Democrat

• Rusty Hicks는 '개방형' 제도에서 민주당 후보들이 난립하여 서로의 표를 깎아먹음으로써 공화당에 승리를 안겨줄 수 있다는 점을 우려하고 있습니다. • 캘리포니아 민주당 의장은 캘리포니아주 특유의 'open primary(개방형 예비선거)'가 실패한 제도라며 이를 폐지하고 싶다고 밝혔습니다. 그는 이 제도가 수많은 민주당 후보들을 서로 맞붙게 하여, 미국 내 가장 진보적인 주 중 하나인 캘리포니아에서 공화당 주지사가 당선될 위험을 초래한다고 주장했습니다. • Rusty Hicks는 인터뷰에서 "현재 시스템은 제대로 작동하지 않습니다"라며, "이 제도는 수정되거나 폐지되어야 합니다"라고 강조했습니다.

• Janet Mills Maine 주지사는 목요일, 계획했던 Senate 출마를 철회한다고 발표하며 Democratic primary에서 사퇴했고, 이로써 Ben Chipman 주 상원 의원이 공개 경쟁에 참여할 수 있는 실질적인 길을 열어주었습니다. • Mills는 가족에 대한 고려와 세간의 이목이 집중되는 Senate 선거의 부담을 주요 사유로 꼽으며, 두 번째 임기를 수행 중인 Maine 주지사직에는 “안정적인 리더십”이 필요하다고 말했습니다. • 그녀의 사퇴는 주의 정치 지형을 재편하는 것으로, 최근 전국 선거에서 purple 성향을 보인 Maine 내에서 Democratic이 소모적인 당내 경선을 피하게 해줄 가능성이 큽니다.

Lee Zeldin은 Senate에서 Trump 행정부의 계획이 Environmental Protection Agency를 ‘더 효율적으로’ 만들 것이라고 주장했습니다. Senate Democrats는 수요일 의회 청문회에서 Environmental Protection Agency의 인간 건강 및 환경 보호 사명을 저버린 Trump 행정부를 비난하며, 기관 예산을 절반으로 삭감하려는 제안에 대해 지도부를 맹비난했습니다. Lee Zeldin의 Senate environment committee 출석은 이번 주 열린 세 차례의 예산 청문회 중 마지막이었으며, 그는 자신의 리더십 하에 이미 인력이 수십 년 만에 최저 수준으로 줄어든 해당 기관에 대해 예산의 대폭 삭감을 주장했습니다. 이번 주 의정 활동 중 상당 시간 동안 New York 출신의 전 Republican 하원의원인 그는 공격적인 태도를 취하며 House와 Senate의 Democrats 의원들에게 직접 질문을 던지며 대응했고, 때로는 그들이 준비가 부족하거나 EPA의 기록에 무관심하다고 비난했습니다. Continue reading...

• 하원 민주당 의원들은 Iran 전쟁 발발 이후 처음으로 열린 April 29 청문회에서 국방장관 Pete Hegseth를 상대로 전략과 비용 문제를 회의적인 시각으로 몰아세우며 압박했습니다. • 한 민주당 의원은 격렬한 설전 속에서 Pete Hegseth의 과거 발언을 인용하며 그가 당파적인 태도를 보이고 있다고 비난했습니다. • 이번 대립은 지지율이 급락하는 상황에서 전쟁의 경제적 타격과 Trump의 외교 정책을 둘러싼 정당 간의 극명한 견해 차이를 부각시켰습니다.

• 버지니아 유권자들이 여러 공화당 현역 의원들을 위험에 빠뜨리는 민주당 지지 선거구 획정 계획을 근소한 차이로 승인했습니다. • 이번 조치는 주요 선거구에서 민주당에 유리하게 경계선을 다시 그려, 2026년 중간선거의 균형을 변화시킬 것으로 보입니다. • 이러한 해안 지역의 선거구 획정 갈등은 공정한 지도 작성과 당파적 이익을 둘러싼 국가적 긴장을 부각시킵니다.

• 론 디샌티스 플로리다 주지사가 하원 내 민주당 의석을 추가로 제거할 수 있는 새로운 연방 하원 선거구 지도를 공개했습니다. • 이번 선거구 재획정 제안은 민주당 현역 의원들이 있는 지역을 겨냥하고 있으며, 이는 2026년 중간 선거를 앞두고 갈등을 심화시키고 있습니다. • 공화당은 이를 하원 다수당 지위를 유지하기 위한 핵심 전략으로 보고 있는 반면, 민주당은 투표 억제 전술이라고 경고하고 있습니다.

• 정치적 야심이 큰 한 커네티컷주 민주당 의원이 당측의 참여 압박 속에서 정부 예산에 관한 초당적 협상을 중단했습니다. • 이번 협상 이탈로 인해 연방 예산 우선순위와 지출 삭감을 둘러싼 긴장이 고조되고 있습니다. • 이는 다가오는 회계 마감 시한에 필수적인 예산안 처리를 지연시킬 수 있습니다.

TPOR poll of 1,018 likely voters puts Talarico ahead of John Cornyn by three percentage points and Ken Paxton by fiveUS politics live – latest updatesDemocrats’ hopes of winning control of the US Senate in November’s midterm elections have been boosted by a poll showing James Talarico, the party’s candidate in Texas, leading in a head-to-head matchup against two potential Republican opponents.The Texas public opinion research (TPOR) survey has Talarico, a Democratic state legislator, ahead of the GOP incumbent senator, John Cornyn, and his internal party challenger, Ken Paxton, in one-on-one contests. Continue reading...

The case is part of a national redistricting fight with high stakes for the November midterm electionsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxVirginia supreme court justices on Monday questioned whether the state’s Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when it sent a congressional redistricting plan to voters, in a case that carries high stakes for the balance of power in the US House.The new districts, which could net Democrats four additional seats, won narrow voter approval last week. But a Republican legal challenge contends the general assembly violated procedural rules by placing the constitutional amendment before voters to authorize the mid-decade redistricting. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless. Continue reading...

• Support for Israel has dramatically shrunk among Democrats in Congress, marking a political shift. • Last week saw a seismic change with key figures like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez highlighting the reversal. • This internal party divide impacts U.S. foreign policy and bipartisan legislation on Middle East aid.

Janet Mills says moratorium would’ve been ‘appropriate’ if it didn’t interfere with ongoing datacenter project in MaineThe Democratic governor of Maine on Friday vetoed a bill that would have made it the first US state to impose a moratorium on large new datacenters, even as local opposition to the electricity-hungry facilities grows.The decision reflects the difficult trade-off facing political leaders, who must weigh the impact of datacenters on the environment and household energy bills against the millions of dollars in investment and tax revenue they can bring. Continue reading...

Kim Leadbeater tells of plan to table identical bill that peers would be unable to stopMPs and peers who led the assisted dying bill have promised to bring it back to parliament after it ran out of time in the House of Lords.Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who tabled the private member’s bill, said the plan would be to table an identical bill in the next parliamentary session, which would prevent peers blocking it again, as the Lords cannot stop the same bill twice. Continue reading...

Recriminations continue over failure to bring in new laws allowing assisted dying for terminally ill people in England and WalesAmid the failure of an attempt to bring in new laws allowing assisted dying for terminally ill people with less than six months to live, campaigners on both sides of the debate vented their anger and frustration with the opposing side.Its supporters, including terminally ill people, blamed the failure of the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill, which passed in the House of Commons, on sabotage by a handful of unelected peers. Continue reading...

Republicans deploy measure known as budget reconciliation to push through plan without backing from Democrats during lengthy late-night voteHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The Senate voted to adopt a $70bn budget plan to fund ICE and Border Patrol as part of a new effort to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).We have a multistep process ahead of us, but at the end Republicans will have helped ensure that America’s borders are secure and prevented Democrats from defunding these important agencies.Instead of pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into ICE and Border Patrol, Republicans should be working with Democrats to lower out-of-pocket costs.The Pentagon announced, without explanation, that “Secretary of the Navy John C Phelan is departing the administration, effective immediately”. The head of the US navy, which is now enforcing a wartime blockade of Iranian ports, was replaced by a former Maga political candidate, Hung Cao, now acting secretary of the navy.The surprise announcement brought renewed attention to Cao’s 2023 comments that that “witchcraft” had “taken over” Monterey, California.Virginia’s attorney general, Jay Jones, promised to appeal an injunction issued by a circuit court judge that temporarily blocks the state from certifying the results of the Tuesday’s redistricting referendum.As jet fuel prices spike amid the ongoing energy crisis sparked by Donald Trump’s war on Iran, two Republican senators, Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton, denounced a proposed US government bailout of budget carrier Spirit Airlines.Representative David Scott, a Democrat from Georgia, has died at the age of 80. He is the fifth member of Congress to die in office within the last year. Continue reading...

Report from Elizabeth Warren calls Trump administration cuts to Social Security Administration ‘catastrophic’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxCuts to the Social Security Administration have caused “customer service chaos” for millions of older Americans and those with disabilities who rely on the agency’s services, according to a new report from a group of Democratic senators.An investigation found that phone wait times were more than 10 times higher than what the agency claimed on its website, if the calls were even answered at all. Continue reading...

• House Republicans openly questioned President Donald Trump's mid-decade redistricting strategy on Wednesday, following a Democratic victory in Virginia on Tuesday that threatens the GOP's slim House majority. • The Virginia vote paves the way for as many as four Republican seats to be lost, intensifying GOP concerns about the redistricting war Trump sparked. • Republican lawmakers are now expressing misgivings about the strategy, signaling potential fractures within the party over Trump's aggressive electoral positioning ahead of the November midterms.

Democrats within reach of House majority after voters rebel against Republican gerrymanderingSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxMonths into his second term, Donald Trump wagered that he could beat the historic trend of the party in power losing seats in midterm elections if Republican-led states redrew congressional maps to sweep Democrats out of office.The gamble is looking to be a bust, or at best a draw, for the president, after Democrats fought back with their own redistricting efforts, the latest of which came to fruition in Virginia on Tuesday, when voters approved a plan that could remove all but one of the five Republicans in its current House of Representatives delegation. Continue reading...

Amid growing congressional scrutiny of his conduct, Patel has claimed he has ‘never been intoxicated on the job’US politics live – latest updatesHouse judiciary Democrats have launched a formal inquiry into FBI director, Kash Patel’s alleged drinking habits, demanding he complete a standardized alcohol abuse assessment and submit the results to Congress.In a letter sent on Tuesday, led by Jamie Raskin, a Maryland representative, Democrats on the committee called on Patel to take the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (Audit) – a 10-question World Health Organization screening tool used to identify harmful patterns of drinking – along with a sworn statement attesting to his answers. Lawmakers also requested all security clearance questionnaires Patel has completed since taking the role. Continue reading...

• A $140 million super PAC war chest is poised to challenge Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown's 2026 Senate return. • Funded by Republican donors, the group aims to exploit Brown's vulnerabilities in a key battleground. • This escalation underscores high stakes for Senate control amid Trump's midterm focus.

• California Democrats are urging swift action to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by former Rep. Eric Swalwell following his resignation. • Party leaders emphasize the need for a special election to maintain Democratic representation in the competitive district. • The vacancy heightens midterm stakes, with Republicans eyeing gains in the state amid shifting voter dynamics.

Florida US representative indicted in November for allegedly misusing more than $5m of federal disaster fundsDemocratic US representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick said she is resigning effective immediately, after a House committee found she violated ethics rules. The panel was set to issue its recommended punishment for the Florida representative on Tuesday.Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted by a federal grand jury in November for allegedly funneling more than $5m worth of federal disaster funds from her company into her 2021 congressional campaign. Continue reading...

Climate leaders say Democrats need to extol clean energy as a way to cut costs for Americans as war roils oil marketsDemocrats should get louder in championing clean energy’s affordability and resilience from global shocks, according to some of the party’s leading voices on the climate.As the Iran war roils economies by raising the cost of oil and gas, countries are aiming to accelerate their shift to cleaner energy. But in the US, Donald Trump has sought to kill off any alternative to fossil fuels while opposing Democrats have been reluctant to tie the conflict to any action on the climate crisis. Continue reading...

• The African Union convened emergency sessions Friday in Addis Ababa to address military coup concerns in three Sahel nations and coordinate response to deteriorating security conditions affecting 180 million people across West Africa. • Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have experienced military takeovers since 2020, with suspended AU memberships and international sanctions creating governance vacuums exploited by extremist groups and destabilizing the entire region. • The AU proposed conditional reinstatement frameworks for suspended nations contingent on democratic transition timelines, though France and Western partners expressed skepticism about implementation feasibility given entrenched military leadership.

Victory means Democrats hold on to the 11th district seat in the House, where Republicans hold a thin majorityDemocrat Analilia Mejia won a New Jersey special election for the US House on Thursday, defeating Republican Joe Hathaway on a message of standing up to Donald Trump.Mejia, a former head of the Working Families Alliance who had support from the senator Bernie Sanders, will fill the seat previously held by the Democratic governor Mikie Sherrill and serve until January. Continue reading...

Democratic lawmakers urged Republican leaders to postpone the confirmation hearing of Kevin WarshSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxDemocrats have moved to stall Donald Trump’s effort to exert greater control over the US Federal Reserve, condemning the president’s “absurd” bid to install a new leader of the central bank while it is targeted with criminal investigations.Democratic lawmakers on the Senate banking committee urged its Republican leadership on Thursday to postpone the planned confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, the financial executive and former Fed governor Trump has nominated to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair. Continue reading...

Accusations refer to attack on Iran without congressional authorization and strikes on alleged drug smuggling boatsHouse Democrats filed six articles of impeachment against Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, accusing the defense security of “high crimes and misdemeanors”, in reference to the attack on Iran without congressional authorization and deadly strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats, among other official acts.The move comes as the Trump administration faces mounting scrutiny over recent foreign action, particularly the war with Iran. Continue reading...

• A defiant House incumbent facing low polling numbers and a fragmented base has announced he will not yield to pressure to step aside for another centrist candidate, Zohran Mamdani, in an upcoming primary. • The incumbent's decision to remain in the race despite weak polling reflects confidence in his political base despite internal party divisions. • The contested primary underscores Democratic Party tensions between progressive and centrist factions as ambitious candidates position themselves for the upcoming midterm cycle.

Measure by Jamie Raskin follows statements by Trump about annihilating Iran and post depicting himself as JesusSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHouse Democrats on Tuesday proposed creating a commission that would work with JD Vance to remove Donald Trump from office under the 25th amendment, should they determine he is no longer fit to serve.The measure, introduced by Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House judiciary committee, follows a series of statements from Trump, including his recent warning that Iran’s “whole civilization will die” if it did not capitulate to his demands, and a social media post that depicted him as Jesus Christ. Continue reading...