Even in local politics, election season can often produce headlines that are stranger than fiction. This fall, we’re putting YOU – the reader – inside the campaign crystal ball.
City & State has turned the popular phrasal-template word game “Mad Libs” into a 2026 election-prediction machine.
Fill in the potential headlines and campaign trail updates below to build your own election season storylines – and see which come true before November!
| _________ |
poses with |
_________________ |
in |
____________ |
after |
__________ |
endorsement. |
| (Candidate) |
|
(hardware store item) |
|
(rural county) |
|
(labor union) |
|
| Local |
____________ |
candidate |
facing |
__________ |
charges |
after |
allegedly |
__________________ |
funds |
for |
____________________ |
expenses. |
|
(elected seat) |
|
|
(number) |
|
|
|
(verb ending with -ing) |
|
|
(international destination) |
|
| __________ |
questions |
____________ |
following |
_______________________ |
outbreak |
reaching |
record |
highs. |
| (Candidate) |
|
(health official) |
|
(previously-eradicated virus) |
|
|
|
|
| __________ |
calls |
out |
Trump |
administration, |
says |
_____________ |
is |
making |
___________ |
too expensive. |
| (Candidate) |
|
|
|
|
|
(foreign conflict) |
|
|
(grocery item) |
|
| Commonwealth |
polls |
show |
_________________ |
and |
______________ |
among |
top |
issues |
for |
working-class |
voters. |
|
|
|
(economic buzzword) |
|
(culture war topic) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| __________ |
diner-goers |
dig into |
politics |
during |
__________ |
discussion on |
__________ |
prices amid |
__________ |
War. |
| (Municipality) |
|
|
|
|
(local Pennsylvania TV affiliate) |
|
(farming essentials) |
|
(foreign country) |
|
| __________ |
criticized after |
________________ |
and |
__________ |
donate |
____________ |
to election campaign. |
| (Candidate) |
|
(Big Tech company) |
|
(billionaire) |
|
(large number) |
|
| _________________- |
square-foot data center on hold in |
______________ |
after township meeting |
_____________ |
with |
__________ |
residents. |
| (Even larger number) |
|
(suburban county) |
|
(past tense verb) |
|
(adjective) |
|
| Life, liberty and the pursuit of |
____________: |
__________'s |
__________________ |
campaign for |
_____________. |
|
(emotional noun) |
(Challenger's) |
(unabashed adjective) |
|
(legislative seat) |
| "A vote for me is a vote for all |
____________:" |
__________ |
speaks at |
____________ |
before Election Day eve rally in |
__________. |
|
(regional slang) |
(Candidate) |
|
(sports venue) |
|
(city) |
| __________ |
interviews |
_____________ |
while they both eat |
_________. |
| (Podcast host) |
|
(congressional candidate) |
|
(local delicacy) |
| __________ |
calls |
_____________'s |
_____________ |
policy " |
__________ |
". |
| (Opponent) |
|
(incumbent's) |
(technology) |
|
(harsh adjective) |
|
| Will 2026 prove to be the year that |
__________ |
turns solidly |
__________? |
|
(electoral map region) |
|
(red/blue/purple) |
