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Tag: #election26

  • Carozza Campaign Picks Up Steam With Well-Attended East Quogue Fundraiser

    Carozza Campaign Picks Up Steam With Well-Attended East Quogue Fundraiser

    EAST QUOGUE, NY — Richard Carozza’s campaign for Southampton Town Supervisor is picking up activity as Election Day approaches, with a well-attended fundraiser Thursday night at Dockers Waterside Restaurant in East Quogue.

    The September 17 event brought together supporters, local residents and familiar Southampton political figures for an evening that also featured recording artist Samantha Cole.

    Among those attending were former Southampton Town Trustees Scott Horowitz and Ed Warner Jr., Southampton Town Republican Committee Vice Chairman Raheem Soto, and other members of the community.

    The Dockers gathering comes as Carozza moves further into the fall phase of his campaign. His official campaign website lists the East Quogue fundraiser among his campaign events and identifies housing affordability, Town Hall accountability, reducing government red tape, protecting water quality and expanding sewers among his stated priorities. 

    Carozza is the Southampton Republican Committee’s nominee for Town Supervisor in the November 2026 election and is challenging incumbent Supervisor Maria Moore. 

    The campaign has increasingly focused on direct voter engagement as the election draws closer, with the Dockers fundraiser providing another opportunity for Carozza to meet residents and build visibility across Southampton Town.

    Brett Corvino Chief of Staff for the Carozza Campaign stated “We were very pleased with the turnout at Dockers and the opportunity for Rich to spend time speaking directly with people from across Southampton Town.

    As we move into the final weeks of the campaign, we’re focused on continuing that outreach and making sure residents have a chance to hear directly from Rich about the issues that matter to their communities.”

  • Two State Senate Races Could Decide Who Really Holds Power in Raleigh By Addul Ali | Opinion

    Two State Senate Races Could Decide Who Really Holds Power in Raleigh By Addul Ali | Opinion

    Most North Carolinians will spend this election season hearing about Congress, the U.S. Senate and national politics.

    But two races much closer to home could have enormous consequences for how North Carolina is governed over the next two years.

    They are North Carolina Senate Districts 34 and 42.

    Republicans entered this legislative term with 30 of the Senate’s 50 seats—the number needed to reach the three-fifths threshold necessary to override a gubernatorial veto when every seat is filled.

    That makes the math remarkably simple.

    Republicans don’t have many seats to spare.

    Senate District 34, centered in Cabarrus County, is the defensive side of that equation. It is currently represented by Republican Chris Measmer, but Republican Kevin Crutchfield will face Democrat April Cook in November.

    For Republicans, this is a seat that must be protected.

    Losing District 34 could mean losing a vote that has helped give Republicans their current strength in the Senate. A district that might otherwise be viewed simply as another suburban legislative race therefore deserves considerably more attention.

    Then there is Senate District 42 in Mecklenburg County.

    This is the offensive opportunity.

    Democrat Woodson Bradley currently represents the district, and Republican Stacie McGinn is challenging her again.

    We already know how competitive this district can be.

    In 2024, Bradley defeated McGinn by just 209 votes.

    Think about that.

    In a state Senate election with more than 124,000 votes cast between the two major-party candidates, the difference came down to 209 people.

    That isn’t a safely Democratic district. It’s a political battleground.

    And in 2026, those 209 votes could take on statewide importance.

    If Republicans protect District 34 and McGinn flips District 42, Republicans potentially create something they badly need in Raleigh: breathing room.

    If Republicans lose 34 but win 42, the pickup could offset the loss.

    But if Republicans lose District 34 while failing to capture District 42, the balance of power changes considerably.

    That matters because North Carolina has divided government.

    Democrat Josh Stein occupies the governor’s mansion while Republicans control the General Assembly. The ability of either side to check the other depends heavily on legislative numbers.

    This isn’t merely Republican versus Democrat.

    It is about whether one governor should effectively have the final word on legislation passed by representatives from across North Carolina—or whether the General Assembly maintains the numbers necessary to challenge that veto when legislators believe the governor is wrong.

    Voters in Cabarrus County and Mecklenburg County therefore aren’t simply selecting two state senators.

    They could be helping determine the balance of power in Raleigh.

    District 34 is the firewall.

    District 42 is the opportunity.

    Kevin Crutchfield’s job is to hold ground Republicans already possess.

    Stacie McGinn’s opportunity is to win the 209 votes—and then some—that Republicans couldn’t find two years ago.

    National elections will dominate the television screens.

    But sometimes political power turns on races most voters outside a district barely notice.

    In North Carolina in 2026, Senate Districts 34 and 42 may be two of them.