Jay Jones launches first general election ad buy in Virginia AG race
The ad, which was first seen by The Hill, is a part of a six-figure ad buy going up across Virginia.
The thirty-second spot features Norfolk, Va. Sheriff Joe Baron (D), Prince William County Prosecutor Amy Ashworth (D) and Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan (D) vouching for Jones's record on public safety and law and order from his time as assistant attorney general and a former Virginia state delegate.
Jones is seeking to oust incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares (R), an ally of President Trump, in the general election. Most recent polls show Jones leading Miyares. A poll released last month by the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, showed Jones leading Miyares 47 percent to 38 percent.
In Virginia, the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are elected separately. The last time Virginians voted to split a ticket was in 2005, when now-Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) was elected governor and Republican Bill Bolling won the lieutenant governor's race.
However, Miyares stands to be a formidable opponent, with many Virginia Republicans arguing that the attorney general is the strongest part of the Republican ticket. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Miyares has raised over $4,000 more than Jones in fundraising.
On Wednesday, Republican State Leadership Committee PAC and the Republican Attorneys General Association teamed up with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's (R) Secure Your Vote initiative to launch a seven-figure investment to turn out voters in the attorneys general race and House of Delegates voters.
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Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The legal battle over Trump's use of the National Guard moves to a California courtroom
Lawyers for President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are set to face off Monday to determine whether the president violated a 147-year-old law when he deployed the National Guard to quell protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles – against the wishes of the Democratic governor. In June, as hundreds of people gathered in Los Angeles to protest a string of immigration raids that targeted workplaces and left dozens of people detained or deported, the president federalized and deployed 4,000 National Guard members over the objection of Newsom and local officials, who said the deployment would only cause further chaos. Trump invoked a rarely used law that allows the president to federalize the National Guard during times of actual or threatened rebellion or invasion, or when regular forces can't enforce US laws. The president's lawyers said in a court filing that the duties of the National Guard troops and a handful of Marines also dispatched were narrowly circumscribed: They were dispatched only to protect federal property and personnel, and they didn't engage in any law enforcement activities. Newsom filed a lawsuit June 9 against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying they violated the Posse Comitatus Act and the 10th Amendment. Trump's lawyers say the act, which prevents the use of the military for enforcing laws, doesn't provide a mechanism for a civil lawsuit. But Newsom's lawyers have argued the president illegally made an 'unprecedented power grab' – and even violated the Constitution – by overruling local authorities to send in the military. The president and Hegseth 'have overstepped the bounds of law and are intent on going as far as they can to use the military in unprecedented, unlawful ways,' Newsom's lawyers say in a complaint. The trial represents a crucial moment for determining how much power a US president can lawfully exercise over the military on domestic soil. During his first term, Trump had often speculated openly about the possibility of deploying the military on American soil, whether to suppress protests or combat crime. Now he's talking about deploying the National Guard to the nation's capital over recent high-profile crimes. The trial also represents an escalation of the feud between Trump and Newsom, which saw the president threaten to have the Democratic governor arrested during the Los Angeles protests. Newsom described the comment as 'an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism.' The judge set to preside over the bench trial, Charles R. Breyer, previously granted a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, ruling that the president unlawfully federalized the National Guard and that the protests didn't amount to an insurrection. But just hours later, an appeals court paused his ruling, allowing the deployment to continue. Here's more on what to know about the upcoming trial – and the three laws Newsom's team says Trump and Hegseth violated. The trial is taking place in San Francisco, presided over by Breyer, who sits on the US District Court for the Northern District of California, with proceedings scheduled from Monday to Wednesday. The Posse Comitatus Act At the center of the legal proceedings is the Posse Comitatus Act, which largely prevents the president from using the military as a domestic police force, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, an independent law and policy organization. 'Posse Comitatus' is a Latin term used in American and British law to describe 'a group of people who are mobilized by the sheriff to suppress lawlessness in the county,' according to the Brennan Center. The act, signed into law by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, consists of just one sentence: 'Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.' Newsom's lawyers say the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles was a violation of the act since it bars 'the military from engaging in civil law enforcement unless explicitly authorized by law,' according to the complaint. But Trump's lawyers insist the National Guard and Marines didn't engage in any civil law enforcement – and therefore didn't violate the act. Moreover, they say the act itself doesn't provide any mechanisms for its enforcement in a private civil lawsuit. The 10th Amendment Newsom's lawyers also argue that by overriding California officials, Trump violated the 10th Amendment of the Constitution, which governs the sharing of power between the federal government and the 50 states. The amendment says 'the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.' Trump and Hegseth's move to call up the National Guard against the governor's wishes 'infringes on Governor Newsom's role as Commander-in-Chief of the California National Guard and violates the State's sovereign right to control and have available its National Guard in the absence of a lawful invocation of federal power,' Newsom's complaint says. Policing and crime control are some of the most crucial uses of state power, Newsom's lawyers say. The Administrative Procedure Act Additionally, Newsom's lawyers argue Trump and Hegseth violated the Administrative Procedure Act, which says a court must 'hold unlawful and set aside agency action' that is 'arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with the law,' that is 'contrary to constitutional right (or) power,' or that is 'in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right.' Hegseth and the Department of Defense 'lack authority to federalize members of the California National Guard without issuing such orders through Governor Newsom, who has not consented to their actions or been afforded the opportunity to consult on any deployment. Such agency actions are unauthorized, unprecedented, and not entitled to deference by this Court,' reads the complaint. The obscure law Trump's lawyers cite Trump's lawyers, meanwhile, have focused in their filing on a little-used law they cited to federalize the National Guard. Section 12406(3) of the US Code says the president can federalize the National Guard of any state in three circumstances: if the US is being invaded or faces danger of invasion; if there is a rebellion or danger of rebellion; or if the president is unable 'with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.' The law, however, stipulates the orders should be issued 'through the governors.' Newsom's lawyers say Trump didn't consult with the governor before issuing the order. Breyer previously pointed out Trump's memo directed Hegseth to consult the governor before federalizing the National Guard – but that he didn't. The Los Angeles deployment was only the second time in US history that a president has used the 'exclusive authority' of this law to federalize the National Guard, according to Newsom's lawyers. The first was when President Richard Nixon called on the National Guard to deliver the mail during the 1970 Postal Service strike. And it's the second time since 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights demonstrators, that a president activated a state's national guard without a request from the governor – though he used a different law to do so. Trump's lawyers say the president was unable to enforce federal immigration law 'as well as laws forbidding interference with federal functions or assaults on federal officers and property' with 'the regular forces' – so the deployment falls within the limits of Section 12406(3). What do Newsom's lawyers want? With only 300 National Guard troops still deployed in Los Angeles, Newsom's lawyers are looking mostly for symbolic relief: a declaration the memorandum used to federalize the National Guard and Hegseth's orders were unauthorized and illegal. The remaining troops are stationed at Joint Forces Training Base – Los Alamitos, Newsom says, 'without a clear mission, direction, or a timeline for returning to their communities.' Newsom's team is also asking for 'injunctive relief' prohibiting Hegseth and the Department of Defense from federalizing and deploying the California National Guard and military without meeting legal requirements, including the cooperation of the governor. Finally, they ask to recoup the state of California's costs and attorneys' fees and 'such additional relief as the court deems proper and the interests of justice may require.' What witnesses will appear? Trump's lawyers indicated in a court filing they plan to call as a witness Maj. Gen. Scott M. Sherman, deputy commanding general of the National Guard. Sherman is expected to discuss the National Guard's deployment to Los Angeles and their compliance with the Posse Comitatus Act. Newsom's lawyers also plan to call Sherman, as well as US Army official William B. Harrington to testify about the activities of Task Force 51, the command post activated to coordinate deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles. Ernesto Santacruz Jr. of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also expected to testify about the federalized National Guard's activities in support of federal law enforcement officials during immigration enforcement operations.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Texas Legislature to take another swing at redistricting vote as Democrats extend their walkout
Advertisement Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he'll call lawmakers back to the Statehouse again and again until enough Democrats show up to reach the 100-member threshold required to vote on the bill. Democratic leaders in other states are planning out their retaliatory redistricting plans if Abbott succeeds. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Texas, knock it off. We'll knock it off. Let's get back to governing,' said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on 'Fox News Sunday.' As for the Democratic lawmakers who bolted from Texas — some of whom have been appearing alongside the likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker at news conferences — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking the state's Supreme Court to remove some of them from office or give them a 48-hour warning to return. Advertisement 'If they show back up in the state of Texas, they will be arrested and taken to the Capitol,' said Abbott on 'Fox News Sunday.' When pressed about blue states' threats to retaliate — such as Newsom's proposal to effectiveely cut five GOP-held seats in California — Abbott argued that many had already squeezed the juice out of their gerrymandering and would be hard-pressed to push it further. Democratic leaders say Abbott's plans are nothing more than a power grab. 'They know that they're going to lose in 2026 the Congress, and so they're trying to steal seats,' Pritzker said on NBC's 'Meet the Press.' Past attempts by Texas Democrats to halt votes by leaving the state were typically unsuccessful, and several of the blue states face more hurdles to redistricting than Texas does. California, for example, has an independent commission that runs redistricting after each decade's census. Changes require approval from both voters and state lawmakers, who have said they plan to call a special election in November to set the process in motion.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Here are the top House Democrats at risk from GOP redistricting
House Democrats in red states across the country are at risk as the redistricting arms race heats up. Texas Republicans' proposed redraw, a President Trump-backed plan that could net the party five more House seats, has led to other red states moving forward with their own redistricting plans. Florida, Indiana and Missouri are among the Republican-led states now weighing whether to redo their congressional maps — putting a number of Democratic incumbents at risk. Here are the House Democrats most likely to be targeted across the country: Greg Casar, Texas 35th Republicans already control 25 of the 38 congressional seats in Texas, but the proposed changes could give them a 30-8 edge by slashing Democratic-controlled seats in Houston, Dallas and Austin-San Antonio. One of the biggest proposed changes affects Rep. Greg Casar's (D-Texas) 35th Congressional District, which went to former Vice President Harris by 33 points in November. The map would create a new +10 Trump district outside of San Antonio, according to analysis from Cook Political Report. Casar has called the would-be destruction of his district 'illegal voter suppression of Black and Latino Central Texans.' Lloyd Doggett, Texas 37th The Austin base of Casar's current district would be pushed into the 37th Congressional District, now held by Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas). The changes could set up a potential primary matchup between Casar and Doggett, who has accused Trump of 'taking a hatchet to chop up Austin and our state with the sole objective of maintaining his one-man rule.' Julie Johnson, Texas 32nd The Texas plan would reshape the 32nd Congressional District, currently based in Dallas and held by Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Texas). By stretching the district into East Texas, it would become a +18 Trump seat, according to the Cook Political Report. Johnson has been among the voices heralding Texas state House Democrats for fleeing the state to break quorum and stall 'a rigged map.' Marc Veasey, Texas 33rd Rep. Marc Veasey's would see his 33rd Congressional District likely remain blue, but the longtime lawmaker would probably lose his hometown and political base in the redrawing. This could create a primary between Veasey and Johnson as the latter's seat is reshaped, analysis from the Texas Tribune suggests, if they both decide to try and stay in the House. Henry Cuellar, Texas 28th Rep. Henry Cuellar's (D-Texas) seat in Texas's 28th Congressional District would shift rightward, from a +7 Trump district to a +10 post. The Cook Political Report says that Cuellar could 'conceivably survive' the midterms, though he's currently grappling with an ongoing criminal casethat could complicate any reelection prospects. Cuellar and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury in Houston last year on charges of participating in a bribery scheme. Vicente Gonzalez, Texas 34th Like Cuellar, Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) would see his 34th Congressional District seat get even redder, according to the Cook Political Report. Gonzalez won reelection by just three points last year, so even a slight move toward the right could imperil reelection prospects. In a statement after the map's release, however, Gonzalez pointed to Trump's approval rating as he promised 'we will win again.' Al Green, Texas 9th Rep. Al Green's (D) seat in Texas's 9th Congressional District would merge with the empty blue seat vacated by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner (D), yielding a more conservative 9th district in the suburbs of east Houston. Al Green 'almost certainly wouldn't run' in the new 9th, the Cook Political Report forecasts, but he could run for the vacant 18th seat. Meanwhile, a special election is ongoing to fill the vacancy for Turner's former seat. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio 9th Ohio is the one state that's required to redistrict this year, after its 2022 maps failed to receive bipartisan support. Republicans boast a 10-5 majority in the current congressional delegation, and redistricting could mean a handful of Democrats see their districts get tougher. Rep. Mary Kaptur (D) in Ohio's 9th Congressional District is considered among the most vulnerable after winning a highly competitive race in 2024. Her district went to Trump by roughly 7 points last year, according to The Downballot. Emilia Sykes, Ohio 13th Like Kaptur, Rep. Emilia Sykes (D) in Ohio's 13th Congressional District won a tight race in 2024 and has been targeted by the GOP as a potential pickup opportunity. The district was effectively tied between Trump and Harris in November. 'It's no surprise that special interests in Washington and Columbus want to ignore the voters and rig the game,' Sykes campaign spokesman Justin Barasky told The Hill last month. Rep. Greg Landsman (D) in the 1st Congressional District around Cincinnati could also be impacted, according to the Columbus Dispatch, though anti-gerrymandering rules approved by voters in 2018 prevents redistricting from breaking up the city. Emanuel Cleaver, Missouri 5th Missouri's Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe has indicated he'll look at the possibility of redistricting in the state, where Republicans control six of eight districts. The Kansas City Star reported last month that Trump's political team had expressed interest in trying to gain another Show Me State seat, which would likely be Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver's 5th Congressional District in Kansas City. Cleaver, who has been in the seat for two decades, won reelection with 60 percent of the vote last fall, after line changes in 2022. He told St. Louis Public Radio that the push for mid-decade redistricting is 'very dangerous.' Frank Mrvan, Indiana 1st Republicans appear to be eyeing Indiana, where Democrats hold just two House seats, as another opening. Amid redistricting chatter, Vice President Vance met on Thursday with Gov. Mike Braun (R), who would need to call a special session of the state General Assembly to initiate redrawing. If Indiana were to redistrict, changes would likely squeeze the 1st Congressional District in the northwest, where Rep. Frank Mrvan (D) has already been named as a national GOP target for 2026. 'It is no surprise that some believe redistricting is the only option to cling to power when they know the American people are rejecting the damage done by the House Republican Majority,' Mrvan said in a statement. A redraw could also affect Mrvan's fellow Democrat, Rep. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), though the 7th Congressional District around Indianapolis may be somewhat safer, since breaking up blue voters in the area could make other Republican House districts more vulnerable. Republicans hold the other seven House seats in Indiana. Florida Democrats Florida's state House Speaker this week announced he'll form a redistricting committee after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signaled the Sunshine State could follow Texas's lead. There are just 8 House Democrats to 20 Republicans in Florida, and multiple blue seats could be endangered if a redraw moves forward. Republicans are hoping to gain at least three seats in the Sunshine State, Punchbowl News reported this week. One of the potential South Florida targets is Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who won reelection in November by five points in a district that went to Harris by just two points. Fellow South Florida Reps. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Lois Frankel could also be vulnerable, along with South Florida. Rep. Kathy Castor (D) in the Tampa area and Rep. Darren Soto (D) outside of Orlando. All five of these Democrats won their 2024 races with less than 60 percent of the vote. Moskowitz and Soto are already on the GOP campaign arm's target list. 'It's called corruption when the only reason to redraw the maps is to hold onto power cause y'all are going to lose in '26,' Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said on X. Other lawmakers Amid the Texas drama, chatter is percolating about redistricting possibilities in still more states. An analysis from Sabato's Crystal Ball forecasts there could be room for changes in North Carolina, where a new 2024 map netted the GOP three new seats, and in Kansas, which has just one blue seat — though it's all but guaranteed that Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D) wouldn't call a special session to initiate talks. Republican Rep. Ralph Norman in South Carolina has suggested a redraw that could target longtime Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state's lone Democratic congressman, but the move is seen as unlikely given the already favorable 6-1 delegation split. With the exception of Ohio, it remains unclear which states will ultimately go through with redistricting, as Texas Democrats' dramatic quorum break stalls progress even in the Lone Star State. And even for those who do, it's not a guarantee that change could clear in time take effect before next fall's high-stakes midterms. Meanwhile, Democrats are looking to counter would-be GOP gains by weighing redistricting in blue strongholds, including California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has said he's moving forward with a plan to put redistricting before voters this fall, which would be triggered by what happens in Texas. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
