Justin Pearson Launches Primary Challenge to Rep. Cohen
By Bridget Bowman Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, who drew national attention in 2023 for protesting gun violence on the state House floor, announced Wednesday that he is launching a Democratic primary challenge against longtime Rep. Steve Cohen. Pearson was one of three Democratic state legislators, who became known as the “Tennessee Three,” who led protests on the floor after a school shooting. Pearson and fellow state Rep. Justin Jones were expelled from the Legislature, while state Rep. Gloria Johnson withstood her expulsion vote. Pearson and Jones were eventually reinstated. Pearson, 30, is the latest young Democrat to take on a veteran House member as
500 National Guard Troops Deployed to Chicago Amid Lawsuit
By Daniella Silva Five hundred National Guard members have arrived in the Chicago area and are mobilized for an initial period of 60 days, despite an ongoing lawsuit challenging their deployment there, according to a statement Wednesday from U.S. Northern Command, a part of the Defense Department. About 200 members from multiple units in the Texas National Guard and 300 members from units in the Illinois National Guard have been activated and sent to the Chicago area, the statement said. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has denounced the deployment as an unconstitutional invasion. The troops are stationed at the Army Reserve center in Elwood, outside
Trump Says Chicago Mayor and Illinois Governor Should Be Jailed
By Megan Lebowitz President Donald Trump said in a post to Truth Social on Wednesday that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker “should be in jail” in an escalation of his conflict with the two Democratic officials. “Chicago Mayor should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers!” he said in the post. “Governor Pritzker also!” The president’s post comes a day after Texas National Guard troops arrived in Illinois, despite the Democrats’ fierce opposition. Trump has threatened for weeks to send troops to Chicago as part of a crime-fighting and immigration effort, and Democrats have slammed his push as overreach
Rep. Wesley Hunt Enters Texas GOP Senate Primary Race
By Megan Lebowitz and Bridget Bowman Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, is jumping into the Senate race in Texas, joining a competitive primary battle between Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton. Hunt told The Associated Press in an interview that he believes that polling indicates “people want an alternative, and I’m going to give it to them.” He highlighted his support for President Donald Trump on his campaign website, saying he was “fighting alongside President Trump to codify DOGE cuts, secure our border, and fight for economic prosperity for all Texans.” In a news release, he said that “the U.S. Senate race in
ACA Tax Credit Clash Deepens Amid Federal Government Shutdown
By Amanda Seitz Hours into the federal government shutdown, Julio Fuentes stood steps from the U.S. Capitol to deliver an urgent message about the Hispanic voting bloc that helped the GOP swoop into power last year. Those votes, he cautioned, are at risk if Congress doesn’t pass a law to preserve low premiums on Affordable Care Act marketplace plans for the roughly 4.7 million people living in his home state of Florida who are enrolled in the coverage. “Hispanic voters helped return Donald Trump to the White House,” said Fuentes, the CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Republican
Cory Booker Blames Trump for Health Care Shutdown Crisis
By Kendall Wright Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said talks remain stalled on the fifth day of the government shutdown, with Democrats seeking to undo Medicaid cuts and restore Obamacare subsidies and Republicans demanding a clean funding bill to fund the government into November. “It’s really a moment of health care crisis,” Booker told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. Booker said he’s less concerned with which party is to blame for the shutdown and more focused on Americans’ health and personal finances that he said are at risk from the shutdown. “I don’t care about the blame game. I
Supreme Court Faces Major Tests of Trump’s Powers
By Devin Dwyer President Donald Trump has been on a roll at the U.S. Supreme Court, winning more than a dozen interim rulings backing his aggressive use of executive power and a landmark decision curbing the ability of individual judges to block his policies nationwide. The big question now: Will the streak last? The nine justices return to the bench Monday for a new term that features marquee disputes over the scope of presidential power with major implications for Trump, the global economy, American foreign policy, and the midterm elections. “This term will tell us whether or not there are limits to the court’s broad view
What the Early Polls Say About the Shutdown
By Sahil Kapur and Ben Kamsiar Americans are more inclined to blame President Donald Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown, according to four independent national polls conducted just before or during the funding lapse. But there is fluidity in the political fight, as the surveys show a significant share of voters aren’t sure who to blame. The shutdown is only in its second day and, as Republicans and Democrats sharpen their messages, it’s not clear how long the impasse will last. Here’s what the four polls say: A Washington Post poll conducted on Oct. 1, the first day of
DNC Targets HBCU Homecomings to Engage Young Black Voters
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is taking its party message to HBCU campuses this homecoming season in an effort to engage young Black voters, whose support for the Democratic Party waned in the 2024 election. The DNC confirmed with theGrio that throughout October, several activations will be held at the campuses of Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Virginia State University, Cheney University, and Lincoln University. The five-figure investments of HBCU engagements are intended to reach students, parents, and alumni. Why DNC is focused on HBCU campuses “Homecoming is about culture, community, and credibility, so our presence at these events is
Shutdown 2025: Agencies Post Partisan Messages Blaming Dems
By Monica Alba, Laura Strickler, Dareh Gregorian and Amanda Terkel A number of federal agencies are putting out messages blaming Democratic senators for the current government shutdown, in a sharp break from how departments have handled shutdowns in the past. Traditionally, agencies provide information on the status of the funding lapse and what services won’t be available, but stay away from partisan talking points. Some civil servants, who are supposed to be nonpartisan, are being encouraged to push out the messages as well. The Department of Labor sent a message to all employees Wednesday morning, suggesting a potential out-of-office notification. It said the “template language”