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2 candidates are running for Madison County auditor. Who they are:
Madison County voters are set to head to the polls Aug. 26 to elect their next county auditor. The special election comes in the wake of former Auditor Teri Kaczinski's resignation on July 4, following community criticism over unauthorized expenditures and contentious hiring practices involving her campaign manager. After Kaczinski's resignation, the Madison County Board of Supervisors appointed Matthew Schwarz as interim auditor without a public vote, igniting further community backlash and prompting a successful citizen-led petition to force a special election. More: Madison County sees tumultuous 6 months under auditor, replacement without election Two candidates emerged by the Aug. 1 filing deadline: Schwarz and Michele Brant, a former county board clerk. Matthew Schwarz Schwarz was sworn in as auditor July 7. A forensic consultant and police officer for 12 years in Muscatine and Davenport, he was appointed in a 2-1 vote and promised stability and procedural transparency following Kaczinski's turbulent tenure. In his first two weeks on the job, Schwarz identified numerous issues in county processes. At a July 22 board meeting, he said the county's credit card process is "completely broken." "Every month, we have expenditures that are never reconciled, because no one will admit that they purchase them," he said. Schwarz proposed issuing department-specific credit cards to improve tracking and accountability. He also highlighted payroll inefficiencies and recommended transitioning to a unified, cloud-based payroll solution. 'Departments submit timesheets in different formats … that alone is costing us about $8,500 a year in staff time and another $2,500 a month for a part-time clerk," Schwarz said. Schwarz also criticized the employee handbook's overtime and comp-time policies, noting one employee alone accrued "400+ hours while peers have virtually none." He suggested clearer pre-approval processes and flexible scheduling. Schwarz's short tenure has also seen some controversy. County Attorney Steve Swanson ordered Schwarz to vacate his workspace shortly after his appointment due to flawed vacancy notices issued from his office and county leaders — one published prematurely and another issued without proper authorization. This dispute came to a head at the July 22 meeting, where, after extensive debate, the board reaffirmed Schwarz's appointment and restored his access and equipment. Schwarz's phone and work computer also were seized as part of a search warrant executed on July 18. His phone has since been returned but the county-owned laptop is still in custody. More: Judge orders return of officials' seized devices in Madison County voter intimidation case Madison County Sheriff's Deputy Donald Kinney obtained and executed a warrant on Schwarz's home 'regarding an investigation into Election Misconduct in Madison County,' according to court documents. The warrant application rested largely on an informant in the Auditor's Office who claimed that 'both Stancil and Schwarz are desperately trying to alter appointment dates and deadlines for the petition to delay the election,' according to the motion, with the informant also attaching two pages of screenshots supporting the claims. Schwarz could not be reached for comment. Michele Brant Brant said she is running as an independent on a pledge to depoliticize the Auditor's Office, strengthen transparency and enforce Iowa Code. 'I believe that Madison County voters have had enough polarization from local politics,' she said in her campaign announcement, adding that she will 'serve all Madison County residents and protect our county from missteps.' Brant has told the Des Moines Register her first priorities include securing timely bill payments and opening up every process so that 'any citizen can follow the money without roadblocks.' She praised the successful petition drive for a special election as 'inspiring and empowering." Brant holds a bachelor's in accounting from the University of Iowa and an MBA from Drake University. She brings more than 20 years of budgeting, operations and HR management to the race. Her most recent county post was a part-time board of supervisors clerk. She resigned after Kaczinski posted a similiar job with better pay. Brant said she was not considered for the new role. She has condemned the board's decision to appoint Schwarz without a public vote and had preemptively thrown her hat in the ring immediately after Kaczinski's resignation, anticipating the special election. 'There's a faction in Madison County that is very upset about it,' she previously said of Schwarz's appointment. 'I absolutely was, and am, the best candidate from an experience and education perspective.' Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@ Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Who is running for Madison County auditor in special election 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
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Which way will the Senate swing in 2026? Minnesota is on the table
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump's agenda in the second half of his second term will hinge on whether Republicans can maintain control of Congress in next year's midterm elections. In the Senate, where the GOP has a slim 53-47 majority, being the party in charge is vital for the president and his ability to pass key legislation priorities and confirm nominees, including any potential Supreme Court vacancies. Heading into 2026, congressional Republicans look to keep their legislative advantage but face the challenge of precedent. Often, the party that does not hold the White House fares better in midterm congressional elections. In need of a pick-me-up after last year's bruising presidential and congressional elections, Democrats are trying to flip the upper chamber back to blue by winning a handful of states scattered from the South to the Great Lakes. More: What to expect when you're expecting a GOP trifecta For their part, Republicans trying to defend their majority in next November's races must first weather some base-splitting primaries in which established GOP incumbents hope to hold on against challengers from inside their own party. Here are 11 Senate races to watch across the country heading into the 2026 midterm elections. 1. North Carolina More: Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announces run for Senate in a win for Democrats North Carolina's two-term senior senator, Republican Thom Tillis, announced in June that he would not be seeking reelection. His news, which Tillis called 'not a hard choice,' came as debates over Trump's sweeping tax, spending and policy bill engulfed Congress and pitted Republicans against one another. The news was music to Democrats' ears. Already a top target for the liberal party in next year's midterms, the North Carolina race was set to be one of the most competitive Senate battles in 2026, even with Tillis on the ballot. More: After Lara Trump opts out, president endorses RNC Chair Whatley for NC Senate race Now, the open seat has attracted high-profile contenders on both sides of the aisle. Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, announced his campaign formally on July 28 after weeks of speculation. On the Republican side, Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, said she considered jumping in. But after she announced July 24 that she would not run for the seat, President Trump gave his backing to Republican National Committee chair and former North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley. Primary elections will be held March 3. 2. Michigan In Michigan, another retiring incumbent has set the stage for a toss-up race next year. Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, announced in January that he would not seek a third term representing the Great Lakes State in the Senate. More: Michigan's Gary Peters won't run for US Senate reelection next year His absence leaves the race open for either party's taking. Republican Mike Rogers, a former congressman with Trump's endorsement, is his party's expected nominee. Rogers ran in 2024 and lost narrowly to Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin. Among Democrats, Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow lead the pack of 2026 candidates. Primary elections in the state will be held Aug. 4. Note to readers: If you appreciate the work we do here at The St. Cloud Times, please consider subscribing yourself or giving the gift of a subscription to someone you know. 3. Georgia Georgia's Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff must fend off a pack of conservative lawmakers to hang on to his seat in 2026. Alongside fellow Georgia Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock, Ossoff won a runnoff election in January 2021 that secured him a first term in Congress and his party a chamber majority. Once again, his race will be key in determining whether Democrats win control of the Senate. Republicans looking to unseat him include Rep. Buddy Carter, a former pharmacist who represents the Savannah area. Carter was first to throw his red hat in the ring. But others, including Rep. Mike Collins, have since joined the contest. Carter and Collins are coveting Trump's support, an endorsement that could carry weight with Georgia's deep-red electorate pockets. Georgia's primary elections are set for May 19. 4. Texas Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn stands a good chance of winning a fifth term against a Democratic challenger next November in the red-leaning Lone Star State. But first, he must make it through what is promising to be a tough primary against the state's attorney general, Ken Paxton. Cornyn has served in the Senate since 2002, but early polls showed him down double digits to Paxton. More: Texas AG Ken Paxton's wife files for divorce 'on biblical grounds' National Republicans have expressed concern that Paxton, who has faced indictments, impeachment and, more recently, a very public divorce, could cost the GOP their safely held Texas seat in a general election. Democrat and former Rep. Colin Allred, who ran unsuccessfully against Sen. Ted Cruz in 2024, has announced his campaign for 2026. Texas state Rep. James Talarico has said he is 'seriously considering' a run as well. More: Former congressman Colin Allred launches 2026 campaign for US Senate Primary elections in the Lone Star State are set for March 3. 5. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, has also drawn a GOP challenger in his 2026 bid for reelection. Paul Dans, the original author of Project 2025, a sweeping conservative agenda to overhaul the federal government, announced his candidacy at an event in Charleston July 30. More: Lindsey Graham gets Republican challenger: Project 2025 author to announce Senate bid The primary contest will likely pit MAGA voters in the Palmetto State against one another. Though Graham has been a regular target of criticism from Trump − displeased by the lawmaker at times breaking from the GOP leader − he is now an ally to the president and has already received Trump's 'complete and total endorsement.' Dans' primary challenge will be an uphill battle. Should Graham come out on top, he is heavily favored to win a fifth term representing the Palmetto State. A pack of Democrats are vying to face Graham or Dans in the general, though South Carolina is generally considered a safely red seat. Both party primaries will be held June 9. 6. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is about to wrap her fifth term in the Senate, and while she has yet to formally announce her bid for reelection, many colleagues expect her to run again. Her position as one of the upper chamber's most independent voices has kept her in favor, and in office, with her left-leaning state, though Democrats still see this upcoming race as one of their top pickup opportunities if two-term Gov. Janet Mills decides to run. Collins has garnered a reputation for being one of the few congressional Republicans willing to tell Trump no. She voted against two of his major legislative priorities this summer – a sweeping tax and spending bill, as well as a $9 billion cut to public broadcasting and foreign aid funding – and has openly criticized some of the president's nominees. More: 'See you in court.' Trump, Maine governor clash in tense exchange at White House Willingness to oppose Trump typically comes with the president's full public ire – and often a MAGA-aligned primary opponent. But Collins is the only Republican senator to have won a state in which Democrats won the popular vote in 2024. Her unique position seems to, at least for now, have kept Trump from speaking out against who many view as the GOP's best chance to keep their seat in Maine. Several Democratic candidates have announced campaigns against Collins, including David Costello, who ran unsuccessfully against Maine's Independent Sen. Angus King in 2024. All eyes are most focused on Mills, the state governor who has also tussled with Trump but hasn't yet said whether she will run. Maine will have its primaries on June 9. 7. Minnesota Minnesota's Democratic Sen. Tina Smith announced earlier this year that she plans to retire at the end of her term, calling the decision "entirely personal." With the state's blue tilt, Smith's seat has a good chance of staying in Democrats' hands. 'Entirely personal': Democrat Tina Smith to not seek reelection in 2026 Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Annie Craig are among the front-runners for their party's nomination. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris' running mate, opted back in February not to run for the Senate. On the Republican side, former NBA player Royce White is running again after losing his bid against Sen. Amy Klobuchar in 2024. Former Navy SEAL Adam Schwarze has also announced his campaign for the GOP nomination. The Minnesota primaries will be held Aug. 11. 8. Ohio The Buckeye State represents one of Democrats' few pickup opportunities, and even then it will not be an easy flip. Republican Sen. Jon Husted was picked by Ohio's governor to fill the seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance at the start of the year, and Husted will be on the ballot next November to keep his spot. Ohio has become reliably red in recent years, making the fight to flip it tough for Democrats. Their best shot probably is former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost his bid for reelection last year to Sen. Bernie Moreno. Axios reported that Brown met with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in late July as part of the top Senate Democrat's efforts to lobby Brown to run again. 9. New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire announced she would not be seeking another term in 2026 either. Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who launched his campaign in April, is widely seen as a strong contender to succeed Shaheen. More: Former GOP Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown running for Senate in New Hampshire Republican Scott Brown, a former Massachusetts senator and former ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa in Trump's first term, is among a handful of candidates competing on the GOP side. Like Minnesota, Cook Political Report has rated New Hampshire's race leaning Democrat. 10. Iowa In Iowa, Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican, has the advantage, with Cook Political Report rating her race likely Republican. Three Democrats so far have launched bids in hopes of beating those odds: Nathan Sage, the former chamber of commerce director from Knoxville; state Rep. J.D. Scholten; and state Sen. Zach Wahls. More: Iowa Democratic Rep. and minor league pitcher J.D. Scholten to run against Sen. Joni Ernst Trump's sweeping tax, spending and policy bill, passed into law earlier this summer, is expected to be a defining issue in Iowa's race. Ernst was one of 50 Senate Republicans who voted in favor of the legislation, which her Democratic opponents decried as a move "to gut Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of Iowa children and families." Iowa's primary is set for June 2. 11. Nebraska Nebraska is widely seen as a Republican stronghold with incumbent GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts, though there could be a surprisingly competitive race in 2026 with Independent candidate Dan Osborn jumping back into a statewide election. More: Nebraska independent Dan Osborn could be poised to shake up U.S. Senate Osborn came within 7 percentage points of beating Sen. Deb Fischer in 2024, a closer-than-expected margin in the GOP-dominated state. Osborn, a former labor leader, is a registered Independent but received campaign contributions from Democrats in his last campaign (money he told NBC he did not ask for). Ricketts, a former Nebraska governor and part owner with his family of the Chicago Cubs, is running for a full term after being appointed to the job in January 2023 upon the resignation of Republican Sen. Ben Sasse. Sign up for our alerts to receive the latest updates on important news. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who will win Senate majority in 11 2026 key races, including Minnesota
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21 minutes ago
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Eric and Trump Jr-backed manufacturing SPAC files for $300 million US IPO
(Reuters) -New America Acquisition I Corp, a blank-check firm backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., on Monday filed for an initial public offering of up to $300 million in the United States. The move is the latest in a series of ventures by U.S. President Donald Trump's family, including a meme coin launched in January and World Liberty Financial, a crypto company partly owned by the president. The Trump brothers have also expanded their holdings across golf courses, hotels, telecom and crypto miners, ventures which they say echo president's policies and agendas. The special purpose acquisition company, a vehicle previously used by the family to launch firearms retailers and media firms, aims to merge with businesses headquartered or primarily operating in the U.S., it said in a filing. The SPAC will "play a meaningful role in revitalizing domestic manufacturing, expanding innovation ecosystems, and strengthening critical supply chains", the filing added. Since taking office, Trump has unraveled decades of trade relationships in pursuit of protectionist trade measures that he believes are necessary for national security. Eric and Trump Jr. will both serve on the advisory board for New America, receiving a combined five million shares in the company. Media veteran Kevin McGurn will lead the company. He declined a Reuters request for comment. Dominari Securities President Kyle Wool, whose firm is an underwriter for this offering, is also on the board. SPACs are shell companies that use their IPO proceeds to merge with a private company, thereby taking it public while avoiding the regulatory scrutiny of a traditional listing. New America said it would offer 30 million units in its IPO priced at $10 each, aiming to list on the New York Stock Exchange. D. Boral Capital is the other underwriter for the offering. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
