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  • Here are the Democratic candidates for Texas General Land Office commissioner

    TOPSHOT - An aerial view shows a destroyed home in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8, 2024, after Hurricane Beryl made landfall. Hurricane Beryl made landfall July 8 in the southern US state of Texas, killing at least two people and causing millions to lose power amid dangerous winds and flooding, as some coastal areas remained under evacuation orders. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)

    TOPSHOT – An aerial view shows a destroyed home in Surfside Beach, Texas, on July 8, 2024, after Hurricane Beryl made landfall. Hurricane Beryl made landfall July 8 in the southern US state of Texas, killing at least two people and causing millions to lose power amid dangerous winds and flooding, as some coastal areas remained under evacuation orders. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP) (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)


    MARK FELIX

    AFP via Getty Images

    Two Democrats are on the primary ballot for commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The winner will be on the November ballot against Republican Dawn Buckingham.

    Here are the Democrats’ responses to a Star-Telegram questionnaire, in the order you’ll see them on the ballot.

    Jose Loya

    Age (as of March 3): 43

    Campaign website: www.joseloya.com

    Best way for voters to reach you: trevizo@joseloya.com

    Occupation: United Steelworkers Staff Representative District 13

    Education: I graduated from a Texas public high school in the Panhandle and went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps, where I gained the leadership and discipline that continue to guide my work.

    Have you run for elected office before? I have not

    Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Texas:

    1) Union staff representative in Texas, advocating for safer workplaces, fair wages, and worker dignity

    2) Represented Texas workers at the bargaining table, holding powerful corporate interests accountable

    3) Advocated for refinery, energy, and industrial workers across the state

    4) Worked with SLAM Media, supporting youth leadership, storytelling, and civic engagement through media and education

    Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No.

    Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? No.

    Who are your top three campaign contributors? Texas Majority PAC, Vote Vets and voter contributions

    Why are you seeking this office? I am running for Texas Land Commissioner because working Texans deserve real representation in an office that manages public land, public resources, and public trust. Too often, decisions reflect the priorities of political insiders, billionaires, and millionaires instead of the people who rely on these resources every day.

    I grew up in a working-class family and attended Texas public schools. Like many Texans, my family depended on wages, not wealth, and learned the value of hard work, fairness, and accountability. Those experiences shaped my belief that government should serve everyday people, not those with money or influence.

    For years, I have worked to give working people a voice—standing with them at the bargaining table, fighting for safer workplaces, fair wages, and dignity on the job, and holding powerful interests accountable.

    I am seeking this office to bring transparency and accountability so public resources serve Texans, not special interests.

    If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?

    If elected, my top priorities as Texas Land Commissioner will be transparency, support for veterans, and effective disaster recovery. The General Land Office manages public land, public school funding, and disaster relief, yet most Texans have little insight into how decisions are made. I will bring transparency and accountability to an office that should operate in the open and serve the public, not political insiders or wealthy interests.

    Supporting Texas veterans will be a core priority. As chair of the Texas Veterans Land Board, the Land Commissioner oversees programs that help veterans access home, land, and renovation loans. I will focus on outreach so veterans know these benefits exist, reduce delays, and ensure working-class and rural veterans can access the resources they’ve earned.

    Disaster recovery must work for communities, not bureaucracy. I will prioritize clear communication, accountability, and timely delivery of relief so Texans can rebuild and move forward.

    How will you measure your success as General Land Office commissioner?

    I will measure my success by clear, measurable improvements in how the General Land Office serves Texans. For veterans, success means expanding outreach and increasing the number of veterans who are accessing the benefits they’ve earned. That includes higher participation in home, land, and renovation loan programs and reducing the time it takes for veterans to receive assistance.

    For disaster recovery, success means resources are available and deployed faster. I will measure whether communities receive clear information, whether funds are released more quickly, and whether local leaders are involved in the recovery process so rebuilding reflects community needs.

    For public education, success means increasing revenue for Texas public schools through the Permanent School Fund by ensuring fair market value for public resources without raising taxes.

    Ultimately, success means an office that works better, faster, and more transparently for everyday Texans.

    Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

    Voters should choose me because I bring lived experience and working-class values to an office that has too often been dominated by political insiders and wealthy interests. I know what it means to depend on public systems, to work for a paycheck, and to fight for fairness because that has been my life.

    I grew up in a working-class family, attended Texas public schools, and spent my career standing with working people so they had a voice in decisions that affect their lives. I have represented workers at the bargaining table, held powerful interests accountable, and fought for dignity, safety, and fair pay. That experience matters in an office that manages public land, school funding, disaster recovery, and veteran programs.

    I don’t see this office as a stepping stone or political prize. I see it as a public trust. I’m running to bring transparency, accountability, and real representation to the General Land Office, so it works for everyday Texans, not special interests.

    What are Texans looking for and wanting most in their General Land Office commissioner?

    Most Texans don’t know what the General Land Office does and that’s part of the problem. While the office isn’t always visible, its decisions have a real impact on people’s lives, from disaster recovery and veteran benefits to public school funding and the management of public land.

    What Texans want most is an office that works clearly, honestly, and in the open. They want transparency in how decisions are made, faster and more reliable disaster recovery, and veteran programs that are easy to understand and access. Texans also want to know that public land and resources are being managed in a way that benefits schools and communities—not political insiders or special interests.

    Above all, Texans are looking for a General Land Office commissioner who treats the job as a public trust, communicates clearly, and puts everyday Texans first.

    What’s the biggest challenge the next General Land Office commissioner will face in Texas, and how would you address it if elected?

    The biggest challenge facing the next General Land Office commissioner is trust. The GLO manages public land, school funding, disaster recovery, and veteran programs, yet most Texans don’t know how decisions are made or who they serve. That lack of transparency creates confusion and delays.

    If elected, I will open up the office by making transparency the standard. That means clear reporting, straightforward communication with communities, and accountability, especially in disaster recovery and veteran services. Success means veterans can access earned benefits, communities know where they stand after disasters, and Texans can see how public resources support public schools.

    The General Land Office oversees several programs for veterans. How would you help veterans as commissioner?

    As commissioner, I would help veterans by making sure they actually know about and can access the benefits they’ve earned through the General Land Office. Too many veterans are unaware of programs like home, land, and renovation loans, or face unnecessary delays when they try to use them.

    I would prioritize proactive outreach so veterans across Texas, especially working-class and rural veterans, understand what resources are available to them. I would also focus on reducing wait times, improving communication, and making the process easier to navigate from start to finish.

    Success means more veterans signing up for these programs, fewer barriers to access, and a system that treats veterans with the respect and urgency they deserve.

    Please explain your priorities for managing the Permanent School Fund, if elected as commissioner?

    My priority in managing the Permanent School Fund will be to protect it, grow it responsibly, and ensure it is managed transparently in the best interest of Texas public school students. The Fund exists to support public education, and every decision should be made with that responsibility in mind.

    I will focus on ensuring Texas receives fair market value for the use of public lands and natural resources so the Fund continues to grow without raising taxes. That means holding corporations accountable, avoiding sweetheart deals, and making sure revenues are maximized for schools and classrooms.

    I will also prioritize transparency so Texans can clearly see how the Fund is managed, how revenues are generated, and how decisions impact public education. Success means a stronger, more accountable Permanent School Fund that reliably supports Texas schools today and for future generations.

    How would you approach disaster response and recovery as commissioner?

    As commissioner, my approach to disaster response and recovery would focus on speed, clarity, and accountability. Texans who have been impacted by disasters deserve timely help and clear information, not confusion or long delays.

    I would prioritize clear communication so communities know what resources are available, where they are in the recovery process, and what to expect next. I would also focus on reducing delays in releasing funds and ensuring disaster resources are ready to use as quickly as possible.

    Just as important, I would work closely with local leaders and communities to make sure recovery efforts reflect real needs on the ground. Success means relief reaches Texans faster, the process is easier to navigate, and communities can rebuild with confidence.

    What role, if any, should the General Land Office play in securing the Texas-Mexico border?

    The General Land Office should not play a role in securing the Texas/Mexico border. Border security is not the mission of the GLO, and using this office for that purpose distracts from its core responsibilities, managing public land, supporting public education, assisting veterans, and overseeing disaster recovery.

    Texans are best served when the GLO office stays focused on the work it is designed to do and carries out those duties transparently, effectively, and in the public interest.

    Benjamin Flores

    Age (as of March 3): 50

    Campaign website: letsgowithben.com

    Best way for voters to reach you: My website or my facebook page www.facebook.com/benfloresforlandcom

    Occupation: Councilman, pig farmer, technologist

    Education: Bachelor in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, multiple tech and industry related certifications

    Have you run for elected office before? Yes. I’m currently serving my third year as Bay City Councilman

    Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in Texas:

    I serve on the Bay City Development Corporation board and represent our region on the Houston-Galveston Area Council. I completed CERT training and EMT academy before moving to Texas because I believe in being useful when things go wrong. That mindset hasn’t changed. During Hurricane Beryl in 2024, my family and I helped seniors in our neighborhood clear driveways and home entrances. I also run a small heritage pig farm with my family, which has given me firsthand experience with agricultural policy and the Texas Right to Farm Act.

    Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? No

    Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? Yes. My wife and I are defendants in a civil nuisance lawsuit regarding our heritage pig farm in Matagorda County (130th District Court). The case involves the Texas Right to Farm Act. The lawsuit was filed in April 2024 and is tentatively set for trial in May 2026. We dispute the plaintiffs’ claims and are vigorously defending our agricultural operation. Our story was featured in the April 2025 issue of Texas Monthly.

    Who are your top three campaign contributors? After my family, the next top contributors are Domingo Garcia and Liberal Austin Democrats.

    Why are you seeking this office?

    I’ve spent almost 30 years managing risk for a living. The GLO manages a $50+ billion fund for public schools, runs veterans programs, and handles disaster recovery. These responsibilities require professional stewardship, not political theater. The Permanent School Fund could generate more revenue if we diversified leasing beyond oil and gas. Wind and solar would bring steadier income. That’s money for Texas classrooms left on the table. We’ve seen what happens when the GLO isn’t ready for disasters. After Harvey, communities waited years for recovery funds while the feds flagged problems with how Texas managed the money. Living through Beryl in Matagorda reinforced what local communities actually need when storms hit. I immigrated from Mexico City in 1996, became a citizen, built a career, and now serve as a councilman. My mother taught me “nunca seas agachado” or never bow down, never accept less than you deserve. Texans deserve a Land Commissioner who shows up for the actual job.

    If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be?

    First, bringing more revenue into the Permanent School Fund through lease diversification. State lands currently generate income mostly from oil and gas, but wind and solar leases would provide steadier returns without commodity price swings. Every new dollar goes to Texas classrooms, some help with your property taxes. Second, overhauling how the Veterans Land Board serves our veterans. Too many vets face delays when trying to buy homes or access care they’ve earned. We need faster processing and systems that treat veterans like valued clients. Third, strengthening disaster preparedness. After Harvey, we saw communities wait years for recovery funds. The GLO needs plans and resources ready before storms hit, clear coordination with federal and local partners, and faster reimbursement for communities doing the hard work. Living through Beryl gave me firsthand lessons about what works and what doesn’t.

    How will you measure your success as General Land Office commissioner?

    Numbers. Numbers. And numbers. They don’t lie. I’ll track new revenue streams coming into the Permanent School Fund from diversified leasing. If we’re leaving money on the table, I want to know why. For veterans programs, I’ll measure processing times for loans and applications. Veterans shouldn’t wait months for answers. On disaster recovery, I’ll track how fast we get federal dollars to local communities after storms. Harvey showed us what happens when that process breaks down. I’ll measure satisfaction from the cities and counties we’re helping. I come from a world where audits and metrics matter. Texans deserve transparency about whether their Land Commissioner is doing the job.

    Why should voters choose you over your opponents?

    I live in Matagorda County. When Hurricane Beryl hit, I didn’t watch it on TV from Austin. I was there. My family was there. I saw firsthand how disaster response failures hurt real people in real time. That’s the fundamental difference in this race. I’m running to solve problems I’ve lived through. I’ve invested my own savings into this campaign because I believe Texans need independent leadership, not another rubber stamp for special interests. I have skin in the game. As a Bay City Councilman, I know where local systems break down. Whether it’s disaster recovery, funding our schools, or serving our veterans, I have almost 30 years of risk management experience to fix it. I earned my way onto this ballot. I’m not here because a political broker tapped me on the shoulder. I’ll be a Land Commissioner who answers to Texans, not to political sponsors or PAC money.

    What are Texans looking for and wanting most in their General Land Office commissioner?

    Most Texans don’t know who the Land Commissioner is or what the GLO does. They’ve never heard of the Permanent School Fund or the Veterans Land Board. And honestly, that’s fine. Government should work well enough that people don’t have to pay attention to every agency. But when disaster recovery is slow or veterans can’t get help, Texans notice something’s broken even if they don’t know which office to blame. What Texans want is quiet competence. Someone who manages their tax dollars responsibly and treats their fellow Texans with respect. They’re tired of officials who chase headlines instead of doing their homework. The GLO isn’t supposed to be exciting. It’s supposed to be reliable.

    What’s the biggest challenge the next General Land Office commissioner will face in Texas, and how would you address it if elected?

    Texas weather is getting more extreme, and our coast is getting hit harder. That’s what insurance companies tell us when they raise rates or leave the state entirely. The next commissioner must prepare for more frequent disasters while managing long term coastal erosion. Harvey showed us what happens when disaster recovery fails. Communities waited years for help while federal auditors flagged mismanagement. We can’t repeat those mistakes. I’ll work with coastal communities on realistic planning and coordinate with federal partners before disasters hit. Living through Beryl reinforced these lessons for me personally. I’ll also diversify Permanent School Fund revenue so classrooms benefit from wind and solar leases, not just oil and gas. Smarter management means more money for schools.

    The General Land Office oversees several programs for veterans. How would you help veterans as commissioner?

    I’ve already been meeting with veterans across Texas, listening to what they actually need. The message is clear: we need a VA hospital in the Valley and a new assisted living home in the Coastal Bend. The Land Commissioner doesn’t control VA hospital funding, but I’ll be a strong advocate. Veterans homes are squarely within the GLO’s responsibilities, and I’ll push for expansion where it’s needed. The Veterans Land Board also runs land loans and home improvement loans. On paper, great benefits. In practice, too many veterans face delays and confusion. I’d fix processing times and staffing so applications don’t sit in queues for months. And I’d improve outreach. Many veterans don’t know these programs exist. That’s on us to fix. These are Texans who served us. They deserve better than bureaucratic runaround.

    Please explain your priorities for managing the Permanent School Fund, if elected as commissioner?

    The Permanent School Fund is one of the largest education endowments in the country. My priority is bringing in more revenue through smarter land management. State lands currently generate income mostly from oil and gas leases. But wind and solar leases would provide additional, steadier revenue streams. This isn’t about replacing traditional energy. It’s about not leaving money on the table. Every new dollar supports Texas classrooms. I’ll also improve transparency. Texas families should see how their fund is managed through public dashboards and clear reporting. And I’ll seek independent analysis of our investment strategies, not just internal reports. The fund belongs to Texas schoolchildren. Every decision should start with that in mind.

    How would you approach disaster response and recovery as commissioner?

    The same way I approached it as a Councilman. Shortly after joining the council, I reviewed our incident response plan, found it woefully outdated, and stayed on it until we got it updated. After Beryl hit, I asked for a quick after-action report at our first meeting back and pushed for a formal Lessons Learned review for over a year. That’s how I operate. Preparation before the storm, honest assessment after. It comes from my almost 30 years in cybersecurity incident response and my CERT training. You plan, you drill, you respond, and then you figure out what went wrong so you’re better next time. I’ll build relationships with disaster-prone communities before anything happens. You don’t want the first conversation with a coastal mayor to be during a crisis. I’ll visit these communities, understand their specific vulnerabilities, and make sure they know who to call and what to expect from the GLO. Harvey showed what happens when this breaks down. I won’t let that happen again.

    What role, if any, should the General Land Office play in securing the Texas-Mexico border?

    Border security already involves multiple agencies at the federal, state, and local level. CBP, Border Patrol, DPS, the National Guard, local sheriffs. Adding the Land Commissioner to that mix doesn’t make Texas safer. It just diverts attention from what the GLO is actually supposed to do. The Permanent School Fund could generate more revenue for classrooms through lease diversification. Veterans are waiting too long for home loans. Coastal communities need better disaster preparation. Those are the GLO’s real responsibilities, and they’re not getting done while the commissioner chases border headlines or talks about building detention camps on state land. I immigrated from Mexico. Border issues aren’t simple. But Texans would benefit more from a Land Commissioner who focuses on delivering results where the agency actually has a job to do.

    Eleanor Dearman

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  • Is a Democrat’s Tarrant County flip a midterm election bellwether?

    Texas’s first major election of 2026 saw Democrat Taylor Rehmet flip a state Senate seat that has long been held by Republicans. The parties disagree on what that means for the November midterm elections.

    The race garnered national attention, including from President Donald Trump who pushed voters to get out to the polls for Rehmet’s Republican opponent, Leigh Wambsganss.

    Rehmet is a union leader and an airplane mechanic at Lockheed Martin. He now represents most of Tarrant County in Kelly Hancock’s unexpired Senate District 9 seat. He will hold the office until January 2027, when the November general election winner will take over after a rematch between himself and Wambsganss.

    Wambsganss works at Patriot Mobile, a phone company that describes itself as Christian and conservative. She said her team will start immediately on the campaign for November.

    As the candidates look ahead, some are looking to the Tarrant-county based race as a bellwether for other 2026 races.

    “There’s the old statement, ‘As Tarrant County goes, so goes Texas, so goes Texas, and as Texas goes, so goes the nation,’” said Jim Riddlesperger, a TCU Political science professor. “Is that true? I guess we’ll find out in November.”

    ⭐ More Star-Telegram SD 9 coverage

    The district is both urban and suburban, making it a “cross-section” of where most voters in the United States are.

    “And the result of that is that the Republicans are really engaged in looking in the mirror and figuring out what they have to do to turn the tide in the fall,” Riddlesperger said.

    Tim Davis, the Tarrant County GOP chair, said he doesn’t think Saturday’s loss means anything in relation to the November general election, though it’s disappointing.

    “Did we lose? It looks like it,” Davis said before the results had been finalized. “But what do we learn from that? And how do we go forward from that? That’s what we’re going to learn tonight. I don’t think it’s a bellwether, because Tarrant County really is ruby red.”

    Tarrant Democratic Party Chair Allison Campolo said the win is “absolutely a marker of what’s to come” in November for the county and state alike.

    Campolo said despite being outspent “10-to-1,” Rehmet flipped a district by 14 points in a special runoff election when Hancock won it in 2022 by 20 points. Trump won the district by 17 points in 2024.

    “It’s the future, and it’s here,” Campolo said, promising a blue county in November.

    ‘Wake up call for Republicans’

    As a referendum on Trump, Saturday’s election was a big one, even if it’s for an abbreviated term while the Texas Legislature isn’t in session, Riddlesperger said.

    “Yes, Leigh Wambsganss and Taylor Rehmet’s names were on the ballot, but everyone understood what this was, and so this has ramifications, I think, are not just limited to Tarrant County, but are also national,” he said.

    Still, it’s important not to overstate the significance of a special election, Riddlesperger cautioned.

    Wamganss and other Republicans have cast Saturday’s outcome as a cautionary tale that shouldn’t be repeated in November.

    “Tonight is a wakeup call for Republicans in Tarrant County, Texas, and the nation,” she said in an election night statement. “The Democrats were energized. Too many Republicans stayed home.”

    Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican from Houston, agreed with Wambsganss’s statement that the results should be a wakeup call.

    He said low turnout special elections are “always unpredictable” and voters can’t take anything for granted.

    The race saw roughly 95,000 ballots cast, according to unofficial election results. In November 2025, about 119,000 ballots were cast in the race between Rehmet, Wambsganss and Republican John Huffman.

    “I know the energy and strength the Republican grassroots in Texas possess,” Patrick said. “We will come out fighting with a new resolve, and we will take this seat back in November.”

    Asked about the significance of the seat flipping red and contributing factors at his election night watch party, Rehmet said he doesn’t see the race as “red vs. blue.”

    “This is right versus wrong,” he said. “This is about public school funding. This is about helping working folks. This is about lowering costs.”

    Rehmet said he couldn’t speak to whether the race is a bellwether for November.

    “All I can speak to is the hard work that my campaign, the community here, put into this,” Rehmet said.

    Democrats tee up for November

    The candidates and Republicans and Democrats across the state are already looking to November.

    The race is also attracting national attention for both Saturday’s outcome and future implications ahead of the 2026 midterm election

    Amanda Litman, co-founder and president of Run for Something, which works to recruit progressive candidates, said the outcome shows that “every seat is winnable” when candidates are embedded in their community and focused on issues that matter most to voters.

    DNC Chair Ken Martin highlighted Rehmet’s focus on issues related to rising costs for families, and cast the outcome as a rebuke of Trump.

    “Tonight’s results prove that no Republican seat is safe,” Martin said in a statement. “From now until November, Democrats are keeping our foot on the gas and organizing and competing everywhere, including in Texas and the rest of the Sun Belt.”

    Fort Worth City Council member Chris Nettles predicted that a Saturday win for Rehmet could also have a trickle-down effect locally, where County Judge Tim O’Hare is up for election in 2026, as are county commissioner seats.

    “I think tonight in a highly red area in North Fort Worth turning blue – for whatever reason that may be, Republicans not coming out or Democrats overly coming out – that is going to give us the wisdom and the IDs to help elect people Tarrant County-wide.”

    Is there a blue shift happening in Tarrant County?

    Riddlesperger said voters do distinguish local politics from national politics, to some degree. That said, Tarrant County has been at a “tipping point” for several years, and Democrats could see success in November if their voters are more energetic in 2026 than Republicans.

    “I think we have always had it, but it was always for a higher elected office,” Nettles said Saturday after early voting results were out, pointing to Biden’s 2024 win in Tarrant County as an example. “We just didn’t win local seats, and I think today is a change in that.”

    This story was originally published February 1, 2026 at 11:07 AM.

    Eleanor Dearman

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
    Support my work with a digital subscription


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    Rachel Royster

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Rachel Royster is a news and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, specifically focused on Tarrant County. She joined the newsroom after interning at the Austin American-Statesman, the Waco Tribune-Herald and Capital Community News in DC. A Houston native and Baylor grad, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading and being outside. She welcomes any and all news tips to her email.

    Eleanor Dearman,Rachel Royster

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  • Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor at historic subway station

    Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.In Mamdani’s first speech as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.The new mayor then closed: “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.

    Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.

    Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.

    “This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.

    The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.

    In Mamdani’s first speech as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.

    The new mayor then closed: “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.

    Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.

    Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.

    In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.

    In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.

    But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.

    Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.

    He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.

    Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.

    Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.

    Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.

    He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.

    During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.

    But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.

    “I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.

    Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.

    Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.

    The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.

    That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.

    Source link

  • Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor at historic subway station

    Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.In Mamdani’s first speech as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.The new mayor then closed: “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.“I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.

    Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office at an historic, decommissioned subway station in Manhattan.

    Mamdani, a Democrat, was sworn in as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city, placing his hand on a Quran as he took his oath.

    “This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said in a brief speech.

    The ceremony, administered by New York Attorney General Letitia James, a political ally, took place at the old City Hall station, one of the city’s original subway stops that is known for its stunning arched ceilings.

    In Mamdani’s first speech as mayor, he said the old subway station was a “testament to the importance of public transit to the vitality, the health and the legacy of our city” as he announced the appointment of his new Department of Transportation commissioner, Mike Flynn.

    The new mayor then closed: “Thank you all so much, now I will see you later,” he said with a smile before heading up a flight of stairs.

    Mamdani will be sworn in again, in grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall at 1 p.m. by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s political heroes. That will be followed by what the new administration is billing as a public block party on a stretch of Broadway known as the “Canyon of Heroes,” famous for its ticker-tape parades.

    Mamdani now begins one of the most unrelenting jobs in American politics as one of the country’s most-watched politicians.

    In addition to being the city’s first Muslim mayor, Mamdani is also its first of South Asian descent and the first to be born in Africa. At 34, Mamdani is also the city’s youngest mayor in generations.

    In a campaign that helped make “affordability” a buzzword across the political spectrum, the democratic socialist promised to bring transformative change with policies intended to lower the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. His platform included free child care, free buses, a rent freeze for about 1 million households, and a pilot of city-run grocery stores.

    But he will also have to face other responsibilities: handling trash and snow and rats, while getting blamed for subway delays and potholes.

    Mamdani was born in Kampala, Uganda, the son of filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, an academic and author. His family moved to New York City when he was 7, with Mamdani growing up in a post-9/11 city where Muslims didn’t always feel welcome. He became an American citizen in 2018.

    He worked on political campaigns for Democratic candidates in the city before he sought public office himself, winning a state Assembly seat in 2020 to represent a section of Queens.

    Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, will depart their one-bedroom, rent stabilized apartment in the outer-borough to take up residence in the stately mayoral residence in Manhattan.

    Mamdani inherits a city on the upswing, after years of slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Violent crime has dropped to pre-pandemic lows. Tourists are back. Unemployment, which soared during the pandemic years, is also back to pre-COVID levels.

    Yet deep concerns remain about high prices and rising rents in the city.

    He’ll also have to deal with Republican President Donald Trump.

    During the mayoral race, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the city if Mamdani won and mused about sending National Guard troops to the city.

    But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November.

    “I want him to do a great job and will help him do a great job,” Trump said.

    Still, tensions between the two leaders are almost certain to resurface, given their deep policy disagreements, particularly over immigration.

    Mamdani also faces skepticism and opposition from some members of the city’s Jewish community over his criticisms of Israel’s government.

    The new mayor and his team have spent the weeks since his election victory preparing for the transition, surrounding Mamdani with seasoned hands who have worked inside or alongside city government.

    That included persuading the city’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, to remain in her position — a move that helped calm fears in the business community that the administration might be planning radical changes in policing strategy.

    Source link

  • Tarrant Democratic candidate drops out of race for county judge

    U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, speaks to the capacity crowd on the stage for ‘The People vs. The Power Grab’ rally at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025.

    U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Texas, speaks to the capacity crowd on the stage for ‘The People vs. The Power Grab’ rally at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025.


    Chris Torres

    ctorres@star-telegram.com

    One week after filing, U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth has stepped out of the race for Tarrant County judge.

    Instead, Veasey said in a statement he is going to remain “laser-focused” on representing Congressional District 33.

    “At a time when Donald Trump and his MAGA allies are escalating their assaults on our democracy, our rights, and the rule of law, I believe we cannot afford to retreat from the arenas where those fights are being waged most intensely,” Veasey said in the statement.

    That leaves Precinct 2 Commissioner Alisa Simmons and Fort Worth civic advocacy leader Millennium Anton C. Woods Jr. as the only two in the Democratic primary on March 3.

    Veasey was the last to join the race on the filing deadline, Dec. 8. Before his announcement, he had been expected to place a bid for Congressional District 30 or run for reelection in his freshly redistricted seat.

    Though the previous map would have been used in the 2026 elections due to a federal judge’s ruling in El Paso, the U.S. Supreme Court determined the redistricted map will be applied. The new map tips the scale toward Republicans in five districts, including Veasey’s.

    Pulling out of the race wasn’t an easy decision, Veasey said.

    “But, knowing you can win an election does not mean you should run a campaign,” he said.

    This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 5:19 PM.

    Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Rachel Royster

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Rachel Royster is a news and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, specifically focused on Tarrant County. She joined the newsroom after interning at the Austin American-Statesman, the Waco Tribune-Herald and Capital Community News in DC. A Houston native and Baylor grad, Rachel enjoys traveling, reading and being outside. She welcomes any and all news tips to her email.

    Rachel Royster

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  • Capitol Hill, White House focus on affordability with new policy initiatives

    From Capitol Hill to here at the White House, lawmakers are zeroing in on affordability. You could see it from the administration here in the last week, from videos to messages and new policy rollouts all designed and aimed at lowering costs for Americans. From 50 year mortgages to $2000 tariff checks, the White House is proposing bold solutions to *** stubborn issue. We’re working overtime on reducing costs. Among the changes, the White House. new trade frameworks with Latin American countries to lower the cost of groceries among other items. September’s inflation data shows coffee, bananas, and beef are among the items up significantly over the past year. We understand that people understand as they look at their pocketbooks that go to the grocery store, that there’s still work to do. It comes as the economy absorbs the damage from the 43 day government shutdown, which the White House says wiped out about $90 billion in economic growth and about 60,000 non-fe. Workers their jobs. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, many lawmakers tell us affordability is also their priority moving forward. Our constituents are absolutely suffering under the crushing costs of health care cost increases, housing increases, childcare, groceries, gas, you name it. I’m going to be focusing my attention on housing affordability, and for Democrats, the fight that drove the shutdown isn’t over. They’re now racing to restore health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. *** lapse that could leave families paying hundreds more each month. We’re working towards bringing another bill to the floor that would actually solve the crisis of affordability in healthcare and bring down healthcare premiums for those 24 million Americans. Senate Republicans have promised *** vote to extend those healthcare subsidies in December, not guaranteeing what that vote outcome would be. However, House Republicans have not promised such *** vote at the White House. I’m Christopher Salas.

    The federal government has reopened after the longest shutdown in U.S. history, and the focus is now shifting to affordability, a pressing issue for millions of Americans. From Capitol Hill to the White House, lawmakers are concentrating on reducing costs.The White House is proposing bold solutions to address affordability, including 50-year mortgages and $2,000 tariff checks. Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council director, said, “We’re working overtime on reducing costs.”Among the changes, the White House announced new trade frameworks with Latin American countries to lower grocery costs. September’s inflation data shows significant price increases for coffee, bananas, and beef over the past year. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to eliminate tariffs on a broad swath of commodities, including beef, coffee and tropical fruits.Hassett acknowledged the ongoing challenges, saying, “We understand that people understand as they look at their pocketbooks and go to the grocery store that there’s still work to do.”The economy is absorbing the impact of the 43-day shutdown, which the White House said wiped out $90 billion in growth and cost about 60,000 non-federal workers their jobs. On Capitol Hill, many lawmakers emphasize affordability as their priority moving forward. Rep. Johnny Olszewski, a Democrat from Maryland, said, “Our constituents are absolutely suffering under the crushing costs of healthcare and cost increases, housing increases, childcare, groceries, gas, you name it.” Rep. Mike Flood, a Republican from Nebraska, added, “I’m going to be focusing my attention on housing affordability.”For Democrats, the fight that led to the shutdown continues as they race to restore healthcare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, which could result in families paying hundreds more each month. Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat from California, said, “We’re working towards bringing another bill to the floor that would actually solve the crisis of affordability in health care and bring down health care premiums for those 24 million Americans.”Senate Republicans have promised a vote to extend healthcare subsidies by December, but the House has not made such a promise. Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits. A USDA spokesperson stated that the Secretary aims to address “fraud, waste and incessant abuse” in the SNAP program, noting that earlier fraud rates were only assumptions. The USDA plans to use existing recertification processes, review state data, and potentially introduce new regulations as part of this effort. However, the USDA has not specified when a broad reapplication would start, how it would work, or whether families could lose benefits during the process. Further details have been requested.See the latest news from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    The federal government has reopened after the longest shutdown in U.S. history, and the focus is now shifting to affordability, a pressing issue for millions of Americans. From Capitol Hill to the White House, lawmakers are concentrating on reducing costs.

    The White House is proposing bold solutions to address affordability, including 50-year mortgages and $2,000 tariff checks. Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council director, said, “We’re working overtime on reducing costs.”

    Among the changes, the White House announced new trade frameworks with Latin American countries to lower grocery costs. September’s inflation data shows significant price increases for coffee, bananas, and beef over the past year.

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to eliminate tariffs on a broad swath of commodities, including beef, coffee and tropical fruits.

    Hassett acknowledged the ongoing challenges, saying, “We understand that people understand as they look at their pocketbooks and go to the grocery store that there’s still work to do.”

    The economy is absorbing the impact of the 43-day shutdown, which the White House said wiped out $90 billion in growth and cost about 60,000 non-federal workers their jobs.

    On Capitol Hill, many lawmakers emphasize affordability as their priority moving forward. Rep. Johnny Olszewski, a Democrat from Maryland, said, “Our constituents are absolutely suffering under the crushing costs of healthcare and cost increases, housing increases, childcare, groceries, gas, you name it.”

    Rep. Mike Flood, a Republican from Nebraska, added, “I’m going to be focusing my attention on housing affordability.”

    For Democrats, the fight that led to the shutdown continues as they race to restore healthcare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, which could result in families paying hundreds more each month.

    Rep. Josh Harder, a Democrat from California, said, “We’re working towards bringing another bill to the floor that would actually solve the crisis of affordability in health care and bring down health care premiums for those 24 million Americans.”

    Senate Republicans have promised a vote to extend healthcare subsidies by December, but the House has not made such a promise.

    Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that the Trump administration will require SNAP participants to reapply for benefits. A USDA spokesperson stated that the Secretary aims to address “fraud, waste and incessant abuse” in the SNAP program, noting that earlier fraud rates were only assumptions. The USDA plans to use existing recertification processes, review state data, and potentially introduce new regulations as part of this effort. However, the USDA has not specified when a broad reapplication would start, how it would work, or whether families could lose benefits during the process. Further details have been requested.

    See the latest news from the Washington News Bureau:

    Source link

  • House returns, set to end record-breaking government shutdown

    Right now the process is underway to reach that final vote in the House to end this longest government shutdown ever. We also wanted to lay out how it’s currently set to work. Over the last 2 days, House lawmakers have been flying in from across the country as they’ve been on recess during the entire shutdown. Some potentially face shutdown-related flight delays, but they are on their way back to the Capitol. The House agenda today was very specific, swearing in *** new congresswoman from Arizona when the House resumed this. Afternoon then debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for around 5 p.m. Eastern today. If that passes, the House would debate again and is currently scheduled to hold *** final vote around 7 p.m. Eastern. That vote does not include healthcare subsidies, which started the whole shutdown in the first place. Of course we want to reopen the government. But that we need to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, and that begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight. It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along. Democrats are largely expected to vote no on this. Republicans who hold *** majority in the House can only afford to lose 2 votes in order to pass this bill. And if that happens, the bill then heads over to President Donald Trump for his signature before the very likely long process of getting the government back up and running again. Reporting on Capitol Hill, I’m Amy Lou.

    House returns, set to end record-breaking government shutdown

    House lawmakers reconvened in Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that would end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

    Updated: 2:05 PM PST Nov 12, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    House lawmakers raced back to Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that could end the 43-day government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history. Over the last two days, lawmakers have been flying in from across the country, some facing their own potential shutdown-related delays, to get to Wednesday’s expected final vote. The House’s agenda included swearing in a new congresswoman from Arizona, followed by debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for early evening. If that passes, the House debates again before holding a final vote on the bill, expected around 7 p.m. ET. The bill currently does not include Affordable Care Act subsidies, which started the shutdown in the first place.Democrats, who are largely expected to vote “no” on the bill, expressed disappointment.”Of course, we want to reopen the government, but we need to decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “That begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”House Republicans, who hold a majority in the chamber, were largely expected to pass the measure despite Democrats’ objections, but can only afford to lose two votes for the bill to pass. “We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along.”If the bill clears the House, it will require President Donald Trump’s signature before beginning the likely lengthy process of getting the government back up and running again.However, full Republican support is not clear-cut ahead of the final vote. The bill includes a controversial provision that would ban most hemp products in the U.S. Supporters say it would close a dangerous loophole on unregulated products, but others argue it would destroy the hemp industry for many farmers. In the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for example, voted against the bill. Similar action in the House on Wednesday could hold up its passage.Watch the latest coverage on the government shutdown:

    WASHINGTON —

    House lawmakers raced back to Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that could end the 43-day government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history.

    Over the last two days, lawmakers have been flying in from across the country, some facing their own potential shutdown-related delays, to get to Wednesday’s expected final vote.

    The House’s agenda included swearing in a new congresswoman from Arizona, followed by debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for early evening. If that passes, the House debates again before holding a final vote on the bill, expected around 7 p.m. ET. The bill currently does not include Affordable Care Act subsidies, which started the shutdown in the first place.

    Democrats, who are largely expected to vote “no” on the bill, expressed disappointment.

    “Of course, we want to reopen the government, but we need to decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “That begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”

    House Republicans, who hold a majority in the chamber, were largely expected to pass the measure despite Democrats’ objections, but can only afford to lose two votes for the bill to pass.

    “We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along.”

    If the bill clears the House, it will require President Donald Trump’s signature before beginning the likely lengthy process of getting the government back up and running again.

    However, full Republican support is not clear-cut ahead of the final vote. The bill includes a controversial provision that would ban most hemp products in the U.S.

    Supporters say it would close a dangerous loophole on unregulated products, but others argue it would destroy the hemp industry for many farmers.

    In the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for example, voted against the bill. Similar action in the House on Wednesday could hold up its passage.

    Watch the latest coverage on the government shutdown:

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  • Marjorie Taylor Greene rips into Republicans after Democratic election wins

    Republican U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia took a swipe at her fellow Republicans on the heels of Tuesday night’s sweeping Democratic wins across the country.

    Newsweek reached out to GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office via email for comment Wednesday night.

    Why It Matters

    The Democratic victories in mayoral and gubernatorial races—as well as a key ballot measure—across New York, New Jersey, Virginia and California have prompted public criticism and questions from high-profile conservative figures. Tuesday’s losses by the GOP could be viewed as a barometer for voter attitudes ahead of the 2026 midterms, reflecting broader dissatisfaction among core Republican constituencies and raising questions about the party’s direction and messaging.

    Greene, known for her advocacy of President Donald Trump’s agenda, has also sharply condemned her own party recently on policies pertaining to Israel and health care.

    What To Know

    Tuesday’s elections saw significant Democratic gains. In New York City, State Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani won the mayoral race against high-profile opponents. New Jersey elected Mikie Sherrill as governor after a tightly fought race, and in Virginia, Abigail Spanberger became the state’s first female governor. Democrats also secured a substantial advantage with California’s Proposition 50 redistricting measure, potentially impacting House control in 2026.

    These outcomes follow a polarizing race for Virginia attorney general, where Democrat Jay Jones prevailed despite controversy over leaked text messages containing violent references aimed at a Republican lawmaker. The victories are seen by many analysts and political figures as a signal that Democrats have regained momentum after losses in the 2024 election cycle—while some Republican voices warn of growing disconnection from core voters.

    In a post to X on Wednesday, Greene said: “If you don’t understand, yesterdays [sic] election results, here are the groups that Republicans have disenfranchised: 1. America First America Only. 2. MAHA. 3. Americans suffering from high cost of living, rising food and energy prices, and leaving them out to dry with no plan on our skyrocketing health insurance premiums. You can’t meme and throw red meat rants and interviews and get your way out of this. These people are serious and only support action, they are done with words. And I completely agree with them.”

    Loading twitter content…

    What People Are Saying

    Trump, on Truth Social Monday, before the elections: “Virginia and New Jersey, VOTE REPUBLICAN IF YOU WANT MASSIVE ENERGY COST AND CRIME REDUCTIONS. The Democrats will double and even triple your Energy Costs, and CRIME will be rampant. A vote for the Democrats is a DEATH WISH! VOTE REPUBLICAN!!!”

    Johnson, on X Wednesday: “Zohran Mamdani’s victory marks the BIGGEST WIN FOR destructive, dangerous, big government SOCIALISM in U.S. history — and a loss for freedom loving American people. He’s an unapologetic Marxist — fully EMBRACED by the Democrat establishment. Hakeem Jeffries ENDORSED him. Barack Obama personally called to CONGRATULATE him. The Democrat Party has officially surrendered to socialists and the radicals who HATE America — they now control the movement.”

    Greene, on The View this week, in part, about the ongoing government shutdown: “The government has failed all of us and it purely disgusts me. It really does. And I represent a district that is rural, manufacturing district, blue-collar workers, and people have been crushed by decades of failure in Washington, D.C. And so, I have no problem pointing fingers at everyone, and the worst thing that I just can’t get over is we’re not working right now, and I put that criticism directly on the speaker of the House.”

    What Happens Next

    The Democratic Party will likely aim to build on these momentum shifts as it prepares for the 2026 midterm elections, particularly with an eye toward regaining House control. Republican leadership faces mounting pressure to address internal divisions, clarify the GOP’s platform and offer policy alternatives for key issues like health care, the cost of living and economic insecurity.

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  • President Trump urges Republicans to reopen government as shutdown marks longest in US history

    The government shutdown has reached its 36th day, the longest in U.S. history, as President Donald Trump pressures Republicans to end the Senate filibuster in order to reopen the government.”It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster. It’s the only way you can do it,” Trump told senators Wednesday at the White House.The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation. Ending the filibuster would allow Republicans to pass a bill with a simple majority, but several Republicans warn that when Democrats are in power, they’d be able to do the same thing. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after breakfast at the White House, “It’s just not happening.”The president also said the shutdown was a “big factor, negative” in Tuesday’s election results.”Countless public servants are now not being paid and the air traffic control system is under increasing strain. We must get the government back open soon and really immediately,” Trump said.The shutdown is hitting home for many Americans, with lines stretching at food banks across the country as SNAP benefits are delayed and reduced for more than 40 million Americans. After-school programs that depend on federal dollars are closing. The Transportation Secretary said, starting Friday, there will be a 10% reduction in flights at 40 airports across the country.Republicans have pushed to reopen the government with a short-term spending bill. Democrats have rejected those bills, arguing that Republicans are leaving out a key provision: restoring expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that help millions of Americans lower their health-insurance costs. Democrats say passing a short-term bill without those subsidies would leave families facing sudden premium spikes.”The election results ought to send a much needed bolt of lightning to Donald Trump that he should meet with us to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “The American people have spoken last night. End the shutdown, end the healthcare crisis, sit down and talk with us.”Republicans have said they’re willing to negotiate ACA subsidies, but only after the shutdown is over.See more government shutdown coverage from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    The government shutdown has reached its 36th day, the longest in U.S. history, as President Donald Trump pressures Republicans to end the Senate filibuster in order to reopen the government.

    “It’s time for Republicans to do what they have to do, and that’s terminate the filibuster. It’s the only way you can do it,” Trump told senators Wednesday at the White House.

    The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 votes to advance most legislation. Ending the filibuster would allow Republicans to pass a bill with a simple majority, but several Republicans warn that when Democrats are in power, they’d be able to do the same thing.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune said after breakfast at the White House, “It’s just not happening.”

    The president also said the shutdown was a “big factor, negative” in Tuesday’s election results.

    “Countless public servants are now not being paid and the air traffic control system is under increasing strain. We must get the government back open soon and really immediately,” Trump said.

    The shutdown is hitting home for many Americans, with lines stretching at food banks across the country as SNAP benefits are delayed and reduced for more than 40 million Americans. After-school programs that depend on federal dollars are closing.

    The Transportation Secretary said, starting Friday, there will be a 10% reduction in flights at 40 airports across the country.

    Republicans have pushed to reopen the government with a short-term spending bill. Democrats have rejected those bills, arguing that Republicans are leaving out a key provision: restoring expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies that help millions of Americans lower their health-insurance costs. Democrats say passing a short-term bill without those subsidies would leave families facing sudden premium spikes.

    “The election results ought to send a much needed bolt of lightning to Donald Trump that he should meet with us to end this crisis,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. “The American people have spoken last night. End the shutdown, end the healthcare crisis, sit down and talk with us.”

    Republicans have said they’re willing to negotiate ACA subsidies, but only after the shutdown is over.

    See more government shutdown coverage from the Washington News Bureau:

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  • Sen. Alex Padilla says he won’t run for California governor

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla announced Tuesday that he will not run for California governor next year, ending months of speculation about the possibility of the Democrat vying to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    “It is with a full heart and even more commitment than ever that I am choosing to not run for governor of California next year,” Padilla told reporters outside his Senate office in Washington.

    Padilla instead said he will focus on countering President Trump’s agenda in Congress, where Democrats are currently in the minority in both the House and Senate, but hope to regain some political clout after the 2026 midterm elections.

    “I choose not just to stay in the Senate. I choose to stay in this fight because the Constitution is worth fighting for. Our fundamental rights are worth fighting for. Our core values are worth fighting for. The American dream is worth fighting for,” he said.

    Padilla said his decision was influenced by his belief that under President Trump, “these are not normal times.”

    “We deserve better than this,” he said.

    Many contenders, no clear favorite

    Padilla’s decision to bow out of the 2026 governor’s race will leave a prominent name out of an already crowded contest with many contenders but not a clear favorite.

    For much of the year, the field was essentially frozen in place as former Vice President Kamala Harris pondered whether she would run, with many donors and major endorsers staying out of the game. Harris said at the end of July that she wouldn’t run. But another potential candidate — billionaire developer Rick Caruso — remains a question mark.

    Caruso said Monday night that he was still considering running for either governor or Los Angeles mayor, and will decide in the next few weeks.

    “It’s a really tough decision,” Caruso said. “Within a few weeks or so, or something like that, I’ll probably have a decision made. It’s a big topic of discussion in the house with my kids and my wife.”

    Major Democratic candidates include former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, current California Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee and wealthy businessman Stephen Cloobeck. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton are the most prominent Republicans running.

    Amid fire recovery aftermath, immigration raids and a high-octane redistricting battle, California voters have yet to turn their attention to next year’s gubernatorial matchup, despite the vast power that Newsom’s successor will wield. California is now the world’s fourth-largest economy, and policy decisions in the Golden State often have global repercussions. Newsom is nearing the end of his second and final term.

    Recent polling shows the contest as wide open, with nearly 4 in 10 voters surveyed saying they are undecided, though Porter had a slight edge as the top choice in the poll. She and Bianco were the only candidates whose support cracked the double digits.

    Candidates still have months to file their paperwork before the June 2 primary to replace Newsom.

    June incident brought attention

    Known for soft-spoken confidence and a lack of bombast, Padilla’s public profile soared in June after he found himself cuffed by federal agents, at the center of a staggering viral moment during a news conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

    Despite identifying himself, Padilla was tackled after trying to interrupt Noem with a question. The manhandling of California’s senior senator was filmed by a staffer and broadcast around the world, provoking searing and widespread condemnation.

    Days later, Vice President JD Vance joked about the incident and referred to Padilla — his former Senate colleague — as “Jose Padilla,” a misnaming that Padilla suggested was intentional and others characterized as racist.

    The event put Padilla on the national spotlight and rumors of Padilla’s interest in the gubernatorial race ignited in late August.

    Padilla told reporters Tuesday that he received an “outpouring of encouragement and offers of support for the idea” of his candidacy and that he had “taken it to heart”

    Alongside his wife, Angela, the senator said he also heard from many people urging him to keep his fight going in Washington.

    “Countless Californians have urged me to do everything I could to protect California and the American Dream from a vindictive president who seems hell-bent on raising costs for working families, rolling back environmental protections, cutting access to healthcare, jeopardizing reproductive rights and more,” he said.

    Padilla said he had listened.

    “I will continue to thank them and honor their support by continuing to work together for a better future,” he said.

    Ceballos reported from Washington and Wick from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Noah Goldberg in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

    Ana Ceballos, Julia Wick

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  • New Fox News poll shows Jack Ciattarelli down 7 points days before election

    A new poll from Fox News shows Democratic nominee for New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill up 7 percentage points over Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli five days before Election Day.

    Why It Matters

    The New Jersey gubernatorial election stands as one of the nation’s most closely watched races, with implications for national party strategy and the 2026 midterms.

    The contest could also be viewed as a key litmus test for sentiment toward President Donald Trump in the Northeast and a potential indicator of Republican momentum in traditionally Democratic strongholds.

    New Jersey has not elected a Republican governor since 2013, when the Garden State reelected former Governor Chris Christie, or voted for a Republican in a presidential race since 1988, when it backed former President George H.W. Bush. A shift in voter sentiment could impact both parties’ approaches beyond 2025.

    What To Know

    In the poll released on Thursday, Sherrill has 52 percent of the vote opposed to Ciattarelli’s 45 percent. The poll surveyed 956 likely voters from October 24 to October 28 and has a 3 percent margin of error.

    The poll shows a shift from an earlier survey by Fox News this month that had Sherrill at 50 percent and Ciattarelli with 45 percent.

    Thursday’s poll shows that 64 percent of Sherrill supporters say their vote is to express opposition to Trump, while 35 percent of Ciattarelli supporters say their vote is to express support for the president.

    “It’s a cliché, but it’s true, this race is all about turnout, so the big question is whether Trump supporters show up when he’s not on the ballot,” Daron Shaw, a Republican who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson, said in the survey. “Sherrill’s supporters seem like they are going to turn out, but the evidence is mixed for those backing Ciattarelli. If the MAGA base comes around during this final weekend, the Democratic advantage narrows considerably.”

    Sherrill’s favorability is 54 percent in the new poll, compared to 51 percent earlier this month. Ciattarelli’s favorability is 46 percent compared to 48 percent earlier this month.

    What People Are Saying

    Trump, on Truth Social this month: “Why would anyone vote for New Jersey and Virginia Gubernatorial Candidates, Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, when they want transgender for everybody, men playing in women’s sports, High Crime, and the most expensive Energy prices almost anywhere in the World? VOTE REPUBLICAN for massive Energy Cost reductions, large scale Tax Cuts, and basic Common Sense! Under President Trump, ME, Gasoline will come down to approximately $2 a Gallon, very soon! With the Democrats, you’ll be paying $4, $5, and $6 a Gallon, and your Electric and other Energy costs will, likewise, SOAR. VOTE REPUBLICAN FOR A GREAT AND VERY AFFORDABLE LIFE. All you’ll get from voting Democrat is unrelentingly High Crime, Energy prices through the roof, men playing in women’s sports, and HEARTACHE!”

    Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro, to Newsweek when asked if it is unusual for Trump to play a factor into voters’ decision-making in New Jersey: “It is not unusual. These off-year elections after a presidential election in particular are often at least somewhat a signal of dissatisfaction with the performance of the party in power in the White House. That is why these elections are being looked at closely nationally. They have potential implications for the midterm elections.”

    Ciattarelli, on X Thursday: “After 8 years of Phil Murphy’s failures, New Jersey families are paying the price every single day. Failed schools. Handcuffed police officers. Overdevelopment destroying our communities. Higher taxes crushing working families. And my opponent? Endorsed every. single. one of these disasters. I’m running to make New Jersey affordable again. Safe again. We need police officers who can do their jobs — not politicians tying their hands. We need policies that help families — not hurt them. The choice is clear: more of the same failed policies that got us here, or real change that puts New Jersey families first. What’s it going to be, New Jersey? Make your voice heard. Vote for change! Early voting is open until 8pm tonight, and back again tomorrow at 10am.”

    Sherrill, on X early Thursday: “The difference between me and Jack is clear as day. I’m going to serve YOU while he only cares to serve the president.”

    What Happens Next

    The New Jersey gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 4. Early voting is underway across the state. Both campaigns are focused on boosting turnout among undecided voters, independents and key demographics.

    The outcome will determine not only the successor to Democratic Governor Phil Murphy but may also set the tone for party strategies in the 2026 congressional midterms.

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  • Government shutdown enters fourth week, affecting federal workers, services, economy

    The government shutdown is entering a fourth week as Democrats and Republicans blame each other for holding the country “hostage.” Caught in the middle, federal workers, government services, and the economy are all feeling the impact. Previous shutdowns have seen reduced overall economic growth, disproportionately affecting certain industries. National parks and museums remain closed, flight delays are mounting, and backlogs for new small business loans and flood insurance renewals are growing.Republicans continue to accuse Democrats of blocking paychecks by refusing to reopen the government, while Democrats argue that Republicans are unwilling to negotiate over the core issue of health care funding. “Congressional Democrats seem to want to keep the government shut down even though it would mean that a lot of you would not get your paycheck,” Vice President JD Vance said in remarks to an audience of Marines celebrating the 250th anniversary Saturday.Democrats pushed back in “No Kings” protests across the country.”They’re the ones acting like children refusing to negotiate with Democrats in the Senate who they know have to vote for a budget in order for it to become law,” Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview Saturday.The shutdown has had a sizable impact as uncertainty weighs on the federal workforce. Under the Trump administration’s direction, federal agencies have been planning not just furloughs but also permanent layoffs. However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the firings, deeming them potentially illegal.Public perception of who is to blame has been roughly evenly split. A new Associated Press poll finds that a majority, about 6 in 10 Americans, blame President Donald Trump and Republicans for the shutdown. An even larger majority, three-quarters of Americans, believe both sides deserve at least a “moderate” share of the blame, suggesting that no one has truly escaped responsibility for the shutdown.Watch the latest coverage on the federal government shutdown:

    WASHINGTON —

    The government shutdown is entering a fourth week as Democrats and Republicans blame each other for holding the country “hostage.” Caught in the middle, federal workers, government services, and the economy are all feeling the impact.

    Previous shutdowns have seen reduced overall economic growth, disproportionately affecting certain industries.

    National parks and museums remain closed, flight delays are mounting, and backlogs for new small business loans and flood insurance renewals are growing.

    Republicans continue to accuse Democrats of blocking paychecks by refusing to reopen the government, while Democrats argue that Republicans are unwilling to negotiate over the core issue of health care funding.

    “Congressional Democrats seem to want to keep the government shut down even though it would mean that a lot of you would not get your paycheck,” Vice President JD Vance said in remarks to an audience of Marines celebrating the 250th anniversary Saturday.

    Democrats pushed back in “No Kings” protests across the country.

    “They’re the ones acting like children refusing to negotiate with Democrats in the Senate who they know have to vote for a budget in order for it to become law,” Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview Saturday.

    The shutdown has had a sizable impact as uncertainty weighs on the federal workforce. Under the Trump administration’s direction, federal agencies have been planning not just furloughs but also permanent layoffs. However, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the firings, deeming them potentially illegal.

    Public perception of who is to blame has been roughly evenly split. A new Associated Press poll finds that a majority, about 6 in 10 Americans, blame President Donald Trump and Republicans for the shutdown. An even larger majority, three-quarters of Americans, believe both sides deserve at least a “moderate” share of the blame, suggesting that no one has truly escaped responsibility for the shutdown.

    Watch the latest coverage on the federal government shutdown:

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  • Katie Porter rival on her “anger” issues and Newsom’s Trump takedowns

    Ethan Agarwal, a California Democrat gubernatorial candidate challenging former Representative Katie Porter for the state’s top job, told Newsweek on Thursday that Porter’s recent viral moments reveal “anger control issues.”

    In contrast, the gubernatorial hopeful applauded Governor Gavin Newsom’s social media tactics, calling him “probably the best and most effective counterbalance to [President Donald] Trump.”

    Newsweek has reached out to Porter’s and Newsom’s press team for comment via email on Friday evening.

    Why It Matters

    Porter, a three-term Democrat who left office in January and is considered a front-runner in California’s governor’s race, has been in the political spotlight this week after two videos circulated online, one showing her berating a staffer for being in her video frame and another capturing her cutting short a tense interview with CBS News California Investigates correspondent Julie Watts.

    California is America’s most populous state and, by itself, the world’s fourth-largest economy, making the governorship a high-profile job. Newsom, now term-limited, has climbed into the national spotlight with public clashes with the Trump administration, prompting frequent speculation about his presidential ambitions.

    What To Know

    Agarwal, 40, who described himself as a “pro-capitalism” Democrat at a Thursday night event in Manhattan, sat down with Newsweek to discuss the state’s leadership and what’s going on in the Democratic race.

    Outlining his platform’s top three policies as housing, making “crime illegal again,” and bolstering California’s energy sector, Agarwal then turned to one of the top Democratic contenders, Porter, who he called a “smart lady,” but has been in the news over her interactions with staff and media.

    In response to the viral clips of Porter, Agarwal said, “[Californians] are feeling betrayed a little bit, I think they’re feeling frustrated,” by her temperament displayed in the videos. “I think people are allowed to have a bad day, everyone has a bad day. It’s hard to be on camera all the time,” he noted. “But that’s not what that was, that was clear evidence of someone that has anger control issues.”

    He added that her actions in the videos relay to him that “she is not able to deal with someone challenging her. If you can’t deal with someone challenging you, how are you going to run the fourth largest economy in the world?”

    “I think it’s a temperament issue, I like fiery people, I like passionate people…but you still treat people as human beings,” Agarwal said, adding that “if you can’t control these little, tiny microcosm situations, how are you going to deal with running the state of California?”

    Porter said in a statement about the video of her berating a staffer, “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”

    The fallout of the situation extends beyond public perception of Porter, Agarwal said, noting that she’s going “to lose the best people,” because the “best staffers, advisers, pollsters, campaign strategists are not going to work for Katie Porter anymore, and that’s where she’s going to lose.”

    An Emerson College poll of 1,000 Californian voters conducted between August 4 and 5 found Porter leading with 18 percent, followed by Republican political commentator Steve Hilton at 12 percent, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 7 percent, and former Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at 5 percent. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Agarwal had not yet announced his run when the poll was conducted.

    Turning to the current governor, Agarwal said the state’s top Democrat is “probably the best and most effective counterbalance to Trump, and I got to give him credit for that” highlighting Newsom’s “all caps tweets,” which are a riff off the president’s. Over the summer, the governor’s social media team changed the style and tone of their posts to mimic Trump’s including a stream of all-caps threats and pop culture parodies, aimed at mocking Trump in a snarky tone while countering Republican initiatives in substance.

    “I don’t see any other Democrats stepping up and fighting Trump as aggressively as Newsom is,” he told Newsweek. “With that said, I don’t think the Democratic Party’s platform should be let’s just fight Trump, which is all it is these days—it’s like how can we be against Trump as opposed to being for something? So, I would like us to be for things as opposed to just being anti-Trump.”

    What People Are Saying

    Political strategist Mike Madrid, co-founder of The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee, told Newsweek for another story about Porter on Friday: “You can get away with that in a big media market like Orange County, but once you’re running for governor, that video plays very differently…[however] The field is still very wide open. It’s a long time until June, and a lot of people are going to have second thoughts.”

    Porter’s campaign spokesperson Peter Opitz said in a statement, as reported by Politico: “Californians are hungry for a governor who they trust can fight for them against Trump. They know from her work taking on powerful interests in Washington that Katie is never going to be shy about calling out bullshit, and that is why every poll shows Katie firmly in the lead.”

    Governor Newsom’s press office wrote in an October 10 X post: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM, MANY SAY AMERICA’S MOST LOVED, MOST HANDSOME, AND POSSIBLY MOST IMPORTANT GOVERNOR!! MY BIRTHDAY WISH LIST (THE BEST LIST): NO TROOPS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITIES! NO TRUMP ELECTION RIGGING — NONE! BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, FAIR MAPS FOR EVERYONE! RESPECT FOR OUR SACRED CONSTITUTION! AND MOST IMPORTANT AND A VERY HUMBLE ASK, A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE (PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE BEGGING ME TO ACCEPT IT!) THANK YOU TO THE AMAZING, TALENTED, HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA. I LOVE YOU!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! — GCN”

    Former California State Controller Betty Yee, who is running for governor, said in an October 8 X post: “Katie Porter is a weak, self-destructive candidate unfit to lead California. The stakes are simply too high for her to stay in this race. It’s time for her to drop out of this race.”

    Political analyst Nate Silver said in an X post about Porter’s interview: “TV is a really unnatural medium especially in a studio setting like this. Of course you’re supposed to stay more on script if you’re running for office but it’s a very human reaction.”

    Political commentator Megyn Kelly said in an October 7 X post: “Are there other terrible interviews with Katie Porter? This is the most entertaining, unifying thing since tiger king!”

    What Happens Next?

    The gubernatorial race is still far away. The primaries are scheduled for June 2026, while the gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026.

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  • Government shutdown threatens to drag on through weekend with lawmakers deadlocked

    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.“Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.“I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”“My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

    WASHINGTON —

    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.

    Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.

    A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.

    The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.

    Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.

    “Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”

    With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.

    Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.

    Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.

    GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.

    Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.

    “I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”

    “My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

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  • Democrats’ chances of flipping Virginia governor’s seat: Poll

    Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears trails Democratic former U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger by 10 points in the race for the gubernatorial seat in Virginia, a new poll from Emerson College shows on Thursday.

    Newsweek reached out to political analysts via email for additional comment.

    Why It Matters

    The 2025 Virginia governor’s race offers a pivotal test for both parties ahead of next year’s midterms. Virginia, which has trended Democratic in recent presidential elections, saw Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin secure a narrow victory in 2021, signaling the state’s battleground status. How Democrats fare in efforts to reclaim the governor’s office could preview a national pattern and influence party strategies as the GOP strives to maintain control of the House and Senate while Democrats push for significant gains after a disappointing 2024.

    What To Know

    In the poll, Earle-Sears received 42 percent of the vote compared to Spanberger’s 52 percent. In a January survey by the pollster, the lieutenant governor garnered 41 percent and the former congresswoman won 42 percent, a noticeable swing in favor of Democrats.

    The poll surveyed 725 likely Virginia voters on September 28 to September 29 and has a 3.6 percent margin of error.

    According to an A2 Insights poll conducted from September 26 to September 28, Spanberger leads Earle-Sears by 3 points (48 percent to 45 percent), the closest showing between the two in months.

    The Emerson College poll also shows Spanberger with a 51 percent favorability rating versus a 38 percent unfavorable rating. Earle-Sears landed a 42 percent favorability score compared to a 44 percent unfavorable mark.

    What People Are Saying

    Spanberger, on X Thursday: “Virginians are already facing rising costs, and now — due to Trump’s government shutdown — 300,000+ Virginians may lose their paychecks. Now more than ever, Virginians deserve a Governor who will stand up for their jobs and lower costs — not one who only puts the President first.”

    Earle-Sears, on X Wednesday: “Abigail Spanberger is extreme—on the border, on sanctuary for violent illegals, on letting men into girls’ locker rooms. Every position she takes puts Virginians in harm’s way.”

    Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro, to Newsweek via email: “This would be a big reversal and loss for the Republicans. Youngkin’s victory four years ago was a similar loss for the Democrats. The current lead bodes well for the Democrats in November. It may reflect how the loss of the jobs of federal workers who live in Virginia and especially dissatisfaction with Trump’s actions and policies more broadly may have serious repercussions for Republicans in the governor’s race—and for Republicans in Virginia in 2026.”

    What Happens Next

    The 2025 Virginia gubernatorial election is set for November 4. Amid the tightening of poll margins and fluctuating voter sentiment, both candidates will intensify their campaigns as Election Day nears. Continued polling and shifts in campaign strategy may further influence the race’s trajectory.

    Update 10/2/25, 11:51 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Shapiro.

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  • Dem AGs Sue To Keep Taxpayer Funding For Gender Ideology In Schools



    A coalition of Democrat state attorneys general is suing to continue taxpayer subsidies for public schools to teach gender ideology in sex education classes.

    The coalition is led by Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and includes 16 states and the District of Columbia. The complaint was filed Friday in the U.S. District Court in Oregon. 

    In August, the Administration for Children and Families, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, warned 40 states and six territories to remove references to gender ideology from the educational materials of the federally funded Personal Responsibility Education Program, also known as PREP, which instructs teens to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The agency gave the states 60 days to remove references or risk losing federal funding.

    “The federal government’s far-reaching efforts to erase people who don’t fit one of two gender labels is illegal and wrong—and would deny services to millions more in the process,” Brown said in a public statement. “These young people are treated equally under Washington state and federal laws, and we intend to make sure of it.”

    In August, the Administration for Children and Families terminated the PREP grant to California when the state did not remove the gender ideology from the education material.

    “Accountability is coming,” HHS Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison said in public statement in August after the warning letter to the states and territories. “Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas. The Trump administration will ensure that PREP reflects the intent of Congress, not the priorities of the Left.”

    Joining Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota in the coalition suing the Trump administration are Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

    The complaint alleges the administration’s gender policy would mean a loss of $35 million in federal funding for the 16 plaintiff states and Washington, D.C., if they keep teaching gender ideology. The plaintiff states also contend the administration’s move violates the federal Administrative Procedure Act and violates the intent of Congress in creating the grant program.

    Syndicated with permission from The Daily Signal.

    The Daily Signal

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  • Detroit public defender Bill Noakes launches bid for Michigan AG – Detroit Metro Times

    William “Bill” Noakes, a longtime public defender and professor, announced Tuesday he is running for Michigan attorney general, positioning himself as the only Democrat in the race who has never been a prosecutor and could become the first Black person to hold the office.

    Noakes, who has practiced law since 1982, is the fourth Democrat to enter the 2026 race. His opponents — Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, and former U.S. Attorney Mark Totten — have all been prosecutors. 

    Noakes said he is proud of his career defending people against the formidable power of police and prosecutors.

    “As a public defender, every day I fight for the rights of those who face the combined weight of the police, prosecutors, and even some judges,” Noakes said. “In that fight, I have no fear.”

    In his campaign launch, Noakes cast himself as a defender of democratic values, invoking President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” speech and warning those rights are being eroded under President Donald Trump.

    “We saw what happened with Jimmy Kimmel,” he said in a video announcement of his candidacy, referring to the comedian’s show being pulled after pressure from Trump’s administration. “We know how this administration is treating people who are not Christian nationalists. This is a country where people have different religions and worship differently, and that right must be preserved.”

    Noakes said voters deserve an attorney general who will fight against the Trump administration’s attack on constitutional rights. The Trump administration, he said, is deliberately stoking fear. 

    “This administration intends fully to strike fear into the everyday lives of people, whether it’s a farmer, whether it’s an immigrant, or whether it’s even somebody such as Jim Comey, the former FBI director” who was indicted last week, he said. “It’s time we put a stop to this. That’s what I intend to do.”

    He added: “I’ve never looked for a fight, but I certainly have never turned away from one. I do not believe that we can simply say, ‘Oh, this will pass.’ It will not pass unless we make it happen.”

    Noakes’ wide-ranging career includes serving as a captain and judge advocate in the U.S. Air Force, with assignments in Korea, Belgium, and the Pentagon. He later worked on General Motors’ legal staff, became a partner in two Detroit-area law firms, and served as Wayne County’s deputy corporation counsel, where he successfully sued the state to renovate the Davison Freeway. In 1998, he joined the independent counsel’s office that prosecuted former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy for corruption.

    He has also taught at the University of Chicago Law School, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, Southern Methodist University, and Grand Valley State University. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and holds a master’s and law degree from the University of Chicago.

    Noakes cast his candidacy as a fight for Michigan residents who feel their freedoms are under siege. 

    “It’s not just a race for me,” he said. “It’s a race for all of us.”

    Democrats will select their candidate for attorney general at the party’s convention in 2026. That sets up an inside battle for support among activists and party loyalists.


    Steve Neavling

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  • Hakeem Jeffries responds to Donald Trump’s AI video

    House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has responded after President Donald Trump posted an artificial intelligence (AI) video on his social media page mocking him and other Democrats.

    In the video, Jeffries is seen wearing a sombrero and a mustache, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks in a fake voice and argues for undocumented immigrants to get “free healthcare.”

    Jeffries and Schumer met with Trump just hours before at the White House to discuss the looming government shutdown.

    Shortly after Trump posted the video, Jeffries wrote on X, “Bigotry will get you nowhere. Cancel the Cuts. Lower the Cost. Save Healthcare. We are NOT backing down.” In a separate post, he shared a photo of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. “This is real,” he wrote.

    Schumer commented on X, “If you think your shutdown is a joke, it just proves what we all know: You can’t negotiate. You can only throw tantrums.”

    Jeffries also appeared on MSNBC, where he called the video “disgusting.”

    “It’s a disgusting video and we’re going to continue to make clear bigotry will get you nowhere. We are fighting to protect the healthcare of the American people in the face of an unprecedented Republican assault on all the things—Medicaid,” he said.

    This is a developing story and will be updated.

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  • Democrat XP Lee wins Minnesota House special election to replace assassinated leader

    Democrat Xp Lee won a special election Tuesday to fill the Minnesota House seat of a top Democratic leader who was assassinated.

    Rep. Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, held the seat until her death in June.

    Lee is a former Brooklyn Park City Council member. He defeated Republican real estate agent Ruth Bittner in the heavily Democratic district.

    Lee’s win restores a 67-67 tie in the House, and it preserves a power-sharing deal that existed for most of the 2025 legislative session, after the 2024 elections cost House Democrats their majority.

    Former House Speaker Hortman brokered that agreement, which ended Democrats’ three-week boycott. Under the deal, she agreed to end her six-year tenure as speaker and let Republican Lisa Demuth take the position. Hortman then took the title speaker emerita. Most legislative committees became evenly split between Republican and Democratic members, with co-chairs from each party.

    The tie in the House meant some level of bipartisan agreement was required to pass anything in this year’s session.

    In an indication of the national interest in the race, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said Lee’s “commitment to expanding access to education, affordable health care, and good-paying jobs honors the legacy” of Hortman.

    “Across Minnesota, our hearts are still broken by the horrific assassination that stole Melissa and her husband Mark,” Martin, who formerly chaired the state Democratic Party, said in a statement. “Political violence is a scourge that has taken far too many lives. Enough is enough. It must end now. And in every case, each of us has a responsibility to condemn and reject political violence wherever it rears its head.”

    The election to replace Hortman takes place about three months after she and her husband were gunned down in their home by a man impersonating a police officer in Brooklyn Park, a suburb northwest of Minneapolis. Another legislator and his wife also were shot but survived.

    Vance Boelter, 57, faces federal and state murder, attempted murder and other charges in the June 14 attacks.

    Tuesday’s special election also follows another act of political violence, the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah last Wednesday. The shootings have been a concern among voters in the district — and for both candidates.

    Lee said he wants to calm the “charged atmosphere” in the wake of Kirk’s death.

    Bittner said the violence briefly gave her pause about running for office, but she concluded that “there’s no way to solve this problem if we shrink back in fear.”

    Lee, a former Brooklyn Park City Council member, easily won a three-way Democratic primary in August. Bittner, a real estate agent, was the sole Republican on the primary ballot for the seat in the heavily Democratic district.

    Two more special elections will be held Nov. 4 in a pair of Minnesota Senate districts.

    One is to fill the seat vacated by Democratic Sen. Nicole Mitchell, of the St. Paul suburb of Woodbury. She resigned in July after she was convicted of burglarizing her estranged stepmother’s home. The other is for the seat of Republican Sen. Bruce Anderson, of the Minneapolis exurb of Buffalo, who died in July.

    Given that the districts are heavily Democratic and heavily Republican, respectively, control of the Senate isn’t expected to change. But the Democratic candidate for Mitchell’s seat is state Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger, of Woodbury. If she wins, the governor will have to call another special election to fill her House seat.

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  • U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Democrats call for end to political violence after Charlie Kirk’s death

    U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, spoke to state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, who is running for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District in 2026 at the Polk County Democrats Steak Fry in Des Moines Sep. 13, 2025. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

    U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, and Iowa congressional candidates took time Saturday at the Polk County Democrats’ Steak Fry to condemn political violence in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing in Utah.

    The Polk County Democrats Steak Fry, an annual fundraiser, featured speeches from Democratic candidates for Iowa’s U.S. Senate race, as well as from the 3rd and 4th congressional district races. Van Hollen, who gave a keynote address at the event, spoke about Kirk’s death, saying the shooting is a reminder of “how fragile our democracy can feel,” while criticizing Trump’s response to the issue.

    On Wednesday, Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while answering a question at an event at Utah Valley University. The suspected gunman was identified and taken into custody Friday. Politicians and leaders mourned Kirk’s death and called for a change to prevent future politically motivated violence.

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    “The answer cannot be more violence,” Van Hollen said. “The answer cannot be vengeance. And sadly, the president is using this moment not to unite America against political violence, but to engage in finger pointing. But we will not be silenced. We will speak out for what we believe vigorously, courageously and peacefully.”

    Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said it has been a “really hard week” in light of Kirk’s death, and that Democrats, and all Americans, need to take steps to ensure these threats are eliminated.

    “We don’t have to look very far to see other examples of violence that has occurred because of political leanings,” Hart said, in part referring to the fatal shooting of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman in June. “And none of us find that to be acceptable, because it simply isn’t. We live in a country that was founded on the principle that we could stand up in a place like this and express our feelings, our thoughts, our attitudes, our beliefs and our political leanings, and not get shot because we have an opinion or a thought that’s different than somebody else’s.”

    In Iowa, there has been an outpouring of sympathy for Kirk’s family and calls to stop political violence. Speaking with reporters, Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate called for an end to political violence.

    In recent days, there has been some criticism from Republicans and others of Iowans, including some teachers, who have made controversial social media posts about Kirk’s death.

    Democratic Senate candidate Jackie Norris, the school board president for the Des Moines Public Schools, said political violence was unacceptable, and that teachers — alongside most people — should be more cognizant of what their are publicly posting on social media. However, Norris added, “we have to respect that people have different views,” including teachers.

    “It is important that we tone down the rhetoric, but we also have to respect that (teachers) have strong feelings too,” Norris said. “It’s a balance.”

    Van Hollen calls Democrats ‘spineless’ for not backing Mamdani

    Van Hollen also told Iowans at the event winning in 2026 elections will mean Democrats must be outspokenly in support of Democratic candidates running in 2025 races — including New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.

    The Maryland Democrat said Iowa would play an important role in the 2026 midterms — but that supporting Democrats in 2025 races for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as for New York City mayor, will help build “momentum” for 2026.

    Van Hollen criticized New York Democrats for not supporting Mamdani, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He said many Democrats representing New York in the U.S. House and Senate have “stayed on the sidelines” as President Donald Trump and others have mobilized to defeat the Democratic candidate.

    “That kind of spineless politics is what people are sick of,” Van Hollen said. “They need to get behind him and get behind him now.”

    Van Hollen criticized other aspects of the Democratic Party, saying the Biden administration was “feckless” in holding the Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable to U.S. and international law. But he largely focused his remarks on Trump and Republicans in control of Congress.

    In addition to talking about Medicaid cuts and criticizing Trump’s foreign policy decisions, Van Hollen said the Trump administration was violating people’s constitutional rights by pursuing mass deportations. The Maryland Democrat gained a significant national platform earlier in 2025 for his work involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was deported to El Salvador erroneously and held in the country’s megaprison.

    Van Hollen was one of the major advocates for returning Abrego Garcia to the country and allowing his case to go through the U.S. court system. At the Saturday event, Van Hollen told Iowans he was advised not to pursue the issue as immigration was not a winning topic for Democrats — but he said he continued to fight for Abrego Garcia’s due process rights because “our democracy cannot survive on silence or equivocation.”

    “And lo and behold, Americans across the political spectrum do believe in the red, white and blue essential right to due process in the United States of America,” he said. “They do believe in the principle that no one in America — I mean, no one — should be disappeared by the state without having a chance before a court of law. And Americans understand this is not about one man. It’s about all of us. Because when you strip away the rights from one person, you threaten the rights of all, of all of us.”

    Abrego Garcia has been returned to the U.S., though the Trump administration has stated they intend to deport him again, potentially to the country of Eswatini.

    Van Hollen said he would “never, ever apologize for standing up for anybody’s constitutional rights,” and said Democrats need to do more to speak out on issues they believe are important, even if polls or pundits say the topics are not politically advantageous. This will be especially important in states like Iowa, he said.

    “We can and we will win here again, if — if — we speak to our core values, if we show people what we will stand up for and we will fight for,” Van Hollen said. “That’s why it’s great to be here to flip steaks and flip seats.”

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