Plus, Trump offers Saudi crown prince a warm welcome. And the House overwhelmingly passes the Epstein files bill.

Voters have made their voices heard at the ballot box for multiple runoff municipal elections across the Midlands.

In his first Truth Social post commenting on the election results, Trump suggested that the reasons why Democrats won is because he was not on the ballot and because of the government shutdown. Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the shutdown despite Republicans controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House.

Here are four factors to consider as the 2026 midterm elections unfold. President Donald Trump and Republicans won a comfortable 2024 election by promising to curb inflation and the rising costs of goods and services, including groceries, gas and housing.

Incumbent Columbia City Councilman District 4 representative Peter Brown has been re-elected to his seat. Brown beat competitor Julie Lumpkin in a runoff election, getting 2,185 votes to Lumpkin’s 1,835 votes.

Residents in the Lake View Fire Protection District took part in a special election to decide whether to pay $150 per year. The fire district said the increase in dues will help support having two firefighters responding per shift, investing in new firefighting equipment and vehicles and help with rising operating costs.

Vice President JD Vance voted in Cincinnati’s election in which his half brother lost his bid for mayor, voter records show. Vance didn’t come into town to cast his vote in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood where he's registered. He voted via an absentee ballot, according to the voter registration list from the Board of Elections.

The House on Tuesday took the rare step of publicly reprimanding one of its own members - retiring Democratic Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García - for what some of his colleagues have described as an attempt to subvert the election of his successor in Congress.

Rhoden sat down with KOTA Territory News hours after making his announcement. Asked about his top priorities, Governor Rhoden replied, “Well I’ve said it many times, my priority is to keep South Dakota strong, safe and free. And that’s more than, you know, that’s more than just a soundbite. I really believe that in my heart of hearts,”

SPRINGFIELD — Senate President Don Harmon will not have to pay a nearly $10 million fine for violating state campaign finance laws last year after the State Board of Elections deadlocked Tuesday on approving the fine.

Katie Wilson's election as mayor of Seattle reflects growing anger at the two-party system. But her career shows a middle-class orientation incapable of fighting the corporate oligarchy.

A partisan vote from the Illinois State Board of Elections means the Oak Park Democrat's political committee won't be hit with a massive fine for allegedly accepting donations beyond campaign financing law.