Outgoing Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, acknowledged Thursday that the Lone Star State “turned purple” after Democrats’ so-called blue wave swept statewide races and flipped the governor’s office, a U.S. Senate seat and Texas House. During his latest episode of the “Lt. Dan Podcast,” Patrick acknowledged that Texas’ political makeup is shifting left but stopped short of saying the state had turned blue after many others...

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., officially has a challenger for the mantle of Democratic leader, and incoming majority leader, in the Senate. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who has become a progressive darling and outlet for those against Schumer’s bid for another term as top Democrat, officially announced that he was jumping in to challenge the longtime figurehead of the Senate Democratic Caucus. “In this election, the...

Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher won the Kansas governor’s race, defeating Republican Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson in the open contest to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, The Associated Press projected. The victory keeps the governor’s mansion in Democratic hands and marks the third consecutive Kansas gubernatorial election won by a Democrat. Kelly won the office in 2018 and secured a second term in 2022. The result...