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National Politics.

This combination photo of eight senators who are facing criticism from the Democratic party for their deal to end the government shutdown shows Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., top row from left, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and bottom row from left, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. (AP Photo)

These 8 Democrats voted with Republicans on the government shutdown deal. Here’s how they explain it

November 10, 2025

Eight Democratic senators are facing criticism from their own party for their deal with Republicans to end the federal government shutdown. The eight senators voted Sunday night to provide crucial votes to allow the Senate to move forward on compromise legislation that would reopen the government. Their decision was labeled a “betrayal” and “pathetic” by some of the most prominent voices in the Democratic Party. The group of moderate Democrats surely knew they would face such criticism when they broke ranks with most Democrats. But those senators say they were convinced it was time for the shutdown to end. Republicans praised them Monday, saying they put principle over personal politics.

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Author Salman Rushdie appears during an interview in New York on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Salman Rushdie is being honored with a Dayton peace prize lifetime achievement award

November 9, 2025

Salman Rushdie is among those being honored at the Dayton Literary Peace Prize event in Ohio. The famed writer was receiving a lifetime achievement award Sunday after publishing his first work of fiction since being stabbed on a New York lecture stage three years ago. The prizes honor both literary merit and the writers’ promotion of peace through their work, with separate awards annually for fiction, nonfiction and lifetime achievement. Rushdie is best known for his novel, “The Satanic Verses,” and the call for his death in 1989 from Iran’s spiritual leader. He was blinded in one eye from the 2022 attack. His latest work is “The Eleventh Hour.”

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A sign is displayed outside a polling site in River Edge, N.J., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Takeaways from the 2025 general election, in charts

November 7, 2025

After voters swung toward Republican Donald Trump during last fall’s presidential election, states like Virginia and New Jersey swung back towards Democratic candidates at nearly the same velocity as 2024’s shift, an Associated Press analysis of election data from this week found. From populous suburbs to big cities to military-heavy counties, this year’s electorate moved decisively towards the Democratic Party. Some of these areas had the largest shifts towards Trump last year, particularly in New York and New Jersey, but on Tuesday, the returns more closely resembled 2020 margins.

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FILE - Former Hose Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, Sept. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki, File)

Nancy Pelosi’s exit opens way for tough fight to replace her in San Francisco district

November 6, 2025

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to step aside after nearly four decades in Congress kicks off a wide-open contest to replace her at a time when her home city of San Francisco is roiled in debate about what its future should look like. Pelosi announced Thursday she will not seek reelection next year. The race to replace her is unfolding as her deeply Democratic and famously liberal district –- which encompasses virtually all of San Francisco — is contending with soaring housing costs and conflict over whether denser development is the answer to them.

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Democratic 18th Congressional District candidate Christian Menefee, right, hugs an attendee during an election night watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Texas Democrats Menefee and Edwards advance to runoff for vacant US House seat

November 6, 2025

A Houston official and a former City Council member are headed to a runoff for the vacant U.S. House seat in a heavily Democratic district. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former council member Amanda Edwards finished atop a 16-person field in Tuesday’s special election. But neither attained the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. They are vying for the seat previously held by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner. The fellow Democrat and former Houston mayor died in March. The outcome of the special election in Texas’ deep-blue 18th District will narrow Republicans’ slim House majority.

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President Donald Trump walks off Air Force One, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., after a day trip to Miami. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Trump is hosting Central Asian leaders as US seeks to get around China on rare earth metals

November 6, 2025

President Donald Trump is set to host leaders of five Central Asian countries for White House talks. Thursday’s summit and dinner with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan come as he intensifies the hunt for alternatives to China for rare earth metals needed for high-tech devices, including smartphones and electric vehicles. Beijing expanded export restrictions over vital rare earth elements and magnets early last month before announcing it would delay the restrictions for a year. That came after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks last week. Central Asia holds deep reserves of rare earth minerals, but it needs investment to develop the resources.

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FILE - Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, attends an event, October. 25, 2024, in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden won’t seek reelection in competitive US House district

November 5, 2025

Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden says he will not seek reelection. Golden was first elected to Congress in 2018 and has carved out a space as a Democrat who is willing to work with President Donald Trump’s administration. He represents one of the most competitive U.S. House districts in the country. Golden announced his decision not to seek a new term in an opinion piece published Wednesday in the Bangor Daily News in his home state. Golden wrote that he has grown tired of incivility in American politics.

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Bob Walser votes while a shopper walks past at the Checkers grocery store in Lawrence, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

In Election 2025, the economy’s still the main thing, according to the AP Voter Poll

November 5, 2025

Economic worries were the dominant concern as voters cast ballots for Tuesday’s elections, according to preliminary findings from the AP Voter Poll. The results of the expansive survey of more than 17,000 voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California and New York City suggest the public are troubled by an economy that seems trapped by higher prices and fewer job opportunities. The economic challenges have played out in different ways at the local level. Most New Jersey voters said property taxes were a “major problem,” while most New York City voters said this about the cost of housing. Most Virginia voters said they’ve felt at least some impact from the recent federal government cuts.

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Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey talks during a news conference after his reelection Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Jacob Frey fends off democratic socialist’s challenge to win 3rd term as Minneapolis mayor

November 5, 2025

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has won a third term, defeating challenger Omar Fateh in the city’s ranked-choice voting election. Frey, a mainstream Democrat, led Fateh, a democratic socialist, by about 10 percentage points after the first round of counting. The election featured 15 candidates, with Fateh, the Rev. DeWayne Davis, and businessman Jazz Hampton forming an alliance to challenge Frey. In neighboring St. Paul, Democratic state Rep. Kaohly Her defeated incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter, and will become the first woman and Hmong American mayor of the city. Minneapolis set a record for the most votes cast in a municipal election.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as he stands with first partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom during an election night press conference at a California Democratic Party office Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Why California voters approved a redistricting ballot measure, according to the AP Voter Poll

November 5, 2025

Most California voters didn’t like redrawing their congressional districts to favor Democrats, according to the AP Voter Poll. But many may have felt Republicans left them with no alternative. The survey captured the mixed emotions of an electorate that chose to adopt President Donald Trump’s own strategy of rewriting the rules by redistricting outside of Census years. The ballot measure’s success, as well as voters’ apparent hesitations, demonstrates how many people appear to see the current redistricting fight as a political necessity, even if they don’t agree with it in principle. The findings suggest that voters see this as a tense and high stakes moment for the country, where compromises may be required.

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Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin speaks at a Lancaster County Democratic Party event in support of the party's candidates for state Supreme Court, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Lancaster, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Pennsylvania reelects Supreme Court justices, extending a Democratic majority on its highest court

November 4, 2025

All three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices who sought reelection will get another term, ensuring Democratic jurists keep their majority on the presidential battleground state’s highest court. Tuesday’s vote shapes the court’s makeup ahead of midterm elections next year, when the panel could be asked to settle partisan battles over election laws. Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht were originally elected as Democrats. Their reelection continues the Democratic majority, which is currently 5-2. Defeats for all three justices would have potentially left the bench in a partisan deadlock for two years, with two Democrats and two Republicans.

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City Council President Mary Sheffield speaks during an election night watch party after winning the mayoral race on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

City Council President Mary Sheffield wins election to become Detroit’s first female mayor

November 4, 2025

City Council President Mary Sheffield will be Detroit’s newest mayor and the first woman to lead the city. Sheffield defeated popular megachurch pastor the Rev. Solomon Kinloch in Tuesday’s general election. She will take office in January and succeed three-term Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for Michigan governor as an independent. Sheffield will inherit a city that continues to improve following Detroit’s 2014 exit from the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. Sheffield first was elected to the City Council in 2013 at age 26 and has been council president since 2022.

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FILE - Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, speaks to fellow House members and staffers before a House debate April 30, 2024 at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)

Kansas legislators won’t have a special session to join the US redistricting battle

November 4, 2025

The Kansas House’s top Republican has given up for now on forcing a special session of the Legislature to redraw the state’s U.S. House districts to give the GOP an additional seat. The effort abandoned Tuesday by House Speaker Dan Hawkins would have convened a special session Friday in response to President Donald Trump’s call for states to enact new maps to help Republicans keep their slim House majority in the 2026 midterms. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly opposed a special session, and GOP leaders were trying to bypass her by gathering the signatures of two-thirds of each chamber on a petition. However, there were a few holdouts in the House.

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, following the 57th Security Consultative Meeting at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, Pool)

Trump administration announces 16th deadly strike on an alleged drug boat

November 4, 2025

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced yet another deadly strike on a boat accused of ferrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The strike Tuesday comes the same day an aircraft carrier began heading to the region in a new expansion of military firepower. The latest attack killed two people aboard the vessel, bringing the death toll from the Trump administration’s campaign in South American waters up to at least 66 people in 16 strikes. The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier has left the Mediterranean Sea on its way to the Caribbean after Hegseth ordered it to the region more than a week ago.

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Birds fly around the Capitol dome, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Talks to end the government shutdown intensify as federal closure is on track to become longest ever

November 4, 2025

Signs of a potential end to the government shutdown are intensifying with behind-the-scenes talks. This comes as the federal closure, now in its 35th day, is on track to become the longest ever disrupting the lives of millions of Americans. Senators from both parties are quietly negotiating the contours of an emerging deal to reopen the government and resolve the stalemate over health care funds for insurance subsidies. President Donald Trump has largely been absent, though he threatened Tuesday no more SNAP food aid unless the government reopens, which could defy court orders to release the funds. Tuesday’s elections across the U.S. provide an inflection point to bring an end to the shutdown.

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Campaign signs for Virginia gubernatorial nominees Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears are on display outside City Hall in Fairfax, Va., Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

Trump’s strength, Democrats’ message and the shutdown effect. What to watch on Election Day 2025

November 3, 2025

Voters head to polls Tuesday in America’s first major election day since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The Republican president did not hit the campaign trail to help his party’s candidates or causes. But his leadership and policies dominated the debate virtually everywhere. No contests are bigger than governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia, the only two this year. The GOP candidates in both states closely aligned themselves with Trump. Strong Democratic showings could provide the party a pathway back to national relevance — even if its top candidates have taken very different approaches.

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President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

G2 or not G2: Trump’s new favorite term for US-China relations carries a lot of history’s baggage

November 3, 2025

President Donald Trump has suggested his outlook to the U.S.-China relationship with a six-word post on Truth Social. He mentioned the “G2,” a term suggesting equal power between the U.S. and China, before a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Oct. 30 in Busan, South Korea. This term, first proposed in 2005, has come to imply a power balance that Beijing desires. Experts say this could delight China but worry U.S. allies, especially those in the Indo-Pacific region. Chinese commentators noted the term’s use, suggesting a move toward a bipolar world. The concept was once explored but later discredited by Washington.

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President Donald Trump is illuminated by a camera flash as he walks across the South Lawn of the White House, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Washington, after returning from a trip to Florida. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Government shutdown could become longest ever as Trump says he ‘won’t be extorted’ by Democrats

November 2, 2025

The government shutdown is poised to become the longest ever this week as the impasse between Democrats and Republicans has dragged into a new month. President Donald Trump says he “won’t be extorted” by Democrats to reopen the government, making clear that he has no plans to negotiate. In an interview aired Sunday on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump predicted that Democrats will eventually capitulate to Republicans. Trump’s comments signal that the shutdown could continue to drag on as federal workers, including air traffic controllers, are set to miss additional paychecks and as there is uncertainty over whether 42 million Americans who received federal food aid will be able to access the assistance.

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FILE - People walk past a "vote" sign on the first day of early voting in the general election in Miami, Oct. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

AP has declared winners in elections for nearly 180 years. This is why and how race calls are made

November 2, 2025

The Associated Press will compile votes and declare winners in elections across the U.S. on Tuesday, just as the news organization has done for nearly 180 years. The U.S. doesn’t have a nationwide body that collects and releases election results. Elections are administered locally, by thousands of offices, following standards set by the states. In many cases, the states themselves don’t even offer up-to-date tracking of election results. AP fills this gap by compiling vote results and declaring winners in elections — providing critical information in the period between Election Day and the official certification of results, which typically takes weeks.

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Wisconsin becomes the 36th state to limit cellphones in schools

October 31, 2025

Wisconsin has become the 36th state to limit cellphones and other electronic devices in school. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill Friday. The bill was passed with bipartisan support. It requires districts to prohibit phone use during class time. Evers signed it despite some opposition from some Democrats in the Legislature who said controlling gun violence should be a higher priority than banning cellphones. This school year alone, new restrictions on phone use in schools went into effect in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

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FILE - A sign for the Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Federal Building and Courthouse is displayed outside the courthouse on Jan. 22, 2024, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Jennifer Kelleher, File)

Federal judge in Hawaii rules FDA violated the law by restricting access to abortion medication

October 30, 2025

A federal judge in Hawaii has ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration violated the law by imposing restrictions on a medication used for abortions and miscarriage management. The American Civil Liberties Union argues that the FDA continues to overly restrict access to mifepristone without scientific justification. The judge’s ruling states that the FDA failed to provide a reasoned explanation for its restrictive treatment of the drug. The decision instructs the FDA to consider relevant evidence it allegedly disregarded, but the restrictions remain in place for now. The case has been ongoing since 2017, spanning multiple administrations.

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Meet Bill DeBlasio, the man a British newspaper confused with ex-NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio

October 30, 2025

A Long Island wine importer named Bill DeBlasio inadvertently grabbed international headlines this week after he responded to an email meant for another man with a similar name: former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. The mix-up came after a Times of London reporter reached out to the wrong de Blasio seeking his thoughts on Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, whose campaign the ex-mayor has endorsed. Tired of receiving messages meant for the wrong person, DeBlasio, the wine importer, replied with a critique of Mamdani’s platform. The British newspaper published the comments Tuesday, believing they were the views of the ex-mayor. The Times of London has since removed the piece and apologized.

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Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin speaks at a Lancaster County Democratic Party event in support of the party's candidates for state Supreme Court, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Lancaster, Pa. (AP Photo/Marc Levy)

Democrats, allied groups pour millions into Pennsylvania Supreme Court race to counter GOP campaign

October 30, 2025

Democrats and their allied groups are pouring in more money and sending in the national party chairman in the final week of campaigning for a Pennsylvania Supreme Court election. The race could reshape the highest court in the largest presidential battleground as Democrats try to blunt a late-emerging Republican campaign to oust three Democratic justices. At issue in Tuesday’s election is whether the justices will each serve another term. The state’s politically divided government has left disputes over election laws and other major issues to the courts in recent years.

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New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez talks about state efforts to temporarily backfill SNAP benefits during a news conference outside a grocery store in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

Judge considers demand to force the government to keep funding SNAP food aid despite the shutdown

October 30, 2025

A federal judge in Boston is considering a motion that would require the Trump administration to continue funding the SNAP food aid program despite the government shutdown. The hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani came two days before the day the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to stop replenishing accounts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Talwani says she expects to issue her ruling later Thursday. SNAP is used by 1 in 8 Americans to buy groceries and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. Democratic state officials challenged the Trump administration’s plan to freeze SNAP payments starting Nov. 1, saying the federal government has a legal obligation to keep providing the assistance.

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President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

China agrees to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually, treasury secretary says

October 30, 2025

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says China has agreed to purchase 25 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans annually as part of an agreement reached by its leaders. He said Thursday that China will start by purchasing 12 million metric tons of soybeans from the U.S. between now and January. On Fox Business Network, the secretary said the agreement lasts for three years.

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FILE - Custodian Ray Keen inspects a clock face before changing the time on the 100-year-old clock atop the Clay County Courthouse March 8, 2014, in Clay Center, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Here’s how Americans feel about changing the clocks, according to a new AP-NORC poll

October 30, 2025

A new AP-NORC poll finds that only 12% of U.S. adults support the current system of daylight saving time, which has people in most states changing the clocks twice a year, while 47% are opposed and 40% are neutral. Around the country, the clocks will go back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday to mark the return to standard time and more daylight in the mornings. If forced to choose, most Americans would prefer to keep that extra hour of daylight in the evening. Permanent daylight saving time would be unpopular with a significant chunk of people, though, the survey found — particularly those who prefer mornings.

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FILE - The interior of the Minnesota State Capitol is seen Monday, May 19, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Minnesota on Election Day

October 29, 2025

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey faces more than a dozen challengers as the Democrat seeks a third term. His highest-profile challenger is state Sen. Omar Fateh, who describes himself as a democratic socialist. Under the city’s ranked-choice-voting system, voters can choose three candidates, ranked in order of preference. Fateh has framed his campaign as a fight against the “status quo.” Beyond the mayoral race, voters will also fill two vacancies in the state Senate. One seat was previously held by a Democrat who resigned after a burglary conviction, the other by a Republican who died in office. Democrats currently hold a one-seat majority in the chamber.

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A Texas flag is on display outside the office of the state's 18th Congressional District, which has a seat that became vacant March 5, 2025, following the death of Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner, in Washington, Sept. 2, 2025. The (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Texas on Election Day

October 29, 2025

Texans will vote on a large menu of constitutional amendments Tuesday. Some Houston voters are also filling a vacant seat in the 18th Congressional District, after the death of Congressman Sylvester Turner. Voters statewide will check off whether they are “for” or “against” 17 ballot questions on issues including judicial conduct, changes to the bail system and state taxes. Some questions reflect Republicans’ national political priorities. Proposition 15 affirms that parents are the primary decision makers for their children, and Proposition 16 clarifies that a voter must be a United States citizen, though it is already illegal for people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in federal elections.

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Campaign signs for Virginia gubernatorial nominees Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Earle-Sears are on display outside City Hall in Fairfax, Va., Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Virginia on Election Day

October 29, 2025

Virginia will elect its first woman as governor as Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger look to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. Voters on Tuesday will also decide races for lieutenant governor, state attorney general and the state House of Delegates. Historically, the results of the Virginia gubernatorial election have been closely watched on a national level as a possible indicator of voter sentiment toward the party holding the White House.

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A Halloween display of unwanted campaign fliers sits in front of a private home in The Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, N.J, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New Jersey on Election Day

October 29, 2025

New Jersey voters will decide a competitive race for governor Tuesday in a contest that will be viewed through the prism of national politics regardless of who wins. Also on the ballot are an open seat race for Jersey City mayor that features a former governor, and legislative races across the state for the heavily Democratic state General Assembly. New Jersey is one of two states holding an election for governor in November. Historically, the races in New Jersey and Virginia have been closely watched as possible indicators of voter sentiment toward the party holding the White House.

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FILE - Voters wait in line to cast there ballot at a polling place at Rowan College in Mt Laurel, N.J., Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Trump ramps up involvement in this year’s elections in possible preview of midterms pressure

October 29, 2025

President Donald Trump is turning his attention to the voting process for next week’s elections. That’s alarming some prominent Democrats who believe Trump will make unsubstantiated claims of fraud similar to what he did in 2020 before he tried to overturn his election loss. Trump’s Department of Justice also is sending monitors to counties in California and New Jersey, states with elections that have caught the president’s interest. That announcement was followed with an attack by Trump on the legitimacy of California’s elections, which he called “totally dishonest.” The combination has prompted responses from several Democrats who warn that Trump might use his presidential powers to tilt next year’s midterms to his side.

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Law enforcement vehicles block the road to Wellington Delano Dickens III's home, where remains were found after Dickens told authorities he had killed four of his children, in Zebulon, N.C., on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)

A sheriff says a North Carolina suspect may have killed 4 of his children over several months

October 29, 2025

Authorities say a North Carolina man charged with killing four of his children and placing their remains in the trunk of a vehicle believe the slayings occurred over several months. Wellington Delano Dickens III contacted authorities Monday and told them he had killed his children and where to find the bodies at his home near Raleigh. Authorities say the victims include three of his biological children, aged 6, 9, and 10, and his 18-year-old stepchild. Investigators now believe the deaths started in May and continued through September. No motive has been identified. Dickens is being held without bond and an investigation is ongoing.

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US lifts sanctions on separatist Bosnian Serb leader Dodik and his family

October 29, 2025

The U.S. has lifted sanctions against separatist Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik. The sanctions were imposed in 2022 by the Biden administration, which accused him of corruption and threatening to destabilize the region through his separatist activities. The decision to lift the sanctions was announced by the Treasury Department on Wednesday, but U.S. officials have not commented on the reasons behind it. Dodik until recently was a member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency and he is staunchly pro-Russian. He has long advocated for the separation of the Bosnian Serb region of Bosnia.

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FILE - Stickers lay on a table inside a polling place, Nov. 5, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Atlanta on Election Day

October 28, 2025

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is running for reelection against three lesser-known candidates, arguing that the city has seen major improvements during his first term in office. Dickens was an underdog when he first ran for mayor in 2021, but he’s in a much more favorable position as he seeks a second term on Tuesday. Dickens’ campaign is far outspending his challengers, and the ad-tracking firm AdImpact says he has been the only candidate on air in Atlanta. The city has a long history of awarding second terms to mayors who seek them.

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A lawn sign and banner are pictured on display outside a campaign office for Detroit mayoral candidate Mary Sheffield, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, on Detroit's west side. (AP Photo/Robert Yoon)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Detroit on Election Day

October 28, 2025

Detroit voters will choose a new mayor Tuesday in the city’s first open-seat mayoral race in a dozen years. City Council President Mary Sheffield and Triumph Church pastor Solomon Kinloch compete for the city’s top job after placing first and second in the Aug. 5 primary. The winner will replace outgoing three-term Mayor Mike Duggan, who is running for Michigan governor as an independent. The city faces a vastly different situation than it did when Duggan was first elected in 2013. In July of that year, it became the largest U.S. city ever to file for bankruptcy. The city now has a budget surplus, 12 years of balanced budgets and projected economic growth for the next five years. Homicides and violent crimes are down.

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Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, center, speaks during a mayoral debate with independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in New York on Election Day

October 28, 2025

The nation’s biggest city will pick its next mayor on Tuesday in an election that has sparked debate over the future of the Democratic Party. Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani will take on former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the second time in the New York City race. Mamdani is a 33-year-old state assembly member and democratic socialist who jolted the party with his victory in the June primary. Cuomo lost the Democratic primary and is running as an independent. Curtis Sliwa is the Republican nominee for the second consecutive election.

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A sample ballot is pictured before early voting starts in California's statewide special election, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Paula Ulichney-Munoz)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in California’s special election

October 28, 2025

California voters head to the polls on Tuesday with just one yes-or-no question on the ballot. Passing Proposition 50 would implement a new congressional map, which passed the state legislature in August, for the next three election cycles. After the 2030 U.S. Census, the state’s independent redistricting commission would resume drawing maps. The outcome of this ballot measure could help determine control of the U.S. House after the 2026 midterm elections. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed for the new map after President Donald Trump urged Republican-led states to redraw their maps to help the GOP.

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Republican US Rep. Randy Feenstra officially jumps into 2026 race for Iowa governor

October 28, 2025

Randy Feenstra, the Republican U.S. congressman representing Iowa’s 4th District, is running for governor. The congressman will forgo a reelection bid to the safe Republican House seat he holds to run for the top of the ticket in Iowa. His official launch event comes after monthslong exploratory campaign spent amassing support after Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds made a surprise in April that she would not seek a third term. Republicans control the U.S. House by a razor-thin margin, but Feenstra represents Iowa’s most reliably Republican district, so losing an incumbent in the 2026 race for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District is unlikely to hurt Republicans’ efforts to retain control of the U.S. House.

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FILE - Kilmar Abrego Garcia attends a protest rally at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Baltimore, Aug. 25, 2025, to support Abrego Garcia. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Judge seeks assurances that Abrego Garcia won’t be deported to Liberia in violation of court order

October 27, 2025

A Maryland federal judge wants the government to assure it will not deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia before she has lifted an injunction barring his removal from the U.S. The Salvadoran national’s mistaken deportation to his home country in violation of an earlier agreement has galvanized opposition to President Donald Trump’s deportation agenda. Immigration and Customs Enforcement filed a notice late last week of their plan to deport him to the West African nation of Liberia as early as Friday. At a status conference Monday, government attorneys assured U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis that Abrego Garcia will not be deported until after she lifts her injunction.

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FILE - A voter poses for a photo as they place their ballot in a drop box on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Washington state for the Nov. 4 election

October 27, 2025

Washington state voters will decide whether to amend their constitution to allow funds from a long-term care insurance program to be invested in the stock market. It is the only statewide contest in a Nov. 4 election that will mostly feature mayoral and other municipal races across the state. The proposed constitutional amendment will shape the future of the WA Cares Fund, which the state Legislature created in 2019 to help participants defray the costs of certain long-term care services. Washington taxpayers fund the program though a 0.58% payroll tax, which began in July 2023. As of June 30, the fund had a balance of $2.5 billion.

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A sign is posted in support of retaining Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices in the November election, in Berwyn, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect for the Nov. 4 election in Pennsylvania

October 27, 2025

Control of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court hangs in the balance in statewide elections next week, when voters will cast ballots on judges for the state’s three highest courts. Voters across the commonwealth will also vote Nov. 4 in municipal elections, including high-profile races in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Democratic state Supreme Court Justices Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty and David Wecht will appear on the ballot in a retention election, where voters will decide whether to award the sitting jurists new 10-year terms on the high court. While retention elections are often a quiet affair in Pennsylvania, this year’s campaign has been heavily shaped by party politics.

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FILE - A make-shift memorial lines Main Street following a deadly mass shooting in Maine, Nov. 3, 2023, in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Maine on Election Day

October 27, 2025

Maine voters will decide a pair of high-profile ballot measures addressing elections and gun violence in a statewide referendum election next week. Question 1 would make several changes to the state’s voting procedures, most notably requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls. Question 2 would implement a “red flag” law designed to prevent access to dangerous weapons by individuals deemed by a court to present a danger to themselves or others. The measures represent the latest efforts to put the two hot-button national issues directly before voters on state ballots. The election is Nov. 4.

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FILE - Incumbent Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval participates in a candidate forum with Brian Frank hosted by the Cincinnati NAACP, April 15, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Cincinnati on Election Day

October 27, 2025

Cincinnati’s mayor seeks a second term against a challenger with notable family ties in a municipal election next week. Democratic Mayor Aftab Pureval is running against Republican Cory Bowman for reelection in the Democratic stronghold on Nov. 4. Bowman is a pastor, cafe owner and the half brother of Vice President JD Vance. Pureval placed first in the nonpartisan May 6 primary with about 83% of the vote. Bowman placed a distant second with about 13% of the vote, which was enough to secure a spot on Tuesday’s ballot.

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FILE - A voter places a ballot in a drop box outside the Denver Elections Division headquarters, Nov. 8, 2022, in downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Colorado for the Nov. 4 election

October 27, 2025

Colorado’s new free school meals program will face a key test when voters decide two statewide ballot measures that would put the program on sounder financial footing, mostly by raising taxes on high-income individuals. The outcome of the measures on Nov. 4 will determine whether the “Healthy School Meals for All” program will continue to provide free breakfast and lunch for all Colorado public school students or be scaled back significantly. If both measures pass, the meals program would have access to an additional $65 million for the remainder of the academic year and about $119 million for the following year.

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FILE - Vehicles wait outside the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, July 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

British political commentator Sami Hamdi detained by federal authorities at California airport

October 27, 2025

Officials say British political commentator Sami Hamdi has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at San Francisco International Airport. Hamdi was on a speaking tour in the U.S. On Saturday he had addressed the annual gala for the Sacramento, California, chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy organization. It called for Hamdi’s immediate release, saying the commentator has not been deported and remains in U.S. custody. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin indicated that Hamdi’s visa was revoked and that he is in ICE custody pending removal. A U.S. official said the detention was related to statements Hamdi has made about the Middle East.

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Navy loses two aircraft from USS Nimitz aircraft carrier within 30 minutes

October 27, 2025

The Navy’s Pacific Fleet says a fighter jet and a helicopter based off the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz both crashed into the South China Sea within 30 minutes of each other. The fleet said in a statement that the three crew members of the Sea Hawk helicopter were rescued, and the two aviators in the F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet ejected and were recovered safely. It said all five from the aircraft that went down on Sunday afternoon “are safe and in stable condition.” The two crashes are under investigation. President Donald Trump said “bad fuel” could have been the cause.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media after visiting the Civil-Military Coordination Center in Southern Israel, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Fadel Senna/Pool Photo via AP)

Rubio says mediators of Gaza ceasefire shared information to uncover a recent threat

October 25, 2025

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Israel, the U.S. and the other mediators of the Gaza ceasefire deal are sharing information to disrupt any threats and that allowed them to identify a possible impending attack last weekend. Speaking to reporters Saturday en route from Israel to Qatar, Rubio says the State Department put out a message, sent the warning to other mediators and the attack didn’t happen. He says the goal is to find threats before anything happens. Rubio also noted that next week the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, is expected in Israel. He says the U.S. is looking for international agreement on a stabilization force in Gaza so more nations can take part.

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People attend the Southwest Virginia Pride's annual festival Oct. 11, 2025, in Salem, Va. (AP Photo/Olivia Diaz)

Virginia gubernatorial candidates debate trans youth rights as LGBTQ+ voters weigh a fraught moment

October 25, 2025

The rights of trans youth could be a factor Virginia’s 2025 gubernatorial election and legislative control in Richmond. Republican Winsome Earle-Sears opposes the rights of trans kids at school. Democrat Abigail Spanberger has largely avoided the subject. Each candidate is trying to cast the other as the extremist on the issue. LGBTQ+ Virginians have been grappling with what it means to be queer and trans in a moment where their identities are thrust into statewide and national politics. Other Virginians, meanwhile, worry about its impact on their children.

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FILE - President Jimmy Carter, right, meets with Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti at the White House in Washington, Dec. 13, 1979. (AP Photo/Ira Schwarz, File)

Shutdowns began as a way to enforce federal law. Now Trump is using it to take more power

October 25, 2025

The government shutdown is quickly becoming a way for President Donald Trump to exercise new command over the government. Yet it wasn’t always this way. Shutdowns started as an attempt to tighten Washington’s observance of federal law. The modern phenomena of the U.S. government closing down services was set in motion in 1980 by a series of legal opinions from then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti. In the current shutdown, Trump has used the funding lapse to punish Democrats, lay off thousands of federal workers and reconfigure the federal budget for his priorities.

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Portraits of Mass. Rep. Charles Lewis Mitchell, left, and Dr. John V. de Grasse are shown from an photograph album from the personal collection of anti-slavery activist Harriet Hayden, which was printed in the 1860's, at the Boston Athenaeum, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Historic libraries bring modern comfort to book lovers and history buffs in New England

October 25, 2025

Centuries-old private libraries are bringing modern comfort and awe to book lovers and history buffs in New England. About 20 athenaeums dating back to the 18th- and 19th centuries remain in the region. Back then, athenaeums were exclusive spaces that only people with education and money could access. Today, they are member-supported private libraries where people can explore a seemingly endless maze of books, biographies, town genealogies and more. One athenaeum executive director says some people visit every day to work remotely, read or socialize. Some of the libraries are free while others offer membership for a monthly fee. Most offer day passes and tours, too.

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From left, Mayoral candidates, Independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani participate in a debate, Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, Pool)

Early voting begins in New York City mayor’s race and contest to pick New Jersey’s next governor

October 24, 2025

Polling places open Saturday for in-person voting in two of the year’s most closely watched elections: The New York City mayor’s race and the contest to pick New Jersey’s next governor. New Yorkers are choosing between Democrat Zohran Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is on the ballot as an independent. The New Jersey governor’s race features Republican state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill. New York has allowed early voting since 2019. New Jersey adopted early voting in 2021. Early voting in both states runs through Nov. 2. Polling sites in all three states will then open widely for Election Day on Nov. 4.

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A sample ballot is pictured before early voting starts in California's statewide special election, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Paula Ulichney-Munoz)

DOJ prepares to send election monitors to California, New Jersey following requests from state GOPs

October 24, 2025

The Department of Justice is preparing to send federal election observers to California and New Jersey next month, targeting two Democratic states holding off-year elections following requests from their state Republican parties. The DOJ is announcing Friday that it is planning to monitor polling sites in six jurisdictions: Passaic County, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside and Fresno counties in California “to ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law.” Both states feature races of national prominence in an otherwise low-key election year — a governor’s race in New Jersey and a congressional redistricting special election in California.

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New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks at a campaign rally for New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in New York on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

New York Attorney General Letitia James will make first court appearance in mortgage fraud case

October 23, 2025

New York Attorney General Letitia James is set to make her first court appearance in a mortgage fraud case. She will be the third adversary of President Donald Trump to face a judge on federal charges in recent weeks. James was indicted earlier this month on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a 2020 home purchase in Norfolk, Virginia. James has denied any wrongdoing and decried the indictment as “nothing more than a continuation of the president’s desperate weaponization of our justice system.” The indictment stems from James’ purchase of a modest house in Norfolk, where she has family.

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FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Virginia Democrats will try to reshape US House districts in counter to Trump’s redistricting push

October 23, 2025

Democrats in Virginia are joining the national redistricting battle over U.S. House seats. Virginia House Speaker Don Scott says the chamber will convene Monday in a special session, but didn’t state a reason. Four sources with direct knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press the purpose will include congressional redistricting aimed at gaining more Democratic-held seats. The sources spoke to AP on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the plans. Virginia would become the second state, after California, with a Democratic-led legislature to take up redistricting. Republican lawmakers in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina already have approved new congressional maps at the urging of President Donald Trump.

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FILE - Former Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts hosts a campaign event, Sept. 7, 2023, in Rye, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Ex-US Sen. John E. Sununu enters GOP primary race in New Hampshire for the seat he lost in 2008

October 22, 2025

New Hampshire Republican John E. Sununu has announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat he lost nearly 20 years ago. Sununu is seeking the Republican nomination for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat who ousted him in 2008. He will face another former senator, Scott Brown, in the GOP primary. National Republicans consider Sununu a strong candidate, but his past opposition to Donald Trump could be a challenge. Sununu backed Nikki Haley in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Despite being out of office for years, Sununu’s name recognition remains high because of his family’s political prominence.

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Protestors confront Federal agents as they walk down Lafayette Street after an immigration sweep on Canal Street through Chinatown, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Jake Offenhartz)

Immigration agents conducting sweep on NYC’s famed Canal Street confronted by protesters

October 21, 2025

An immigration enforcement sweep targeting vendors on New York City’s famed Canal Street turned chaotic Tuesday afternoon, as bystanders and protesters confronted federal agents and tried to block their path. The confrontation took place along a busy commercial stretch that has long been a hub of the city’s not-so-underground market for knock-off designer goods. An Associated Press reporter observed dozens of federal agents as they made one of a number of arrests in the area.  A contingent of protesters surrounded the masked officers and attempted to block their vehicle from driving off while shouting “ICE out of New York.” Spokespeople for ICE and its Enforcement and Removal Operations division didn’t immediately respond to an email.

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A Illinois State Police officer stands outside an ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) processing facility in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Ill., Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

What to know about efforts to block National Guard deployments in Chicago, Portland, other US cities

October 21, 2025

President Donald Trump’s attempts to deploy the military in Democratic-led cities _ over the objections of mayors and governors _ has brought a head-spinning array of court challenges and overlapping rulings. As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders whether to clear the way for the National Guard in Chicago, a federal appeals court is hearing arguments in California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s challenge to the deployment of troops in Los Angeles. Guard troops could also soon be on the ground in Portland, Oregon — pending legal developments there.

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Attendees cheer during a rally protesting a proposed redistricting map Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Democrats look to long term as North Carolina GOP redistricting plan seeks another seat for Trump

October 21, 2025

Democrats have rallied against a proposed U.S. House map by North Carolina Republicans in Raleigh. The new map seeks to stop the reelection of Democratic Rep. Don Davis by redrawing two congressional districts. This proposal could result in Republicans winning 11 of the state’s 14 seats. The GOP aims to satisfy President Donald Trump’s call for mid-decade redistricting to attempt to retain a House majority in 2026. The map seems headed for enactment after final House votes as soon as Wednesday. The state Senate gave its final approval Tuesday. Democrats at the rally acknowledged they’ll likely be unable to halt the redraw now but vowed wins in the long run.

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FILE - Pages from the U.S. Affordable Care Act health insurance website healthcare.gov are seen on a computer screen in New York, Aug. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)

What Americans think about rising health care costs, according to a new AP-NORC poll

October 21, 2025

A new poll finds most U.S. adults are worried about health care becoming more expensive. That comes as Americans make decisions about next year’s health coverage and a government shutdown keeps future health costs in limbo for millions. The AP-NORC poll shows about 6 in 10 Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about their health costs going up in the next year, a worry that extends across age groups and includes people with and without health insurance. The findings show that many Americans are feeling vulnerable to spiking health care costs, with some expressing concerns about whether they’ll have coverage at all.

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In this photo provided by the Alaska Army National Guard, displaced people are evacuated from Kwigillingok, Alaska, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, following Typhoon Halong that struck Alaska's west coast. (Joseph Moon/Alaska National Guard via AP)

What to know about the recovery efforts in Alaska following ex-Typhoon Halong

October 20, 2025

The mass evacuation by military aircraft of hundreds of residents from Alaska villages ravaged by the remnants of Typhoon Halong is complete. Officials and local leaders are turning attention to trying to stabilize damaged infrastructure and housing where they can before the winter freeze sets in. The remnants of Halong battered parts of western Alaska, hitting especially hard the villages Kipnuk and Kwigillingok. The Alaska Federation of Natives at its recent gathering passed a resolution urging support of expansive, urgent and ongoing help for the region.

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Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie speaks to a crowd gathered in Shelbyville, Ky., on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner)

Trump backs retired Navy SEAL in his quest to oust Kentucky Rep. Massie in Republican primary

October 20, 2025

President Donald Trump has encouraged a retired Navy SEAL to challenge Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in next year’s Kentucky primary. Trump built up his choice last week as “A WINNER WHO WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN.” It came in the Republican president’s latest social media barrage against a congressman who has crossed him on high-profile issues. Trump’s choice, Ed Gallrein, has not entered the 4th District campaign but says he’ll reveal his plans soon. Gallrein is a farmer and businessman who had a long military career and last year ran for a state Senate seat, narrowly losing in the Republican primary.

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FILE - The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Supreme Court will consider whether people who regularly smoke pot can legally own guns

October 20, 2025

The Supreme Court will consider whether people who regularly smoke marijuana can legally own guns, the latest firearm case to come before the court since its 2022 decision expanding gun rights. The high court agreed to hear the case Monday. President Donald Trump’s administration is asking the justices to revive a case against a Texas man charged with a felony because he allegedly had a gun in his home and acknowledged being a regular pot user. Defense attorneys got the charge tossed out after an appeals court largely struck down a law that bans guns from users of illegal drugs under the high court’s more expansive view of the Second Amendment.

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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US warns Hamas planning attack on Palestinian civilians in apparent violation of Gaza ceasefire

October 18, 2025

The U.S. State Department says it has “credible reports” that Hamas could violate the ceasefire with an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. If the attack takes place, it “would constitute a direct and grave violation” of the agreement forged by President Donald Trump to end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, according to government officials. No further details were disclosed about the potential attack. The State Department said that “should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire.”

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A sign that reads "Closed due to federal government shutdown," is seen outside of the National Gallery of Art on the 6th day of the government shutdown, in Washington, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Shutdown impact: What it means for workers, federal programs and the economy

October 18, 2025

The federal government shutdown is approaching the second longest on record and there’s no end in sight. Some lawmakers predict it could surpass the 35-day shutdown from President Donald Trump’s first term. The nation’s 1.3 million active-duty service members have gotten a temporary reprieve. But hundreds of thousands of federal civilian employees are being furloughed and facing financial stress. The travel economy is taking a big hit with tourist sites such as Smithsonian museums in the nation’s capital closed. There have been air controller shortages in some cities and flight delays. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more it could be a drag on the economy.

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President Donald Trump speaks before a lunch with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump drops the F-bomb before the cameras. It wasn’t the first time

October 17, 2025

President Donald Trump talks plainly, bluntly, often even coarsely. But it’s rare he drops an actual F-bomb as cameras are rolling. He did so on Friday, when a journalist asked about Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump said: “He doesn’t want to f—— around with the United States.” Tensions between the two countries are heightened after U.S. strikes on boats in Caribbean waters. It’s not common for U.S. presidents to use such profanity publicly, but Trump has done so at least one other time this year, when he vented frustration about Israel and Iran.

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In this photo provided by the Alaska National Guard, Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Angel Reyes distributes hearing protection to passengers while evacuating Alaskans displaced in the aftermath of Typhoon Halong out of Bethel, Alaska, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (Alaska National Guard via AP)

Alaska storm damage so bad many evacuees won’t go home for at least 18 months, governor says

October 17, 2025

Damage to remote Alaska villages hammered by flooding last weekend is so extreme that many of the more than 2,000 people displaced won’t be able to return to their homes for at least 18 months. That’s what Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a request to the White House for a major disaster declaration. In one of the hardest hit villages, Kipnuk, an initial assessment showed that 121 or homes — or 90% of the total — have been destroyed, Dunleavy wrote. In Kwigillingok, where three dozen homes floated away, slightly more than one-third of the residences are uninhabitable.

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FILE - Rep. Don Davis, D-N.C., speaks at a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, at East Carolina University, Oct. 13, 2024, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/David Yeazell, File)

North Carolina GOP’s proposed map seeks to thwart Democratic incumbent’s reelection

October 16, 2025

Republican leaders in North Carolina have proposed a new U.S. House district map that could thwart reelection prospects of a Democratic incumbent in the state’s only swing seat. The map was revealed Thursday ahead of next week’s General Assembly session. It is part of an effort to help President Donald Trump secure more GOP seats nationwide ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The new boundaries focus on the 1st District, currently held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis, who narrowly won reelection in 2024. The changes could help Republicans win 11 of North Carolina’s 14 seats. Democrats have criticized the move, calling it an attempt to undermine fair elections.

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President Donald Trump addresses a dinner for donors who have contributed to build the new ballroom at the White House, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Trump plans to leave his mark on Washington by building a Paris-like arch near the Lincoln Memorial

October 16, 2025

President Donald Trump plans to leave his mark on the nation’s capital by building a Paris-like arch at one of the entrances to the District of Columbia. The Republican president unveiled the plan at a White House dinner on Wednesday for the wealthy businesspeople who have pledged money toward the $250 million cost of adding a ballroom to the Executive Mansion. The arch would be built on federal land west of the Lincoln Memorial, on the Washington side of the Memorial Bridge, near Arlington, Virginia. The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

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FILE - Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil chants during a rally celebrating his return from immigration detention, June 22, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Olga Fedorova, File)

Mahmoud Khalil can freely travel around US as he fights his deportation case, judge rules

October 16, 2025

A federal judge has lifted travel restrictions for Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, allowing him to speak at rallies across the U.S. as he fights a deportation case. Khalil, freed from immigration detention in June, had been limited to traveling in New York, Washington, D.C., and Michigan. His lawyer argued for the change, citing First Amendment rights. Despite objections from government attorneys, Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer allowed the travel, noting Khalil isn’t a flight risk. He said Khalil must notify federal authorities of his travel plans ahead of time.

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FILE - Anne Applebaum poses for a photograph at her office at the Washington Post after being awarded the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction for her book "Gulag: A History," on April 5, 2004. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

During troubled times in news industry, 168-year-old Atlantic thrives with newspaper-magazine hybrid

October 16, 2025

Jeffrey Goldberg has bold goals: “We want The Atlantic to be the greatest writer’s collective on the planet,” the magazine’s editor-in-chief said. During troubled times for the news industry, a publication that started in 1857 is a success story. It is growing in staff and circulation — particularly since Goldberg’s startling story earlier this year of finding himself inadvertently added to a group chat of the nation’s leaders texting about a military strike. The Atlantic is also experimenting with an online newspaper-magazine hybrid, trying to bring magazine-style writing and depth to major stories. Another Goldberg goal: “We’re trying to be part of the conversation every single day of the year.”

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Michelle Obama to promote new book ‘The Look’ with podcast series

October 16, 2025

Michelle Obama is set to promote her upcoming book on fashion, “The Look,” through a special podcast series. The six-part series, part of the IMO podcast the former first lady hosts with her brother Craig Robinson, will feature guests like Jane Fonda and designer Jenna Lyons. Higher Ground, the media company founded by Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama, announced Thursday that “IMO: The Look” will premiere on Nov. 5 and run weekly for six weeks. Obama’s book, which explores her fashion choices during her public life, is scheduled for release on Nov. 4. She will launch the podcast series with an event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

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With the government shutdown now in its third week, a sign turns away tourists at the entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center, in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Who’s winning the blame game over the government shutdown? Everyone and no one, AP-NORC poll finds

October 16, 2025

A new poll finds most Americans see the government shutdown as a significant problem as it drags on. The AP-NORC poll also finds there’s plenty of blame being cast on President Donald Trump as well as Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Leaders warn the shutdown could become one of the longest ever. Americans are beginning to see the impacts on their lives with delayed flights and hundreds of thousands of federal employees being furloughed or working without pay. The poll shows roughly 6 in 10 Americans say Trump and Republicans in Congress have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, compared with 54% who say that about Democrats.

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Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis, right, speaks during a news conference Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in McEwen, Tenn., at Accurate Energetic Systems. (AP Photo/Obed Lamy)

Authorities identify remains of 14 of 16 victims in Tennessee explosion

October 15, 2025

Authorities say they have identified the remains of 14 of the 16 people killed last week in a massive blast at a Tennessee explosives plant. At a news conference Wednesday, they also said it’s possible still more dangerous materials need to be disarmed at the Accurate Energetic Systems site. Authorities also said there may be weeks of work ahead to try to pinpoint what caused the explosion. Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis said he hopes the positive identification of remains will offer some bit of closure for families. Davis said he wouldn’t be surprised if authorities remain on site for two months, given the scope and carefulness of what’s required.

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FILE - The entrance to Marine Corps base Camp Pendleton is seen on Sept. 22, 2015, in Oceanside, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

This family visit to a military based ended with ICE deporting a Marine’s dad

October 15, 2025

A U.S. Marine says his parents were detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after they visited a California military base and one of them was later deported. Steve Rios, of Oceanside, California, told NBC that his parents were detained late last month while picking up his pregnant sister and her husband, who is also a Marine at Camp Pendleton. Rios says his parents came to the U.S. from Mexico three decades ago and had pending green card applications. He says they were initially released with ankle monitors. But after another visit to the base, ICE agents stopped them at the gate and detained his parents. Rios says his father has since been deported.

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FILE - The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, on Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

The 2026-27 FAFSA application is live. Here’s what to know

October 15, 2025

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2026-27 school year has officially opened. Jill Desjean from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators advises students to fill it out as soon as possible. Despite the government shutdown, the Education Department will continue processing applications. The form known as the FAFSA determines eligibility for federal financial aid, including work-study and loans. It also helps with state and school aid, and some private scholarships. Students should gather necessary documents and create an account on studentaid.gov to begin.

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FILE - Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during a news conference at the Conference Center, Jan. 27, 2015, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file)

Dallin H. Oaks, former Utah Supreme Court justice, is selected to lead Mormon church

October 14, 2025

Dallin H. Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court justice, has been selected to be the next president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He’ll lead the church’s more than 17 million members worldwide. His selection follows the death of his predecessor, Russell M. Nelson. As president, Oaks is deemed a prophet and seer who will guide the church through divine revelation from God. Oaks is known for his jurist sensibilities and traditionalist beliefs on marriage and religious freedom. The 93-year-old will serve until he dies.

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Transportation Security Administration employees leave a security checkpoint during a shift change at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Some airports refuse to play Noem video on shutdown impact, saying it’s political

October 14, 2025

Some airports around the country are saying they won’t play a video with a message from Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in which she blames Democrats for the federal government shutdown and its impacts on operations to screen travelers. Airports in Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix and Westchester County say the video goes against their airport policy because of its political content. The shutdown has halted routine operations and left airports scrambling with flight disruptions. Various government agencies, in emails to workers and on websites, have adopted language that blames Democrats for the shutdown.

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FILE - Students and a member of the Zulu Tramps march to a campus polling place on Election Day at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., Nov. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Black residents worry new Louisiana congressional district could be lost in Supreme Court case

October 14, 2025

Black residents in a newly created Louisiana congressional district fear they could lose their representation under a case being heard before the U.S. Supreme Court. Residents of the 6th Congressional District say they now feel better represented. The district was drawn as part of a lawsuit that alleged Louisiana Republicans had disenfranchised Black voters by drawing just one majority minority district out of six in a state where the population is one-third Black. But opponents of the second Black majority district argue it was the result of an illegal gerrymander based on race. The court hears arguments Wednesday. The court’s decision could have wide-ranging consequences for the Voting Rights Act.

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Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington, as President Donald Trump, left, and Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, look on. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Federal employees in mental health and disease control were among targets in weekend firings

October 13, 2025

Federal employees working on mental health services, disease outbreaks and disaster preparedness were among those hit by the Trump administration’s mass firings over the weekend. The president’s government-wide reduction in force effort that began Friday is roiling the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just six months after it went through an earlier round of cuts. Hundreds of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees were among those impacted, though some of their firings were reversed after what the agency says was a system glitch. An HHS spokesperson said the cuts are part of an effort to “close wasteful and duplicative entities.” The cuts came during the federal government shutdown.

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FILE - The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, file)

Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement

October 13, 2025

A new round of layoffs at the Education Department is depleting an agency that was already hit hard in the Trump administration’s previous mass firings, threatening new disruption to the nation’s students and schools. The Trump administration started laying off 466 Education Department staffers on Friday amid mass firings across the government meant to pressure Democratic lawmakers over the federal shutdown. The layoffs would cut the agency’s workforce by nearly a fifth and leave it reduced by more than half its size when President Donald Trump took office. The cuts threaten disruption in areas from special education to civil rights enforcement and after-school programs.

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A missing person flyer for Petros Krommidas hangs on a telephone pole, Thursday, October. 9, 2025, in Long Beach, N.Y. (AP Photo/Phillip Marcelo)

A candidate disappeared months ago after an ocean swim. Can he still win?

October 13, 2025

A local candidate in the suburbs of New York City will remain on the November ballot, despite vanishing months ago after a night swim in the Atlantic Ocean. A state judge recently ruled that Democrats can’t replace Petros Krommidas as their candidate for Nassau County’s 4th Legislative District. The 29-year-old Columbia University graduate has been missing since going out for a swim in Long Beach on April 23. Local Democrats had attempted to field a new candidate, but Republicans objected and sued. Some Democrats and friends of Krommidas are calling on residents to vote for him regardless.

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The entrance to the Northwest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Processing Center is seen, Aug. 13, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Feeling hopeless in custody, many drop claims to remain in the US, leave voluntarily

October 12, 2025

His health declined at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Tacoma, Washington.. Without medications and unable to care for his family or sick granddaughter, Ramón Rodriguez Vazquez became distressed, and finally gave up. He dropped efforts to stay in the U.S. and moved back to Mexico without his wife, four children and 10 grandchildren. Similar dramas are playing out at immigration courts across the country, perhaps even more since early July, when ICE began opposing bond for anyone detained regardless of their circumstances.

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FILE - President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs, April 2, 2025, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Truce fizzles as U.S.-China trade tensions return to full boil

October 11, 2025

Months of relative calm in the long-simmering trade war between the U.S. and China may be coming to an end. A spate of moves between the two nations this week has thrust trade hostilities back in the global spotlight, roiled stock markets and raised alarms of what might come next. China announced strict new limits on exports of rare earth minerals crucial to high-tech products. The U.S., in turn, has threatened an additional 100% tax on Chinese imports and export controls on American software. Both sides also hit one another’s ships with new port fees. Experts say it is unclear if it all means a rapid escalation is inevitable or if the threats could pave the way for an agreement.

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FILE - Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, speaks on election night, Nov. 5, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel, File)

Crypto spent millions to defeat Sherrod Brown and elect allies. It’s ready for a repeat in 2026

October 11, 2025

The cryptocurrency industry spent millions last year to unseat a longtime critic, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in Ohio, and install its allies in Washington. It’s ready for a repeat in 2026 and may once more target Brown, who’s making a comeback bid. Democrats are hopeful about Brown’s chances to return to the Senate, especially without Donald Trump at the top of the ballot. But crypto interests have even more to spend this time. And the industry has seen the Republican-controlled Congress turn in its favor now that Brown no longer heads the Senate banking committee. But Brown’s approach to crypto sounds different this time.

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FILE - Democratic Gov. Janet Mills delivers her State of the State address, Jan. 30, 2024, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine Gov. Janet Mills will challenge Sen. Susan Collins in key 2026 Senate contest, AP sources say

October 10, 2025

Maine’s two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills will run for the U.S. Senate seat held by veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins next year. That’s according to two people familiar with Mills’ plans Friday. Mills’ entry into the race sets up a potential matchup between the parties’ best-known figures in a state where Democrats see a chance to gain a seat in their uphill quest for a Senate majority. Mills was the top choice of national Democrats to try to unseat Collins, who has held the seat since 1997. Mills was urged to run by party leaders including Sen. Chuck Schumer, the minority leader. A Collins spokesperson declines to comment.

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FILE - U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., smiles as she prepares to address supporters at an election night party, March 5, 2024, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Katie Porter pushes back. After disastrous week ex-US Rep rallies support in California governor run

October 10, 2025

Katie Porter is fighting back. After a disastrous week that saw calls for the former Democratic congresswoman to end her campaign for California governor, supporters are rallying around her and seeking to deflect criticism about her temperament and readiness for the job. On Wednesday, a snippet of a recent TV interview surfaced in which Porter threatened to walk out after a tense back-and-forth with a reporter. Shortly afterward, a video surfaced of a 2021 interview showing her loudly berating a staffer. Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, says Porter “is one of the toughest, most authentic leaders I’ve ever met.”

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FILE - Dominion Voting ballot counting machines are lined up at a Torrance County warehouse during a testing of election equipment in Estancia, N.M., Sept. 29, 2022.(AP Photo/Andres Leighton, File)

Former Republican election official buys Dominion Voting — a target of 2020 conspiracy theories

October 9, 2025

Voting equipment company Dominion Voting Systems, a target of false conspiracy theories since the 2020 election, has been bought by a firm run by a former Republican elections official. KNOWiNK, a St. Louis-based provider of electronic poll books, announced the deal Thursday and said it was changing its name to Liberty Vote. Dominion’s former CEO confirmed the sale. In a statement, the new company vowed to follow the executive order Trump signed last spring seeking sweeping changes to election policies. While that might raise concerns in Democratic-leaning states, some election officials said that KNOWiNK had steered clear of 2020 conspiracy theories and acted like a typical, nonpartisan firm.

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FILE - Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., speaks during an interview at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Saturday, April 26, 2025, in Marietta, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff raises $12 million for 2026 reelection

October 8, 2025

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff says he raised more than $12 million from July through September. The first-term Democrat is trying to build up cash as he prepares for what is likely to be a bruising 2026 reelection bid. Ossoff says he has $21 million in the bank, but he spent nearly half of what he raised in the third quarter. That reflects a campaign that is already ramping up, with Republican groups spending against him. Two top Republican challengers, Mike Collins and Derek Dooley, each raised nearly $2 million by the end of September. The third major Republican in the race is U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter. He hasn’t reported a total yet.

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FILE - The headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service is in Washington, August 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

IRS to furlough nearly half of its workforce as shutdown enters second week

October 8, 2025

The IRS will furlough nearly half of its workforce as part of a new contingency plan. The agency said Wednesday that most operations are closed. This follows the failure of President Donald Trump and Congress to reach a funding agreement, leading to a government shutdown now in its second week. The IRS initially planned to stay open using funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, but now only 53.6% of its 74,299 employees will remain working. Last week, Trump said around 750,000 federal workers nationwide were expected to be furloughed, with some potentially fired.

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In CBS role, Bari Weiss goes from critic of mainstream news to one of its gatekeepers

October 8, 2025

Bari Weiss has been unflinchingly critical of mainstream news outlets. Now, she’s set to run one. The 41-year-old founder of The Free Press site was named this week as CBS News’ editor-in-chief. That Weiss has risen to take the helm of the type of traditional news source she has so often maligned is as confounding to some as the fact that nearly all her experience is in expressing opinions and none of it is in TV news. Weiss calls herself a centrist, but most often rankles those on the left.

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Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Samantha Chow)

Democratic Arizona Gov. Hobbs launches reelection bid as her party aims to build power nationally

October 8, 2025

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has launched her reelection campaign as her party looks to bounce back nationally from sweeping losses in 2024. She is taking a practical rather than confrontational approach to finding a pathway to Democratic victory in the state. She hopes her message of putting Arizonans first and politics aside resonates with voters across the political spectrum. She’ll need that, particularly in a swing state that endorsed Donald Trump in 2024 but chose Joe Biden four years earlier.

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FILE - The Supreme Court in Washington, June 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Supreme Court hears arguments on whether states can ban conversion therapy for LBGTQ+ kids

October 6, 2025

The Supreme Court will hear arguments in its latest LGBTQ rights case, weighing the constitutionality of bans passed by nearly half of U.S. states on the practice known as conversion therapy for children. The justices on Tuesday are hearing a lawsuit from a Christian counselor challenging a Colorado law that prohibits therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity. Kaley Chiles argues the law violates her freedom of speech by barring her from offering voluntary, faith-based therapy for kids. Chiles has support from President Donald Trump’s Republican administration. Colorado argues the measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.

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Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with President Donald Trump after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

US has given at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since war in Gaza began, report says

October 6, 2025

The United States under the Biden and Trump administrations has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the start of the Gaza war two years ago. That’s according to a new academic study published Tuesday, the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel that provoked the conflict. Another study says the U.S. has spent roughly $10 billion more on security aid and operations in the broader Middle East in the past two years. The studies offer some of the most comprehensive accountings of U.S. military aid to close ally Israel and estimated costs of direct American military involvement in the Middle East.

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The Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, where the Ambler Road project would pass through, is visible from Ambler, Alaska, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)

Trump approves Alaska mining road to boost copper, zinc production

October 6, 2025

President Donald Trump on Monday ordered approval of a proposed 211-mile road through an Alaska wilderness to allow mining of copper, cobalt, gold and other minerals. The long-debated Ambler Road project was approved in the first Trump administration, but was later blocked by the Biden administration after an analysis determined the project would threaten caribou and other wildlife and harm Alaska Native tribes that rely on hunting and fishing. Trump said the gravel road is “something that should’ve been long operating and … supplying a lot of energy and minerals.” In a related development, the White House said it is taking 10% equity stake in a Canadian company seeking to develop the Ambler site.

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President Donald Trump, center, is greeted by Air Force 89th Air Wing Deputy Commander Melissa Dombrock, left, as he speaks to the media upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, after returning from Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez)

Trump’s GOP seizes on violent rhetoric from Virginia AG candidate as high-stakes elections loom

October 6, 2025

Republicans have seized on recently unearthed violent rhetoric from Virginia’s Democratic candidate for attorney general in a bid to re-shape the state’s governor’s race — and tarnish the Democratic Party nationally. President Donald Trump, like Republicans across Virginia and beyond, has called for Democratic state attorney general candidate Jay Jones to quit the race after the publication of private text messages from 2022 suggesting that a political opponent gets “two bullets to the head.” Trump described Jones as a “radical left lunatic” and sought to link him to Rep. Abigail Spanberger, Virginia’s Democratic candidate for governor. Jones has apologized repeatedly for his violent rhetoric. Republicans hope the scandal might tilt the election next month in their direction.

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FILE - Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, speaks at a news conference, Nov. 1, 2022, at the State House, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)

Maine’s moderate US House member will face a Democratic primary challenge during reelection fight

October 6, 2025

Maine’s state auditor and former secretary of state, Matt Dunlap, has announced he will challenge Democratic Rep. Jared Golden in the midterm primary. Golden, a moderate Democrat, represents Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, a politically diverse area that has supported President Donald Trump in recent elections. Dunlap accuses Golden of being too accommodating to Trump and vows to fight more aggressively for the state’s interests. The winner of the primary is expected to face Republican former Maine Gov. Paul LePage in 2026. This district is crucial for Democrats as it could determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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