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German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has doubled down on pushing through unpopular reforms to Europe’s largest economy after a far-right party surged to a landslide victory in a regional election, with a very good chance of forming the first far-right state government since the Nazi era. Merz said his center-right Christian Democratic Union was “deeply shocked” by what he called “the most serious election defeat that the CDU has had for years, for decades.” But he indicated that he’s determined to stay at the helm and said that “giving up is not an option for me.” The anti-migration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany, or AfD, fell just short of a majority in Sunday’s vote in Saxony-Anhalt.

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Candidates in several states with competitive House and Senate races are beginning the stretch run of election season with Labor Day events at festivals, union halls and parades. This year’s campaigns already have been combative, busy and expensive. They are expected to get even more so as a larger number of voters tune in ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Some of the busiest states are the handful with competitive Senate races, such as Maine, Ohio, Georgia and Michigan. Republicans control the chamber, but Democrats see a path to taking it back if they can flip four seats and hold on in competitive states where they hold a seat.

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Rebecca Cooke, Democratic candidate for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District, greets people during a Labor Day parade, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Readstown, Wis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

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Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a candidate for Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional district, rides a motorcycle with his grandson in a Labor Day parade, Monday, Sept. 7, 2026, in Readstown, Wis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)