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Hong’s Defeat in Wisconsin Sparks New Disagreements Within Democratic Party

Some Democrats said the outcome showed that the moderate wing of the party carried more electoral weight, while Ms. Hong’s strong showing gave some progressives hope.

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Aug 12 • 8:48 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Asia-Pacific parliamentarians urge bolder action for universal health coverage, climate resilience and responsible AI

Parliamentarians representing 16 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region concluded the Ninth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) today, reaffirming their key role in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) amid the risks and opportunities posed by AI and climate change. In adopting the Phnom Penh Communiqué, parliamentarians urged fellow legislators regionwide to strengthen sustainable financing for UHC to widen access to health for all, including the most vulnerable populations; promote responsible governance of AI amid ethical concerns over this fast-evolving technology; and build climate-resilient health systems to anticipate and respond to mounting pressures ranging from rising sea levels in coastal areas to air pollution and other environmental degradation.The National Assembly of Cambodia, with support from Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), hosted the Forum in Phnom Penh from 11 to 13 August 2026 – the first time the Forum has convened in a Mekong country.Parliamentarians urge action to close gaps in accessIn the Communiqué, parliamentarians recognized that at-risk and marginalized groups are the ones most severely affected by gaps in access to health services. These groups include people living in poverty, women and children, persons with disabilities, older people, migrants, refugees, and those in rural, remote or island communities. The Communiqué urges fellow parliamentarians and policy-makers to advocate for laws and policies that support sustainable financing to protect people from financial hardship, with a focus on primary health care, prevention and equity. "The Communiqué is a call to action. It sets out ambitious, concrete measures that deliver meaningful impact on the ground. We are all accountable for advancing universal health coverage and translating our commitments into tangible results. Cambodia is fully committed to advancing UHC, including the promotion of ‘healthy people, prosperous country’ campaign,” said Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia, highlighted the need for collaboration beyond the health sector. “Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by the Ministry of Health alone. It requires support, particularly from parliamentarians, across political, legislative, financial, social protection, education, infrastructure, and environmental domains. While each country follows its own path, one factor is universally critical for success: strong governance and leadership. We all believe in this principle, and in our respective political roles, we remain committed to strengthening these key success factors to ensure that no one is left behind.”Promoting responsible AI adoption Parliamentarians acknowledged that, while AI has already demonstrated its ability to improve access to health services and support delivery, careful and ethical governance is necessary to safeguard quality, safety, privacy and public trust. This underscores the importance of parliamentarians in promoting legal and regulatory frameworks addressing liability, records ownership and data governance, while embracing innovation that protects ethical practice.“Without strong governance, safeguards for privacy and data security, sustainable financing, and attention to those most at risk of exclusion, new technologies may widen existing gaps instead of closing them. This is why parliamentarians matter. We pass laws. We approve budgets. We scrutinize government action. We represent communities. We can ask whether health services are reaching rural, remote, ageing, poor, and marginalized populations. We can ask whether innovation is being guided by equity, evidence, and ethics,” said Hon. Man Hee Lee, President of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.Building climate-resilient health systemsParliamentarians also reiterated that the climate crisis is a direct threat to people’s health and to achieving UHC more broadly, deepening the same gaps in access already faced by at-risk and marginalized communities. They recognized the need for WHO Member States to ensure sufficient national appropriations and oversight, and for parliamentarians to raise awareness in their constituencies and mobilize local action in building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.“Universal health coverage, climate change and AI cannot be addressed in isolation. The same communities struggling to access health services today are often the ones most exposed to climate shocks, and most in need of the opportunities AI can offer if this technology is governed responsibly,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Having served previously in this Forum myself as a parliamentarian from Tonga, I recognize how the Phnom Penh Communiqué reflects the shared resolve of legislators across the Asia-Pacific region: the laws parliamentarians pass and the budgets they approve help ensure this progress reaches the people who need it most.”As the Forum drew to a close, delegates reflected on what they would carry back to their own parliaments and constituencies.“I wish to share three points here worth carrying home from Phnom Penh: we need to invest in primary health care as the foundation of coverage; we need to remove the barriers that keep people from care, whether financial, geographic or social; and we need to build systems that are inclusive by design, protecting those most at risk of being left behind,” added Hon. Ouch Borith, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia.###Notes for editors:The Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity and foster collaboration towards sustainable health action. This was the ninth meeting of the APPFGH, with the theme “Universal Health Coverage in the era of Climate Change and Artificial Intelligence”. Target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls on countries to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health services, and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. In the Western Pacific, UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1) rose from 63 in 2000 to 81 in 2023 (figures include Indonesia), and roughly one in four people in the Western Pacific have experienced financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2). Progress towards UHC in the Asia-Pacific region remains uneven, with hundreds of millions of people still lacking access to essential health services or facing financial hardship due to health-related expenses. Strengthening the role of parliaments – through legislation, financing and oversight – is central to closing this gap and accelerating progress towards UHC across the region.Parliamentarians participating in APPFGH in Cambodia this week include: Hon. Pehin Dato Adanan YUSOF, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. Rosmawatty ABDUL MUMIN, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. LORK Kheng, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. YOS Phanita, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOUN Khundy, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. HENG Halim, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOENG Noupheap, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. SENG Nhak, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. LY Sukry, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. NHOEURN Raden, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. Dr Ratu Atonio LALABALAVU, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Vijay NATH, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Man Hee LEE, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Jiho CHA, Republic of Korea; Hon. Jonghun BAEK, Republic of Korea; Hon. Youngsuk SEO, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Phayvanh KEOPASEUTH, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Suhaizan Bin KAIAT, Malaysia; Hon. Dr Perpetua KONMAN, Federated States of Micronesia; Hon. Ganmaa DAVAASAMBUU, Mongolia; Hon. Charmaine SCOTTY, Republic of Naoero; Hon. Vincent Ambance KUMURA, Papua New Guinea; Hon. Dr Edwin CRUZADO, Republic of the Philippines; Hon. AUUAPAAU Mulipola Aloitafua Mulipola, Samoa; Hon. ASIATA TAVUI Tafu Salevao, Samoa; Hon. Dr Alani Petelo TANGITAU, Tonga; Hon. Paul PAOLO, Republic of Vanuatu; Hon. Franklyn Ezra WILLIAM, Republic of Vanuatu.For more information, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia (International Relations Department): ir.nacambodia@gmail.com

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Aug 12 • 8:00 PM EDT • Health • who.int
How Amanda Janoo, a progressive political outsider, won Vermont’s Democratic primary for governor

“She represented a more authentic version of change, to enough voters, to give her the victory,” one observer said.

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Aug 12 • 7:07 PM EDT • Politics • vtdigger.org
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Former mayor unseats 14-term Democratic congressman
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Aug 12 • 6:29 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
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Democratic senator presses Pentagon over ‘broken toilets’ and ‘mental health’ aboard USS Lincoln

After families of sailors aboard the USS Lincoln described concerns to MS NOW about poor conditions and mental strain, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is demanding details from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

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Aug 12 • 5:54 PM EDT • Health • ms.now
How the Democratic establishment beat the odds in Wisconsin

One month after he suspended his campaign, David Crowley’s victory in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor on Tuesday marked an astonishing turn around.

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Aug 12 • 5:17 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
How David Crowley pulled off the ‘unbelievable’: Winning in Wisconsin after dropping out

Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, entered the primary for governor with a polling lead. But several missteps — and a key phone call — pushed Crowley to the Democratic nomination.

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Aug 12 • 4:53 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
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How Crowley’s win could impact the campaign for WI-03

Incumbent Republican Congressman Derrick Van Orden expected Francesca Hong to win the Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor.

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Aug 12 • 4:19 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumnews1.com
Warnock Leads Inquiry into State Department Efforts to Seek Personal Health Data in Exchange for Aid to Developing Nations » Reverend Raphael Warnock

In a new letter, Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock presses the Trump Administration on their efforts to obtain personal health data from African countries in exchange for global health funding The Trump Administration has requested direct, real-time access to the health data of citizens in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, and several […]

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Aug 12 • 3:15 PM EDT • Health • warnock.senate.gov
Why Were Polls So Wrong in the Wisconsin Governor’s Race?

Francesca Hong, the democratic socialist running in Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, had a double-digit lead in polls as recently as last week. Then she lost. What happened?

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Aug 12 • 1:22 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Minnesota is first state to set all-female matchups for the biggest races

Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Republican Michele Tafoya are running for Senate, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) and state House Speaker Lisa Demuth are running for governor.

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Aug 12 • 1:00 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Forget left vs. center. Democratic voters are making clear they just want change

Results in Democratic primaries in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Connecticut have reiterated that Democratic voters are hungry for change, even as they remain divided over the party’s ideological future

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Aug 12 • 11:39 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Analysis | With Crowley atop their ticket, Wisconsin Democrats hope for a 2026 sweep

The party establishment is breathing a sign of relief that democratic socialist Francesca Hong, who led the pre-election polls by double-digits, will not be topping their ticket.

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Aug 12 • 11:30 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
David Crowley wins Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor over Francesca Hong

Crowley narrowly defeated democratic socialist Hong, who was hoping to ride the wave of recent victories by progressive candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in neighboring Michigan’s U.S. Senate race last week.

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Aug 12 • 10:57 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Wisconsin primary offers mixed signals for Democrats, and other election takeaways

David Crowley’s win by less than a percentage point over state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, showed neither side of the party debate was winning the argument convincingly.

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Aug 12 • 10:42 AM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
How California's primary election reflects the perils facing the national Democratic Party

Low turnout among young and non-white voters in California signals that Democrats should focus on organizing to beat Republicans nationally.

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Aug 12 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • calmatters.org
Moderate Dem scores upset in Wisconsin governor's race; Darline Graham in runoff

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley managed a razor-thin victory over his democratic socialist challenger, state Rep. Francesca Hong

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Aug 12 • 7:59 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
Fact check: How Tim Scott and a Republican attack ad misleadingly snipped key context from El-Sayed’s ‘dangerous’ speech

The leader of Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, Sen. Tim Scott, said in a Sunday interview on CNN that people should believe something Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed supposedly said about himself. But Scott took El-Sayed’s quote out of context. So did an attack ad released last week by the group Scott chairs.

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Aug 12 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
David Crowley defeats Francesca Hong in Wisconsin governor primary

Centrist David Crowley is projected to have beaten democratic socialist Francesca Hong, breaking a recent nationwide trend.

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Aug 12 • 5:55 AM EDT • Politics • bbc.com
"Woke 1 was crazy": AOC seeks do-over on 2020-era rhetoric

The most prominent democratic socialist wants a mulligan.

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Aug 12 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • axios.com
High-Signal Publisher
David Crowley will win Wisconsin’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, CNN projects
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Aug 12 • 4:37 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
David Crowley defeats Francesca Hong to win Democratic primary for Wisconsin governor

Crowly pulls off last-minute victory in tight race after polls had shown his progressive opponent as a clear frontrunner

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Aug 12 • 4:32 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
8 Takeaways from Tuesday’s Primaries

A moderate won the closely fought Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin, the latest contest between the party’s progressive and moderate wings.

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Aug 12 • 2:09 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
8 Takeaways from Tuesday’s Primaries

A Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin remained neck and neck early Wednesday, leaving a national battle between progressive and moderate wings largely unsettled.

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Aug 12 • 2:09 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Cooke wins Democratic primary in Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District

Cooke is making her second run against Van Orden, who defeated her in the 2024 general election.

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Aug 12 • 12:42 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumnews1.com
Progressive Peggy Flanagan sweeps Minnesota Senate primary in race defined by anti-ICE anger

State’s Democratic lieutenant governor bests Angie Craig in another election contest pitting a progressive against a moderate

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Aug 11 • 11:36 PM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Amanda Janoo wins Vermont’s Democratic governor primary

The economist, who was virtually unknown before announcing her campaign, beat out Aly Richards, the former CEO of a prominent child care lobbying and advocacy group.

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Aug 11 • 11:04 PM EDT • Politics • vtdigger.org
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Dems eye pick-up in Wisconsin swing district as Rep Van Orden set for rematch in key House race

Rebecca Cooke won Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District Democratic primary, setting up a rematch with Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden this fall.

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Aug 11 • 10:39 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Rebecca Cooke Wins Democratic Primary for Key Wisconsin House Seat

Ms. Cooke, a three-time congressional candidate, held a huge fund-raising edge in a western Wisconsin race that Democrats consider pivotal to their hopes of flipping the House.

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Aug 11 • 10:23 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
14-term Rep. John Larson ousted by challenger in Connecticut Democratic primary, CBS News projects
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Aug 11 • 10:17 PM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
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Rep. John Larson, a Longtime Lawmaker, Loses a Primary in Connecticut

In an upset, Luke Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford, won the Democratic nomination, capitalizing on calls for generational change.

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Aug 11 • 10:07 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Amy Klobuchar Wins Minnesota’s Democratic Primary for Governor

The fourth-term U.S. senator jolted Minnesota politics early this year by mounting a bid to succeed Gov. Tim Walz.

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Aug 11 • 9:28 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Areas to Watch in Wisconsin’s Democratic Primary for Governor

A race between Francesca Hong and David Crowley could highlight the fault lines between Madison and Milwaukee.

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Aug 11 • 9:19 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Dems move to stop Blakeman’s AI depictions; he claims they’re trying to cheat

New York Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs filed a complaint with the state Board of Elections alleging the Blakeman campaign is violating state law.

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Aug 11 • 7:07 PM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
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A tale of two candidates in LD 14: Biggs’ political name versus Walsh’s career experience

Legislative District 14 is reliably Republican, making a Democratic upset this November a long shot.

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Aug 11 • 6:03 PM EDT • Politics • azcapitoltimes.com
Democrat Amy Acton breaks with party to support Issue 3

Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton is breaking with her party to support Issue 3, an amendment enshrining the state's voter photo identification requirement in the state constitution.

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Aug 11 • 4:48 PM EDT • Politics • news5cleveland.com
What to watch in primaries in Wisconsin and Minnesota and beyond

The left vs. center theme is on display in Democratic primaries in multiple states voting Tuesday, with other significant races in places like Alabama and South Carolina.

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Aug 11 • 4:33 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Live Results: Connecticut midterm primaries

Two veteran Democratic incumbents in Connecticut face strong challenges in a state primary on Tuesday.

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Aug 11 • 2:40 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Fueled by national movement, democratic socialist shakes up Wisconsin's governor's race

A democratic socialist is trying to rise above the governor’s endorsed candidate in Wisconsin’s chaotic primary race for governor.

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Aug 11 • 2:16 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
The Guardian view on AI money in US politics: not the way to hold an urgent democratic debate

Editorial: Amid public concern over the impact of new technology, Silicon Valley’s use of its wealth to influence specific election races is an unwelcome development

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Aug 11 • 2:04 PM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Alabama Republicans to pick nominee to challenge Democratic Rep. Figures in redrawn district

Six Republicans are competing in a special primary election Tuesday to challenge Democratic Rep. Shomari Figures in November. the district's Black voting age population dropped from 48% to 40%, making it more favorable for Republicans.

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Aug 11 • 1:32 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs chooses former GOP Mayor John Giles as running mate

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has selected a Republican-turned-independent as her running mate in a tough reelection campaign.

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Aug 11 • 1:19 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
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Trump DOJ formally stakes out bold claim that presidential advisers outside government are protected by privilege

Communications that President Donald Trump has with advisers who don’t even work for his administration can be protected by executive privilege, the Justice Department said in a memo Monday evening that comes amid lawsuits and a possible Democratic takeover of Congress.

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Aug 11 • 1:16 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
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In a partisan age, a Democratic governor goes outside her brand for a running mate

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), facing a tough reelection fight, chooses former mayor John Giles, a lifelong Republican who recently became an independent.

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Aug 11 • 12:48 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Dem governor booed at Virginia Old Fiddlers' Convention

Video shows Virginia Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger greeted by loud boos at the Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax amid sagging poll numbers.

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Aug 11 • 11:58 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
ND Expert on democracy: Can better civics education restore voter dissatisfaction over political corruption?

This summer, America celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, widely recognized as the formal founding of our nation and one of the early stages of establishing a democratic government. Over the past two decades, however, democracies all over the world have struggled with a lack of clear support. Democracy scholars have referred to these challenges as evidence of backsliding, a phenomenon that has many political and social scientists concerned, including Notre Dame development economist Enrique Seira Bejarano.

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Aug 11 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • news.nd.edu
James Talarico Said He Wouldn’t Accept Any Endorsements From the Pulpit. He Just Did.

The Democratic nominee for Senate has decried such political engagement from pastors, saying that the church-state boundary is “sacred.”

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Aug 11 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • texasmonthly.com
Democratic progressives and establishment set to clash in more primaries

Tuesday’s competitions in Wisconsin and Minnesota follow similar battles for the direction of the party, including last week in Michigan where progressive Abdul El-Sayed triumphed

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Aug 11 • 6:44 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized

Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA

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Aug 11 • 6:33 AM EDT • Health • paulkrugman.substack.com
Wisconsin considers democratic socialist for governor amid US wave of progressive wins

Francesca Hong is Democratic frontrunner in four-way primary race to lead the swing state, a test of anti-establishment sentiment

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Aug 11 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • theguardian.com
Wisconsin's Democratic showdown between Francesca Hong and David Crowley and more races to watch today
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Aug 11 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • cbsnews.com
High-Signal Publisher
Top Obama ally reveals which far-left candidate needs to lose to help progressives win

David Axelrod calls Francesca Hong a "font of zany liberal, faculty lounge exotica" and says her Wisconsin primary loss would help Abdul El-Sayed.

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Aug 11 • 5:21 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
How democratic socialism became Democrats' new purity test

DSA candidates are reshaping the Democratic Party – but the pull left may have less to do with policy than with the psychology of group belonging.

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Aug 11 • 5:09 AM EDT • Politics • usatoday.com
Wisconsin weighs a democratic socialist governor and other key races to watch in Tuesday’s primaries

The next battles over the Democratic Party’s ideological direction come Tuesday in a slate of primaries that includes showdowns in two upper Midwestern political battlegrounds.

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Aug 11 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Democratic rebellion against older politicians reaches new battleground

Former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, 47, is challenging Rep. John Larson, who is 78 and running for his fifteenth term representing Connecticut's first district.

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Aug 11 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Can AOC moderate her views enough to appeal beyond the Democratic base?
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Aug 10 • 11:03 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Trump Stokes Islamophobia by Calling Democratic Candidates ‘Jihadists’

Along with his comments about Muslim candidates, Mr. Trump spoke disparagingly of Somalis in the United States, saying “they’re not smart.”

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Aug 10 • 6:49 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
Can a democratic socialist upset the establishment in Wisconsin?
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Aug 10 • 6:35 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
Wisconsin’s Roller Coaster of a Democratic Primary Race for Governor Crashes to an End

Democrats appear likely to nominate a democratic socialist for governor. How did they get here?

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Aug 10 • 5:44 PM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
As Francesca Hong surged, Democratic rivals held their fire: From the Politics Desk

Plus, new bipartisan odd couple in the Senate.

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Aug 10 • 5:00 PM EDT • Politics • nbcnews.com
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Minnesota’s Democratic Senate Primary Pits Angie Craig Against Peggy Flanagan

The Senate primary race in Minnesota will be the latest test of left-wing energy in the party, in a state that was convulsed by the Trump administration’s deadly immigration crackdown this winter.

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Aug 10 • 10:04 AM EDT • Politics • nytimes.com
2026 APSA Theme Panel: US Democratic Decline and Its Implications for International Politics -

US Democratic Decline and Its Implications for International Politics Friday, September 4, 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm 2026 APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition — Boston, MA | Register here In-person | Roundtable Participants: (Chair) Emilia Simison, Queen [...]

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Aug 10 • 10:00 AM EDT • Politics • politicalsciencenow.com
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Connecticut’s state primary

Two veteran Democratic incumbents in Connecticut face strong challenges in a state primary on Tuesday.

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Aug 10 • 8:39 AM EDT • Politics • wsls.com
Socialists Need to Develop a Constitutional Politics

To win change for working people, the Democratic Socialists of America should expand its vision of how to change our constitutional order. We can smash unaccountable executive and judiciary power even without having to amend the Constitution.

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Aug 10 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • jacobin.com
How Troy Jackson went from Maine logger to the Democratic nominee for Senate

Troy Jackson's path to politics started during his time as a logger in Maine's north woods. Now he's the Democrat challenging five-term Republican Susan Collins for a Senate seat that could determine control of the chamber in November.

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Aug 10 • 7:58 AM EDT • Politics • spectrumlocalnews.com
A new housing politics is taking shape on the left

Can democratic socialist Nithya Raman make Los Angeles build?

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Aug 10 • 7:15 AM EDT • Politics • vox.com
The 9 Senate seats most likely to flip in 2026

With less than three months until Election Day, the general election fight for control of the US Senate is in full swing after a summer of upheaval and decisions in Democratic contests.

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Aug 10 • 6:00 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Cancel Thanksgiving? This Democratic candidate is testing limits

Opponent says the 37-year-old frontrunner for Wisconsin's Democratic governor nomination is 'not ready for prime time' ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.

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Aug 10 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • usatoday.com
Wisconsin, Minnesota primaries are next to feature progressive clash with Democratic establishment

Progressive candidates for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pushes ahead of Tuesday’s election

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Aug 10 • 12:12 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Bernie Sanders demands Democrats ban super PACs from primaries, blasts AIPAC, ‘corrupt system’

Sanders is urging Democratic leaders to ban super PACs from party primaries, citing concerns about outside spending and influence.

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Aug 9 • 5:49 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Abdul El-Sayed and Barack Obama spoke as Democrats seek to unify following heated Senate primary

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed on Sunday described a “really warm” conversation with former President Barack Obama as the party seeks to find a path forward following last week’s bruising primary.

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Aug 9 • 5:17 PM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says she’s freezing her eggs

The Democratic congresswoman, 36, said she made the decision to undergo the fertility procedure to “feel more in control of my life.”

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Aug 9 • 3:45 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Trump's immigration crackdown looms over Minnesota's bruising Senate primary

Months later, confrontations between immigration agents and protestors in Minneapolis remain the backdrop to Minnesota's Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, which features establishment-backed U.S. Rep. Angie Craig and the more progressive Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

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Aug 9 • 1:18 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
Trump's immigration crackdown looms over Minnesota's bruising Senate primary

The Democratic Senate primary in Minnesota is heating up and immigration has become a central issue

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Aug 9 • 12:30 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Ocasio-Cortez says new age progressives ‘answer to no master’

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Sunday shared support for progressives in the Democratic Party, backing their ability to answer to “no master.” “I think when I see so many of the…

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Aug 9 • 10:28 AM EDT • Politics • thehill.com
Why haven't Mississippi Democrats found a governor candidate?

The election for governor in 2027 is a crucial moment for the Mississippi Democratic Party. The problem? The party still doesn't have a candidate.

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Aug 9 • 5:44 AM EDT • Politics • clarionledger.com
Pols & Politics: Former Gov. Charlie Baker to headline Dem DA candidate’s fundraiser, snubs GOP hopeful

Charlie Baker is hosting a fundraiser for a Democratic DA candidate while snubbing the GOP challenger. Plus: Spilka responds to criticism of a veteran campaign sign and another Healey endorsement.

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Aug 9 • 4:28 AM EDT • Politics • bostonherald.com
2 Democrats competing in congressional primary to represent SW Wisconsin

Two Democratic candidates seek their party’s nomination in Tuesday’s primary election to represent southwest Wisconsin in Washington next year.

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Aug 9 • 2:00 AM EDT • Politics • telegraphherald.com
How Troy Jackson went from Maine logger to Democratic nominee for Senate against Susan Collins

Jackson’s campaign has focused on his ties to Aroostook County, a sprawling, wooded region known as “The County” to Mainers.

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Aug 8 • 3:05 PM EDT • Politics • pbs.org
🙂 Positive (35%)
Smerconish: Will the Democratic Party become the party of democratic socialism?
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Aug 8 • 11:11 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
How Troy Jackson went from Maine logger to the Democratic nominee for Senate against Susan Collins

Troy Jackson’s path to politics started during his time as a logger in Maine’s north woods

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Aug 8 • 8:51 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Wirth downplays Social Security disaster talk

Forty-five years ago this week: “As time goes on,” said Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Wirth, of the 2nd Congressional District, “we are finding that the safety net, which was proposed earlier this year, has some very large holes in it,” referring to a recently debated Social Security policy change. Wirth had joined with the majority […]

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Aug 8 • 7:00 AM EDT • Politics • coloradopolitics.com
Democratic voters who used to back Susan Collins aren’t so sure anymore

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has counted on split-ticket voters to help her win office in a blue state. Some of those supporters are more reluctant to vote for her again.

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Aug 8 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com
Data centers are a political issue crossing party lines, driving voters to candidates

Wisconsin Democratic candidate for governor Francesca Hong called for a moratorium on data centers. So did Ohio Republican governor hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, as data centers begin to dominate campaigns.

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Aug 8 • 5:00 AM EDT • Politics • npr.org
Deep dive High-Signal Publisher
😐 Neutral (6%)
wow
47%
ahah
29%
love
24%
Pearson wins Democratic primary, vows to ‘refuse to be turned around’ by redistricting
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Aug 8 • 1:13 AM EDT • Politics • cnn.com
😐 Neutral (0%)
Democratic socialist Francesca Hong has former child star, OnlyFans model in senior campaign role: report

An OnlyFans model and sex worker advocate is reportedly serving as deputy campaign manager for Francesca Hong's Wisconsin governor campaign.

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Aug 8 • 12:21 AM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Taiwan’s push to dissolve pro-Beijing party triggers political censorship debate

Politicians divided over proposal to ban Chinese Unification Promotion Party after ministry says it jeopardises free and democratic constitutional order.

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Aug 7 • 9:00 PM EDT • Politics • scmp.com
Could the last time a Democrat was elected Ohio governor foreshadow this year's election?

Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland was elected governor twenty years ago this November, and recent polls indicate the race for Ohio governor this year is close.

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Aug 7 • 8:15 PM EDT • Politics • statenews.org
What El-Sayed’s rise reveals about the future of US politics | Altaf Moti

Future Democratic coalitions may depend less on demographic identity alone and more on shared economic interests.

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Aug 7 • 8:00 PM EDT • Politics • thearabweekly.com
DSA set up table at Mamdani's city-run transit event

The DSA is not officially a political party.

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Aug 7 • 7:20 PM EDT • Politics • ny1.com
No political saviors: The Tennessee primary election cycle and the politics of maturity

Rep. Justin J. Pearson had nearly every objective measure for political success in his Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District.

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Aug 7 • 1:57 PM EDT • Politics • tennesseelookout.com
R.I. Democratic challengers find footing with business group's multi-PAC strategy

The conservative political group spends $50K on five Democratic legislative candidates while encouraging anonymous donations.

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Aug 7 • 10:54 AM EDT • Business • bostonglobe.com
How a neighborhood in NYC became the center of democratic socialist power

Astoria is the most high-profile example of democratic socialist politicians amassing power, pushing a culture that could foreshadow Democrats’ future

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Aug 7 • 10:38 AM EDT • Politics • detroitnews.com
The Most Basic Step of the Ebola Response Is Falling Short

Curbing the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will require stepping up testing.

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Aug 7 • 9:13 AM EDT • Health • theatlantic.com
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on Historic Michigan Win: “People Are Sick and Tired of This Politics of Hatred”

We speak with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed after his victory in Michigan’s primary race for U.S. Senate sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party. El-Sayed, a former public health official, ran a progressive campaign focused on affordability, Medicare for All, getting money out of politics, and opposing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. He defeated Congressmember Haley Stevens, who was backed by tens of millions in outside spending including by AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel lobby group. “In an era where many of us can’t afford basic things like groceries or rent or healthcare, the idea that your government is sending your tax dollars to buy bombs and tanks for foreign governments seems anathema,” El-Sayed says. “That money could be spent to fix your potholes, rebuild your kid’s school.” El-Sayed says his focus now is on beating Republican nominee Mike Rogers, whom he calls a “bootlicker for Trumpism,” and to present a positive vision for his party that can lead into the next Democratic presidential administration.

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Aug 7 • 8:00 AM EDT • Politics • democracynow.org
House Democrats Demand Answers From Trump’s VA on Vets Struggling to Access Mental Healthcare

A letter from Democratic lawmakers to VA Secretary Doug Collins cites a recent ProPublica investigation that found hundreds of therapists have left the agency and vets often aren’t getting the help they need.

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Aug 7 • 6:00 AM EDT • Health • propublica.org
John Fetterman is losing support among his party's voters. High-profile Democrats are emerging as potential challengers

For John Fetterman and Chris Deluzio, it was a moment of unity in front of a large crowd of fired-up Democratic voters. On the eve of the 2022 election,...

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Aug 7 • 4:00 AM EDT • Politics • post-gazette.com
Opinion | A political debate that was actually civil

Democratic candidates for the Sixth District offered a glimpse of what politics can be: civil, substantive, and focused on the problems voters actually care about.

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Aug 7 • 3:00 AM EDT • Politics • bostonglobe.com
Trump-backed incumbent loses primary after super PAC bankrolled by Dems meddled in race

A super PAC bankrolled by a California billionaire and frequent Democratic donor spent $2 million to unseat Andy Ogles over renewable energy policy.

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Aug 6 • 6:34 PM EDT • Politics • foxnews.com
Francesca Hong faces scrutiny over ‘cancel Thanksgiving’ post

Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist running for Wisconsin governor, is getting attention for social media posts calling for canceling Thanksgiving and abolishing police.

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Aug 6 • 4:00 PM EDT • Politics • washingtonpost.com