Daily Brew: February 25, 2026
Welcome to the Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, Brew.
By: Lara Bonatesta
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Virginia redistricting amendment would shift four Republican-held congressional districts towards Democrats
- Wisconsin voters to decide on a constitutional amendment related to the governor's veto powers in 2026
- Barr, Cameron, Morris, and nine others running in Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky on May 19
Virginia redistricting amendment would shift four Republican-held congressional districts towards Democrats
In a special referendum election on April 21, Virginia voters could decide on a constitutional amendment that would allow the General Assembly to draw new congressional district maps ahead of the 2026 election.
Virginia’s 11-member U.S. House delegation currently includes six Democrats and five Republicans. Based on the 2025 gubernatorial election results, the proposed map would result in a partisan split of 10-1, with Democrats potentially gaining four additional seats in the U.S. House.
Here’s a more detailed look at the legislative history of this amendment (for information on actions the General Assembly took on this amendment in 2025, click here and here) as well as the ongoing legal challenges to it.
On Feb. 6, the Virginia House of Delegates introduced amendments to House Bill 29 (HB 29), which detail the proposed boundaries of the new congressional districts. The House approved HB 29 63-35 on Feb. 10. The Senate approved it with amendments 21-18 on Feb. 19. On Feb. 20, the House approved the amended version 59-35, and Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) signed it. The amended bill also included provisions moving the state’s primary from June 16 to August 4 and changing the filing deadline for U.S. House candidates from April 2 to May 26.
The maps below compare the partisan lean of the state’s current congressional districts with the districts proposed in HB 29. They are based on results from the 2025 gubernatorial election. While Spanberger received more votes in the 1st and 2nd Districts in 2025, the districts elected Republican Reps. Robert J. Wittman and Jennifer Kiggans in 2024.
The General Assembly’s data for the proposed districts did not include vote percentages or numbers for independent or minor-party candidates for governor. The calculation of partisan leanings in each district is based only on votes for Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears (R), the Democratic and Republican candidates for governor in 2025.
Here’s a closer look at how each district would change.
The currently existing 5th and 6th Districts would shift to become more Democratic, based on gubernatorial election results from 2025.
Four districts would shift to become more Democratic, based on gubernatorial election results from 2025.
Four Democratic-held congressional districts would shift to become more Republican, based on the 2025 gubernatorial election results.
One Republican-held congressional district would shift to become more Republican, based on the gubernatorial election results from 2025.
Litigation surrounding the constitutional amendment
On Oct. 28, 2025, state Sens. Ryan McDougle (R-26) and William Stanley (R-7), House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore (R-45), and Virginia Trost-Thornton, a member of the 2020 redistricting commission, filed a complaint with the Tazewell County Circuit Court requesting that the court block the amendment from appearing on the ballot. The complaint said that the Speaker of the House lacked the authority to convene or expand the scope of the special legislative session in 2025 when the constitutional amendment was introduced.
On Jan. 27, Judge Jack Hurley blocked the amendment and ruled that the General Assembly had broken its own rules when it was introduced.
On Jan. 28, Virginia House Speaker Don Scott (D-88) and the other defendants appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court. On Feb. 13, the Virginia Supreme Court denied a motion to pause the referendum, stating that it could be placed on the ballot for the April 21 special election and that they would decide the case on an expedited basis.
On Feb. 19, Hurley granted the Republican National Committee’s request for an emergency injunction, blocking the election from occurring. In response, Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones (D) said he would immediately appeal Hurley’s ruling before the Virginia Supreme Court.
Redistricting in other states ahead of the 2026 elections
Six states have changed congressional maps before the 2026 elections — California, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. California, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas conducted redistricting voluntarily. Ohio and Utah's maps changed due to state law and litigation. Before 2025, only two states had conducted voluntary mid-decade redistricting since 1970.
California is the only state that has implemented a new congressional district map via ballot measure between 2024 and 2026. On Nov. 4, 2025, voters approved Proposition 50, 64.4%-35.6%, amending the state constitution to allow the state to use a legislature-drawn congressional district map for elections between 2026 and 2030. Donors to campaigns in support and opposition of Proposition 50 contributed a combined $167 million, making the measure the fourth-most expensive ballot measure in the state’s history.
Click here to learn more about the redistricting amendment in Virginia and here to learn more about redistricting ahead of the 2026 elections.
Wisconsin voters to decide on a constitutional amendment related to the governor's veto powers in 2026
On Feb. 19, the Wisconsin Legislature approved a constitutional amendment related to the governor's veto powers for the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Introduced as Senate Joint Resolution 116 (SJR 116) on Dec. 30, the amendment would prohibit governors from using their partial veto to create or increase any tax or fee.
The Wisconsin Senate passed SJR 116 18-15 on Jan. 21. The Wisconsin Assembly passed it 54-41, with four members not voting, on Feb. 19. Both chambers passed the amendment along party lines, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats either opposing it or abstaining.
Wisconsin is one of seven states where one party controls both chambers of the legislature and another holds the governor's office.
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, the amendment is a response to Gov. Tony Evers’ (D) use of a partial veto in the state’s biennial budget in 2023. His partial veto extended a two-year school funding increase to 402 years. Litigation over this veto went to the state Supreme Court, and the Court upheld Evers’ veto in a 4-3 decision on April 18, 2025.
According to MultiState, “While all 50 states grant governors veto power and many allow partial vetoes, Wisconsin provides its governor with substantially broader authority to modify legislation compared to other states.”
Wisconsin voters have approved three constitutional amendments related to the partial veto.
- Question 1 of 1930: Established the governor's partial veto for appropriation bills
- Question 1 of 1990: Prohibited the governor from using the partial veto to create new words from individual letters
- Question 1 of 2008: Prohibited the governor from using the partial veto to create a new sentence by combining parts of two or more sentences
We wrote about each of these amendments and the State Supreme Court decision in our April 23, 2025, edition of the Daily Brew. Click here to see that coverage.
State Sen. Chris Kapenga (R-33) said, "Wisconsin Governors currently enjoy one of the most powerful partial-veto pens in the country," and that, "if adopted, this amendment would rebalance power between the executive branch and the legislative branch and further restrict the executive from rewriting laws passed by representatives of the people."
State Sen. Chris Larson (D-07), who opposed the amendment, said that the amendment would "make it harder for any future governor to right the wrongs of any legislature that fails to provide sufficient revenues to meet our shared priorities — education or otherwise."
Wisconsin voters will also decide on two other ballot measures — Assembly Joint Resolution 10 (AJR 10) and Assembly Joint Resolution 102 (AJR 102) — on Nov. 3.
Since 2023, voters in one state — Louisiana — have decided a ballot measure related to the governor's veto powers. In 2023, voters in Louisiana approved Amendment 1, 61%-39%. The amendment put time limits on when the governor must act on a bill the legislature has passed.
On Nov. 3 of this year, New Mexico voters will decide on a constitutional amendment related to the governor's veto powers. The amendment, House Joint Resolution 2 (HJR 2), would require bills to become law if the governor neither signs nor vetoes them within three days during the legislative session, or within 20 days for bills presented during the last three days of the legislative session.
Click here to read more about the amendment in Wisconsin.
Barr, Cameron, Morris, and nine others running in Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky on May 19
Andy Barr, Daniel Cameron, Nate Morris, and nine others are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Kentucky on May 19. Incumbent Mitch McConnell (R) is not running, opening the seat for the first time since McConnell's election in 1984. As of Feb. 16, Barr, Cameron, and Morris led in polling, fundraising, endorsements, and media attention.
The election takes place against the backdrop of a divide between establishment Republicanism, associated with McConnell, and an America First Republicanism, associated with President Donald Trump (R). Barr, Cameron, and Morris have distanced themselves from McConnell and are campaigning as America First Republicans and allies of Trump. Morris has positioned himself as a political outsider and alleges Barr and Cameron would serve as McConnell's puppets if elected. Barr and Cameron question Morris' alignment with America First Republicanism, citing Morris' past involvement and support of liberal figures and issues.
The Lexington Herald-Leader's Austin Horn wrote on the potential advantages for each candidate. Citing support from Vice President J.D. Vance (R), Turning Point USA, Donald Trump Jr., and Elon Musk, Horn says of Morris: "These are the kind of connections that lead some to believe Morris is best positioned to get an endorsement from Trump. ... Trump could decide the fate of the primary if he endorses a candidate." According to Horn, Barr and Cameron have greater name recognition at the state level. "It’s not just name ID, the Cameron camp would argue. It’s organic name ID. Kentuckians know him because of the things he’s done, not the ads he’s run." And for Barr, "he has what Cameron and Morris have: a base and money. ... Unlike Cameron, he has plenty of resources to pay for television ads, consultants to fashion them and a team of organizers to crisscross the state. And unlike Morris, he started with some amount of name ID and support."
Barr represents Kentucky's 6th Congressional District. Before he was elected to Congress, Barr worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Jim Talent (R) from Missouri, an attorney, a part-time law professor at Morehead State University, and the deputy general counsel to former Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
Cameron is the CEO of 1792 Exchange and was Kentucky's attorney general from 2019 to 2024. Cameron’s other career experience includes working as an attorney with Frost Brown Todd and Stites & Harbison, legal counsel to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, and a law clerk to United States District Court Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove.
Morris is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Morris Industries, a holding company. Previously, Morris founded Rubicon, a software-based waste and recycling company.
Thirty-three of the 100 U.S. Senate seats are up for election, and another two seats are up for special election. Democrats hold 13 of the seats up for election, and Republicans hold 22. To read more about the U.S. Senate elections taking place this year, click here.
This is one of nine open U.S. Senate races this year in which an incumbent is not running for re-election — more than any year since 2012. Four Democrats and five Republicans are not running for re-election. In 2024, eight incumbents — four Democrats, two Republicans, and two independents — did not seek re-election.Click here to learn more about Kentucky’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate. Also, if you're a Kentucky voter, check out our Sample Ballot Lookup here to prepare for Election Day.
