A legal showdown over the future of campaign finance laws in Maine — and potentially nationwide — begins May 22 as a federal judge is set to hear oral arguments over a voter-approved cap on contributions to super PACs at a time when these groups continue to shatter records in election spending.

A Marist College poll released Wednesday found that former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has emerged as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor – which would make him the odds-on favorite to unseat Mayor Eric Adams.

Breaking ranks with both major parties, Florida State Senator Jason Pizzo has declared his candidacy for governor in 2026 as a no-party-affiliation (NPA) candidate, setting the stage for a rare and potentially disruptive independent run in one of the nation’s most competitive political battlegrounds.

A super PAC allied with the Republican Party is challenging the official language of a voter ID ballot question set to appear on Maine’s November 2025 ballot. 

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has announced he won’t run for Senate in 2026 - a surprising move given his strong statewide appeal and proven ability to win over independents.

Have you ever wondered why, in the greatest democracy in the world, almost no one runs for President of the United States as an independent? The answer is that running as an independent is extremely difficult, if not impossible. That is why very few people have attempted it, and none have won in modern history. 

Elections in the US make it all, but impossible for third party and independent candidates to compete in most elections. Still, for several decades there have been established third parties at the national level, including the Libertarian, Green, and Reform Parties.

There is an old saying: All politics is local. However, many voters may get the impression this is becoming less and less a reality -- particularly in US House and Senate elections where candidates are elected to represent specific districts or states, but campaign to a national audience.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME-2), one of the most independent voices in Congress, will face a new challenger in 2026: former Maine Governor Paul LePage. Once again conducted under Maine’s ranked choice voting (RCV) system, the race is expected to draw national attention in one of the country’s most competitive congressional districts.

Think about the leaders with bold visions you’ve wanted to vote for, the ones with the best ideas who have the potential to transform American politics. Most never stand a chance, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum.