Today's Essential Political News: 4‑Minute Read
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Monday, April 6, 2026 · 8:00 a.m. ET
Federal Level
MTG’s Seat Is Up for Grabs Tuesday in Georgia Runoff
Voters in northwest Georgia head to the polls on Tuesday in the runoff to fill the congressional seat vacated by former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Trump-endorsed Republican Clay Fuller, a local prosecutor, faces Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army brigadier general, in a district Trump carried by 37 points in 2024. Democrats have invested heavily in the race, and a Harris upset would be viewed as a major referendum on the Trump administration heading into November. The winner must immediately begin campaigning for a full term.1,2
Wisconsin Voters Could Reshape Their Supreme Court on Tuesday
Wisconsin voters will also elect a state Supreme Court justice on Tuesday, choosing between liberal Judge Chris Taylor and conservative Judge Maria Lazar. The outcome will not change the court’s current 4-3 liberal majority, but a Taylor win would deepen it to 5-2, strengthening liberal control over redistricting and abortion cases through at least 2030. Unlike recent Wisconsin Supreme Court races that each exceeded $100 million in spending, this contest has drawn under $9 million in total.3,4
Trump’s Bid to Control Mail-In Voting Hits Federal Courtrooms
Federal lawsuits are now pending in multiple courts challenging President Trump’s March 31 executive order that directs the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail-in ballots only to voters on a federally verified list. The Democratic National Committee, the ACLU, and the Brennan Center are among the parties that filed suit last week, arguing the order is unconstitutional because the Constitution assigns election authority to the states and Congress, not the president. This is Trump’s second attempt to regulate elections by executive order; courts blocked his first such order earlier this year.5,6,7
Trump Approval Rating Hits New Low Across Multiple Polls
President Trump’s job approval rating has fallen below 40 percent for the first time in his second term, according to several polls released this past week. A CNN survey conducted March 26 to 30 put his overall approval at 35 percent, with just 31 percent approving of his handling of the economy. A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll placed it slightly higher at 43 percent, but both surveys show continued erosion, particularly among Republicans under 25 and in competitive swing states.8,9
Republicans Found a Way to Fund DHS Without Democrats — If It Holds Up
With Congress on recess until April 14, Republican leaders are pursuing a two-track plan to end the 50-day DHS shutdown. Track one would pass a bipartisan bill funding most of DHS through September, a measure the Senate has already approved twice; because House conservatives continue to resist it, Speaker Johnson will likely need Democratic votes to get it across the finish line. Track two uses budget reconciliation, a procedure requiring only 51 Senate votes, to fund ICE and Border Patrol for three years without any Democratic support. Both Senate Majority Leader Thune and President Trump have now publicly endorsed the approach.10,11,12
State Level
Florida SAVE Act Already in Federal Court After DeSantis Signing
Within minutes of Governor Ron DeSantis signing Florida’s version of the SAVE America Act on April 2, at least two federal lawsuits were filed challenging the law, which requires proof of citizenship and a government-issued photo ID to register and cast a ballot. The NAACP, the League of Women Voters, the ACLU, and several Latino rights organizations are among the plaintiffs. Florida joins several other states that have passed similar laws, most of which have faced court challenges, and the law is set to take effect January 1, 2027.13,14
Indiana Republicans Divided After Governor Calls Redistricting Special Session
Indiana Governor Mike Braun is facing an intraparty revolt after calling a special session to redraw congressional districts, a move the state Senate rejected 31 to 19. Republican legislators who voted against it are now facing pressure campaigns from the governor and reportedly from the White House. One senator publicly said, “Our governor should have listened to the legislature.” The dispute reflects broader tensions between Trump allies seeking additional Republican House seats and state lawmakers who consider the effort politically reckless.15
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Article Sources
1. NBC News, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/trump-clay-fuller-shawn-harris-runoff-special-election-georgia-rcna262592
2. The Hill, https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5796957-shawn-harris-clay-fuller-debate-georgia-runoff/
3. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2026/03/27/wisconsin-supreme-court-candidates-election-date/89330687007/
4. PBS Wisconsin, https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/maria-lazar-and-chris-taylor-face-off-in-the-2026-election-for-an-open-wisconsin-supreme-court-seat/
5. Brennan Center for Justice, https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/court-cases/league-women-voters-massachusetts-v-trump-march-2026-mail-voting-executive
6. NPR, https://www.npr.org/2026/03/31/nx-s1-5508948/trump-voter-list-mail-ballots-executive-order
7. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/31/trump-executive-order-restrict-mail-in-ballots
8. CNN / SSRS Poll,
9. Newsweek / Harvard CAPS Harris, https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-republicans-gen-z-11778965
10. CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/01/tsa-shutdown-dhs-homeland.html
11. Politico, https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/02/senate-dhs-funding-redo-00855096
12. CNBC, https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/02/tsa-dhs-shutdown-senate-house.html
13. Democracy Docket, https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/pro-voting-groups-file-lawsuit-to-block-floridas-save-act/
14. Center Voter, https://centervoter.com/p/todays-essential-political-news-4minute-cea
15. The Addison Times, https://addisontimes.substack.com/p/sunday-april-5-2026