The 2026 Midterms, the Pop Culture Edition: The Stars, Races and Poll Times to Know

The Story

Texas: the most star-studded race

If one race has felt like an awards show, it is Texas. Democrat James Talarico, a state representative, is running against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton for an open Senate seat, and Deadline describes the two as tied in the polls (Deadline).

Talarico’s closing ad borrowed the “Clear eyes, full hearts” motto from Friday Night Lights and featured series stars Connie Britton, Jesse Plemons and Adrianne Palicki. Kacey Musgraves makes a brief appearance too (Deadline). Bill Nye appeared in a video launching a Teachers for Talarico group (Dallas Morning News), and the Chicks posted photos in “Talafreako” T-shirts (San Antonio Current). Don Henley of the Eagles has given to Talarico and to a PAC tied to him (San Antonio Current). In Hollywood, Damon Lindelof and Peter Chernin hosted fundraisers and Robert De Niro headlined one in New York (THR).

Paxton’s side has its own names. President Donald Trump endorsed him, as did former Dallas Cowboys star Randy White and activist and former college swimmer Riley Gaines. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn’t promoted his support but donated $250,000 to a Paxton joint fundraising committee, according to The Dallas Morning News (Dallas Morning News). Deadline notes that Paxton has also benefited from more than $190 million from Elon Musk in the race (Deadline). Paxton has made Talarico’s Hollywood ties an attack line, telling Newsweek that Talarico would be “California’s third senator” (THR).

Willie Nelson has posted endorsement videos for Democrats running for governor and lieutenant governor. He hasn’t formally endorsed in the Senate race, though Talarico joined him on stage at his Fourth of July Picnic (San Antonio Current).

Michigan: a celebrity rally and a party switch

Michigan’s Senate race pits Democrat Abdul El-Sayed against Republican Mike Rogers. On Oct. 25, Nicki Minaj joined Trump at a rally in Port Huron, saying he had “changed the energy of the country” and leading the crowd in chanting the names of Michigan’s Republican candidates (BBC). Former President Barack Obama rallied with El-Sayed the day before (BBC).

The race was upended again on Sunday, when Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens, El-Sayed’s former primary rival, endorsed Rogers. She told CNN her decision is “rock solid.” El-Sayed raised $1.2 million after the switch, and a New York Times poll cited by CNN has him leading by 11 points (CNN). Pop Culture Pit has the full fallout, including the staff resignations.

Georgia, Minnesota and Tennessee

In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff has Hollywood money behind him: Shonda Rhimes helped host a fundraiser for him, and his donors include Larry David, Annette Bening, Ben Stiller, Sally Field and Chuck Lorre (THR). His Republican opponent, Rep. Mike Collins, has used those ties against him (THR). NPR expects Ossoff to win (NPR).

Minnesota has an actual TV personality on the ballot. Republican Michele Tafoya, the longtime NFL sideline reporter, is running for Senate against Democrat Peggy Flanagan (THR). In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican nominee for governor, drew criticism from both parties for reposting an AI video of herself dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” (THR).

When the polls close

NPR’s guide lists states by the time their last polls close, in Eastern Time (NPR):

• 7 p.m.: Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont
• 7:30 p.m.: North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia
• 8 p.m.: Florida, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Hampshire and more
• 8:30 p.m.: Arkansas
• 9 p.m.: Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming
• 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.: the remaining Western states, Hawaii and, last, Alaska

Control of the House may become clear sooner than the Senate, where margins are tighter and two states use ranked-choice voting (NPR).