Midterm Campaigns: Cross-Party Endorsements Gain Prominence

Candidates in several key midterm races are increasingly touting endorsements from political opponents, a strategy intended to broaden their appeal in the final days of the campaign. While these bipartisan signals have become a focal point of recent advertising, political scientists suggest the tangible effect on voter behavior may be modest.

Democratic campaigns have prominently featured support from former Republican leaders. In Alaska, Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins on Tuesday. In Kansas, former Republican governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden announced their backing for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton in September and October, respectively.

The trend extends to Texas, where the campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico reported that more than two dozen former GOP officials have endorsed the candidate. This week, Kel Seliger, a former Republican state senator, added his name to the list, choosing Talarico over Republican candidate and Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Seliger cited his personal experience with both men in making his decision. “I’ve served with both people,” Seliger said. “James Talarico is not some wild-eyed socialist and and he may believe in a lot of things that Democratic Party believes in that I don’t. But I think he’s going to be honest. And I think he’s going to be frank and direct. I think that the things that he does are going to be what is best for Texas. Not what’s best for Elon Musk.”

Republican officials assert that their candidates are also benefiting from cross-party voting. Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, pointed to races in Michigan and Texas as examples of this dynamic. She specifically noted the coalition “Democrats for Mike Rogers,” which supports Michigan candidate Mike Rogers against Abdul El-Sayed.

Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project, observed that while these crossovers are real, they typically involve a small share of the electorate. “We’re not talking about a large group of Republicans crossing party lines to vote for Democrats, or a large group of Democrats possibly crossing party lines to vote for Republicans,” Blank said. “We’re ultimately talking about what are kind of idiosyncratic behaviors they’re going to take place among a small, small share of the electorate,” he added. “Now, if the elections close, this could really matter.”

Recent polling indicates that several midterm races have tightened, with some contests statistically tied. This closeness may amplify the influence of the voters who are willing to support candidates outside their traditional party affiliation.