The States Newsroom, along with its affiliate Stateline and local partners, has launched a fundraising campaign to support fact-checking and investigative reporting for the 2026 midterm elections. The organization warns that without public donations, citizens risk losing access to reliable information about state-level candidates and issues, as many local news outlets face layoffs and consolidation.
In a press release issued February 26, 2026, States Newsroom highlighted the vulnerability of the public to political propaganda when access to trustworthy news is limited. The organization, which provides free coverage without paywalls or ads, aims to ensure that voters are well-informed about candidates on the state, county, and city levels. Topics covered include state budgets, education access, immigration, and climate change lawsuits, all of which influence congressional and gubernatorial elections.
Among the stories States Newsroom is currently covering to fact-check the elections are E-Verify requirements drawing business pushback in some Republican states, hopes pinned on Senate to kill proposed barrier-free college for older Kentuckians, Kansas House advancing new state budget amid concerns about spending, Dems ditching state union blast Trump immigration lawlessness, and Supreme Court takes up climate case testing local lawsuits against oil companies.
The press release quotes an unnamed source stating, "From Perry Sook, to Jeff Bezos a small number of influential owners have a powerful hold on so much of the information and political influence that reaches the public about what's happening in our nations state capitals that we run the risk of a media blackout if we don't donate to States Newsroom 2026 Midterms." This underscores the concern that media consolidation threatens democratic accountability.
States Newsroom is the largest nonprofit news organization in the United States, fully funding newsrooms in 39 states and operating content-sharing agreements with 11 other leading nonprofit outlets. According to studies cited by the organization, the percentage of reporters working for nonprofit newsrooms in statehouse press corps has more than tripled since 2014, making it the largest group in 10 states and the second largest in 17 states. Donations are accepted at newsfromthestates.com/donate.
