With midterms days away, Democratic candidates in Alaska, Kansas and Texas are putting Republican endorsements front and center. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski backed Democrat Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins for governor, and former GOP officials in Kansas and Texas have endorsed Democratic Senate candidates. Republicans counter that they expect crossover support too, pointing to Michigan, Texas and coalitions like “Democrats for Mike Rogers.”
So how much does any of this move the needle? According to Joshua Blank, research director for the Texas Politics Project, cross-party voting typically involves only a small, idiosyncratic share of the electorate. In most races, that slice is too small to matter. But in races that are statistically tied, even a modest number of defectors could decide who wins.
The takeaway for Suncoast voters: endorsements are a closing message aimed at the middle, not a guarantee of anything. If you tend to split your ticket, you’re part of a group both parties are courting hard right now. Have you ever crossed party lines on your ballot? Tell us what convinced you.
