North Carolina farmer Jamie Ager is part of a new crop of Democratic candidates the party is turning to as it tries to compete in the tough, often rural districts it may need to flip to retake the U.S. House in 2026.

Since it was created in 1979, the Education Department has enjoyed enough bipartisan support to keep it in business, with some Republicans even embracing its role in funding and shaping public schools.

Vice President Kamala Harris has put a charge in Wisconsin's most powerful Democratic stronghold, Dane County, where enthusiasm and volunteer support for President Joe Biden had been slipping.