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State redistricting battles intensify following U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act
A Supreme Court decision striking down a majority Black congressional district in Louisiana has amplified an already intense national redistricting battle. Here’s a look at how some states are responding.
Rep. Michael McCaul warns Texas Republicans not to nominate Ken Paxton for Senate
The outgoing Austin congressman believes that Paxton could lose the race to Democrat James Talarico.
FIFA World Congress in Vancouver, B.C., couldn’t shake politics
President Gianni Infantino botched a feel-good moment between Israeli, Palestinian soccer officials
Kemp won't seek to change Georgia's congressional map this year
There will be no changes to Georgia's congressional map before the 2026 midterm elections are held, Gov. Brian Kemp said on Friday.
The politics of Trump's ballroom
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — President Trump was about a half-hour into his second speech of the day, musing about the danger he faced last week at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. “Saturday night, it was good for one thing. People are loving my ballroom now,” Trump told a crowd last night. “That’s the only thing. They love my ballroom.” Ever since he was hustled off stage at the Washington Hilton last week, after an attempted shooter breached the dinner’s security perimeter and sent guests diving to the floor, the president has argued that the incident is proof for why his White House ballroom is needed. Only his planned $400 million, 90,000-square-foot project, Trump has reasoned, can keep a president truly safe at major events. It’s true that a bunch of GOP lawmakers have jumped on board with new legislation and words of support for Trump’s project. House Speaker Mike Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul and other prominent Republicans went on TV to talk about the need for a ballroom. But as we reported at The Washington Post this week, “people” aren’t really changing their minds on Trump’s ballroom. A new Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that most Americans still oppose the ballroom project: 56 percent against it versus 28 percent in favor. The numbers are the same as a poll from last year, the Post’s polling whiz Scott Clement found. Other new polls have found similar margins, too. “I’m just not a giant fan, especially of extravagance,” one independent voter told me. “I mean, in the era we’re in right now, given how much people are struggling, it just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to spend $400 million on a ballroom.” How we got here The Washington Post has followed Trump’s ballroom project very closely. (My colleague Jonathan Edwards may have written the most total words of any reporter about the project; I may be second.) The project exploded as a national issue after Trump tore down the White House’s East Wing after initially promising not to touch it.1 Historic preservationists sued, and about a month ago, a federal judge ordered a halt to ballroom construction.2 The only way the ballroom could proceed, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled, was if Congress explicitly authorized Trump’s plans. (An appeals court has stayed Leon’s order for now.) The judge’s ruling raised an obvious question: would Congress authorize the project? Keep in mind, “authorization” doesn’t mean that Congress needs to necessarily fund the planned $400 million project; they could just sign off on the private donations that Trump has solicited to pay for the ballroom.3 But GOP lawmakers really didn’t want to talk about the ballroom, we reported at The Post just a few weeks ago. One major reason was the ballroom’s bad polling — not a small detail with many of their own midterm elections looming. The White House Correspondents’ Dinner incident, and Trump’s advocacy, may have changed the political conversation around the ballroom. As this week’s polling shows, it doesn’t seem to have affected the fundamental questions surrounding the project. To put it another way, voters still say that cost-of-living concerns are top-of-mind heading into the midterms. Some Republican and independent voters have told me that they see the ballroom as a vanity project that will help Trump but do nothing for their own lives. It might not help Republicans that Trump has dismissed some of the cost-of-living concerns. He’s described “affordability” as a buzzword manufactured by Democrats whose policies helped cause inflation. “They’ve got one good line of bullshit,” Trump said in his first speech yesterday, delivered at a Florida retirement community known as The Villages. Thanks for reading Dan Diamond's newsletter! Subscribe for free to stay up-to-date on my work. Subscribe Speaking of Trump’s speeches… I’m down in Florida because it’s my “duty week” as a White House reporter — basically, I follow the president wherever he goes. (And then hand the baton off to one of my Washington Post colleagues next week.) As part of my duty week, I’ve spent a few days covering the White House’s reaction to Saturday’s attempted shooting, including officials’ review of the security protocols to protect the president. Trump was restrained in the wake of the incident, addressing the nation from the White House briefing room about the need for peaceful dialogue and trying to lower the temperature. But he’s clearly been itching to get back out of the White House, and I was curious to hear how his Florida speeches would go. And — to my ears — it was an unburdened Trump. Not the one we saw Saturday night in the White House briefing room, but the one we witnessed on the campaign trail in 2024. Loose, dropping profanities, mocking everyone, including members of his team. “We have a man here who knows more about Medicaid, Medicare, medical crap than any human being. Where’s Dr. Oz? Where the hell are you, stand up,” Trump said, referring to Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. “It’s the most boring trip I’ve ever made. He’s telling me about Medicare, Medicaid. All I want to do is take care of you, I don’t care. I said, ‘You work out the details.’” I wrote up the speech, as Trump headed to West Palm Beach to deliver more remarks a few hours later. The White House didn’t like my story. Their rapid-response team called it the work of a “total loser”4 and “a miserable TDS-ridden moron.” You can be the judge of whether it’s a fair story or the product of someone afflicted with “TDS.” (The White House’s shorthand for “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”) I’ve pasted the story below with a gift link, meaning that you don’t need to be a Washington Post subscriber to read it. It might prompt you for an email address, though. Meanwhile, I’ll be down in Florida for the rest of the weekend, covering the president. It’s TBD whether those stories will be deemed TDS-afflicted, too. 1 Jonathan details the past six months of ballroom fallout, reactions and the implications for executive authority here. I also had a great time talking about Trump’s ballroom and other projects with Australia’s ABC News Daily on a podcast this week. 2 The judge allowed underground construction and national security-related work to continue. But that hasn’t been enough for Trump, who says the ballroom itself is essential for his protection. 3 The ballroom donors include companies like Palantir, Google and Amazon. For transparency, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post, where I work. No one has ever interfered with our team’s coverage of the ballroom or our mentions of Amazon or Bezos, and if that changed, I’d speak out. 4 To be fair, I’ve spent the morning working on stories and writing this Substack post rather than enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. So they may be onto something about who’s winning and who’s losing.
Ruby Red Iowa Backed Trump by 13 Points in 2024. Now It’s a Battleground.
Iowa has trended red for a decade, but Democrats are showing signs of life, and that could help their party reclaim Congress and maybe even a governorship.
Event With Links to Oil Industry Teaches Judges "Healthy Skepticism" of Climate Science
As congressional Republicans accuse climate scholars and lawyers of colluding to influence the judiciary, a symposium hosted by a center funded by the fossil fuel industry educates judges about free-market views of climate science.
Gov. Jeff Landry’s order halting Louisiana congressional elections faces barrage of lawsuits
But several of those lawsuits already faced rejection from judges.
Tennesse to redistrict in effort to flip Memphis congressional seat
At the behest of President Donald Trump, Tennessee’s Republican supermajority is returning to Nashville to redraw the state’s congressional maps.
Trump Tells Congress Why He Doesn’t Need Its Authorization for the Iran War
In letters to the House and Senate, the president asserted that the hostilities had “terminated,” in an apparent attempt to avoid having to seek congressional approval.
Redistricting shuffle: Darren Soto signals he's staying put in CD 9
He has also dismissed Ron DeSantis' proposed congressional map, which passed in the Legislature, 'illegal.'
Trump says Iran conflict is ‘terminated’ as he hits congressional deadline
Trump’s statement came as the United States continues to enforce a naval blockade of Iran and as he declined to rule out additional strikes on the country.
The White House tries to sidestep Congress on Iran as political pressures mount: From the Politics Desk
Plus, a trio of redistricting developments post-Supreme Court ruling.
Trump says deadline for Congress to approve Iran war doesn't apply, claiming hostilities have 'terminated'
Yet President Donald Trump also made it clear in a letter to Congress that the war may be far from over.
As Iran War Reaches 60-Day Mark, Republicans in Congress Grow Impatient With Trump
Months into the operation and with midterms looming, some lawmakers are calling for Congress to restrain the president’s war power or set terms for bringing the conflict to a close.
House passes Farm Bill, yanks pro-pesticide provision
On Thursday the House passed a new farm bill
Former congressman David Rivera convicted in case on secret Venezuela lobbying
Jurors found Rivera and an associate guilty on all counts, including failing to register as a foreign agent with the Justice Department and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of their work for former President Nicolás Maduro's government.
Science groups, former astronauts urge Congress to reject cuts to NASA
The White House’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year would cut NASA’s budget by 23% and force the cancellation of dozens of missions.
Who’s running for Congress in California? These races could determine the majority
Ballots are in the mail for California’s primary election. These are the congressional races CalMatters is watching closely — and the candidates fighting for their political lives.
Trump administration rejects need for Iran war Congressional approval despite deadline
Pete Hegseth argued that a ceasefire agreement with Iran more than three weeks ago ‘means the 60 day clock pauses, or stops’
A deadline for the Iran war is here. What does the War Powers Act say?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted an ongoing ceasefire “pauses” the clock on the 60-day deadline to end hostilities in Iran or seek congressional approval.
U.S. Debt Smashes Through Unthinkable Milestone. Can It Be Stopped? | WSJ Politics Newsletter for May 1
Plus, Trump is poised to defy Congress over authorization for the Iran war
Obamacare Enrollment Drops Sharply as Costs Rise
Americans can’t afford the higher health insurance premiums that resulted from Congress’s refusal to extend federal tax credits.
Republicans Want Tennessee’s Last Democratic House District
Republicans sliced Nashville into three G.O.P.-leaning congressional districts in 2022. After the Supreme Court decision on voting rights, Memphis could be next.
Trump is supposed to get Congress’ approval when the Iran war hits 60 days. Lawmakers can’t agree when that is.
A Vietnam-era law says Congress must sign off on the Iran war after the conflict hits the 60-day mark. The only problem: Lawmakers can’t agree when that deadline actually hits. And now they’ve left town.
Florida Republicans slice and dice congressional districts: How a new map could cost Democrats seats
The redrawn congressional district lines that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will soon sign into law are intended to help Republicans pick up as many as four U.S. House seats in November — a scenario that would cost some Democrats their seats
Senate bans members and staff from betting in prediction markets
Prediction markets, including the betting platform Polymarket and its chief rival Kalshi, have come under scrutiny as the business has expanded.
House Ethics Committee investigating allegations of sexual harassment against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards
The House Ethics Committee is investigating allegations of sexual harassment against GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Horsford Works Alongside North Las Vegas Small Business Owner Impacted by Republican Healthcare Cuts
NORTH LAS VEGAS – Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) continued his “Congressman on the Job” series, a district-wide initiative where he steps directly into Nevada workplaces to experience firsthand the challenges facing workers, small businesses, and families across the Fourth District.
Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Ruling Could Fuel New Gerrymandering Era
The expected flood of new congressional maps is likely to produce fewer competitive districts, fewer ways for voters to hold elected officials accountable and more polarized politics.
FEMA reinstates whistleblowers as Trump administration reverses Noem’s policies
FEMA has reinstated a group of whistleblowers who signed an open letter to Congress last August warning that the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal agency was setting the stage for a disaster-response breakdown on the scale of Hurricane Katrina, according to five FEMA officials with knowledge of the matter.
Mark Sanford, former governor, drops out of District 1 race
Former governor of South Carolina Mark Sanford is dropping out of the race for the 1st Congressional District to launch a nonprofit
Mark Sanford quits House race after one month, says fighting national debt is better done outside politics
Mark Sanford abandons his run to reclaim his old South Carolina congressional seat, announcing plans to launch a nonprofit focused on reducing U.S. debt.
Congress votes to reopen key parts of DHS, after House GOP caves on ICE funding
House approves bill to fund Homeland Security and end the record shutdown
After weeks of delay, the House voted Thursday to fund much of the Department of Homeland Security, but not its immigration enforcement operations, and sent the bipartisan package to President Donald Trump to sign, ending the longest agency shutdown in history.
As DHS money runs out, Congress could vote today to avoid fresh chaos
After a late-night battle, the House of Representatives greenlit a budget blueprint to give ICE and Border Patrol roughly $70 billion.
Louisiana congressional primaries suspended after Supreme Court ruling, state officials say
Early voting had been scheduled to begin Saturday in advance of the May 16 primary.
WATCH LIVE: Hegseth and Caine face 2nd day of questioning on defense budget, Iran war
After Supreme Court Decision, Louisiana Weighs Redrawing House Maps
It was not immediately clear whether Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, would postpone the May 16 primary election for House races after the court ruled the state’s congressional districts unconstitutional.
WATCH LIVE: Senate considers FISA extension, latest Iran war powers resolution
Louisiana to delay House primaries after Supreme Court redistricting ruling
Primaries under the current congressional map, which the Supreme Court struck down Wednesday, were slated for May 16. It's not clear if the delay will affect the state's Senate race.
Louisiana governor expected to delay some May primaries after Supreme Court ruling, sources tell CNN
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to suspend at least some contests in his state’s May 16 primary election following the US Supreme Court’s decision invalidating his state’s congressional map and calling it an unconstitutional gerrymander.
House proposes cuts to NOAA, science in new funding bill
The National Weather Service would get a boost, and it would be required to maintain staffing levels.
CEO of ECU Health urges House Ways and Means Committee to abandon "one size fits all" healthcare solutions
The leader of eastern North Carolina’s largest health system was in Washington this week, telling federal lawmakers that rural America is being left behind by current healthcare policies.
A New Jersey Republican hasn’t voted in weeks, sparking questions over lengthy absence on Capitol Hill
Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey has not voted in Congress in weeks, sparking questions over when he will return to Capitol Hill as he faces a competitive race for reelection back home and Speaker Mike Johnson oversees an extremely narrow House majority in Washington.
Sticker Mule demands Google fix ‘mislabeled’ ads tying company to CEO’s New York political campaign
Sticker Mule demands Google correct what it calls an error that labeled its commercial ads as paid for by the Constantino for Congress campaign.
Democrats urge CFTC to rein in prediction markets sports betting, insider trading
Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., led a letter — first reported by CNBC — to the CFTC asking for stricter rules for companies like Kalshi and Polymarket.
Congress must hold RFK Jr. accountable after hearings
Michael Burgess and Larry Bucshon, former Republican congressmen and doctors, weigh in on RFK Jr.’s recent congressional hearings.
Inside the GOP’s barely functioning Congress
Republicans will control Washington for at least six more months, but they’ve already lost control of one-half of Congress.
Congress lurches forward on trio of must-pass bills
Action on House floor stopped for hours as leaders scrambled to find votes to proceed on "farm bill," budget plan and foreign spy power extension
Louisiana governor prepares to suspend House primaries after court ruling
Gov. Jeff Landry (R) told Republican House candidates he plans to suspend the May 16 primary elections so lawmakers can redraw the congressional map.
White House says funds to pay TSA and other Homeland Security workers will 'soon run out'
In a memo late Tuesday to lawmakers, the Office of Management and Budget said money that President Donald Trump tapped to pay Transportation Security Administration and other workers through executive actions will be exhausted by May
Florida legislature approves new congressional map intended to boost Republicans in midterms
The vote came just two days after Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled his proposal and the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court rolled back a key provision of the Voting Rights Act.
Overheard on Capitol Hill: Hospital leaders getting upbraided over ‘charging an insane amount for care’
A handful of health-system CEOs took withering fire this week at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Mark Sanford suspending congressional bid. Will launch advocacy targeting national debt instead.
Mark Sanford has dropped out of the SC 1st District race after a month and will start a nonprofit aimed at tackling the federal debt. He says he can do more outside Congress.
Congressional Republicans Struggle to Do the Basics as Chambers Clash
House Republicans toiled to pass major measures as lawmakers scramble to fund homeland security, extend spy powers and deliver a farm bill.
Congressional Republicans propose cutting WIC by $200 million
Anti-hunger advocates say it would be “devastating.”
Congressional Republicans propose cutting WIC by $200 million
Anti-hunger advocates say it would be “devastating.”
Supreme Court ruling not expected to affect House maps this year: experts
Supreme Court overturning Louisiana's congressional map shouldn't mean redrawing maps in other states this year because primaries have already passed.
Florida legislature approves new congressional map intended to boost Republicans in midterms
The Florida Legislature approved a new congressional map intended to maximize Republicans’ advantage in the state as part of the national redistricting battle that President Donald Trump launched ahead of this year’s midterms.
Supreme Court leans in favor of Trump's bid to end protections for Syrian, Haitian migrants
Trump's lawyers say Congress gave the Department of Homeland Security, not judges, the power to end Temporary Protective Status granted earlier.
What’s next for Louisiana’s Congressional maps after the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling?
With early voting set to begin Saturday, it was not immediately clear whether or how the ruling would affect the current election cycle.
House proposes cuts to NOAA, science in new funding bill
The National Weather Service would get a boost, and it would be required to maintain staffing levels.
Alabama Republicans push for new congressional map after seismic Supreme Court ruling: ‘It’s time to act’
Republicans are calling on Gov. Kay Ivey to convene a special session to redraw the congressional maps.
WATCH: Hegseth calls congressional Democrats, some Republicans 'biggest adversary' in Iran war
Lawmakers urged by AHA to support key health initiatives in FY 2027 appropriations bill
The AHA April 29 urged House and Senate appropriations committee leaders to fund health care programs that have been successful in improving access to care for patients and communities nationwide, as the committee begins drafting the fiscal year 2027 appropriations bills. The AHA encouraged Congress to support various programs focusing on the health care workforce, maternal and child health, rural health, disaster preparedness, medical research and behavioral health. Additionally, the AHA urged legislators to include specific bill language that would bar the use of funds for the implementation of a 340B Rebate Model Program at the Department of Health and Human Services.
House approves Ron DeSantis-proposed congressional map
The lower chamber deferred to the Governor's Office on creation of the cartography.
Supreme Court limits Voting Rights Act in setback for Black Democrats
The Supreme Court retreats from 1986 rules that called for electing Blacks and Latinos to Congress and state and local boards.
Supreme Court limits key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act
The decision could touch off a scramble by Republicans to redraw minority-majority congressional districts, especially in the South, that could cost many Black Democrats their seats.
Supreme Court voids majority Black congressional district in Louisiana, boosting Republican chances
The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down Louisiana’s second majority Black congressional district in a decision that could open the door for Republican-led states to eliminate Black and Latino electoral districts that tend to favor Democrats and affect the balance of power in Congress.
Supreme Court rules Louisiana’s Congressional maps are ‘unconstitutional racial gerrymander’
The ruling will have huge implications for elections not just in Louisiana but across the country.
The Trump team is quietly eliminating U.S. support for birth control abroad
Congress has allocated more than $500 million for family planning work internationally. The Trump administration hasn't spent it — and the consequences are already being felt.
WA Democrat asks: Should cops have to pay taxes?
A proposal from a Washington member of Congress to grant special exemptions to federal, state and local police from paying most income taxes was not well-received online.
Landsman, Carey Bipartisan Bill to Support New Small Businesses Passes U.S. House
Cincinnati, OH – Today, Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-01) announced his bipartisan bill with Congressman Mike Carey, the NO BOSS Act, passed unanimously out of the U.S. House of Representatives. The New Opportunities for Business Ownership and Self-Sufficiency (NO BOSS) Act is bipartisan legislation to support Americans as they pursue small business ownership. The bill improves the […]
Palestinian football body appeals FIFA ruling on Israel at top sports court
Meanwhile, visa issues are affecting Palestinian and other delegations to the upcoming FIFA Congress.
Congress reacts to Trump’s push for ballroom
6 things the hospital-at-home model needs to scale up nationally
Earlier this year Congress extended CMS’s hospital-at-home waiver for five years via the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. With that bold stroke, ‘HaH’ services became eligible for Medicare reimbursement through September of 2030.
Mac Deford talks Congressional run, SC politics
Deford is now considered one of the Democratic frontrunners for the First Congressional District nomination
DeSantis' Florida redistricting map advances — but draws GOP no votes, legal scrutiny
Florida is seen as the last possible place before the November midterms for Republicans to gain seats in mid-decade redistricting, a process kickstarted last year by President Donald Trump and the White House.
A friend of the U.S. navigates the collision of sports and politics leading up to the World Cup
Anter Isaac, the head of Australia's soccer governing body, offered a wide-ranging perspective to The Inquirer ahead of FIFA's Congress gathering in Vancouver — the first in North America in a decade.
Health system CEOs get off easy at Congressional hearing on affordability
Committee members largely blamed the other party’s health care policies for driving U.S. health care prices to levels inaccessible to many Americans.
Palestinian football body appeals to sports court over FIFA Israel ruling
The Palestinian Football Association has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in West Bank settlements, a senior PFA official said on Tuesday, as visa issues affecting several delegations added to tensions ahead of the FIFA Congress.
King Charles III warns U.S.-U.K. relationship cannot rest on history
Hanging over the king’s address and trip to the U.S. is the recent strains between Trump and fellow leaders of European and NATO member countries.
For Democratic veterans making midterm pitches, the Iran war is personal: From the Politics Desk
Plus, King Charles addresses Congress. And why another assassination attempt isn't likely to change Trump's approach to public events.
Mission accomplished as king’s speech to Congress goes down a storm
Charles quoted Wilde and Dickens in measured masterclass – and no tirade as yet from mad monarch in White House
Waldrum warns “one-size-fits-all” health policy could harm rural patients and providers
ECU Health CEO Dr. Michael Waldrum testified before a congressional committee Tuesday, urging federal lawmakers to take targeted action to address rising health
King Charles' speech ‘unified’ both sides of the ‘political aisle:’ Former Margaret Thatcher aide
Former foreign policy advisor to Margaret Thatcher Nile Gardiner reacts to King Charles III's address to Congress on ‘The Story.’
For Joe Kennedy III, a new family business
For former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, energy is the new politics, and the family business.
For Joe Kennedy III, a new family business
For former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, energy is the new politics, and the family business.
King Charles to address Congress as U.S.-British ties face rare strain
The king's address, the centerpiece of a four-day state visit, comes at a moment of unusual strain between Washington and London.
The Odds: Congressional mapping
White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting fuels political rhetoric debate
Former federal prosecutor Jonathan Fahey reacts to Hakeem Jeffries’ harsh political rhetoric and breaks down the DHS funding battle in Congress on 'Mornings with Maria.'
King to meet Trump off-camera amid clash fears before Charles’ Congress speech
State visit of UK royals continues as monarch to tell US lawmakers that ‘our countries have always found ways to come together’
Trump administration fires independent board overseeing the National Science Foundation
The National Science Board was created in 1950 to advise the president and Congress on science and engineering policy.
Trump administration fires entire board overseeing National Science Foundation
All 22 members of the current board —which advised the president and Congress on science and engineering policy —was let go.
Trump administration fires independent board overseeing the National Science Foundation
The National Science Board was created in 1950 to advise the president and Congress on science and engineering policy, approve major funding awards and guide NSF’s future.
Use tariffs to pay for health reform
A former Trump health adviser proposes using tariff revenue to fund health care reform, shifting subsidies to patients and expanding HSAs.
Candidates in DC Delegate race for Congress tossing punches at each other
The Democratic primary in June for the District’s delegate seat was heating up Monday, with five candidates racing to define each other before voters did.Brook
Congressman Cohen Announces $$6.8 Million Grant to Christ Community Health Services
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today announced that Christ Community Health Services will receive a grant of $6,832,768 from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services to operate its programs for its economically or medically vulnerable patients.Congressman Cohen made the following statement: