Daily Brew: September 11, 2025

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Welcome to the Thursday, Sept. 11, Brew. 

By: Briana Ryan

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. All 18 uncontested state legislative incumbents this year are Democrats
2. Breaking down the Sept. 9 election results
3. Three federal judicial vacancies have occurred since Aug. 2

All 18 uncontested state legislative incumbents this year are Democrats

Of the 168 incumbents running for re-election on Nov. 4, 18—all Democrats—do not have general election challengers. That means 10.7% of the state legislative incumbents running this year in New Jersey and Virginia are guaranteed re-election.

The number of incumbents in uncontested general elections affects the overall competitiveness of an election cycle. More uncontested general elections can indicate less competitiveness because voters have fewer opportunities to elect a non-incumbent to office. A smaller number indicates more of those opportunities.

The percentage of incumbents in uncontested general elections—10.7%—is the second-lowest percentage since 2011.

Nineteen percent of Democratic incumbents are uncontested in 2025, up from 3% in 2021. For Republicans, no incumbents are uncontested this year for the first time since we started following this data in 2011.

Four Democratic incumbents were uncontested in 2021, meaning the 18 incumbents this year represent a 350% increase. The total number of incumbents in uncontested general elections in 2021 was 11, meaning 18 in 2025 is a 64% increase.

Factors like the number of chambers holding elections and the number of seats up for election can affect the number of state legislative incumbents without general election challengers. For example, this year, two chambers in two states will hold elections for 180 seats. In 2023, eight chambers in four states held elections for 578 seats.

Three of the uncontested Democratic incumbents are from New Jersey, and 15 are from Virginia. That means all the Republican incumbents running in New Jersey and Virginia are running in contested elections.

Click here for more information on state legislative incumbents without general election challengers this year.

Breaking down the Sept. 9 election results

Yesterday, Sept. 9, was Election Day in multiple parts of the country. Today, we'll tell you about some noteworthy election results.

Mayoral primary election in Boston, Massachusetts

Incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu and Josh Kraft advanced from the nonpartisan primary to the Nov. 4 general election. As of 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 10, Wu received 72% of the vote, Kraft received 23%, Robert Cappucci received 3%, and Domingos DaRosa received 2%.

Although Boston's mayoral races are nonpartisan, Wu and Kraft identify as Democrats. The Hill's Jared Gans wrote that the general election "could become a proxy battle of sorts between the progressive Wu and the more moderate Kraft."

Click here to read our coverage of the Boston mayoral primary in the Sept. 2 Daily Brew.

Mayoral primary election in Charlotte, North Carolina

Incumbent Mayor Vi Alexander Lyles defeated Brendan K. Maginnis, Jaraun Boyd, Tigress Sydney Acute McDaniel, and Delter Guin in the Democratic primary. As of 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 10, Lyles received 71% of the vote, Maginnis received 12%, Boyd received 10%, McDaniel received 4%, and Guin received 3%.

The Charlotte Observer's Nick Sullivan wrote that "Lyles weathered criticism from across the country over the death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was fatally stabbed while riding a light rail in South End. [...] The outcry wasn't enough to sway the primary against her. However, she received the lowest share of votes since her first run in 2017. Her share was down by 14 percentage points compared to last cycle."

Lyles will now face Terrie Donovan (R) and Rob Yates (L) in the Nov. 4 general election.

Twenty-seven of the 100 largest U.S. cities, including Charlotte and Boston, will hold mayoral elections this year. So far, general elections have occurred in seven cities, with two elections—in Omaha, Nebraska, and Garland, Texas—resulting in a partisan change.

Mayoral primary election in Helena, Montana

Andy Shirtliff and Emily Dean advanced from the nonpartisan primary to the Nov. 4 general election. Incumbent Mayor Wilmot Collins did not run for re-election. This race was the city's first mayoral primary since 2001 due to a state law requiring primaries for a single position with at least five candidates in any election.

As of 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 10, Shirtliff received 48% of the vote, Dean received 37%, Sonda Gaub received 9%, Chris Riccardo received 3%, and Braxton Hudson received 3%.

Thirteen of the 50 U.S. state capitals, including Helena, will hold mayoral elections this year. So far, a general election has happened in one city—Jackson, Mississippi. That election did not result in partisan change.

Click here to read our coverage of the Helena mayoral primary in the Sept. 3 Daily Brew.

Special election in Virginia's 11th Congressional District

James Walkinshaw (D) defeated Stewart Whitson (R) in the special election for Virginia's 11th Congressional District. As of 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 10, Walkinshaw received 75% of the vote to Whitson's 25%. The special election was to succeed Gerald Connolly (D), who died on May 21.

Virginia's 11th Congressional District is one of six districts where a special election has been called to fill vacancies in the 119th Congress. Three of those districts became vacant due to the deaths of Democratic representatives, while the other three became vacant due to the resignations of Republican representatives.

So far, general elections have happened to fill vacancies in Virginia's 11th Congressional District, Florida's 1st Congressional District, and Florida's 6th Congressional District. Here's a look at the special elections, their margins of victory, and how those results compare to other recent election results in each district:

Click here to read more about special elections to fill vacancies in the 119th Congress.

Three federal judicial vacancies have occurred since Aug. 2

Three new federal judicial vacancies have occurred since Aug. 2. In this month's federal judicial vacancy count, we'll break down those vacancies and the nominations and confirmations since our last report.

Vacancies

A vacancy happens when a judge resigns, retires, takes senior status, or dies. 

• Judge Daniel D. Crabtree assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
• Judge Steven Merryday assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
• Judge Eric Melgren assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

As Article III judicial positions, the president nominates individuals to fill these vacancies. Nominations are subject to U.S. Senate confirmation.

There are 50 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions.

• Two (1%) of the 179 U.S. Appeals Court positions are vacant.
• 47 (7%) of the 677 U.S. District Court positions are vacant.
• One (11.1%) of the nine U.S. Court of International Trade positions is vacant.

The following map shows the number of vacancies in the United States District Courts as of Sept. 1.

The following chart shows the federal judicial vacancies each month during President Donald Trump's (R) administration from Jan. 21 to Sept. 1.

Nominations

Since our last report, Trump has announced 10 new nominations.

• Bill Lewis, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
• Edmund LaCour, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
• Robert Chamberlin, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
• Jimmy Maxwell, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
• Harold Mooty, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
• Rebecca Taibleson, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
• Lindsey Freeman, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
• David Bragdon, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
• Matthew Orso, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
• Susan Rodriguez, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

Trump has nominated 27 individuals to Article III positions during his second term.

Confirmations

Since our last report, the U.S. Senate has not confirmed any nominees to Article III positions.

As of Sept. 1, the U.S. Senate has confirmed five of Trump's judicial nominees—three district court judges and two appeals court judges—since January 2025.

Click here to view our full September federal judicial vacancy count.