandished or unholstered the weapons he had on him and they haven't found any threats in a search of his cellphone. As he charged toward Acton, authorities said, he knocked down two people before troopers stopped him.

Havas pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of inducing panic. His bond was set at $5,000.

He was arrested after authorities said he knocked people down while forcing his way through a crowd Sunday as Acton spoke under a tent at the fair in Canfield in northeastern Ohio. Authorities said he had two handguns, a taser and a set of brass knuckles.

“He appeared in that tent wanting to ask questions,” Mahoning County Prosecutor Lynn Maro told the judge during the hearing. “You should know law enforcement gained consent for them to have complete access to his cellphone so they found no threats.”

Maro said after the hearing that the video Havas took shows him “walking into the tent recording and moving forward, calling out her name.” Acton, a physician, is the state’s former public health director.

“All he got out was Dr. Acton, Dr. Acton,” Maro said.

Maro said that the investigation is continuing, and noted the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for any video capturing what happened.

Acton’s security detail, made up of troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, intercepted Havas as he forced his way through the crowd, the agency has said. A highway patrol spokesman said they did not have any bodycam footage from the incident.

Two people were treated at the scene on Sunday and released, according to an incident report from the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office.

Mike Ray, a city councilman in Youngstown who is also a member of the Ohio Democratic Party’s executive committee, said he was in a corner behind Acton as she spoke. Then, he said, he could tell that something was going on among those in the crowd facing Acton, and he saw two people who were standing in front of their mobility scooters “tumble to the ground.”

Havas’ attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, said at the hearing that his client has lived with his mother in Canfield for the past 30 years and is not a flight risk.

“He really has nowhere to go,” said Ingram, who declined to make any comments after the hearing.

The Ohio gubernatorial race is one of the most high-profile races this year as the campaigns enter the final six weeks of campaigning before the election in November. Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul. Ramaswamy’s campaign called the incident unacceptable.

The judge on Tuesday ordered that Havas have no contact with Acton or the two people who were knocked down, and that he forfeit any guns. He was also ordered to refrain from speaking with the media.

Addie Bullock, spokesperson for the Acton campaign, said in a statement following the hearing that Acton and her husband were “grateful to see the rule of law upheld,” and extended their “continued appreciation to law enforcement.”

Former U.S. Rep. John Boccieri, a Democratic candidate for the Ohio House, said he was near Acton in the tent when Havas “came in very aggressively” with his cellphone in the air screaming Acton’s name while rushing toward her. He said officers quickly “sprang into action,” grabbed the man and pulled him out of the tent.

Boccieri said he immediately jumped forward to make sure Acton was OK, which she was. And, he said, she’d already started helping a man who was face down in the mud after being knocked down.

___

Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas.
]]> The Supreme Court Leaves Missouri's 2022 Congressional Map in Place https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/supreme-court-missouri-redistricting-map-decision Gavin J. Quinton At almost the same time, a federal judge in a separate lawsuit ordered state officials to keep using the newer map. Tue, 08 Sep 2026 22:25:40 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/supreme-court-missouri-redistricting-map-decision Supreme Court Trump Elections
The Supreme Court denied Missouri's emergency request. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
A legal fight over which map Missouri voters will use this November is creating its own convoluted twists and turns.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a bid from Missouri to use a redrawn congressional map for the 2026 elections that targeted a Democratic-held district.

Republicans had asked the justices to step in and halt a ruling from the state’s highest court, which would have voters choose their U.S. representatives from a map used in the 2022 elections.

The decision is a win for Democrats who had fought a Republican-led redistricting that split a Kansas City seat held by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. The old map yielded a state delegation with six Republicans and two Democrats.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who oversees emergency requests from the region, denied Missouri’s application without explanation.

But it may not be the final court action in the redistricting clash.

At almost the same time as the Supreme Court order, in a separate case brought by a member of Congress and others, a federal judge quickly halted the use of any map other than the one drawn this year by the Republican-controlled state Legislature for two weeks while litigation plays out.

“Using a different map for the general election would wreak havoc on the fairness and orderliness of Missouri’s congressional elections, calling into question the candidacy of those nominated in the primaries and the votes of those who voted in the primaries,” Stephen R. Clark, the chief judge of the U.S. Eastern District of Missouri, said in his decision.

“Widespread voter confusion would inevitably follow,” Clark added. “The public interest factor thus weighs in favor” of a preliminary injunction.

The order will remain in effect for two weeks while Clark considers whether to extend the use of the new map through November. His order acknowledged that Kavanaugh had just denied Missouri’s application.

That decision was immediately followed by an appeal to the U.S. 8th Circuit Court from the citizens group behind the original lawsuit over the maps

The Missouri dispute is part of a nationwide wave of mid-decade redistricting ordered up by President Donald Trump to aid Republicans in protecting their narrow House majority.

Democratic-led states responded with redistricting efforts of their own.

The back-and-forth over Missouri’s electoral map comes less than two months before Election Day, amid several late-breaking court fights over election procedures, including ongoing litigation over mail-voting rules.

This story has been updated with new developments.]]> DHS Asks the Supreme Court to Revive Overhauled Voter Database https://washingtonsun.com/courts/dhs-supreme-court-database Natalie Alms The filing contends a lower court ruling that blocked the inclusion of some data “threatens the integrity of upcoming elections.” Tue, 08 Sep 2026 18:55:36 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/courts/dhs-supreme-court-database DHS sign
Under the Trump administration, Department of Homeland Security has been overhauling the system to use it for voter verification.
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to allow it to use its overhauled citizenship verification system ahead of the midterm elections.

In an application, the Department of Homeland Security argues that a lower court ruling that blocked the use of Social Security numbers and other information in the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, system, “threatens the integrity of upcoming elections.”

DHS revamped the system after President Donald Trump’s executive order in March 2025 aimed at rooting out potential noncitizen voters, although there is no evidence of large numbers of noncitizens voting in U.S. elections.

In the filing, DHS said the system has verified the citizenship of more than 65 million voters across 26 states while flagging 28,635 potential non-citizens on state voter lists. “The district court’s order, however, makes it harder to detect ineligible voters, undermining the integrity of federal elections and public confidence in the results of those elections,” the application states.

The SAVE system was created to verify the immigration status of non-citizens and naturalized U.S. citizens applying for government benefits.

Under the Trump administration, DHS has been overhauling the system to use it for voter verification, connecting additional government data to the system, including data from the Social Security Administration, and expanding its reach to also cover U.S. citizens.

That has sparked both privacy concerns and fears that the system could disenfranchise eligible voters; in Utah and Texas, some of those flagged by the system were later verified to be U.S. citizens.

States are charged with election administration under the Constitution and already have systems in place to maintain their voter rolls.

Voting and privacy groups have sued over the addition of Social Security numbers to the database — leading to the ruling from June that the Trump administration filing calls “an indefensible order that threatens the integrity of upcoming elections.”

DHS contends a district court judge got it wrong when she found the voting- and privacy-rights groups have a legal right to file the lawsuit and that the new SAVE system violates privacy law.

Last week, a federal appeals court declined to allow the federal government to revive the database.

The Trump administration says that the block on the SAVE system will “irreparably harm the federal government, the States, and the public by depriving the government of an effective tool to verify the eligibility of registered voters and benefits applicants under various state and federal programs.”

The old SAVE system, the government says, is “an older, slower, more cumbersome, and less capable process” that does not have certain identifying information and requires users to search one name at a time.

Critics, meanwhile, say that some of the data the new SAVE system relies on to verify citizens is not fit for purpose.

“Social Security numbers are not verification of citizenship,” Tina Waddell, former general counsel at SSA who left the agency last year, told NOTUS previously. The Social Security Administration itself has said that its data isn’t a definitive record of U.S. citizens.

The Trump administration’s efforts to revamp the SAVE system and use it to comb through voter rolls has been at the center of tangled legal proceedings.

The Supreme Court has ordered a response from the voting groups that challenged the database by Sept. 15..

The SAVE system is not the only front in the Trump administration’s effort to verify voter rolls and change voting in the midterms, including a challenge to a U.S. Postal Service rule over mail-in ballots.

The administration also has been attempting to obtain copies of states’ voter rolls, so far with no success.
]]> Pritzker Jumps Into Midterms Money Battle With New $20M PAC https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/pritzker-midterms-money-new-pac-illinois-miller-herrera Jenna Monnin Pritzker, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender, plans to target Ohio’s Rep. Max Miller and Texas’ Brandon Herrera with ad buys. Tue, 08 Sep 2026 16:02:21 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/pritzker-midterms-money-new-pac-illinois-miller-herrera Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker
The governor is seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender for Democrats and often stands in strong opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies. (Angelina Katsanis/AP)
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker launched a new political action committee over the weekend that plans to funnel millions of dollars into Democratic House races ahead of the midterms.

Pritzker’s Ready for the Fight PAC — a phrase often used by the governor and repeated liberally in the committee’s first ad spot — plans to invest at least $20 million in what it considers to be overlooked and competitive races, according to Politico, which reported first on the spending push.

The committee will soon target what it deems “the worst of the worst MAGA Republicans,” with ad reservations against Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who’s facing allegations of domestic abuse, and Texas’ Brandon Herrera, an incendiary internet personality who specializes in firearms and calls himself the “AK Guy.”

Both Ohio’s 7th Congressional District and Texas’ 23rd Congressional District lean red, but Pritzker sees them as potential wins for Democrats — with Trump’s approval rating dropping to record lows and midterm elections historically fairing well for the party that doesn't control the White House.

“As the affordability crisis continues, Democrats must think big and take the fight to every corner to support candidates in often-overlooked races,” a press release on the PAC reads. “With everything we care about on the line, Democrats cannot retreat to a handful of battleground races.”

The governor is seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender for Democrats and often stands in strong opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies.

This week, Pritzker will be in Dallas with other Democrats to counter the inaugural GOP midterm convention, according to CNN.

In August 2025, Pritzker hosted a group of Texas lawmakers who fled the state to oppose a Trump-backed redistricting effort. Pritzker has also fought back against Trump’s tariffs that affect the Illinois soybean industry and has lambasted the president’s immigration policies.

Pritzker is running for his third term as Illinois governor, and this PAC will bring his fight against Trump’s agenda to the national stage ahead of the midterms — and a potential presidential run.

“Since launching his campaign in 2017, Gov. Pritzker has closed his speeches with the same question: are you ready for the fight? As Gov. Pritzker has proven in Illinois, Democrats can aggressively fight Trump’s dangerous agenda and deliver real results for working families,” the press release reads.]]> Self-Funders Are Still Terrible at Getting Themselves Elected https://washingtonsun.com/money/self-funders-congressional-campaign-failing-to-win Mark Alfred Ultrarich politicians — in most cases — can’t buy a seat in Congress. Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:03:00 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/money/self-funders-congressional-campaign-failing-to-win Stack of money
(Matt Slocum/AP)
It’s still exceedingly difficult to buy oneself a seat in Congress.

During the 2026 midterms, a record number of wealthy Americans — 69 — have spent more than $1 million of their own money to support their campaigns for federal office.

And with primary season ending in the next several days with contests in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware, about two-thirds of these self-funding candidates have turned out to be losers who couldn’t advance to the November general election.
https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/ub0ox/4/Those who bet big on themselves to win their races for Congress collectively loaned their campaigns $160 million.

At the extreme, former Rep. David Trone burned through about $25 million of his own cash only to lose in his Maryland 6th Congressional District primary by 7 percentage points to fellow Democratic Rep. April McClain Delaney.
David.Trone.1 (5515x3677, AR: 1.50)In Arizona, businessman Daniel Keenan spent $1.6 million on his failed bid to replace Republican Rep. Andy Biggs.

Keenan says the run was well worth it even if he lost the Republican primary to former county sheriff Mark Lamb in July.

“I did it to contribute to my country, to do the best I can to make my country better off for my kids,” he said. “It was never for personal gain or ego or anything like that.”

Keenan also expects to one day run again: “I worked my butt off … went from polling at 1% to capturing nearly 42% of the vote. I think we ran a really good campaign and set myself up well for future runs.”

Still, Keenan said he was surprised by “the amount of prominent Republicans who privately reached out to me and supported me” but wouldn’t do so publicly.

“I was the most Trump-aligned candidate and again defending all those policies at every chance I could, and it was difficult not getting the support from the White House,” he said.

On the other end of that spectrum is Thomas Chalifoux, a retired Army colonel and businessman who sought the Republican nomination in Florida’s 9th Congressional District.

Chalifoux placed third in the Republican primary, having spent upward of $2 million on his ultimately failed campaign. It was a worse showing than his 2024 bid for the same seat, which saw him secure the GOP nomination but lose in the general election to Democratic Rep. Darren Soto.

That race also cost him upward of $2 million — a fraction of his net worth, which sits at around $270 million, per his most recent federal financial disclosure. Still, he is quick to point out: “I started with nothing, just like Elon Musk.”

Chalifoux previously taught military strategy at the Army Command and General Staff College and, more than anything, seemed disappointed he would not have the chance to go against the “bunch of rubber stamps in Congress” who have supported President Donald Trump’s war with Iran.

“The Iran ‘Epic Fury’ is just poorly, poorly planned. We've got a mess on our hands, and it makes American military power look much worse,” Chalifoux said. Trump “created a climate where no one wants to disagree because he's very vindictive.”Might he try a third time come 2028?

“I don't know. I'm 78 … people look at that as being too old. I'm not too old,” he said, noting he is a “world-class bodybuilder” whose mother “is over 100, so I've got that longevity in my family.”

Earlier this year, Keith Gross and John Fleming, candidates for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District and U.S. Senate in Louisiana, respectively, each spent around $12 million on their failed primary campaigns.
John.Fleming (7023x4682, AR: 1.50)Democrat Peter Chatzky entered, then exited, the race for New York's 17th Congressional District after the resurfacing of lewd social media posts in March. He ultimately recouped $10.7 million of the $11.3 million he had loaned his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The number of self-funders who ultimately lost their elections is expected to grow in November.

Don Tracy and Barb Regnitz, the Republican nominees for U.S. Senate in Illinois and Indiana’s 1st Congressional District, respectively, each put in upward of $2 million into their campaigns so far. But both are vying for “solid” or “likely” Democratic seats and are expected to lose.]]> Missouri Group Asks the Supreme Court to Let Former District Maps Stand https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/missouri-supreme-court-appeal-redistricting Jenna Monnin People Not Politicians Missouri says the state’s high court was right to reject a map favoring Republicans this fall. Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:58:02 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/missouri-supreme-court-appeal-redistricting Election 2026 Redistricting Missouri
People Not Politicians Missiouri gathered 300,000 signatures to get a redistricting referendum on November’s ballot. (David A. Lieb/AP)
A citizens group fighting a Republican-led redistricting effort in Missouri is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to deny a request from GOP state officials to allow new maps to go into effect ahead of the midterms.

Last week, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that voters should elect members of Congress from a 2022 map, not the new map passed by the state legislature during a special session in September 2025. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins then asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overrule the state court’s decision.

Missouri was one of the first states to take up President Donald Trump’s call to engage in mid-decade redistricting efforts ahead of the midterms. The new map would probably give Republicans seven of the state’s eight U.S. House seats, one more than they hold now, by slicing 11-term Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s Kansas City district into three parts.

People Not Politicians Missouri, which sued the state over the redistricting plan and the state’s rejection of a petition to put the issue on the November ballot, responded Monday to a petition in front of the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the state high court’s decision.That was the deadline the group had been given by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who covers this region for emergency appeals.

“Now that the Missouri Supreme Court has rejected [Hoskins’] gambit, he asks this Court to deliver him the political victory to which he was never entitled under the Missouri Constitution,” People Not Politicians Missouri asserts in the filing. “This Court cannot and should not reward the Secretary’s scheme to outsmart Missouri voters, Missouri law, and the Missouri Supreme Court by granting Applicants the extraordinary relief they seek.”

The citizens group — which collected over 300,000 signatures from Missouri residents to force a referendum on the November ballot — accused Hoskins of filing a last-minute appeal “in the hopes of running out the clock on the judiciary’s tolerance for a last-minute reversion to the 2022 districts.”

The group argues that the Hoskins’ decision to block its “timely” referendum from the November ballot violated state laws that give “voters the power to suspend legislation through the referendum process.”

The state Supreme Court ruled that the old 6-2 map must be used in November’s general election — even though candidates had already won primaries in the newly drawn districts — and also required the referendum to be placed on the ballot.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, who filed the appeal to the federal high court, said the state Supreme Court’s decision disenfranchised Missouri voters.

The map switch from the primaries could create a potential political headache for the state, but proponents of the ballot referendum said it's a necessary measure to ensure “the people [have] the ultimate say over matters that concern their political representation.”]]> Suspect Identified in Attack on Ohio Gubernatorial Candidate Amy Acton https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/suspect-attack-amy-acton-ohio-governors-race Jenna Monnin The man was in possession of a stun gun and two pistols when he was apprehended, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:16:58 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/suspect-attack-amy-acton-ohio-governors-race Election 2026 Ohio Governor
Amy Acton is the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor. (Jay LaPrete/AP)
A suspect in the attack on Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor, has been identified as 38-year-old Patrick M. Havas, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Havas remains in Mahoning County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. He was ineligible for bond, records show.

“Havas knocked multiple fairgoers over while trying to get towards Dr. Acton, and was found to be in possession of a taser and two pistols,” the Ohio State Highway Patrol wrote in a statement. “Dr. Acton was unharmed during the incident.”

The attack occurred at the Canfield Fair on Sunday, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol said its troopers intercepted Havas as he “forced his way through a crowd” toward Acton, who is a medical doctor.

The chair of the Mahoning County Democratic Party, Chris Anderson, said in a statement that Havas was arrested at the party’s tent after knocking volunteers to the ground.

Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican who recruited Acton in 2019 to lead the state’s Department of Health, said he spoke with her after the incident and “she is ok.”

DeWine said the suspect “tried to forcefully push himself” toward Acton inside the booth. He said the attack will be “investigated thoroughly” by law enforcement.

Jail records didn’t list an attorney for Havas.

Acton is set to face Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy — whose campaign called the attack “completely unacceptable” — in the general election in November.]]> Campaign Says Ohio Governor Candidate Amy Acton Was Attacked by an ‘Armed Individual’ at a Fair https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/ohio-gubernatorial-candidate-amy-acton-attacked Jenna Monnin Acton was unharmed but multiple people were reportedly injured. Sun, 06 Sep 2026 21:42:37 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/2026-election/ohio-gubernatorial-candidate-amy-acton-attacked Election 2026 Ohio Governor
Amy Acton is the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor. File photo. (Jay LaPrete/AP)
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was attacked at an event in Canfield, Ohio, her campaign said in a statement.

“While attending the Canfield Fair, an armed individual lunged at Dr. Acton, injuring multiple people,” campaign spokesperson Addie Bullock said in a statement posted to X on Sunday.

The attacker was taken into police custody and was found to be in possession of several weapons, said Chris Anderson, the chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party.

“Moments ago during a visit from Dr. Amy Acton, an individual was arrested at the MCDP tent with multiple weapons, after knocking volunteers to the ground,” Anderson wrote in a post on X.

The candidate was unharmed, The Associated Press reported.

Acton’s spokesperson said the candidate was grateful for the “swift and decisive action of law enforcement” after the incident.

“This kind of violence has no place in Ohio,” Bullock said. “Dr. Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate and vitriol that pits us against one another.”

The campaign of Republican gubernatorial nominee Vivek Ramaswamy condemned the attack.

“Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence,” campaign spokesperson Connie Luck wrote in a statement. “What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt.”

The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The attack spurred a wave of support from Democrats and Republicans online.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) — whose wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, survived an assassination attempt in 2011 — said he spoke with Acton after the incident.

“She’s tough. There’s no place in our society for political violence. An issue that unfortunately Gabby and I are very familiar with,” Kelly wrote on X.

Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) wrote on X that “there is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated.”

This story has been updated with further details.]]> Trump’s Super PAC Drops $10 Million in Texas Senate Race https://washingtonsun.com/donald-trump/trumps-super-pac-maga-inc-10-million-texas-senate Marissa Martinez The Republican Party faces diverging spending priorities two months out from Election Day. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 17:17:17 GMT https://washingtonsun.com/donald-trump/trumps-super-pac-maga-inc-10-million-texas-senate President Donald Trump speaks at a lunch in the White House Rose Garden, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington.
The president faced criticism from Republicans for not spending enough money to support Paxton, whom he endorsed over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn this spring. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
Trump’s super PAC spent $10 million this week to support Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in his tight Senate race, a financial disclosure filed Saturday afternoon revealed.

The Sept. 4 expenditures for digital advertising marked MAGA Inc.’s first major spending run in the 60 days before the November midterms. The spending reflects a mounting GOP pressure campaign on the president to do more to boost those in competitive races this cycle — particularly Paxton, who’s considered a weak candidate by many Republicans.

And the recent blitz in spending at the end of this week illuminates the party’s diverging priorities on which candidates merit big donations two months out from Nov. 3.

Elon Musk’s America PAC disclosures revealed the tech billionaire spent a combined $1.6 million on Texas this week to support Paxton and defeat his Democratic opponent, James Talarico. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s super PAC did not give Paxton any money this week, instead sending more than $3 million each to Ohio and Michigan, financial disclosures filed Friday night showed.

Momentum has so far been on Democrats’ side in Texas: Talarico holds a slight lead in recent polling over the state attorney general, and the Cook Political Report categorized the race as a “toss up” in a leftward rating shift last month. Talarico has also raised more money than any nonincumbent candidate nationwide this election cycle, with more than $70 million in cash on hand. He’s even had to issue refunds to not run afoul of federal donation limits.

Thune this week implied the White House could do more to support party members engaged in tight Senate races across the country — particularly the embattled Texas attorney general, whom Trump backed over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn this spring in a high-drama endorsement decision.

“We’ve got to make sure that those races are resourced,” Thune, who backed Cornyn in the primary, told Fox News on Monday. “We are certainly hopeful that the president and his team and MAGA Inc. will be engaged in some of these races. Some states are incredibly expensive.”

Thune’s Senate Leadership Fund reported spending in several other key races this week, devoting $2.4 million to North Carolina, $1.78 million to Maine, $1.1 million to Georgia and under $1 million each to Iowa and Alaska — all of which are currently rated as “toss up” or “lean Democrat” by the Cook Political Report.

Meanwhile, Musk disclosed $2.85 million in additional spending on Friday night after revealing an initial $800,000 in battleground state expenditures earlier this week. Outside of his Texas donation, the tech billionaire sent hundreds of thousands each to Alaska, Michigan, Iowa and Ohio, which attracted his second-highest spend of $648,000 to defeat Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Musk also spent around $60,000 total on incumbent Reps. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona, David Valadao of California and Gabe Evans of Colorado, as well as Washington congressional candidate John Braun.

Trump said on Friday he will allocate “probably four or 500 million” this cycle after claiming his super PAC has “close to” $1 billion — more than double what MAGA Inc. reported in cash on hand in its most recent financial disclosure. The political committee does not need to disclose its cash on hand through Aug. 31 until mid-September.

MAGA Inc.’s nonprofit arm released two new ads on Saturday that both focus on taxes and affordability, saying Paxton would be a better choice for taxpayers.

“Talarico? Higher taxes. Paxton? Lower taxes. A clear choice,” one spot says.

Paxton thanked the president for his support shortly after the new broadcast ads dropped, writing on X, “Together we will win for Texas and America.”

Trump’s political committee released two other ads earlier this week that heavily centered the president and his agenda without mentioning Congress. Data from tracking firm AdImpact show those spots cost around $1 million and were broadcast in markets across the country.]]>