The Rachel Maddow Show MS NOW's special 'We The People' primary coverage of elections in Texas and North Carolina
Mar 4, 2026
Jacob Soboroff, field reporter on the campaign trail; Eugene Daniels, MS NBC correspondent with campaign updates; Rosa Flores, Dallas County on-the-ground reporter; Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary turned commentator. They cover tumult in the Texas and North Carolina primaries. Reports from watch parties and polling sites. Legal fights over late ballots, voting confusion in Dallas, and how late returns reshape tight races.
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How Party Rules Triggered Dallas Voting Chaos
- Dallas County confusion arose because the local GOP refused countywide voting, forcing precinct-based voting and turning away many habitual vote-center voters.
- That prompted a judge to extend hours, then the Texas Supreme Court stayed the extension and ordered post-7 p.m. ballots separated, creating legal chaos.
Early Vote Dumps Can Mislead Nighttime Tallies
- Late-arriving dump of Dallas early votes suddenly swung Crockett to about 60% in that tranche, narrowing the statewide gap.
- But Ali Velshi warned those were overwhelmingly early-in-person results — day-of votes remain largely uncounted and could change the outcome.
Why 60% In Texas Still Leaves Winners Unknown
- Texas totals were dominated by early in-person ballots; same‑day election-day votes comprised only a sliver of reported returns in many big counties.
- Missing roughly 40% of statewide votes (mostly day-of) makes night projections unreliable.