SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " representative " 729 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
Virginia approves redistricting, giving Democrats edge in midterms
The new maps in Virginia could make it easier for Democrats to take control of the US House of Representatives in November.
'We have to do better': GOP, Dems say there's a culture problem in Congress
Over the last week, the U.S. House of Representatives has been rocked by resignations.
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns Amid Expulsion Threat
Florida Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick stepped down just moments before an ethics panel meeting on her fate.
Carderock Scientists Inspire Future Innovators at Calvert County MESA Day
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) representatives engaged with students in a rural Maryland community during the Calvert County MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) Day at Huntingtown High School, April 9. Through an inspiring keynote speech and a live demonstration of a Boston Dynamics robot dog, Carderock scientists highlighted pathways to naval engineering careers, reinforcing the Navy's commitment to building the future STEM workforce by bridging the distance to underserved communities.
Public Health Certification: CPH, CDI and the new CPHN
Please join representatives from the National Board of Public Health Examiners as they summarize opportunities for certification in public health.
Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigns from Congress
Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is resigning from the US House of Representatives, she announced in a statement.
Registered Nurses, Customer Service Representatives and Retail Salespersons are the Top Jobs in February - Alabama Department of Labor
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 21, 2026 Registered Nurses, Customer Service Representatives and Retail Salespersons are the Top Jobs in February MONTGOMERY - Data collected and analyzed by the Alabama Department of Workforce’s Labor Market Information (LMI) Division shows that in February 2026, there were 104,060 job ads posted in Alabama, representing a monthly increase of […]
Reps. Smucker and Davids Introduce Bipartisan ‘Accountable Produce is Medicine Act’
WASHINGTON — Representatives Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced the bipartisan Accountable Produce is Medicine Act (H.R. 8355), legislation aimed at modernizing the U.S. health care system by incorporating proven nutrition-based interventions to prevent and manage chronic disease.
Ex-staffers defend California governor hopeful after viral clips raise conduct questions
After Eric Swalwell’s exit, a letter from 30 ex-staffers of former representative Katie Porter seeks to blunt attacks as Democrats fear getting locked out of the race.
Carderock Scientists Inspire Future Innovators at Calvert County MESA
HUNTINGTOWN, Md. (April 9, 2026) – To bridge the distance between a national naval research center and students in rural communities, representatives from the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock
Vermont businesses seek thousands in tariff refunds as federal system launches
“I think it could be huge,” said a representative of one Vermont customs broker. “I’m sure it's going to be a big windfall for a lot of companies in Vermont and elsewhere.”
Trump's tariff revival sparks business pushback
(The Center Square) – Businesses worldwide are urging caution as the U.S. Trade Representative's Office prepares for key hearings central to President Donald Trump's renewed push for higher import taxes,
Business Monday: Recovery Center to help small businesses affected by downtown Hilo fire
The U.S. Small Business Administration is setting up a recovery center where representatives will help businesses that burned in the 2025 Hilo fire apply for low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
Advancing epidemic and pandemic preparedness through research readiness: SEAR Unity Studies Network Sites chart the way forward in 2026
On 25 March 2026, WHO Regional Office for the South‑East Asia Region (SEARO) convened the first meeting of the SEAR Chapter of the Unity Studies Network Meeting in 2026 to take stock of progress and plan next steps for strengthening epidemic and pandemic preparedness across the Region. The meeting focused on reviewing the ongoing adaptation of selected, standard Unity Study methodologies, sharing field implementation experiences from 2025, and identifying key priorities to guide collaborative work in 2026.Held virtually, the meeting brought together representatives from six Unity Studies network sites across five countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) as well as participants from all three levels of WHO.The meeting took place against the backdrop of ongoing regional efforts in South‑East Asia to strengthen early investigations and studies for epidemic and pandemic preparedness, with a focus on pandemic influenza and other emerging respiratory pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential. In this context, and as part of preparedness for the rapid generation of evidence, the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in SEAR (WHE/SEAR) encourages Unity Studies sites to adapt prioritized, standardized Unity Study protocols to their national contexts. This approach supports the generation of timely and reliable evidence to inform public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.These efforts are supported through a combination of experience sharing, participation in the global Unity Studies network webinars, capacity‑building of the national public health workforce, and regional collaboration that promotes inter‑country, inter‑agency, and inter‑ministerial action. In parallel, sites are encouraged to explore diversified funding sources to help sustain research preparedness over the long term.Discussions highlighted the importance of WHO’s catalytic financial support through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contributions (PIP‑PC). When combined with national and institutional resources, this support enables countries and sites to maintain continuity of activities at a core level and remain prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to future epidemics and pandemics.Regional and Global Updates: Opening the session, Dr Pushpa Ranjan Wijesinghe, Programme Area Manager, Pandemic and Epidemic Management (PEM) Unit, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, highlighted the progress made in operationalizing the Unity Studies Network across the Region and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of WHO at all three levels, together with country unity studies sites. He emphasized the availability of limited but catalytic funding through the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contribution (PIP‑PC) workplan at SEARO to sustain network activities in 2026, while encouraging sites to leverage additional funding sources to expand implementation.Representing SEARO, Dr Ashok Basnet, consultant, Pandemic Influenza Preparedness reported that, at the regional level, the Unity Studies Network currently includes six sites across five countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He noted that in 2025, catalytic funding supported protocol adaptation, training, and pilot implementation. In addition, a regional Unity Studies symposium held during the Global Public Health Summit in Sri Lanka strengthened and advocated collaboration between the Unity Studies site, national decision‑making forum, relevant technical units of the ministry of health, WHO and other partners.The symposium also highlighted the role of early investigations and studies as a key component of a multi‑source surveillance system needed at country level to generate a broad range of evidence. It underscored the critical role of country Unity Studies sites and similar research entities in generating evidence to support public health decision‑making during epidemics and pandemics.Participants of the WHO GISRS Unity Studies Sites Network- SEAR Chapter Meeting 2026 (Photo credit- PEM/WHE/SEARO). SEARO also updated participants on ongoing efforts to develop a regional Unity Studies webpage and to promote participation in global knowledge‑sharing platforms, including webinars and the WHO Community of Practice. Priorities for 2026 include supporting the implementation of Unity protocols, strengthening collaboration and experience sharing across sites, documenting and publishing findings, integrating Unity Studies activities as a component of multi-source national surveillance systems, and building workforce capacity.Dr Nickle Boddington of the Global Influenza Programme (GIP) at WHO Headquarters, which coordinates the Unity Studies Network globally, provided updates on global Unity Studies activities, noting that the network has expanded to 16 sites worldwide. New and updated protocols, including rapid clinical severity assessment tools and standardized data platforms, are being developed to support implementation. The global Community of Practice has also been launched to facilitate technical exchange, and continued support will be provided to sites for protocol adaptation, ethical approvals, and readiness for early investigation during outbreaks. Updates from Unity Studies sites in SEAR in 2025Unity Studies sites shared progress and experiences in implementing protocols across diverse country contexts. Sites initiated activities in 2025 using catalytic funding from SEARO, complemented by the mobilization of internal national resources. The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh, reported the adoption and piloting of investigation protocols on non‑seasonal influenza and emerging respiratory diseases during recent avian influenza outbreaks, demonstrating a multi‑source funding approach involving government, WHO and One Health partners.The Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (HIMSR), New Delhi, India, highlighted the piloting of household transmission investigation studies, the expansion of the national Unity Studies network, and the contribution of study findings to global evidence through published outputs. The All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India, shared experiences from large‑scale seroprevalence studies conducted during the COVID‑19 pandemic, recent efforts to strengthen national Unity network sites through training activities, and plans to initiate multi‑centre studies on respiratory viruses.Similarly, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, highlighted its experience in developing integrated surveillance and diagnostic protocols for multiple respiratory pathogens, enhancing readiness for targeted investigations of emerging threats. The University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka, reported ongoing engagement with the Ministry of Health and exploration of additional funding sources to initiate studies. Meanwhile, the National Public Health Laboratory, Nepal, provided updates on continued coordination with national stakeholders to initiate implementation, despite delays related to the country context.Across sites, shared experiences underscored the importance of protocol adaptation, multisectoral collaboration, and sustainable funding to operationalize Unity Studies and generate evidence for public health action.Discussions and Way ForwardThe meeting reinforced key priorities for 2026, including strengthening unity studies protocol implementation, enhancing collaboration, knowledge sharing, integrating research as a component of national multi-source surveillance systems, and ensuring that generated evidence informs public health decision‑making. Participants also emphasized the importance of documentation, visibility, and leveraging multiple funding sources, and agreed on the following action points.Unity Studies Sites and WHO Country Offices:Advance adoption and implementation of at least one Unity protocol, continuing activities initiated in 2025 with catalytic funding, supplemented with other sources of funding where feasible.Document site-specific experiences, outcomes, and lessons learned; participate in regional and global knowledge-sharing platforms including WHO webinars and the Community of Practice.Work closely with ministries of health to establish unified national platforms for translating generated evidence into national public health decision-making. WHO Country Offices may facilitate technical support and complementary, synergistic funding opportunities where feasible. WHO Regional OfficeCoordinate with WHO Country Offices to support implementation of core unity studies activities by network sites through catalytic funding and provide technical guidance and virtual engagement opportunities throughout 2026.Facilitate the participation of all Unity Studies sites in the regional meeting on Unity Studies implementation in October 2026, to be held back‑to‑back with the Annual SEAR Regional PIP‑PC Meeting; develop and host a SEAR Unity Studies website; and mobilize support from academic institutions within the SEAR Unity Studies Network to support the development of regional manuscripts that showcase Unity Studies activities to scientific audiences and promote knowledge‑sharing.Explore complementary funding opportunities and partnerships to sustain and expand network activities across the Region.WHO HeadquartersProvide global technical guidance, updated protocols, and toolkits to support the implementation of Unity Studies in SEAR.Facilitate engagement of SEAR sites in global webinars, the Community of Practice, and opportunities to showcase their work.Support joint publications, inclusion of SEAR experiences in global outputs, and identification of additional funding and collaborative opportunities to strengthen Unity Studies activities.
State House moves forward with Health Dept. budget
LANSING — Two and a half months before the state’s budget deadline, members of the Republican-led Michigan House of Representatives unleashed a flurry of budget proposals from their respective subcommittees, including a three-part plan to fund the Department of Health and Human Services. With the department making up nearly half of the state budget, members […]
Politics: Iowa House approves bills affecting license plate readers, chatbots
The Iowa House of Representatives approved two measures last week relating to the usage of automated license plate readers and AI chatbots, bills that advocates for privacy and child safety
Trump envoy faces 'sweeping' investigation over business ties, diplomatic role
Democratic U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin launched what he described as a "sweeping" investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, over a potential conflict of interest, according to an April 17 press release. The inquiry focuses on Kushner's dual role as a diplomatic intermediary and head of a private equity firm, raising questions about whether his financial ties could influence U.S. foreign policy decisions. Kushner has played a central role in Trum
Sphere Entertainment in talks to build venue at Nashville East Bank scrapyard
Sphere Entertainment Company recently entered into conversations with the owners of Nashville’s East Bank scrapyard property about developing a potential venue, according to people familiar with the discussions. Axios reported last month that representatives tied to the Las Vegas Sphere had been in discussions with Nashville executives about bringing a smaller version of the high-tech concert venue to the market. A spokesperson for the scrapyard ownership group declined to comment, and Sphere Entertainment did not respond to a request for comment. More discussions occurred as recently as the past two weeks, the Nashville Business Journal reported, though the status of […]
Health Subcommittee: The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Health and Human Services Budget
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Ionic Studios Signs Electric Entertainment's ELECTRIC NOW/ ELECTRIC NOW EN ESPANOL FAST/ AVOD APP, Featuring Leverage, The Librarians, and The Ark to Its CTV Portfolio
Ionic Studios, the CTV studio for the open ecosystem, today announced a strategic partnership with Electric Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based production and distribution company, founded by Dean Devlin. Under the agreement, Electric's content will join Ionic serving as brand-level representative across CTV and FAST—merchandising the studio's streaming platforms, ENOW and ENOW EN ESPANOL to advertisers, packaging it into audience-defined offerings, and delivering the buying standards that medi
Colorado state legislators must recognize EMS is essential
By Dusty A. Johnson Currently, emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians such as EMTs and paramedics are not listed as essential in Colorado, and that is not OK. A few weeks ago, the Colorado House of Representatives unambiguously passed a bill to designate emergency medical services as an essential service. My bill is long overdue in […]
'Show me the money'
What happens when a former senator, a prior governor, a previous representative, and a political advocate talk about corporate money in politics? The exact scenario played out at the MSU-hosted discussion titled “Money, Transparent Elections and the Montana Experience,” at the end of last week. Audience members experienced a bipartisan glimpse into corporate influence, how it is built, spent on campaigns and challenged by voters. A candid conversation emerged between guest speakers former Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester, former Attorney General and Governor Marc Racicot, previous state senator and representative Jeff Mangan, and political advocate Michel Beckel. The conversation between the four guests circled back to Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a landmark 2010 Supreme Court ruling allowing corporations, unions, and associations to spend unlimited amounts of money influencing elections. The decision concluded independent political spending is a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment, directly leading to the rise of massive political action committees and ‘dark money’ in U.S. elections spending. Tester was the first to address the ‘black elephant’ in the room. Responses to moderator questions are edited for clarity and brevity. “We are seeing unbelievable sums of money being put out trying to influence people on how to vote,” Tester said. “Oftentimes the truth goes out the window before the campaigning even starts.”
Live Results: New Jersey special congressional election to replace Mikie Sherrill
Residents of New Jersey's 11th Congressional District will have a representative in Congress for the first time this year after a special election on Thursday.
Ohio State urban science center celebrates 25 years
The Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA) at The Ohio State University celebrated its 25th anniversary with a festive brunch and commendations from the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate, as well as from Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther.Founded in 2001, CURA’s mission is research and outreach to foster more sustainable, resilient an...
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Legislative Hearing Discussing Solutions to Improve Public Health of Americans
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
NBAA Welcomes House Approval of ALERT Act
NBAA welcomed approval by the House of Representatives of the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act, H.R.7613.
Bill to expand subacute mental health care access goes to governor's desk
A bill that aims to expand access to subacute mental health care, which is one step below hospitalization, is on its way to the governor’s desk.
House returns as two lawmakers vow to resign amid scandals
Representatives Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, and Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican, announced Monday they would resign amid scrutiny over their conduct
Early voting begins this week. What positions are on the ballot?
Shelby County will effectively have a new set of elected officials after the election; many current representatives are term-limited or seeking other offices.
“The choice is yours…”, an analysis of Wilders’ algorithmic politics on platform X
Geert Wilders: a longtime actor in politicsGeert Wilders has been a long-standing figure in Dutch politics. He has served in the House of Representatives since 1998, initially as a member of the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) until he left the party in 2004 (Vossen, 2011, p. 184 ...
Ohio lawmakers introduce new bills to severely restrict sports gambling across the state
Three Ohio state representatives introduced a pair of new bills this week that aim to severely restrict the availability of sports betting in the state. This comes after Gov. Mike DeWine has repeatedly said in recent months that he regrets allowing sports betting to become legalized in Ohio.
California Democrats Rushed to Back Eric Swalwell — and Quickly Abandoned Him
Representative Eric Swalwell, a Washington figure, was largely unknown in the California State Capitol. But influential groups began backing him for governor in the weeks before he was publicly accused of sexual assault.
Fix, heal and rebuild: Wiener’s plan for Congress
The State Senator asks voters to look at his record when making a choice about who will be their next U.S. Representative.
“AI polls” are fake polls
A few weeks after Donald Trump’s second presidential win, I took the train up from London (where I was living at the time) to Oxford to attend a conference on polls and forecasts of the 2024 election. Most of the attendees were pollsters or academics, but I also watched presentations from Aaru and Electric Twin, two companies that do what is interchangeably called synthetic sampling, silicon sampling, or synthetic audiences. Stripped of startup jargon, that means they use large language models (LLMs) to simulate responses to public opinion polls by having AI agents take on the role of survey respondents. I had already heard of Aaru thanks to some articles with eye-catching headlines like “No people, no problem: AI chatbots predict elections better than humans” in the months leading up to Election Day. The founders were making some big, some might even say far-fetched claims, such as: “within two years, we will simulate the entire globe — from the way crops are grown in Ukraine to how that impacts production of oil in Iraq, trade through the strait of Malacca, and elections for the mayor of Baltimore.” When Semafor asked Aaru’s cofounders — Cameron Fink and Ned Koh — about my boss, they said “we respect all those who came before us.” Nate (as he so often does) shared his thoughts on Twitter: Fink and Koh were relatively good-natured about this back-and-forth when we spoke at Oxford. They even offered to mail me one of the t-shirts featuring Nate’s quote they apparently had made. I never took them up on the offer, which I now somewhat regret. These synthetic sampling companies fell off my radar for a while, but they do still exist. In fact, Aaru recently received a $1 billion valuation. Is what they’re doing anywhere close to the most important frontier in AI development? Not by a longshot, especially when Anthropic just developed a model so adept at exploiting software vulnerabilities that it’s only being released to 40 companies. Still, silicon sampling is increasingly finding its way into public polling. Axios reported in March that “a majority of people trust their own doctors and nurses” based on findings from Aaru — without mentioning that the “people” in that sentence were actually LLMs. Around the same time, the Public Sentiment Institute “boosted” their online sample of 373 real survey respondents with 114 AI agents.1 (Spoiler alert: even the co-founder of Electric Twin doesn’t think that’s a particularly defensible approach.) Polling companies like Qualtrics and Ipsos are also developing synthetic data panels. So, what should we make of these … “polls”? Let’s get one thing out of the way: whatever they are, they’re not polls in the way that term is usually defined. Subscribe You can’t replace polls with AI On one hand, using LLMs to essentially make up fake survey respondents sort of sounds like the dumbest idea ever, one that will at best imperfectly replicate real polls while introducing all sorts of biases. On the other hand, with LLMs improving at a remarkable, perhaps even alarming rate, maybe that means I’m a dinosaur at the ripe old age of 24 because I still want to rely on polls that talk to actual people. I’m not going to argue that synthetic samples are completely useless. In fact, as I’ll return to later, there is evidence that some techniques can replicate topline survey results quickly and cheaply. But the marketing from certain companies can be slightly optimistic. “No traditional poll will exist by the time the next general election occurs,” said Fink in 2024. We’re just 206 days away from the midterms, and based on the fact that I still have to collect a bunch of polls every day, I’d say he should have run that prediction by a sample of AI agents before the interview.2 To see why synthetic samples can’t replace polls, here’s a quick primer on how they work. The simplest version of these models involves taking a LLM (like ChatGPT or Claude), giving it a demographic profile (e.g., a white, college-educated woman who lives in Utah and makes $70k a year), and then asking it to respond to a survey question. You repeat that process a few thousand times using different demographic profiles and end up with a sample of synthetic survey responses. The actual models used by private companies are more sophisticated than this, usually because they incorporate more hypothesized demographic characteristics for each agent and provide them with extra information. Aaru, for example, feeds agents a diet of news and information they’d be likely to consume, while Electric Twin incorporates their customers’ proprietary data about the audience they’re trying to replicate. The way Ben Warner, the co-founder of Electric Twin, explained it to me was “we have a large amount of data on […] for instance, 5,000 people. Can we make an accurate prediction of how they would respond to another question?” Still, it should be obvious why synthetic samples can’t replace polls. Polling is fundamentally a data collection process. We might use surveys to make predictions by feeding them into election forecasts, but the main purpose of a poll isn’t prediction, it’s gathering new data about what people think and how they feel. Silicon sampling, on the other hand, produces no new data. It’s simply a model: you input LLM training data, demographic prompts, and a bunch of other information, and it spits out a prediction for what a poll would say. We love models here, but models aren’t polls. That difference is an important philosophical sticking point for most pollsters I talk to. “I think politics should stay away from [synthetic sampling], because we’re trying to […] represent the voice of the people,” said Natalie Jackson, a vice president at GQR Insights. Democratic pollster John Hagner told me: “I think I’m just incredibly skeptical of this idea. I don’t think it’s research. At that point, you’re asking the machine to tell you what you already believe.” Hagner has seen some presentations of early synthetic sampling experiments, but so far, “if it’s being used in a campaign, people are keeping it incredibly quiet.”3 But Eli, I hear you saying, aren’t polls themselves increasingly governed by modeling decisions? Indeed they are: pollsters’ choices on which sampling method to use, how to define their likely voter models, and how to weight their samples can and do lead to dramatic differences in the results they publish. Aaru even referenced these limitations in the methodology statement included with that maternal mortality “poll” — although I’m using the term “methodology statement” loosely here, because it doesn’t really explain how the model works at all. We can ignore the (frankly preposterous) implication that synthetic sampling isn’t subject to a separate set of biases. The important point is that there’s still a meaningful difference between using weighting and other statistical techniques on actual polling data and using a model to predict what a poll would say. The latter is far closer to election forecasts or techniques like MRP — potentially useful models, but not a replacement for polls.4 To be fair, other synthetic sampling companies are perfectly happy with the distinction between polls and models. Warner compared polling and synthetic sampling to different tools in a toolbox. “The mistake I think we make is we think that these new tools should either work in exactly the same way or somehow replace these old tools,” he said. “Rather than thinking of it as, okay, so we’ve always had the hammer, we’ve always had the screwdriver, now we’ve got a saw. But don’t use a saw to try [to] do the job of a hammer.” A quick comment from Nate Eli didn’t ask me for a comment — rather rude of him, don’t you think? But since I’m editing this story, I figured I’d add a few quick thoughts rather than putting words in his mouth. Beyond the frequently misleading marketing, what bothers me about the AI “poll” hype is that as AI tools make statistical inference cheaper and/or better (note that these are not synonyms) that actually increases the comparative value of collecting original data. You might be able to train a model to make a reasonable estimate of what some hard-to-reach poll respondent would say — say, a young Black man who voted for Trump. (Such a person checks a number of boxes for a voter who is usually hard to reach in surveys.) Indeed, this is closely related to what models like the Silver Bulletin forecast already do. They essentially smooth out the kinks in noisy survey data by making inferences based on past voting patterns or national polls or surveys of other states. But you don’t actually know what these voters think unless you’re reaching them directly. If there’s a shift in opinion among this subgroup, you’re not going to detect it. So if I were running a campaign, I’d invest more in going the extra mile to find a representative sample of those voters. And then I’d hire some smart quants — or Claude? — to figure out the implications for campaign strategy based on proprietary data that my competitors didn’t have access to. -Nate Silver Are these models any good? If synthetic surveys are just a new type of model, the next obvious question is whether the models are at least accurate. The answer very much depends on who you ask. On one end of the spectrum, you have the maximalist argument that synthetic sampling is more accurate than actual polls. “It’s an incredibly challenging problem to go to someone and say ‘hey, we’re going to be more accurate at predicting human behavior than you, even when you talk to your customers directly’,” Koh recently told CNBC. In his view, synthetic sampling isn’t a saw to polling’s hammer, it’s “magic.” There’s certainly evidence that synthetic samples can replicate certain survey toplines. But if Aaru does have any examples of their approach outperforming the polls, they’re keeping those to themselves.5 Aaru’s 2024 election model, for example, had Kamala Harris leading in Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin on November 4th. And although they’ve since taken down their forecast page, they gave Harris a 50.5 percent chance of winning the race on November 2nd.6 After the election, Fink told Semafor he was happy enough with those results because they were “within margin of error,” a term that is completely meaningless when applied to a “sample” of AI agents. And of course, Aaru says their models have improved since 2024, so supposedly now they’d be more accurate than the polls? Still, their stronger argument is on cost: “We are significantly faster and cheaper than traditional polling, and still more accurate,” said Fink. The first two claims are undeniably true, but the third brings us to the opposite end of the spectrum. Both Jackson and Hagner are skeptical that these models are reliable for anything beyond replicating common survey toplines. “I just […] don’t think the machines are what we want when we’re looking for nuanced views. My example on this is people in Arizona and Nevada in 2024 who voted for Trump and voted for expanding abortion in their states on ballot initiatives,” said Jackson. Hagner identified another issue. Maybe the synthetic respondents, like sycophantic LLMs, are inhuman in one important way: they’re too nice. “The reports that have come through at the meetings that I’ve been at are that the early experiments on this, they cannot get respondents to be as racist or sexist or, frankly, as negative as human respondents,” he said. Academic research mostly agrees on this point. While there are some papers that show promising results when using LLMs to replicate polling data, most show that LLMs suffer from various quirks like producing too few “don’t know” responses and can seriously overpredict the favorability of politicians like Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. They also seem to struggle with too little variation between demographic subgroups, so the difference in predicted opinion between Democrats and Republicans, for example, is too small. When I asked Warner about these studies, his response to these papers was that just because academics can’t get synthetic sampling to work doesn’t mean that the technique doesn’t work in general. “Actually, the argument is, okay, yours does not [work]. That does not mean […] for this complex set of machinery, which uses a lot of investment, a lot of time, a lot of money, you can’t get it to work.” Cards on the table, I’m somewhat sympathetic to this argument because academics aren’t exactly great at making election forecasts. Usually, the people with skin in the game are the most accurate. Warner’s argument is that the approach Electric Twin takes — which includes, for example, making multiple predictions for each synthetic respondent using different models and prompts and subsequently averaging those to get a final prediction in a sort of ensemble forecast — produces better results than the simpler academic models. Warner shared a comparison between his method and the method from a recent academic paper with me, and Electric Twin was indeed able to get more accurate replication. But even still, he acknowledged that synthetic sampling “is not a crystal ball.” “If you asked me, do I think using other data sources will be more accurate than asking somebody who they will vote for, I would probably say no. But if you asked me ‘would your system be useful for our turnout modeling today?’ I would say yes.” For better or worse, it looks like the method is already getting more popular in the market research world. Most of the clients Aaru touts these days are businesses like EY and McDonald’s. And AI will probably begin to pop up in other parts of the political polling process. Pollsters are already using it to code open-ended survey responses, and some firms, like YouGov, are testing using LLMs to ask survey respondents questions. More worryingly, one danger to actual polls is that AI agents can be used to infiltrate online surveys. Most online polls use various checks to prevent that from happening, but there’s conflicting evidence on how effective those filters are and how prevalent AI agents currently are in online panels. If those agents ever become impossible to detect, it might spell the end of online polling, but the solution isn’t to replace all of your respondents with ChatGPT. Silver Bulletin is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a subscriber. Subscribe 1 That particular poll obviously doesn’t meet Silver Bulletin standards for aggregation. But we exclude all Public Sentiment Institute polls from our averages because we classify them as an amateur polling firm. 2 You could argue that Fink meant the next presidential election, but (a) I’m also confident we’ll still have real polls in 2028 and (b) in that case he should have asked an LLM to define “general election.” 3 Quick caveat: that’s reporting from a Democratic pollster. It’s possible that Republicans are more willing to use AI in political campaigns. 4 Indeed, Silver Bulletin does not include “polls” produced by MRP in our forecasts or averages, and we think it’s extremely misleading when their practitioners describe them in a way that suggests original data had been collected among a large number of states or Congressional districts. 5 A recent report from Aaru and EY did show two examples of a synthetic estimate being closer than a survey to a real-world benchmark — but I’d take those findings with a grain of salt because the report reads more like an ad and didn’t involve any sort of prediction being made ahead of time. 6 For comparison, our odds for Harris on the same day were 48.2 percent.
Ford Athletic Trainer Compact Passes House Business Committee
Welcome to Oklahoma's House of Representatives website!
CSUMB and Montage Health celebrate $15 million partnership
Representatives from Montage Health and CSUMB, nursing students and alumni, elected officials and community members attended the celebration.
More women in politics does not always mean more gender equality
Evidence on the policy impact of female politicians is mixed. This column uses data on bills sponsored in the Italian House of Representatives between 1987 and 2022 to show how female politicians’ engagement with women’s issues is systematically related to the gender norms of the environments in which they were born. The findings suggest that while increasing the number of women in politics remains essential to broaden representation and diversify policy priorities, if social norms remain traditional, progress on gender equality may still be slow.
Davids Hosts Tariff Discussion with Wyandotte County Small Business Owners
KANSAS CITY, KS — Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a discussion with Wyandotte County small business owners and economic development leaders to talk about the successes and challenges facing local businesses, including the impact of reckless tariffs.
Republicans block Democratic bill to end Iran war amid tenuous ceasefire
Republicans in the House of Representatives blocked Democrats from considering a measure to halt military hostilities in Iran.
Health Subcommittee: Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Social support, sleep and pain management linked to mental health in later life
Older Canadians who are socially connected, physically healthy, and spiritually engaged are significantly more likely to experience complete mental health, according to a new nationally representative ...
Riverhead Moves Forward with Condemnation Proceedings for Long Island Science Center
In a 3-2 vote, the Riverhead Town Board voted Tuesday afternoon to begin condemnation proceedings for the Long Island Science Center property at 111 East Main Street, on the Riverhead Town Square, over the objections of several community members and representatives of the Science Center. Pictured Above: Riverhead Councilman Bob Kern (left), with an architectural rendering of
Aetna Provider Survey Reveals Optimism and Opportunities to Simplify Health Care
Research findings from the inaugural Aetna Provider Survey, a quarterly study that polls a representative sample of the U.S. provider market to better understand their perceptions, opportunities, and challenges today and into the future.
Republican wins runoff to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress
Republican Clay Fuller, a former prosecutor endorsed by President Donald Trump, on Tuesday won a runoff election in Georgia to replace conservative firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Miller-Meeks Leads Rural Health Transformation Program Roundtable in Washington County
WASHINGTON, IA – U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) convened her third Rural Hospital Roundtable with Iowa HHS, and leaders from hospitals across Southeast Iowa to discuss the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, and the impact it will have in Iowa.
Rapper Offset hospitalized after being shot in Florida
The rapper Offset was hospitalized after being shot Monday evening near a casino in Florida, according to his representative, who said he is in stable condition.
Texas Congressman Accused of Pursuing a Second Subordinate With Lewd Texts
A news report linked Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas, who has admitted to an affair with an aide, to another series of sexual texts with a different aide, raising a dilemma for the House G.O.P.
Opinion | An odd duck’s journey through faith, politics, and independence
Former Representative Mike Ball reflects on faith, loss and why independence—not party loyalty—ultimately shaped his path through politics.
Bill increasing Iowa’s default speed limit to 60 mph passes House
The Iowa House of Representatives last week approved a bill to increase the state’s default speed limit from 55 to 60 mph, furthering a push from last year’s session to
Myanmar Politics
Myanmar's military representatives arrive for a session at Union parliament in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Monday, April 6, 2026.(AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
High school dance, cheer and lacrosse could become sanctioned sports in Louisiana
Representative Roger Wilder III, R-Denham Springs, introduced a resolution that could bring high school dance, cheer and lacrosse under the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's jurisdiction. The move could bring more oversight and structure to the sports.
High school dance, cheer and lacrosse could become sanctioned sports in Louisiana
Representative Roger Wilder III, R-Denham Springs, introduced a resolution that could bring high school dance, cheer and lacrosse under the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's jurisdiction. The move could bring more oversight and structure to the sports.
Science center pitches new plan; Riverhead eyes condemnation
LI Science Center representatives outlined a new phased plan for 111 E. Main St., but several Riverhead Town Board members remain skeptical as the town weighs eminent domain.
Community celebrates rural health care drone project
Representatives from Valkyrie UAS Solutions and Mid-America Transplant, in partnership with Missouri S&T, hosted a ribbon-cutting event on April 1 to commemorate the nation's first health care drone corridor.
Davids Visits Community Health Center, Highlights Medicaid Cuts’ Impact on Kansas Health Care Access
OTTAWA, KS — Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited Heartland Community Health Center’s Healthy Futures mobile dental program at Ottawa High School, which provides dental exams and cleanings to local students.
Memphis House Primary Exemplifies Democrats’ Age Fights
The contest between Representative Steve Cohen, 76, a white incumbent, and Justin Pearson, 31, a Black state lawmaker, exemplifies a national push for a passing of the torch.
Mark Sanford launches his comeback bid to Congress
The former GOP representative wants to retake his House seat in South Carolina’s Charleston area after losing to a Trump-backed challenger in 2018.
Industry roundtable focuses on small business
Local business representatives speak on challenges they face
Insider: Term limits is not the culprit for Michigan House's turnover
In past years, the Michigan House suffered from turnover because of term limits. This year, state representatives are leaving for different reasons.
F.B.I. Said to Dig Up Old Investigative Files on Democratic Lawmaker
The urgent instructions at the Trump administration’s behest to gather and relay the files on Representative Eric Swalwell have alarmed some career law enforcement officials.
Representative Bratten Discusses Wyoming Business Council
Leading up to the 2026 Budget Session of the Wyoming Legislature, there was a lot of discussion about dissolving the Wyoming Business Council. Lawmakers ultimately chose not to disband the economic agency. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has more. The Wyoming Legislature agreed to fund the Wyoming Business Council for a year with the stipulation that […]
Galaxy S26 Ultra display issues get Samsung’s attention, fix rolling out soon
It seems consumer reports have finally caught Samsung’s attention, with the representatives promising that a fix for Galaxy S26 Ultra display issues will be rolling out soon. A Galaxy S26 Ultra owner submitted a bug report through the official means. In a recent development, the user AnthonyHershko received an update from Samsung, promising that fixes […]
Texas House speaker wants to explore adding New Mexico counties
The initiative comes after Speaker Dustin Burrows voiced public support for a secession amendment from a New Mexico representative.
House Ethics Panel Holds Rare Public Hearing on Democrat’s Conduct
Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida is charged with stealing $5 million in FEMA money for her campaign.
Democratic lawmakers highlight pay gap; business group raises concerns on wage transparency bill
Democratic lawmakers marked Equal Pay Day on Thursday by highlighting persistent wage disparities in Connecticut while backing legislation that would require employers to disclose salary ranges and benefits in job postings.
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Legislative Hearing on Policies Protecting Communities from Emerging Illicit Drug Threats
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
State of Tennessee Honors Gospel Artist T-RAN as Ambassador of Music & Entertainment
Nashville, TN — Gospel recording artist, producer, and creative visionary Terran “T-RAN” Gilbert has been officially honored with a state resolution from the Tennessee House of Representatives, recognizing his outstanding contributions to music, culture, and community impact. As part of this distinction, he has been formally recognized as an Ambassador of the Music and Entertainment
Emily Gregory is Donald Trump's new state representative and a new hope for Democrats in Florida
Florida state Rep.-elect Emily Gregory is the latest face of Democrats' optimism after she won a special legislative election in President Donald Trump's home state House district. Florida Democrats...
Modernizing Pinnacol is about its members, not politics
By Akasha Absher While we share the passion for protecting Colorado’s workers expressed in a recent op-ed from the perspective of trial attorneys and union representatives, the piece paints a picture of Pinnacol Assurance that is more rooted in 1915 than our 21st-century reality (“Colorado’s workers can’t afford a privatized Pinnacol | OPINION,” March 17). […]
In Reversal, Trump Reinstates Support For Representative Jeff Hurd
President Trump reinstated his endorsement of Representative Jeff Hurd of Colorado, just weeks after pulling it back.
Forum on harnessing Artificial Intelligence for health equity
Register to this forumOver the past decade, artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly evolved in complexity, performance, and utility. Its integration across a wide range of industrial sectors has accelerated, with healthcare emerging as one of the most transformative sectors. In this sector, AI has enabled high-impact applications – from enhancing the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and supporting clinical decision-making, to strengthening public health initiatives such as disease surveillance and workforce optimization. Moreover, AI holds immense potential to empower individuals, enabling them to take greater control of their personal health and well-being. Yet the central question remains: Who benefits, who is at risk, and do these innovations close or widen health inequities? While the potential of AI-enabled applications is substantial, many countries have approached their adoption with caution. This hesitancy stems from concerns about risks and benefits, including model bias, data breaches, privacy violations, and the erosion of professional skills due to over-reliance on AI. Additional barriers include inadequate data infrastructure and a lack of robust evidence on the most effective forms and interfaces of AI to enhance service delivery and system performance. Moreover, the rapid rise of Generative AI has introduced a heightened urgency for the development of comprehensive governance and ethical frameworks. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Health Practice Team and Digital Sector, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific, are convening the Forum on Harnessing AI for Health Equity on 25–26 March at ADB Headquarters. Senior health officials from 16 developing member countries (DMCs), alongside leading researchers, innovators, and policymakers from across Asia and the Pacific, will engage in discussions on how AI can be governed, financed, and scaled to deliver healthier lives for all. The forum is funded through the High-Level Technology Fund with support from the Government of Japan. Objectives The two-day forum aims to:Identify high-impact, evidence-based health AI use cases suitable for resource-constrained settings and map out a pipeline for potential supportIntroduce and validate the WHO's policy guidance on minimum necessary ecosystem for countries and institutions to self-assess readiness for AI adoptionObtain initial commitment from participating stakeholders to join a pilot regional initiative focused on data/model sharing for a priority health challengeEndorse a prioritized set of actionable policy recommendations focusing on governance, regulation, and sustainable financing necessary to scale high-impact health AI use cases in resource-constrained settings Target participants The forum will convene participants from 16 ADB DMCs including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam. In addition, health system leaders and practitioners, private sector technologists, academic experts, representatives from civil society organizations, development partners, and philanthropic institutions engaged in AI for Health from Australia, the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the Republic of Korea will also be invited. SessionsDay 1 (25 March)Session 1: AI Use Cases for the Care Continuum: Improving Access and QualitySession 2: Adopting a risk-based approach for AI use case prioritizationSession 3: Establishing the Minimum Ecosystem for Implementation Risk ManagementSession 4: Future-Ready Health Workforce: Building Competency for Human-AI CollaborationDay 2 (26 March)Session 5: The Political Economy of AI in Health: Understanding Stakeholder Interests and their Impact on EquitySession 6: AI and Health Financing: Supporting Fair Coverage and ProtectionSession 7: AI Regulation and Oversight: Pathways for Different RealitiesSession 8: The Way Forward – Building Alliances and Regional Partnership How to registerThe forum will be held in a hybrid format. In-person attendance is by invitation only, while livestreaming of the forum will be available to the public. To register, please complete this form on or before 24 March 2026.Event organizers / partnersAsian Development Bank (ADB)WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific High-Level Technology Fund (HLTF)ContactAkihito WatabeHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDawatabe@adb.org Jae Kyoun KimHealth Specialist, SD3-HSDjkkim@adb.org
Georgia bill protecting student political activity in public schools advances toward final votes
Georgia representatives are moving forward with a bill, inspired by conservative activist Charlie Kirk, that would protect political activities by students in public schools.
Health Subcommittee Scrutinizes Patient Affordability, Competition, and Access Across the U.S. Provider Landscape
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Third Hearing in Series to Improve Health Care Affordability for All Americans
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Chairman Griffith Delivers Opening Statement at Subcommittee on Health Third Hearing in Series to Improve Health Care Affordability for All Americans
The Committee on Energy and Commerce is the oldest standing legislative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives and is vested with the broadest jurisdiction of any congressional authorizing committee.
Kiki Shepard dead: Longtime 'Showtime at the Apollo' co-host was 74
Kiki Shepard, best known for co-hosting the variety show 'Showtime at the Apollo,' has died, her representative confirmed. The Harlem theater remembered Shepard as a 'true Apollo legend.'
810 Entertainment brings bowling, dining, gaming to The Arboretum of South Barrington
A new entertainment venue offering an all-in-one destination for dining, games and private events is now open at The Arboretum of South Barrington. Village representatives, community leaders and memb...
Food City presents check to Niswonger Children's Hospital; Frontier Health
Representatives of Food City gave out checks to support the Niswonger Children's Hospital and Frontier Health.
Legislators reject Flock’s first political donations in California
Campaign representatives for two Democratic lawmakers said they'd return the money amid concerns that Flock’s data could be accessed by ICE investigators.
Davids Visits Merriam Manufacturer to Highlight Small Businesses Challenges
MERRIAM, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited K.C. Strings, the largest instrument string manufacturer in the state of Kansas, to see the company’s manufacturing operations and hear directly from the owners about their new ventures and the challenges they face due to chaotic federal policies set by the administration.
Man charged with threatening Trump and Democratic representative Swalwell
Diego Villavicencio also made violent threats against an unnamed individual, who appears to be Jerome Powell
NH House approves ban on 'political' flags in public schools
After a brief but divisive debate, the House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday to ban the display of political or ideological flags in public schools.
A record number of Republicans are leaving the House
The number of Republicans leaving the US House of Representatives after this term has reached a historic high, deepening concern in the conference over the chamber’s already razor-thin margins.
California congressman is leaving the Republican Party to become an independent amid tough reelection race
Rep. Kevin Kiley has announced he is leaving the Republican Party effective immediately, making him the only independent member of the US House of Representatives.
This Week in Missouri Politics - March 8, 2026
Scott Faughn is joined by State Representative Bill Hardwick. On the panel, Scott is joined by State Representatives Kathy Steinhoff, Nick Kimble, Bryant Wolfin and Chad Perkins.
In Kentucky, Trump Allies Clash With Massie Over Iran War
Representative Thomas Massie’s race against a rival backed by President Trump is shaping up as a key midterm testing ground for G.O.P. attitudes on the war.
Redistricting plan to give Colorado Dems 7 members of the U.S. House will split El Paso County
A proposed redistricting plan, which would give Colorado seven Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives and only one Republican, will split El Paso County into two parts and thereby weaken the county’s influence in Congress. El Paso County, which contains all of the city of Colorado Springs, currently is mainly in U.S. House […]
Can deliberation save democracy?
By Vince Bzdek In September 2019, 523 Americans traveled to Dallas, Texas, for an experiment called “America in One Room.” The gathering was designed to test a theory: Could representative citizens deliberate productively even in an era of intense polarization? The event took place soon after the presidential primary and it focused on policy proposals […]
Can deliberation save democracy?
By Vince Bzdek In September 2019, 523 Americans traveled to Dallas, Texas, for an experiment called “America in One Room.” The gathering was designed to test a theory: Could representative citizens deliberate productively even in an era of intense polarization? The event took place soon after the presidential primary and it focused on policy proposals […]
Brandon Herrera’s YouTube Gives Democrats More Hope in West Texas Race
What had been a safe G.O.P. seat was looking more attainable for Democrats after Representative Tony Gonzales bowed out in favor of a hard-right candidate.
Representative Tony Gonzales Will Not Seek Re-election
Several House members had called for Mr. Gonzales, a Texas Republican, to step down after texts emerged showing his pursuit of a staff member who later killed herself.
Ronnie Eldridge, NY Politician and Aide to RFK and Lindsay, Dies at TK
She was an adviser to Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Mayor John V. Lindsay and Representative Bella S. Abzug before serving on the New York City Council from 1989 to 2001.
Congress won't halt Iran war after another war powers measure fails
Republicans in the House of Representatives blocked a war powers resolution that would've immediately stopped U.S. hostilities against Iran.
James Talarico wins the Texas Democratic Senate race. The real challenge lies ahead.
After the state representative won the Senate primary, he joined a list of other promising progressives who have captured the left’s fancy.
Community colleges tout success of state-sponsored business partnerships
Representatives from Iowa's community colleges gathered at the Iowa capitol Tuesday to showcase successes to lawmakers.
House committee decides not to ask voters to legalize mobile sports betting
PIERRE — A committee of state representatives rejected a measure that would have asked South Dakota voters to approve sports betting and use the resulting tax revenue to fund property tax relief. Rep....
Holland & Knight Health Dose: March 3, 2026 | Insights
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations can submit requests for community project funding or "earmarks" as part of the LHHS appropriations bill.
North Carolina House Primary Includes Divisions on Iran War, Israel and A.I.
A new ad from a progressive challenger, Nida Allam, attacks Representative Valerie Foushee over financial backing she has received from defense contractors and the A.I. industry.
Jim Carrey’s face is up for debate. No, seriously
Jim Carrey’s representative wants you to know that was absolutely the actor making an appearance at an awards show in France last week.
Big business in Russia on brink of default
Representatives of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RUIE) have publicly stated that the financial condition of large businesses in Russia is deteriorating systematically, directly linking it to the government's current economic policy. — Ukrinform.