John Morgan announces creation of new political party, hints at future ambitions
Morgan stated, 'I'm gonna do the party thing. I've spent the money on the legal.'
He discussed his vision for a new political party that would welcome both Democrats and Republicans, whom he referred to as 'D's and R's.' Morgan emphasized, 'I think there needs to be some D's and R's for the first four. Then I'm going to say, who wants to join?'
He also mentioned the possibility of running for governor with this new party.
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is another candidate in the race, backed by President Trump, while former Senate Democratic leader Jason Pizzo is running as an independent.
Morgan said, " I've been out there in Florida since 1988 and I've had the three amendments so I think I have that advantage that nobody else really has."
Aubrey Jewett, a Political Science Professor at UCF, shared that Morgan has suggested forming a minor party called the Capitalist Party. Jewett explained to Channel 9 how the emergence of a new political party could impact the Democratic Party.
Jewett said 'If we have one or more independent candidates running , chances are that's going to split the anti-Republican vote You know with the Democratic candidate and make it harder for them to win and make it easier for the Republican to win.'
Evan Power, Chair of the Republican Party of Florida, released a statement saying in part:
'Let's be real, John: you can't slap a new label on the same failed ideas and expect a revival. If it quacks like a duck, it's still a duck—and you're still a Democrat.
In response, Morgan expressed optimism, saying, 'If my idea is a bad idea, I've had many and my life won't change. But I think if we do it and it happens that people lives would change in Florida, because I don't believe there's any compromise in our political system anymore, anywhere on both sides.'
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WIRED
29 minutes ago
- WIRED
James Talarico Is on the Run
Aug 13, 2025 8:00 AM WIRED spoke with the Texas state representative, who is hiding out in Illinois along with his colleagues in an attempt to stop Republicans from enacting an unprecedented redistricting plan. Photo-illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Somewhere in Illinois, shuttling between undisclosed locations, Texas state representative James Talarico is on a work-cation from hell. He's trying to keep up with constituent services while running out the clock on a special session in the Texas legislature. He's also running out of clean clothes, and can't say much about his whereabouts or the security threats against him and more than 50 of his colleagues. Technically, he's on the lam—a 19th century slang term for leaving a location quickly, and a favorite among old-school editors—as he and his party look to thwart Texas Republicans from enacting an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting plan. If successful, Texas Republicans would be able to take as many as five seats away from the Democrats in Congress by gerrymandering their districts well before the 2030 Census. This mid-decade gerrymandering could be met by an equal reaction from California, Illinois and New York, all large blue states with several Republican-held seats. In response, and in order to block the new map from being implemented, Democratic representatives from Texas fled the state. Their goal is to break quorum in the legislature to prevent a vote on the new map before the end of the special session on August 19. The situation has continued to escalate: Texas governor Greg Abbott threatened the lawmakers with $500 daily fines, Republicans in the legislature put out civil arrest warrants, and President Donald Trump said the FBI 'may have to' get involved in the search. The Democrats will reportedly return to the state before a separate, second special session, according to KTRK, a local ABC News affiliate in Texas. It would effectively force the Republicans to start over again which would accomplish the goal of tabling the new map while allowing them to push for other initiatives such as flood relief. The timing of the second special session is currently unknown. Talarico, who lives alone, left his home last week for a charter flight out of Austin. With only a small bag of clothes, Talarico says he didn't even know where he was heading until he got on the plane. We spoke with Talarico about where things go from here, how bad it could get, and whether Republicans might be overplaying their hand with this unprecedented maneuver. This interview has been lightly edited for style and clarity. WIRED: What was happening when you knew you might have to actually leave the state? What was going through your mind? James Talarico: When the first reporting came out that they may try this mid-decade redistricting power grab, I knew it was going to be a possibility, but I didn't know that we had the numbers and were ready to go until about 24 hours ahead of time. And that's how much time I had to get my bags packed and arrangements made and all that. I didn't even know where we were going, but I was told the meetup location, which was a union hall in Austin, not too far from the capitol. And then from there we went to the airport, and it wasn't until I got on the plane that I figured that we were going to Illinois. Could you walk me through what your average day has been looking like since you and your fellow Democrats left the state? Well, the days have been nonstop. Early mornings, late evenings—doing a lot of interviews because we're trying to shine a national spotlight on this redistricting power grab in Texas and why it is critical, not just for Democrats, but independents and Republicans too, in order to protect their voices in the democratic process across this country. But we also have constituent services to attend to just like normal. And so in between these interviews, I'm ensuring that my constituents have what they need. If they've got to get ahold of Medicaid, or they have a problem with a state agency, or there's a pothole in the neighborhood, I've got to still handle those issues. We're all here together in the same hotels. We're keeping our spirits up. We're eating our meals together in the conference room. How do you pack for going on the lam indefinitely? My dad has this big duffel bag, and so I borrowed his, and it has his little tag with his name on it instead of mine. I think I brought seven dress shirts. I brought one jacket, jeans, T-shirts, and shorts, too. I've basically run through all those clothes at this point, so I'm going to need to do laundry today at the hotel. All my clothes that I've got now are officially dirty, and I need to try to spend time at some point today to wash some of these shirts. In what could be a really historic moment, do you feel any pressure? I knew that it was a dramatic step. It's one we didn't take lightly because it comes with a lot of personal, financial, legal, and political costs. But I knew it was important and it had consequences to the whole country. If Trump was able to escape accountability in the midterms, I think that would have dire consequences for the future of our representative democracy. And the threat to have the FBI come and arrest you guys, does that being on the table worry you at all? All the threats against duly elected law-abiding state legislators have been alarming—it should be alarming to all of us. Quorum breaking is a right that we have as the minority in our state constitution. There's about 150 years of history of us breaking quorum in Texas. So listen, we're not breaking the law. We're not doing anything wrong or illegal. The fact that Trump would threaten to send in the FBI, Greg Abbott would threaten to remove us from office, Ken Paxton would ask his followers to hunt us down—all for doing our jobs and using a legitimate constitutional legislative tactic to stop a massive power grab—is unsettling, to say the least. What is your level of concern in terms of where this goes, and if this could escalate to something akin to a cold civil war? I think we need leadership at this moment more than we've ever needed it before. And the president is very proud of the peace deal he worked out [between Armenia and Azerbaijan], and I hope that he can take that same attitude here and help us work out a peace deal between these red states and these blue states. But instead, he's the one instigating the conflict by trying to steal these five seats in the middle of a decade. And if they are intent on cheating like this, then the other side will respond. And if one side cheats, then all bets are off. We can't let the bullies win. We have to stand up to 'em, look 'em right in the eye and not flinch. How much do you blame Trump compared to Republicans in your state? I mean, I put most of the blame on my colleagues, including Governor Abbott back in Texas. Donald Trump, I'm sure, asks for all kinds of crazy things on a whim, but it's incumbent upon the adults around him to stand up to him and speak truth to power. And those Republicans back in Texas, my colleagues, know that this is bad precedent. They know it's unpopular politically, and so I don't think they wanted to do this. But they don't have the courage to stand up to President Trump. Do you think there's a chance this could backfire on Republicans by stretching their seats too thin, to the point where Democrats could get some surprising wins? It's possible. Gerrymandering is when politicians draw their own lines to benefit themselves and their party. Dummymandering is when one party gets too greedy, and they cut their districts a little too thin and end up losing seats. Politicians shouldn't be choosing their voters. Voters should be choosing their politicians. But we got some polling data that just came out today showing that this is deeply unpopular among Texans, even among Trump voters. No one likes a cheater. We don't like cheaters in our personal lives. We don't like cheaters in sports. We don't like cheaters in politics. If you think your policies are more popular, then campaign on those policies and win the election, beat us on the field. But this attempt to rig the game before it starts, I think is unpopular across the political spectrum. No Sheriff in Town Sure, there's plenty of money to be made during the second Trump administration for big tech. Yet with a data report exclusively obtained by WIRED, the scale of the industry's lucky break with a Trump victory is becoming a little more clear. It's not just legislation and executive action helping these companies out. In fact, sometimes, doing nothing is the best thing for an industry under the federal regulatory microscope. In the first six months of Trump 2.0, the administration has either paused or withdrawn a third of the targeted investigations into tech corporations, according to new findings from Public Citizen, appearing for the first time in this edition of Inner Loop. Among the key findings: At least 104 companies in the tech sector were facing at least 143 federal investigations when Trump's second term began. As of the first six months of 2025, 47 enforcement actions have been withdrawn or halted. (These were against 45 individual tech companies; 38 enforcement actions were withdrawn, nine were halted.) Along with their executives and investors, these companies spent more than $1 billion over the course of the 2024 election cycle. Two-thirds of that political spending—$610 million out of $863 million total—went toward supporting Republicans, including Trump. Nearly half of the enforcement actions that have been dropped or paused were against cryptocurrency corporations. (20 withdrawn, three halted.) Financial technology corporations had 11 cases withdrawn or halted, mostly under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Binance, Coinbase, Consensys, Gemini, Kraken, and Polymarket are among the crypto-related companies that had federal investigations or lawsuits filed against them under the Biden administration that have not continued in the second Trump administration. This includes pardons for the parent company of BitMex and four of its executives, in what is arguably the first ever pardon of a corporation. Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, The Boring Company and Neuralink, all companies in Elon Musk's portfolio, have also had cases contested or potentially dismissed. Others are halted. Sometimes it pays to have friends in high places. Other times, it pays even more to be an industry proving extremely profitable to the president's family and the cashout option of choice in Trumpworld. For all the favors an industry could ask for in Washington, the new administration doing nothing can sometimes be the most valuable of all. Matt Giles contributed reporting. This is an edition of Jake Lahut's Inner Loop newsletter. Read previous newsletters here.
Politico
30 minutes ago
- Politico
Hakeem Jeffries and the standoff in Illinois
Good Wednesday morning, Illinois. We woke up to a lovely Springfield sunrise. TOP TALKER SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — STANDOFF INTRIGUE: Texas House Democrats huddled for hours Tuesday in a Chicago-area hotel conference room, weighing their next move after Gov. Greg Abbott announced he would end the controversial special legislative session on Friday — days earlier than its scheduled Aug. 19 adjournment. A new special session would be called 'immediately,' Abbott said in a statement. Democrats call it a win. 'We said we would defeat Abbott's first corrupt special session, and that's exactly what we're doing,' Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu said in a statement. The big question: Will the Texas Democrats return to Austin or remain in Illinois? Their hours-long, members-only discussions wrapped up late and without a plan, according to a person in the room. And CNN reports 'they are debating how much more they can accomplish by prolonging their self-imposed exile.' Before Abbott's announcement, the group met with U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who offered words of encouragement. He thanked them 'for their courage, their character, their conviction and indicated that we continue to support them every step of the way along their journey. They're fighting the good fight,' Jeffries told Playbook afterward. Jeffries then flew to Springfield, where he toured a Head Start facility with Sen. Dick Durbin and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski before taking questions from reporters. On the issue of redistricting, Jeffries said, 'The stakes are high for the people of Illinois, California, New York. There's a reason Trump has ordered Republicans to engage in mid-decade gerrymandering — it's because he wants to rig the midterms. Democrats will respond in self-defense of the American people.' Today: Jeffries headlines the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association brunch. Meanwhile, Texas Republicans have pursued every legal and political lever to force the Democrats' return. They even turned to an Illinois court, filing a motion to arrest the Democrats for not showing up to the legislative session. Their filing is here. 'This ain't Texas,' Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul said in an interview about the court filing. 'It only applies when these legislators are within the state of Texas. It's not enforceable in the state of Illinois.' There's also a political reason that the case landed in an Adams County, Illinois, courtroom — explains the Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet in her latest TikTok post. What happens next hinges on Abbott's priorities, according to Wu. 'Now, the ball is in Abbott's court.' If the governor makes flooding-relief legislation the top agenda item, the Democrats could be persuaded to return home. But for now, the current session's focus remains a gerrymandering bill — one that House Democrats have refused to vote on, depriving the chamber of a quorum and stalling the entire session. Today: Watch for Texas House Democrats to join Indiana Democratic lawmakers in condemning Vice President JD Vance's support of Republicans' redistricting efforts. About Illinois: Illinois redistricting effort possible, but unlikely to yield more Democratic seats, by WBEZ's Alex Degman and Dave McKinney RELATED Jeffries says affordability could be key message for the midterms: 'America is too expensive. We need to drive down the high cost of living. Donald Trump has failed to do it,' the Democratic leader said at a Springfield press conference, via the Tribune's Jeremy Gorner and Rick Pearson. More in Springfield: Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Sen. Dick Durbin sat down with health care leaders to discuss how the Republicans' megabill will impact Central Illinois. 'Access to quality health care is already too difficult in this country — especially in rural areas—and thanks to Republicans' Big Beautiful Betrayal things are only going to get worse,' Duckworth said. THE BUZZ SPRINGFIELD -- The AFL-CIO summer barbecue on Tuesday doubled as a campaign kickoff for four Democratic candidates running for state comptroller in 2026. Spotted: State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit worked the crowd with a clipboard in hand, collecting the signatures she'll need to get on the ballot. Nearby, fellow state Rep. Margaret Croke talked to county party chairs holding plates of barbecue chicken. Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim's team fanned out with campaign stickers. And state Sen. Karina Villa, who hasn't officially joined the race, roamed the event to gather petition signatures. It's easy to work the crowd at the AFL-CIO schmoozefest, but the four comptroller candidates found themselves carefully choreographing their moves to avoid running into each other in the crowded room of politicos, lobbyists and government influencers. Special guest: U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries jumped into the crowd for a few selfies and hellos. If you are JD Vance, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@ WHERE'S JB At the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds at 11 a.m. for a naturalization oath ceremony — At the Director's Lawn at 12:30 p.m. for Governor's Day at the fair — At the Coliseum at 4:30 for the Governor's Sale of Champions WHERE's BRANDON At 3201 South Millard Avenue at 7 a.m. to join the Teamsters Local 705 picket line — At the Chicago Cultural Center at 4:30 p.m. for the My Chi. My Future. end of summer celebration Where's Toni At the Cook County Health Professional building at 10 a.m. to launch a campaign encouraging measles vaccines for children Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or a (gasp!) complaint? Email skapos@ BUSINESS OF POLITICS — NEW POLL: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi leads in name recognition according to a poll by the Impact Fund, the affiliated PAC of Indian American Impact. The survey also found that in a three-way matchup, Krishnamoorthi leads over Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and Congresswoman Robin Kelly. The poll was conducted by Z to A Research, which surveyed 615 likely 2026 Illinois Democratic primary voters Aug. 8-10. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.952 percentage points. The full polling memo is here. — Fundraiser: Juliana Stratton held a fundraiser at Arlington's in Springfield that saw 200 guests, including Gov. JB Pritzker, as the headliner. Also in the room: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel 'Chris' Welch (He also attended the AFL-CIO event.). The fundraiser was hosted by political insider Liz Brown-Reeves, Deputy Gov. Andy Manar and Ryan Croke, a Health & Human Services official and Stratton ally. — Thursday at the State Fair: Texas GOP Chair Abraham George is scheduled to headline a meeting with members of the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee and the Republican County Chair's Association. — Garson Fischer has been endorsed by Illinois Atty. Gen. Kwame Raoul in his bid for judge in the 8th Subcircuit of Cook County. Raoul credited Fischer with winning cases 'to keep illegal guns off our streets and protect kids from online predators.' Fischer has worked as one of Raoul's top lieutenants in criminal appeals. THE STATEWIDES — Illinois proposes lowering scores students need to be deemed proficient on state tests, by Chalkbeat's Samantha Smylie and Becky Vevea — Republicans blame Pritzker, Illinois 'sanctuary' status after Freeport woman dies in crash, by the Rockford Register Star's Jeff Kolkey — Yes, Illinois can tax a tax — but it's bad policy and bettors will pay, by Jill R. Dorson for InGame CHICAGO — Anjanette Young ordinance slated for vote — without no-knock warrant ban: The measure 'will require cops to wait 30 seconds before entry. It's a compromise, one that reflects the shift in the political climate since demand for police accountability reached a fever pitch during the Black Lives Matter movement that exploded in 2020,' by the Tribune's Alice Yin. — Mayor Johnson resolves contract with firefighters union, without major concessions: 'Chicago firefighters and paramedics have been waiting four years for a new contract. Pay raises in the six-year agreement — up to 20% depending on the rate of inflation — are identical to those awarded to Chicago police officers in the contract that Johnson extended and sweetened,' by the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman. — Mayor Johnson's CPS chief resists City Hall borrowing plan, pension payment as budget deadline looms: 'Johnson, a former teacher and longtime Chicago Teachers Union organizer, has strongly supported borrowing as a way to avoid deeper school-level cuts to staffing and classroom services. His appointed school board president, Sean Harden, has echoed that stance,' by the Tribune's Nell Salzman, Gregory Royal Pratt and Alice Yin. — Trump kills union contracts for Chicago EPA workers, by the Sun-Times' Brett Chase. COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS — Arlington Heights hits the brakes on full-scale ban for youth on e-bikes, e-scooters: 'Trustees agreed to keep a recklessness standard in the ordinance, so that police could cite anyone operating any vehicle 'with a conscious disregard for the safety of others and/or the operator,'' by the Daily Herald's Christopher Placek. — Northwest Cook drivers among Illinois' best, Naperville drivers some of the worst, study says, by the Daily Herald's Jake Griffin Reader Digest We asked what food item should be added to the State Fair menu. Michael Churchill: 'Deep-dish pizza. Lou Malnati's or Uno's.' John Fritchey: 'The most on-brand menu addition would be deep-fried Tums because it would upset your stomach and make it better all at once.' Lucas Hawley: 'A Berliner-style kebab!' Bob Kieckhefer: 'Deep-fried butter. For all the things wrong with Texas, they get the State Fair right, including deep-fried butter.' Kevin Lampe: 'Salad.' Jim Lyons: 'Rainbow Cone's original cone.' Ed Mazur: 'Galaktoboureko, the traditional Greek custard baked between phyllo dough and drenched in syrup.' Kathy Posner: 'Gourmet Horseradish-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Illinois, after all, is the No. 1 producer of horseradish in the United States.' Timothy Thomas: 'Harold's Fried Chicken.' NEXT QUESTION: If you were in charge of the federal budget, what's the one area you'd cut back on? THE NATIONAL TAKE — Black leaders say Trump is going after blue cities for a reason, by POLITICO's Brakkton Booker — Trump wants to destroy the drug cartels. He may strengthen them instead, by POLITICO's Nahal Toosi — Chris Murphy goes all in on funding bill boycott as Dems seek bipartisanship, by POLITICO's Jennifer Scholtes EVENTS — Today: A 'Healthcare is a Human Right' Town Hall will be held in Rockford with state Sen. Steve Stadelman and state Rep. Maurice West, both Democrats. Details here — Today: Americans for Prosperity-Illinois is addressing government efficiency in a forum featuring elected officials, watchdogs, transparency advocates and others. Details here TRIVIA TUESDAY's ANSWER: Congrats to Mike Lieber for correctly answering that President Barack Obama liked his burgers with Grey Poupon, made by Chicago-based Kraft Heinz. TODAY's QUESTION: What Illinois river is named for a type of cricket? Email: skapos@ HAPPY BIRTHDAY Illinois Department of Insurance Director Ann Gillespie, former state Sen. Carole Pankau, SEIU Local 1 President Emeritus Tom Balanoff, LBH Chicago political fundraiser Liz Houlihan, attorney Tom Skallas, APS & Associates' EVP Rachel Hoge and comms expert Doug Rivlin -30-
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Lake Placid Dem announces candidacy for 115th district assembly seat
LAKE PLACID — A second Democratic candidate has announced their candidacy for the upcoming 115th assembly district special election. Bridie Farrell of Lake Placid announced her decision to seek the Democratic nomination Tuesday. 'Our economy isn't made of statistics or data. Our economy is made up of people — all of our people,' Farrell said in a press release. 'We are individual people with different priorities and needs. However, in union there is strength. In teamwork there is strength. In hard work there is strength. and together we will continue working towards a better North Country. I am committed to listening to our communities and making a meaningful impact by approaching each issue with creativity, empathy, focus, and tenacity.' The 115th district assembly seat is being vacated by long-time Assemblyman Billy Jones, the lone North Country Democratic state lawmaker who recently announced his decision to resign from office at the end of August. CANDIDATES Since then, Farrell is one of two Democrats to announce their candidacy. Michael Cashman, supervisor for the town of Plattsburgh, shared his intention to campaign for the Democratic nomination last week. On the Republican side, Andrea Dumas, village of Malone mayor and Franklin County Legislator, has received several endorsements from high-ranking Republicans to run but has yet to announce her official candidacy. As previously reported by the Press-Republican, there is no petition process for this election, according to David Souliere, Clinton County Republican Commissioner. Instead, it's a County Committee Chair nomination between the three chairs — Franklin, Clinton and Essex — on the Democratic and Republican side. Any nomination meeting cannot officially occur until Jones' vacancy, which is Aug. 31. FARRELL BACKGROUND The 115th Assembly District includes all of Clinton and Franklin Counties and part of Essex County, where Farrell resides. Farrell previously ran for Congress in NY-21 in 2022 before stepping aside when redistricting 'drastically reshaped the district,' her news release said. Her campaign plans to build on that experience. 'Assemblyman Billy Jones served the district for nine years and we will build on his success. We will ensure every community in this district has a seat at the table,' Farrell said. 'The North Country deserves leadership that listens to our families, neighbors, and communities. We need someone who isn't afraid to fight for what is right and always puts our district first.' Farrell was on the U.S. Short Track Speed Skating National Team and held three American Records. She celebrated her 16th birthday at her first of four Olympic Trials in the 1980 Miracle on Ice arena in Lake Placid. Her educational path took her from BOCES vocational school, where she earned her CCNA certification, to Adirondack Community College, and to the land-grant College of Human Ecology at Cornell University, where she studied public policy and healthcare economics. Farrell, an advocate on behalf of crime victims and survivors of abuse and exploitation, said she was also instrumental in the passage of New York's Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act. 'DESERVES A CHAMPION' 'Our community deserves a champion in the Assembly and beyond,' Farrell said. 'Neighbors, small business owners, and folks from every corner of our district and across New York are showing up because they believe we can get things done together.' According to Farrell's news release, her approach is 'straightforward: listen to people, then bring their voices to the table where decisions are made.' Farrell was later successful advancing comparable bills in Arizona, New Jersey, California and beyond, closing critical loopholes and promoting rights for victims of crime and abuse. 'Her experience pushing major legislation across the finish line in Albany, and around the country, stands out as an invaluable qualification in her bid for the state legislature,' the news release stated. 'The implications of this year's special election in the 115th District will extend beyond the state legislature as the future of New York's 21st Congressional District remains uncertain.' GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN Farrell's first days as a candidate for Assembly have already brought in over $50,000 in grassroots contributions — a sign, she says, of the energy and commitment of the community. Farrell's campaign will be centered around increasing access to quality healthcare, affordable housing, and reliable broadband, strengthening support for farmers and agriculture, and bolstering the regional economy by creating jobs, supporting unions, and improving wages and benefits for workers. 'Successful fundraising is necessary for the way our current campaign system works,' Farrell said. 'More importantly, the enthusiasm of support by people across the district is energizing, and I'm ready to build on this momentum.' The date of the upcoming special election has not yet been announced, but is expected to coincide with the General Election on Nov. 4. A tour of the district and a series of kitchen table conversations with Farrell are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Solve the daily Crossword
