Democrat

• Rusty Hicks 擔心 Democrats 可能在「open」體制中互相排擠，進而將勝利拱手讓給 Republicans • California Democratic party 主席表示，他希望廢除該州特有的「open primary」，稱其為一項失敗，並認為這存在讓眾多 Democratic 候選人互相內耗，甚至導致在全美最藍州份之一選出 Republican 州長的風險 • 「我們現行的制度行不通，」Rusty Hicks 在受訪時表示。「它需要被修正或廢除。」

• Maine 州長 Janet Mills 週四宣布將撤回其原定的參議院競選計畫，並退出民主黨初選，這實際上為州參議員 Ben Chipman 參與這場公開角逐掃清了障礙。 • Mills 以家庭考量和高關注度參議院選戰帶來的負擔為主要原因，表示在她繼續其第二任州長任期之際，Maine 「需要穩定的領導層」。 • 她的退出重塑了該州的政治版圖，在該州近期全國大選呈現「紫色」（搖擺）趨勢的情況下，此舉可能使民主黨免於一場激烈的黨內初選。

• Lee Zeldin 在 Senate 宣稱 Trump administration 的計劃將使 Environmental Protection Agency 「更有效率」 • Senate 的 Democrats 在週三的國會聽證會上，指責 Trump administration 放棄了 Environmental Protection Agency 保護人類健康與環境的使命，並抨擊該機構領導層提出的將預算裁減一半的提案。 • Lee Zeldin 出席 Senate 環境委員會，是這位 EPA 署長本週三場預算聽證會中的最後一場。他在會中主張大幅削減該機構資金，而在其領導下，該機構的人員編制已降至數十年來的最低水平。在本週的大部分時間裡，這位來自 New York 的前 Republican 國會議員採取了強硬姿態，以自己的問題回應 House 和 Senate 的 Democrats，有時甚至指責他們準備不足或不關心 EPA 的紀錄。繼續閱讀...

• 眾議院民主黨人在 4 月 29 日的聽證會上，自伊朗戰爭爆發以來首度對國防部長 Pete Hegseth 抱持懷疑態度進行質詢，並針對策略與成本持續施壓。 • 一名民主黨議員指責 Hegseth 具黨派偏見，並在激烈的交鋒中引用他過往的言論進行回擊。 • 這次對峙凸顯了在支持率暴跌之際，雙方針對戰爭的經濟代價以及 Trump 的外交政策存在嚴重的黨派分歧。

• 一位具政治野心的康乃狄克州民主黨人在黨內要求參與的壓力下，退出了關於政府撥款的跨黨派談判。 • 此次退出行動加劇了在聯邦預算優先事項和開支削減問題上的緊張局勢。 • 這可能會推遲對即將到來的財政期限至關重要的撥款法案。

• 佛羅里達州州長 Ron DeSantis 公布了新的國會選區圖，這可能會進一步取消民主黨在眾議院的席位。 • 此次重新劃分選區的提案針對民主黨現任議員所在的地區，加劇了 2026 年中期選舉前的競爭。 • 共和黨將此視為維持眾議院多數黨地位的關鍵，而民主黨則警告這是選民壓制手段。

• 維吉尼亞州選民以微弱優勢通過了一項由民主黨支持的國會重新劃分選區計劃，這將危及數名共和黨現任議員。 • 該措施重新劃定選區線路以利於民主黨在關鍵選區獲勝，從而改變 2026 年中期選舉的平衡。 • 這場沿海地區的劃分選區之爭突顯了全美在公平地圖與黨派利益之間的緊張局勢。

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...