Poli Alert Politics & Civics

For over an hour Sunday, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico stood on stage and fielded questions and, at times, frustration from Black Texans at a majority-Black town hall in Houston. “I’m voting for James Talarico, and I hope you do, too — but I want y’all to come and …

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has hreatened to withhold federal election-related funding from states that refuse to cooperate with the Trump administration’s voter roll investigations ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, while also warning that election officials could face fines or even criminal penalties. Speaking to reporters, Mullin said states …

President Donald Trump announced a new round of 50% tariffs on a broad range of Canadian imports Monday, significantly escalating trade tensions between the United States and one of its largest trading partners. The new tariffs, outlined in a series of presidential proclamations, are scheduled to take effect Aug. 19 …

Sen. Darline Graham announced Monday that she will seek a full term in the U.S. Senate, formally entering the special Republican primary to succeed her late brother, longtime South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham made the announcement during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, saying she reached the …

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar to serve as a temporary Air Force One will soon undergo additional security upgrades, following weeks of scrutiny over the aircraft’s defensive capabilities. Speaking to reporters after returning from the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, …

The national average price for gasoline climbed above $4 a gallon Monday for the first time in more than a month as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about global energy supplies. According to AAA, the national average reached $4.003 per …

Federal health officials said Sunday that a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms previously believed to contain the parasite responsible for a multistate cyclospora outbreak was a false positive, easing concerns about one of the nation’s largest recent foodborne illness investigations. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said laboratory experts reexamined …

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on July 13 killed 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national with legal work authorization, in Maine, making him the 22nd person shot at by federal immigration officers during President Donald Trump’s second term.  Nearly all of those 22 incidents – 19 – involved …

Two U.S. service members were killed and another remains missing after an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack targeted American forces in Jordan on Friday, U.S. Central Command said Saturday, marking one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. troops since fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified. CENTCOM said the troops …

Republican officials overseeing North Carolina elections are facing accusations of attempting to make voting more difficult for students and Black residents after proposing changes to early voting locations and hours in several counties, reigniting a partisan battle over election access ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The controversy follows efforts …

An independent analysis of damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool found the deterioration is consistent with installation failures rather than vandalism, raising new questions about the Trump administration’s claims that the newly renovated landmark was intentionally damaged. The findings come after President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum …

President Donald Trump on Thursday released a series of declassified intelligence documents that he said expose vulnerabilities in U.S. election systems and Chinese efforts to gather voter information. But the records stop short of supporting his long-standing claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Speaking from the White House, …

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t appear to secure the support needed to take over the public health agency during a lengthy and often tense confirmation hearing Wednesday.  While Dr. Erica Schwartz told lawmakers on the U.S. Senate Committee that oversees health …

The United States is on pace for its worst cyclospora outbreak on record after confirmed infections nearly doubled in recent days, prompting federal health officials to investigate multiple produce items as possible sources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Tuesday that 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis have been …

A major legislative package that would put into law President Donald Trump’s push to greatly reduce the responsibilities of the U.S. Department of Education advanced out of a U.S. House panel on Wednesday.  The U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce approved — nearly along party lines — each of the package’s …