Abbott Sues to Remove Texas Democratic Caucus Chair Over Quorum Break
In a statement, Abbott said that Democratic lawmakers had failed to meet the quorum requirements by not returning to the state for the House session held on Aug. 4.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
28 minutes ago
- Axios
Thurmond joins Georgia governor's race, citing experience and record
Michael Thurmond won over voters three times across Georgia to become — and remain — the state's labor commissioner. He hopes to repeat history in his run for governor. Why it matters: Thurmond, who most recently served as DeKalb County CEO, is the fifth Democrat to jump into the race to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is term-limited. The latest: Thurmond announced his candidacy early Wednesday, with a campaign video noting he's ready to put "boots on Georgia ground." What they're saying: Thurmond told Axios on Wednesday that he entered the race after traveling around the state — "particularly [the] Georgia that exists outside of 285," he said — and hearing residents' ideas on how to move Georgia forward. Those voters, he said, want leaders to move beyond partisanship and "get back to the basics and address issues they are concerned about." Those issues include the rising cost of groceries, lack of access to affordable health care and job creation. State of play: Thurmond joins state Sen. Jason Esteves of Atlanta, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, state Rep. Derrick Jackson and businessman Olu Brown on the Democratic primary ballot. On the Republican side, Attorney General Chris Carr and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones are running. Reality check: Thurmond is running for governor in a solid Republican state. Georgia swung for former Democratic President Biden in the 2020 election, but President Trump put the state back in the GOP column last year. Yes, but: The former DeKalb County CEO told Axios he is confident voters will consider him a viable candidate because of his "strong record of accomplishments and willingness to build bridges." Flashback: Thurmond's tenure in politics stretches back decades. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1986 and was the first Black person elected to represent Clarke County since Reconstruction. He was elected labor commissioner in 1998 and served three terms. In 2013, he was selected to become superintendent of the DeKalb County School District at a time when the system was facing a major deficit and its accreditation was at risk. He was elected DeKalb County's CEO in 2016 and served two terms before opting not to seek reelection. Fun fact: The Athens, Georgia, native has published three books about Georgia history. He was a finalist for 2025's Georgia Author of the Year for "James Oglethorpe, Father of Georgia." What we're watching: Whether Stacey Abrams, the two-time Democratic gubernatorial candidate, will make a third run.
Indianapolis Star
30 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
Reps. Carson, Mrvan slam White House redistricting attempts as their own seats are under threat
Indiana's two Democratic congressmen condemned the Trump administration's mid-decade redistricting efforts, as Vice President JD Vance prepares to talk to state leaders about the potential for redrawing the maps in Indiana. The congressmen, U.S. Rep. André Carson and U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, may be targets themselves. Mrvan, whose northwest Indiana district appears to be trending to the right, has already faced well-funded GOP opponents as the national party seeks to flip the district red. In 2024, House Speaker Mike Johnson told IndyStar the seat 'belongs in the Republican column.' Vance is meeting with Gov. Mike Braun and Indiana General Assembly leaders in Indianapolis on Aug. 7, where he's expected to discuss redistricting. But the jury's out on whether Braun, House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate Pro Tempore Rodric Bray will agree, particularly as any redistricting effort would require a special session. Braun has yet to make any commitments. "I'm going to listen and see where they're coming from," Braun told reporters at the Statehouse on Aug. 5. "And again, I'm going to be listening along with the other two leaders in the legislature and everybody's going to probably have a little different point of view." In a statement on Aug. 5, Mrvan called redistricting efforts an attempt to cling to power. 'It's reprehensible to call in the Indiana General Assembly for a special session on redistricting when the communities I represent believe their time would be better spent to discuss initiatives that restore state funds for our local police departments,' he said in the statement. Democrats have held the 1st district seat for nearly a century but faced trouble in 2022 after lines were redrawn. Since then, Mrvan has held onto the seat by a relatively slim margin — winning by almost six percentage points in 2022 and eight percentage points in 2024. Mrvan also called a potential mid-decade redistricting a violation of the Indiana Constitution. It's unclear if the move would in fact be unconstitutional. It is according to a 1995 opinion from the Attorney General's office, but that opinion is not binding. The section of the Indiana Constitution that opinion refers to requires redistricting to be done by state legislators elected during a federal decennial census year — the next of which is 2030. However, it's unclear how that provision applies to congressional districts. Carson told a crowd gathered at the Indianapolis Artsgarden during a 60-year celebration of the Voting Rights Act on Aug. 6 that Trump wants to redraw district lines because he's a 'dictator.' 'Our voting rights are under attack like never before,' Carson said. He also questioned the legality of the efforts, calling the Indiana Constitution 'clear' on when redistricting is done. Unlike Mrvan, Carson represents the bluest district in Indiana. In 2024, he beat his Republican opponent by nearly 30 percentage points. Carson didn't say if he expected his seat to be targeted when asked by IndyStar but said he was in contact with legislators and advocacy groups. 'We're taking a wait-and-see approach,' he said.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Independent Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan raises $3.2M in 6 months
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said Friday his independent Michigan gubernatorial campaign brought in more than $3.2 million over the past six months and has more than $2.3 million cash on hand. According to the Duggan campaign, more than 93 percent of its donations came from Michigan. Duggan's campaign manager Ed Duggan also noted that the campaign has raised nearly $1.4 million over the past 30 days alone. 'As an Independent campaign, we can't rely on party infrastructure for our fundraising. We had to build everything from the ground up,' Ed Duggan said in a statement. 'Our numbers are a sign of the incredible grassroots energy we're feeling on the campaign trail. We couldn't be more grateful for all our supporters who made this possible.' Mike Duggan, who was elected mayor as a Democrat, launched his Independent bid for governor in December. The mayor's latest fundraising numbers come a day after Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D), the front-runner in the Democratic primary, announced her campaign raised more than $3.5 million since its launch in January and has more than $2.4 million in the bank. Benson's and Duggan's hauls are both more than the $1.5 million Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who is term-limited, raised at this point in 2017 after announcing her first gubernatorial bid in January of that year. In this year's Democratic primary, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II's campaign said he raised more than $750,000, while former Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said his campaign has raised more than $1 million. Gilchrist jumped into the primary in March, and Swanson announced his bid in February. On the Republican side, former state Attorney General Mike Cox (R), who jumped into the race in April, said his campaign has raised $2.4 million and has $1.9 million in the bank. Rep. John James (R-Mich.), state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R), and former state House Speaker Tom Leonard (R) are also running in the GOP primary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
