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Ron Faucheux: The volatile politics of data centers
Across the country, the construction of huge data centers is scrambling political alliances and becoming an unexpected campaign issue in the fall midterm elections, columnist Ron Faucheux writes.
The African roots of three Colorado leaders
Colorado’s political transformation is measured in many ways. A once reliably red state (with asterisks) became purple and is now a rather deep blue. For better or worse, probably the latter, power is ever more consolidated along the Front Range corridor. Counties such as Arapahoe, Jefferson, and Larimer, once Republican strongholds, are now at the […]
Colorado Politics Calendar Sept. 14-20
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Up, up, and away: Are double-digit health insurance rate increases ahead?
The Sunshine State also led the nation in the number of people who fell off Obamacare plans last year.
Burnham and Badenoch revive red versus blue politics as Reform land £36m mega donation
As Reform slip back in the polls, Labour and the Conservatives rediscover a familiar political divide, writes Laura Kuenssberg
Electric bills, primary spending, CCSU president complaint: CT politics news
by CT Mirror Staff, CT Mirror September 11, 2026 These news briefs are part of The Connecticut Mirror’s 2026 political coverage. For more Connecticut political news, sign up here for The Issue, the…
José Javier Rodríguez, Annette Taddeo to spend weekend courting South Florida labor, faith base
Both Democrats are running against incumbents appointed by Gov. DeSantis who hold hefty fundraising edges.
After questions about Black support, Black leaders surge to boost David Jolly
'This team is stacked with talent and wisdom, and it’s connected to every part of Florida.'
The politics and possibilities of ‘AI could kill us all’
I found myself fielding a lot of questions from folks who don’t usually talk much about AI this week. They were mostly along the lines of “do you think AI is going to kill us all?” or “how worried should I be about this human extinction stuff?” Motivating this wave of existential anxiety was the highly dramatic resignation of now-former Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon, who quit his job while publicly sharing his concerns about safety practices at the leading AI companies. More specifically, he declared that almost everyone at OpenAI and Anthropic, the leading AI labs, believes that there’s a decent chance the AI systems they’re producing could “kill us all” by the end of the decade, and the companies aren’t “acting responsibly.” Other AI safety researchers, including those still employed at Anthropic and OpenAI, all confirmed that yes, Coxon is correct, they’re all worried that their company’s products might prove fatal for the entire human race as well. Two more AI employees quit and joined the chorus. Now, the warning shot has been covered everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Fox News to WIRED to the Guardian. I understand why all this sounds scary, but my response to those who have asked, has generally been: No, you don’t need to worry that AI will kill go rogue and kill us all. But that does not mean we shouldn’t worry, period. Far from it. The companies building AI products are now among the wealthiest and most powerful entities in the world. And they very much are building enormous engines of mass surveillance, extraction, and automation. They can and have allowed their AI systems to carry out felony hacks of other companies, provided the government with autonomously generated kill lists, and sold enterprise technology to firms around the world that is explicitly intended to replace jobs. But “AI” has done these things not because they have all-powerful minds of their own but, ultimately, because people have programmed, calibrated, and directed them to. In other words, it’s not AI we need to worry the most about. It’s the people and corporations working to profit from and gain power by deploying it. The technology is sophisticated, sure, and, especially in cybersecurity contexts, potentially disruptive to plenty of existing systems. But if we want to stop this predatory, profiteering, and extractive form of AI—and it’s worth noting that at this point, most people do—we absolutely can. A quick note/plea: I can only do all of this with the support of readers like you, so if you find value in independent, critical tech journalism and analysis, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I want to keep as much of this un-paywalled as absolutely possible, and I need your support to do so. Many thanks to all who continue to chip in, it’s very much appreciated. Onward. Subscribe First, some context: AI industry folks like Coxon have been discussing the prospect that AI will destroy humanity for years. Even before the beginning of the AI boom, many working in the industry, from the executive staff to the rank and file researchers, have obsessed over ‘x-risk’, or the possibility that AI will become sentient or semi-sentient and move one way or another to exterminate humanity. This is ostensibly why Elon Musk bankrolled OpenAI in the first place, and is the grounds for his lawsuit alleging OpenAI betrayed its charter by abandoning its nonprofit status to become a commercial enterprise. Many AI engineers and startup founders have calculated their own personal p(doom), or the probability that the tech product they are working on will initiate an actual humanity-extinguishing apocalypse. 10-25% p(doom)s are pretty common. (I wrote about a long weekend I spent among these folks at one of their top conferences here, to give you an idea of their ideas and belief systems.) Sam Altman himself drove the narrative of the imminent rise of a super-powerful AI, or artificial general intelligence, to prominence by declaring that the technology he was building posed an existential risk to humanity. This idea is in other words baked into the DNA of modern AI companies and into the products they engineer. It’s also why the industry is routinely accused, by myself and others, of “doom marketing,” ie, using such proclamations and framings to impart the sheer power of the technology behind your product onto investors, partners, consumers, and the state. Some ambient understanding of this tendency may have helped prevent the press from repeating the claim every time one of the x-risk folks made it over the years, including when they quit their jobs at AI companies while doing so. Yet Coxon’s AI x-risk alarm has broken containment, as they say, and has exposed the idea to the mainstream media once again. This has happened, I think, for a number of reasons. First, when AI CEOs were going around saying AI might kill everyone in 2023, their companies were well-capitalized, but not nearly to the extent they are today. They were more easily dismissed as eccentric geeks of the sort that Silicon Valley is supposed to produce. Now, not only do their products have much greater market saturation, but people are more aware of a) the often unethical ways the executives and companies comport themselves b) the other adverse impacts of AI that have already arrived, and c) the physical cost of building these systems, particularly when it comes to data centers. Finally, toss in the constant stream of headlines in 2026 about AI models going rogue or potentially upending the world’s infrastructure. [ ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) [ With the backlash to data centers, Flock and AI glasses, a mass opposition to big tech is underway. Silicon Valley is in denial. ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) Brian Merchant · Aug 27 [ Read full story ](https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/with-the-backlash-to-data-centers) As a result, general sentiment was already overwhelmingly skeptical of AI and its overlords, so the table was pretty well set for someone to come along and say ‘just a reminder, the companies that are building the product that promises to take your job and leave a data center in your neighborhood also think that it might exterminate the human race’ and get a strong reaction from the media and the public. The question is: Should we understand this stuff as hype, strategically fanned to feed already swelling valuations? Is it doom marketing? Genuine cause for alarm that the infrastructure that undergirds modern life is facing a novel threat vector? Or reason to be sincerely worried that AI companies are amassing too much power, and that their products are genuinely dangerous? The answer, I’m afraid, is “yes.” Let me try to untangle all of this a bit, because arguments over how to navigate this moment are extremely heated right now, as they are essentially arguments over how to approach the politics of AI at a moment where there may be a unique opening for action. Those sympathetic to AI alignment concerns and x risk arguments—which increasingly includes a faction on the left who want to shut down AI over safety concerns—argue that people who dismiss AI as all hype have their heads in the sand. Meanwhile, critics of the x-risk narrative—which I might note includes a cadre of investors and tech folks on the right, too—argue that it is hype and can be used to further inflate valuations or for pursuing regulatory capture. The challenge is that many feel that dismissing AI as just hype or purely marketing also diminishes the urgency of taking on the AI industry as the novel and threat to labor, civil society, and the public sphere it is; others that by accepting the industry’s own terms, we imbue it with undue power and enable it. But let’s be clear: Declarations that AI is so powerful it might end the world are a kind of marketing, and anyone who says otherwise is just as off base as those who say that’s all that it is. If you don’t think that these sub-trillion dollar companies have higher-ups who noticed that when their founders talked about super-powerful dangerous AI they got spikes in media interest and phone calls from investors, or that those founders didn’t notice that themselves, and lean into certain narratives to advantage their products, then I don’t know what to tell you. Not all marketing is a Pepsi ad campaign with a celebrity spokesperson. Yet confronting the AI industry should certainly be considered an urgent project. Do I share the x-riskers’ fear that out-of-control, super-intelligent AI agents might end the world? I do not. I’ve read a good deal of AI extinction literature over the last couple of years and I have not come across a credible, step-by-step documentation of how exactly AI might move from self-recursively improving AI to killing every single human on the planet. Most of what I’ve read seems predicated on a sort of reverse Ian Malcolmian logic: Eventually, it becomes smart enough and AI, uh, finds a way (to exterminate humanity). Are the AI companies also overstating and dramatizing what their products can do? Yes, pretty much all the time. They’re in a knife fight for market share and are trying to win customers and government contracts before their investors come knocking. And yet. They have concentrated enormous amounts of compute, have extensive data collection and surveillance capacities, have inserted themselves into the state in numerous capacities, including military kill chains, and they are being run by egomaniacal billionaires who are rushing to monopolize an entire new market. The way I think about their most recent frightening-seeming exploits is not as a “swarm of rogue AI agents building a new civilization” or whatever, but as corporations with a hitherto-unimaginable amount of compute at their disposal recklessly experimenting with automation programs, completely unafraid of any repercussions because we have been unwilling or unable to impose any on them. So I think we should welcome any newfound imperative to hold them accountable. I also think that ultimately, the AI critics, Pause AI folks, leftists, doomers, effective altruists, and, honestly, most of the public, want a lot of the same things: legitimate checks and limits on AI companies’ power, actual transparency into what the companies are doing, and for more of AI to be under public control. (Ultimately, a lot of what animates the x-risk fears are rooted in just that: a fear of losing control.) How we move towards all this, exactly, is the question of the day, and while there’s much to be argued over in terms of building a viable political platform to challenge the AI industry’s power, I do want to cast a vote against one particular approach. Not to pick on Chris here, as there are a lot of folks out there proposing stuff like this, and the policy ideas actually stem from AI safety groups. But not only would this be challenging to land politically (I can already hear the ‘China will beat us to AGI’ calls) and all but unworkable in practice, this approach is a) far too limiting, b) fails to address the current harms caused by AI and c) would likely only wind up serving Anthropic and OpenAI; it’s what regulatory capture looks like in action. Full model transparency is the floor for what should be on offer here. If these companies believe their products will kill us, the very least we deserve is to know how. It’s in the public interest. I would also argue we might get a lot of the way to stopping any currently envisioned robot apocalypse simply by forcing AI companies to assume liability, and to submit to the full brunt of the law. If Sam Altman were liable to be charged with a felony for approving the hack on Hugging Face1, if Google was forced to pay defamation fines each time it published a false and injurious AI Overviews, these companies might suddenly find cause to restrain their models’ output, and we might hear less about rogue AI. We would need to introduce new frameworks and available tools for tracking automated lawbreaking, to be sure, but I’d wager that little would frighten the AI companies more than actually being held accountable for what their products enable. To that end, Illinois has passed an AI liability law, which the industry fought tooth and nail, and Florida is considering one. The next steps would be towards moving AI under public control; again, it’s only reasonable, since everyone, not just AI insiders, should get a say over how a technology whose developers say might kill us is developed and deployed. Dismantling the whole industrial project as currently structured should be on the table, too, pending democratic input. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice to say that while I won’t be losing any sleep about an AI-enabled extinction event, Mr. Coxon and co. have given us an opportunity to underscore the urgency of the clear and present damage AI companies are doing, the extreme power they wield and the extent to which they hold themselves unaccountable, and the abundance of political capital there is out there for taking them on. Subscribe 1 Purely speculative! I do not know if he did or not.
In Doonbeg, Trump’s Irish Open Visit Prompts Protests and Praise
As the U.S. president heads to his Doonbeg hotel for the Irish Open, locals expressed both appreciation for the resort’s economic benefits and opposition to his politics.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Marcus Dell’Artino on the November election
Republican strategist Marcus Dell’Artino returns to talk about polling for the election races and whether Democrats may gain control of the Legislature. Dell’Artino says affordability—covering inflation, housing and gas prices—continues to dominate voter concerns. They also examine whether low Republican energy, Democratic turnout efforts and negative campaigning could reshape the governor’s race. Water security and Colorado River cuts are rising on voters’ priority lists as Arizona’s growth continues. The discussion also looks at whether Trump fatigue and a possible Democratic wave could affect control of the Legislature.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Marcus Dell’Artino on the November election
Republican strategist Marcus Dell’Artino returns to talk about polling for the election races and whether Democrats may gain control of the Legislature. Dell’Artino says affordability—covering inflation, housing and gas prices—continues to dominate voter concerns. They also examine whether low Republican energy, Democratic turnout efforts and negative campaigning could reshape the governor’s race. Water security and Colorado River cuts are rising on voters’ priority lists as Arizona’s growth continues. The discussion also looks at whether Trump fatigue and a possible Democratic wave could affect control of the Legislature.
Politics Unplugged Podcast: Marcus Dell’Artino on the November election
Republican strategist Marcus Dell’Artino returns to talk about polling for the election races and whether Democrats may gain control of the Legislature. Dell’Artino says affordability—covering inflation, housing and gas prices—continues to dominate voter concerns. They also examine whether low Republican energy, Democratic turnout efforts and negative campaigning could reshape the governor’s race. Water security and Colorado River cuts are rising on voters’ priority lists as Arizona’s growth continues. The discussion also looks at whether Trump fatigue and a possible Democratic wave could affect control of the Legislature.
Commentary: The Fed’s credibility depends on resisting politics, not playing it
At Jackson Hole last month, all eyes were on Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh in his first speech at the Fed’s annual conference. But all thoughts were about the Fed’s rate decision next week.
Family therapist reveals how couples can keep politics from wrecking relationships
Dr. Anna Elton discusses why partisan disagreements can create tension between partners, and offers strategies for setting boundaries, staying curious and reconnecting after heated conversations.
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Former ATF agent, now Smith Co. sheriff, remembers 9/11 Pentagon response
25 YEARS LATER: Smith County sheriff Larry Smith remembers responding to the Pentagon after 9/11
EAST TEXAS POLITICS: Former ATF agent, now Smith Co. sheriff, remembers 9/11 Pentagon response
Twenty-five years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith joins us for a special edition of East Texas Politics on East Texas Now to remember that day.
Politics Unusual: Former Governors Pataki and DiFrancesco on their experience with 9/11
In this episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY's political reporter Morgan McKay speaks with former New York Gov. George Pataki and former New Jersey Gov. Donald DiFrancesco about their experience leading their states during the time of the 9/11 terror attacks.
Will Stark Warnings About AI Shape the Midterm Elections?
Stark warnings from A.I. researchers have reverberated across the country.
Widow breaks tradition of keeping politics out of 9/11 remembrances
Terry Strada, a widow of a 9/11 victim, broke the long-standing tradition of keeping politics out of Sept. 11 remembrances and called on President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the attacks.
Electric bills, primary spending, CCSU complaint: CT politics news
Plus: the Blue Ribbon Commission is at work, a foster care prevention grant is awarded, and Lamont announces new Shore Line East trains.
Democrats shift their mail voting message: From the Politics Desk
Plus, can the midterm convention rally Trump’s base?
Politics Needs More Pragmatism
To the Editor: It’s no secret that our political climate has grown wildly polarized and shockingly partisan. I recall growing up in a time when the hot topics for debate […]
Election 2016 Transgender Politics
FILE - A woman holds a sign supporting trans people during a rally before a WNBA basketball game between the Portland Fire and the Indiana Fever in Portland, Ore., July 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer, File)
North Carolina U.S. Senate Candidates ramp up campaign efforts as midterm nears
With the midterm elections around the corner, North Carolina's U.S. Senate candidates, Republican Michael Whatley and Democrat Roy Cooper are continuing campaign efforts in North Carolina and Texas.
TGIF: Ian Donnis’ Rhode Island politics roundup for Sept. 11, 2026
New forces in RI politics: Foulkes, Morales and Greenman
Gov. Greg Abbott, Gina Hinojosa argue gender politics in governor race
Gov. Greg Abbott releases attack on Gina Hinojosa calling her a "gender bender" regarding Texas children ahead of the Texas governor race.
Immigration‑reporting measure fuels debate over Colorado’s role with ICE
A coalition of advocacy groups, community members, and several district attorneys rallied outside the Colorado Capitol on Thursday to oppose a ballot measure that, if approved by voters in November, would require state and local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Backed by the interest group Advance Colorado, Proposition 81 would require law […]
‘The Uprising’ review: Religion and politics, circa 1381
“The Uprising” is most effective as a tragedy about putting your faith in the wrong things.
India’s 'Freebie' Politics May Have Reached America
Trump’s $5,000 “dividend” to Americans if Republicans retain Congress sounds outrageous in the U.S. But across the developing democratic world, election-time cash and freebies have long been entrenched in politics. India offers a cautionary precedent.
Politics Friday: How 9/11 changed Minnesota and the nation
Friday at noon, we kick off a season to cover the midterm election. For the next several weeks, we'll bring you interviews with candidates, voices of voters and some head-to-head debates. It’s just a taste of what's in store as Election Day approaches where the state will pick a new governor, U.S. senator and much more.
‘Tired of politics’: By GOP convention’s end, even Trump had tapped out
DALLAS — President Donald Trump walked a tightrope this week, awkwardly balancing the political with the solemn. By the end, it all seemed too much, even for America’s ultimate political scrapper. Trump spent two days here in full campaigner-in-chief mode in front of an adoring audience inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas, headlining both […]
ACC Commissioner questions credibility of National EMS reporting
After hearing a bi-annual report on the performance of emergency medical services in Athens, ACC Commissioner Carol Myers had some harsh words for National
Show-Me-State Politics: What’s next in Missouri’s congressional map fight
What a crazy week for Missouri politics.
Emma Bonino, Italian Campaigner for Civil Rights, Dies at 78
In nearly five decades in politics, Ms. Bonino wielded outsize influence on Italian discourse, helping erode the political sway of the Catholic Church.
Could Texas Turn Blue? The GOP Faces a New Test
Co-hosts Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina delve into the latest news in politics
Gov. DeSantis was shaped by 9/11. A quarter-century later, here's what he's saying about it.
'Where are we now compared to then?'
After the Bangsamoro Poll, Can Politics Maintain the Peace?
The peace process in the autonomous region will continue long after the votes have been counted and a new government formed.
Putting People Before Politics In The 107th District
To The Editor: I'm writing to introduce myself to the neighbors I hope to represent and to explain why I’m running for State Representative in the 107th District of Newtown. I've called the 107th di...
Emma Bonino, leader of abortion and divorce battles that changed Italy, dies at 78
An explosive presence in politics during her 50-year-long career, Bonino was one of the few Italian political figures who scored important achievements both at home and internationally.
9/11 Firefighter on Rudy's Mamdani Attack: 'Leave Politics Out of It'
In the National Geographic docuseries, Bill Spade, the sole survivor of Staten Island’s Rescue Company 5 crew, finally tells an NYPD officer’s sons about their father’s last moments.
Donald Trump election 'dividend' proposal reboots Chris LaCivita feud with Ron DeSantis
The past isn't forgotten even though it's been papered over.
There is a long history of bribery in US politics – is Donald Trump continuing it?
The US president has pledged to pay all American adults US$5,000 if the Republican Party wins the midterm elections in November.
25 years after 9/11: How the attacks transformed American politics
Twenty-five years after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, The Hill’s Bill Sammon and Chris Stirewalt examine how that day transformed George W. Bush’s presidency and altered the course of America…
The politics of data centers: Arizona Land Consulting CEO on the pushback against AI data centers
Anita Verma-Lallian, Arizona Land Consulting founder and CEO, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the pushback against AI data center development, impact on energy costs and job creation, building data centers in space, and more.
Trump-a-palooza: why are Republicans avoiding the president?
This week, Jenna Amatulli is in for Jonathan Freedland and speaks to Guardian US politics correspondent Rachel Leingang
The infamous post-9/11 ad that reshaped Georgia politics and unseated a war hero
In the terror attacks’ emotional aftermath, a dispute over civil service rights was weaponized to frame a decorated veteran next to Osama bin Laden.
How 9/11 Helped Shape Our Politics Today
"The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks transformed global politics as Western democracies abandoned many liberal principles and older conflicts over empire, decolonization, immigration and culture resurfaced in the far-right movements," writes Faisal Devji.
Opinion | No way: Wisdom and, or, but, politics
The wisdom of ancients offers guidance for our modern, confusing times, writes columnist David Romtvedt. %
9/11 entrenched Islamophobia in US politics. But it doesn’t work the way you think
Anti-Muslim sentiment is used as a political weapon. Meanwhile, Muslim American leaders are making a difference for all
Analysis | The post-9/11 wars changed politics. Not everyone who served agrees how.
Interviews with two veterans in Congress highlight how the terrorist attacks that sparked wars in Iraq and Afghanistan changed the nation’s politics but did not leave its leaders with monolithic views.
Where are the women? Israel heads to elections, just one woman leads a party
As Israel heads to elections, women remain present in politics but largely absent from its highest ranks
Emma Bonino, prominent humanist in Italian politics, dies at 78
A tireless defender of human rights, Emma Bonino served in the Italian and European parliaments, as foreign affairs minister, and as European commissioner. The historic figure of the Italian Radical Party died in Rome on Friday.
Emma Bonino, Italian politician who fought for abortion access, dies aged 78
Emma Bonino's life in politics began with a crime. In 1974, at a time when abortion was illegal in Italy, she travelled to a clandestine clinic in Florence to terminate an unplanned pregnancy.
Fighting for every Colorado rural hospital on the eastern plains
By Lauren Boebert After touring Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke and Wray Community District Hospital — two of more than a dozen rural hospitals in my district — I was again reminded why I fight for them in Washington. The doctors, nurses and staff on the eastern plains keep care close to home. In rural […]
Fix Colorado without shortchanging taxpayers
If we truly want to fix Colorado, we must respect taxpayers, demand accountability and prioritize classroom results. Proposition NN fails the test. The far left put forth this measure, presenting it as the only way to fund public schools. Colorado voters should look past the title and see what Prop NN really does. The Taxpayer’s Bill of […]
New anti-gun legislation is about preventing firearm ownership, not safety
By Ava Flanell It’s been a little more than a month since the most radical anti-gun legislation went into effect in Colorado history: Senate Bill 25-003. Originally intended as an “assault weapons ban,” Colorado Democrat sponsors settled for a complicated half-measure they wrongly believed would be a more tolerable violation of Coloradans’ Second Amendment rights. […]
From NATO to Shanghai: Why Türkiye Sits at Both Tables
It is becoming increasingly difficult to measure Türkiye’s diplomatic weight simply by asking which alliance it belongs to.
Charlie Kirk built a political movement. His followers say politics was never the point
Speakers Glenn Beck and Michael Knowles said Kirk will be remembered for religious impact
Trump’s Grand Midterm Convention Finale: ‘I’m a Little Bit Tired of Politics’
The president made clear as his midterm convention wrapped up that he wants to carry his party through a tough midterms. He just won’t go too far out of his way to do it.
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills to capture the foibles, memes, hypocrisies and other head-slapping events in the world of politics. The fruits of these labors are hundreds of cartoons that entertain and enrage readers of all political stripes. Here's an offering of the best of this week's crop, picked fresh off the Toonosphere. Edited by Matt Wuerker.
TIME | Current & Breaking News
Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news.
Taiwan vice president makes rare Europe visit for conference on democracy
European Parliament's Pina Picierno says Hsiao's visit 'was kept secret until her arrival to protect her participation'.
Postpartum politics: What it means to run for government as a new mum
Victorian Greens candidates Nina Crawley and Lini Fernando reflect on their experiences running a political campaign just months after giving birth. From the challenges and compromises to the support networks that wrapped around them, and why showing up vulnerably in public space matters. Subscribe In 2024, when my second child was four months old, I decided to run for local government. Fast forward two years, I am again four months postpartum, with my third child, and this time running in the state election. But this time has hit differently. Going through pregnancy, birth and postpartum while being a political candidate has had a more profound and personal impact than I ever expected. I reached out to my fellow Greens candidate for the state election, Lini Fernando, who gave birth 20 days before me, and her experience closely mirrored mine. Postpartum has its own unique challenges that we’ve not seen reflected in stories about women running for office. When people discuss the “juggle”, they’re usually talking about the practical mechanics of looking after small children - childcare arrangements, pumping schedules and logistics. As mums of multiple children, we were both aware of the logistical changes and difficulties that accompany giving birth and the months after. We assumed that combining this with running for election would be hard, but that we could organise our way out of any problems. What neither of us anticipated was the intense vulnerability that comes with putting yourself into the spotlight of a state election campaign at a time when you are physically exhausted and navigating things like breastfeeding and feeling like a stranger in your own body. There have been challenges that neither of us anticipated. Firstly, needing to buy new clothes because the supportive leggings that are a staple of the postpartum wardrobe weren’t going to cut it for community events. Lini held her first fundraiser - a trivia night - just three weeks postpartum. A business-casual wardrobe, several sizes bigger than pre-baby, was needed, and fast. As women, how we look is closely scrutinised, and the internalised fatphobia is loud. We are conditioned from our earliest days to believe that our appearance is tied to our worth, and taught how we are allowed to show up in public. Women who dare to put themselves into the spotlight also receive more abuse than their male counterparts, including criticism of their appearance. To stand in front of members of your community and try to convince them that you’re the best person to represent them in parliament is a challenge in and of itself. To do it with leaking breasts, a pelvic floor that could betray you at the first sign of a sneeze, a body that still feels unfamiliar, and with half your hair falling out (hello postpartum hair loss!) is another thing altogether. It requires courage, allowing yourself the grace to be vulnerable in public, and the belief that showing up, however imperfectly, matters. And the vulnerability isn’t just physical; it also includes factors like having to ask a campaign team to accommodate the realities of having a baby. Asking for help is hard, and it’s a skill that both new parents and hopeful political candidates need to become comfortable with. Parents understand the disappointment that comes when a call for help or connection is rebuffed, like a friend cancelling a much-needed coffee. That rejection is amplified for political candidates calling dozens of people each week. Many people don’t realise running for Parliament, when you aren’t the incumbent, is a volunteer role supported largely by other volunteers who have to squeeze volunteering in around their paid work. Calls need to be made and meetings held after work hours - usually during “witching hour” (5-8 pm), that special time of night when babies cry for no reason. I found that I was struggling to make these commitments, or having to tap out and ask for them to be rearranged. When I spoke to Lini, we realised that she had had a similar experience, this push-pull of being the candidate and wanting to show our faces at meetings and help recruit new volunteers at ‘calling parties’, but also being the only people who could settle our newborns. Sometimes we could merge the two worlds; Lini and I realised that we had both attended 7:30pm meetings online, sitting in a dark room, struggling though breastfeeding and settling our babies. Although we’re both committed to breaking the stigma around breastfeeding, it can be hard to keep your composure while trying to feed a young baby as they try to latch, spew and fuss. Ultimately, Lini and I agreed that showing up vulnerably in public space matters. Leaders should possess empathy and understanding for those who feel raw and in transition; from the dad who just got evicted to the teen who acquired a disability - anyone who feels they aren’t the version of themselves they expected right now. The patriarchy tries to tell us otherwise, but women shouldn’t have to wait until they’re ‘recovered’, no longer vulnerable, before they feel entitled to participate in public life. In fact, we could all benefit from our leaders being a little more vulnerable. *This piece was cowritten, but has been presented in the first person for the sake of style. About the authors Nina Crawley is former teacher and community organiser who now works in human rights and inequality advocacy for a non-profit. She’s a mother of three keen to get back to running as soon as her pelvic floor allows! She’s contesting the seat of Ivanhoe for the Greens in this year’s state election. Lini Fernando is a lawyer working in diverse areas of law including anti corruption and public law. She’s a mother of two and a gardening and good policy enthusiast. She is currently contesting the seat of Croydon for the Greens in this year’s state election. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
Megan Rapinoe says women’s sports are facing ‘regression’ of ‘equal rights’ in new Kamala Harris interview
Kamala Harris joined Megan Rapinoe for a new interview touching on women's sports, politics, and a puzzling tangent about "the boy next door."
Fact check: Trump, RFK Jr. and others make false claims on night 2 of GOP convention
President Donald Trump delivered another rapid-fire series of false claims on the second night of Republicans’ midterm convention on Thursday. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did his own barrage of wrongness. And various other speakers uttered statements that were untrue, misleading or missing critical context.
Inside Utah Politics: Utah Lt. Governor on elections and DOJ
Utah's First TV Station and your destination for news, sports, weather and more across Utah
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, raise concerns about corruption in Springfield townhall
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle held a “stop the corruption” town hall in Springfield Thursday. The town hall was a part of a tour focusing on concerns about corruption in politics.
Bruce Springsteen on Politics and His Land of Hope and Dreams Tour
Bruce Springsteen opens up about his political Land of Hope and Dreams tour, Trump, the midterms, new music and his plans for future shows.
Trump-led convention could impact Kentucky politics
Lexington and Central KY News, Weather, and Sports | WDKY
Our readers: What would Fulton Sheen make of modern politics?
“Sheen was a rock star who made being Catholic singular. No one lifted me up as much as Fulton during my teens.”
Trump-led convention could impact Kentucky politics
The Republican midterm convention in Dallas kept Trump at the center of the party’s political message, which could impact down-ballot races in Kentucky ahead of the fall election.
Denver sues Trump to block armed ICE agents from polling sites
The City of Denver, along with several immigrant rights groups, sued the Trump administration Thursday, seeking to block armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from polling sites during the upcoming midterm elections. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., leans heavily on 18 U.S.C. 592, an older federal law which […]
Adrian Daub knows what tech wants from politics: ‘Control without responsibility’
The author of ‘What Tech Calls Governing’ on DOGE, AI, and our chances of pushing back
Parade & politics: Was Constantino invited to Massena’s Labor Day parade or not?
There are two sides to the story, with union officials saying they are livid over the candidate’s participation, and Constantino’s campaign saying it was warmly welcomed.
The political risk behind Trump’s $5,000 pledge: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Vance’s convention message to battleground state Republicans.
‘Politics worthy of our country’: Cox declares Charlie Kirk Day a year after the activist’s death
The first anniversary of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s shooting death in Orem is “Charlie Kirk Day” in Utah, Gov. Spencer Cox declared Thursday ahead of a memorial he is not expected to attend.
Colorado doctors, dentists challenge state law on gender‑transition services in new federal lawsuit
A group of Christian doctors and dentists has filed a federal lawsuit challenging a Colorado law they say requires them to provide gender‑transition services that conflict with their religious and ethical beliefs. The lawsuit, filed by the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and Button Family Practice of Cañon City, alleges that certain portions of Colorado’s […]
“The Democracy Plays” Bring Politics the to Rosendale Theater
“The Democracy Plays” presents five short works about local government, immigration, reproductive rights, political fatigue, and civic action at the Rosendale Theatre September 17–20.
This Week In Politics: Renewed Conflict With Iran
Following a month-long pause in conflict, American and Iranian forces resumed hostilities this week when U.S. strikes hit Iranian territory on Sunday, Aug. 30. The U.S. struck Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island, a critical strategic island along the Strait of Hormuz, and the attack is reported to have killed two people and wounded others....
Housing, addiction, politics and the touchy subject of homelessness
Accountability means little if we blame the wrong people for the wrong results. Monique DeSpain has made the case for judging Oregon’s homelessness system by results. But the burden is hers to explain what she would change through Congress — and how voters should decide if it worked.
Pennsylvania's Largest Newspaper Calls Sen. John Fetterman 'An Embarrassment'
The editorial board of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the largest newspaper by circulation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, penned a searing editorial criticizing the state's senior senator, John Fetterman. "News flash: U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is still an embarrassment. "The Pennsylvania Democrat enjoys one of the cushiest jobs in America, but…
No. 2: Benjamin Netanyahu: Shaping Israel’s politics and global image for a generation
Netanyahu has become more than Israel’s prime minister for many. Abroad, for instance, he has become Israel’s symbol and the lightning rod for much of the hatred directed against the Jewish state.
An uplifting season - Illinois Times, the capital city's weekly source of news, politics, arts, entertainment, culture
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not much of a sports fan. The idea of the Women’s Professional Baseball League playing its inaugural season in Springfield was interesting as a historical happening. But it was not until Lucky Horseshoes Chief Storyteller Jamie Toole spoke at our neighborhood association meeting that I committed to going […]
‘Jeopardy!’ Host Reveals Why Politics Isn’t Just a ‘Soapbox’ for Him
‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings opened up about his political views and explained why speaking about politics is not just a “soapbox” for him. Jennings discussed political changes that affected him. Ken...
How the WNBA became a political prop in the culture wars
Despite record viewership and attendance, and amazing talent across the league, the WNBA has been caught up in the national conversation about the culture wars. Sportswriter Sabreena Merchant says, “everything in the WNBA seems to take on a political lens far beyond what is actually happening on the court.” Merchant spoke with Fresh Air guest interviewer Sam Fragoso (host of Talk Easy) about the expansion of the WNBA, the race and gender politics consuming the narrative, and the departure of commissioner Cathy Engelbert. Merchant writes for The Athletic, from the New York Times.Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews Practical Magic 2. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our YouTube channel Check out the Fresh Air Archives
Israeli legislative election and Netanyahu's politics of enmity
Rather than labeling his domestic rivals as outright traitors, Netanyahu frames them as the vehicles that will deliver the enemy's desired outcome. This deliberately blurs the line between legitimate political dissent and national betrayal | Anadolu
Guest opinion: What Wisconsin’s Democratic primary reveals about data center politics
Voters’ views on data centers may be more nuanced than a simple for-or-against debate, Rob Smith and Devan Patel of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy write.
Politics, The Vote And The Black Church - The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
Today, the Black Church is a key stop on the agenda of every political candidate seeking a sure vote. This is why so many of them race to the church to be seen and smiled at, the Sunday before every election.
Russians about Goethe-Institut: 'Hostage to politics'
Canceled language exams, disrupted plans to study in Germany and the disappearance of an important cultural link: DW users shared how the closure of Germany's Goethe-Institut in Russia affects their lives.
‘Jeopardy!’ Host Reveals Why Politics Isn’t Just a ‘Soapbox’ for Him
‘Jeopardy!’ host Ken Jennings opened up about his political views and explained why speaking about politics is not just a “soapbox” for him. Jennings discussed political changes that affected him. Ken...
‘Politics of contempt’: Republican Utah governor joins Pa. Gov. Shapiro to push back against hateful rhetoric and partisanship
The governors said political disagreement is essential to democracy, but warned that dehumanizing rhetoric is contributing to violence and eroding trust.
Politics in the Therapy Session
Once upon a time, therapists took care to hide their ideological views from their patients, presenting instead a “blank screen” that allowed the therapeutic relationship to function as intended. Mark that down as one more casualty of the Age of Wokeness.
Extradition is becoming a political football — here’s how the states can stop it
A governor who wants to shield someone from a prosecution he objects to, or from a sister state whose politics he finds distasteful, may simply keep an extradition demand “under investigation” inde…
42nd Fete des Fleurs exemplifies DBG’s mission to “Sustain and delight”
DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS Denver News: In recent years, it’s become clear that Mother Nature likes to play games with the Fete des Fleurs committee. The day of this al fresco fundraiser for Denver Botanic Gardens can start out sunny and bright, only to have the sky darken and rain start falling, literally moments before guests arrive. But as […]
9/11 and Tampa: Two weeks that reshaped Australian politics
In September 2001, then Prime Minister John Howard faced two crises, the Tampa affair and the 9/11 terror attacks in Washington, that would define 20 years of Australian immigration politics.
New leaders emerge in Rhode Island as old guard falls in primary upsets
Taken together, the results amounted to a seismic shift in Rhode Island politics – a rejection of some of the state’s most established political figures and a striking signal that the electorate is ready for something new.