Gop

• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed new congressional maps set to strip Democrats of additional House seats ahead of 2026 midterms. • In contrast, Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed redistricting plan threatening Republican incumbents. • The coast-to-coast battles reflect volatile gerrymandering disputes shaping midterm battlegrounds.

• Virginia voters narrowly approved a Democratic-backed congressional redistricting plan that endangers several Republican incumbents. • The measure redraws lines to favor Democrats in key districts, shifting the balance for 2026 midterm races. • This coastal redistricting battle highlights national tensions over fair maps and partisan advantage.

The partial government shutdown has now lasted eight weeks with Congress on recess until 13 AprilHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The record-breaking partial government shutdown has now entered its eighth week, with little end in sight.Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed into a law a bill that allows the state to designate terrorist groups, then punish those who promote them. Critics say the law will threaten free speech, especially on school campuses. The bill specifics bars the state’s courts from enforcing foreign religious laws, specifically naming Sharia Law. Florida courts enforce secular laws passed in the state, however.Representative Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat, will introduce impeachment articles next week against defense secretary Pete Hegseth. “Only Congress has the power to declare war, not a rogue president or his lackeys,” Ansari said in a statement.Donald Trump reiterated his threats to bomb Iranian energy and civilian infrastructure if the White House does not reach a deal to reopen the strait of Hormuz 8pm ET today. “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said during a 90-minute press conference Monday afternoon.District court judges have been increasingly issuing strong rulings challenging the legality of many of Trump’s policies and power grabs, blocking key ones at least temporarily, and sparking angry responses from the president, former judges and prosecutors say.Trump threatened to jail a journalist – or journalists – who reported that a second US airman was missing after being shot down by Iran on Friday in an effort to identify their source. The badly injured airman hid in a mountain crevice to avoid capture before being rescued by a US recovery team that received heavy fire. Continue reading...

• President Trump's mixed signals on the Iran war complicate predictions for its resolution, creating uncertainty for Republican strategists. • The messaging discord may lead to electoral consequences for the GOP in the 2026 midterms, as voters question the party's foreign policy coherence. • With primaries underway, internal party divisions over Trump's approach could erode his influence in battleground districts.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson declined to commit Friday to passing the Senate-approved DHS funding bill, which excludes ICE and CBP funding amid ongoing agency shutdown. • Conservative Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris opposes the deal, demanding restoration of immigration enforcement funds and attachment of SAVE America Act voter ID legislation before returning to Senate. • Johnson faces challenges passing via party-line rule or two-thirds suspension vote, risking backlash from hard-liners and Democrats.

• President Trump declared that Republicans should not agree to any legislative deal until Democrats pass the "SAVE America Act," a sweeping voting measure. • The bill would require a birth certificate to register to vote and a photo ID to cast a ballot, representing stricter voter identification requirements. • Trump made the demand in remarks delivered in Memphis, Tennessee, as negotiations continue on various legislative fronts.

• Nearly three weeks after the first strikes on Iran, GOP lawmakers are resisting the idea of calling top officials to testify before Congress, according to reporting from the New York Times. • The resistance reflects Republican Party divisions over the administration's Iran military operations and broader foreign policy strategy. • Democratic efforts to investigate the strikes face obstacles as the Republican-controlled Congress shows reluctance to pursue official inquiries into the military action.

• The U.S. House Agriculture Committee approved the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 on March 5 in a 34-17 vote after a 20-hour markup session. • GOP-proposed cuts to SNAP nutrition programs sparked partisan disputes, with Rep. Angie Craig warning they 'jeopardize the path forward for this bill.' • The 802-page bill sets policy and funding for food, agriculture, and conservation programs over five years, but faces hurdles needing Democratic support in the Senate's 60-vote threshold.

Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted that 'the enemy is inside our gates' juxtaposing a NYC iftar photo with 9/11 images, doubling down amid attacks in Michigan and Virginia. House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged Rep. Ogles' strong language on Sharia law but called the concern 'serious' without rebuke. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Tuberville's post as 'mindless hate' and un-American. The Michigan attacker, a naturalized Lebanese citizen who lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike, rammed Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township.

Utah State Rep. Doug Fiefia introduced HB 286 on January 2026, requiring frontier AI models to publish safety and child protection plans, report issues, with civil penalties and whistleblower safeguards. The Trump administration opposed the bill via letter, calling it 'unfixable' against its AI agenda, backed by executive order preempting state regs and AI czar David Sacks' anti-regulation stance. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and AG Derek Brown lead aggressive tech oversight, clashing with Big Tech. This positions Utah as a red-state battleground for AI governance.