Cross-Party Endorsements Could Swing Tight Midterm Races

Midterm candidates in three key states are banking on voters crossing party lines to decide November elections.

The strategy has gained momentum in recent weeks. In Alaska, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced their support for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in September and October, respectively.

The trend is visible in Texas as well. The campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico reported that more than two dozen former GOP officials have endorsed him. Kel Seliger, a former GOP state senator, joined the list this week, choosing Talarico over Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Seliger explained his decision by noting he had served with both men. "James Talarico is not some wild-eyed socialist and and he may believe in a lot of things that Democratic Party believes in that I don’t," Seliger said. "But I think he’s going to be honest. And I think he’s going to be frank and direct. I think that the things that he does are going to be what is best for Texas. Not what’s best for Elon Musk."

Republican officials counter that they also expect crossover voting. Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, pointed to specific matchups where this dynamic is at play. She cited the race in Michigan between Mike Rogers and Abdul El-Sayed, as well as the Texas contest between Ken Paxton and James Talarico. Baldassarre noted the existence of a coalition called "Democrats for Mike Rogers" as evidence of this trend.

Political analysts suggest the impact of these endorsements may be limited. Joshua Blank, Research Director for the Texas Politics Project, stated that cross-party voting usually affects only a small share of the electorate. "We’re not talking about a large group of Republicans crossing party lines to vote for Democrats, or a large group of Democrats possibly crossing party lines to vote for Republicans," Blank said. He described the behavior as idiosyncratic among a small segment of voters.

However, Blank noted that if races are close, these small shifts could determine the outcome. Recent polling indicates that several midterm races have become tight, with some now statistically tied.

With the election just weeks away, candidates in Alaska, Kansas, and Texas will continue to promote these bipartisan endorsements to undecided voters.