Northeast
Five sleeper races that could upend 2026 – from the Alleghenies to the Land of Enchantment
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As Clement Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” tells it, families sleep soundly as Santa approaches.
As the new year nears, several election contests may prove just as quiet – until close results suddenly come into focus. Here are five potential sleeper races to watch in 2026:
1. MISSISSIPPI’S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, has not often had to worry about a general election challenge since he won a special election on April 13, 1993.
Predecessor Mike Espy, who recently unsuccessfully ran for Senate in a narrow runoff with Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., had resigned to accept President Bill Clinton’s appointment as Secretary of Agriculture.
Thompson’s closest race was that one – against Republican Hayes Dent – at 55% to 45%.
Since then, Thompson has never looked back, and instead made himself a nationally-recognized figure later in his tenure.
He chaired the House Select Committee on January 6 and recently went viral for calling the shooting of West Virginia National Guardsmen allegedly by an Afghan refugee an “unfortunate accident.”
Thompson’s district, spanning from Jackson west to Yazoo City and Vicksburg on the Mississippi River, is one of the poorest in the country – landing at 3rd out of 435 with a median income of $37,372, according to data published by the office of Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.
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Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) speaks to Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Monday, July 22, 2024. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital )
Only Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., and Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. preside over a poorer population.
Last week, an attorney and former counsel to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., mounted a surprise primary bid against Thompson.
Evan Turnage, 33, who has been alive just about the same time Thompson has been in Congress, made the idea of fighting the region’s persistent poverty paramount to his new campaign, according to Black Press USA.
“I’ve dedicated my life to leveling the playing field so people can not only get by, but get ahead, and raise a family right here,” Turnage said, according to the outlet.
On the Republican side, retired Army captain and Vicksburg cardiothoracic surgeon Ron Eller will fight an uphill battle to unseat the winner of the Thompson-Turnage bout.
2. CONNECTICUT’S 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Connecticut is another state that is typically not in political conversation as hosting nail-biter partisan elections.
During the Bush-Clinton years, however, the state was competitive if not outright Republican-favored.
Former Gov. John Rowland was the first in decades to be elected to more than two terms. He ended up resigning in 2004 amid the threat of impeachment over accusations contractors with the state were doing work on his vacation home.
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After he resigned, his wife famously wrote a poem critical of the media’s coverage of Rowland’s case, based on Moore’s holiday favorite and called “A Lump of Coal for All the Reporters.” Rowland’s lieutenant, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, took over and was re-elected once before retiring in 2010.
Since then, the state has been reliably Democratic – save for former Sen. Joe Lieberman changing his affiliation to independent.
In 2022, then-State Sen. George Logan – the first Black man elected to Hartford’s upper chamber – mounted a bid against Rep. Jahana Hayes and lost by less than one percentage point.
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Jahana Hayes, D-CT (left) and her 2024 GOP challenger George Logan (right). (Getty & AP )
Logan tried again in 2024, but lost by a slightly wider margin.
While Logan is not on the ballot at least yet for 2026, recent history shows Republicans could have an outside chance of ending Democrats’ full control of New England’s congressional delegation.
3. MARYLAND’S 6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Republicans have wanted to win back Maryland’s sixth congressional district ever since partisan gerrymandering was blamed for booting 20-year incumbent Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., from office in 2012.
Bartlett, an eccentric conservative who later relocated to the West Virginia wilderness to live off-the-grid, is now 99, and was known for addressing various topics that were sometimes ignored but have received newfound attention at present, including warnings about the strength, reliability and hardening of the U.S. power grid.
Bartlett won his last reelection by 28 points but then lost by about 20 the following cycle after the rural district encompassing the entire Maryland Panhandle was adjusted to incorporate the edges of densely-populated Washington, D.C., suburbs.
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He was defeated in 2013 by then-Rep. John Delaney, a finance executive – before Delaney was replaced by Total Wine mogul David Trone, who has largely self-funded his campaigns to the tune of millions of dollars.
Trone won re-election before opting in 2024 to pursue retiring Sen. Benjamin Cardin’s, D-Md., seat – which was ultimately won by Democrat Angela Alsobrooks.
He announced this year that he would challenge Rep. April McClain-Delaney, D-Md., the wife of former Rep. John Delaney, in the district.
Meanwhile, former longtime state Del. Neil Parrott, R-Antietam, is mounting his fourth consecutive bid for the seat. McClain-Delaney beat Parrott 53-47 in 2024.
The closest that Republicans have gotten to taking back the seat since Bartlett was defeated came in 2014, when now-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino narrowly lost to Trone by about a point.
Bongino notably sought to nationalize the race, pulling in endorsements like Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and rebuking Delaney as someone who could “write himself a check for a million dollars” if he needed to in order to win.
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Del. Neil Parrott, left., former Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., right. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)
The future G-man suggested at the time he would rather knock on doors in far-flung communities like Oakland and Grantsville, where he said, “nobody seems to know who [John Delaney] is,” according to the Maryland Reporter.
Given newly-drawn, friendlier maps following litigation over O’Malley-era gerrymandering, Republicans may have a chance to surprise in a district in one of the most Democratic-majority states in the country.
4. NEBRASKA’S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
While not typically considered a swing state, or one that gets much attention in federal elections, Nebraska’s only urban-leaning district may decide the future of the House of Representatives if the overall contest is as close as it has been in recent years.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of few in his party who have publicly lambasted President Donald Trump, is retiring. The district – centered in Douglas and Saunders counties, including Omaha and Ashland – already has a slew of candidates on both sides hoping to take the moderate’s seat.
Omaha City Councilman Brinker Harding leads state Sen. Brett Lindstrom, R-Omaha, in fundraising, while on the Democratic side, at least five people, including congressional staffer James Leuschen and state Sen. John Cavanaugh, D-Omaha, have tossed their hats in the ring, according to the Nebraska Examiner.
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Bacon, who hails from suburban Sarpy County, won his last race against former state Sen. Anthony Vargas, D-Omaha, by less than one percentage point.
After a recent wave of GOP losses in Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Jersey, the district shapes up as a tough hold for Republicans in a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat statewide since Ben Nelson retired in 2012.
5. NEW MEXICO GUBERNATORIAL RACE
While Nebraska is a red state that doesn’t often garner national attention, on the blue ledger lies New Mexico.
Topographically and culturally similar to red neighbor Texas and formerly red neighbor Arizona on the other side, the Land of Enchantment is often one that enchants the observer that looks closer at its politics.
Notably, its mountainous border with Mexico has largely kept it out of politically-contentious Trump-wall debates focused on the flatter, desert and river boundaries of its neighbors.
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U.S. Capitol Building at sunset on January 30, 2025. (Emma Woodhead/Fox News Digital)
While it lacks the urban population that is typical of most blue states like New York, California, New Jersey and Maryland, Republicans have been increasingly out of power there for years.
Former Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., was the last such lawmaker to represent the state in the upper chamber.
He retired in 2008 and was replaced by Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., whose surname is the Mountain West’s equivalent of Cuomo or Casey. The Interior Department headquarters is named after Udall’s father.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is term-limited. While she was preceded by a Republican, Susana Martinez, her state has been trending more toward Democratic reliability otherwise.
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Deb Haaland, a former New Mexico congresswoman who was also former President Joe Biden’s Interior secretary, is the biggest name in the Democratic field, while Greggory Hull, the longtime mayor of Rio Rancho, is such for the GOP.
Rep. Gabe Vasquez held off a challenge from predecessor Yvette Herrell in the 2nd congressional district, which spans the southwestern part of the state including Alamogordo and Las Cruces, in what was seen as the GOP’s best chance to make inroads again in the border state.
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Best Stationery, Gus & Ruby / Photo by Lindsay Hackney
Stationery
GUS & RUBY
At Gus & Ruby, stationery isn’t just paper—it’s personality, pressed and printed to perfection. Beloved for their inventive designs, hand-rendered illustrations, and luxurious letterpress, this New England favorite crafts suites that tell your story from the very first envelope. Founders and longtime friends Samantha Finigan and Whitney Swaffield lead their team to infuse every project with warmth, wit, and impeccable taste, making each invitation a true keepsake. gusandruby.com.
Photographer
CITYLUX STUDIOS
CityLux Studios captures weddings with the cinematic flair of a Vogue spread and the heart of a love story. Known for luminous tones, modern composition, and effortlessly emotive moments, this Boston-based team turns real life into high art. Married couple and founders Sarah and Peter blend editorial precision with genuine connection to create luminous imagery that feels as timeless as the love it celebrates. citylux.studio.
Videographer
STOPGOLOVE
Founded by filmmakers Jared Haskell and Jason McCutchen, StopGoLove turns real moments into modern, cinematic stories. Their style is clean, intentional, and emotionally honest—beautiful composition, smart pacing, and an instinct for the in-between beats that make a film feel alive. The result is wedding cinema with editorial polish and zero pretense: story first, style built in. stopgolove.com.
Floral Studio
ORLY KHON
Orly Khon doesn’t just arrange flowers; she composes living art. Known for her moody, romantic designs that balance wildness with refinement, Khon approaches each event like a painter at her canvas, blending texture, color, and movement into unforgettable floral moments. Whether it’s a delicate tablescape or a lush, architectural ceremony design, her work feels both timeless and a touch rebellious—much like the modern couples she designs for. orlykhon.com.
Best Catering, Max Ultimate Food / Photo by Person Killian Photography
Catering
MAX ULTIMATE FOOD
Turning culinary imagination into edible art, this Boston-based team delivers restaurant-level dining with the precision of a luxury event planner. Creative tasting menus, impeccable service, and presentation that’s anything but predictable make every celebration unforgettable. From passed hors d’oeuvres to late-night bites, every detail is, well, ultimate. maxultimatefood.com.
Best Cakes, Lizzie’s Bakery / Photo by Lushi Song
Cakes
LIZZIE’S BAKERY
Whimsical yet sophisticated, these confections are as delicious as they are striking—think handpainted details, sculptural sugar florals, and modern, clean-lined tiers. Behind the magic is Lizzie Johnson, a Food Network alum with a fine-art eye and a love of bold flavor, crafting designs that feel personal, polished, and picture perfect. Sweet beauty, inside and out. lizziesbakery.com.
Best Band, Hot Mess / Photo by Shannon Bialy Photography
Band
HOT MESS
No cookie-cutter wedding playlists here. This Boston-based band is known for turning every crowd into a dance-floor frenzy, thanks to powerhouse vocals, magnetic stage presence, and an uncanny ability to read the room. Whether it’s a soulful slow jam or a pop anthem that gets Grandma on her feet, they bring the perfect blend of polish and pure fun. Simply put: They don’t just play the party, they are the party. hotmessrocks.com.
DJ
C-ZONE ENTERTAINMENT
For couples who want a packed dance floor and a soundtrack that feels uniquely theirs, this Boston-based team delivers. With decades of experience, seamless mixing, and an intuitive sense for what the crowd craves, these DJs curate moments that move effortlessly from first dance to final encore. Sophisticated, high-energy, and always in tune with the couple’s style—this is music done right. czonemusic.com.
Photo Booth
ENTERTAINMENT SPECIALISTS
A photo booth should be as stylish as the celebration itself, and this team delivers just that. With sleek setups, creative backdrops, and instant share options, they turn snapshots into unforgettable keepsakes. Whether it’s a glam booth worthy of the red carpet or a playful setup packed with props, they make every moment memorable and a whole lot of fun. entertainmentspecialists.com.
Best Wedding Planner, Baciare Events / Photo by Constance Schiano
Wedding Planner
BACIARE EVENTS
Founders Ashley Saffer and Renée Sabo are masters of turning dream days into beautifully lived experiences. With a blend of creativity, calm precision, and genuine care, they craft weddings that feel effortless, elegant, and deeply personal. Whether it’s an intimate coastal gathering, a grand ballroom affair, or a celebration halfway across the world, their team ensures every detail is seamless. baciareevents.com.
Event Designer
TYGER EVENT DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Founded by principal Ty Kuppig, this design and production studio brings a couture sensibility to every celebration. With an architect’s eye and a storyteller’s instinct, Kuppig transforms venues into cinematic settings layered with texture, light, and mood. From sculptural floral moments to bold, modern palettes, each event feels elevated, expressive, and entirely one of a kind. tygerproductions.com.
Hairstylist
MONIKA RAMIZI, SALON MARIO RUSSO
Known for her “try-anything” attitude and calming presence, Monika Ramizi approaches bridal beauty with both artistry and ease. Whether it’s soft, romantic waves, a sleek modern updo, or something entirely unexpected, she tailors each look to the bride’s personality and vision. The result is hair that feels fresh, confident, and camera-ready from the first look to the final dance. mariorusso.com.
Makeup Artist
BEAUTY BY NELSE
For Nelse Karini, makeup is more than artistry; it’s empowerment. A self-taught talent with a passion for helping women look and feel their best, she’s known for her luminous, skin-first approach and ability to create a flawless finish that still feels like you. Brides love her mix of precision and personality—equal parts perfectionist and hype woman—and the confidence that comes with her chair-side magic. beautybynelse.com.
Bridal Boutique
L’ÉLITE BRIDAL
A destination for the fashion-forward bride, this Newbury Street institution curates an elite roster of global designers—from Oscar de la Renta and Monique Lhuillier to Berta and Ines Di Santo. With more than three decades of experience, the boutique’s expert stylists and in-house tailoring team deliver a couture-level experience that feels as personal as it is polished. Every gown is chosen for its artistry, craftsmanship, and that unforgettable moment when a bride sees herself and knows: This is the one. lelite.com.
Best Wedding Dress Designer, Candice Wu Couture / Photo by Reinhardt Kenneth
Wedding Dress Designer
CANDICE WU COUTURE
With a couture sensibility and a flair for the unexpected, Candice Wu redefines modern bridal style. Her gowns balance romance and edge, featuring exquisite craftsmanship, sculptural silhouettes, and intricate detailing that make every look unforgettable. Whether ethereal and whimsical or sleek and daring, each design embodies her signature blend of elegance, confidence, and artistry. candicewucouture.com.
Best Engagement Rings, Boston Diamond Company / Photo courtesy of Boston Diamond Company
Engagement Rings
BOSTON DIAMOND COMPANY
Discerning brides and grooms turn to this Newbury Street jeweler for more than sparkle—they come for expertise. Owner Stephanie Binder and her team of certified gemologists offer a refreshingly educated approach to fine jewelry, guiding clients through every facet of diamond selection with honesty, precision, and an impeccable eye for design. Whether sourcing an exceptional natural stone or creating something from the boutique’s Pure Luxe Lab collection of lab-grown diamonds, each piece reflects the brand’s unwavering commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Because true luxury isn’t loud; it’s brilliantly, quietly flawless. bostondiamond.com.
Wedding Bands
LONG’S JEWELERS
For more than a century, Long’s Jewelers has been synonymous with craftsmanship, integrity, and enduring style. This fifthgeneration, family-owned jeweler bridges heritage and modernity with a collection of wedding bands that balance artistry and intention. Each piece is designed to feel as effortless as it is enduring—refined in form, rich in meaning, and unmistakably elevated. A modern icon of lasting love and impeccable taste. longsjewelers.com.
Rentals
DEZ COLLECTIVE
At Dez Collective, design lives in the details. This Boston-based studio curates a thoughtful collection of furniture, tabletop, and décor that elevates weddings from stylish to unforgettable. With a deeply honed instinct for atmosphere, the team creates layered environments that feel intentional, artful, and entirely now: the kind of spaces that photograph as beautifully as they feel. dezcollective.com.
Urban Venue
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
A landmark of art and architecture, the Boston Public Library offers one of the city’s most breathtaking backdrops for a wedding. Beneath vaulted ceilings and along marble corridors, history and grandeur converge in a way that feels both timeless and distinctly Boston. Partnering exclusively with the Catered Affair, the venue hosts some of the city’s most luxurious celebrations, yet it’s also possible to exchange vows here in a one-hour ceremony that costs little more than a library card. Either way, the setting is unforgettable. bpl.org.
Historic Venue
THE GREAT HOUSE AT THE CRANE ESTATE
High above the Ipswich coast, the Great House at the Crane Estate feels like stepping into another era. Designed in 1928 by architect David Adler for industrialist Richard T. Crane Jr., the 59-room Stuart-style mansion crowns a 165-acre National Historic Landmark surrounded by salt marshes, barrier beaches, and sweeping ocean views. The property’s showstopper, the Grand Allée, a 2,060-foot lawn that stretches from the mansion to the water’s edge, offers a photo backdrop worthy of royalty. craneestateevents.com.
Best Coastal Venue, Wychmere Beach Club / Photo by Alex Paul
Coastal Venue
WYCHMERE BEACH CLUB
If it’s possible to have glamour on the beach, this is where it lives. In Harwich, Wychmere Beach Club merges Cape Cod’s oceanfront ease with a distinctly polished edge. Expansive water views, clean architectural lines, and light-filled spaces create a setting that feels both elevated and elemental: seaside sophistication, perfected. wychmerebeachclub.com.
Rustic Venue
THE BARN AT GIBBET HILL
If “rustic” makes you think of mason jars, think again. The Barn at Gibbet Hill redefines the genre with its soaring post-and-beam architecture, polished wood interiors, and panoramic views of rolling pastureland. Set on a working farm in Groton, the venue blends country character with refined hospitality: think firefly evenings, farm-to-table menus, and sunsets that wash the hills in gold. barnatgibbethill.com.
Best Ballroom Venue, Fairmont Copley Plaza / Courtesy photo
Ballroom Venue
FAIRMONT COPLEY PLAZA
In the heart of the Back Bay, the Fairmont Copley Plaza is Boston’s grande dame—all gilded ceilings, marble columns, and chandeliers that seem to glow from another century. A Beaux Arts masterpiece with unmistakable presence, it brings drama to the classic ballroom wedding. Yet behind the opulence is a pulse of modern sophistication: flawless service, effortless style, and a setting that never goes out of fashion. fairmont-copley-plaza.com.
Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Boston Weddings’ guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.
Light rain is expected to arrive in the Pittsburgh area this afternoon with the best chance for rain coming later in the week.
Any Alert Days Ahead? No
Aware: Snow continues to melt, with yesterday’s snow depth measuring 2″ still. Thursday will be a good day for most to ‘clean the yard’.
Snow continues to slowly melt off. Today should be a big day with light rain and warm temperatures helping to bring snow depth totals in Pittsburgh down from yesterday’s 2″ down to an inch or less by Wednesday morning. By Wednesday evening, most of the snow will be off the ground, with exceptions for shaded areas.
If you have dogs, Thursday is going to be the best time to get outside to ‘clean the yard’. Our best chance for rain this week comes Friday through Saturday, with rain and some rumbles expected.
For today, rain chances arrive right at noon and stick around through 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Rain totals will not be very impressive. I am only expecting five hundredths of an inch or less for most places. The best chance for rain will probably occur around 7 p.m this evening through around 10 p.m. A lot of your afternoon will be dry.
When it comes to temperatures, morning lows dipped to the low 30s this morning and highs today should be around 50 degrees. Yesterday’s high of 47 degrees was a good four degrees warmer than what I forecast for our daily high. It felt amazing outside. We will see more ‘mild’ weather this week with highs in the mid-40s on Wednesday behind the rain. Thursday highs should hit the mid-50s. I still have Friday highs near 60 degrees.
Before wrapping things up, I do want to quickly talk about Sunday morning’s weather with rain, snow, & sleet all expected over just a couple of hours. Travel in some spots will be slowed with the rapid drop in temperatures, slick conditions, and windy conditions. At this point, the usual suspects of the Ridges, Laurel Highlands, places north of I-80, and the snowbelt of Armstrong and Indiana counties will be most impacted. We will continue to have more on timing and what to expect for the rest of the week, but at least for now, I wanted to give an early warning about what is heading our way.
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