{"id":2651008,"date":"2026-08-28T07:46:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T11:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-and-georgia-could-test-whether-ticket-splitting-is-making-a-comeback\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T08:32:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T12:32:43","slug":"maine-and-georgia-could-test-whether-ticket-splitting-is-making-a-comeback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-and-georgia-could-test-whether-ticket-splitting-is-making-a-comeback\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine and Georgia could test whether ticket-splitting is making a comeback"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaine-and-georgia-could-test-whether-ticket-splitting-is-making-a-comeback%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2651008&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses whether voters in the 2026 midterm elections will continue to cross party lines in statewide races, or whether increased polarization will lead to straight-ticket voting. It examines two contrasting states, Maine and georgia, as case studies for ticket-splitting behavior. In Maine,Democratic gubernatorial nominee Hannah Pingree is leading,but the Senate race remains competitive,highlighting the possibility that voters may support candidates from different parties. Maine&#8217;s case also tests whether a popular gubernatorial candidate can boost their party&#8217;s Senate nominee,with some experts noting Maine&#8217;s unique political dynamics and Collins&#8217;s personal appeal. Conversely, Georgia presents a reverse scenario where voters might support Democratic candidates for Senate but Republican for governor, indicating the potential for voters to make separate choices based on candidate qualities rather than party loyalty. Experts agree that while strong candidates and local issues influence voting, the impact of national factors and candidate perception play significant roles. the article suggests that party labels remain influential but are not absolute determinants of voting behavior, especially if state races show signs of voter independence and candidate appeal influencing outcomes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the defining questions of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">2026 midterm elections<\/a> is whether voters will still cross party lines in prominent statewide races or whether polarization has made straight-ticket voting the default.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"193\">Maine<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/georgia\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"164\">Georgia<\/a> offer near mirror-image tests.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4703065\/deflock-flock-cameras-surveillance-midterms\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DeFlock started from one man\u2019s curiosity \u2014 now Flock cameras are a midterm issue<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4703458\/abdul-el-sayed-says-he-rejects-super-pacs-he-is-benefiting-from-them-anyway\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Abdul el Sayed says he rejects super PACs. He\u2019s benefiting from them anyway<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4702722\/dnc-lawyers-voter-protection-volunteers-contentious-midterms\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DNC recruits lawyers and thousands of \u2018voter protection\u2019 volunteers as it braces for contentious midterm elections<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Maine, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Hannah Pingree is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4601528\/maine-governor-race-bobby-charles-hannah-pingree\/#google_vignette\">running well ahead<\/a> of Republican nominee Bobby Charles, while the Senate race between Democratic nominee Troy Jackson and Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) remains competitive. The Pine Tree State race is a linchpin of Senate Democratic strategy to win a majority in the chamber, which Republicans now control 53-47.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Georgia, the pattern is reversed. Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jon-ossoff\/\">Jon Ossoff<\/a> (D-GA) holds a 7-point lead in the latest InsiderAdvantage poll against Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-collins\/\">Mike Collins<\/a> (R-GA). Meanwhile, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Keisha Lance Bottoms faces a tighter contest with Republican businessman Rick Jackson. The last time a Georgia Democrat won the gubernatorial race was in 1998.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, the East Coast races could show whether voters are making individual judgments about candidates rather than simply voting for one party.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-maine-tests-democratic-coattails\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maine tests Democratic coattails<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maine may offer the clearest test of whether a popular gubernatorial candidate can lift a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"8765\">Senate<\/a> nominee. The state is a particularly intriguing test case, since it\u2019s largely backed Democratic presidential candidates from 1992 on.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\">From l-r: U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins speaks during an election-night watch party after winning the Republican nomination, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Jackson, Ga., and Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., asks questions at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2026. (AP Photos)<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; data-large-file=&#8221;https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trumps-defunct-jan-6-fund-lives-on-in-georgia-senate-race\/\" title=\"...s defunct Jan. 6 fund lives on in Georgia ...\">net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2026\/08\/localimages\/image-collage-cpls0j6ap-1786556735784-e1786557198538<\/a>.jpg6a91757777f76.jpg?1787826802&#038;w=696&#8243; &#8220;https:><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins, left, and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA). (AP Photos)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The question is whether voters who strongly support Pingree, 49, will also back Troy Jackson, 58, or whether Susan Collins\u2019s personal appeal can persuade Democrats and independents to split their tickets. Collins was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and has beaten back several highly touted and well-funded Democratic challengers over the years. Jackson is a replacement candidate for the original Democratic Senate nominee, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"22643\">Graham Platner<\/a>, who exited the race after a series of negative news stories about him, including a rape allegation from his former girlfriend, which he denies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dave Spencer, a political commentator and host of the <em>Practically Political<\/em> podcast, said ticket-splitting has become far less common over the past 15 years, particularly in Senate races. That largely coincides with the political rise of President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a>, who won two of the past three White House races.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn 2018, there were eight Democratic senators in the 25 states Trump had won by 10 points or more,\u201d Spencer told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cToday, there are none. Susan Collins in Maine is now the only Republican senator from the 19 states that voted Democratic in each of the last three presidential elections.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer said Collins, 73, remains an exception because of her long-standing appeal to voters beyond the Republican base.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn 2020, Biden won Maine by more than 9 points, while Collins won her Senate race by almost the same margin,\u201d he said. \u201cCollins has been able to get voters to split their tickets in a way that very few politicians can anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Republican strategist Jeff Burton pointed to the same race as evidence.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat\u2019s an enormous swing between two races on the same ballot,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Natalie Jackson, founder and principal of Centerline Research &#038; Strategy, a public opinion and consulting firm, said Collins makes Maine an imperfect measure of broader voting behavior.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMaine is a unique case and doesn\u2019t offer any sweeping lessons about coattails,\u201d she said. Collins is \u201ca known entity, and Mainers are comfortable with her as a moderate.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"h-georgia-offers-the-reverse-test\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Georgia offers the reverse test<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Georgia presents the opposite dynamic. The state was a red bastion for decades, but from 2021 on, it has been at least a shade of purple. Democrats hold both Senate seats, and in 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win Georgia since 1992. However, the Peach State reverted to GOP form in 2024 when Trump beat Democratic presidential nominee <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"748\">Kamala Harris<\/a> there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this year\u2019s Senate race, incumbent Ossoff, 39, is running ahead of Mike Collins, 59, while Bottoms, 56, faces a competitive contest against Rick Jackson, 72. That creates the possibility that some voters could support a Democrat for Senate but a Republican for governor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGeorgia may be the best test of whether voters are willing to split their ticket,\u201d Burton said. \u201cOssoff is running well ahead of the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, and that tells you voters are looking at these races separately, not simply voting red or blue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can absolutely see a meaningful number of Georgians voting Republican for governor and Democratic for Senate,\u201d he added. \u201cThat\u2019s not ideological inconsistency. That\u2019s voters deciding they like one candidate and don\u2019t like another.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Greenberg, a U.S. political and media history professor at Rutgers, agreed that Georgia may be the more revealing case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGeorgia strikes me as the most likely state to see a split decision,\u201d he told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Greenberg said Ossoff benefits from incumbency, while Bottoms, who was Atlanta\u2019s mayor from 2018 to 2022, is seeking statewide office for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf she wins, it\u2019ll be because the winds are blowing in a Democratic direction and she will be the beneficiary of a nationwide trend,\u201d Greenberg said.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-coattails-have-weakened\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coattails have weakened<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Experts broadly agree that strong candidates can help their party but that the effect is limited.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cCoattails exist in the midterms, but candidates have to earn their own votes,\u201d Burton said. \u201cA strong top of the ticket can open the door. They can\u2019t drag everyone through it like a presidential candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spencer, the podcast host, said economic conditions, presidential approval, and the national political climate can matter more than any individual candidate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA lot of what we\u2019re seeing has more to do with the economy and Trump\u2019s unpopularity than one strong candidate pulling another candidate across the finish line,\u201d Spencer said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He pointed to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iowa\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"468\">Iowa<\/a>, where Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand and Senate nominee Josh Turek are both performing competitively.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat has more to do with voters being unhappy with the economy and the party in power than either candidate having coattails,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thom Hartmann, a political analyst and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hasan-piker-becomes-both-a-democratic-kingmaker-and-political-liability\/\" title=\"Hasan Piker becomes both a ... kingmaker \u2014 and ... liability\">nationally syndicated progressive radio host<\/a>, pointed to Georgia\u2019s 2022 elections.\u00a0Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/brian-kemp\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"3312\">Brian Kemp<\/a> (R-GA) won reelection by more than 200,000 votes, while Republican Senate nominee <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/herschel-walker\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"461\">Herschel Walker<\/a>, endorsed by Trump, ran far behind him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn other words, separate decisions are not uncommon,\u201d Hartmann told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-candidate-brands-still-matter\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Candidate brands still matter<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Richard McCann, author of <em>There Once Was an Idea Called America: Elitism, Globalism, Radicalism, and Systematic Destruction of American Democracy<\/em>, said ticket-splitting increasingly depends on how voters perceive individual candidates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTicket-splitting is and will continue to be a major part of electoral politics, but it will be determined by how extreme or moderate particular candidates are rather than by mere party affiliation,\u201d McCann said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He pointed to 2024, when Trump carried <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"552\">North Carolina<\/a> by 3 points while Democrat Josh Stein won the gubernatorial race by 15 points. In Arizona, Trump won 52% of the vote while Democrat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ruben-gallego\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"10230\">Ruben Gallego<\/a> defeated Republican <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kari-lake\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"2052\">Kari Lake<\/a> in the Senate race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn both instances, voters perceived people like Stein and Gallego as less extreme than their opponents, enabling both to garner Republican voters as well,\u201d McCann said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Burton, the Republican strategist, said candidates can build identities that transcend their party labels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cTicket-splitting usually happens when one candidate gives voters a reason to break their normal partisan habit,\u201d he said. \u201cSometimes it\u2019s personality. Sometimes it\u2019s a candidate they simply can\u2019t vote for. And sometimes somebody builds an identity strong enough to escape the national party brand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He cited Susan Collins, along with Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/don-bacon\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"17566\">Don Bacon<\/a> (R-NE), as examples.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe question isn\u2019t whether voters know what party you belong to. They obviously do,\u201d Burton said. \u201cThe question is whether you can convince them that you\u2019re more than the letter next to your name.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-what-to-watch\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to watch<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Natalie Jackson, the public opinion and consulting firm founder, said polling gaps between candidates of the same party could provide an early indication of ticket-splitting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf we\u2019re in October and most voters know all of the candidates, and polls show a Democrat running for Senate doing better than the Democrat running for governor, that is a clear sign that it might happen,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hartmann said more local-level results could provide another clue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d keep a lookout for county-level divergences between two races on identical ballots,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677479\/democratic-party-big-tent-messaging-ideological-differences-2026-elections\/\">DEMOCRATS FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF PARTY ALL RALLY BEHIND \u2018BIG TENT\u2019<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Greenberg cautioned against drawing sweeping conclusions from either state.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d say the same for Maine,\u201d he said. \u201cCollins has many loyal constituents, some of whom are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents. She won\u2019t have coattails \u2014 and neither will Pingree. If Jackson pulls it out, it will be because of a prevailing Democratic current this fall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The larger lesson of 2026 may be that party labels remain powerful, but they do not always determine how voters approach high-profile races.\u00a0If Maine and Georgia produce split outcomes, they could offer an early sign of a more fractured electoral map \u2014 one where incumbency, candidate appeal, and local issues can still overcome partisan loyalty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Barnini Chakraborty (<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/barnini\">@Barnini<\/a>) is a senior political reporter at the <\/em>Washington Examiner<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Will voters split tickets or stick to parties in 2026?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2646,"featured_media":2651010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/WB.Congress.090226.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[4977,9148,5894,84801,84800],"class_list":["post-2651008","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-georgia","tag-maine","tag-politics","tag-ticket-splitting-2","tag-votingbehavior"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/WB.Congress.090226.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651008","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2646"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2651008"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651008\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2651032,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2651008\/revisions\/2651032"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2651010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2651008"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2651008"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2651008"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}