Federal Level

FCC Chairman Clears Cruz ESPN Interview On Airtime

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said on Saturday that an ESPN interview with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas did not violate the agency’s equal-time rule, which requires broadcasters to offer comparable airtime to opposing candidates. Carr said the rule covers broadcast stations rather than cable programs, and that it applies only to legally qualified candidates, and Cruz is not on the ballot this year. His statement followed the commission’s warning to ABC over late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with James Talarico, a Democratic Senate candidate in Texas. Kimmel released that interview on YouTube on Thursday instead of broadcasting it, citing the commission’s threat.^{1, 2}

Marshall Breaks With Trump Over $5,000 Payment Plan

Republican Senator Roger Marshall and the Rev. Adam Hamilton, his Democratic challenger, met on Saturday for their first debate since the primary, held at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson before a crowd that repeatedly booed and heckled the incumbent. Asked about President Trump’s promise of $5,000 payments to adults if Republicans hold Congress in November, Marshall said he disagreed with the president and would focus instead on Kansas jobs and the cattle industry. Hamilton called the administration’s decision to import beef from Mexico a slap in the face to Kansas producers. Marshall described his opponent as too woke and too weak.^{3, 4}

Trump Says Canada Trade Deal Could Come Soon

Speaking on Saturday in Dublin alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin, President Trump said that Canada wants to make a deal very badly and predicted an agreement fairly soon if Ottawa addresses his complaints about agricultural trade. Trump said Canada has to treat American farmers better and cannot charge them tariffs, and he said a deal would likely follow once those charges were removed. Asked whether he was considering withdrawing from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the president said no and added that the country was doing great. He also said the United States had been treated unfairly by Canada for fifty years.⁵

Trump Links End Of Iran War To Midterm Vote

President Trump told reporters on Saturday during his visit to Ireland that he expects the war with Iran to end very soon, and probably right after the midterm elections in November. He said Iranian leaders are trying to hold out as long as they can to complicate the election, and he added that he believes American voters understand what is happening. Trump also predicted that oil prices would come tumbling down once the fighting stops. The president did not describe any change in American policy toward the conflict, and he did not say what led him to that timetable.^{6, 7}

Cruz Presses College Sports Bill Before Senate Vote

Senator Ted Cruz of Texas appeared on Saturday on ESPN’s College GameDay in Austin, before the Texas game against Ohio State, where he spent just under eight minutes urging passage of the Protect College Sports Act while the crowd booed. The bipartisan measure, which Cruz sponsors with Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, would require reporting of name, image and likeness agreements worth more than $600, ban side deals that circumvent fair market value, require agents to register with their states, and grant athletes five years of eligibility. A Senate vote is expected this week. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut opposes the bill.⁸

State Level

Kansas Governor Rivals Clash At State Fair Debate

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, the Republican nominee for governor, and state Senator Cindy Holscher, the Democratic nominee, debated on Saturday at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson before a packed and frequently noisy crowd. Masterson said he would be the most pro-agriculture and pro-business governor in state history, and he described Holscher as a socialist and the most radical candidate ever on a Kansas ticket. Holscher answered that she is no socialist, and she faulted Masterson for failing to deliver property tax relief during his six years leading the Senate. They also divided over data centers and private school vouchers.^{9, 10}

Hochul Opens Buffalo Field Office For Democrats

Governor Kathy Hochul joined New York Democrats on Saturday in Buffalo to open the party’s coordinated field office on Seneca Street, ahead of her November race against Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. Hochul pointed to her record in office, including new cell phone policies in schools, more than $10 billion in tax breaks for families, and checks to help residents pay their utility bills. She told supporters that she is proud to serve as governor and that the work is making people’s lives better. She appeared with lieutenant governor nominee Adrienne Adams and Representative Tim Kennedy of Buffalo.¹¹

Ohio Democrat Presses Cost Of Living Message

David Pepper, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor of Ohio, campaigned on Saturday at the Jefferson County Democratic Party picnic, where he told voters that the cost of living is the concern he hears most often across the state. Pepper said people feel overwhelmed by the cost of everything, and he pointed to diesel and gasoline prices, child care, and health care. He said residents of Steubenville had told him that child care is so expensive locally that some families cross into West Virginia to find it and then return to work. Pepper said property taxes are too high because schools are underfunded.¹²

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Article Sources

1. Reuters, “Republican senator’s TV interview passes muster with FCC’s Carr even though Democratic candidate’s does not,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-senators-tv-interview-passes-muster-with-fccs-carr-even-though-2026-09-13/

2. U.S. News & World Report, “Republican Senator’s TV Interview Passes Muster With FCC’s Carr Even Though Democratic Candidate’s Does Not,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2026-09-12/republican-senators-tv-interview-passes-muster-with-fccs-carr-even-though-democratic-candidates-does-not

3. Kansas Reflector, “Clamorous crowd dominates first Kansas U.S. Senate debate between Marshall, Hamilton,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://kansasreflector.com/2026/09/12/clamorous-crowd-dominates-first-kansas-u-s-senate-debate-between-marshall-hamilton/

4. The Topeka Capital-Journal, “Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton debate with raucous state fair crowd,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/congressional/2026/09/12/roger-marshall-and-adam-hamilton-debate-at-kansas-state-fair/91717947007/

5. Global News, “Trump says Canada ‘wants to make a deal very badly’,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://globalnews.ca/news/12056734/eu-trump-ireland/

6. The Guardian, “Trump says he would ‘love’ to see unified Ireland and ‘it may as well happen now’ as he visits Dublin,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/sep/12/donald-trump-ireland-golf-catherine-connolly-us-politics-latest-news-updates

7. Straight Arrow News, “Trump says war will end after midterms as Iranian president says ‘we will never surrender’,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://san.com/cc/trump-says-war-will-end-after-midterms-as-iranian-president-says-we-will-never-surrender/

8. USA TODAY, “Ted Cruz booed during ‘College GameDay’ appearance at Texas,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/sec/2026/09/12/ted-cruz-booed-college-gameday-texas-protect-college-sports-act/91730014007/

9. Kansas Reflector, “In scorching Kansas State Fair debate, governor candidates fight over taxes, data centers, vouchers,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://kansasreflector.com/2026/09/12/in-scorching-kansas-state-fair-debate-governor-candidates-fight-over-taxes-data-centers-vouchers/

10. KCUR, “Kansas candidates for governor call each other extremists at State Fair debate,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2026-09-12/kansas-candidates-for-governor-used-the-state-fair-debate-to-call-each-other-extremists

11. WIVB-TV, “Hochul visits Buffalo for opening of NY Democrat field campaign office,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://www.wivb.com/news/hochul-visits-buffalo-for-opening-of-ny-democrat-field-campaign-office/

12. WTOV-TV, “Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate David Pepper touts affordability at Jefferson County stop,” Sept. 12, 2026.

https://wtov9.com/news/local/democratic-lt-gov-candidate-david-pepper-touts-affordability-at-jefferson-county-stop

Federal Level

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Coal Plant Order

On Friday, a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administration’s emergency order keeping Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal plant open past its planned retirement. The unanimous three-judge panel said the Energy Department exceeded its authority under a Federal Power Act provision reserved for electricity emergencies requiring immediate federal action. Michigan and environmental groups challenged the order, which Energy Secretary Chris Wright first issued in May 2025 and repeatedly extended. The ruling concerns the original order, while Consumers Energy said it would continue following the current 90-day directive as it reviews the decision. The Justice Department declined to comment on the litigation. ^{1, 2}

Trump-Linked PAC Expands Midterm Ad Campaign

On Friday, political advertising researchers reported that the Trump-affiliated No Going Back super PAC had reserved more than $74 million in advertising across 15 House races and six competitive Senate contests. The Senate states are Alaska, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Ohio. AdImpact said additional reservations were still being placed Friday afternoon. The largest Senate investment was $15.7 million in Michigan, where Republican Mike Rogers is running against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Elon Musk’s America PAC has also spent more than $7 million on digital advertising, mail, voter calls and related activity intended to support Republican candidates and turnout. ³

Judge Blocks Political Question On Federal Job Applicant Form

On Friday, a federal judge ordered agencies to stop asking applicants for most federal jobs which Trump administration policy or executive order matters most to them. Judge George O’Toole Jr. found that unions challenging the question were likely to succeed in showing that it violated applicants’ First Amendment rights and federal administrative law. The question appeared in applications for positions at grade GS-5 and above under the Office of Personnel Management’s Merit Hiring Plan. The stay remains in force until further court action. OPM must notify agencies that used the question within seven days and declined to comment on the litigation. ^{4, 5}

Trump Signs Disaster Tax Relief Into Law

On Friday, President Donald Trump signed legislation extending federal tax relief for people who suffer losses in certain federally declared disasters. The law allows qualified casualty losses above $500 to be deducted without itemizing and without the usual threshold tied to adjusted gross income. It covers eligible disasters beginning after December 27, 2019, and before January 1, 2027. It also excludes certain wildfire relief payments from taxable income for federally declared fires occurring after 2014 and before 2027. The Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the measure would reduce federal revenue by $408 million through 2036. ^{6, 7}

Justice Department Uses Dormant Removal Court

On Friday, the Justice Department announced the first completed case before the Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a specialized federal court Congress created in 1996. Afghan national Nazira Haji Zada was removed from the United States after conceding that she met the law’s definition of an alien terrorist and waiving an appeal. The court issued the removal order on August 20 but unsealed it Friday after her return to Afghanistan. The government said she supported family members’ plans for an ISIS-inspired Election Day attack in 2024. The court permits classified evidence while providing appointed counsel and access to federal appeals. ⁸

State Level

Texas Court Blocks Midcycle County Redistricting

On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court blocked Galveston County from using precinct boundaries that county officials redrew after the March primary. The unsigned opinion directed the county to use the same map for the November general election, saying state law requires elections to be conducted uniformly and consistently. The new boundaries, approved June 29, affect county commissioners, constables and justices of the peace. A constable and two residents sought emergency relief, arguing that changing precincts during an election cycle was unfair to voters and candidates. The court said the county may use the new map after November, although separate legal challenges remain pending. ⁹

Florida Cabinet Sets Terrorist Designation Rules

On Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet held an emergency meeting to establish procedures for designating domestic and foreign terrorist organizations under a law enacted this year. The chief of domestic security may recommend a designation, and the governor and Cabinet may approve or reject it by majority vote after receiving notice. Approved designations must be published in the Florida Administrative Register. A targeted organization may submit a written objection and later challenge the designation in Leon County Circuit Court. State law bars public agencies, local governments and school districts from funding or contracting with organizations once their designations have been published. ^{10, 11}

Nebraska Certifies Ballot After Legal Challenges

On Friday, Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen certified the November general-election ballot after a series of lawsuits involving candidates, political parties and ballot measures. The ballot includes three citizen initiatives covering online sports betting and sex-separated school athletics, plus a legislative proposal that would extend state lawmakers’ term limits. Ten candidates petitioned onto the ballot after the May primary, including nominees from two newly recognized parties. One proposed amendment concerning legislative changes to voter-approved laws was excluded after a state Supreme Court ruling Thursday. County officials must send the first completed ballots to military and overseas voters by September 18. ¹²

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Article Sources

1. Reuters, “US court blocks Trump administration bid to keep Michigan coal plant open,” Sept. 11, 2026.

http://rmb.reuters.com/rmd/rss/item/tag:reuters.com,2026:newsml_KBN3UX1VV?channel=uNx795

2. Politico, “Court deals first blow to Trump’s coal rescue campaign,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/11/court-deals-first-blow-to-trumps-coal-rescue-campaign-01072134

3. Reuters, “Trump and Musk super PACs unleash millions to boost Republicans in battleground races,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://wsau.com/2026/09/11/trump-and-musk-super-pacs-unleash-millions-to-boost-republicans-in-battleground-races/

4. Government Executive, “Judge halts ‘favorite EO’ question on federal job applications,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2026/09/judge-halts-favorite-eo-question-federal-job-applications/415952/

5. FedScoop, “Court blocks OPM ‘loyalty question’ from use in agency job applications,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://fedscoop.com/court-blocks-trump-opm-loyalty-question-federal-hiring/

6. The White House, “Congressional Bills H.R. 1276, H.R. 2069, H.R. 2196 and H.R. 5366 Signed into Law,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/congressional-bills-h-r-1276-h-r-2069-h-r-2196-and-h-r-5366-signed-into-law/

7. Congressional Budget Office, “H.R. 5366, Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act,” Apr. 21, 2026.

https://www.cbo.gov/publication/62372

8. U.S. Department of Justice, “Department of Justice Removes Alien Terrorist in First Use of United States Alien Terrorist Removal Court,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-removes-alien-terrorist-first-use-united-states-alien-terrorist-removal

9. The Texas Tribune, “Texas Supreme Court blocks Galveston County from using districts redrawn after the primaries,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/11/texas-galveston-county-redistricting-supreme-court-maps/

10. FOX 13 Tampa Bay, “Gov. DeSantis calls meeting on terrorism designations,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.fox13news.com/news/gov-desantis-calls-meeting-terrorism-designations

11. Florida Senate, “2026 Florida Statutes, Section 943.03102,” 2026.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/943.03102

12. Nebraska Examiner, “Secretary of State Evnen certifies Nebraska’s fall 2026 ballot after lawsuit-heavy summer,” Sept. 11, 2026.

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/secretary-state-evnen-certifies-nebraskas-fall-2026-ballot-after-lawsuit-heavy-summer

Millions of Americans are hoping and dreaming of a miracle in November. They believe the Republicans have lost their way, so the Democrats will step in and set the country right. Now, before you get all enamored with that story, you had better ask the Democrats themselves whether they believe it.

They do not.

Nearly six in ten Democratic-aligned voters say their own party needs major changes or complete reform, according to CNN’s July 2026 polling.ⁱ The party sits around 40 percent favorable and 53 percent unfavorable in the current polling averages.ⁱⁱ That’s right. The rescue party cannot even sell itself to its own people.

And the country has already rendered its verdict on both of them. Pew Research found that 26 percent of Americans now hold an unfavorable view of both the Democrats and the Republicans at the same time, up from 21 percent in 2020.ⁱⁱⁱ The majority of Americans say both parties are too extreme, and fewer than half believe either one governs honestly and ethically, with the Republicans at 39 percent and the Democrats at 42.^iv

Let me remind you that the Democrats have their own version of MAGA, and it is the progressive movement. It runs on the same extremist fuel. It draws its power from intensity rather than breadth, punishes anyone who compromises, and treats the middle of the country as an obstacle instead of a constituency. Senator Bernie Sanders has endorsed more than sixty candidates in primaries across the country, as the New York Times reported, and he is doing it to lock his wing of the party into place for years after he is gone.^v He is 84 years old, he is not even a Democrat, and he may be the closest thing the Democratic Party has to anyone actually in charge.

That is not an attack on Bernie Sanders. He has been telling us exactly who he is for fifty years. The alarm here is that a party of this size, in a moment this serious, has nobody driving it. Ask ten Democrats who leads them today and you will get ten different answers. Senator Cory Booker said out loud what his colleagues say quietly, that the party has failed this moment.^vi Rahm Emanuel, a man who helped build the modern Democratic Party, is now going around the country making the case that it no longer works.^vii

So, this is where the two parties are today. One party captured by its most intense faction, another party captured by its most intense faction, and both of them telling you they are the only thing standing between you and disaster.

Now look at what the two of them have built together. In 1947 and 1948, the House passed 1,739 bills. In its most recent full term, it introduced a record 10,786 bills and yet passed only 777. The Senate once passed 2,550 bills in a single term. Last term it passed just 475.^viii

That is not gridlock, and we need to stop calling it that. Gridlock is what happens when two sides fight each other to a standstill. This is a dead branch of government. The one the Constitution put closest to the people has stopped doing the one job it exists to do, and the decline has continued for seventy years, across thirty-five elections and every combination of party control we have ever tried. We need laws that lower prescription costs, steady health care, and fix immigration. Congress is not passing them. Congress is not even writing them.

To make matters worse, that steady decline has allowed the legislative branch to let its authority slip away, and the executive branch has seized that authority and abused it in countless ways.

We keep swapping the players on the field and hoping for a better outcome. Neither of these parties is coming to save the game, because neither one is able to move back toward the center. That is why 45 percent of American adults no longer see themselves as Democrats or Republicans, according to Gallup’s January 2026 survey.^ix

If you believe our nation is in crisis and in need of a change, I encourage you to take a look at my new book, The Opening. In it, I lay out exactly how we got to where we are today, and more importantly, how we get this country back on track.

Learn more about the book: https://theopeningbook.com

References

1 CNN, “CNN Poll: Voters favor Democrats by an 8-point margin heading into the midterms,” July 30, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/30/politics/cnn-poll-2026-midterms

2 Fifty Plus One, “Democratic Party Favorability Polls and Average for 2026,” accessed September 11, 2026. https://fiftyplusone.news/polls/democratic-party-favorability

3 Pew Research Center, “Americans Continue to View Both the Republican and Democratic Parties Negatively,” May 1, 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2026/05/01/americans-continue to-view-both-the-republican-and-democratic-parties-negatively/

4 Pew Research Center, “A Year Ahead of the Midterms, Americans’ Dim Views of Both Parties,” October 30, 2025. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2025/10/30/a-year-ahead-of-the midterms-americans-dim-views-of-both-parties/

5 The New York Times, “Bernie Sanders Backs Slate of Candidates in Bid to Cement Progressive Legacy,” May 15, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/15/us/politics/bernie-sanders endorsements.html

6 The Guardian, “Cory Booker says Democrats have ‘failed this moment’ and calls for new leaders,” March 29, 2026. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/29/cory-booker-democrats new-leadership

7 The Hill, “Rahm Emanuel makes case for change to a divided Democratic Party,” April 7, 2026. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5818596-rahm-emanuel-democrats-critic/

8 Paul J. Chapman, The Opening, Chapter 1, “Something Is Deeply Wrong,” drawing on legislative activity counts from Congress.gov. https://www.congress.gov/browse/legislation

9 Gallup, “New High of 45% in U.S. Identify as Political Independents,” January 12, 2026. https://news.gallup.com/poll/700499/new-high-identify-political-independents.aspx

Federal Level

Court Blocks GOP-Favored Missouri Map Again

On Thursday, the Supreme Court blocked Missouri from using a new congressional map drawn by Republicans to favor their party in November’s elections. The unsigned order, issued without dissent, paused a lower federal court ruling that had ordered the state to use the newly drawn boundaries. The decision means Missouri will likely revert to its earlier map, which produced six Republican and two Democratic House seats, rather than the seven to one split Republicans sought. The ruling followed weeks of conflicting decisions from the Missouri Supreme Court and a federal judge over which map applies this fall. Republicans said they plan to keep fighting the case. ^{1, 2}

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Mail Ballot Rule

On Thursday, a federal appeals court in Boston declined to let the Trump administration enforce a new Postal Service rule tightening mail-in voting requirements before the midterm elections. The panel left in place a lower court injunction issued last week by a judge who found the rule would likely disenfranchise millions of voters while doing little to prevent fraud. The rule would have required states to submit voter lists and place tracking barcodes on ballots. California’s attorney general, who helped lead the legal challenge, praised the ruling. The dispute now returns to the Supreme Court, which is still weighing a related emergency request from the administration. ^{3, 4}

Trump Unveils $500 Obamacare Rebate Checks

On Thursday, President Trump announced his administration will send five hundred dollar rebate checks to nearly one million Affordable Care Act enrollees across thirty states, saying they were overcharged under the previous administration. In a video posted to the White House account, Trump said the money comes from exchange fees collected in excess of what was needed to run the federal marketplace. The checks, funded by roughly five hundred million dollars sitting in federal accounts, are expected to arrive next month for enrollees who did not receive premium subsidies. Critics called the rebate a political gesture rather than a solution to rising health costs. ^{5, 6}

DOJ Prosecutor Quits Probe Of Trump Foes

On Thursday, Joe diGenova resigned from his Justice Department post overseeing an investigation into officials who scrutinized President Trump during and after his first term, according to people familiar with the matter. DiGenova said he resigned by letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, calling it an honor to serve the president and the department, but he declined to explain his departure. Sources said department leaders had grown frustrated with the pace of the investigation, which has produced no criminal charges since diGenova took over in April. The probe has examined former officials, including a former CIA director. The department said the investigation will continue. ^{7, 8}

Thune Says Republicans Would Welcome Fetterman

On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans remain ready to welcome Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania into their conference, a day after the Democrat appeared in a video at the Republican midterm convention praising his home-state colleague, Senator Dave McCormick. Speaking on the sidelines of the convention in Dallas, Thune said it is becoming harder for Fetterman to feel at home in a Democratic Party he described as out of step with the senator’s values. Thune said he would not pressure Fetterman to switch parties. Fetterman later said he remains a lifelong Democrat who votes with his party most of the time. ⁹

State Level

Newsom Signs Child Online Safety Bill Package

On Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed more than a dozen bills protecting children from risks tied to social media and artificial intelligence chatbots. One measure bars platforms from offering addictive features, such as autoplay video and personalized feeds, to users under sixteen. Another law penalizes large social media companies up to one million dollars per child if found negligent in causing harm, while a separate measure requires chatbot operators to assess risks and notify parents if a child threatens self-harm. Newsom’s office called the package the most far-reaching child safety measures in the nation, following earlier action this year on artificial intelligence oversight. ^{10, 11}

Michigan Court Clears Anti-Corruption Ballot Measure

On Thursday, the Michigan Supreme Court declined to overturn certification of a ballot initiative that would bar political donations from utility companies and other firms holding large state contracts, clearing the measure for the November ballot. The proposal, known as Proposal 2, is backed by a group called Michiganders for Money Out of Politics and targets contributions from DTE Energy and Consumers Energy. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce and a group called Protect MI Free Speech had sued to keep the question off the ballot, arguing the certification process was flawed. Michigan voters will now decide in November whether to restrict corporate political spending. ¹²

Hochul Signs 9/11 Benefits Extension Bills

On Thursday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed three bills extending benefits and filing deadlines for September 11th victims, responders and National Guard members, timed to the twenty-fifth anniversary of the attacks. The legislation extends until 2030 the deadline for submitting documentation tied to World Trade Center rescue and recovery work, preserving eligibility for retirement and workers’ compensation benefits. It also lengthens the presumptive eligibility period covering deaths linked to World Trade Center-related illness for retirees. Hochul said the laws honor those whose lives were transformed by the 2001 attacks. The measures passed the legislature with bipartisan support earlier this year. ¹³

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Article Sources

1. CNN, “Supreme Court deals another blow to GOP hopes of capturing extra congressional seat,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/10/politics/supreme-court-missouri-congressional-map-republicans

2. The Federalist, “SCOTUS Blocks Missouri’s GOP-Backed Map For Midterms,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://thefederalist.com/2026/09/10/scotus-blocks-missouri-from-using-gop-backed-congressional-map-for-midterms/

3. Al Jazeera, “US appeals court rejects Trump bid to implement new vote-by-mail rules,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/9/10/us-appeals-court-rejects-trump-bid-to-implement-new-vote-by-mail-rules

4. The Daily Record (Reuters), “Appeals court rejects Trump mail-in ballot restrictions as Supreme Court considers rule,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://thedailyrecord.com/2026/09/10/us-appeals-court-blocks-trump-mail-in-voting-rule/

5. CNN, “Trump to send $500 rebate checks to nearly one million Obamacare enrollees,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/10/politics/trump-obamacare-rebate-checks

6. New York Post, “Trump announces hundreds of thousands of Americans will get $500 ObamaCare rebate checks,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://nypost.com/2026/09/10/us-news/trump-announces-hundreds-of-thousands-of-americans-will-get-500-obamacare-rebate-checks/

7. The Boston Globe, “Prosecutor brought in to lead investigation of Trump foes says he has resigned his position,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/10/nation/justice-department-trump-foes/

8. Politico, “DOJ prosecutor resigns from probe into alleged anti-Trump conspiracy,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/10/doj-prosecutor-resigns-from-probe-into-suspected-anti-trump-conspiracy-01071750

9. New York Post, “Thune ready to have ‘conversation’ with Fetterman about joining GOP,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://nypost.com/2026/09/10/us-news/thune-ready-for-conversation-with-fetterman-about-joining-gop-as-dems-rage-against-rnc-stunt

10. AP (via Our Midland), “California governor signs laws aimed at protecting kids from risks of social media, AI chatbots,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/california-governor-signs-laws-aimed-at-22426301.php

11. Los Angeles Times, “Newsom signs bills that aim to make social media, AI chatbots safer for young people,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-09-10/newsom-signs-bills-that-aim-to-make-social-media-ai-chatbots-safer-for-young-people

12. Michigan Capitol, “Michigan ‘Money Out of Politics’ Proposal Survives Legal Challenge, Secures November Ballot,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.michigancapitol.com/

13. Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, “Legislation Expands Support for 9/11 Victims,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://www.governor.ny.gov/news

On a stage in Dallas on the night of September 9, President Donald Trump told a Republican convention crowd exactly what was in it for them. “If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000,” he said, according to NPR, and then he gave the payment a name. “It will be called the Trump dividend,” he added.

The number is remarkable, but the condition attached to it is the shocking part. The money is not tied to a hardship, a shortfall, or a plan. It is tied to an election result.

What the president offered in Dallas was not a policy. It was a price, quoted in public, for a vote in November, and it arrives at a moment when this country can least afford it. The stunt it represents belongs to both parties, and it has slowly replaced the ordinary work of governing with the practice of moving money toward voters at the moment their ballots are being cast. Until Americans insist on a standard that forbids it, every election will be an auction, and the bidding will be done with money the government does not have.

Start with what this particular promise would cost. The Dallas Morning News reported that sending $5,000 to every adult American citizen would run well over $1 trillion, and CBC News put the figure near $1.35 trillion. NPR reported that the president offered no explanation of where the money would come from. Vice President JD Vance later pointed to tariff revenue, and Representative Chip Roy of Texas, a Republican, said, “I would like to know how they would plan to pay for . . . back of envelope . . . well over $1 trillion.” The Joint Economic Committee of Congress reported that the national debt stood at $40.10 trillion as of September 3, 2026.

This president has treated federal payments as personal property before. The Washington Post reported on April 14, 2020, that the Treasury Department directed that Donald Trump’s name be printed on the pandemic relief checks going out to millions of households, a step Axios noted was the first time a disbursement from the Internal Revenue Service carried a president’s name. Later that year, he signed a memorandum deferring the Social Security tax withheld from workers’ paychecks, and CNBC reported that the deferral ran from September 1 through December 31, 2020, covering the weeks on either side of the presidential election.

Democrats have engaged in their own version in the not-so-distant past. On August 24, 2022, less than three months before the midterm elections, which are the congressional elections held between presidential years, President Joe Biden announced he would cancel up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for most borrowers and up to $20,000 for those who had received Pell grants. ABC News reported that the program would have benefited 43 million Americans at a cost of roughly $400 billion, and the Supreme Court struck it down by a vote of 6 to 3 on June 30, 2023. What the announcement never touched was the reason college costs so much in the first place. Two months later, the Associated Press reported that with three weeks left before those same elections, President Biden ordered the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the nation’s emergency petroleum reserve to push down gasoline prices, and he rejected the suggestion that the timing was political.

The pattern predates both of them, and the timing usually tells the story. In October 2009, The New York Times reported that President Barack Obama had called on Congress to send a second $250 payment to about 57 million Social Security recipients, veterans and people with disabilities. The proposal never landed in the hands of any Americans. On December 8, 2010, five weeks after the midterm elections, the House measure drew 254 votes and the Senate measure drew 53, and both died because each had been brought to the floor under a rule demanding far more than a simple majority. Democrats controlled both chambers that day, so the party that had promised the money also controlled the schedule and decided in the end not to deliver.

It is important to point out that direct payments are a legitimate tool of government, and that treating every one of them as vote buying would be wrong. Emergency relief during the pandemic reached families who had lost their income through no fault of their own, student debt is a real burden on millions of households, and any party is entitled to campaign on what it intends to do with public money. That objection holds, but only under one condition. A payment defended on its merits arrives with its cost, its funding source and its purpose attached, and it is timed to the needs of the country rather than to a campaign schedule. A payment promised only if one party wins fails every part of that test. That was precisely how this payment was announced: out loud, from a stage, to a cheering crowd.

There is a word in the English language for money offered to a person in exchange for a vote, and that word is not dividend.

Federal Level

Trump Pledges $5,000 Payment If GOP Keeps Congress

On Wednesday night, President Trump told a Republican convention crowd in Dallas that he would issue a $5,000 payment to every adult American if his party keeps control of Congress in November. Speaking at the first-ever midterm nominating convention, Trump called the payment a “Trump dividend” and said recipients would have to spend the money inside the United States. He gave no details on how the plan would be funded or its legal basis. Trump urged supporters to treat the election as a referendum on his presidency, saying, “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.” He also defended continued military action against Iran. ^{1, 2, 3}

Missouri Map Fight Returns To Supreme Court

On Wednesday, the group challenging Missouri’s Republican-drawn congressional map asked the Supreme Court to intervene again, a day after Justice Brett Kavanaugh declined to reinstate that map and a federal judge separately ordered it used anyway. The organization, People Not Politicians, told the justices that conflicting orders from a state court, a federal judge and the Eighth Circuit had left the state’s House lines in chaos ahead of November. The group warned that dueling rulings could force “irreconcilable” instructions on election officials. The Supreme Court asked Missouri to respond by Thursday morning, an unusually fast turnaround. ^{4, 5}

Court Hears Case On Abortion Pill Access

On Wednesday, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans heard oral arguments in Louisiana’s lawsuit seeking to roll back federal rules that let the abortion drug mifepristone be dispensed by mail and telehealth. Louisiana argues the Food and Drug Administration acted without proper safety review when it lifted the in-person dispensing requirement in 2023, and that mail delivery undermines the state’s own abortion restrictions. The Fifth Circuit ruled for Louisiana in May, but the Supreme Court kept that decision on hold while the case proceeded. A ruling could reshape access to the most commonly used abortion medication nationwide. ⁶

States Sue Over Endangered Species Rule Changes

On Wednesday, attorneys general from 20 states and Washington, D.C., filed two lawsuits challenging Trump administration rules that narrow protections under the Endangered Species Act. The suits, led in part by Massachusetts, target Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service rules that redefine the term “harm” to exclude habitat destruction and remove automatic protections for newly listed threatened species. The states argue the changes let developers alter sensitive habitats with less oversight and violate the Administrative Procedure Act. Washington’s attorney general said the rules undermine “the intent of Congress” behind the 1973 law protecting wildlife. ^{7, 8}

Appeals Court Ends Bid To Revive Tuition Law

On Wednesday, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request for a full-court rehearing in the fight over the Texas Dream Act, a state law that let some undocumented students pay in-state college tuition. A three-judge panel ruled in July that advocacy groups, Austin Community College and a former student could not intervene to defend the law after Texas declined to do so. No judge on the full appeals court asked for a vote on reconsidering the ruling, according to the order issued Wednesday. The decision leaves in place a 2025 injunction ending the tuition policy statewide for undocumented students. ⁹

State Level

Foulkes Ousts Rhode Island Governor In Primary

On Wednesday, former CVS executive Helena Foulkes defeated Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee in the state’s Democratic primary, according to the Associated Press. Unofficial results showed Foulkes winning by roughly 24 points, a wider margin than most pre-election polls had shown. The loss makes McKee the first sitting Rhode Island governor to lose a primary since 1994 and the first elected governor in any state to lose renomination since 2014. Voters cited frustration over the prolonged closure of the Washington Bridge in Providence and a 2024 cyberattack on the state’s benefit system. McKee called Foulkes to concede and pledged a smooth transition to her administration. ^{10, 11, 12}

Sherrill Signs Slate Of New Jersey Bills

On Wednesday, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed seven bills into law in Trenton, covering renewable energy, tourism and public works rules. Two of the measures update the state’s solar incentive programs and let dual-use solar projects join the community solar program. Another directs the state’s Division of Travel and Tourism to build a website cataloging historic sites and roadside markers, while a separate bill creates a New Jersey Film Trail promoting locations used in movies and television. A further measure sets minimum qualification standards for workers on public works contracts across the state. ¹³

Newsom Signs AI Auditor Oversight Bills

On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills creating what his office called the nation’s first framework for independent oversight of artificial intelligence audits. Senate Bill 813, from Senator Jerry McNerney, sets standards for organizations that verify whether AI systems comply with state law. Assembly Bill 1405, from Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, creates a state registry for AI auditors and requires the state to set rules for their independence and transparency by 2029. Newsom said the laws build on California’s 2025 frontier AI safety law and called on the federal government to adopt similar national standards. ¹⁴

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Article Sources

1. NPR, “Trump promises $5,000 dividend in convention speech, but only if Republicans win,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.npr.org/2026/09/09/nx-s1-5961045/republican-midterm-convention-dallas-trump-vance

2. AP via Bastille Post, “Republicans open highly unusual, midterm convention,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.bastillepost.com/global/article/6142420-republicans-gather-in-dallas-for-two-day-midterm-convention-billed-as-a-trumpapalooza

3. Al Jazeera, “Trump vows to be at centre of US midterms: Republican convention takeaways,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/10/trump-vows-to-be-at-centre-of-us-midterms-republican-convention-takeaways

4. CNN via KVIA, “Missouri redistricting chaos returns to US Supreme Court,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://kvia.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/09/09/missouri-redistricting-chaos-returns-to-us-supreme-court/

5. ABC17 News, “8th Circuit decision in Missouri congressional map case appealed to U.S. Supreme Court,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://abc17news.com/news/missouri/2026/09/09/8th-circuit-decision-in-missouri-congressional-map-case-appealed-to-u-s-supreme-court/

6. ABC News, “Federal appeals court hears arguments in case on access to mail-order abortion pill mifepristone,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://abcnews.com/Health/federal-appeals-court-hear-arguments-case-access-mail/story?id=136269936

7. Forth, “21 State Attorneys General File Lawsuits to Block Trump Administration’s Rollback of Endangered Species Protections,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.forth.news/stories/CetBk7XN2WhPhrjiq4QDG

8. Thairath, “20 States Sue Trump Over Rollback of Endangered Species Protections,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://en.thairath.co.th/news/foreign/2958674

9. Dallas Morning News, “New hearing denied in legal fight over Texas law that gave undocumented students in-state tuition,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/article/federal-appeals-court-texas-dream-act-rehearing-22422003.php

10. Associated Press via AP News, “Foulkes defeats Rhode Island’s Gov. McKee. He’s the first governor in 8 years to lose a primary,” Sept. 10, 2026.

https://apnews.com/article/rhode-island-election-dan-mckee-helena-foulkes-b731e251ef8cfec4d895c38baaf3b6aa

11. Boston Globe, “Governor Dan McKee defeated by Helena Foulkes in R.I. Democratic primary race,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/09/09/metro/ri-governor-primary-helena-foulkes-dan-mckee/

12. NHPR, “Helena Foulkes ousts Gov. Dan McKee in a rare Rhode Island primary defeat,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.nhpr.org/2026-09-09/helena-foulkes-projected-to-defeat-rhode-island-gov-dan-mckee

13. NJ.gov, “Governor Sherrill Signs Legislation,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/2026/approved/20260909a.shtml

14. Politico, “Newsom signs AI safety bills backed by Anthropic, OpenAI,” Sept. 9, 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/09/newsom-signs-ai-safety-bills-backed-by-anthropic-openai-01069928

On January 28, 2026, a grand jury of ordinary Florida citizens handed a nineteen-page report to the Leon County Clerk of Court in Tallahassee. It found that senior officials in the DeSantis administration had misappropriated ten million dollars of taxpayer money and moved it through a charity into political committees, in what the grand jury called “a sophisticated scheme to fund political activities” (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

Then the report went into a sealed envelope, and for the next seven months the state behaved as though it did not exist. There was no public docket. The Second Judicial Circuit told a lawyer for a coalition of news organizations that it had “no records responsive” to his request, and the Leon County Clerk said it had none (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

On the night of August 26, 2026, someone handed a copy to Jim DeFede at CBS News Miami, and he posted all nineteen pages online. Within a day, the governor was telling the public that the only crime in the whole affair was the leak (CBS News Miami, South Florida Sun Sentinel).

The Sordid Details

In 2021, Florida found that Centene, one of the largest Medicaid contractors in the country, had overbilled the state roughly sixty-seven million dollars for prescription drugs owed back to the taxpayers who fund health coverage for poor children. Other states caught Centene doing the same thing and settled quickly, while Florida let the offers sit for three years (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

Then, in the fall of 2024, with a statewide election weeks away, everything moved at once.

A September 12 draft sent sixty-two million dollars to the state and five million to the Hope Florida Foundation, the charity arm of an initiative led by First Lady Casey DeSantis. One day later, the charity’s share had doubled to ten million. The grand jury found no explanation for the change and no one willing to claim it, and the report calls that moment “the original misappropriation” (WGCU and the Florida Trident, Miami Herald).

Hurricane Helene came ashore on September 26, killing at least eighteen people in Florida. The next day, with the Emergency Operations Center running the response, Cassandra Pasley, chief of staff at the Department of Health, was asked to sign the settlement. She testified that she had never seen the document and would not have signed had she known where the money was going (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

Centene wired the ten million dollars on October 4. After three years of silence, the grand jury noted, “once reached, it took a mere 7 days to fund.” Hurricane Milton made landfall on October 9, and two days later James Uthmeier, then the governor’s chief of staff, personally called the director of an antidrug group and told her to apply for a Hope Florida grant. It was approved within hours (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

The money left as quickly as it arrived. Hope Florida gave away all ten million dollars in twenty-five days, in two grants of five million each, one to Save Our Society from Drugs and one to Secure Florida’s Future, an arm of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Within days, those two groups sent a combined eight and a half million dollars to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee chaired by Uthmeier, which passed seven million to the Republican Party of Florida and another $1.25 million to a second Uthmeier committee. Both grant applications had stated that the money would not be used politically (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

It was spent against Amendment 3, the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. On November 5, 2024, 55.9 percent of Floridians voted yes, and because Florida requires sixty percent, the amendment failed (The New York Times).

The administration called the ten million dollars a “bonus” the state was never owed, in the words of Jason Weida, then head of the Agency for Health Care Administration. The grand jury rejected that outright: “We find that the full Centene settlement was taxpayer reimbursement” (WGCU and the Florida Trident).

Now consider the people who touched it. Ashley Moody, the attorney general whose office signed off, is a United States senator. John Guard, the deputy who raised concerns and signed anyway, sits on a state appeals court, and Andrew Sheeran, the agency’s general counsel, is now a circuit judge. Weida became the governor’s chief of staff. Uthmeier is the attorney general of Florida, and he was never called as a witness before the grand jury examining his own committee (WUSF, CBS News Miami).

Every one of them advanced.

Both Parties Have Failed Us

Republicans hold every statewide office in Florida and supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature. When one party holds every lever of power, the offices meant to catch conduct like this all answer to the same leadership. Our last issue examined the Virgin Islands, where a Democratic monopoly produced six federal convictions. The party label on the door changes from one state to the next, but the result for the public is much the same.

What makes Florida instructive is that the officials who did the most to expose this were themselves Republicans. State Representative Alex Andrade of Pensacola opened the House investigation in April 2025 and said publicly that officials had engaged “in a conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud.”

Andrade then wrote House Bill 593, barring agencies from routing settlement money to outside groups and making a violation a crime. The House passed it unanimously, the Senate never took it up, and Andrade is term-limited and in his final year (Miami Herald, USA Today).

Florida law also requires that legislative leaders be told when the state settles a case, so the people who write the budget know when money owed to taxpayers is redirected. House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell testified that on this settlement, “there was none, and there has been no accountability for that” (WUSF).

Look at who actually held anyone to account here. A grand jury with no power to charge did the investigating. A term-limited legislator carried the legislation. A small nonprofit had to sue just to establish that the case existed, and in the end it took an anonymous person handing nineteen pages to a reporter before the public learned any of it. Barbara Petersen, who runs that nonprofit, had warned the court of exactly this, describing a process in which “public officials and recipients of public funds are publicly reprimanded by a grand jury while the entire presentment is later suppressed” (WGCU).

The grand jury asked lawmakers to send every dollar the state receives into the General Fund and to write clear rules for tracking taxpayer money once it leaves state hands. Because the report stayed sealed, the Legislature never saw either recommendation while it was in session (WGCU and the Florida Trident, South Florida Sun Sentinel).

What the Centercratic Party Stands For

Principle 4 of the Centercratic Party is One Law for All: “The law applies equally to all. Independent courts ensure fair process and protect basic rights.”

Twelve citizens found that ten million dollars belonging to Florida taxpayers had been taken and spent on politics, and then wrote this: “Despite our finding that the money was misappropriated, we find insufficient evidence to charge anyone criminally.” Not one witness would take responsibility for the decision, and not one could say who made it.

The grand jury added that “virtually everyone involved is a lawyer and acted on the advice of other lawyers.” An ordinary Floridian who moved ten million dollars of public money into a political committee and then could not recall doing it would not be excused on those grounds (CBS News Miami, Miami Herald).

A democracy that works this way has stopped correcting itself. The Centercratic Party was built to protect our democracy. The law must reach an attorney general the same way it reaches the people who pay his salary. No citizen should ever be told that a case sitting in a public courthouse does not exist.

We must save our democracy before it is too late.

That is the wave.

Sources

• CBS News Miami, “Grand jury finds DeSantis administration ‘misappropriated’ $10 million,” August 26, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/grand-jury-report-hope-florida/

• WGCU and the Florida Trident, “Sealed for seven months,” August 26, 2026. https://www.wgcu.org/investigation/2026-08-26/sealed-for-seven-months-grand-jury-found-10-million-misappropriated-to-hope-florida-but-no-one-will-be-charged

• Miami Herald, “Breaking down the findings from the Hope Florida grand jury report,” August 27, 2026. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article317023664.html

• PBS NewsHour, “Florida grand jury finds DeSantis administration misused $10 million,” August 31, 2026. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/florida-grand-jury-finds-desantis-administration-misused-10-million-but-no-charges-have-been-filed

• Politico, “Hope Florida reemerges as midterm issue with leaked grand jury report,” August 27, 2026. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/27/hope-florida-midterms-grand-jury-moody-uthmeier-01052995

• South Florida Sun Sentinel editorial board, “A scandal’s secrets are lifted for all of us to see,” August 27, 2026. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/08/27/a-scandals-secrets-are-lifted-for-all-of-us-to-see-editorial/

• WUSF, “Florida House Democrats want AG Uthmeier impeached,” September 3, 2026. https://www.wusf.org/politics-issues/2026-09-03/florida-house-democrats-want-ag-uthmeier-impeached-how-does-impeachment-work

• WLRN, “Grand jury findings called politically motivated, spurs call for resignations,” August 27, 2026. https://www.wlrn.org/light/government-politics/2026-08-27/grand-jury-findings-called-politically-motivated-spurs-call-for-resignations

• Miami Herald, “Florida House passes bill to ban settlement fund diversion,” February 25, 2026. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article314834719.html

• USA Today Network, “Hope Florida grand jury report leaked. Here’s what it says,” August 26, 2026. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/state/2026/08/26/hope-florida-grand-jury-report-leaked-heres-what-it-says/91481836007/

• WGCU, “Leon County circuit judge grants limited intervention in Hope Florida grand jury case,” March 25, 2026. https://www.wgcu.org/investigation/2026-03-25/leon-county-circuit-judge-grants-limited-intervention-in-hope-florida-grand-jury-case

• The New York Times, “Florida Amendment 3 Election Results 2024.” https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/05/us/elections/results-florida-amendment-3-legalize-marijuana.html

• Orlando Sentinel editorial board, “Beyond scandal, big questions about Hope Florida,” September 8, 2026. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/09/08/editorial-beyond-scandal-big-questions-about-hope-florida/

Federal Level

Kavanaugh Rejects Missouri’s Redistricting Map

On Tuesday, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh rejected Missouri’s emergency request to reinstate a Republican-drawn congressional map for November’s elections. Kavanaugh, who handles emergency matters from Missouri, gave no explanation and did not refer the case to the full court. His decision leaves in place a Missouri Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to use its 2022 congressional lines instead of newer boundaries Republicans hoped would add a House seat. Hours later, a federal judge in Missouri issued a separate order requiring the newer map, creating conflicting instructions weeks before ballots must be finalized. The fight is expected to return to the high court soon.^{1, 2}

DHS Asks Justices To Revive Voter Database

On Tuesday, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it use an upgraded citizenship verification database to check state voter rolls before the November midterms. The Department of Homeland Security argued a lower court’s finding that the system is unlawful threatens election integrity. The request follows a federal appeals court ruling that upheld a ban on using the database, which links Social Security and immigration records, against state voter lists. Civil rights groups say the tool risks wrongly flagging eligible citizens as noncitizens and removing them from rolls without adequate safeguards. Officials say the dispute will likely reach the justices again soon.^{3, 4}

Trump Signs Order To Speed Veterans Benefits

On Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of War and the Department of Veterans Affairs to modernize how they share military personnel and medical records. The White House said outdated data systems have delayed veterans’ access to health care, disability payments and job placement after leaving active duty. The order requires the departments to build new information technology systems within 180 days and use artificial intelligence tools to help veterans apply for benefits through a single source. It also directs the Department of Labor to update transition assistance programs for departing service members.⁵

US Bans Canadian Alcohol And Dairy Imports

On Tuesday, the White House published new trade actions banning a range of Canadian alcoholic beverages, motorcycles and dairy products from entering the United States, escalating the trade dispute between the two countries. The bans take effect September 29 and followed Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on roughly twenty billion dollars of American goods, which took effect at midnight Tuesday. The Canadian tariffs cover about seven hundred products, including steel, aluminum, cheese and appliances, at rates from fifteen to fifty percent. The dispute began last month after trade talks between Washington and Ottawa collapsed and Washington imposed fifty percent tariffs on Canadian goods.^{6, 7}

Justice Department To Monitor NH Primary

On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced it would send federal personnel to monitor New Hampshire’s primary election, part of its ongoing election oversight efforts ahead of the November midterms. The announcement did not specify which jurisdictions would receive monitors or detail the concerns prompting the deployment. Federal election monitoring has grown more frequent this year as both parties raise concerns about ballot access, mail voting rules and vote counting procedures ahead of a closely contested midterm election. The Trump administration has separately pursued new restrictions on mail ballots through the Postal Service, a policy still tied up in federal courts.⁸

State Level

Sherrill Addresses Probe Into Lieutenant Governor

On Tuesday, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill publicly addressed an internal investigation into Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell for the first time, though she did not name him directly. Sherrill said in a statement that everyone in her administration must hold themselves to the highest standards and that any credible report of misconduct would be fully examined. The investigation, led by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino, concerns allegations that Caldwell behaved inappropriately toward women and made improper offers involving state jobs. Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco called on Sherrill to ask Caldwell to resign. Caldwell has not publicly responded to the allegations.^{9, 10}

Florida AG Outlines AI Accountability Proposal

On Tuesday, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier outlined plans for legislation that would hold artificial intelligence companies accountable when their chatbots play a role in criminal activity. Speaking at a news conference in the Tampa Bay area, Uthmeier said the proposal targets corporations rather than individuals and would impose liability on any business that owns or controls an AI system involved in a crime. The plan follows a civil lawsuit Florida filed against OpenAI in June, which alleges the company marketed its chatbot as safe while ignoring internal warnings about risks to children. Uthmeier also criticized a Medicaid grand jury prosecutor as politically motivated.¹¹

GOP Insiders Worry Over Georgia Senate Bid

On Tuesday, reports circulated among Republican strategists expressing concern that Georgia Senate candidate Mike Collins is struggling against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff ahead of November. A poll cited in the reports showed Ossoff leading Collins fifty percent to forty three percent among likely voters, a wider margin than earlier surveys this year. Strategists quoted said Collins has struggled to win over independent voters and that some in the party disapprove of how his campaign has managed fundraising. Collins, a sitting congressman, defeated former football coach Derek Dooley in a Republican runoff earlier this year with President Trump’s endorsement.¹²

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Article Sources

1. ABC News, “Kavanaugh denies Missouri Republicans’ appeal to preserve GOP-friendly map,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www-cdn.abcnews.com/Politics/kavanaugh-denies-missouri-republicans-appeal-preserve-gop-friendly/story?id=136287286

2. The New York Times, “Justice Kavanaugh Blocks Missouri Voting Map Benefiting Republicans,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/us/politics/supreme-court-missouri-congressional-map.html

3. Washington Examiner, “DOJ asks Supreme Court to unblock voter database linking Social Security and citizenship records,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/department-of-justice/

4. Law360, “DHS Asks Justices To Revive Voter Citizenship Database,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.law360.com/immigration

5. Department of Veterans Affairs, “President Trump’s executive order means faster access to VA healthcare, benefits than ever before,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://news.va.gov/press-room/president-trumps-executive-order-means-faster-access-to-va-healthcare-benefits-than-ever-before/

6. Reuters, “US to ban Canadian motorcycle, dairy, alcohol imports as trade war sizzles,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/canadas-retaliatory-tariffs-take-effect-us-trade-talks-stall-2026-09-08/

7. The New York Times, “Canada imposes new tariffs on US goods, as trade war intensifies,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/business/canada-tariffs-trump.html

8. U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department to Conduct Election Monitoring in New Hampshire Primary Election,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.justice.gov/news

9. New Jersey Globe, “Sherrill: ‘Any credible report’ of misconduct must be fully examined,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://newjerseyglobe.com/

10. The Washington Times, “Investigation of New Jersey’s lieutenant governor puts pressure on Gov. Mikie Sherrill to act,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/sep/8/investigation-new-jersey-lt-gov-dale-caldwell-puts-pressure-gov-mikie/

11. Head Topics, “Florida AG pushes to hold AI chatbot companies accountable for crimes,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://us.headtopics.com/news/florida-ag-pushes-to-hold-ai-chatbot-companies-accountable-87542478

12. The National Desk, “GOP worried that Georgia Senate candidate Mike Collins will drag ticket down: report,” Sept. 8, 2026.

https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/gop-worried-that-georgia-senate-candidate-mike-collins-will-drag-ticket-down-report

Federal Level

Trump’s Approval Rating Falls To New Low

On Monday, a new Financial Times poll showed President Trump’s approval fell to 33 percent, its lowest point since the survey began in May. The poll, from Focaldata among 1,914 registered voters, found approval down three points from last month. Trump’s support weakened even among Republicans, whose approval slipped to 72 percent. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said the economy was heading the wrong direction, and 57 percent said they felt financially worse off under Trump, up four points from last month. The poll also found 56 percent oppose the new tariffs on Canadian goods. The survey ran late August through September 1. ¹

Trump Predicts Big Midterm Victory Online

On Monday, President Trump wrote on Truth Social that Republicans were “going to win the Midterms, BIG, and SAVE AMERICA,” dismissing criticism of his economic record and the Iran war. His post came the day gasoline prices hit a record high of four dollars fifteen cents a gallon, per wire tracking. Trump separately claimed oil prices would “drop precipitously” once the United States wins the war with Iran, predicting gasoline could fall below two dollars a gallon once the conflict ends favorably. His comments followed other posts, including a push to rename New Mexico, as a new poll showed his approval at a record low. ^{2, 3}

Missouri Redistricting Fight Faces Court Deadline

On Monday, attorneys challenging Missouri’s Republican-drawn congressional map faced a noon deadline to respond to the state’s request that the Supreme Court intervene. Justice Brett Kavanaugh set the deadline after Missouri’s Supreme Court struck down the map. The group, People Not Politicians, sued to block the map, arguing it favors Republicans with a new GOP-leaning seat. Missouri officials asked for a decision by September 14, citing deadlines for printing ballots for military and overseas voters ahead of November. The dispute centers on whether the new lines can be used this year. The outcome could shape control of Missouri’s House delegation amid several redistricting fights this fall. ⁴

GOP Insiders Fear Georgia Senate Bid Faltering

On Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported Georgia Republican leaders have grown worried Representative Mike Collins is already losing his bid to unseat Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. Collins has faced a difficult stretch, including controversies involving a former intern and his son-in-law, a House ethics probe, and a financial disadvantage against Ossoff. One Georgia Republican strategist told the newspaper party leaders already consider the race lost, while another warned a lopsided defeat could hurt other Republicans due to straight-ticket voting patterns. Public polling has shown Ossoff ahead, with an August survey putting him at 50 percent to Collins’ 43. Ossoff has also outraised Collins significantly. ⁵

Democrats Target Data Centers In Midterm Ads

On Monday, Politico reported House Democrats’ campaign arm updated guidance directing allied outside groups to focus midterm attack ads in eleven battleground races on data center construction. The memo asks super PACs to link data centers to candidate corruption or to strained local water and electricity resources. A separate memo from the House Majority PAC, the top outside group backing House Democrats, urged allies to tap a “conspiratorial nerve” in public discourse over data centers. Democratic strategists believe the issue resonates with voters frustrated by rising utility costs tied to the artificial intelligence boom. The guidance reflects a strategy built around economic frustration heading into November. ⁶

State Level

Newsom Says Democrats Must Show Backbone

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom told PBS NewsHour that Democrats need to “grow a backbone” and stop trying to win arguments through self-righteousness, as he campaigned in the South ahead of November. Newsom called the midterms the most consequential election cycle he has witnessed, calling President Trump “an invasive species” in American politics. Asked whether Democrats should impeach Trump if they retake the House, Newsom said the party should follow the facts but warned against a “sideshow” that amounts only to a symbolic gesture. He said Democrats should instead emphasize policies such as paid family leave. Newsom continues weighing a possible 2028 presidential run. ^{7, 8}

Texas Senate Race Emerges As A Real Toss-Up

On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Texas’ U.S. Senate race has become a genuine toss-up, with the Cook Political Report shifting its rating for the contest between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico. Paxton has faced a state impeachment trial and accusations of infidelity and financial mismanagement, issues his opponent has highlighted throughout the campaign. Talarico, a Presbyterian minister-in-training, is campaigning as a bridge builder aimed at independent and disaffected Republican voters, and hired a former aide to Senator John Cornyn, whom Paxton defeated in the primary. Democrats see a broader path to a Senate majority, citing anger over living costs and Iran. ⁹

Spanberger Touts New Worker Protections Monday

On Monday, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger marked Labor Day by highlighting new worker protections her administration enacted this year. Beginning in 2028, roughly three million Virginians will be able to take twelve weeks of paid leave to care for themselves or family with serious health issues, including new parents, receiving up to 80 percent of weekly wage. Spanberger’s office said Virginia became the first Southern state to enact statewide paid medical and family leave. A separate law requires employers provide one hour of paid sick leave per 30 hours worked, phased in starting 2027. The minimum wage rises to 13 dollars 75 cents in January. ¹⁰

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Article Sources

1. Financial Times, “Trump’s approval rating falls to lowest yet in FT poll,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.thenews.pk/print/1436117-trump-s-approval-rating-falls-to-lowest-yet-in-ft-poll

2. The Independent, “Iran-US war latest: JD Vance claims China will help economically isolate Tehran,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-us-war-live-trump-us-embassy-wedding-strikes-b3043887.html

3. Aju Press, “Trump Claims Oil Prices Will Drop If U.S. Wins War with Iran,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.ajupress.com/view/20260908094070794

4. Missouri Independent, “Looming ballot deadline complicates GOP appeal of Missouri redistricting decision,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://missouriindependent.com/2026/09/06/looming-ballot-deadline-complicates-gop-appeal-of-missouri-redistricting-decision/

5. Newsmax, “WSJ: GOP Fears Mike Collins Could Drag Down Ticket,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/mike-collins-georgia-senate/2026/09/07/id/1268577/

6. Quorum Report, citing Politico, “Democrats have finally figured out their campaign message on data centers,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.quorumreport.com/newsclips/NewsClips_Print.cfm

7. PBS NewsHour, “Gavin Newsom on Democrats finding new ways to beat GOP,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.thirteen.org/programs/pbs-newshour/newsom-one-on-one-1788812155/

8. Breitbart, “Newsom: Dems Impeaching Trump ‘Will Be a Sideshow and a Distraction,’” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/07/newsom-dems-impeaching-trump-will-be-a-sideshow-and-a-distraction-but-should-go-wherever-the-facts-lead-i-dont-want-sideshow/

9. Bloomberg, cited via Quorum Report, “Democrats see wider path to take Senate as Trump backlash grows,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.quorumreport.com/newsclips/NewsClips_Print.cfm

10. WRIC, “Spanberger thanks workers, highlights their protections on Labor Day,” Sept. 7, 2026.

https://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/spanberger-thanks-workers-highlights-protections-labor-day/

Federal Level

Trump Administration Renews Mail Ballot Appeal

On Sunday, the Trump administration filed a new emergency appeal with the Supreme Court seeking to enforce restrictions on mail-in ballots ahead of the November elections. The filing came after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Friday blocking the Postal Service from enforcing the rules. Solicitor General John Sauer told the justices that ballots have already begun mailing in North Carolina, with more states following soon, and warned that delay risks confusion. The rule requires ballot envelopes to carry official markings and requires states to submit voter data. Democratic-led states argue the changes are unconstitutional. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson directed states to respond Wednesday. ^{1, 2}

Missouri Redistricting Appeal Faces Monday Deadline

On Sunday, attorneys tracking Missouri’s congressional redistricting fight said a response from map opponents is due by noon Monday. Justice Brett Kavanaugh set the deadline after Missouri’s attorney general asked the Supreme Court to intervene following the state’s high court ruling striking down the Republican-drawn map. The group People Not Politicians, which sued to block the map, must respond to the emergency stay request by that time. The dispute centers on whether Missouri’s new congressional lines, which would add a Republican-leaning seat, can be used in November. State officials asked for a decision by September 14, citing deadlines for printing military ballots. ³

Kennedy Predicts Iran Conflict To Persist Past Vote

On Sunday, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said he does not expect the six-month conflict with Iran to be resolved before the November midterm elections, speaking on a Sunday political program. His comments came two days after the U.S. military struck three Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for Iran firing missiles toward two Navy warships. Kennedy argued the region has grown safer overall despite the unresolved fighting, citing weakened adversary groups. He defended the pressure campaign affecting the Strait of Hormuz as effective against Iran’s government, even as it has raised gas prices at home. ⁴

Texas Democrat Hinojosa Defends Data Center Stance

On Sunday, Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa defended her call for a moratorium on new data center construction on CNN’s State of the Union. Hinojosa said protecting communities and creating jobs are not mutually exclusive, pointing to a rural community outside Dallas where seven data centers are being built without water or electricity safeguards for residents. Her comments came as her opponent, Republican Governor Greg Abbott, recently paused new data center approvals and ordered an audit. Hinojosa also discussed a new campaign ad referencing a past pregnancy loss, saying it explains her support for ending criminal penalties doctors face under state abortion law. ⁶

Energy Secretary Defends Handling Of Gas Prices

On Sunday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright defended the administration’s handling of record gasoline and diesel prices on ABC’s This Week amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. Wright predicted prices are more likely to fall than rise in coming weeks as gasoline production increases and seasonal demand declines. He acknowledged that oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains below pre-conflict levels despite Navy efforts to protect shipping. Wright attributed high diesel costs partly to Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and reduced Chinese exports. Gasoline reached a record four dollars, thirteen cents a gallon over the holiday weekend, while diesel hit five dollars, eighty-five cents. ⁵

State Level

Armed Man Rushes Ohio Governor Candidate Acton

On Sunday, an armed man rushed toward Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton during a stop at the Canfield Fair near Youngstown, injuring bystanders before troopers stopped him. The Mahoning County Democratic Party said the suspect knocked volunteers down before being arrested with multiple weapons. Acton, the state’s former public health director, was not harmed, her campaign said. Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who cannot seek reelection due to term limits, called the attack “always unacceptable” and said the case is now with law enforcement. A spokeswoman for Acton’s opponent, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, called the incident unacceptable and said candidates should meet voters without fear of violence. ^{7, 8}

New Jersey GOP Demands Lieutenant Governor Resign

On Sunday morning, the New Jersey Republican Party called on Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell to resign, saying an internal probe into allegations of inappropriate conduct toward women had been kept quiet for months. State GOP Chairwoman Christine Giordano Hanlon said Caldwell also serves as secretary of state, overseeing elections, and that his office “cannot function under these circumstances.” She said Governor Mikie Sherrill’s administration, which promised transparency, should not have kept the investigation secret since early spring. Caldwell cannot be removed unilaterally by Sherrill and can leave office only through resignation, death, or legislative impeachment. Sherrill’s office has not confirmed or denied details of the probe. ^{9, 10}

Utah Governor Cox Urges Political Civility Sunday

On Sunday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox said in an interview marking one year since Charlie Kirk’s assassination that seventy percent of Americans are tired of hyperpartisanship. Cox, discussing his new book “Off Ramp,” said he was having lunch when Kirk was shot at Utah Valley University last September, calling it a moment he cannot forget. The governor said he was struck by remarks from President Trump at Kirk’s memorial, in which Trump said he could not follow Kirk’s example of loving opponents. Cox, who did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020, said he supports the president but believes both parties share blame for divisions. ⁵

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Article Sources

1. AP News, “US, Iran forces fire at vessels in waters near Iran,” and NPR, “Trump again asks Supreme Court to allow USPS plan to restrict mail-in voting,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://www.npr.org/2026/09/03/nx-s1-5955614/trump-mail-in-voting-ruling-court-usps

2. CNN, “Trump administration again asks Supreme Court to allow mail ballot rule to take effect,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/06/politics/trump-administration-again-asks-supreme-court-to-allow-mail-ballot-rule-to-take-effect

3. Missouri Independent, “Looming ballot deadline complicates GOP appeal of Missouri redistricting decision,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://missouriindependent.com/2026/09/06/looming-ballot-deadline-complicates-gop-appeal-of-missouri-redistricting-decision/

4. RollingOut, “Sen. John Kennedy predicts Iran war won’t end before midterms,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://rollingout.com/2026/09/06/sen-john-kennedy-predicts-iran-war-wont/

5. ABC News, “’This Week’ Transcript 9-6-26: Energy Secretary Chris Wright, former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall & Utah Gov. Spencer Cox,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://ingest.abcnews.com/amp/Politics/week-transcript-9-6-26-energy-secretary-chris/story?id=136225571

6. CNN, “Transcript: Interview With State Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-TX),” State of the Union, Sept. 6, 2026.

https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sotu/date/2026-09-06/segment/01

7. AP News, “Assailant lunged at Democratic candidate for Ohio governor at fair, campaign says,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://www.wavy.com/news/politics/ap-assailant-lunged-at-democratic-candidate-for-ohio-governor-at-fair-campaign-says/

8. WKYC, “’Always unacceptable’: Gov. Mike DeWine issues statement after Amy Acton targeted in attack,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/politics/amy-acton-mike-dewine-governor-race-vivek-ramaswamy-canfield-ohio-mahoning-county-attack

9. NJ.com, “GOP demands immediate resignation of embattled N.J. Lt. Gov. Caldwell,” Sept. 6, 2026.

https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/09/gop-demands-immediate-resignation-of-embattled-nj-lt-gov-caldwell.html

10. NJ.com, “N.J. Lt. Gov. Caldwell investigation: Republicans question timeline, acting governor role,” Sept. 5, 2026.

https://www.nj.com/politics/2026/09/nj-republicans-demand-answers-on-lt-gov-caldwell-probe-question-his-acting-governor-role.html

Federal Level

MAGA Inc. Launches $10M Ad Buy For Paxton

President Donald Trump’s political group made its first major push into the midterm campaign on Saturday, filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission disclosing a 10 million dollar ad commitment for Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton. MAGA Inc., Trump’s super PAC, said the money would fund ads promoting Paxton, the Republican attorney general, and ads criticizing Democratic opponent James Talarico. The filing follows months of complaints that Trump’s political operation had been slow to spend in competitive races. Paxton thanked Trump on social media for the support. ¹

Talarico Campaign Fires Back At Trump PAC Ads

James Talarico’s Senate campaign pushed back Saturday against the new attack ads from MAGA Inc., the Trump aligned super PAC that disclosed a 10 million dollar buy targeting the Texas Democrat’s tax positions. A campaign spokesman said the ads misrepresented Talarico’s record, noting he voted for what the campaign called the largest property tax cut in Texas history. The ads label Talarico “High Tax” and criticize his support for raising taxes on wealthier households. Talarico has argued that billionaire funded groups are targeting him because his campaign has built a competitive, grassroots operation against Republican Ken Paxton in a race Republicans once considered safe. ²

Missouri Officials Ask Justices To Save Map

Missouri’s attorney general and secretary of state filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court late Friday night, asking justices to block a state court ruling that would force Missouri to abandon its Republican drawn congressional map before November. The filing, directed to Justice Brett Kavanaugh, argues the ruling creates confusion so close to an election, with a state deadline of Tuesday to finalize ballots. Kavanaugh gave opponents of the map until noon Monday to respond. The dispute began Thursday when Missouri’s high court ordered a November referendum on the map, siding with critics who said it unlawfully favored Republicans. ³

Trump Removes White House Shrouds For Xi Visit

Workers on Saturday removed drapes shrouding the White House’s North Portico as Trump prepared to show off renovation work before a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. Crews had spent about two months repairing the portico’s tall white columns and fortifying the entrance beneath the coverings. Trump has closely overseen renovations to the executive mansion this year, including changes to its columns, and had ordered the work completed before Xi’s arrival. The White House has not detailed the full cost of the project. The visit, expected September 24, is likely to focus on trade issues between Washington and Beijing amid tensions over tariffs. ⁴

Agencies Issue Birthright Citizenship Guidance

Federal agencies moved Saturday to publish implementation guidance for President Trump’s August executive order narrowing birthright citizenship, meeting a 30 day deadline set by the order. The Department of Homeland Security had already issued a rule this week letting certain children of foreign government employees register for permanent residency instead of automatic citizenship. The State Department has proposed requiring parents seeking passports for their children to prove their own citizenship or immigration status. A federal judge in Maryland had already blocked enforcement of the order against a certified class of children, but agencies said Saturday’s guidance would move forward for cases outside that court order. ^{5, 6}

State Level

Newsom Campaigns With North Carolina Democrats

California Governor Gavin Newsom joined North Carolina Democrats in Charlotte on Saturday morning, knocking on doors alongside volunteers supporting Senate candidate Roy Cooper and Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls ahead of November’s midterms. Newsom later traveled to Monroe for a Labor Day rally with Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and other candidates. The stops were part of a four day tour through Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina focused on voting rights and redistricting. Organizers described the canvass as an effort to elect Cooper, Earls and other Democrats by talking directly with voters ahead of a competitive Senate race that could decide control of the chamber. ⁷

Idaho Court Orders New Abortion Ballot Language

The Idaho Supreme Court ruled Friday that state officials must rewrite the explanations appearing on November ballots describing the effects of a proposed abortion rights initiative, setting a Saturday deadline for revised language. Justices found that neither the “yes” nor “no” statements drafted by the attorney general and secretary of state met legal requirements for clarity. Justice Gregory Moeller wrote that a statement is not clear if it leaves voters uncertain about a legal consequence of their vote. The court lacks authority to write the language itself, and officials were racing to meet the timeline before ballots go out to military and overseas voters. ⁸

Florida Democrats Escalate Push To Impeach Uthmeier

Florida House Democrats said Saturday they would continue pressing for impeachment proceedings against Attorney General James Uthmeier, following a grand jury report that found the DeSantis administration misappropriated 10 million dollars in Medicaid settlement funds for political purposes. Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell said the findings showed a misuse of taxpayer money by Republican officials, even though the panel said it lacked sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges. Uthmeier has called the investigation a politically motivated hoax and said Florida law bars him from discussing grand jury proceedings. Governor Ron DeSantis has defended the settlement as legally sound and blamed the disclosure on an illegal leak. ⁹

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Article Sources

1. Fortune, “Trump’s MAGA Inc. to spend $10 million in Texas Senate race against Talarico,” Sept. 5, 2026.

https://fortune.com/2026/09/05/maga-inc-10-million-texas-senate-race-trump-james-talarico-ken-paxton/

2. Fortune, “Trump’s MAGA Inc. to spend $10 million in Texas Senate race against Talarico,” Sept. 5, 2026.

https://fortune.com/2026/09/05/maga-inc-10-million-texas-senate-race-trump-james-talarico-ken-paxton/

3. UPI, “Missouri high court blocks GOP-favor map, orders referendum,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/09/04/Missouri-Supreme-Court-redistricting/6661788507286/

4. The Washington Post, “Trump removes White House shrouds as he prepares for Xi visit,” Sept. 5, 2026.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/05/trump-removes-white-house-shrouds-he-prepares-xi-visit/

5. Reuters, “US judge blocks Trump’s newest order limiting birthright citizenship,” Sept. 2, 2026.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-judge-blocks-trumps-newest-order-limiting-birthright-citizenship-2026-09-02/

6. USCIS, “DHS Announces Rule for Certain Children Born in the United States to Foreign Government Employees,” Sept. 3, 2026.

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/dhs-announces-rule-for-certain-children-born-in-the-united-states-to-foreign-government-employees

7. The Charlotte Observer, “Gavin Newsom campaigns in Charlotte and Monroe this weekend,” Sept. 2, 2026.

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article317092460.html

8. Idaho Capital Sun, “Idaho Supreme Court rules state officials must re-write abortion initiative ballot statements,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2026/09/04/idaho-supreme-court-rules-state-officials-must-re-write-abortion-initiative-ballot-statements/

9. Tallahassee Democrat, “Democrats push to impeach Florida Attorney General Uthmeier,” Sept. 3, 2026.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/2026/09/03/impeachment-sought-for-florida-attorney-general-uthmeier/91594998007/

Federal Level

Missouri Court Blocks GOP Congressional Map

On Thursday, the Missouri Supreme Court unanimously blocked the state’s Republican-drawn congressional map from being used in November’s election, ordering it onto the ballot as a referendum. The court ruled a petition drive collecting more than 300,000 signatures was legal and timely, reversing Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had rejected it. The decision restores districts drawn after the 2020 census this fall, a setback for Republicans hoping new lines would help gain a House seat. President Trump called the ruling unconstitutional. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said she would appeal to the Supreme Court, while Governor Mike Kehoe said he still supports the new map. ^{1, 2}

August Jobs Report Triples Forecast Growth

The Labor Department reported Friday morning that employers added 162,000 jobs in August, far above the 53,000 economists had expected. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent, and officials revised June and July payroll figures upward by a combined 55,000 jobs. Food services and public education accounted for much of the hiring gain, while the information sector kept shedding jobs. White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai said the report showed the private sector has created more than one million jobs under Trump. On Truth Social Friday, Trump called the numbers a record beat and urged the Federal Reserve to cut rates. ^{3, 4}

Trump Threatens Trade Halt Over Fed Rates

President Trump on Friday threatened to halt trade with countries that run surpluses against the United States unless the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, tying the demand to the strong August jobs report. Writing on Truth Social, Trump told Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh to lower rates or he would stop trading with deficit countries, calling the move an alternative to tariffs. He argued the United States should have the world’s lowest interest rate given its economic strength. The comments add pressure on the central bank ahead of its meeting this month on interest rate policy. Trump has repeatedly criticized the Fed’s leadership this year. ^{5, 6}

Trump Signs Order On Meat Market Competition

President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the Agriculture Department to expand market access for small meat processors and increase enforcement against monopolistic practices under the Packers and Stockyards Act. The order creates a loan program to help small and regional processors expand and directs the department to streamline licensing so state-inspected meat can be sold across state lines. The White House said the four largest beef packers now control 85 percent of steer and heifer purchases, up from 36 percent decades ago, citing record-low cattle herds. Officials said the changes aim to increase competition for ranchers while keeping food safety standards in place. ^{7, 8}

Judge Extends Block On Mail Ballot Rule

A federal judge in Massachusetts on Thursday granted a preliminary injunction blocking the United States Postal Service from enforcing key parts of a rule that would have restricted mail-in ballots for the November elections. The order, issued in League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump, keeps the rule from taking effect through the November election. The rule stemmed from President Trump’s March order on election mail, which sought to require states submit voter lists and redesigned envelopes before the Postal Service would deliver ballots. Democratic attorneys general led by California’s Rob Bonta sued to stop the rule, citing a report warning of possible voter disenfranchisement. ^{9, 10}

State Level

North Carolina Board Tightens Absentee Rules

On Thursday, North Carolina’s elections board voted 3 to 2 along party lines to approve two new rules on absentee ballots, hours before mailing the first batch to voters Friday. One rule requires both ballot envelope seals be intact or the vote is discarded, ending a practice letting officials count ballots with minor sealing errors. The second limits who may assist a voter returning a ballot to a near relative or guardian, with an exception for voters with disabilities. Governor Josh Stein’s office had pressed the board to release the rules publicly beforehand. North Carolina mails absentee ballots first each cycle. ^{11, 12}

Missouri Attorney General Vows Map Appeal

On Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said she would appeal the state Supreme Court’s redistricting ruling to the United States Supreme Court, calling it an unprecedented step that has “thrust our state into a full-fledged constitutional crisis.” The state’s high court that day blocked a Republican-drawn congressional map from taking effect in November and ordered a referendum on the map instead. Hanaway argued no court in American history had overturned a congressional map after a primary but before a general election. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins echoed that language in his statement. Democrats, including Representative Emanuel Cleaver, welcomed the ruling as a win over gerrymandering. ^{13, 14}

Delaware Governor Signs New Data Privacy Law

On Thursday, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer signed two data privacy bills into law, creating what his office called the broadest consumer data protections of any state. The legislation restricts companies from selling sensitive personal information about Delaware residents unless doing so is strictly necessary to deliver a requested product or service, and adds reporting requirements after security breaches. Meyer worked with Attorney General Kathy Jennings and lawmakers to draft the measures. The new protections take effect January 1, 2027, giving businesses time to adjust practices. Delaware joins a small group of states adopting stricter data privacy rules in recent years, ahead of a broader push nationally. ^{15, 16}

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Article Sources

1. UPI, “Missouri high court blocks GOP-favor map, orders referendum,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/09/04/Missouri-Supreme-Court-redistricting/6661788507286/

2. NBC News, “Missouri Supreme Court rules new GOP-drawn map can’t be used for November elections,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/missouri-supreme-court-rules-gop-drawn-map-cant-used-november-election-rcna595688

3. CNBC, “Jobs report August 2026,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/04/jobs-report-august-2026.html

4. Yahoo Finance, “The US added 162,000 jobs in August as Fed weighs next hike,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/article/the-us-added-162000-jobs-in-august-as-fed-weighs-next-hike-jobs-report-175614216.html

5. Kurdistan24, “Trump Threatens Trade War on Deficit Countries If Fed Refuses to Cut Rates,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/937203/trump-demands-the-fed-cut-rates-to-lowest-in-the-world-after-162000-jobs-added-in-august

6. Türkiye Today, “Trump tells Fed to ‘get smart,’ threatens trade halt with deficit countries,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.turkiyetoday.com/world/trump-tells-fed-to-get-smart-threatens-trade-halt-with-deficit-countries-3227455

7. The White House, “Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Promotes Fair Competition in Livestock Markets and Expands Market Access for American Meat Producers,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-promotes-fair-competition-in-livestock-markets-and-expands-market-access-for-american-meat-producers/

8. Washington Examiner, “Trump allows ranchers to process their own beef and sell across state lines,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/2026-election/

9. Brennan Center for Justice, “Federal Court Blocks U.S. Postal Service from Interfering with Mail Ballots for November Election,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/federal-court-blocks-us-postal-service-interfering-mail-ballots-november

10. Campaign Legal Center, “Preliminary Injunction Order on USPS Final Rule (D.Mass.),” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://campaignlegal.org/document/preliminary-injunction-order-usps-final-rule-dmass

11. WBTV, “North Carolina sends out first mail-in ballots amid Trump’s move to restrict them,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.wbtv.com/2026/09/04/north-carolina-sends-out-first-mail-in-ballots-amid-trumps-move-restrict-them/

12. Democracy Docket, “Hours before absentee ballots go out, North Carolina approves new restrictions,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/hours-before-absentee-ballots-go-out-north-carolina-approves-new-restrictions/

13. The Hill, “Trump: Missouri Supreme Court ‘ridiculously ruled in favor’ of blocking redistricting plan,” Sept. 4, 2026.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6070786-trump-condemns-missouri-redistricting-ruling/

14. KMBC, “President Trump calls Missouri Supreme Court congressional map ruling ‘unconstitutional’,” Sept. 3, 2026.

https://www.kmbc.com/article/trump-missouri-supreme-court-congressional-map-ruling/73610388

15. Delaware.gov, Office of the Governor, “Governor Meyer Signed Historic Data Privacy Legislation, Protecting Delaware Residents and Businesses,” Sept. 2, 2026.

https://news.delaware.gov/2026/09/02/governor-meyer-signed-historic-data-privacy-legislation-protecting-delaware-residents-and-businesses/

16. Bloomberg Law, “Delaware Expands Privacy Protections, Tightens Breach Reporting,” Sept. 2, 2026.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/privacy-and-data-security/delaware-expands-privacy-protections-tightens-breach-reporting

The President signed a bill on Wednesday, September 2. Congress was already turning its attention away from Washington and toward the campaign trail.

The bill does not fund the government for the year ahead. It only makes sure that nobody in Washington has to fight about money until after the election.

Congress calls that a stopgap. Halftime is the better word for it.

The bill is H.R. 6500, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2027. It freezes the federal government at last year’s spending levels through December 11, 2026, and it does not settle a single argument. The real fight over what the country spends this year got pushed into a five-week window after Election Day, and it goes back to the same Congress that could not finish the job in nine months. Both parties agreed to that because it protects their candidates. It does nothing for anyone else.

The word stopgap sounds harmless. It is not.

The formal name is a continuing resolution. It keeps last year’s dollar amounts in place for a set period instead of setting new ones. Congress is supposed to pass twelve separate full-year spending bills covering areas like defense, homeland security, energy, and housing, and all twelve are supposed to be signed into law before the federal budget year starts on October 1.

Not one of those twelve bills for 2027 had passed both chambers by the deadline. Not one. The stopgap fills the gap between the old year’s money running out and the new year’s bills getting written, and that is all it does.

So Congress cannot pass a budget. That is the story most people have heard, and yet it is only half true.

H.R. 6500 also contains non-budget line items. The bill blocks the Office of Management and Budget from finishing a rule that would let political appointees screen federal grants for political reasons. It bars any new money, including transfers between agencies, from going to immigration enforcement agencies. It stops the Defense Department from starting new production programs that were not already funded in 2026, while making exceptions for the Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarine programs, aircraft carrier refueling, and other high-priority military work.

And there is more. The bill keeps dozens of programs alive that were about to expire, including the National Flood Insurance Program, highway and transportation spending, veterans’ health and housing programs, the Technology Modernization Fund, cybersecurity information-sharing laws, and the African Growth and Opportunity Act. It keeps SNAP food assistance and WIC running at current levels, with a thirty-day grace period so a future lapse would not cut off benefits right away. It delays a change to the federal definition of hemp. It also freezes cost-of-living pay raises for members of Congress.

That is a tremendous amount of work, negotiated across two chambers and two parties in a matter of weeks.

Now compare that with the rest of this year. The same Congress that could not send a single one of its twelve annual spending bills to the President managed to put all of that together in a matter of weeks, united by a shared goal: moving an uncomfortable subject past the election.

The vote count puts a spotlight on this story. The Senate passed the bill 90 to 6 in early August, right before leaving town for its recess. The House passed it 370 to 48 on Tuesday, September 1.

We all witnessed how both parties can work together when they want to. They can move fast, and by huge margins, when they want to avoid a fight in front of the voters and quickly escape Washington for the campaign trails.

Nobody hid the reason, either. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole said the bill “will allow Congress time to get past the November elections, and allow us time to assess and move forward with further appropriations measures in November and December.” Politico and CNN reported the same thing. The stopgap lets sitting members campaign through Election Day on November 3 without a shutdown fight producing bad headlines.

When Congress misses a deadline, the usual explanation is that the other party made it impossible. That is not what happened here. The people who wrote the bill said plainly that the deadline was set around the campaign calendar.

Now look at what is waiting after the election.

Between Election Day and December 11 there are about five weeks. In that time Congress has to write and pass twelve full-year spending bills that it could not finish in the previous nine months.

The election results will hang over every hour of it. Control of the House is on the ballot, and who wins changes how much leverage each side thinks it has going into the December deadline.

If there is no full-year deal and no new stopgap by December 11, the money runs out again. A shutdown becomes possible in the weeks before the holidays.

Here is the part that is most concerning. The current Congress handles that deadline, not the incoming one, because the new Congress is not sworn in until January. Final spending levels for 2027 will be set in part by members who lost on November 3 and who will never face those voters again.

Think of the year as a football season, because that is how it has played out.

The 2026 season has run all year. There have been plays and penalties, scorekeeping, injuries, and roster changes, and the country has watched every quarter of it.

The whistle has now blown. The halftime show runs from today until November 3, and it will be loud, expensive, and well rehearsed.

Then comes the second half, and that is the bloody one. That is where the 2027 budget actually gets decided, on a short clock, by a roster that is partly on its way out the door.

The problem is not that the people in Congress are bad people. The problem is that neither party has any incentive to bring forth a bipartisan budget. Our two parties are built to win the next election. Both sides will treat the post-election budget negotiations as a campaign tool first and as a governing job second.

That is the gap the Centercratic Party was built to fill. The party is founded on nine principles that hold whether they help win an election or cost one, and three of those principles tie directly to this.

The first principle is to safeguard our democratic system, which means governing through compromise instead of domination. The Constitution assumes compromise. What the country just watched was two parties compromising on one thing only, which was the timing of their next fight.

The fifth principle is to debate with facts and dignity, which means arguing over facts, treating each other with respect, admitting where the real disagreements are, and refusing personal attacks and bad-faith tactics. That is not what the first eight months of this year looked like. Eight months in, the two parties have almost nothing to show for their work, and not one of the twelve spending bills has cleared both chambers. A shutdown fight was judged too costly to hold before the election because both sides knew exactly how it would be conducted.

The sixth principle is to seek unity through broad support, which means building policies that earn wide and lasting agreement. A bill that passes 90 to 6 and 370 to 48 is not wide agreement on a budget. It is wide agreement on putting the budget off.

You can read the full set of principles at Centercratic.party.

There are times when a stopgap bill makes sense. Shutdowns do real damage. Federal workers miss paychecks, services people count on stop, contractors go unpaid, and families living close to the edge get hurt the worst. A Congress that keeps the lights on while it works through a hard negotiation is behaving better than one that lets the money run out to make a point.

That argument would hold up if the delay were being used to get the work done. It is not. Nothing in H.R. 6500 requires a single one of the twelve bills to move during the fifteen weeks it buys, no committee has to produce anything, and the same fights that stalled everything in the spring will be waiting in November with far less time to settle them.

Moving a deadline does not settle anything.

The timing argument breaks down for another reason. The people who negotiate the December deal are the members serving right now, including the ones voters just decided to send home. Voters will have spoken, and the same people will still be making the call.

Avoiding a shutdown is worth doing. Avoiding a shutdown to duck a fight you were elected to have is something else, and voters have a right to know which one they got.

The halftime show is underway. For the next two months both teams will tell the country that the other one is the reason nothing gets done, and then on December 12, Americans could wake up to a closed government, shut down by the same people who proved in September that they can keep it open any time it suits them.

The press office of Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa recently posted a message on X announcing that the senator had completed his forty-sixth consecutive year of face-to-face meetings with Iowans in all ninety-nine counties. The post was written as a celebration, and in one narrow sense it is one, because very few politicians keep a promise for four and a half decades. What that number actually measures, though, is not diligence. It measures how long one man has held one seat.

Iowans have every reason to appreciate a senator who shows up in every county, year after year, including the small ones that most officeholders drive past. The question the X post raises, and does not answer, is whether any single person should hold the same office for that long.

Senator Grassley has served in the Senate since January 1981 and has held a seat in Congress since 1975, and he has given no sign of stopping. In mid-August 2026 he filed an early statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, which is the routine paperwork that allows a politician to keep raising money for a future race. He turns 93 this month. If he seeks and wins a ninth term in 2028, he would be 95 on Election Day and 102 at the end of that term.

The argument of this opinion piece is simple, and it is not about one man’s health or one state’s choice. Forty-six years in a single seat is not an achievement, it is entrenchment, and it is the predictable outcome of a system that places no limit on how long a person may hold power. The Centercratic Party believes the answer is a firm cap of eighteen years of service in either chamber of Congress and a retirement age of eighty, and this fall, while one seat in Iowa is being decided by one family’s timetable, is exactly the moment to say so.

Consider what the senator himself has said about his plans. Asked directly on August 28 whether he intends to run again, Senator Grassley said he is focused on the coming midterm elections and told the interviewer to ask him next year. He has indicated he will announce by this fall whether he will seek a ninth term, and he has said he hopes voters will not judge him by his age. In the meantime, he is running the Senate Judiciary Committee as its chairman, and he has invited former special counsel Jack Smith to testify before that committee on September 22.

None of this is the conduct of a man preparing to hand anything over. What makes the situation more striking is the name most often mentioned as his eventual successor. Pat Grassley, the senator’s grandson, is 43 years old, serves as Speaker of the Iowa House, and was born two years after his grandfather entered the Senate. A seat held by one family since 1981 may simply pass to another member of that family, and in the language of American politics that is described as passing the torch. It is not. Passing the torch means letting go of it in time for someone else to be chosen on their own merits.

It would be unfair to treat Iowa as an outlier, because it is not. Newsweek published an analysis of legislator birth records on July 13, 2026, prompted by the death of Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina at 71, and it found that the average sitting senator is 65.1 years old and the median is 66. That analysis counted 36 senators aged 70 or older, eight aged 80 or older, and one in his nineties, who is Senator Grassley. The eight who have passed 80 are Senator Grassley of Iowa at 92, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont at 84, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky at 84, Senator James Risch of Idaho at 83, Senator Angus King of Maine at 82, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois at 81, Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut at 80, and Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts at 80.

Newsweek also reported that 131 members of the House and Senate together are 70 or older, which is nearly one quarter of Congress. NBC News reported that Senator Risch will be 83 on Election Day this year and would be 89 at the end of a new six-year term, that Senator King would turn 86 during his next race in 2030, and that Senator Sanders would turn 89 in that same year. Length of service tells the same story from a different angle.

The SenatorDB seniority ranking for the 119th Congress lists Senator Grassley in the Senate since January 3, 1981, Senator McConnell since 1985, Senator Patty Murray of Washington since 1993, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon since 1996, and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Senator Durbin, and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island since 1997. This is not a Republican problem or a Democratic problem. It is a shared arrangement that both parties have found comfortable.

The usual reply is that voters already hold the remedy in their hands, and that anyone who has served too long can be sent home in November. That reply describes a country the United States no longer is. When the Cook Political Report first published its Partisan Voting Index in 1996, a measure of how competitive each congressional district is, it counted 164 House districts where either party had a genuine chance to win. By 2024 that count had fallen to 42 seats out of 435, a decline of 74 percent in less than thirty years. In that same year, House incumbents were reelected at a rate of roughly 97 percent.

When a district is drawn so that only one party can win it, the general election no longer decides anything, and the only contest that can remove a member is that party’s own primary, which is the internal election in which registered members of a party choose their nominee. Roughly 10 percent of eligible Americans vote in primaries, and those voters are the most committed and most ideological slice of the electorate. Under those conditions, telling voters that they can simply retire a forty-six-year incumbent whenever they choose is not a description of how the system works. It is a description of how it once worked.

Americans have already reached their own verdict on this. A CNN poll released on July 29, 2026 found that 58 percent of Americans consider the current share of elderly lawmakers in Congress a major problem, a figure that rises to 68 percent among Americans under 35, and that 70 percent of people aligned with either major party would be uneasy or upset if their own party nominated someone over the age of 70. A Fox News poll conducted in July found that 85 percent of registered voters believe there should be a mandatory retirement age for lawmakers, and about half of that group would set it below 70.

A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found support for an age limit for federal elected officials among 82 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats. Nor would such a rule be a novelty in American government. Newsweek reported that 37 states already impose term limits on their governors and 16 impose them on their state legislators. The states figured this out. Congress, which would have to impose the limit on itself, has not.

This is the gap the Centercratic Party was built to fill. The party is founded on nine principles that hold regardless of who is winning, and the second speaks directly to this moment: limit terms for accountability, impose term limits on public office to prevent entrenchment, and keep representatives answerable to the voters rather than to their own careers. In practice that means eighteen years in the House, eighteen years in the Senate, and a hard stop at the age of eighty.

Eighteen years is three full Senate terms and nine House terms, which is more than enough time for any capable person to learn the institution, chair a committee, and leave a record behind. It also means that a seat becomes an open contest on a known schedule rather than whenever an incumbent decides he is finished, and that a state’s next senator is chosen by its voters instead of inherited. The full set of principles is posted at Centercratic.party.

It is important to call out that experience in government is invaluable, because writing law, running a committee, and negotiating across party lines are difficult skills that take years to build. States that adopted strict legislative term limits have found that power shifts toward unelected staff members and toward lobbyists, who stay after the elected members leave and who know the rules better than the newcomers do. A House member restricted to just a few years in office may never accumulate enough standing to accomplish anything, and voters who want to keep a good representative are entitled to ask why a rule should override their judgment.

Those concerns are the reason the Centercratic Party limit is set at eighteen years rather than six or twelve. That length preserves genuine expertise while ending careers that outlast the problems they were elected to solve. The objection loses its force entirely at the far end of the curve, because whatever institutional knowledge is gained between year eighteen and year forty-six is purchased at the cost of a seat that an entire generation of Iowans has never once had the chance to compete for.

Senator Grassley has visited all ninety-nine counties in Iowa every year for forty-six years. In all that time, he has never once found in any of them a single Iowan he judged ready to take his place.

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