Retiring Guy's Digest

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Louisiana Republicans had hoped to break the party's losing streak in special elections

But they couldn't come close to flipping District 60 of the State House.

Headlines: The Downballot (top, bottom)

David Nir and Jeff Singer reports for The Downballot on February 6:

A win for Daigle would make him the first Republican to flip a Democratic-held legislative seat anywhere in the nation since Trump returned to the White House. Democrats, by contrast, have picked up eight Republican-controlled districts through special elections, as well as 18 seats in New Jersey and Virginia during those states’ regularly scheduled contests last November.
A victory for Martinez, likewise, would give Democrats a high-profile win in a GOP-dominated state. It would also represent a strong showing on conservative rural turf.

David Nir reports on February 7 reports on a resounding Democratic victory in a district that Trump won by 13 percentage points in 2024:

Democrats successfully defended a conservative seat in rural Louisiana on Saturday night, as Chasity Martinez defeated Republican Brad Daigle by a dominant 62-38 margin—a massive 37-point overperformance compared to the 2024 presidential result.
Republicans had hoped to score their first legislative pickup of any kind during Donald Trump’s second term, and they had good reason to think they might succeed in the 60th House District.
Voters in the district, which includes part of Assumption and Iberville parishes (Louisiana’s equivalent of counties), had long backed state and local Democrats but had moved decidedly toward Republicans on the federal level in recent years.

Other panic-inducing GOP special elections:

2026

Republicans get whomped in Texas State Senate special election in red Fort Worth area district. (2/1)

August-November 2025
Tennessee GOP panics over CD7 special election on December 2nd. (11/24)

Tennessee 7th congressional district: Republicans freaking out over another possible special election loss. (11/17)

Despite a shrinkage of registered voters, Iowa Democrats have enjoyed a good year in 2025. (11/12)

Democratic candidate expands margin of victory in deep-blue Virginia congressional district. (9/10)

If the Democratic Party brand is in the toilet, where does that put the Republican Party? (8/2)

January-April 2025

As we have recently learned, a 15-point margin of victory is no longer safe for the GOP. (4/9)

Democrat Josh Weil cuts GOP margin of victory from 33 to 13.7 percentage points in deep-red Florida congressional district previously represented by Signalgate star performer Michael Waltz. (4/2)

Democrat Gay Valimont cuts GOP margin of victory from 32 to 14.6 percentage points in deep-red Florida congressional district previously represented by Matt Gaetz. (4/2)

Wisconsin elections: What a difference 5 months and the road to authoritarianism makes! (4/2)

Staying power? In Wisconsin, Donald Trump reveals a limp dick. (4/2)

Keep an eye out on this special election in Florida. It will tell us just how toxic Trump/Musk/DOGE has become to voters. (3/30)

Democrat flips a state senate seat in a deep-red area of Pennsylvania. (3/26)

Democrat flips state senate seat in increasingly red Iowa. (1/29)

GOP hypocrisy: Keep in mind that Wisconsin Republicans had to be shamed into restoring funding for Wisconsin Eye

They are very selective when it comes to transparency.

Top headline: The Recombobulation Area

Bottom headline: Capital Times

Dan Shafer reports for The Recombobulation Area

So, as the calendar turned from 2025 to 2026, state government entered this post-Wisconsin Eye world. Losing transparency and real-time video access to what’s happening in state government was invariably going to be a real problem.

That problem was soon made worse. Republican leadership in the state legislature began enforcing a set of rules — Assembly Rule 11, Assembly Rule 26, and Senate Rule 11, according to the Wisconsin Examiner — which essentially bar members of the public from recording, photographing or filming legislative proceedings, only allowing credentialed members of the media to do so.

Fortunately, Wisconsin Eye resumed operation on Feburary 3rd.

Wisconsin GOP leadership promotes a no transparency workplace. (3/21/2023)

Transparency is not a word in Robin Voss vocabulary. (1/1/2019

GET ME REWRITE: Just 18% of Republicans are honest with themselves; the rest are drinking Koolaid

Graphic: Pew Research, 2/4/2026

Ted Van Green , Andy Cerda and Steven Shepard report:

A new Pew Research Center survey of 8,512 U.S. adults conducted Jan. 20-26 finds that nearly all of the change in views of the economy since last spring has come among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents:
49% of Republicans rate the economy positively today, the highest mark of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Views among Republicans are up 5 percentage points since September and 13 points since April.
Just 10% of Democrats and Democratic leaners rate the economy positively, virtually unchanged since April.

Related posts:

January 2026

In Trump's America, Goodwill stores thrive. (1/29)

In other words, it's the 1% who are benefitting most from a bullish stock market. (1/15)

Trump tariffs, trade war, and nativism trash U.S. economy in 2025. (1/10)

December 2025

In his dreams, Trump sees an A+++++ economy. (12/11)

Donald Trump dreams of pencils. (12/11)

While Trump sleeps, many Americans complain about the cost of living. (12/4)

You are probably not enjoying a high-end shopping experience this holiday season. (12/4)

Trump's tariffs raised the cost of her trench coat more than 50%. (12/3)

November 2025