All Politics
Voters elect Congress. Congress elects its leaders. How that works.Congress is picking its top leadership. We explain how, and why experts say it matters for voters to understand the process.
Sinema鈥檚 switch: Betraying voters, or mirroring them?The Arizona senator鈥檚 decision to become an independent didn鈥檛 please Democrats. But she may be in step with voters, who are increasingly unhappy with the two-party system.聽
First LookAfter strong midterms for Democrats, GOP rethinks mail ballot stanceEmboldened by Donald Trump, some Republican lawmakers have discouraged voters from voting by mail, condemning it as unsafe. However, after a disappointing midterm showing, GOP leaders are turning to mail-in ballots as a means of boosting voter turnout.聽
First LookState judge places hold on Oregon gun safety lawA new voter-approved gun safety law in Oregon was placed on hold Tuesday by a state court judge. Multiple gun rights groups, local sheriffs, and gun store owners say the law violates Americans鈥� constitutional right to bear arms.
First LookWarnock wins Georgia runoff, giving Democrats 51 seats in SenateDemocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock secured reelection Tuesday, defeating GOP candidate Herschel Walker in the Georgia runoff. His victory solidifies the state鈥檚 place as a Deep South battleground.
First LookCongressional Gold Medals to be awarded to Jan. 6 police officersPolice officers who worked to protect the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, will receive Congressional Gold Medals on Tuesday. Leaders from both parties will attend the ceremony. The House Jan. 6 committee continues to investigate the insurrection.
In tight Senate race, Georgia may hinge on new votersRaphael Warnock edged out Herschel Walker in November in large part because he performed better with independents 鈥� and despite low Black turnout. What might that mean for Tuesday鈥檚 runoff?
First LookCongress moves to protect gay marriage with Respect for Marriage ActThe Respect for Marriage Act, which establishes protections for marriage regardless of identity, passed the Senate and now moves to the House and President Joe Biden鈥檚 desk.聽Experts say the act reflects shifting public opinion on the issue of gay marriage.
First LookRail strike averted: Good for the economy, hard on unionsCongress has voted to avoid a national rail strike with a strong majority in both the House and the Senate. Unions are unhappy with the settlement that the vote will put in place, but a strike could have serious implications on supply chains and travel.
First LookMidterm results reflect growing range of pro-choice votersAfter a series of wins in November鈥檚 midterms, abortion rights groups are looking for new ways forward in state legislatures while some Republican strategists say the GOP should move away from supporting strict prohibitions.聽
First LookBeyond 鈥榗heck the box鈥�: Native tribes receive funds, representationPresident Joe Biden announced a series of pledges to strengthen Native American influence in federal policy. The pledges include funding tribes鈥� relocation, making a sacred mountain a national monument, and finalizing a plan to revive Native languages.
Reassessing US democracy: Stronger, but not out of the woodsAfter relatively smooth fall elections, America seems less vulnerable to a crisis of legitimacy. But experts still warn of anti-democratic trends.
First LookElection certification stumbles in rural Arizona countiesWhile election results have largely been certified without issue聽in jurisdictions across the country, that鈥檚 not the case in Arizona. The state was long a GOP stronghold, but Democrats won most of the highest profile races against controversial Republicans.
First LookTrump draws ire for dining with Holocaust denierMr. Trump denied that he knew Nick Fuentes, saying he showed up to Mar-a-Lago聽as part of a larger group with the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
Abortion politics, post-Roe, already loom over 2024Democrats campaigned on abortion rights in the midterms 鈥� and it worked, helping the party beat expectations. That focus will likely continue in 2024.
First Look鈥楢 perfect alignment鈥�: Michigan citizens draw fair electoral mapAfter a decade of government-drawn maps,聽citizens in Michigan were in charge of the electoral map for the state鈥檚 2022 midterm elections. The result was that the elected legislature almost exactly reflects the votes, a change from past elections.
After compromise, Senate poised to protect same-sex marriageAfter clearing a key hurdle, the Senate is poised to pass protections for same-sex marriages this month. How a compromise after months of negotiating led to bipartisanship on a culture war issue.
First LookGOP takes control of the House with 218th seatRepublicans narrowly secured a majority in the House Wednesday. Votes are still being counted in some competitive races, but President Biden said the midterm results show voters want Democrats and Republicans to find ways to cooperate in Washington.
In Colorado, Republicans and Democrats unite ... in waitingLauren Boebert, a聽Trump-backed incumbent, finds herself in a tighter race than expected. As election workers persevere, the nail-biter has聽demanded聽patience聽from聽a far-flung voter base.
First Look鈥楢nother four years鈥�: Trump announces third presidential campaignFormer President Donald Trump is officially entering the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Mr. Trump enters the race in the midst of a series of escalating criminal investigations and blame from the GOP for lackluster midterm results.
