In an opinion column published Oct. 13, 2026, Liz Peek argued that Senate contests in Texas and Michigan appeared more competitive than some expectations of a Democratic wave might suggest. The column cited Kalshi odds giving Democrats a 61% chance of winning Senate control, while contending that developments in the two races warranted caution about that outlook.
In Texas, Peek focused on Democratic state Rep. James Talarico’s reported absence from public campaigning for nearly two weeks. Talarico said he had the flu, according to the column. Peek also referenced a UMass Lowell/YouGov poll that she said found Talarico and Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton tied, with 7% undecided. She criticized Talarico’s past statements and policy positions, including his views on gender, religion, meat consumption and transgender participation in women’s sports. These characterizations and criticisms are the columnist’s; the supplied material does not independently substantiate them.
In Michigan, Peek argued that Democrat Abdul El-Sayed had changed his description of how Medicare for All would affect private insurance. She also questioned his record and cited disputes involving his statements about citizenship and family connections. The column referred to Michigan polls showing El-Sayed ahead by one or two points, which Peek described as within the margin of error, and predicted Republican Mike Rogers would win.
The piece is commentary, not a neutral election report. Its claims about candidates, organizations and polling are presented through the author’s account, and the supplied source text offers no independent verification. The source is dated Oct. 13, 2026, and describes the midterm election as three weeks away; it is not evidence of a result or other confirmed election outcome.
