Era of the New Majority

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Group B

Colombia
Netherlands
Portugal
Australia

In what is certainly the tournament's "Group of Death," play opens with Netherlands taking on Portugal in Atlanta. Despite the Oranje being much older and with several key depth players injured, longtime veteran Memphis, appearing in his fourth World Cup, scores twice to defeat Portugal 2-0 in the opening game. In Washington D.C., meanwhile, Australia upsets Colombia with a lonely score from Jake Robinson to power through against the favored South Americans.

In the next game, Netherlands takes on Colombia and draws 0-0. Australia, meanwhile, draws Portugal 1-1, with Cam Joice scoring for the Socceroos to tie things up after a Lopes Silva score at 7'.

Tied up at 4 points each, Netherlands and Australia face off in Los Angeles. The Socceroos take advantage of two crucial Oranje mistakes and Robinson and Jeffrey Kantor both score easy goals in breakaway to top the group. In the other game, Portugal has a chance to pass Netherlands with a 2-0 win or more, but they wind up drawing Colombia 1-1 and are thus bounced out of the tournament.

Australia 7
Netherlands 4
Portugal 2
Colombia 2

Goals:

Robinson (Aus) 2
Memphis (Neth) 2
Joice (Aus) 1
Kantor (Aus) 1
Lopes Silva (Port) 1
Coenao (Port) 1
Bello (Colombia) 1

Group C

Germany
Poland
China
Egypt

The first game is a titanic matchup of European football powers with Germany and Poland facing off in Chicago. Germany, which did not allow a single goal in its last two tournaments, loses a devastating opener as Poland wins 2-1, with each of the Pulaski twins scoring against Germany goaltender Marius Funk after the Poles go down 1-0 in the first fifteen minutes with a score by Billy Dako on a set piece. The Polish defence harries and wears down the German attack. In the opposite game, China beats Egypt 1-0 after a surprisingly tight game, with a scoring by Jing Lubao.

Germany, angry about their loss, takes out their frustrations on China in their next matchup, blowing out the Asian power 6-0, their biggest WC margin since Brazil '14. Dreyfuss has a hat trick (14', 28', 67'), and also scoring are Kieler (44'), Walid (70') and Polkamp (86'). Poland, meanwhile, beats Egypt after barely being able to keep their young striker Khaled al-Misri out of goal on three occasions and adding a score by Ryszard Kozlowski.

The final game sees China needing a win over Poland to have any chance at advancing out of group. With a 0-0 draw, it sends Poland to the second round as the surprise group winner. Germany, meanwhile, picks up where they left off, beating Egypt 4-0 to advance, with goals by Kocanic (45'), Schreck (50', 59'), and Walid (66').

Poland 7
Germany 6
China 4
Egypt 0

Goals

Dreyfuss (Ger) 3
Schreck (Ger) 2
Walid (Ger) 2
G. Pulaksi (Pol) 1
L. Pulaski (Pol) 1
Kozlowski (Pol) 1
Kieler (Ger) 1
Kocanic (Ger) 1
Polkamp (Ger) 1
Dako (Ger) 1
Jing (PRC) 1

Group D

Uruguay
Japan
Spain
Ghana

The opening match is a premier one, setting Uruguay and Spain against each other. Spain, thought of as the favorite, is stunned by a two-goal game by José Morales, and are unable to score on Guillermo de Amores. In the opposite game, Japan escapes a draw with Ghana when Kenji scores at 90' to give Japan a crucial three points.

In the next game, Spain draws with Japan, with a 1-1 result. Kenji scores for the Herons, while Toto scores for Spain. Uruguay, meanwhile, continues to dominate, with Morales, Géronimo, and Paco Cicci all scoring goals against Ghana, which sneaks a goal past de Amores early thanks to Abraham Gaufa but their defense buckles behind Morales. With the win, they have already secured their place in the next round.

Uruguay knocks out Japan 1-0 in the last game, with 19-year old phenom Japo scoring the crucial goal for Uruguay. Spain, meanwhile, needs a win over Ghana with several goals to jump past Japan. However, they only manage a 1-1 draw, with Gaufa scoring a late penalty strike on David de Gea at 86' to deny Spain a date in the second round.

Uruguay 9
Japan 4
Spain 2
Ghana 1

Goals:

Morales (Uru) 3
Kenji (Jap) 2
Gaufa (Ghana) 1
Géronimo (Uru) 1
Japo (Uru) 1
Cicci (Uru) 1
Toto (Spain) 1
Oliver (Spain) 1

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Group E

Argentina
Italy
Jamaica
Czech Republic

Italy demolishes Jamaica in the first game, as Daniele Paolini scores two goals to pace Azzurri to a 2-0 win. Argentina, meanwhile, beats Czech Republic thanks to an early goal by Sasha to go 1-0.

In the next game, Italy and Argentina, the two group powers, face off. Though Italy presses aggressively, Argentina scores thanks to Giovanni Simeone and they hold on to win 1-0 thanks to heroics by goaltender Jonny Mauricio. Jamaica, meanwhile, defeats Czech Republic 1-0 with a score by Anthony Spencer.

In the final group match, Italy needs a win over Czech Republic to be guaranteed advancement. They only draw 1-1, with Paolini once again scoring the crucial goal but CR striker Nikolas Novak heads in a ball that comes off of the crossbar after teammate Marco Pulac fails to hit a late penalty. Italy's campaign is saved, however, when Argentina wins its third straight 1-0 match to take down Jamaica, with Angel Correa adding the winning score.

Argentina 9
Italy 4
Jamaica 3
Czech Republic 1

Goals:

Paolini (Italy) 3
Correa (Arg) 1
Simeone (Arg) 1
Sasha (Arg) 1
Spencer (Jam) 1
Novak (CR) 1

Group F

Brazil
Belgium
Costa Rica
Senegal

Brazil dominates Senegal in the opening match, with Felipe Anderson and Lincoln both scoring twice. Belgium wins the opposite game 1-0 against Costa Rica, thanks to Ronald Okolo's penalty at 61'.

Senegal next gets dominated by Belgium, losing 2-0 in a game that was not nearly that close. Okolo and Christian Broussard are the goalscorers. Brazil gets into a bogged-down match with Costa Rica, with the match going scoreless.

Belgium, able to take pole position in the group and get a better matchup in the knockout round, is defeated 2-0 by a resurgent Brazil as Tabi and Lincoln both score on an ailing Thibaut Courtois, trying to play through an injury. Costa Rica, meanwhile, beats Senegal 1-0.

Brazil 7
Belgium 6
Costa Rica 4
Senegal 0

Goals:

Lincoln (Brazil) 3
Felipe Anderson (Brazil) 2
Okolo (Belgium) 2
Tabi (Brazil) 1
Broussard (Belgium) 1
Competo (Costa Rica) 1

Group G

Mexico
Sweden
Chile
Romania

Group favorites Mexico, playing close to home in Houston, dominate Sweden in the opening match, winning 3-1 as Pedro Aguirre, Tecatito and Pedro Colon all score after Mats Johansson's early goal. Chile, meanwhile, draws Romania 0-0.

Mexico continues its tremendous run as Pedro Gonzalez and Euclides score to go up 2-0 on Chile. Sweden, meanwhile, beats Romania 2-1, coming back from a long-standing 1-0 deficit thanks to scores by veterans Gustav Engvall and Valmir Berisha.

Mexico similarly dominates Romania, winning 4-0 with scores by young sensation Euclides, Aguirre, Colon and Gonzalez. It is the first game ever in which all three of the "Tres Pedros" find net. Sweden, meanwhile, narrowly edges Chile 1-0 thanks to Erik Johansson.

Mexico 9
Sweden 6
Romania 1
Chile 1

Goals

P. Aguirre (Mex) 2
P. Colon (Mex) 2
P. Gonzalez (Mex) 2
Euclides (Mex) 2
Tecatito (Mex) 1
Engvall (Swed) 1
M. Johansson (Swed) 1
E. Johansson (Swed) 1
Natesceu (Rom) 1

Group H

England
Algeria
Canada
Croatia

The limping Croatians, having lost two crucial starters to injury in the run-up to the World Cup, are throttled by England, losing 2-0 as Dom Solanke and Tom Campbell both score in the first 45' and never look back. Algeria, meanwhile, knocks Canada 1-0 despite a severe mismatch in fan support and noise at their game in Ann Arbor with a goal by superstar Farouk Haddadi.

England and Canada face off in a "Commonwealth" showdown, and England emerges victorious, defeating the Canadians 4-1. Cyle Larin finds goal first, to everybody's surprise, and then England goes on a scoring tear, with goals by Solanke (17'), Campbell (41', 58') and captain Ross Barkley (70'). Algeria draws Croatia 1-1, with Bassam Hosseini scoring for the African powers but Croatia megastar Alen Halilovic sneaks through the defense to draw it up before the end and keep Croat hopes alive.

Those hopes are dashed as Canada manages to defeat Croatia in a stunning upset in Atlanta. Larin scores his second of the tournament as Canada puts on a ragged defense to win 1-0 over the heavily-favored Croatia. Algeria does not know that it is guaranteed a spot in the next round but gets one anyway in a 1-1 draw with England, with Haddadi scoring first and then Three Lions star Eddie Russell scoring at 76' to get a draw and first place in the group.

England 7
Algeria 5
Canada 3
Croatia 1

Goals:

Campbell (Eng) 3
Solanke (Eng) 2
Haddadi (Alg) 2
Larin (Canada) 2
Russell (Eng) 1
Barkley (Eng) 1
Hosseini (Alg) 1
Halilovic (Croatia) 1

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Round of 16

USA vs. Netherlands

The United States defeats the Oranje 2-1, with Memphis scoring for the Netherlands to open the game but Alex Zendejas and Emerson Hyndman scoring late to first draw even and then go ahead.

Japan vs. Poland

One of the most stunning upsets in the World Cup comes as Japan knocks off the Poles 1-0 behind a late miracle goal by Kenji at 90+2', mere seconds before the game headed to extra time. The acrobatic kick is hailed as the goal of the tournament (so far), further cements Kenji's spot as Japan's greatest footballer of all time and continues to build the 22-year old player's legend. It also propels Japan to its first-ever quarterfinal.

Argentina vs. Belgium

An easy 1-0 win for the Albiceleste. Sasha scores on a penalty kick at 70' to power them past the gassed Red Devils and into the quarterfinals. Thibaut Courtois, one of the most successful goaltenders in history, announces his retirement from international football after the match.

Mexico vs. Algeria

No trouble for El Tri and their Tres Pedros - Colon and Gonzalez both score on Algeria and a fierce defensive effort led by gritty defenseman Manuel Rojas keeps reigning Ballon d'Or holder Farouk Haddadi out of goal. 2-0 powers Mexico to a quarterfinal for only the second time since they hosted in 1986 in front of 90,000 roaring fans in Dallas.

Australia vs. Serbia

The good luck for the Socceroos run out - they are unable to clinch a second straight quarterfinal appearance as Predrag Rajkovic saves 20 shots on goal in an unbelievable goaltending clinic, the most saves in any World Cup game, ever. Jankovic scores once to push Serbia into their first quarterfinal since 1990, when they were Yugoslavia. Serbian supporters are heavily criticized for their boisterous, aggressive behavior towards Australia supporters, civilians and New York police after the game (which was held at MetLife).

Uruguay vs. Germany

A clash of titans, occurring much earlier than expected. Morales scores once for Uruguay to help the South American side take the lead, but Schreck equalizes at 85' to prevent an embarassing first-round exit. The game heads into extra minutes, which are scoreless, leading to penalty kicks.

Uruguay:

Morales GOOD
Géronimo GOOD
Gimenez NO GOOD
Cicci GOOD

Germany:

Polkamp GOOD
Dreyfuss NO GOOD
Schreck GOOD
Hamidi NO GOOD

As Khan Hamidi's shot on goal is deflected, Uruguay rejoices as they have knocked out heavy favorite Germany and advance to a third straight quarterfinal.

Brazil vs. Italy

Brazil's plot for another deep run on US soil is foiled by the Azzurri, as the Selecao fail to get past the gritty Italy defense and goaltender Simeone Scuffet and are scored on by Daniele Paolini, resulting in a 1-0 loss to bounce them in the Round of 16.

England vs. Sweden

Tom Campbell's plan to keep pace with Morales and Paolini's prolific scoring tournaments runs into trouble against stunning Sweden, which out of nowhere holds England to a 0-0 draw for the entire game. At 117', a visibly exhausted Raheem Sterling attempts a penalty that goes flying above goal, and so another game heads to penalties.

England:

Solanke GOOD
Barkley NO GOOD
Campbell NO GOOD
Russell NO GOOD
Baines GOOD

Sweden:

Engvall GOOD
M. Johansson GOOD
Linden GOOD
Berisha GOOD
E. Johansson GOOD

With all five kicks converted, Sweden scores a massive upset over the favored Three Lions and heads to the quarterfinal for the first time since 1994.

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Quarterfinals

USA vs. Japan

A surprisingly easy win for the hosts - the defense bottles up Kenji, Jordan Morris scores early and then on a set piece veteran left back DeAndre Yedlin heads a corner from Rubin in to pace the USA to a 2-0 victory and their first top four appearance since 1930. Massive celebrations break out throughout the country.

Mexico vs. Argentina

The Mexican defense keeps surging Sasha and Correa out of goal and substitute Marco Bueno scores at 111' in extra time after a scoreless regulation to power Mexico to their first-ever semifinal.

Uruguay vs. Serbia

No trouble for Uruguay. A clearly-exhausted Rajkovic is scored on by Morales twice, Japo and Géronimo as the Serbian defense breaks down in the second half. Zinkovic is able to add a goal, but it is far too late to make a difference. The 4-1 loss powers Uruguay to a third straight semifinal game.

Italy vs. Sweden

The tremendous scoring potential of the so-far player of the tournament Daniele Paolini is bottled up as Sweden keeps a clean sheet the whole game. The game ends 0-0 after a back-and-forth match, and heads to penalty kicks after Italian midfielder Pierluisi Zuffarelli fails to get his header into goal at 119'.

Italy:

Vieri GOOD
Romagnoli GOOD
Paolini GOOD
Santi NO GOOD
Florenzi GOOD

Sweden:

Berisha GOOD
M. Johansson NO GOOD
E. Johansson GOOD
Engvall NO GOOD

As Engvall's attempt is deflected by Simeone Scuffet, Italy heads to its first semifinal since 2006.

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Semifinals

USA vs. Mexico - Chicago

The meeting between these two North American powers guarantees that there will be a CONCACAF team in the final for the very first time. USA gets on the board first thanks to Calvin Perry, who scores on a long cross from Zelalem. Mexico responds shortly thereafter with a strike from Aguirre at 38', who pulls El Tri even. The game is scoreless in its second half, and the match heads to extra time. In extra time, Erick Torres scores for El Tri after coming on for a limping Colon, placing Mexico in prime position to head into the final. It is at this time that USA striker Haji Wright gets the ball in space, slips past defender Antonio Roybal and powers a shot into the corner of the net, past the stunned and surprised Cristiano Toro. The score ties the match up 2-2 and the game heads to penalty kicks.

USA:

Rubin GOOD
Pulisic GOOD
Zendejas NO GOOD
Perry GOOD
Wright GOOD
Yedlin NO GOOD
Carter-Vickers GOOD

Mexico:

Aguirre GOOD
Bueno GOOD
Euclides GOOD
Gonzalez NO GOOD
Balboa GOOD
Roybal NO GOOD
Tecatito NO GOOD

After Zack Steffen saves two crucial Mexico penalties in a row, the USA advances to its first-ever final, and on home soil no less. It is a stunning result over the favored Mexico as the scrappy, star-deficient USMNT continues its miracle run.

Uruguay vs. Italy - Dallas

Viewed as the "real final," Paolini and Morales square off just over a month since their Champions League showdown with their respective club squads. Guillermo de Amores keeps Paolini out of goal but the Italy defense manages to hold off the Uruguayan attack in regulation, with 0-0 being the score taken into extra time. In added minutes, Uruguay midfielder Cicci hits goal on a cross from Morales, but Italy draws even seconds later as Uruguay's defense misses Paolini back-heel passing to Alessandro Eleuteri, who fires the ball past de Amores, whose attention is squarely on the star. Tied up 1-1, the game heads to penalty kicks (this is the first time since 1990 both semis went to penalties).

Uruguay:

Cicci GOOD
Japo GOOD
Morales GOOD
Géronimo GOOD


Italy:

Paolini GOOD
Eleuteri NO GOOD
Santi NO GOOD
Capparese NO GOOD

The tired, exhausted Italy side - particularly its goaltender Scuffet - are unable to keep pace after two straight 120 minute games and so Uruguay advances to its first final since 1950.

[KingSweden]

FIFA World Cup 2026

Third Place Match - New York

At MetLife Stadium, Mexico nets their best-ever finish by taking out their frustrations on exhausted Italy, winning 2-0 behind goals by Pedro Colon and Pedro Aguirre, who both finish the tournament with four goals. The massive Mexican contingent of supporters has a raucous reaction as the Mexicans flash their bronze medals.

Final - Los Angeles

The USA faces off with Uruguay in Inglewood on July 4th, the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The crowd is overwhelmingly American, with even President Brian Sandoval in attendance, and the team is visibly weeping during an emotional "Star Spangled Banner." Both teams are clearly haggard after their penalty-kick semifinals, and Uruguay presses heavily in the initial play. Zack Steffen keeps a clean sheet in the scoreless first half, however, and the world is stunned that the USA is able to keep pace with the heavily-favored Uruguay. In the second period, team captain Rubio Rubin adds his second goal of the tournament after getting a crucial cross from Calvin Perry, putting the USA up 1-0. Cameron Carter-Vickers becomes the hero of the game moments later, when on an Uruguay penalty that is deflected by Steffen he beats Géronimo to the ball and powers it away downfield. As time runs out, Uruguay desperately subs out two defenders to increase their attacking options, and it appears to pay off when Morales gets a crucial ball in space and fires it on goal. Steffen gets his fingertips on it, sending it careening off into empty space where DeAndre Yedlin takes it out of the box. In the final seconds, Rubin gets the ball by himself in midfield and kicks it victoriously into the stands as the last whistle blows after only a minute of stoppage time - because the United States has won the 2026 FIFA World Cup against all odds!

It is the first World Cup for the second-tier soccer power, and sets off massive celebrations nationwide. With the win, manager Jurgen Klopp becomes the first national team manager to win a World Cup with a side other than that of his home country, and he becomes the fourth German to manage a World Cup-winning side.

Awards:

Golden Ball: José Morales (Uruguay)
Silver Ball: Daniele Paolini (Italy)
Bronze Ball: Zack Steffen (United States)

Golden Gloves: Zack Steffen (United States)

Golden Boot: José Morales (Uruguay - 6 goals)
Silver Boot: Pedro Aguirre (Mexico - 4 goals, 2 assists)
Bronze Boot: Pedro Colon (Mexico - 4 goals, 0 assists - played fewer minutes than Daniele Paolini)

Best Young Player: Géronimo (Uruguay)

Fair Play Team: Uruguay

(And yes, this is probably the least-realistic prediction so far)

[KingSweden]

July 2026: The euphoria of the impeccably-timed (250th anniversary and all) World Cup win helps boost Brian Sandoval's approval rating to 53%, his first positive approval in nearly a year. The Rogue Four scandal keeps ensnaring donors, campaign consultants and operatives, and state-level officials in Texas and Florida. The thrust of the scandal seems to be more that McKnight and Johnson stalled or sat on investigations into GOP officials, rather than the juicier early indications that they came up with trumped-up charges against Democrats. A major scalp emerges when the Treasurer of the Texas GOP, Sally Ewes (f), turns out to have worked with McKnight to stall an investigation into alleged campaign violations by her and her husband. Ewes' resignation comes at a particularly inopportune time for the TXGOP, which is struggling to keep several vulnerable candidates afloat.

The heat wave continues to roil the southern half of the country, with temperatures peaking in Arizona at 139 degrees Fahrenheit, an all-time record. Drought and dust conditions in much of the central Plains states continues to exacerbate the rapid depopulation of many rural counties, some of which are estimated to have lost up to 20% of their populations since 2020. Sandoval gives a speech in Topeka promising FEMA aid to distressed farmers in "blight" conditions. Right at the end of the month, a massive cyber attack hits Wall Street, sending the markets into a panic. In the final three trading days of July, the Dow Jones loses 2,800 points, sinking below 15,000 for the first time since 2013. It is an official stock market crash known now as Black Wednesday.

July 2026 (continued): Nathan Cullen resigns as Prime Minister of Canada after his majority government nearly faces a no-confidence vote over a year before the election over the collapsing economy, with left-wing NDP MPs and Conservatives nearly voting down a crucial tax and unemployment package, with Cullen's approval rating nearing 30%. The leadership election to replace him will be held in December. Javid nearly faces a caucus revolt in Britain, meanwhile, as the Scottish situation brews into near-civil war and Belfast is rocked by sectarian attacks once again. As Europe's economy sinks deeper into recession, populists of both left and right continue to gain steam, and rumors swirl of several peripheral countries once again being forced out of the Union. Russian generals, having secured nearly all of European Russia, once again grapple with the question of what to do with the breakaway republics in the Caucasus, which have become a breeding ground for jihadism. Former Russian President Sergei Lavrov dies. In concerning news, a dangerous avian flu is uncovered in rural China, where it is thought responsible for nearly 2,000 deaths in only a matter of weeks.

[KingSweden]

August 2026: The perpetrators of the July 29th cyberattack are identified as a small but highly-skilled cell of hackers operating under the name "Open World." The Dow loses another 3,000 points over the course of a week as the FBI struggles to capture the Open World. With nearly a third of the Dow's value shaved off in eight trading days, it is one of the worst stock market crashes in history, and completely unrelated to any underlying economic issues. The price of gold nearly doubles and oil rockets up to $100 a barrel, right before Open World stages another attack, this time against commodity markets in London, Hong Kong and Geneva. With that attack, the Dow loses 1,787 points in one day, bringing the average down to just above 10,000, which it drops under two days later. A run on the banks ensues, with the rate of withdrawals spiking 400%. With the world economy already in recession, and in Europe much of it being in depression, policymakers begin to fear the collapse of the world financial order.

Brian Sandoval addresses the nation from the Oval Office, stating, "We will figure out how these attacks were allowed to occur, and we will find the terrorists responsible for this crime." He then gives another speech, flanked by New York Governor Preet Bharara and New York Mayor Eric Adams, from the New York Stock Exchange. On the day of his address, the Dow rebounds 717 points. Protesters start to swarm New York agitating against any hypothetical bailouts and anti-capitalist protests start to sweep Europe, egged on by populists of both the left and the right. Bankruptcies in Western nations start to spike by the end of the month, and the Dow recovers somewhat. Fed chairman James Bullard stresses that the major American banks are not exposed by toxic assets and that credit liquidity, while strained, is not an issue. He also announces that the Fed will cut its interest rates again to help ward off the panic. Treasury chairman Paul Ryan ominously announces that the debt ceiling will need to be raised by late December.

August 2026 (continued): The continued destabilization of Scotland and Northern Ireland brings Sajid Javid's popularity to 40%, one of the worst scores in his Premiership. The Alliance for Britain has now consistently led polls for several months, and the financial crisis and heat wave roiling Europe helps push their numbers ever higher. Syriza seizes power in Greece again and immediately passes price controls, bank holidays and massive tax abatements - Chancellor Frank warns Greece that they may have to be kicked out of the Euro. The average unemployment rate in Europe ticks above 20%. Riots rock Paris, particularly in the banlieus, and the army is brought in to pacify several particularly gritty slums as entire tenements burn. The bird flu in China has now claimed 10,000 lives just as China starts to tip into recession.

[Enderman]

 Nooo! Rig seen things were looking up for poor Sandoval Does the guy ever get a break? Anyways, here's hoping that the riots won't end up as I think they will. None the less, I still will be reading this. I hope that Sandoval's luck doesn't end up as a flash in the pan. Keep it up, KingSweden

[KingSweden]

September 2026: Some good news for Brian Sandoval, as the FBI identifies the leaders of Open World and arrests three of their most senior hackers and seizes much of the equipment they used to carry out their attacks. Cybersecurity experts confirm that the NYSE and Nasdaq have fixed the holes used to attack them and that the exchanges are secure. Congress passes a law mandating all financial institutions that receive FDIC and SIPC protection subject themselves to random "cybertests" periodically to make sure they can withstand future, more sophisticated attacks. Despite the stunning wipeout of wealth in the past two months, the economy only sheds 300,000 jobs, further indicating how divorced the stock market is from the broader economy. 15 states announce that do to the stock market losing nearly half its value, many of them are on the verge of defaulting on their pension obligations. Unemployment tops 11%. Congress quietly and quickly passes a brief debt ceiling extension until May of 2027. In the Senate, meanwhile, Senator Tom Cotton, in a tight reelection race in his home state, challenges the notion that Iran has maintained its commitment to the 2015 deal despite UN assurances otherwise. Massive protests in major cities and on college campuses start to ratchet up as youth unemployment nears 25%. Sandoval and his administration breathe a sigh of relief as the Dow starts to rebound, having reclaimed about 2,000 points by the end of the month. It concludes the most volatile three months in stock market history.

September 2026 (continued): With eight months to go until the UK general election, Sajid Javid announces a major Keynesian initiative to try to jumpstart his economy, which is met with grumbles by fiscal conservatives who had long seen him as one of them. President Francois Fillon of France warns against the rising populism of left and right in his home country, but his heckled and pelted with beer bottle and rotten fruit during an address in Bordeaux. Once the most popular President since de Gaulle, Fillon's approval now sits at 35%. The Greens exit the German government only a year after the election - though Frank's CDU/CSU and LDP have enough seats for a majority, it still causes mass panic in Germany and concerns of an early election, with many doubting the increasingly unpopular Frank could win only a year after his triumphant win.

Elections in Austria once again end with the FPO as the largest party, but when the Krug Chancellorship once again teams up with a smaller party - this time the liberal NEOS, which places fourth barely behind the unpopular OVP - form a government, the FPO's supporters riot, with police in Vienna teargassing and eventually arresting nearly 1,000 people. In Sweden, the Sweden Democrats place first in votes for the first time ever. When all other parties refuse to work with them, a rough coalition is formed, with Peter Danielsson staying as head of the Alliance with support from the Greens and FemDems. The increasingly irrelevant Social Democrats, staying in third place, refusing to join a "grand coalition," remain in opposition. Angry Sweden Democrat supporters try to storm the Riksdag and there is a massive riot in downtown Stockholm, similar to Vienna, which ends in teargas, arrests and 37 deaths. It is the worst instance of political violence in Swedish history.

[KingSweden]

Canadian elections, 2026

Ontario - Christine Elliot's Tories are helped by the deep unpopularity of the NDP and the incompetence of the Liberals, winning a third straight majority government despite the financial collapse throwing Ontario into yet another recession.

New Brunswick - Canada's most economically distressed province, which is hemorrhaging population and trapped in a five-year long recession, decides to boot Trevor Holder's government from power after eight years. The Liberals win 29 seats to take a majority under new Premier David Clinton (f).

Nova Scotia - After 13 years of Stephen McNeil's Liberals, Nova Scotia goes the opposite direction of New Brunswick and votes in Peter MacKay, now the head of the NS Tories, to return the Conservative Party to control of Nova Scotia for the first time since they lost in 2009.

[KingSweden]

I'm going to go ahead and start the 2026 midterms here soon. Before I begin, I've decided not to do an election night component - I simply don't have the time. The format will remain the same.

Also, some notes on some upcoming midterm results - I have tried to extrapolate current demographic and political trends, and the analysis of how the affected the upcoming results will come after the midterms are over.

[KingSweden]

October 2026: Two more Open World hackers are caught and killed in a shootout in Houston, with the FBI confident they have the majority of the cell wiped out. Protests by Tea Party-esque white working class conservatives spring up at many Republican campaign events, as they angrily denounce the administration and their Congressional representation alike. One protest, this one by the left-wing crowd, turns violent in Urbana-Champaign as a man opens fire on student protesters, killing seven and wounding 30. Sandoval, who has been aggressively hitting the campaign trail along with Stapleton and most GOP officeholders, suspends his campaign activities and flies directly to Urbana, where he solemnly states, "Political violence has no place in our country. Now is a time to heal, a time to mend, a time to join hands and overcome our challenges together." Republicans brace themselves for massive losses in the House and the potential of losing several Senate seats in Southern states they have held comfortably for decades. Bob Corker announces that he has been diagnosed with cancer and will step down as Secretary of State after the midterms.

Economically, the situation brightens somewhat. The September jobs report shows only 170,000 job losses and the Dow continues to slowly recover, regaining another 1,100 points by the end of the month. The Fed announces that it will do everything it can to stabilize the economy and performs mock cyberattacks and stress tests on the megabanks repeatedly. Open World sympathizers attempt to strike the Fed, but their attack fails against the superior Fed firewall. Stock-market dependent pension funds continue to teeter, though, and Sandoval acknowledges in an off-the-cuff remark that "we may have to loan some of these funds some cash, at least temporarily, to prevent a contagion."

October 2026 (continued): Unlike the fairly peaceful reaction to the "Confidence Crash" in the United States, Europe continues to roil as its long-suffering economy continues to sink into depression status. Angry protesters of left and right swarm the continent's cities, and young far-right mobs start targeting immigrants, with the worst violence occurring outside of Malmo in Sweden, where two mosques, an Arabic language school and a synagogue are firebombed in the course of one night. Populist groups stage massive rallies and walkouts of Parliaments. Thanks to a rebound in oil prices, the Russian junta is able to pay their soldiers a "fall bonus" to keep fighting and manage to secure crucial roads and railways over the Urals, signalling that they may be able to hang on to Siberia after all. Sajid Javid is said to debate a leadership review in the face of anger from all sides in the UK as the economy collapses along with the security situation.

And now, for Sports: The Chicago Cubs return to their third World Series in four years and defeat the New York Yankees in six games to win their fourth championship, and only their second since 1908.

[KingSweden]

Once again, we go east to west...

United States elections, 2026

Maine

ME-Gov: Chellie Pingree's retirement sets up an opportunity for ambitious Maine politicians to seek the Governorship. Democrats nominate former State Senate leader and Portland Mayor Justin Alfond, while Repulicans nominate former State Senator Amy Volk, now the head of a Portland-based think tank. Alfond rides the looming Democratic wave and earns Democrats a third straight term in the Maine Governor's mansion, despite a stellar campaign from the savvy Volk. D Hold.

ME-Sen: Susan Collins, one of the last great moderates of the Senate, retires after 30 years in the Senate and as one of Maine's most popular politicians of all time. US Rep. Hannah Pingree, daughter of the outgoing governor, runs to replace her, clearing the Democratic field. She faces from the Republican side US Rep. Eric Brakey, who clears the field on his side, setting up a Congressional showdown to advance to the Senate. Though Brakey tightens the race with Collins' endorsement and thanks to his campaigning with the popular state treasure, Pingree breaks away in the fall as the economy tanks to win 56-43. D+1.

ME-1: Shenna Bellows, having moved to Portland in the early 2020s, stuns the political establishment when she upsets State Senator Matt Dion in the primary and goes on to easily win in this Democratic district, though the establishment sweats her nomination somewhat.

ME-2: Former State Senator Nate Libby runs here and narrowly defeats Republican Andy Dyer (f), a first-term state Rep aiming to become the first-ever Congressman born in the 2000s, winning 51-47. D+1.

ME Legislature: Democrats nab four seats in the Senate to take a 19-16 advantage, their first majority in the Maine Senate since 2014. This is actually not as bad as it could have been for GOP, since internal polling for both sides indicated that Democrats led in up to seven Republican-held seats. The Maine House, meanwhile, predictably falls back to the Democrats after precariously narrow GOP control for two years as they pick up twelve Republican seats and the independents pick up three GOP seats to create a 86-57-8 breakdown, with the small pack of independents - who run the gamut of left-wing gadflies to arch-conservatives - agreeing amongst themselves not to caucus with either party and hold "free votes." It is the largest contingent of non-party members in any state legislature in the country.

New Hampshire

NH-Gov: Andy Sanborn faces Collin Van Ostern, who defeats Sanborn 54-44 in a much larger margin of victory than expected. D+1.

NH-Sen: Joe Foster faces sacrificial lamb State Senator Jerry Little, whom he blows out 56-40 with an independent candidate in the race. The NRSC never really tries here and fails to recruit a top-tier candidate after Andrew Hemingway decides to sit the race out. D Hold.

NH-1: Chuck Morse goes down despite leading for most of the fall as he is knocked out by 34-year old State Senator Will Ryder (f) of Manchester, who defeats him 51-48. D+1.

NH-2: Jeff Woodburn reelected with 58% of the vote.

NH Legislature: The GOP loses three Senate seats while failing to nab Ryder's open seat to effect a 12-12 tie, just like was the case 10 years ago. The House, meanwhile, has another one of its wild swings as Democrats pick up thirty-six seats at the expense of the GOP and independents to effect a 216-177-7 arrangement. Independent representatives see a net of -4, losing 5 seats to Democrats but picking off one Republican. The result hands the Democrats back the House and one of their largest New Hampshire House majorities in history.

Vermont

VT-Gov: The only main race on the ballot this fall pits Progressive/Democrat fusion candidate Chris Pearson against Republican businessman Scott Milne as broadly popular Governor Phil Scott retires. Pearson blows out Milne 55-42 in a four-way race. D/I Gain.

VT-AL: Kesha Ram reelected.

VT Legislature: A blowout in the Vermont Senate leaves only two Republican State Senators, the lowest number in history. The Vermont House sees only four Republicans left in that chamber, also the lowest number ever. Retirements and poor recruitment by the catatonic Vermont GOP leaves this result.

Massachusetts

MA-Gov: Seth Moulton faces Republican businessman Mike Bass in the general election. In one of the most lopsided victories by a Democrat in Massachusetts gubernatorial history (usually friendly to Republicans), Moulton wins 59-39, a dominating margin, and setting him up as one of the premier candidates for 2028. D Hold.

MA-Sen: Ed Markey retires. Democrats coalesce early around US Rep. Josh Zakim, who easily dispatches Republican Bryan O'Neal in a blowout win, 55-42. D Hold.

MA-Row Officers: Brian Joyce reelected as AG, Boston City Councilman Kelly Andrews (f) is elected Treasurer. All other row officers reelected.

MA-3: Niki Tsongas retires after 19 years in Congress. She is easily replaced by State Senator Kathleen O'Connor Ives, aged 49, who wins a landslide in this Safe D district.

MA-7: Josh Zakim's retirement opens this seat, which is quickly filled by State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, the first Latina elected to Congress from New England.

MA-8: Conservative Democrat Stephen Lynch retires after a quarter century in Congress, eliminating one of the last New England Conservadems. In his place is elected State Senator Mark Cusack (aged 41), a one-time Lynch intern and who is attacked for his "inappropriate activities" in the state house with a female staffer fifteen years earlier. The attacks don't stick and Cusack wins the general with little issue.

MA-9: Bill Keating retires. In this Likely Democratic district, he is replaced by State Senator Josh Cutler of Duxbury, who has no trouble winning the general election over a Plymouth Plantation tour guide.

MA Legislature: Democrats win three Republican-held seats in the Senate and five in the House, once again effectively maxing out their advantages in the state legislature.

Rhode Island

RI-Sen: Seth Magaziner cruises to a massive reelection win over GOP candidate Andrea Pearl, a former TV personality and news anchor.

RI-Gov: Ken Block, who has made reforms to the state angering both right and left, faces no Republican challenger but sees a stiff challenge from Democrat Jorge Elorza, the Mayor of Providence. The race goes down to the wire, with Block the de-facto Republican nominee - however, his moderate appeal and attacks on Elorza's ethics issues as Mayor denies New England its first Latino Governor, as Block is reelected by only 103 votes after all votes are counted. I Hold.

RI-Row Officers: Providence Democrats sweep the row office seats, with Clay Pell IV actually winning political office by winning the open Attorney General slot.

RI Legislature: Democrats maintain their massive majorities in both houses.

Connecticut

CT-Gov: Ted Kennedy, Jr. gives up his House seat to pursue the Governorship of Connecticut. He easily defeats Robert Fleischer, a former adviser to Mitt Romney and Ted Cruz living in Greenwich. D Hold.

CT-2: Andy Maynard wins by a much wider margin than his initial election in 2022, indicating that he is probably safe for the foreseeable future.

CT-3: Kennedy is replaced by House Majority Leader Matt Lesser, aged 40 (I think? His Wikipedia article doesn't say) in this Safe D district.

CT-4: US Rep. Scott Frantz goes down! Hedge fund manager Mark Plasse defeats him 52-47 in a narrow affair, with many Democrats leery of supporting the millionaire self-funder. Still, the tilt of Connecticut and wave conditions powers Plasse over the line. D+1.

CT-5: Byron Jones, a former NFL cornerback and University of Connecticut star, challenges Clark Chapin and defeats him 53-46 in an ugly race that includes accusations of race-baiting and dirty tactics by both sides. D+1.

CT Legislature: Democrats win two seats in the House and one in the Senate to regain some recent atrophy.

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2026

New York

NY-Gov: Preet Bharara is elected in a 66-31 landslide over Putnam County CE Drew Luke (f). D Hold.

NY-Row Officers: Miner is easily reelected, as is Ken Thompson as AG.

NY-1: Lee Zeldin is defeated, 52-46, by Democratic State Rep. Luke Polansky (f, aged 37). D+1.

NY-2: Phil Boyle rematches with Steve Bellone once again, and is defeated 52-47 by Bellone, a surprisingly strong margin for Bellone over the incumbent and inoffensive Boyle. D+1.

NY-3: Todd Kaminsky seeks a rematch with Republican US Rep. Brian Curran, whom he defeats with a surprisingly decisive 54-44 margin, one of the biggest defeats of the cycle. D+1.

NY-5: Gregory Meeks retires after nearly thirty years in Congress. With two black candidates splitting the vote in his district, white Jewish Democrat Rory Lancman emerges out of the primary with enough votes to successfully carry this Safe D district. D Hold.

NY-8: David Storobin, in this "super-Jew" district, is narrowly defeated thanks to the changing demographics of the area and the less-conservative outlook of younger Jews in the district by Brad Lander, the Brooklyn borough president and a resident of his district himself. Storobin only loses 50-49, one of the narrowest margins in the country. D+1.

NY-13: Jerrod Nadler retires after 36 years in Congress. He is replaced by State Senator Brad Hoylman, aged 61.

NY-16: Eliot Engel retires after almost forty years in Congress and as the dean of the New York state delegation. Chelsea Clinton, having since moved to Westchester and with her two children now 13 and 9, throws her hat in the ring to continue the family business. No credible Democrat runs against her and Hillary makes a rare appearance on the campaign trail to support her daughter. Clinton wins with ease.

NY-17: Ken Zembrowksi, Jr. enters the race seeking a rematch with US Rep. Karl Brabenec. This time, Zembrowski takes the victory, defeating the moderate Brabenec 50-49, the same margin he lost by in 2022. D+1.

NY-19: Richard Hanna retires after fourteen (non-consecutive) years in Congress. Republicans run Amy Walter (f), a very conservative Utica councillor, and face Utica Mayor Kevin Cross (f), aged 40. Cross wins the moderate district with little issue, gaining the support of many Hanna voters, as he defeats Walter 52-46. D+1.

NY-21: Elise Stefanik surprises the political world when she announces her retirement from Congress after twelve years, at only the age of 42. While she would have won this district with no issue, her successor, Don Carroll (f), has no such luck against Democratic Assemblywoman Rita O'Neill (f), aged 50, who wins 49-48 in one of the narrowest races in the country. D+1.

NY-22: Christopher Friend is defeated 50-49 by Svante Myrick staffer McKenzie Mitchell (f), aged 33, in a tight race that only gets called for Mitchell the day after the election after Friend leads the count almost all of election night. Friend declines a recount and announces he intends to seek a rematch immediately after the election results. D+1.

NY-23: Jean Mahoney retires after two terms, citing dysfunction in DC as her reasoning. Former Miss America champion, Syracuse native and Bharara communications and outreach director Nina Davuluri, aged 37, challenges State Assemblyman Joe Robertson (f) for the slot. In narrowly-Democratic Syracuse, Davuluri beats Robertson 51-48 to earn this seat back for the Democrats after four years of Republican control. D+1.

NY-24: Rep. Joe Robach, the ultimate wave baby from 2024, is challenged by Assemblywoman Ellie Parker (f), aged 38. Parker defeats Robach in this D-PVI district in a surprising blowout, winning 56-43, the biggest win over an incumbent in the country. D+1.

NY-25: Chris Collins retires after 14 years in Congress. Conservative Angela Wozniak runs as a Republican and wins in this Safe R area, becoming the only Republican member of the New York House delegation as a result. R Hold.

NY Legislature: Democrats pick up five seats in the Assembly to go to 99-51, while picking up three seats in the Senate to drop to a 32-31 disadvantage.

[Tayya]

FemDems? Lawl.

That's a cruel number of tight gains in NY.

[Asian Nazi]

The amount of effort you've put into this TL is obvious and commendable.  Also nice to see Korea unified, even if not under my preferred government.

[KingSweden]

FemDems? Lawl.

That's a cruel number of tight gains in NY.

Haha sorry, I'll write the full name - Feministdemokraterna

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2026

New Jersey

NJ-Sen: Cory Booker breezes past former Christie and Kean official Toby Johnson (f). D Hold.

NJ-3: Tom MacArthur is defeated! MacArthur goes down 50-48 to State Senate Majority Leader Louis Greenwald, who gives up his safe seat to take on the six-term incumbent. D+1.

NJ-10: Albio Sires retires at the age of 75 after twenty years in Congress. He is replaced by 42-year old Assembly Majority Whip Raj Mukherji, long a rising star of New Jersey politics. In this Safe D district, Mukherji defeats three Hispanic candidates in one of America's most diverse places and cruises to a massive win in the fall.

Delaware

DE-Sen: One of the biggest upsets in recent political history occurs in the Democratic primary, as former Governor and incumbent US Rep. Jack Markell is defeated by a first-term state senator, Allie Adams (f), aged 34. Adams surges late thanks to a grassroots campaign that embraces her very liberal views, her endorsement from Jill Biden and Markell's sleepy, slow-reacting campaign. The narrow primary win puts Adams in position to defeat House Minority Leader Kevin Doolittle 54-45 to replace the retiring Chris Coons. D Hold, and one of the biggest wins for the "True Left."

DE-AL: Markell is replaced with little issue by Attorney General Matthew Denn.

DE Legislature: Democrats pick up one seat to retake the Delaware Senate 11-10. The pick up four House seats to return their advantage to 26-15.

Maryland

MD-Gov: John Delaney's retirement leaves an opening for two County Executives - longtime Anne Arundel CE Mike Pantalides faces Montgomery County CE Eric Luedtke. Though Pantalides is a tremendous, moderate candidate, Luedtke defeats him 56-42 to pace Democrats to a third straight term in the Maryland Governor's mansion.

MD-1: Andy Harris retires after 16 years. The oft-polarizing Representative is replaced by Delegate Kevin Hornberger, aged 45, a much more low-key and moderate Republican who easily wins the primary after conservatives from Baltimore suburbs and three candidates from the Eastern shore help him sneak through with only 27% of the vote. He easily wins the general election, 57-42. R Hold.

MD-3: Nic Kipke faces State Senator William C. Ferguson IV, aged 43. The Baltimore-based state legislator, who is white, is able to appeal to suburban voters in Anne Arundel thanks to his connections to fairly prosperous South Baltimore and runs as an inoffensive moderate. He beats Kipke 51-47. D+1.

MD-5: Democrats fail once again to take out David Brinkley - Maryland's 5th once again represents one of the DCCC's worst flops. R Hold.

MD Legislature: Democrats gain the Senate seat lost in 2022 back to go to 37-10, while they gain another three seats in the House to jump to 97-44.

[Türkisblau]

Great to see 2026 getting done. It's a massacre!

[smoltchanov]

Not even 2006, more like 1974 (with Watergate and Nixon impeachment).....

[KingSweden]

United States elections, 2026

Pennsylvania

PA-Gov: The matchup of moderate Governor Charlie Dent and the centrist Democrat Bob Casey is the premier gubernatorial matchup of 2026. Pennsylvania is struggling, though it is hardly Dent's fault, and the Governor has a superior approval rating to many of his colleagues around the country. Still, Casey runs tough against Dent, with the two trading leads throughout the fall. Though Dent is thought of having the advantage for much of the campaign, Casey pulls ahead in final polling in the last month and ends up winning 49-47 in the final tally, a narrow result befitting the two political titans duking it out over the Keystone State. D Gain.

PA-1: Michael Nutter retires after 10 years in Congress. City Council President Kenyatta Johnson is elected to replace him one a pledge to serve no more than three terms.

PA-3: Bob Brady, the longtime Godfather of PA Democratic politics, is stunningly defeated in a primary by State Rep. Brian Sims, who becomes the first openly gay Representative from Pennsylvania. It is a massive upset for progressives to take down one of the country's most powerful machine politicians. D Hold.

PA-4: Joe Pitts retires after 28 years in Congress. State rep. Mark Rozzi, aged 54, of Berks County takes on Reading Mayor Ralph Quincy (f), whom he defeats 51-48. D+1.

PA-6: In Bucks County, Rep. Chuck McIlhenny faces a stiff challenge from State Senator Steve Sartarsiero. In tandem with what has happened across much of the Northeast so far, McIlhenny loses a tight race, dropping to Sartarsiero 51-46. D+1.

PA-8: Former State Rep. Mike Schlossberg seeks a rematch with Justin Simmons. The race is ugly all fall, with Schlossberg accusing the incumbent Congressman of ethics violations and with Schlossberg's house being vandalized by Simmons supporters. In a fairly Democratic district, however, Simmons is unable to withstand the wave and falls 53-46, a much wider margin than expected. D+1.

PA-11: Tom Marino retires after 16 years in the House. Republicans run State Rep. Cody Boll (f), who is narrowly defeated by Scranton State Rep. Marty Flynn, the House Minority Whip, who wins 51-48. D+1.

PA-12: Another crucial retirement for Republicans, as Lou Barletta decides to call it quits on his Congressional career as well. Republicans run well-regarded State Rep. Tarah Toohil, who is narrowly beaten by State Senator John Yudichak, aged 56, who beats her 50-47. D+1.

PA-16: Tim Murphy retires after 24 years in the House at the age of 74. Unlike in other open districts in Pennsylvania, where Democrats have tremendous success, Murphy is replaced by State Rep. , who defeats 44-year old Democratic State Rep. Brandon Neuman 50-48. R Hold, in one of the few cases where Republicans are able to hang on to a competitive suburban seat, particularly in the Northeast.

PA-17: Glenn Thompson becomes the third incumbent Republican in Pennsylvania defeated as his district is the sixth pickup by Democrats in the Keystone State. He loses 50-49 to State Senator Ryan Bizzarro, aged 41, in another ugly House race hinging on his vote for the "Austerity Budget" which hits the Erie area hard. D+1.

PA Legislature: Republicans lose six seats in the House to drop to a precarious 103-100 majority. In the Senate, meanwhile, Democrats snatch three seats to take a 26-24 majority and thereby flipping the chamber.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

This Is AMAZING

Just wondering, but what is the status of Taiwan in this tale?

[KingSweden]

For those of you following at home, Democrats are +22 in the House so far, over 2/3rds of the way to retaking the majority... all accumulated on friendly Northeastern turf. They have picked up 3 Governorships (NH, VT and PA) and picked up one open Senate seat as well (ME).

United States elections, 2026

West Virginia

WV-Sen: No serious Democrat emerges to take on the very popular Shelly Moore-Capito, or as Atlas would know her by now, the Susan Collins of the Appalachians. SMC cruises to a third (and promised final) term, 59-39, over a Some Dude from Huntington.

WV House: Both incumbents reelected easily.

WV Leg: The Senate stays 25-9 GOP, while Democrats gain one seat in the House to earn a still-terrible 70-30.

West Virginia remains almost totally insulated from the Democratic wave.

Kentucky

KY-Sen: A race that should not have been competitive suddenly becomes so when incumbent Senator Andy Barr is taken down in the primary by insurgent candidate Jonathan Shell, who targets him over his moderate record and "complete and total lack of interest in helping the coal industry like he promised." The narrow primary loss opens up the path for former Attorney General Andy Beshear, who has spent years building a war chest with this race in mind. Though Shell mostly consolidates the Republican base heading into the general, the state's dire economic situation - worse than it usually is - and populist backlash against the "austerity budget" leads to one of the bigger upsets of the cycle as Beshear carries nearly 60% of the vote in booming Jefferson County and gets just enough of the vote in modestly Democratic areas to win 49-48 over Johnny Shell, the first Democrat to win a Senate election in Kentucky since Wendell Ford in 1992. D Gain.

KY-3: John Yarmuth's retirement opens up his Louisville-area seat. Blue Dog-styled Democrat State Senator Morgan McGarvey, aged 46, earns the Democratic nomination and cruises to victory here. D Hold.

KY-5: Hal Rogers, the second-most senior Representative in the House (a distinction in which he is tied with Chris Smith), retires after 46 years in the House. In Safe Republican eastern Kentucky, he is replaced by Regina Bunch, a State Senator, aged 64. She pledges to serve no more than three terms, what will seem like a drop in the bucket after Rogers' long tenure.

KY-6: Ryan Quarles surprises many when he announces his decision to retire in order to focus his energy on the 2027 Gubernatorial election rather than shuttle back and forth between Kentucky and Washington. Republicans applaud him for the decision at first, until it becomes apparent that his anointed successor, Damon Thayer, is struggling in the rapidly diversifying and urbanizing Lexington-Frankfort corridor. Democrats coalesce around young, energetic Lexington Mayor Chris Bright (f), aged 40, who runs a surprisingly effective campaign including a an ad where he shoots several clay pigeons in a row and then turns silently to the camera as "Bright for Congress" is superimposed. Thayer leads the count for almost the entire night before Bright pulls ahead by 88 votes, the final tally. A recount affirms the total. D+1.

KY Legislature: Democrats pick up two seats in the Kentucky Senate to cut the Republican advantage to 26-12, and pick up seven seats in the Kentucky House to take a surprise 54-46 majority. Backlash against Governor Massie's Paulite agenda and the hard-hit state's economy, as well as populist recruits for the Democrats, are seen as the reason for the success.

Tennessee

TN-Gov: One of the more interesting races of the cycle - though effectively meaningless, since the Tennessee Legislature can overturn vetoes with a simple majority - sees hard-right Governor Ron Ramsey face Blue Dog Tim McGraw, a legendary country singer recruited by Democrats to finally make the jump into elected politics. Though Tennessee has not voted for a statewide Democrat since 2006 - when it reelected Phil Bredesen as Governor - the state votes the popular and fairly conservative McGraw in by 36,000 votes. D Gain.

TN-Sen: US Rep. Jeff Yarbro aims to break the 36-year trend of Tennessee sending Republicans to the Senate as he challenges unpopular and ethically challenged Senator Stephen Fincher. Yarbro, running in one of the most conservative states in the Union, faces a tremendously uphill challenge in his bid to take out Fincher, who plans to coast to victory on the state's conservative lean. Polls tighten late in the race, with Fincher carrying a slim lead into election night. Eastern Tennessee comes in for Fincher, though not at the numbers usually anticipated for Republicans. Nashville comes through very strongly for Yarbro, tightening the race tremendously and giving Yarbro a brief lead. In Fincher's home region of West Tennessee, turnout is lower than expected and higher in Memphis than anticipated, narrowing the results to a 117-vote Yarbro lead. Fincher demands a recount, and the case heads to the courts. No Gain or Hold... for now.

TN-2: Jimmy Duncan retires after nearly forty years in his father's old seat, ending the Duncan dynasty in seat the GOP has held since 1859. In a safe, ancestrally Republican region, former UT Student President Kyle Agnew (f), aged 30, is elected after a tight primary. R Hold.

TN-4: Bill Ketron retires after a self-imposed 5 term limit. He is replaced by State Senator Dawn White, aged 51.

TN-6: Jeff Yarbro's retirement opens this Nashville-area seat up. State Senator Jason Powell, who replaced Yarbro in the Senate (and is aged 48), replaces him in this Safe D district.

TN-9: Steve Cohen retires after twenty years in Congress. He is replaced in this ultra-safe Democratic district by longtime Senate Minority Leader Lee Harris (aged 48), who was defeated by Cohen in the 2006 primary for this very same seat. D Hold.

TN Legislature: The McGraw-Yarbro connection upticket has marginal effect on the Senate, where Democrats pick up one seat to go to 27-6. In the House, meanwhile, Democrats see a little more success, picking up four seats to go to 64-25.

[KingSweden]

This Is AMAZING

Just wondering, but what is the status of Taiwan in this tale?

Thank you! I'm glad you like it

As for Taiwan, still same as it ever was... for now. Stay tuned, there are going to be some major upheavals around the world as the wild 2020s continue.