A Flood of Ballots': California Elections Turned Upside Down After Disturbing Video Leaks
Los Angeles, California - June 6, 2026
Republicans have surged in the race for California governor and the Los Angeles mayoral contest while overperforming across much of the state. However, the final results remain uncertain as election officials continue processing a large volume of mail ballots that are expected to arrive over the coming days and weeks.
NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki warned viewers that the late-arriving mail ballots, which often lean heavily Democratic, could significantly alter current leads.
“Remember, the final piece of the puzzle that we won’t know tonight, right, is the late arriving vote by mail,” Kornacki said. “And we’re talking about probably like a third of the vote in Los Angeles. We’re probably not going to be getting until tomorrow and maybe days to come after tomorrow.”
Kornacki noted that this late mail vote is “going to be significantly more Democratic friendly than all of the other vote, meaning that would be good news for Bass” in the Los Angeles mayoral race and for other Democratic candidates trailing on Election Night.
New Lawsuit Targets California’s Voter Roll Maintenance
Separately, a lawsuit filed against California Secretary of State Shirley Weber alleges that the state has failed to remove hundreds of thousands of inactive voter registrations from its rolls in violation of federal law. Plaintiffs claim that approximately 873,092 inactive registrations remain on the books despite requirements under the National Voter Registration Act.
The complaint further alleges that more than 151,000 registrations stayed active even after voters failed to participate in four consecutive federal election cycles and did not respond to address verification notices. California currently maintains over 23 million registered voters, the largest system in the nation.
Federal law requires states to clean voter rolls by removing registrations that have been inactive through multiple election cycles. The lawsuit argues that California has not properly enforced these standards, creating opportunities for error, duplication, and potential fraud.
In 2019, Judicial Watch reached a settlement with California and Los Angeles County that resulted in the removal of more than 1.2 million inactive names. Plaintiffs contend that problems have persisted since then. Court filings note that 20 California counties removed 50 or fewer inactive registrations in a recent period, even as census data showed substantial out-migration from the state.
Republican Momentum Meets Structural Challenges
The combination of extended ballot counting and questions over voter roll accuracy has added tension to an election season already marked by Republican gains in traditionally Democratic strongholds. California officials maintain that multiple safeguards protect the integrity of the voting process.
Supporters of the lawsuit argue that accurate voter rolls are fundamental to public confidence in elections. The case comes as Republicans celebrate stronger-than-expected showings but face the reality that a large share of remaining ballots historically favors Democratic candidates.
The outcome of both the statewide and Los Angeles races may not be known for days or weeks as officials continue processing late mail ballots under intense scrutiny.
Hakeem Jeffries Panics - He Just Lost A WAVE of House Seats Intensifies
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a sharp public rebuke against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis following the governor's announcement of a special legislative session to redraw Florida’s congressional district boundaries, a strategic move expected to yield four additional seats for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives.
Governor DeSantis defended the mid-decade redistricting initiative by asserting that Florida was shortchanged in the 2020 Census relative to its explosive population growth over recent years. DeSantis emphasized that registered Republicans now hold a 1.5 million voter advantage across the Sunshine State, arguing that the existing district boundaries rely on unconstitutional racial classifications rather than geographic and demographic reality.
"The new map will more fairly reflect Florida’s current population makeup and fulfill our commitment to mid-decade adjustments."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated during his official announcement of the special session.
Representative Jeffries quickly pushed back against the plan, characterizing the proposed congressional map as a partisan overreach that could ultimately backfire on state Republicans during upcoming election cycles.
"It is a 'DeSantis Dummymander'. Florida Republicans pursuing this redistricting will end up in the exact same situation as Texas Republicans, whom I describe as being on the run. They are dummymandering their way into the minority before a single vote is cast."
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries declared in response to the governor's redistricting strategy.
In a swift counter-response, Governor DeSantis dismissed the minority leader's warnings, inviting the New York Democrat to travel to Florida to campaign personally against the proposed boundary adjustments.
"I invite Leader Jeffries to campaign in Florida. I would be happy to host him at the governor’s mansion and take him fishing. Having Jeffries campaign across the state will only benefit Republicans because Florida voters will soundly reject the ideology being presented."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated during a subsequent media press conference.
The redistricting battle in Florida unfolds amidst a broader national struggle for control of the House of Representatives, where state-level map adjustments across the country could determine the congressional majority. The Supreme Court of the United States recently lifted a lower court injunction that had temporarily blocked a new congressional map in Texas, a decision that could potentially add five Republican seats to the lower chamber.
Conversely, California’s pending redistricting plans are projected to yield five additional seats for Democrats, while Virginia’s congressional map remains subject to ongoing legal challenges before the state Supreme Court over constitutional boundary concerns. As both major political parties adjust their national strategies, mid-decade redistricting initiatives in key states continue to reshape the legislative landscape ahead of the upcoming congressional elections.
49–50 VOTE — Lone Democrat Saves Trump From Senate Defeat
The Senate narrowly rejected another attempt Thursday to restrict President Donald Trump’s authority to continue U.S. military operations against Iran without explicit congressional authorization, as a small group of Republicans joined Democrats in challenging the administration’s handling of the conflict.
The Senate voted 49-50 against the war powers resolution, falling just short of adopting a measure that had previously cleared the House.
The resolution would have directed Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities involving Iran unless Congress specifically authorized continued military action through a declaration of war or an authorization for use of military force.
Four Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina — joined Democrats in supporting the measure.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to oppose it, while Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland did not vote.
The 1973 War Powers Resolution was enacted after the Vietnam War in an effort to constrain presidents from maintaining prolonged military engagements without congressional authorization.
But multiple adminstrations since have claimed the act is an unconstitutional restraint on the president’s role as commander-in-chief.
Most Senate Republicans remained opposed to the measure, arguing that restricting the president while U.S. forces remain engaged against Iran could undermine American military operations and negotiating leverage.
The vote comes as the Iran war approaches its seventh month and as concerns about the conflict have increasingly spilled into the November midterm campaigns.
Rising gasoline and diesel prices have intensified the political debate, particularly in competitive congressional races.
Some Republican candidates who previously supported Trump’s handling of Iran have recently called for the conflict to end quickly.
Republican Senate candidates Mike Rogers in Michigan and Ashley Hinson in Iowa both called this week for a swift conclusion to the war, citing its effect on American energy prices and household costs. Hinson had previously voted multiple times against House efforts to restrict Trump’s war powers.
Thursday’s vote was the latest in a long series of congressional attempts to impose limits on the administration’s military campaign.
The Senate has considered 14 Iran-related war powers resolutions since the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran in February, according to reports.
Congressional critics of the war argue that the Constitution gives Congress, rather than the president, the authority to declare war and that months of sustained hostilities require explicit legislative approval.
The Pentagon has estimated the war has cost approximately $42 billion, according to Stars and Stripes. At least 19 American service members have been killed and more than 750 injured during the conflict, Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said during Thursday’s debate.
Republicans supporting Trump have argued that the president possesses sufficient authority as commander in chief to conduct the military campaign and that congressional restrictions could interfere with efforts to force Iran into negotiations.
Trump has continued to publicly defend the war.
During his address to the United Nations General Assembly this week, the president argued that military action had prevented Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and called on other countries to increase economic pressure on Iran.
Trump also said he believes an agreement with Tehran remains possible, while warning that the United States could dramatically escalate military action if diplomacy fails.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that Tehran remained open to a diplomatic resolution but would not negotiate under military threats.
Thursday’s Senate vote followed another significant congressional challenge to Trump’s Iran policy.
The House passed a similar war powers measure last week by a 220-204 vote, with seven Republicans joining Democrats. That vote represented the third time the House had voted to end U.S. participation in the Iran conflict.
