Democrats

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In Fundraising Race, GOP Is Winning by a Lot

Republicans' cash surge, super PACs, and court ruling worry Democrats

(Newser) - Democrats may be headed into the 2026 midterms with momentum—but Republicans are the ones with the cash . New filings show the GOP's main party committees and top House and Senate super PACs entered the year with about $320 million on hand, more than double Democrats' $137 million after...

Good News for GOP: Collins Launches Reelection Bid

Moderate Republican senator seen as the party's best chance in Maine

(Newser) - Susan Collins is asking Maine voters for a sixth term, and the stakes extend far beyond her state. The 73-year-old Republican senator formally launched her re-election bid on Tuesday, casting herself as an experienced moderate in an increasingly polarized Senate. "True leaders bring both sides together to seek common...

Gallup Detects a Significant Shift in American Optimism

Percentage of people optimistic about their future slips to lowest since poll began measuring

(Newser) - American optimism about the future has slid to its lowest point since Gallup began tracking it nearly 20 years ago. Just under 60% of US adults now expect to be living "high-quality" lives five years from now, according to a new Gallup poll . That's down 3.5 points...

Judge Blocks California's Mask Ban for Federal Agents

But ruling leaves state's ID requirement for law enforcement in place, for now

(Newser) - California's attempt to unmask federal agents just ran into a constitutional snag, though not a complete stop. A federal judge in Los Angeles on Monday blocked the state's new ban on face coverings for federal law-enforcement officers, ruling that the law illegally singled them out by exempting state...

SCOTUS Ruling Will Benefit Democrats in the Midterms

Decision allows use of new congressional map in California

(Newser) - The Supreme Court just gave Democrats in California something to smile about. In an unsigned order Wednesday, the justices rejected an emergency bid from the California Republican Party and the Trump administration to stop the state from using a new congressional map in this year's midterms. The ruling, which...

As Dems Argue DHS Funding, Some Republicans Want More

Johnson faces pressure to figure out a compromise, prevent prolonged shutdown

(Newser) - House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration's sweeping immigration enforcement operations, per the AP . Johnson signaled he is relying on help from President Trump to...

Senate Vote to Avoid Shutdown Fails in 45-55 Vote

Partial shutdown may now be inevitable

(Newser) - A Senate test vote meant to keep much of the federal government open failed on Thursday, and both parties are now racing a shutdown clock while haggling over how far to curb immigration enforcement.
  • The procedural vote to move forward on a sweeping spending package failed 45–55, with all
...

Trump on Ilhan Omar Attack: 'I Don't Think About Her'

Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, faces assault charges after allegedly spraying liquid at Dem lawmaker

(Newser) - A man who authorities say lunged at Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar as she spoke at a Minneapolis town hall on Tuesday, spraying an unknown substance her way, has been arrested and now faces third-degree assault charges, reports ABC News . More:
  • Suspect: Minneapolis police have identified the man as Anthony Kazmierczak,
...

215-215 Tie Defeats Attempt to Limit US Force in Venezuela

Measure requiring congressional approval for military action ends in shouting, late-arriving voter

(Newser) - The House narrowly blocked an effort Thursday to restrict President Trump's authority to use military force in Venezuela, with the measure failing on a 215-215 tie. The Democratic-led war powers resolution would have required the president to withdraw US armed forces from Venezuela unless Congress explicitly authorized military action....

DHS Funding Clears House With 7 Democratic Votes

Spending measure approvals keep Congress on track to avert partial shutdown

(Newser) - The House on Thursday narrowly approved funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with the help of seven Democratic votes, after a contentious fight over the Trump administration's immigration enforcement. A series of votes moved Congress closer to finishing this year's spending work and avoiding a partial shutdown,...

Panel's Democrats Help Pass Contempt Citations for Clintons

Vote sends criminal referrals over Epstein investigation subpoenas to full House

(Newser) - Democrats helped push Bill and Hillary Clinton a step closer to facing contempt of Congress charges on Wednesday. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to recommend criminal contempt citations for the former president and former secretary of state over their refusals to testify in its investigation into sex offender Jeffrey...

Judge: Lawmakers Must Stick to 7-Day Wait on ICE Visits

Democratic pols must revise lawsuit challenging Homeland Security's notice requirement

(Newser) - A DC federal judge has, for now, left in place a Homeland Security rule that slows down surprise visits by members of Congress to immigration detention centers. US District Judge Jia Cobb decided on Monday not to immediately block a DHS policy that requires lawmakers to give seven days' notice...

Spanberger Takes Historic Oath
Virginia Has First Female Gov
Jan 17, 2026 1:00 PM CST

Virginia Has First Female Gov

Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer, takes the oath in Richmond

(Newser) - Virginia, where all 74 governors had been men and where the federal amendment granting women the vote was not ratified until 1952, swore in Abigail Spanberger as its chief executive on Saturday. The former CIA officer and congresswoman wore a white coat as she took the oath on the steps...

Op-Ed: Dems Have 'No Credible Path' Unless They Shift Now

Strategist David Pllouffe urges immediate overhaul of party brand, agenda, leadership

(Newser) - Democrats may be riding high now, but one of their top strategists says the party is on track to crash in 2028 unless it overhauls itself fast. In a New York Times op-ed, David Plouffe—who helped run three recent Democratic presidential campaigns, including Kamala Harris' 2024 bid—argues that...

Record 45% of Americans Identify as Independents

Gallup sees rising dissatisfaction with both parties

(Newser) - More Americans than ever are stepping away from the two-party labels. A new Gallup survey finds that 45% of US adults identified as political independents in 2025, the highest share in more than three decades of telephone polling and up from 43% in recent peak years. Just 27% of adults...

Peltola Senate Bid Puts Alaska in Play for Democrats

She beat Palin twice to take state's only House seat in 2022

(Newser) - Democrats just got a boost in their effort to reclaim control of the Senate. Democratic former Rep. Mary Peltola is jumping into Alaska's Senate race against Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan. Her entry gives Democrats a faint but real opening in one of the nation's reddest corners of...

House Republicans Defy Party to Pass ACA Subsidy Extension

Senate GOP leaders oppose bill without a series of changes

(Newser) - The House approved a three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies on Thursday, with 17 Republicans joining all Democrats in a rebuke to GOP leaders. The bill, passed 230-196, would restore higher federal subsidies that lapsed at the end of last year to help lower premiums for millions of...

Steny Hoyer to Retire After Nearly 6 Decades in Office

Longtime Democratic congressman from Maryland decides it's time to leave the House at age 86

(Newser) - Rep. Steny Hoyer has decided his 59th year in elected office will be his last. The Maryland Democrat, long the second-ranking member of his party in the House, won't seek reelection in 2026 and will announce he's retiring in a floor speech Thursday, per the Washington Post . "...

Polls Reveal Huge Split on US Actions in Venezuela

Partisan divides revealed along with little overall support

(Newser) - Americans are backing the surprise US assault on Venezuela in only limited numbers, with far more worried about what comes next. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that about one-third of Americans approve of the military operation that removed President Nicolás Maduro, while 72% fear the US will get drawn...

'Iraq 2.0': Democrats Blast Trump's Venezuela Strike

Democrats question legality, warn of destabilizing fallout after Maduro capture

(Newser) - President Trump's overnight move to remove Venezuela's leader has triggered a fresh war-powers brawl in Washington, with Democrats accusing the White House of launching "Iraq 2.0" without Congress on board. Trump announced on Truth Social that US forces had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and...

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