A lot of media attention this midterm cycle has been devoted to guesstimating which party is going to control Congress next year. But equally (if not more) important are the races not receiving this kind of wall-to-wall coverage.
That is, state elections.
While it may seem obvious to say, state governments are instrumental in determining the overall governance of a state on a variety of fronts. Whether it be education, medical freedom, immigration enforcement, redistricting, “trans” madness, or tax policy, the politicians who occupy these offices shape the everyday lives of the people closest to them in ways that Washington, D.C. can’t.
Consider a state like Arizona, which is holding pivotal contests for its statewide executive offices, as well as those that will determine party control of its state legislature.
While President Trump won the state in the 2024 election, efforts to pass any meaningful conservative policy at the state level have been blocked by Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs. The Arizona governor has regularly vetoed bills addressing a variety of key issues (election integrity, vaccine mandates, etc.) passed by the state legislature, where Republicans hold narrow majorities in the state House and Senate. Hobbs is running for reelection against Republican Andy Biggs, who currently serves as a member of the U.S. House Freedom Caucus.
A similar dynamic can also be seen on the election administration front, where Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is running for reelection against Republican Alex Kolodin, a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus. Fontes has faced lawsuits and court rulings over his legally suspect actions as elections chief. Last year, for example, a state appellate court found that he violated Arizona law when drafting the state’s 2023 election rulebook, which provides guidance to local election officials on mail ballots, voter registration, and other election-related matters.
Arizona Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes is also facing a tough reelection bid against Republican State Sen. Warren Peterson. Like many of her fellow leftist prosecutors, Mayes has weaponized her office to target Democrats’ political opponents. This notably includes a never-ending lawfare scheme attacking the state’s 2020 Trump electors.
Other statewide offices, municipal races, and ballot initiatives will also appear on Arizona’s 2026 ballot.
Think about what’s at stake in these races. Arizona voters will not only be deciding who creates their laws, but who executes them; enforces them; and runs their elections. Whoever they select to these posts will play a monumental role in dictating the future of the state for years to come.
But Arizona is just the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of states where these and other key state-based offices are on the 2026 ballot.
This includes states like Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin — all of which are crucial to winning presidential elections. North Carolina, another pivotal battleground with state legislative elections and a state Supreme Court race, also falls under this umbrella.
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The purpose of this article isn’t to downplay the significance of congressional and U.S. Senate races and what should happen if Democrats take control of Congress. It’s to shine a light on the importance of the governments closest to the people and their significance in Americans’ everyday lives.
Returning the country to its foundational roots starts at home. And if Americans want to make that dream a reality, it’s going to require a greater focus on the races that matter most.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood