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☆ Big Races in Virginia, Kentucky Offer Early Read on 2024 Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Scott Calvert | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Some people last week voted early in Kentucky, where a tight governor’s race is among several elections around the U.S. Tuesday. Photo: Greg Eans/Associated PressVoters in several states will give the country an early read on the electorate’s mood heading into the 2024 presidential campaign, with a Democratic incumbent in Kentucky testing the party’s strength in Trump Country and abortion front and center in Virginia’s legislative races. Tuesday’s gubernatorial race in Kentucky is expected to be competitive, while the Mississippi governor’s contest isn’t seen as close. Virginia and New Jersey have no statewide races, but all of the seats in each state’s legislatures are on the ballot. Control of Virginia’s legislature is on the line, with the results offering hints about the strength of both parties’ messages heading into 2024.

Persons: Greg Eans, isn’t Organizations: Associated Press Voters, Democratic, Trump Country Locations: Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, New Jersey

☆ Voters Head to Polls Tuesday for Big Races in Virginia, Kentucky
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Scott Calvert | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Greg Eans, isn’t Organizations: Associated Press Voters, Democratic, Trump Country Locations: Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia, New Jersey

☆ Takeaways from the Supreme Court oral arguments on the Second Amendment and domestic violence
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ariane De Vogue | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The Supreme Court seemed poised Tuesday after oral arguments to rule in favor of a federal law that bars individuals subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. Barrett noted that domestic violence is “dangerous.” But looking to the next case she asked about “more marginal cases” that might not offend the constitution. Thomas referred to the “thin record” in the case and wondered about the fact that the domestic violence allegations had been made in a civil – not a criminal – proceeding. Due process was central to a friend of the court brief filed by the NRA in the case. “I’m just trying to understand how the Bruen test works in a situation in which there is at least some evidence that domestic violence was not considered to be subject to the kinds of regulation that it is today,” she said.

Persons: Elizabeth Prelogar, ”, John Roberts, Zackey Rahimi, Prelogar, Clarence Thomas, Thomas, ” Roberts, Roberts, –, “, Amy Coney Barrett Long, Amy Coney Barrett, Barrett, ” Barrett, Alito, Rahimi, Samuel Alito, J, Matthew Wright —, Neil Gorsuch, hadn’t, Ketanji Brown Jackson, “ I’m, Jackson, White, Elena Kagan, ” Kagan Organizations: CNN, New York, Inc, ACLU, National Rifle Association, NRA Locations: Maine, Wisconsin, Bruen

☆ Supreme Court revisits the Second Amendment in the wake of the latest mass shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Ariane De Vogue | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The Supreme Court is considering a section of federal law that bars an individual subject to a domestic violence restraining order from possessing a firearm. But then the Supreme Court issued its Second Amendment decision in Bruen. The 6-3 Bruen decision broke along familiar conservative-liberal ideological lines. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, wrote separately to stress that the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. The Second Amendment is “neither a regulatory straitjacket nor a regulatory blank check,” Kavanaugh said.

Persons: Clarence Thomas, Joe Biden’s, “ Rahimi, ”, Andrew M, “, Roger Benitez, Zackey Rahimi, Rahimi, ” Biden, Biden, Elizabeth Prelogar, Matthew Wright, Wright, ” Wright, Brett Kavanaugh, John Roberts, ” Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, ” Barrett, Barrett, Kavanaugh, ” Willinger, Hunter Biden, Hunter, That’s, Bruen, Patrick Daniels, Daniels, ” Hunter, Abbe Lowell Organizations: CNN, New York, Duke University School of Law, Circuit, Gun Safety, Chief, 5th Circuit Locations: New, California, Texas, Bruen, United States, North Texas, Wisconsin, Rahimi, USA, Delaware

☆ Indian states vote in key test for Modi and rivals ahead of 2024 general election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Rupam Jain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends an Innovation conference with Israeli and Indian CEOs in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 6, 2017. Modi and leaders of the main opposition Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi have criss-crossed the five states, addressing campaign rallies and promising cash doles, farm loan waivers, subsidies and insurance covers, among others, to woo voters. But surveys suggest Modi remains popular after a decade in power and will likely win a third term. Votes in all five states will be counted on Dec. 3 and results expected the same day. The elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram states are mainly a contest between BJP and Congress.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Oded, Narendra Modi's, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi, Raman Singh, Singh, Sachin, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Indian, REUTERS, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Developmental Inclusive, BJP, Congress, Reuters, YP, Thomson Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, DELHI, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram

☆ Virginia elections: Youngkin looks to prove that non-MAGA politics can be a winning Republican strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Jake Tapper | Arit John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Glenn Youngkin isn’t on the ballot this year, but his push for a new conservative direction for the Republican Party is. The discipline extended beyond the 10 candidates Youngkin endorsed in competitive primaries, so as to keep distractions at bay. Virginia Democrats, who would normally use such a post to put the entire GOP in an awkward position, did not apparently even notice. Still, there isn’t a lot of evidence that the Virginia Democratic Party sees Youngkin as any sort of liability for the GOP — he isn’t featured negatively in any of their ads, for example. “What we have found out over the last two years is that that vest-wearing, affable, basketball playing dad is really a MAGA Extremist,” said Virginia Democratic Party Chair Susan Swecker.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin isn’t, MAGA, He’s, Youngkin –, aren’t, that’s, Donald Trump, ”, “, Youngkin, “ I’ve, Joe Biden, ” Youngkin, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Youngkin’s, Mark J, Rozell, Roe, Wade, ” Rozell, Taylor Keeney, Bob McDonnell, Thomas Peterffy, Sen, Siobhan Dunnavant, Dunnavant, Del, Tara Durant, Matt Strickland, Emily Brewer, Hermie Sadler, Durant, Juan Pablo Segura, Jason Ballard, John McGuire, Bryce Reeves, Bill Woolf, Buddy Fowler, John, Lee Peters, Mike Dillender, McGuire, Reeves, Ballard, Daniel Squadron, Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, he’s, Susan Swecker Organizations: CNN, Virginia Gov, Republican Party, Democratic, Democrat, Republican, GOP, Privately, Trump, Commonwealth, Virginia Democrats, Schar School of Policy, Government, George Mason University . Virginia, Republican Gov, PAC, OB, Covid, NASCAR, Heritage Festival, Heritage Indian, The States, States Project, Democratic National Committee, Democrats, Republicans, Virginia Democratic Party, Virginia Democratic Locations: Virginia, Fredericksburg, “, Richmond, Chantilly, Sens

☆ Indian States Vote in Key Test for Modi and Rivals Ahead of 2024 General Election
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Rupam JainNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Two of five Indian states due to elect new legislatures this month began voting on Tuesday, a big test of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chances of winning a third term in a national election due by May. Modi and leaders of the main opposition Congress party headed by Rahul Gandhi have criss-crossed the five states, addressing campaign rallies and promising cash doles, farm loan waivers, subsidies and insurance covers, among others, to woo voters. But surveys suggest Modi remains popular after a decade in power and will likely win a third term. Votes in all five states will be counted on Dec. 3 and results expected the same day. The elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram states are mainly a contest between BJP and Congress.

Persons: Narendra Modi's, Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Gandhi, Raman Singh, Singh, Sachin, YP Rajesh, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: DELHI, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Developmental Inclusive, BJP, Congress, Reuters, YP Locations: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram

☆ Opinion | Donald Trump Has Closed the Republican Mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Peter Wehner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The poet Frederick Turner described “The Closing of the American Mind” as “the most thoughtful conservative analysis of the nation’s cultural sickness.”Yet today it is the American right that most fully embodies the attitudes that so alarmed Mr. Bloom. We see that most clearly in the right’s embrace of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement he represents. Mr. Trump is cruel and remorseless, compulsive and vindictive, an accomplished conspiracy theorist. While doing this, Mr. Trump has expanded his lead over his nearest rival in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination to more than 40 points. In other words, no matter how much wrongdoing Mr. Trump engages in, however outrageous and brutish his conduct, he remains wildly popular.

Persons: Frederick Turner, Bloom, Donald Trump, MAGA, Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Mark Milley Organizations: Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr Locations: American

☆ A tide of election worker resignations raises alarms ahead of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —A wave of departures by election officials in key states risks adding new stress to the nation’s election system ahead of next year’s presidential contest, voting rights groups and several state election chiefs warn. The growing alarm over the resignations and retirements comes as officials say election workers continue to face a barrage of threats and harassment and partisan interference in their duties, first ignited by false claims of a stolen White House election in 2020. In King County, Washington – which includes Seattle – Julie Wise, the county election director, recalled receiving a letter over the summer with a rant about elections. Election watchdogs say more action is needed – including boosting federal funding and extending a federal law that criminalizes the release of restricted personal information about federal workers to cover election officials. Brinson Bell began tracking the departures when she became the state’s election chief that year.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Adrian Fontes, Pennsylvania –, Republican Al Schmidt, “, Nick Penniman, Schmidt, Donald Trump’s, ” Schmidt, Seattle – Julie Wise, Wise, ’, ” Penniman, Meagan Wolfe, Trump, Wolfe, there’s, Roy Cooper, Critics, Karen Brinson Bell, Brinson Bell, Kathy Holland, Holland, –, Brinson, ” Adam Byrnes, he’s, ” Byrnes, Fontes, ” Fontes, that’s Organizations: CNN, Democrat, Republican, US Justice Department, National Conference of State Legislatures, Committee, ” Workers, GOP, supermajorities, Gov, North Carolina State Board, Emory University, “ Locations: Arizona, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, King County , Washington, Seattle, In Wisconsin, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Alamance County, Swain County, Georgia

☆ Analysis: Virginia elections offer the most important test for both parties heading into 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In 2021, Republicans retook the Virginia House. The Virginia Senate wasn’t up in 2021 – state senators face their voters every four years. That one time was in 2011, when the two parties ended up tied in the state Senate, with the Republican lieutenant governor serving as the tie-breaker. Democrats hold the thinnest of majorities in the state Senate, while Republicans narrowly control the state House. In those elections, Democrats have been greatly outperforming the Democratic baseline (measured by comparing their candidates’ performances with Biden’s in 2020).

Persons: bode, Joe Biden, – Biden, Donald Trump –, we’ve, Biden’s, Roe, Wade, Biden, Glenn Youngkin Organizations: CNN, Virginia Legislature, Republicans, Virginia, GOP, The Virginia Senate, Virginia Senate, Republican, Washington Post, Democratic, Democrats, Republican Gov, Virginia Democrats Locations: Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Washington

A federal judge ruled last week that some of Georgia's congressional, state Senate and state House districts were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner, ordering the state to draw an additional Black-majority congressional district. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, in his 516-page order, also ordered the state to draw two new Black-majority districts in Georgia's 56-member state Senate and five new Black-majority districts in its 180-member state House. Legal challenges to congressional districts are also ongoing in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Utah. State House and Senate Republicans called for an appeal after the ruling. The judge ordered one new Black-majority congressional district in western metro Atlanta, two additional Black-majority state Senate districts in southern metro Atlanta, two additional Black-majority state House districts in and around Macon, two additional Black-majority state House districts in southern metro Atlanta and one additional Black-majority state House district in western metro Atlanta.

Persons: —, Brad Raffensperger, Chris Carr, Steve Jones, Jones, Brian Kemp, Jones ’, ” Jones, Georgia doesn't, that's Organizations: ATLANTA, District, Georgia’s Republican, Assembly, Republican Gov, U.S, Supreme, Republican, State, Republicans, Democratic, GOP Locations: — Georgia, U.S, Georgia's, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas , Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas, Utah, Atlanta, Macon

☆ Democracy Under Threat Around the World -Intergovernmental Watchdog
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Half of the world's countries are suffering democratic decline, ranging from flawed elections to curtailed rights including freedoms of expression and assembly, an intergovernmental watchdog group said on Thursday. "In short, democracy is still in trouble, stagnant at best, and declining in many places," IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora said in the report. IDEA bases its Global State of Democracy Indices on more than 100 variables and is using four main categories - Representation, Rights, Rule of Law and Participation - to categorise performance. It also said Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and Turkey had drifted away from the rest of Europe, performing well below the European average across most indicators of democracy. However, the think-tank said there were some green shoots, with surprisingly high rates of political participation and decreasing levels of corruption, especially in Africa.

Persons: Kevin Casas, Zamora, Johan Ahlander, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Institute for Democracy, Electoral, IDEA, Global State, Democracy, Law Locations: STOCKHOLM, Stockholm, Ukraine, Europe, Austria, Hungary, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia, Turkey, Americas, El Salvador, Guatemala, Africa

Tony Evers on Tuesday sued the Republican-controlled Legislature, arguing that it is obstructing basic government functions, including signing off on pay raises for university employees that were previously approved. Republican legislative leaders, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, did not immediately return emails seeking comment. In addition to not approving the pay raises for about 35,000 University of Wisconsin employees, Evers argues that the Legislature is blocking state conservation programs, updates to the state's commercial building standards and ethics standards for licensed professionals. But pay raises also must then be approved by a committee of legislative leaders. Evers and the GOP-controlled Legislature have had a contentious relationship from the moment Evers was elected in November 2018.

Persons: Tony Evers, Evers, Devin LeMahieu, Robin Vos, ” Evers Organizations: — Wisconsin Democratic Gov, Tuesday, Republican, University of Wisconsin, UW, GOP, Natural Resources Board Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Alaska , Kentucky, Michigan , Missouri , New Jersey, West Virginia

☆ US daylight saving time: When is it and why was it created?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Josie Kao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Daylight saving time is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour during summer months so daylight lasts longer into the evening. WHY WAS DAYLIGHT SAVING CREATED IN THE US AND HOW DID IT START? No, Hawaii and Arizona, with the exception of Navajo Nation, do not observe daylight saving time. While daylight saving time is widespread across the United States, 19 states have passed legislation to permanently use daylight saving time if Congress were to allow it, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The U.S. is not ending daylight saving any time soon, though there is an effort in the federal government to pass the so-called Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent.

Persons: Mike Segar, George Hudson, Frank Pallone, Joe Biden, Josie Kao, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, North, Daylight, European Union, New, Congressional Research Service, Virgin, National Conference of State Legislatures, Protection, U.S . House, Commerce, Science, Transportation, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York, U.S, United States, Canada, Cuba, North America, Europe, Egypt, Japan, New Zealand, Germany, Hawaii, Arizona, Navajo, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico

The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a statewide vote in August 2022 decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. Jayaram concluded that the restrictions now on hold violate a patient's right to bodily autonomy. A law that took effect July 1 required abortion providers to tell their patients that a medication abortion can be stopped using a regimen touted by anti-abortion groups. Abortion opponents argued repeatedly before the August 2022 vote that without a change in the state constitution, all existing abortion restrictions could be at risk. The state Supreme Court is reviewing a 2015 law banning the most common second-trimester procedure and a 2011 law imposing tougher health and safety requirements only for abortion providers.

Persons: Judge K, Christopher Jayaram's, ” Jayaram, ”, Emily Wales, Jackson, Caleb Dalton, Jayaram, “, Alice Wang, Roe, Wade, Danielle Underwood, John Hanna Organizations: Judge, U.S, Constitution, Utah Supreme, Alliance Defending, Republican, GOP, Kansas, Center for Reproductive Rights, Alliance Locations: TOPEKA, Kan, Kansas, Johnson County, Kansas City, U.S ., Dobbs v, Texas, Utah, ” Kansas

(AP) — After being in office for over a decade, Mississippi state Sen. Dean Kirby got challenged in the Republican primary. More than four-fifths of Mississippi's legislative candidates will have no major-party opposition in the Nov. 7 general election. And more than half of this year's winners will have faced no other Republicans or Democrats in either the primary or the general election. Though Mississippi represents an extreme example, it highlights a national decline in competition for state legislative seats. The DLCC is spending a few thousand dollars this year on several legislative races in the largely uncompetitive Republican-leaning states of Mississippi and Louisiana.

Persons: JACKSON, Sen, Dean Kirby, Kirby, Jackson, “, ” Kirby, ”, Steven Rogers, ” Rogers, Rogers, Joe Biden, Abhi Rahman, ” Rahman, Barbara Blackmon, Ed Blackmon, Bradford Blackmon, Lawrence Blackmon, . Sen, Robert Jackson’s, Reginald Jackson, Andy Berry, Berry, he's, ” Berry, ___ Lieb Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Saint Louis University, The Associated Press, Ballotpedia, State Legislatures, Republicans, Democratic Legislative, ”, Three Democratic, Senate, Bradford, Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association, Mississippi Beef Council Locations: Miss, Mississippi, Though Mississippi, In Mississippi, State, Louisiana, New Jersey, Virginia, Jackson, Jefferson City , Missouri

☆ Mike Johnson is the first Republican House speaker from the South since Newt Gingrich, putting the region back in the driver's seat of GOP politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Rep. Mike Johnson's ascent to the House speakership last week took most in the GOP by surprise. He's now the first House speaker from the South since Newt Gingrich held the gavel in the 1990s. "This happened sort of suddenly," the Louisiana Republican said last Wednesday after succeeding Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California as speaker and as the new leader of the House GOP conference. Rep. Mike Johnson takes the oath of office to become the next House speaker on October 25, 2023. Challenges to Republican-drawn congressional districts across the South could give Democrats a significant opening to flip the House in 2024.

Persons: Mike Johnson's, He's, Newt Gingrich, —, couldn't, Kevin McCarthy of, Johnson, Bill Clinton, Sen, Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden, Mike Johnson, Alex Brandon Cue McConnell, Steve Scalise, Gingrich —, Drew Angerer, Gingrich, Donald Trump, Kim Chandler, McCarthy Organizations: GOP, Service, Louisiana Republican, Southern Republican, Republican, White House, House Republicans, AP, Democratic, Kentucky Locations: Washington, Louisiana, Kevin McCarthy of California, Georgia, Kentucky, Southern, Ukraine, New York, Chicago, Denver, Johnson's, Kim Chandler In Alabama, Black, Alabama's, Florida, Arkansas, South Carolina , Tennessee

But that outburst of direct democracy has been limited to just half the states. About 167 million people live in 25 other states where such direct democracy is not currently an option. The number of ballot measures seeking to restrict the initiative and referendum process dipped in 2016 and has since risen. Measures seeking to restrict direct democracy peaked from 1995 to 2004 but significantly outpaced those seeking to expand direct democracy throughout the entire period of 1960 through 2022. Californians have considered 391 ballot initiatives — approving 137 of them — following campaigns that in recent years have cost tens of millions of dollars.

Persons: ”, John Matsusaka, Daniel Smith, Todd Donovan, that's, it's, Matsusaka, Michael Smith, ” Donovan, It's, it’s, ” Matsusaka Organizations: Initiative, University of Southern, South, University of Florida, Western Washington University, REPUBLICAN PUSHBACK Republican, Republican, Democratic, BIG, Oregon, Voters, Emporia State University, Referendum Locations: Maine, Ohio, University of Southern California, South Dakota, Mississippi, Alaska, Wyoming, Illinois, Florida, Arizona , Arkansas , Ohio, Arizona, Oregon, California, Kansas

DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) — Many of Michigan's top Democrats, including Gov. In Dearborn, which borders Detroit, nearly half of the roughly 110,000 residents claim Arab ancestry. Among them were a who's who of Michigan Democrats, including Whitmer, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, two U.S. House members, the secretary of state and the state attorney general. In Congress, the war has forced Democrats back to a familiar place where the establishment’s history of unconditional loyalty to Israel is being tested. She has been widely criticized by members of both parties — including fellow Michigan Democrats — who say she hasn't explicitly faulted Hamas for the Oct. 7 attack.

Persons: Gretchen Whitmer, “, Chai, Michigan's, we’ve, Adam Abusalah, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Whitmer, Sen, Gary Peters, Israel ”, ” Robyn Lederman, Puder, ”, Nasser Beydoun, Peters, Garlin Gilchrist, “ They're, ” Beydoun, Abraham Aiyash, Jeremy Moss, Moss, Rashida, Michigan Democrats —, “ It’s, Samantha Woll, they’ve, they've, Alabas Farhat, ___ Fernando, Farnoush Amiri Organizations: Israel, U.S, Michigan, Democrats, Wayne County, Detroit, House, Associated Press, West Bloomfield Hills, Democratic, Dearborn ., Democratic U.S, Senate, Gov, Democrat, U.S . Rep, Palestinian American, West Bank, Michigan Democrats, Police, Rep, AP, Washington , D.C Locations: DEARBORN , Michigan, Michigan's, Detroit, Israel, Dearborn, Gaza, Wayne County, Hamtramck, Wayne, Southfield, U.S, “ In Michigan, West, Israeli, United States, Lebanon, Yemen, Michigan, North Carolina , Ohio , Wisconsin, California, Dearborn's, Arab, “, Chicago, Washington ,

☆ Republicans shouted down a reporter and told her 'shut up' for asking their potential next House speaker about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An ABC News reporter tried to ask GOP Rep. Mike Johnson about his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. In the end, 125 House Republicans, including then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, signed on to the Supreme Court brief. While House Republicans failed to overturn the results, 139 lawmakers voted to uphold challenges to at least one state. While a majority of House Republicans voted to object to both states, there were some notable exceptions. Emmer, who was then the leader of House Republicans campaign arm, was briefly the GOP's nominee to become speaker of the House on Tuesday.

Persons: Mike Johnson, —, Virginia Foxx, Rachel Scott, Johnson, Foxx, Scott, Ken Paxton's, Donald Trump, Kevin McCarthy, Tom Emmer, Emmer Organizations: ABC, GOP, Republican, Service, Republicans, Capitol, Rep, Education, Workforce Committee, New York Times, Supreme, Electoral, Arizona, House Republicans Locations: North Carolina, Texas, Pennsylvania , Michigan , Wisconsin, Georgia, Minnesota

(AP) — The Democrat who's trying to unseat Mississippi's Republican governor said Tuesday that the state should set a minimum wage higher than the federal standard of $7.25 an hour. Political Cartoons View All 1218 ImagesA campaign spokesperson for Reeves did not immediately respond to questions Tuesday about whether Mississippi should set a minimum wage higher than $7.25. No legislation to set a Mississippi minimum wage higher than $7.25 advanced during those 12 years. The nonpartisan organization says Mississippi is one of five states that have not set their own minimum wage. Two states have a minimum wage that's lower than the federal standard.

Persons: JACKSON, who's, Mississippi's, Brandon Presley, Presley, Tate Reeves, “, ” Presley, Reeves, he's, we’ve, ” Reeves, Barack Obama Organizations: —, Mississippi's Republican, Republican, Tougaloo College, District of Columbia, National Conference of State Legislatures Locations: Miss, U.S, Mississippi, Columbus

☆ Tom Emmer cast doubt on the 2020 election and supported lawsuit to throw election to Trump
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Andrew Kaczynski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Tom Emmer, a leading Republican candidate to be speaker of the House, baselessly said there were “questionable” practices in the 2020 presidential election. Later, Emmer signed an amicus brief in support of a last-ditch Texas lawsuit seeking to throw out the results in key swing states. Speaking with the radio show for the far-right publication Breitbart News 12 days after the election, Emmer baselessly suggested that mail-in ballots might have “skewed” the election against Trump. Emmer was quieter than many Republicans in the aftermath of the 2020 election. “There’s a process,” Emmer added.

Persons: Tom Emmer, baselessly, Emmer, Emmer baselessly, “, ” Emmer, ” “, we’re, ”, CNN’s KFile, Biden, – Emmer, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Ken Paxton, Biden –, Biden’s, you’ve Organizations: CNN, Republican, Breitbart, Trump, Republicans, US, Electoral, St . Cloud Times Locations: Texas, Georgia, St

At least eight Georgia Republican electors present that day have agreed to testify in exchange for immunity from state charges. The meeting was led by David Shafer, then chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. But halfway through the meeting, Shafer noted that Still’s name was printed as the secretary on documents. A Georgia Republican Party website raising money to defend electors calls them “patriots who served." Lawyers for the indicted electors argue it was up to Congress to determine which slates should be counted.

Persons: Donald Trump, “, Trump —, Robert Sinners, Trump, Joe Biden's, Kenneth Chesebro, Biden, David Shafer, Shafer, Fulton, Shawn Still, wasn't, ” Shafer, Cathy Latham, State Sen, Burt Jones, John Isakson Jr, Sen, Johnny Isakson, Isakson, Brian Kemp’s, Mike Pence, they’ve, Anna Cross, Latham, Ray Smith, Republican Richard Nixon, John F, Kennedy, Todd Zywicki, Fani Willis, ” Willis ’, Shafer’s, Willis ’, ”, Brad Raffensperger, hasn't, Willis Organizations: ATLANTA, Georgia Capitol, Trump, Associated Press, Georgia Republican, Georgia Republican Party, Republicans, State, Republican U.S, Atlanta, ”, Republican, U.S, Senate, George Mason University, Georgia Republicans, Hawaii Democrats, Georgia, U.S . House Locations: Georgia, Fulton County, Georgia's Coffee County, Alabama, Hawaii, Virginia

☆ How Will States Pay for Roads When Gas Taxes Evaporate?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Peter Funt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Back in 2001, seven years before Tesla introduced its electric-powered Roadster and a dozen years before the more affordable Chevrolet Spark EV went on sale, lawmakers in Oregon recognized that the adoption of EVs and hybrids would eventually mean less revenue from the state’s gas tax, which would mean less money to pay for roads and bridges. After considering a tire tax, a battery tax and numerous other options, the committee concluded that Oregonians should be charged based on how many miles they drive. Twenty-two years later, the Road User Fee Task Force continues to operate small pilot programs. But like most other states that have seen gas taxes start to evaporate, Oregon still doesn’t have a mandatory alternative revenue plan in place. Legislatures are in a bind: They can no longer afford to ignore the decline in gas-tax revenue, but all proposed solutions are problematic.

Persons: Tesla Locations: Oregon

☆ Two German state elections expected to bring wins for conservative national opposition
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Both states are led by the country's main opposition Union bloc, made up of the Christian Democratic Union and the Bavaria-only Christian Social Union. In Hesse, they give the CDU a double-digit lead in a three-way contest for the governor's office among the conservative party, Scholz's center-left Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens. Scholz's government also faces intense pressure to reduce the number of migrants arriving, a major issue in the run-up to the elections. Green challenger Tarek Al-Wazir, currently the deputy governor to conservative incumbent Boris Rhein, also faces an uphill struggle. In Bavaria, governor Markus Soeder is calling for voters to back "continuity and stability."

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Scholz, —, Karl, Rudolf Korte, Nancy Faeser, Tarek Al, Wazir, Boris Rhein, Markus Soeder, Soeder, Hubert Aiwanger, Aiwanger — Organizations: Sunday, Union, Christian Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, CSU, CDU, Social Democrats, environmentalist Greens, Germany, Greens, Free, Welt, Sonntag, Voters, Free Democrats, Free Voters Locations: Bavaria, Hesse, Frankfurt, Scholz's

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