Voters are increasingly using AI chatbots to fact-check and compare candidates
By Maham Javaid On a September evening, Adam Johnson, 40, settled on his porch chair in Morgantown, West Virginia, to go over his ballot for the upcoming midterm election. Chatting through all the races and the different candidates, he worked to figure out who best represented his values. But rather than discussing it with a friend or family member, he held an hours-long discussion with ChatGPT — a chatbot powered by a large language model (LLM) owned by OpenAI, an AI research company. A graphic designer studying to be an illustrator, Johnson said ChatGPT is a significant part of his
Democrats regain ground on voter registration in key states after steep post-2024 drops
By Marc Trussler and Jane C. Timm After having suffered massive voter registration losses in the wake of the last presidential election, Democrats have stemmed the bleeding in several key states heading into this year’s midterms, according to an NBC News Decision Desk analysis. NBC News’ Decision Desk analyzed voter file data from TargetSmart, a progressive data firm, for seven of the states that were the closest in the 2024 election and that registered voters by party: Arizona, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. From late 2024 through late 2025, Republicans significantly improved their voter registration
Arkansas HBCUs awarded more than $4.2 million in federal funding
by: Annie Glasco On Monday, U.S. Rep. French Hill and leaders from Arkansas’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities gathered at Philander Smith University to announce additional federal funding of more than $4.2 million for the state’s four Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The announcement was made during a Monday press conference that comes after the U.S. Department of Education announced last week that more than $174 million in additional funding would be directed to HBCUs across the country, including Arkansas Baptist College, Shorter College, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Philander Smith University: Arkansas’ four HBCUs, which will
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson announces over $8.8 million in grants to Florida HBCUs
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson is pouring financially into Florida’s Black colleges and universities. On Sept. 25, Wilson announced that she is giving approximately $8,824,314 in grants to Florida Memorial University, Florida A&M University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Edward Waters College. Edward Waters College will receive $1,088,666; FMU will receive $1,414,795; B-CU, $ 1,898,396 and FAMU, $4,422,483. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and FAMU President Marva Johnson at the Orange Blossom Classic. “Our HBCUs have opened doors for generations of students and shaped leaders who changed this nation,” Wilson posted on her Facebook page. “They deserve the resources to keep opening those doors. I will
James Talarico gets a warm welcome at HBCU classic as Black voter push enters final stretch
Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico stepped onto the field of the HBCU football classic between Prairie View A&M University and Grambling State University, drawing a warm reception from Black voters as he campaigns in the final weeks before the midterms. The Democratic nominee, who has been heavily courting Black voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election against Ken Paxton, spent hours on the campus meeting with university leaders, students and spectators for the annual State Fair Classic. Talarico was met with thunderous applause from the more than 50,000 attendees as he was introduced onto the field at Panther Stadium.
Lawmakers slam Trump’s ‘unlawful’ move to cut $810 million in federal funds
By Frank Thorp V and Kyla Guilfoil The White House said Friday that it planned to cut $810 million in bipartisan, congressionally approved funding, spurring criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The executive branch would effectively send the funds back to Congress using so-called pocket rescissions, a rare budgetary tactic that the Trump administration has used before to negate congressionally allocated spending. The rejected funding affects several programs and agencies serving immigrants, minority groups and Department of Health and Human Services research programs. The administration has argued that while the law gives Congress a 45-day period to
Hornet Nation Shows Up for Delaware Veterans at Annual Stand Down & Employment Expo
By Lolita Treadwell When we arrived at Dover’s John W. Pitts Recreation Center, we parked on a gravel lot, unloaded our cars and began lugging boxes of Delaware State University materials toward the building. Before we even made it through the doors, it was clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary resource fair. Outside, vendors and service providers surrounded the recreation center, giving the grounds the feel of a community festival, complete with music, food, activities and resources. Inside, seemingly endless rows of tables filled the gym, all with one purpose: supporting Delaware’s veterans. Devon Wilson, Director of Veterans Affairs, and
Gubernatorial candidate: FAMU shortchanged by $2 billion and deserves flagship status
By Jena Roberts Early’s Kitchen is the Tallahassee spot for breakfast. Located on the Southside, the Black-owned restaurant draws patrons from miles around the capital city. The David Jolly/ Gwen Graham team stopped by at the invitation of Leon County Commissioner Bill Proctor and was greeted by a packed house of folks looking for answers. What they heard went beyond fixing the affordability crisis. Jolly raised the issue most avoid: the institutional neglect of Florida A&M University and the use of diversity, equity and inclusion as an asset to elevate communities. “There was something I didn’t know before this campaign—FAMU
Rep. Kweisi Mfume Talks HBCUs, Civic Engagement & Black Progress
Rep. Kweisi Mfume says Historically Black Colleges and Universities remain essential institutions for educating Black students and developing the next generation of leaders. During a conversation with the Black Information Network at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 55th Annual Legislative Conference, the Maryland Democrat discussed HBCUs, the Congressional Black Caucus and civic engagement. Mfume pushed back against questions about whether HBCUs are still necessary, pointing to the acceptance of other institutions created to serve particular communities, including religious colleges and universities. HBCUs continue to play an outsized role in preparing Black students for advanced degrees. According to the National Science
Kamala Harris to campaign with Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan
By Alexandra Marquez Former Vice President Kamala Harris will campaign with Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan next week, a spokesperson for Harris confirmed to NBC News on Wednesday. El-Sayed, a former public health official, faces one of the most competitive Senate races in the country this year against former Rep. Mike Rogers. “Vice President Harris looks forward to returning to Michigan to help turn out the vote in this critical state. While there, she will highlight the issue of Black maternal health, joined by Dr. El-Sayed,” Harris spokesperson Eduardo Negrón said in a statement. “It is critical we flip the Senate so we