Ashlee Rich Stephenson Joins SiriusXM POTUS
All eyes are on Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District today as voters brave the elements and holiday slump to head to the polls in the special election to replace Fmr. Rep. Mark Green. AxAdvocacy President Ashlee Rich Stephenson joined SiriusXM POTUS to unpack the turnout warning signs and what Republicans eyeing 2026 should pay attention to from today’s results.
Watch the interview:
Ashlee Rich Stephenson
President
AxAdvocacy President Ashlee Rich Stephenson joined SiriusXM POTUS to break down why all eyes are on Texas, and why they’ll stay there through November. There is a lot of coverage on Texas that will not end tomorrow, it won't end in 10 weeks, it's going to take us all the way to the November general election. Why is that? Democrats desperately want to start to flip this state to make it blue for an electoral college advantage. Republicans know they need to hang on to it, because it doesn't look like a California, for example, is going to come back their way anytime soon. This will be a political science textbook, of primaries, runoffs, and then a really big general election. Watch the full interview:
SNAPSHOT
SNAPSHOT
Congratulations to Senior Vice President Jeff Billman on one year at AxAdvocacy! Below, he shares his perspective on the shift from Capitol Hill to a multi-client lobbying firm.
Special elections are special, simply put. In the Texas race, the jungle primary produced a Republican majority when two GOP candidates collectively won over half the vote. But that advantage didn’t carry through to the runoff, where an enthusiasm gap led Democrats to over-perform in the turnout game. The takeaway: in off-cycle elections, turnout dynamics can matter more than territory. Listen to AxAdvocacy Preside nt Ashlee Rich Stephenson break down what we learned from the Texas special runoff. Watch the interview:
Our Top 3: 1) Backlash Over Federal Immigration Enforcement Intensifies: National outrage has surged after two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, complicating the Trump administration’s immigration strategy and turning ICE enforcement into a central campaign issue. 2) More Redistricting Moves Continue to Pop: Republicans’ appeal of a court ruling throwing out New York City’s only GOP-held House district comes as Democrats simultaneously push mid-decade redistricting efforts in Maryland and pursue a ballot move in Virginia to reclaim map-drawing power. 3) High Profile Names Shake Up Senate Races: The 2026 map is drawing marquee names as Julia Letlow, Michele Tafoya, and Alexander Vindman launch Senate bids in their respective states, signaling both parties’ intent to nationalize key races early and reshaping the battleground well ahead of November. National Sentiment Tracking Even Before MN Shooting, Voters Overwhelmingly Disapprove of ICE
