Dodge, deny or fib: DeSantis, others stay vague on 2024 plans
Presidential aspirants running for reelection while dreaming of the highest office in the land often face an uncomfortable question: Will they commit to serving a full term โ should they win one โ when their best moment to take a shot at the White House may come sooner than that.
Health concerns block some Texans from testifying on voting
Former Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks against new proposed voting restrictions at the Texas Capitol on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Austin, Texas. Proposed legislation before the GOP-led state Senate and House mirrors a nationwide campaign by Republicans that aims to restrict voting even more, with rules Democrats say disenfranchise racial and ethnic minorities. AdAmy Litzinger, of Austin, is among Texans who say the very health issues keeping her from testifying before lawmakers in person will also penalize her if stricter voting legislation becomes law. Brian Kemp drew protests Thursday when he signed into law a sweeping GOP-sponsored overhaul of state elections โ and the fights will undoubtedly end up in the courts. AdBack in Austin, Jose Colon Uvalles was back at the Capitol again Friday to advocate against voting restrictions.
Bungled hearing delays GOP voting restriction bill in Texas
Former Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke speaks against new proposed voting restrictions at the Texas Capitol on Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Acacia Coronado)AUSTIN, Texas โ A procedural gaffe on Thursday forced the abrupt end of a Texas House hearing on a Republican-backed voting restrictions bill and at least temporarily deprived more than 100 people of the chance to testify about it, including some who said they had driven hundreds of miles to be there. The bungled end to the hearing stunned an overflow room of people who had waited hours to address lawmakers, including some who said they had traveled for hours to speak against the measure known as House Bill 6. That Democrat was state Rep. Nicole Collier, the chairwoman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. โAny delay is good," said Emily Eby, an attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project who had traveled from Houston for the hearing.
For media following Georgia, nail-biting and lots of numbers
As the hour slipped past 2 a.m. on the East Coast, Democrat Raphael Warnock beat Republican Kelly Loeffler. King and MSNBC's Kornacki dominated their networks with headache-inducing number crunching. Warnock and Ossoff jumped to early leads, but as more votes came in, the Republicans swung in front. After midnight, the Times judged both Warnock and Ossoff had a better than 95% chance of winning. Fox News spent less time on raw numbers to showcase their prime-time stars, Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham.
State legislative elections key to redistricting power
โThere is no exaggeration here, the Texas state House is the key to future power in America. Holder's group has given money to 261 state legislative candidates who could influence redistricting in 11 states. Democrats are being countered financially by the Republican State Leadership Committee, which also coordinated the GOP's successful effort a decade ago. But Democrats need to flip just nine seats to take control of the state House for the first time since 2002. โIf we flip the Texas House, redistricting is coming up!
Impatient Democrats want Biden to do more in Texas
Ann Grannan puts a flag on her car before a Ridin' With Biden event Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Plano, Texas. Democrats in Texas are pressing Joe Biden to make a harder run at Texas with less than three weeks until Election Day. (AP Photo/LM Otero)AUSTIN, Texas โ The whispers about Texas are picking up again. โThey've stuck their toes in the water and they figured out that it's pretty warm,โ said Gilberto Hinojosa, the longtime chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. And Texas is just one Sun Belt state where Biden is making an unusual late push.
Senate Democrats' fundraising success puts GOP on defensive
(Bob Daemmrich/Nexstar/KXAN via AP, Pool)WASHINGTON โ Buoyed by massive fundraising success, Democratic Senate candidates are mounting a push in Republican states that few would have thought possible just a few months ago, placing continued GOP control of the chamber at risk. MJ Hegar in Texas reported raising over $13 million during the same period for her race against Republican Sen. John Cornyn. In deep-red Kentucky, Amy McGrath has posted strong fundraising numbers against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In Mississippi, Mike Espy reported raising $4 million in his rematch against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. O'Rourke was criticized for being too stingy with his cash, only reluctantly aiding other Democrats, though he eventually donated large amounts to the Texas Democratic Party.
Graham's last stand? Senator leads Barrett court hearings
For Graham, the Republican Senate majority and Trump himself, the hearings three weeks before Election Day could be a last stand. But they're also a real-time test of whether that's enough to counter a jaw-dropping $57 million fundraising haul by Graham's Democratic opponent in the South Carolina race, Jaime Harrison. He once vowed to oppose any Supreme Court confirmation hearings in presidential election years. But the days leading up to the Barrett hearings were particularly challenging for Graham. Back then, Trump had called Graham a โlightweightโ and a โliberal,โ and famously made public the senator's cell phone number.