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This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
(AP) — In 2022, Democrat Wiley Nickel ran as a moderate and narrowly won North Carolina’s 13th Congressional District by about 9,000 votes. Two years later, the current congressman, Republican Brad Kn...
Israel on the ballot: Moskowitz, Singer battle for Jewish vote in new FL district
For a solid thirty minutes, the candidates defended their honor as the race’s most pro-Israel candidate.
UConn Researcher’s Insight on Small-Business Bankruptcy Recovery Draws the Attention of Congress
'Small businesses are an important part of the economy, but financial distress does not necessarily mean that the underlying business isn’t worthwhile& ...
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly.
Pope hope, that’s entertainment, and getting ahead in the CIA
Happy Friday friends, I want to start by just breathing for all of us a big long collective sigh of relief at the news this week that the pope’s doctors have basically blown the all clear for Leo’s health. Going from knowing nothing to him declaring to the world he needed surgery, to a cancer diagnosis, to bouncing out of the hospital in barely even days, to ringing the bell in less than two weeks is whiplash inducing. But in the best possible way. We are living in a world in which the Roman pontiff, by dint of history, biography and circumstance, is once more at the epicenter of global affairs. Not just conversations about religion, or Christian and post-Christian values, but the bleeding edge of the most pressing issues of human affairs. Think I am exaggerating a touch? Consider the images of the crowds who greeted Leo in Paris just weeks ago, and juxtapose them with the absolute photo negative scenes unfolding there recently. Ask yourself how many world leaders are talking about AI right now and directly citing the pope as they do so. Try to name a country who has had as many top-ranked diplomats in and out of both Russia and Ukraine in the last three years as the Vatican has in the last three months. It has been fascinating to watch Leo XIV emerge as not just a kind of pop culture reference point or totem to be cited (Francis was often name-checked this way) but as a kinetic force in global conversation. Given the state of things, we need global figures of gravitas and values, even better if they have real wisdom behind what they are saying. So news of Leo’s illness was, it seemed to me, a tremor with potentially Richter Scale implications. That not only has the worst not come to pass but instead we’ve had the best of outcomes announced is something to really be grateful for. Humanity, it seems to me, is entering one of its irregular but cyclical phases where the pace of change — technological, social, and geopolitical — outstrips the ability of previously settled norms and received wisdom to cope. Such periods – and I think the first decades of the last century were a similar such time – throw into question the viability of all kinds of institutions. And many of ours have been straining to breaking point for a few years now. The papacy has the power and the potential to be a steadying pole in all of this. That’s my hope, anyway. It’s a lot to freight the office with, though it is arguably its ultimate purpose from its founding, to be a steadying rock on which all that matters can be anchored. It’s also, of course, an intolerable weight of responsibility to place on a single man. But I am encouraged to have hope in – and for – Leo. The apostle whom he succeeds, after all, was famously unequal to some moments, failed some tests of faith, and resiled from taking the road which led ultimately to the circus on Vatican hill. Human frailty and limitations, of health, of character, of temper, can open us to Christ, whose strength is greatest in our weakness, so St. Paul learned. That gives me hope, and I am sure it consoles Leo, too. And so I will continue to pray for him. Because we need apostles of rock right now. Here’s the news. Subscribe The News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued yesterday a new document “Venite ad me: Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Epochal Change.” It’s not a short document, and it is at pains to stress this isn’t a doctrinal note from the dicastery, either. Rather, it brings together reflections on an important issue from the Church around the world. Some of it I actually found really rather powerful. It is, however, 25,000, which is a lot for a busy reader to get through on a weekday. So, you can read our busy reader’s summary right here. — News broke yesterday of an Oct. 22 meeting of U.S. bishops with President Donald Trump. The meeting was organized by an official at the Heritage Foundation, according to several sources close to the meeting. Video of several U.S. bishops praying in the Oval Office over President Trump was posted on social media Thursday afternoon, first by White House Communications Advisor Margo Martin, and then by the official twitter.com account of the Archdiocese of Denver. The meeting has drawn sharp criticism because of its proximity to the upcoming midterm Congressional elections, in which Democrats are widely expected to win control of the House of Representatives, while control of the Senate remains closely contested. Sources close to the bishops’ conference told The Pillar that some USCCB senior officials were surprised by the existence of the meeting when video of it first emerged online. And a source close to conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City told The Pillar that the archbishop was “deeply frustrated” by the occasion of the meeting. An official conference spokesperson told The Pillar that the meeting was “not organized with or by the USCCB” and was “not affiliated with the conference.” You can read the whole story here. — The next National Eucharistic Congress will be held in Indianapolis in 2029, a return to the city that hosted the last gathering in 2024. You read it here first. By here, I don’t mean this newsletter, I mean at The Pillar. We broke the story this week. It’s a big deal, in as much as the last congress was a roaring success and the next installment has the potential to be a real focal point for evangelizing efforts in the coming years. Read all about it here. — As Pope Leo prepares for the longest trip of his pontificate, Church leaders in Uruguay say the pontiff will encounter a highly secularized culture, in a country with a very different Catholic history than many of its South American neighbors. The nation has not had a papal visit since 1988, and leaders who spoke with The Pillar say it has a dire need for evangelization, even amid the prospect of a small revival in faith. This is real reporting on the Church in the country, and frankly a story you simply are not going to be able to read anywhere else. Read the whole thing. — The Archdiocese of Detroit announced this week a plan that would see the vast majority of its parish priests reassigned next summer, amid a restructuring process expected to dramatically shrink the number of parishes in the archdiocese. Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said this week that the plan “asks much of our priests,” but is a “sacrifice they are making as brothers of one, unified presbyterate.” The thing is, as JD pointed out in an analysis yesterday, pastors of parishes have a legal right to stability in office, so the only way this kind of wholesale reassignment goes ahead is if all of the archdiocesan clergy agree to resign. That creates its own kind of legal issues, though, and re-raises longstanding questions about the effectiveness of canonical due process protections for priests when dealing with coercive exercises in authority. Read the whole thing here. — More than three months after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its decree declaring the excommunication of the leadership of the Society of St. Pius X, questions remain about the full effects of the society’s schism. Specifically, the DDF’s July claim that marriages witnessed and confessions heard by SSPX priests are now invalid remains contested — and it emerged this week it appears that the Vatican’s own legal experts don’t agree. You can read my whole analysis of the situation and what it means here. All I would add is that the DDF’s undeveloped, some would say unsubstantiated, claim about the invalidity of some SSPX sacraments came in their July Explanatory Note on the schismatic consecrations by the society that month. It touches directly on both papal acts of governance — indeed it purports to nullify them — and the most intimate pastoral encounters possible in a parish setting. If there is one aspect of the Francis-era style of governance I would like the curia to finally cut out, root and branch, it would be these attempts to try to effect extraordinarily sensitive legislative acts via a note. — At least a dozen French bishops have spoken out following an eruption of violence on the country’s streets Oct. 17. Not surprisingly, they unanimously condemned the violence, but the length and content of their interventions varied significantly. Several sought to distinguish between the actions of rioters and what they suggested were the legitimate concerns of peaceful young protesters. Many also evoked Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France, suggesting it offered a powerful counter-image to the scenes of looting and destruction. A number of bishops also stressed their solidarity with law enforcement officials who struggled to contain the disorder, as well as the owners of the roughly 3,000 damaged or looted businesses. What’s the background to the nationwide unrest that the French media calls “les violences du 17 octobre”? And what exactly are the bishops saying? Read all about it here. — A Polish bishop called for the firm defense of unborn children as well as compassion for their mothers this week, as the lower house of Poland’s parliament passed two bills seeking to liberalize the country’s abortion laws. The bill on decriminalizing assistance in an abortion passed by 217 votes to 213, while the abortion in cases of fetal abnormality bill passed by 233 to 203, thanks to the government’s majority in the lower house. Both bills will now move to the Polish Senate, the upper house of parliament, where the ruling coalition has a larger majority. The fetal abnormality bill is symbolically significant because if it became law, it would effectively overturn a 2020 ruling by Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal that a 1993 law permitting abortion for a severe and irreversible disability or a life-threatening incurable disease was unconstitutional. Read the whole story here. Subscribe **[The St. Paul Center App | Bible Study On-The-Go Read and understand the Bible with St. Paul Center’s new app! With today’s leading Catholic Scripture scholars as your guides, the St. Paul Center app empowers you to read the Bible](https://stpaulcenter.com/app?utm_source=pillar&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=applaunch)** from the heart of the Church. Download the app for free at either the Apple or the Google app stores. https://stpaulcenter.com/app That’s entertainment I have written before about my deep and sincere reservations about the celebrity exorcist subculture which has taken root in American Catholicism. And, because I am very ill at ease with the entire thing, I try to keep a weather eye on the phenomenon without being drawn into the kind of online back-and-forth which these figures sometimes generate. Earlier this week, JD noted that one such celebrity exorcist type, Fr. Chad Ripperger, has undertaken, on the request of his bishop, a year’s fast from interviews and public speaking. I’m sure that will be salutary for him, if for no other reason than that receiving with docility requests from one’s rightful ecclesiastical superiors always comes with graces. Then a second thing happened this week which caught my eye. Apparently, another fixture in the celebrity exorcist world, Fr. Carlos Martins, has initiated a lawsuit against two lay men — apparently associates of Rippenger, though I am unclear in what way, exactly — for allegedly defaming him and his ministry on a podcast. It seems the suit was initiated nearly a year ago and is now pending. At issue, I read, is that the two men described Martins on a podcast as “not who he says he is” with regard to his exorcism ministry and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” These statements Martins considers to be false and defamatory and, his suit claims, “directly affected the sale and reception of [his] The Exorcist Files book that was newly released at the time these episodes aired.” I don’t want to get too into the weeds of the details here, but a couple of things struck me about all this.
Calvert, Kim locked in a blockbuster battle for CA's 40th congressional district
When California voters approved mid-decade redistricting last fall, it set the stage for a cutthroat game of musical chairs in the state’s 40th congressional district.
Tonko, Ambrosio make their cases in 20th Congressional District race
Voters in the 20th Congressional District will choose between a longtime Democratic incumbent and a Republican who has never held elected office.
Americans agree on health care costs. Why can't Congress act?
Opinion: Patients need health care relief they can actually feel.
If Democrats Win Congress, Could the G.O.P. Refuse to Seat Them?
A changing of the congressional guard in January could leave room for meddling, though most legal scholars doubt it would happen.
Democrats Outline Priorities for Next Congress’ House Science Committee
Eying victory in November, Dems on the House Science Committee hope to reverse the ‘damage’ the Trump White House has caused to science while still pursuing bipartisan priorities.
What to know about the two candidates in Wisconsin's 7th District
Republican Michael Alfonso and Democrat Fred Clark are squaring off in the 7th Congressional District. The winner will succeed Tom Tiffany.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly.
Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez fights to keep a foothold in Pacific Northwest's Trump country
Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington has won twice in a district that voted for Trump, making her one of the few rural Democrats in Congress.
'This has no place for partisan politics' say Camp Lejeune contamination victim advocates
At a Greenville rally this week, President Donald Trump said he will order swift settlement of remaining claims only if Republicans hold Congress.
Local election coverage - Illinois Times, the capital city's source of news, politics, arts, entertainment, culture
From congressional races to contested Sangamon County Board seats and the sheriff’s race, here’s a look at who’s on the Nov. 3 ballot locally. We also have an overview of the landlord registry referendum that Springfield voters will be asked to consider. Sign up for our daily digital newsletter (https://www.illinoistimes.com/get-it-in-your-inbox/) to get timely information about […]
WATCH LIVE: Trump holds GOP midterm rally in North Carolina
Early voting got underway in North Carolina last week, a key state in Democrats' efforts to retake control of Congress.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Election countdown with Laura Gersony
With Election Day nearing, Arizona’s congressional races are drawing national attention. Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony joins Politics Unplugged to break down the high-stakes fights in AZ-01 and AZ-06, where the House majority could be on the line. The conversation examines whether Republican candidates can separate themselves from President Donald Trump as affordability concerns and negative ads dominate the closing days. The episode also looks at outside spending, Elon Musk-backed turnout efforts and the unexpectedly competitive race involving Rep. Eli Crane in northern Arizona. Plus, Dennis Welch and Colin Stanton discuss Arizona’s statewide races, polling, campaign cash and the Valley’s rough sports week.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Election countdown with Laura Gersony
With Election Day nearing, Arizona’s congressional races are drawing national attention. Arizona Republic reporter Laura Gersony joins Politics Unplugged to break down the high-stakes fights in AZ-01 and AZ-06, where the House majority could be on the line. The conversation examines whether Republican candidates can separate themselves from President Donald Trump as affordability concerns and negative ads dominate the closing days. The episode also looks at outside spending, Elon Musk-backed turnout efforts and the unexpectedly competitive race involving Rep. Eli Crane in northern Arizona. Plus, Dennis Welch and Colin Stanton discuss Arizona’s statewide races, polling, campaign cash and the Valley’s rough sports week.
Trump Approval Hits New Low Two Weeks Before Midterms, Poll Finds
Likely voters favored Democratic candidates over Republicans by 11 percentage points in their congressional district, a New York Times/Siena poll found.
Cook Political Report shifts AL-2 race rating towards Democrats
The Cook Political Report shifted Alabama's 2nd Congressional District race from likely Republican to lean Republican.
With a congressional seat on the line, political groups race to win over undecided Colorado voters
A ‘coup’ in Congress? Democrats are gaming out a Jan. 3 nightmare
Democrats panicked over President Donald Trump’s pre-election attacks on California are preparing for a GOP-led effort to maintain control of Congress by mutiny.
Coffee Conversation: WI Congressional Candidate Fred Clark speaks on campaign
In the lead-up to the Nov. 3 general election, FOX 21's morning show wanted to bring in candidates that Northland residents will be seeing on the ballot to speak live
A city divided: What redistricting means for Tennessee voters
By Bianca Flowers, David Hood-Nuño and Ally Levine Oct 19 (Reuters) - The city of Memphis used to sit almost entirely in one congressional district.
Healthcare, small business advocates urge reversing healthcare cuts, boost Democrats
Advocates called on Congress to restore Medicaid and Affordable Care Act insurance premium subsidies and criticized Republicans.
The Violent Cost of Being a Woman in Politics Spans Continents
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world ... with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment. This week: —There is not (yet) the political will in the U.S. to talk about gender quotas ... but 35 nations in Europe have either been mandated or volunteered to implement them. —Weeks after the brutal rape of Arizona congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia, Australian independent member of Parliament Helen Haines is in hospital in a critical condition after she was struck by a car outside her office in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said appears to have been "a deliberate act." —"Politicians are no longer treated like we’re human,” says Arizona state legislator Alma Hernandez, who is facing rising harassment and threats. —Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a frequent critic of Republican President Donald Trump. —If elected governor of Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms would become the first Black woman governor in U.S. history. ... and more.
Can U.S. Rep. Don Davis beat a gerrymander?
A year ago, Republican state lawmakers redrew North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District to make it more conservative. But as Election Day draws near, incumbent Congressman Don Davis appears to have an increasingly strong shot at keeping his seat.
Florida resident arrested after threatening US Rep. Jared Moskowitz
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Boca Raton resident was arrested Thursday after making an alleged threat against U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, the congressman announced. Just after 2:30 p.m., Moskowitz wrote
Ironworker challenges Rep. Max Miller as the congressman fights to hold seat
Janie Grosjean was torn about voting for embattled Republican Rep. Max Miller this year.
Is this America's most normal congressional race? San Diego candidates run on classic platforms
Democrat Marni von Wilpert and Republican Jim Desmond are vying for the 48th Congressional District’s swing voters with moderate, establishment politics
ESMO: Roche touts ‘convincing’ phase 3 KRAS data after win over rivals
Roche has shed more light on its investigational KRAS G12C inhibitor's phase 3 victory over Amgen’s Lumakras and Bristol Myers Squibb’s Krazati. The open-label Krascendo 1 trial enrolled 338 people with previously treated KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients who had already received a KRAS G12C inhibitor or pan-KRAS/RAS inhibitor were excluded from the trial. Participants received either divarasib once daily, Lumakras once daily or Krazati twice daily. Roche announced back in July that divarasib had demonstrated statistically significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), meeting the trial’s primary and key secondary endpoints. But the Swiss pharma had been holding back the detailed data until now. At the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid, Roche revealed that median OS for the 167 patients who received divarasib was 17.7 months, compared to 12 months for the 171 patients who received Lumakras or Krazati. The benefit was similarly clear when it came to median PFS, which stood at 9.8 months versus 5.7 months, respectively. A total of 44% of patients receiving divarasib were alive without disease progression at one year, compared to 24% of the control group, according to Roche’s presentation. It was a similar story for the objective response rate, which came in at 58% for divarasib versus 32% for the control group, while median duration of response was 11.9 months versus 6.9 months. Stefan Frings, M.D., Ph.D., deputy chief medical officer at Roche Pharma, told Fierce that the data made for a “very comprehensive, strong package, which should be convincing to health authorities.” “It’s an important advance for patients with lung cancer,” Frings said in an interview at a Madrid hotel during the conference. “It's a second-line setting, and patients who receive divarasib benefit compared to the current first-generation KRAS G12C inhibitors by having far longer overall survival,” he continued. “They live longer. They have better progression-free survival, better response rates, and with a safety profile which is—if [anything]—even better,” he said. According to Roche, 4.8% of patients receiving divarasib discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events, compared to 11.7% in the control group. Serious treatment-related adverse events were also less common with divarasib, at 7.8% versus 15.2%. Roche’s confidence in divarasib had been building even before this phase 3 success. The candidate had already shown better potency and selectivity than the incumbent KRAS G12C inhibitors Krazati and Lumakras in preclinical tests. After cross-trial comparisons suggested that the edge translated into better clinical outcomes, Roche axed a study comparing divarasib to the chemotherapy docetaxel and went toe-to-toe with Lumakras and Krazati. “We designed the drug on purpose with higher potency and better selectivity,” Frings explained. “So, based on preclinical models, we clearly knew it would be superior to the first generation.” “It’s honestly not so frequent that pharma companies go head-to-head,” he added. “But if you want to make a point, if you want to convince payers, prescribers and patients … then a head-to-head win is rather rewarding.” While Amgen and BMS reached the regulatory finish line first for KRAS G12C-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC in 2021 and 2022, respectively, they have struggled to capitalize on their head start. Krazati brought in $55 million for BMS in the second quarter, while Lumakras delivered $111 million to Amgen. For its part, Roche is aiming for peak divarasib sales of 1 billion to 2 billion Swiss francs ($1.2 billion to $2.5 billion), according to Frings. The Big Pharma is currently recruiting patients into a phase 3 trial comparing divarasib plus Keytruda against Keytruda plus chemotherapy in previously untreated advanced or metastatic nonsquamous KRAS G12C-mutated NSCLC. Roche has previously suggested that sales in metastatic disease would account for most of the forecast. Frings was tight-lipped on the exact timeline for a regulatory filing but said the Swiss pharma is “certainly keen to get this to as many patients as possible around the world.” Roche has more RAS drugs coming up behind divarasib. The pharma has already launched phase 1 trials of a pan-RAS inhibitor called RG6505 and a KRAS G12D inhibitor dubbed RG6620 in solid tumors. Roche’s partner Chugai Pharmaceutical is also testing a pan-KRAS inhibitor called AUBE00. Roche has made a “deliberate effort” to test a range of RAS drugs, Frings said. “If you have many rare mutations and you are scrambling to find sufficient patients, a pan-RAS inhibitor makes a lot of sense,” he explained.
Republican congressional candidate Tom Stalcup on how both parties abuse science for political gain
Scientific American spoke to the candidate for Massachusetts’s fourth congressional district about climate change, misinformation and why, when it comes to health care, some socialism may be required
Republican gerrymanders in Texas threaten to fall flat, poll finds
Democrats have strong chances in two key congressional seats, new Post-Schar School poll finds.
Republican congressional candidate Tom Stalcup on how both parties abuse science for political gain
Scientific American spoke to the candidate for Massachusetts’s fourth congressional district about climate change, misinformation and why, when it comes to health care, some socialism may be required
Who do you look up to in Iowa politics? Iowa's Congressional District Debate
Who do you aim to emulate in Iowa politics? Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Christina Bohannan respond during KWQC's 1st District debate.
Midterms and Iran: Congress could change hands, but Trump would still control the war
On January 10, 2007, President George W. Bush announced a surge of tens of thousands of additional troops to Iraq — among the least popular decisions of his presidency. As a senior adviser, I watched from National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley’s West Wing office.
Pulpit Politics: Johnson Amendment Rarely Enforced
Oklahoma religious leaders are navigating a murky legal landscape around the Johnson Amendment, which bars tax-exempt churches from endorsing candidates but is rarely enforced. With a recent Texas lawsuit failing and Congress considering changes, some pastors endorse candidates without consequences while others see political neutrality as a theological obligation, not just a legal one.
A note to readers: Science, accountability and elections
Dear readers, As early voting begins, I wanted to share some news — and why it connects to the decisions we make at the ballot box. I’ve been selected for the inaugural cohort of the South Atlantic Climate Journalism Hub mentorship program, hosted by Covering Climate Now. I’m excited to join this group, learn from scientists and fellow journalists, and expand my science reporting. Science directly ties to governance. Local officials make decisions about where development goes, how infrastructure is maintained, what emergency preparations receive funding, and how communities rebuild after disasters. Understanding the evidence behind those decisions helps us evaluate whether our government is serving us well. Here in western North Carolina, those connections are all around us, in Lake Lure and beyond. Flood maps inform decisions about property and development. Engineering assessments help identify risks at dams and bridges. Rainfall forecasts guide emergency preparations. Geological information helps explain landslide hazards. Water testing gives communities information they need to assess conditions. Meteorologists’ knowledge and public perception of weather events shape public safety. Each involves scientific or technical knowledge. Each also raises questions about public responsibility: What did officials know? How did they use that information? What did they tell the public? What did taxpayers receive for their money? A study can identify a problem. Elected officials still have to decide what to do about it, how to pay for it, and how to explain their choices. Reporting should examine both the evidence and the response. That is where I want to strengthen my work. My reporting on Helene recovery, infrastructure, flooding, public safety, and public spending has repeatedly brought me to questions that require scientific expertise alongside public records. This mentorship may help me better understand the research, ask more precise questions, and explain the answers clearly. I also bring the perspective of someone living with these concerns. I live downstream of Lake Lure Dam, and landslides affected my property during Helene. Those experiences bring urgency to my questions. Careful reporting helps establish the answers. Readers deserve to know what the evidence shows, where uncertainty remains, and whether officials accurately describe the information guiding their decisions. You also deserve scrutiny of proposed solutions: what they cost, what they are expected to accomplish, and what risks remain. Access to that information matters. As a mostly deaf journalist who relies on written communication, I will continue pressing for written public warnings, records, and explanations that people can read and use in real time. As you consider the candidates seeking your vote, consider how they approach evidence, preparedness, and transparency. Do they support local journalism, even when it’s not parroting a press release? Do they explain weather events clearly in plain English and explain their decisions after them? Make supporting records available? Acknowledge uncertainty? Follow through when a report identifies a risk? Those are practical questions about governing. Thank you for supporting Cops & Congress and the work that makes these questions part of the public conversation. I’m grateful to David Dickson and the CC Now team for this opportunity, and I look forward to bringing what I learn back to you. Annie DanceEditor & Publisher, Cops & Congress — Learn more about this newsletter, ethics policy, how you can help shape this work, and support it. Follow on X and Facebook. Send constructive criticism, fan mail, and tips with public documents for future stories: CopsandCongress@gmail.com ICYMI: View the Cops & Congress archive — Annie Dance is the publisher of Cops & Congress, a newsletter that analyzes what happens when crime, courts, disaster, democracy, and small-town policies collide. Views expressed here are covered by the First Amendment. Dance has a Bachelor of Arts from Manhattan University in Communication with a focus in Journalism and Government. She has been a journalist for over 20 years. Share Upgrade now or give a gift subscription
Political newcomers De La Cruz and Garcia battle for redrawn Texas 35th Congressional District
On Nov. 3, Texas voters will choose a new U.S. representative for the newly redrawn 35th Congressional District. On the ballot are Republican Carlos De La Cruz and Democrat Johnny Garcia.
How China’s regional leadership changes offer clues to the party’s future
The coming months will see a series of provincial congresses as part of a process that will determine the membership of key party bodies.
Money in politics puts residents on the backburner
Endless outside spending in L.A. elections disenfranchises voters.
France could face even worse destruction with second weekend of planned riots, State Dept warns
An internal State Department document warns antifascist protests near Marine Le Pen's National Rally congress in Orléans could spark new unrest.
Vivek Ramaswamy campaign ad for Ohio ‘shameful, disgusting’, says Republican congresswoman
Nancy Mace said: ‘This ad is going to go down as the most shameful, disgusting, offensive ad this election season’
Lack of debates in 1st Congressional District race on Long Island exposes new political reality
Healthcare, small business advocates urge reversing healthcare cuts, boost Democrats
Advocates called on Congress to restore Medicaid and Affordable Care Act insurance premium subsidies and criticized Republicans.
Longtime Nevada Republican files complaint against GOP congressional candidate
The Federal Election Commission complaint against David Flippo cites reporting on his personal finances and campaign finance reports, and calls for an investigation.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly. There are many reasons. People have stopped splitting their tickets when voting and now usually support one party in all races. More people now live in areas with similarly-minded voters. The battlefield shrunk further a...
Sacramento news roundup: ICE incident, seized business and energy rank
From a congressman's call for ICE accountability to a State Bar raid that hauled off 14 boxes of files, here's what's driving Sacramento conversation.
CNN Poll of Polls: Choice for Congress
CNN tracks a “generic ballot,” a type of survey question that asks voters to choose which party they prefer in the US House of Representatives.
These Democrats could win competitive races. None are politicians
James Talarico and Abdul El-Sayed are far from the only atypical Democratic candidates running for Congress in the midterm elections.
Voters angry about high prices may get little relief from the next Congress
Even if Democrats win control of Congress on Nov. 3, lawmakers can do little about prices that are uncomfortably high -- and will stay that way even as the rate of inflation is expected to slow.
Wellington mayor crosses party lines to endorse Democrat Pia Dandiya for Congress
Wellington's Republican mayor is crossing party lines to endorse Democrat Pia Dandiya in her bid for Congress, saying she would put people ahead of politics.
Villegas, advocates slam Valadao voting record at Bakersfield health care roundtable
Healthcare affordability and reproductive rights took center stage at a roundtable in Bakersfield on Tuesday, as Democratic congressional candidate Randy Villeg
The percentage of people without health insurance is growing
The percentage of working-age adults without health insurance has increased in the past two years, largely because many people can no longer afford Obamacare coverage after Congress allowed federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year. The uninsured rate for adults ages 19-64 rose to 11.2% this year, up from 8.9% in 2024, […]
Bridging Climate Science and Cardiometabolic Health from Radiative Forcing to Disease Risk
Cardiovascular disease remains a dominant cause of global morbidity and mortality, yet conventional prevention...
The Case for Republicans to Hold the Senate | WSJ Politics Newsletter for Oct. 20
Plus, seven candidates tell The Journal how they would fix Congress, and an Abdul El-Sayed opponent handed him a viral campaign highlight.
At Issue: Oct. 25 focuses on political advertisements, Rep. John McGuire candidate profile
In less than two weeks, the votes will be in and you will know who will represent your hometown in Congress. But until then, the political advertisements will target you on every device and platform.
Democrat running for Stefanik's seat says 'my identity is not in politics'
Upstate New York congressional candidate Blake Gendebien (D) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss his campaign in New York's North Country and where his priorities fit into the Democratic Party's agenda.
AOC tells voters Jackson will get billionaire influence out of politics
The progressive congresswoman called on Mainers to send Jackson to the U.S. Senate.
Okpareke’s ads don’t add up on her federal campaign finance report
By Kevin Hendricks — Didi Okpareke’s congressional campaign paid for Facebook and Instagram ads that popped up on screens more than 150,000 times this summer, mostly in New Mexico. Her latest federal campaign finance report says she spent nothing. The Republican nominee for New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District spent between $500 and $599 on several […]
How Iran war votes in Congress became a focal point for campaign ad attacks
Democrats and aligned advocacy groups are hitting the airwaves with a flood of campaign ads on the Iran war as they seek to win back in the House and Senate.
White House officials fear a post-midterms Trump rampage
President Donald Trump still has two weeks to salvage his Republican congressional majorities and defy expectations of a midterm wipeout. But all around him, aides and allies are bracing for what happens if he fails. CNN’s Kristen Holmes reports.
New York congressional candidate Brad Lander says he was detained by IDF in the West Bank
Lander, the former New York City comptroller, wrote in a post on X that he was detained by the Israeli Defense Forces while harvesting olives with other volunteers.
Tonko, Ambrosio make their cases in 20th Congressional District race
Voters in the 20th Congressional District will choose between a longtime Democratic incumbent and a Republican who has never held elected office.
WATCH: Smucker, Mannion to debate in Manor Township
Republican Congressman Lloyd Smucker and Democratic challenger Nancy Mannion are set to debate this afternoon at a forum hosted by the Lancaster Chamber and York County Economic Alliance.
Nancy Pelosi isn't sitting out the fight to replace her
The San Francisco lawmaker has dived into the intraparty fight to succeed her in Congress. Is it personal, or her prerogative to have a say in her replacement?
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional.
Swing seats, meaning districts that a presidential candidate won by 5 percentage points or fewer in the previous election, are disappearing from the national map.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly. There are many reasons. People have stopped splitting their tickets when voting and now usually support one party in
Poll: Low-information voters have turned hardest against Trump and the GOP
In 2024, the voters who knew the least about politics were some of Donald Trump’s strongest supporters. A Data for Progress poll released just before the election found Americans who didn’t consume any news at all said they’d vote for Trump over Kamala Harris by a 20-point margin, 60%1 to 40%. In February, we reported that many of these voters had soured on Trump. Voters who couldn’t name the party in control of Congress moved away from Trump at about twice the rate as high-information voters. But approval isn’t vote choice. With the midterms less than two weeks away, it is worth asking if these voters are turning against the president’s party in federal elections, too. In our October Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll, conducted Oct. 13–19 among 2,028 U.S. adults, we asked respondents two factual questions about politics: which party has the most members in the House, and which has the most members in the Senate. I classified anyone who got at least one of these questions wrong as “low-knowledge.” About 30% of adults miss at least one question, including 25% of 2024 Trump voters, 22% of Harris voters, and more than half of people who didn’t vote in 2024. In this article, I do two things with this data. First, I repeat my February analysis and compare how these two groups feel about Trump’s job as president; then I look at each group’s voting behavior in the upcoming House midterms. Register for free to read the rest of this piece.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly. There are many reasons. People have stopped splitting their tickets when voting and now usually support one party in all races. More people now live in areas with similarly-minded voters. Swing seats have taken a hit sin...
Democrats’ Projected Majority Grows as 19 More House Races Shift Away From the GOP
Republicans’ path to keeping control of the House has all but evaporated. The outstanding question is how large Democrats’ majority will be in 2027; in the best-case scenario, their party could enter the new Congress with more seats than they had after successfully flipping control of the House in 2006 and 2018.
Two former Republican lawmakers say the GOP’s vaccine position is a liability
The Republican party’s confusing messaging on vaccines is going to hurt candidates in the midterms, two former GOP congressmen argue.
Election Board: Cognetti makes her case on health care, tariffs and Iran
WILKES-BARRE — Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti said when she decided to run for Congress, she could not have predicted how much worse things could be across the board.
8TH DISTRICT AD WATCH: Clearing up Bresnahan’s voting record on Epstein
Examining political ads in the race for the 8th Congressional District seat between U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan and Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti
In one of the West's few swing races, a Democrat tries to keep a Trump district
Washington’s 3rd Congressional District is home to a tight race that will help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly.
2026 Health Care Congressional Voter Guide
At NC Health News, we care about you and your family’s health and we think our elected officials should too. We started in September to reach out to all of North Carolina’s Congressional candidates asking them to answer a series of questions about health care issues that you care about: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, […]
Sen. Thom Tillis talks about the challenges of being in Congress during Trump’s second term
This decade has been missing its big-impact midterm
Every other decade over the past hundred years has produced at least one midterm that made a big difference in Congress and in national politics more broadly.
2 ex-FBI officials charged with making false statements about Hunter Biden's laptop
Two former FBI intelligence officials who specialized in foreign election interference were charged Friday with making false statements about their roles in investigating the origins of Hunter Biden’s laptop in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election.
Health care shakes up the Iowa election
If Democrats flip Congress, health care could find its way to the top of their 2027 agenda.
UPDATE: SBA Opens Business Recovery Center in Tusayan Following Grand Canyon Flash Floods
Congressman Eli Crane
Smucker, Mannion to go head to head in debate this Friday
Republican Congressman Lloyd Smucker and Democratic challenger Nancy Mannion will debate Friday afternoon at a forum hosted by the Lancaster Chamber and York County Economic Alliance.
This US House district was once a political battleground. Now it shows why Congress is dysfunctional
The number of politically competitive U.S. House seats is shrinking rapidly.
Your Weekly Michigan Political Brief
End Citizens United has endorsed Democratic challenger Callie Barr for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District. William Lawrence, Democratic nominee for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, has been endorsed by the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union and the Black Economic Alliance. Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has formally endorsed state Senator Chedrick Greene (D-Saginaw) in the […]
Epstein files take back seat in midterms but experts say issue has not gone away
Other voter concerns have prevailed but return of Congress likely to see renewed focus on late sex offender’s activities
Trump cuts have hurt Mass. research labs. Scientists hope midterms can ease the pain
Under the second Trump administration, Massachusetts scientists have lost billions in funding, and curtailed more than a dozen clinical trials in the state. Ahead of the midterms, many scientists hope a new Congress will restore stability to federal support and get grant money out the door.
Fears of a post-midterms Trump rampage spur ‘brutal’ internal jockeying
President Donald Trump still has two weeks to salvage his Republican congressional majorities and defy expectations of a midterm wipeout. But all around him, aides and allies are bracing for what happens if he fails.
Stand Up for Science Endorses Dan Barrios for Congress in Texas’ 32nd Congressional District
SUFS endorsements promote candidates who will protect science and democracy, replace anti-science members of Congress in 2027
Michigan's 7th District House race is nation's most expensive for political ads, outraging both candidates
Political ad spending in Michigan's 7th Congressional District has topped $61 million, making it the nation's most expensive U.S. House race for advertising. Both candidates call the spending outrageous but disagree on how to rein it in.
Americans agree on health care costs. Why can't Congress act?
Opinion: Patients need health care relief they can actually feel.
Why Fort Myers? The politics behind Trump's Southwest Florida rally
President Donald Trump is coming to Southwest Florida Friday to help Congressman Byron Donalds win the governor’s race.
Political analysis favors Mendoza over Ciscomani
The Cook Political Report has switched its assessment of the congressional race for the House seat from a “toss-up” ranking to “Leans Democratic.”
Asheville drag queen says attack ad that falsely links her to Jamie Ager was made with AI
An Asheville-area drag queen is speaking out after being featured in a political attack ad targeting Democratic Congressional candidate Jamie Ager.
Supreme Court’s conservatives have let down democracy, Justice Kagan says
Two weeks before the midterm elections, liberal Justice Elena Kagan bluntly sized up the Supreme Court handling of election and voting-related cases, saying, “The court has kind of blinded itself to the very deleterious effects of their rulings on how the political system works.”
US Rep. Bynum seeks re-election with Democrats poised for favorable midterm
Candidates are vying for the 5th Congressional District, which the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan elections forecaster, labels as solidly Democratic.
Brad Lander detained by IDF in the West Bank during olive harvest
The congressional candidate previously said he was traveling to the West Bank in solidarity with Palestinian farmers.
Politics: The Midterm Races You Aren’t Hearing About
In just a dozen days, voters across the country will cast their ballots in midterm elections that could shift the balance of power in Washington. A lot of focus has been devoted to the contested races for Congress, with billions of dollars being spent on critical statewide contests and referendums.From governors’ mansions to statehouses to local ballot initiatives, voters will make their voices heard.We gather a panel of experts and zero in on some midterm races that aren’t necessarily making national headlines.Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Peninsula business leaders say tariffs’ impact unpredictable
Congresswoman: Cost to American families an extra $4K per year