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What your state constitution says about same sex marriage

Statutes or constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage remain on the books in more than 30 states, threatening marriage equality in over 60 percent of the nation should the Supreme Court overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

In a theoretical post-Obergefell world, power over whether to recognize same-sex marriages would be returned to the states. For an estimated 205 million Americans, that could mean living in a place where those unions are no longer legal, according to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

Efforts to repeal state-level bans have in the recent past been met with some resistance, despite record-high support for marriage equality.

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In February, Virginia lawmakers defeated a measure that would have allowed voters to decide whether to remove language from the state’s constitution defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman. When a similar ballot measure was presented to voters in Nevada in 2020, the state became the first in the nation to recognize marriages between couples “regardless of gender” in its constitution.

Even without pushback from lawmakers or voters, avenues to alter a state’s constitution are often lengthy and multifaceted.

“Generally, it’s an arduous process that requires both the government and the people,” Naomi Goldberg, the LGBTQ program director and deputy director of the Movement Advancement Project, told Changing America.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed legislation that would require states to legally recognize same-sex marriages if those unions are valid in the states in which they were performed. The measure would also codify Obergefell and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that for federal purposes defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Lawmakers this week said the legislation is a direct response to a suggestion from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas last month that landmark Supreme Court decisions on same-sex marriage, sex between gay couples and the right to contraception should be revisited following the court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, which had protected the constitutional right to an abortion.

Thomas, along with fellow conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, in 2020 criticized the court’s ruling in Obergefell, asserting that the decision has had “ruinous consequences for religious liberty.”

In the wake of the court’s abortion ruling and Thomas’ opinion, married same-sex couples across the country have said they are uncertain whether their unions will continue to be legally recognized in the states in which they live.

Should Obergefell be overturned, state statutes or constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage could take effect immediately, with no further legislative or executive action needed to certify them. (Exceptions include California, Iowa and Hawaii, where same-sex marriage bans are not enforceable).

According to legal experts, reversing marriage equality is not something that can happen overnight. A lawsuit would first need to be filed and brought to a court of appeal before potentially making its way to the Supreme Court – a notoriously lengthy process.

“It’s important for people to think about, but it is not an immediate risk,” Jon Davidson, who served as co-counsel on the Obergefell case, told Changing America.

“It should not be assumed that just because Roe was overturned, Obergefell is in danger,” said Davidson, now a senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) LGBTQ & HIV Project.

Even if Obergefell did fall, it’s unlikely that the decision would impact the unions of already-married couples, Davidson said, and affected couples may sue for sex discrimination, which the Supreme Court in earlier decisions has said includes discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

But after reversing nearly 50 years of precedent in striking down Roe, it’s possible that the court will choose to reinterpret the context of prior rulings.

According to Davidson, it’s also worth noting that Thomas is thus far the only Supreme Court Justice to suggest revisiting marriage equality. Alito, writing for the majority last month, said no other cases would be impacted by the court’s abortion ruling.

But “who knows what could happen?,” Davidson said. “We’re in a situation where the Supreme Court can’t be relied on for much of anything.”

Source: TEST FEED1

What the strong dollar means for Americans

The U.S. dollar is getting stronger amid a global battle with high inflation.  

Americans are getting less bang for their buck at home, but a stronger dollar makes foreign goods more affordable and international travel relatively cheaper.  

The dollar broke even with the euro for the first time in 20 years last week, and the dollar’s value has climbed against a slew of other global currencies as the U.S. economy runs ahead of the rest of the world.  

Higher U.S. interest rates set by the Federal Reserve have also made the dollar more valuable to hold compared to other currencies, prompting demand for dollars from abroad. 

But the short-term benefits for many consumers also come with longer-term threats of lower corporate profits, fewer U.S. exports and a global economic slowdown that could bounce back to the United States. 

Here’s what the dollar’s power means for Americans. 

Cheaper imports, foreign travel 

The dollar’s value has caught up with the euro, making it much cheaper for Americans to purchase goods from and travel through Europe in the middle of a steep rebound in summer vacationing.  

The euro has typically traded above the dollar, but its recent decline gives Americans greater purchasing power abroad, even with high inflation. 

“A stronger dollar and a weaker Euro means that it’s much cheaper to buy anything from Europe, and that could be either importing a car or it could mean going on vacation somewhere in Europe,” said Stephen Miran, co-founder of investment firm Amberwave Partners and former Treasury Department adviser, in a Friday interview. 

A stronger dollar also means foreign manufacturers can afford to charge less for their goods in the U.S., knowing they’ll be paid back in a more valuable currency. Still, more purchasing power will do little to help bring down prices for products in short supply due to the war in Ukraine or pandemic-related snarls. 

“That doesn’t really matter if the supply of that product is zero because the supply chains are all messed up,” Miran said. 

Slowing exports and corporate profits 

A strong dollar makes foreign goods and services relatively less expensive compared to U.S. products. While that may give American consumers some relief at the cash register, it is a blow for manufacturers already struggling with supply chain snarls and material shortages. 

“When the dollar appreciates, the cost of foreign goods goes down, which makes it cheaper to import stuff. Now in normal times, we don’t really like that because it makes the U.S. less competitive, so it tends to be less good for American industry. But these are not normal times,” Miran said.  

American companies with significant business overseas may also see their profits fall as their products become comparably more expensive in foreign markets. The stock market has already taken a serious hit from a combination of slowing earnings and higher interest rates.  

Technology companies, in particular, are facing tough choices about layoffs, but any company highly dependent on foreign profits may face similar pressures. 

Lower inflation, but at a potentially steep cost 

Cheaper imports and higher interest rates driven by a strong dollar should help bring down soaring inflation in the U.S.  

The most recent data released by the Labor Department showed prices rose 9.1 percent over the past 12 months.  

Prices for imported goods may soon begin to plateau or even drop as foreign manufacturers reap the benefits of being paid in stronger dollars. That could give Americans some breathing room and bring monthly inflation figures down amid struggles with oil, food and commodity price shocks driven by the war in Ukraine. 

A strong dollar also reinforces the Fed’s efforts to boost interest rates high enough to slow the economy into lower inflation.  

Demand rises for U.S. Treasury bonds when the dollar gets stronger, which pushes interest rates on those bonds higher. 

“The Fed’s pressure on the bond market is really what is driving the strong dollar. They’ve made U.S. bonds so attractive relative to non-U.S. sovereign bonds, people are buying them hand over fist,” said Daniel Alpert, managing partner at investment firm Westwood Capital. 

Interest rates on trillions of dollars in debt across the world will also rise with Treasury bond rates. 

Businesses and financial institutions often set interest rates on loans based on Treasury bond rates, so a strong dollar boosts the global baseline for borrowing costs. 

As foreign nations and businesses face higher debt costs, it could slow their economies enough to cause severe hardship as they struggle to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Whenever the value of the dollar appreciates, these countries therefore need to mobilize more resources in terms of local currency to service their debt and pay for their imports,” said Daouda Sembene, a nonresident fellow at the Center for Global Development and a former executive director at the International Monetary Fund, in a Tuesday email. 

“Ultimately, this could aggravate risks of food insecurity, which is a key challenge in many developing countries.” 

The stronger dollar’s impact abroad could come back to hurt the U.S. as well, particularly if deep turmoil in the developing world also comes with a steep decline in Europe’s economic activity.  

That could take a toll on U.S. companies and businesses depending on foreign tourism. 

“Slower growth abroad can still come back over into the U.S.,” Miran said. 

Source: TEST FEED1

Small-business owners blitz Capitol Hill

Thousands of small-business owners descended on Capitol Hill this week in a bid for congressional support as they brace for a looming recession that threatens to wipe out numerous mom-and-pop stores. 

Small-business owners, who employ nearly half of all U.S. workers, say they’re being hammered by inflation, hiring difficulties, supply chain snags, child care shortages and limited access to capital. Weathering the storm will get much harder if a recession dents consumer demand for their goods and services.

But it’s unclear to many business owners whether Congress is willing or able to help them overcome a slew of challenges. They point to the fact that lawmakers haven’t reauthorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) in two decades, inaction that has rendered key agency programs outdated and ineffective.  

“I’m concerned about the upcoming recession, and I’m concerned about the lagging results that have been able to happen for the small-business world,” said Jill Bommarito, owner of Detroit-area gluten-free bakery Ethel’s Baking Co. “I think we’ve got a lot more coming at us, and we’re going to need the support.” 

Supply chain troubles have forced Bommarito to carry double the usual inventory of raw materials, eating up the bakery’s cash reserves, and she said that she’s already maxed out her lines of credit with banks. Those issues, coupled with rising costs, forced Bommarito to carry out large price hikes. 

She’s one of roughly 2,500 small-business owners who flew to Washington to meet with more than 400 lawmakers and federal government officials on Tuesday and Wednesday. The two-day summit is hosted by Goldman Sachs’s 10,000 Small Businesses program, which provides education and support to entrepreneurs.  

The business owners are pushing lawmakers to reauthorize and modernize the SBA and enact tax credits and other incentives to help small businesses offer benefits, retain workers and access capital.  

For many small-business owners, this week will be their first and only opportunity to share their concerns with members of Congress, who typically reserve face-to-face meetings for high-profile constituents, top donors and industry associations.  

“We’re not big contributors to campaigns. None of us have the individual impact on any district or state that elected representatives will want to speak about for our opinion,” said Bryan Pate, owner of ElliptiGO, a Solana Beach, Calif., store that sells elliptical and stand-up bikes. “But collectively, we’re half the workforce, so we’re a super important part of the economy.” 

Pate’s company enjoyed huge demand in the early months of the pandemic, when Americans couldn’t go to gyms and preferred outdoor activities. But supply chain challenges delayed the delivery of bikes for years, and when Pate finally received them, demand had slowed. 

“I think we’re going to see a lot more bankruptcies as a result of this COVID-19 whiplash of not being able to really sell the product when there was demand for it because we couldn’t get it,” Pate said. “We placed a bunch of orders, and now we’re living with those orders. And we don’t have the cash.” 

A recent survey of small-business owners in the Goldman Sachs program found that 38 percent reported a recent decline in consumer demand due to price hikes. Roughly one-third of business owners said that inflation is their top challenge, while 13 percent pointed to supply chain issues. 

Consumer prices rose 9.1 percent over the past 12 months ending in June, while wholesale costs soared an even higher 11.3 percent, according to most recent Labor Department data, forcing most businesses to raise their prices.  

Forty-five percent of small-business owners said that finding workers was their biggest challenge, with 78 percent reporting struggling to compete with larger employers when it comes to pay and benefits. They say Congress could help small businesses compete in the tight labor market by making it cheaper and less complicated for smaller employers to set up retirement and health care plans. 

SBA reauthorization is the top priority for the lobbying campaign. Small-business owners say that the agency doesn’t have the tools to effectively implement its loan programs, something they say was demonstrated by numerous issues with the pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program.  

During Tuesday’s small-business summit, Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said that the agency needs to be simplified and expressed hope that lawmakers can come to an agreement on SBA reauthorization.  

“I’m confident that it will happen,” Scott told small-business owners. “I hope it happens soon.” 

Advocates acknowledge that Congress won’t reauthorize the SBA this year. They see it as one of the few issues both parties could find common ground on in the upcoming Congress, even though previous bipartisan reauthorization efforts have fallen flat.  

“Our goal this week is to generate a lot of momentum so that heading into next year it’s a real priority,” said Joe Wall, director of Goldman Sachs’s small-business program. “So we’re just trying to push it and elevate it so it becomes something that both Republicans and Democrats alike are willing to spend political capital on.” 

The Goldman survey found that despite an onslaught of challenges, 65 percent of the small-business owners are optimistic about the trajectory of their company this year.  

“You have to be an optimist to start a small business,” Pate said. “On one hand, you have to recognize that the most likely outcome is failure. At the same time, you have to believe in yourself and say to yourself, ‘There’s no way I can fail.’ ”

Source: TEST FEED1

The Memo: Cracks grow in US response on Ukraine

Questions are mounting over America’s response to the crisis in Ukraine, even as the Eastern European nation’s first lady prepares to address Congress.

Olena Zelenska is scheduled to address lawmakers on Capitol Hill around 11 a.m. Wednesday.  

She is already in Washington, where she has met separately with first lady Jill Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power.  

President Biden also greeted Zelenska at the White House on Tuesday, though the two did not have a formal meeting scheduled. 

But Zelenska’s visit comes at a troubling time. Russia is making advances in eastern Ukraine, cracks are developing in what was initially a highly unified U.S. response and there is a tangible sense that American public interest in the war may be waning. 

Back in May, a $40 billion supplemental bill providing aid to Ukraine passed both houses of Congress with comfortable majorities — but also with a level of Republican dissent that could not be ignored.  

Fifty-seven House Republicans and 11 GOP senators voted against the measure. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) complained at the time that the measure amounted to a decision by Congress to “do what Congress does best: spend other people’s money.”  

Paul did note that the “vast majority of Americans sympathize with Ukraine,” but he argued that Congress should have taken any aid money it wished to provide from elsewhere in the budget. 

In the House, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) contended that part of the money amounted to “a massive slush fund that goes to the State Department.” 

The fear among Democrats, as well as others who favor aggressive U.S. action to back up Ukraine, is that those partisan fissures will grow wider, especially as Biden’s overall approval numbers remain low and the midterm elections loom.

Such a shift seems all the more plausible as Americans grapple with rampant inflation and elevated gas prices. 

“As inflation continues, energy insecurity continues and wheat prices rise, the temptation [for Republicans] is to blame Biden for all of it,” former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin told this column. 

Rubin, a Democrat, added that the reality of the matter is, “if you support Ukraine, you are potentially complicit in the economic impact of the war. And you should own it. But Republicans don’t want to own it. They want to weaponize it against Biden.” 

But there are, too, conservatives who want the U.S. to maintain its current stance, and who fear its willingness to do so might begin to taper off. 

“There is a real danger of Ukraine fatigue setting in here in Washington as the political focus overwhelmingly shifts to domestic political matters. It is vital that the United States and key allies maintain their resolve and determination to support Ukraine in the face of Russian barbarism,” said Nile Gardiner, the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation. 

“I think there is a growing concern that the war in Ukraine and Russia’s savage invasion is being forgotten. It is far less of a focus on U.S. media, television than it was before,” Gardiner added.

Biden has tried to ameliorate some of the political damage from high inflation and high gas prices by pinning the blame on the Russian invasion, at one point trying to tag the phenomenon as “Putin’s price hike.” 

But that effort is widely judged to have been ineffective. Polls repeatedly show Biden getting the blame for inflation, consistently the single issue on which he scores worst. 

The American people are not yet peeling away from support of Ukraine, however. 

The issue does not dominate the nightly newscasts the way it once did. Americans are contending not just with economic problems but with divergent dramatic stories and national traumas, from the Jan. 6 hearings to several mass shootings. 

Still, in an Economist-YouGov poll released last week, a sizable 63 percent of Americans believed that the U.S. government response to Russia’s invasion has been either “about right” or “should be tougher.” Just 14 percent said it should be less tough — though a sizable 23 percent expressed no opinion. 

Yet the same poll found an element of fatalism also characterized American public attitudes. A plurality, 34 percent, predicted that Russia would emerge the victor in the conflict, against 21 percent who believed Ukraine would prevail and 14 percent who believed both outcomes were equally likely. 

Similarly, a CNN-SSRS poll released Monday found Biden scoring better on Ukraine than other issues, but still falling victim to majority disapproval. The poll found 46 percent of adults approving of the president’s handling of Ukraine but 52 percent disapproving. 

Findings like that point to the political complexity of the issue. 

GOP strategist Doug Heye acknowledged that opposition to the administration’s stance was “more political on the Republican side,” where there are many people “who don’t necessarily want to be supportive of a president of the other party.” 

But he also asserted that at a time when inflation is still going up, rising from an annualized 8.6 percent in May to 9.1 percent in June, “those things that are immediately impacting families are going to outweigh” anything relating to foreign policy, including Ukraine. 

Zelenska’s address might change that picture — for a day. The first lady has been living in hiding, apart from her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, since Russia invaded in February. They have two children. 

The first lady is not a seeker of the spotlight, nor is she herself a politician or activist.  

Her speech will likely be stylistically very different from her husband’s dramatic virtual address to a joint session of Congress in mid-March, when the war still dominated headlines in the U.S. 

But Zelenska hopes to push the idea that Russia should be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism — and, of course, to highlight the plight of her people. 

She will likely be successful in the short term.

But looking further ahead, the outlook for U.S. engagement in Ukraine seems much more fogged in uncertainty. 

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage. Laura Kelly contributed. 

Source: TEST FEED1

Biden to make announcements on extreme heat, offshore wind

President Biden on Wednesday will make announcements aimed at bolstering offshore wind and protecting people from extreme heat. 

A White House official said that Biden will try to help communities facing extreme heat through additional funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which helps state and local governments deal with natural disasters and hazards. 

The Biden administration will also issue a new guidance related to a program that helps low income families with energy costs.

The official did not specify what the additional offshore wind actions would entail. . 

During a Wednesday trip to Massachusetts, Biden will visit a former coal plant that will now manufacture cables for offshore wind. 

There’s renewed pressure on the Biden administration to act on climate change after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) walked away from climate talks after about a year of negotiations. 

In the days since, Biden pledged to deal with climate change through strong executive actions. 

One possible action that many advocates have been pushing is the declaration of a climate emergency. The Biden administration has said such a declaration would not come this week.

The new announcement comes as communities both in the U.S. and abroad grapple with extreme heat.

Source: TEST FEED1

GOP ramps up efforts to rein in Biden on student debt

Republicans have been ramping up efforts to rein in the Biden administration’s ability to cancel student loan debt, arguing such plans are “wildly inflationary” and would only contribute to climbing prices.

Since the Biden administration extended a nationwide pause on federal student loan payments and interest accrual in the spring, Republicans in both chambers have been introducing legislation targeting the president’s authority on student loans.

Legislation introduced in recent weeks includes multiple measures seeking to keep Biden from greenlighting mass cancellation of student debt without buy-in from Congress, as well as a bill codifying that the president lacks the authority to “blanket cancel federal student loans.”

The bills face an uphill climb in the Democratic-led Congress, but Republicans behind the effort say it’s necessary to combat what they argue will be an unfair burden on taxpayers.

“My constituents are worried about the fact that the government runs heavy deficits every year and borrows the money to cover it,” Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) said. “So, you’re running a deficit when you’re not paying for it, and so it is something that at least Hoosiers, who I represent, are worried about the fiscal health of our country.”

The efforts also coincide with an ongoing push by progressives and advocates for widespread debt cancellation, which has gained steam as the Biden administration has signaled it is closing in on a decision on student debt cancellation. 

In May, reports surfaced of one plan under consideration that would provide $10,000 in debt cancellation for some borrowers. The plan included income caps for borrowers to qualify for forgiveness, limiting potential cancellation to individuals earning below $150,000 and $300,000 for couples.

The idea has support from some Democrats as a step in the right direction, but it’s also drawn pushback from both sides of the aisle, with progressives calling for the president to go higher amid GOP opposition.    

Republicans have focused their attacks around inflation, a growing concern for voters ahead of the midterms. 

A recent example is a bill filed in the House last week that calls out “executive actions that have exacerbated inflation and led to skyrocketing prices,” as well as current consideration in the administration of “harmful economic policies like canceling student debt,” according to a release. The bill was filed by GOP Reps. Jason Smith (Mo.), Patrick McHenry (N.C.) and Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), the No. 3 House Republican. 

Experts say there’s a case to be made linking the pause on student loan payments to inflation, but largely downplay the moratorium on student debt’s impact on decades-high inflation.

“Anytime you put cash into the hands of Americans, you are affecting their demand for consumption,” said Beth Akers, senior fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. However, Akers, who studies the economics of higher education, also said that “the effect on consumer demand is pretty modest.”

“And so, in a greater discussion about inflation, it’s not going to be a huge consequence,” she said.

Other experts also said the $10,000 reduction the Biden administration is weighing is unlikely to be very inflationary. 

Laura Beamer, lead researcher in higher education finance for the left-leaning Jain Family Institute, said most debt holders will still be carrying large loans even with a $10,000 reduction. As a result, the program is unlikely to provide a huge stimulus to consumer spending. 

“So, debt cancellation has a long-term impact, equivalent to the amount of time it would take someone to pay back the amount of student debt that they have,” she said.

Any stimulus would depend on “people’s repayment patterns and how long the repayment term is,” which she added, for many, is “much longer than 10 years.” 

Akers also downplayed the idea that canceling student loans would stimulate the economy, saying it “largely goes to higher income people; those aren’t people who go out and spend every extra dollar that you get into their hands.”

“The same reason that student loan cancellation is not a good stimulus, it’s also not going to be hugely inflationary,” Akers said. 

At the same time, Akers said there are reasons to forgo broader calls for debt forgiveness and to end the pandemic freeze on repayment. 

“If we forgive student loans today, or if we continue to pause indefinitely, I think we’re sending a message to student borrowers that any money they borrow today, they probably don’t have to pay back in full,” she said.

“When you do that, you make consumers less sensitive to the prices that they have to pay for college or university, and when that’s the case, you get institutions, even the benevolent do-gooder kind, [that] are going to end up raising their prices as a result, because there’s less pressure on them not to do so,” she said.

The student loan repayment pause is scheduled to lapse at the end of August. The pause was one of the first forms of economic relief rolled out under the Trump administration at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, and it has been extended six times under both administrations.

Some Democrats are still pushing for the pause to be extended another time, arguing soaring inflation underscores the need for continued relief. 

“At a time when families are struggling to pay their bills, restarting student loan payments, which average about $400 a month, would be devastating,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said.

The White House previously indicated a decision on further action on student loans could come in the weeks ahead but has shied away from sharing more details publicly about its plans.

Pressed for a status update on Biden’s deliberations earlier this week, Jared Bernstein, who serves on the Council of Economic Advisers, declined to provide reporters with more information. 

“I’m not going to get ahead of the president and give you any kind of a status update,” he said.

Source: TEST FEED1

Early takeaways from the Maryland primaries

Maryland on Tuesday night served as the latest battleground between warring factions within the Republican and Democratic parties.

In the state’s GOP gubernatorial primary, Republicans aligned with Gov. Larry Hogan (R) went head-to-head with those loyal to former President Trump in a high-profile proxy battle that could signal the party’s direction ahead of 2024. Meanwhile, hotly contested Democratic primaries exposed fissures within the party of President Biden.

Mail ballots have yet to be counted in the Old Line State, and some races may take several days to be called. Still, results on Tuesday night offered insight into where both parties currently stand heading into the midterms.

Here are some early takeaways from Tuesday night’s primaries.

Trump scores a key victory against Hogan

Donald Trump scored a major win against one of his fiercest GOP critics, Gov. Larry Hogan, after the former president’s favored candidate won in the Republican gubernatorial primary. 

Trump endorsed Maryland state Del. Dan Cox (R), a conservative firebrand, while Hogan got behind former Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz. The Associated Press called the race for Cox Tuesday night, despite the delay in counting mail-in and absentee ballots. 

Cox organized buses for those to attend Trump’s rally on Jan. 6 and has referred to former Vice President Mike Pence as a “traitor.” 

Hogan, who is term-limited, has called Cox a “QAnon whack job.” 

The race could be a harbinger of other proxy battles between Trump’s wing of the GOP and the establishment flank. All eyes were on Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial primary on Monday after Pence formally endorsed Karrin Taylor Robson, who also has the support of the state’s Gov. Doug Ducey (R), who is term-limited. But Trump has thrown his support behind former TV news anchor Kari Lake. 

Republicans outside of Trump’s wing of the party have warned that candidates like Cox and Lake could turn off voters with their focus on touting Trump’s unfounded claim that he won the 2020 presidential election. Meanwhile, candidates like Robson and Schulz have focused on issues like inflation. 

Cox will likely face headwinds going into the general election. The non-partisan Cook Political Report rates the race as “lean Democratic.” 

GOP endorsements fail to sway in a competitive district

Former Washington Free Beacon reporter Matthew Foldi was unable to advance out of the GOP primary for Maryland’s sixth congressional district despite a stunning slate of endorsements from national Republicans. 

Foldi, 25, received the support of Republicans ranging from Hogan to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Donald Trump Jr. 

The candidate was portrayed as something of a possible rising star within the party and spoke about his goals of uniting Republicans during the campaign. 

“What we’ve been doing, big picture, is uniting the Republican Party at a time when sometimes that’s easier said than done,” Foldi told Fox News Digital prior to the primary. “But one of the messages that I’m making to voters in the final stretch of this campaign is that we’ve got support and endorsements from the entire spectrum of the Republican Party because we need a unified GOP here in order to defeat one of the wealthiest members of Congress, David Trone.”

Yet state Del. Neil Parrott (R) came out on top in the crowded six-person primary, setting up a rematch between him and incumbent Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) 

Parrott lost to Trone two years ago by nearly 20 points. The Republican nominee will likely face another uphill climb going into November of this year, with the non-partisan Cook Political Report rating the set as “lean Democratic.”

The Dem establishment braces for a possible blow

The Democratic primary in Maryland’s gubernatorial contest was too close to call as of Wednesday morning, as officials awaited the counting of a significant number of mail ballots. But the early returns showed Wes Moore, an author and entrepreneur who earned the support of celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Spike Lee, leading his rivals by significant margins.

They included not only Peter Franchot, the state’s comptroller, but also Tom Perez, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee and a former Obama administration official.

Moore said he would not declare victory until all the votes had been counted, and it’s possible Perez could narrow the gap once mail ballots are taken into account. But Moore’s significant lead is still a blow to figures like Perez and Franchot, both of whom have been fixtures in politics for years.

Moore ran as an outsider taking on what he called “career bureaucrats and 40-year politicians” in a recent MSNBC interview, suggesting that Democratic voters are hungering for new blood in an increasingly pessimistic national environment where Biden’s poll numbers have plummeted.

Whoever ends up winning the Democratic primary will go head to head with Trump’s endorsee, Dan Cox, in a bid to succeed the term-limited Hogan.

AIPAC’s spending pays off

Israel became a notable flashpoint in the Democratic primary in Maryland’s 4th district, where former Rep. Donna Edwards (D) is running for her old seat against Glenn Ivey, former Prince George’s County state’s attorney. The race had yet to be called as of early Wednesday, but Ivey held a firm lead over Edwards with nearly 50 percent of the vote counted.

Should Ivey pull off a win, the race would prove a remarkable victory for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a pro-Israel organization. The United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with AIPAC, has spent a whopping $6 million in the race to boost the former state’s attorney. Edwards, on the other hand, has the support of the more left-leaning pro-Israel group J-Street, which has spent over $700,000 in the race.

The former Maryland congresswoman drew opposition over her past stances on Israel.

AIPAC’s involvement in the primary, as well as others around the country, has sparked fierce criticism from some Democrats, who worry the organization’s involvement is stamping out voices in Congress who deviate from mainstream positions on Israel and Palestinian rights.

Nonetheless, a victory for Ivey would be a further sign of the organization’s clout as it seeks to flex its muscles more in electoral politics.

Source: TEST FEED1

Trump-endorsed Cox wins Maryland GOP governor primary

First-term state Del. Dan Cox was projected to win the Maryland Republican gubernatorial primary, fending off a challenge from former state Commerce Secretary Kelly Schulz, Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) preferred candidate.

The Associated Press called the race at 11:02 p.m. ET.

Cox touted his experience as a state delegate, small businessman and constitutional attorney. The Trump endorsee also previously made a bid for a congressional seat in the state’s 8th Congressional District, later losing to then-state Sen. Jamie Raskin (D).

Schulz, meanwhile. touted her experience working under Hogan as both a former commerce secretary and labor secretary in addition to her experiences serving in the Maryland House of Delegates.

The former Hogan administration official’s campaign platform included backing law enforcement, supporting parents involvement in education curriculum and fighting efforts to raise taxes. Cox’s platform mirrored some of Schulz’s, but they also included his anti-abortion stance, supporting Second Amendment rights and fighting gerrymandering, among others.

Cox has said that “Mike Pence is traitor” and organized buses for those to attend former President Trump’s rally on Jan. 6, according to The Washington Post. Hogan, who is term-limited, has called Cox a “Q-Anon conspiracy theorist.”

The gubernatorial race has been considered a proxy war between Trump and Hogan, who have each backed separate challengers and is seen as a test of whether more establishment Republicans can succeed against Trump-endorsed and more hardline members of their party.

A Goucher College Poll found that 25 percent of likely Republican voters would back Cox while 22 percent would back Schulz, though the poll came within the margin of error, effectively tying the two among voters. 

Source: TEST FEED1

House approves Missouri’s Gateway Arch to be illuminated in colors of Ukrainian flag

The House passed a bill on Tuesday that gives the National Park Service authorization to illuminate the Gateway Arch in St. Louis blue and yellow in support of Ukraine as it remains engaged in a battle with Russia.

The legislation, titled the Gateway Solidarity Act, passed in a 365-57 vote, with all opposition coming from the Republican Party. Seven Republicans and one Democrat did not vote.

The measure was passed as part of a group of five bills related to national parks and heritage areas.

The legislation specifically directs the Interior Secretary to light up the Gateway Arch blue and yellow for at least five consecutive days within 15 days of the legislation passing, and annually on Aug. 24, Ukrainian Independence Day, until the president informs Congress that Russia has stopped its “destabilizing activities” against Ukraine.

The Gateway Arch has only been illuminated in color twice previously, according to Fox 2 Now: it was lit up pink in October 2004 to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it was lit up gold in 2015 to mark the 50th anniversary of the monument.

Park Superintendent Jeremy Sweattold KSDK in March that “park policy does not allow for commemorative lighting of the Gateway Arch” because the location receives too many requests to accommodate. Changing the color of the monument requires action from Washington.

Passage of the bill comes nearly five months to the day after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, which has since been ongoing. Russia has taken control of a number of regions in Ukraine since it began its offensive on Feb. 24.

Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the battle between the two countries could come to an end by the close of the year.

“We can achieve a lot of things before the end of the year and we can stop this war,” he told CNN.

“We are going to fight for every inch of our territory. It’s clear that we can’t get it all back,” he added.

The House approved the bill one day before Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska is scheduled to address Congress.

Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), a sponsor of the bill, hailed its passage in a statement on Tuesday while criticizing Moscow’s assault.

“Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation continue their unconscionable assault on the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Since the Russian invasion began, over 5 million civilians have been forced from their homes and thousands have lost their lives, including countless innocent women and children. We have heard numerous stories illustrating the brutality of this invasion and the potential war crimes being committed by the Putin regime,” she said.

“In response to this horrific assault, landmarks across the globe have been lit up in solidarity with the Ukrainian people,” she added.

The Missouri Republican called the monument “a symbol of pride for the people of St. Louis and the State of Missouri.”

“The defining structure of the St. Louis skyline, the Arch can be seen for miles throughout the region. I am proud to have the support of the entire Missouri delegation on this legislation which will authorize the National Park Service to light up the Arch with the colors of the Ukrainian flag on Ukrainian Independence Day, August 24, each year until Vladimir Putin abandons his deadly invasion,” she added.

Source: TEST FEED1

NBA player Miles Bridges charged with domestic violence, child abuse

California authorities announced that NBA player Miles Bridges is facing felony charges of domestic violence and child abuse stemming from an incident involving his wife last month. 

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office said on Tuesday that Bridges, 24, is facing a felony count of injuring a child’s parent and two felony counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.

“Domestic violence creates physical, mental and emotional trauma that has a lasting impact on survivors,” L.A. County District Attorney George Gascón (D) said in a statement, adding that children who witness domestic violence within their family “are especially vulnerable and the impact on them is immeasurable.” 

“Mr. Bridges will be held accountable for his actions and our Bureau of Victim Services will support the survivors through this difficult process,” Gascón concluded. 

Bridges, a 2018 NBA draft pick, was arrested last month on allegations of assaulting his wife at a Los Angeles residence, Kansas affiliate KSNT reported.

In a now-deleted Instagram post, Bridges’s wife, Mychelle Johnson, shared photos of the injuries she sustained in the attack, which included a concussion, multiple bruises and a strained neck muscle, North Carolina affiliate WNCN reported.

“I hate that it has come to this but I can’t be silent anymore,” Johnson said in the Instagram post. “I’ve allowed someone to destroy my home, abuse me in every way possible and traumatize our kids for life.”

The former Michigan State University standout spent the last four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, posting career highs in points, rebounds and assists in 80 games last season for the NBA franchise. 

The Hornets in a statement said they were aware of the charges and would “continue to monitor” them.

Bridges, who also recently launched a rap career, is currently a restricted free agent and was expected to receive a max contract from bidding teams during the league’s free agency period. 

The NBA player is expected to be arraigned in a Los Angeles County Superior Court on Wednesday as the case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.

Source: TEST FEED1