Americans keep voting for scandal-prone candidates because they just don’t want the other party to win
Polarization is helping both candidates hold party support as early polling shows most Texas Republicans backing Paxton and Maine Democrats rallying behind Platner.
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Graham Platner in Maine secured resounding primary victories on May 26, 2026, despite both candidates facing significant personal and legal scandals ahead of the 2026 Senate races.
- Political polarization has transformed how Americans view opposing parties, with sentiment dropping from neutral to deeply negative; by 2024, 64% of voters in both parties reported negative opinions of the other side.
- Public opinion studies using the "feeling thermometer" show sentiment toward opposing parties plummeted from 50 degrees to 19 degrees by 2024, with voters reporting they must "hold their noses" to support flawed candidates.
- Party leadership in Congress continues to rally behind Paxton and Platner despite ongoing controversies, as political scientist Frances Lee wrote in "Insecure Majorities" that partisan control over the federal government remains more contested than ever.
- Close elections mean individual votes matter more, raising the cost of defecting from a party's candidate; voters fear the opposition controlling the government, driving support for Paxton and Platner regardless of their personal baggage.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Why Americans Keep Voting for Scandal‑Prone Candidates Like Graham Platner and Ken Paxton
Republished with permission from The Conversation, by Charlie Hunt, Boise State University Every election cycle sees its share of controversial, scandal-plagued candidates running for office. But the 2026 midterm elections will feature two such candidates—one from each party—in two of the highest-profile U.S. Senate races. In Texas, the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, recently secured the Republican Party’s nomination over incumbent Sen. J…
The Conversation
Americans keep voting for scandal-prone candidates because they just don’t want the other party to win
U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner speaks to supporters on June 9, 2026, in Blue Hill, Maine. CJ Gunther/Getty ImagesEvery election cycle sees its share of controversial, scandal-plagued candidates running for office. But the 2026 midterm elections will feature two such candidates – one from each party – in two of the highest-profile U.S. Senate races. In Texas, the state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, recently secured the Republican Party’s no…
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