Latest news with #SenateRepublicanCaucus
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Powerful Dahlonega state Sen. Steve Gooch jumps into 2026 Georgia lieutenant governor race
Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch and members of the Senate Republican Caucus at the state Capitol in February. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Georgia Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch is looking to become the state's next lieutenant governor. Gooch announced his campaign for the November, 2026 race with a press release Wednesday. 'I'm running for Lieutenant Governor because Georgia deserves bold leadership that will stand up to the insanity of the Democrat Party, protect our families from the invasion of criminal illegal aliens and keep our economy vibrant and strong,' he said in the release. 'I see a Georgia that is the gold standard for our great country — a state that leads the way in securing our borders, stopping violent crime, abolishing the state income tax and defending the values that make America great.' The Dahlonega Republican has served in the Senate since 2010 and was elected majority leader in 2022. He owns a private environmental services company in Dahlonega. The lieutenant governor is elected on a separate ticket from the governor and presides over the state Senate. In his announcement, Gooch calls himself a 'die-hard MAGA supporter,' a 'MAGA champion' and a 'consistent and vocal supporter of President Donald Trump' who is 'unapologetically pro-life, pro-Second Amendment and pro-school choice' and will 'proudly stand with President Trump and will continue fighting to restore the greatness of our country.' Earlier this year, Gooch was lead sponsor of a bill creating a Georgia license plate stamped with 'America First,' a slogan used by Trump. The bill was recently signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. The same American flag design on the license plate tops his campaign website and the letterhead for his press release. Gooch's only declared Democratic rival, Sandy Springs state Sen. Josh McLaurin, scoffed at the focus on the White House occupant. 'The Majority Leader appears to have made his MAGA license plate bill the centerpiece of his campaign launch. I think that choice makes the point about how the GOP primary is going to go: it's going to be about who can suck up the most to Trump,' he said. The GOP primary could be a crowded race, with several powerful Senate Republicans reportedly considering runs. Senate President Pro Tem John Kennedy of Macon, Sen. Blake Tillery of Vidalia and Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming are rumored to be on the list of potential candidates. Any candidate will likely face pressure to appear maximally conservative in a party primary likely to attract the most committed Republican voters. The current lieutenant governor, Jackson Republican Burt Jones, could run for re-election, but with Kemp approaching his term limit, Jones is widely expected to launch a campaign for governor. If he does, he'll join a slate of candidates that is likely to expand but for now includes Republican Attorney General Chris Carr and Atlanta Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican lawmakers mull proposal to reject new Oklahoma academic standards
State Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks with Sen. Dave Rader after a Senate Republican Caucus meeting at the state Capitol in Oklahoma City on Monday. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — After a private meeting with state Superintendent Ryan Walters, Republican lawmakers made no promises that a leading state senator's resolution would succeed in rejecting new academic standards proposed for social studies and science education. Senate Education Committee chairperson Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, filed the resolution Thursday afternoon after half of the Oklahoma State Board of Education said they weren't aware of changes made to the social studies standards before they approved them in February. Pugh declined to comment while exiting a closed-door Senate Republican Caucus meeting Monday. Walters joined the caucus meeting midway through. Afterward, he declined to share details of what he discussed but said he had a 'great conversation' and 'appreciated the invite.' Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said after the meeting the GOP majority is still discussing whether it will put Pugh's resolution up for a vote by the full Senate. In previous weeks, he said there hadn't been 'a whole lot of movement to reject those standards' among the caucus. Both the Senate and the House must agree on a resolution by Thursday to take any action on the standards. State law gives lawmakers 30 legislative days after receiving academic standards to consider them and vote. If the Legislature doesn't pass a resolution, the standards will take effect as written. Academic standards dictate the topics that public schools must teach to students. They are reviewed and updated every six years. Five House members signed on as co-authors of Pugh's resolution on Monday, including the chamber's No. 2 Republican leader, Speaker Pro Tem Anthony Moore, R-Clinton. The group of co-authors also includes Common Education Committee Chairperson Dick Lowe, R-Amber; the committee's Vice Chairperson Danny Sterling, R-Tecumseh; Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City; and Rep. Mike Osburn, R-Edmond, who is listed as the principal House author. Lowe said lawmakers are troubled by the review and approval process that took place with the state Board of Education, rather than about the contents of the standards. Many of the constituents living in their House districts are concerned, as well, he said. 'We see the process was probably not as transparent as we'd like to see in state government,' Lowe said. Pugh's resolution similarly notes that 'questions exist regarding the transparency of the subject matter standard adoption process.' Whether the House has the chance to vote on the resolution depends on the Senate passing it first. Lowe said it then would be 'a leadership decision' whether the resolution would get a hearing in the House. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, will comment on the resolution if it passes the Senate and comes over to his chamber, his spokesperson said. Gov. Kevin Stitt and one of his recent state Board of Education appointees, Ryan Deatherage, said they would like the Legislature to send the social studies standards back to the board for another vote. Stitt raised doubts about whether Walters' administration handled the process with the proper integrity. Walters denied the governor's claims that the Oklahoma State Department of Education emailed board members a different version of the proposed standards from what they ultimately approved. The Education Department provided email records indicating board members received a copy of the final draft at 4 p.m. the day before they met the following morning of Feb. 27 to vote on the standards. The board voted 5-1 to approve the standards and send them to the Legislature for final review. The only board member who voted against them, Deatherage, said he hadn't had enough time to read through the lengthy document. He and two other board members, Chris Van Denhende and Mike Tinney, said Thursday they weren't aware at the time of the vote of changes made from the original draft of the standards, which were posted publicly in December. Some of the changes include the addition of language stating there were 'discrepancies' in 2020 election results, including 'sudden halting of ballot-counting in select cities in key battleground states, sudden batch dumps, an unforeseen record number of voters and the unprecedented contradiction of 'bellwether county' trends.' Walters said he made the final decision to add the new language after his administration received public comment and input from focus groups. National conservative media personalities and Republican policy advocates made up the leading committee that reviewed the social studies standards. Pugh's resolution points out the short timeframe that the board had to review the updated version. It also noted that the governor and board members requested the standards be returned to the state Board of Education 'for proper review and consideration.' Given 'the magnitude of the decision' and the $33 million cost to implement the new standards, the resolution proposes the Legislature reject them in full for both social studies and science. House and Senate Democrats filed resolutions last month to reject the social studies standards. Last week, they again urged their Republican colleagues to take action before Walters' proposal becomes mandatory teaching in all public schools. Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, thought of how the new language would mix with the social studies homework her eighth grader brings home from public school. 'This week we talked about Brown v. Board of Education,' Kirt said during a news conference Wednesday. 'We talked about Plessy v. Ferguson. We're talking about very important concepts in history and social studies, and thinking about teachers having to try to present some of these (new) standards and my children trying to analyze them and understand the angle of them and to have critical thinking around them really deeply concerns me.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut officials react to death of Pope Francis
CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The Archdiocese of Hartford and officials across Connecticut react following the news of Pope Francis, who died at 88 on Monday morning. Pope Francis was history's first Latin American pontiff, known for his humble style. Bells tolled across Rome following the announcement, read by Cardinal Kevin Farrell from Francis' home at the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta. Farrell said Francis 'returned to the home of the Father' at 7:35 a.m. 'As we pray for all Christians at the moment of death, we offer the Chruch's prayer for God's servant Francis: Go forth, kind soul, from this world in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you, go forth, faithful friend. May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the Angels and Saints.' The Archdiocese of Hartford. Photos: Pope Francis through the years Gov. Ned Lamont said he joins Catholics across the world in mourning in a statement on X. 'Leading by his words and example, Pope Francis was one of the most inspiring Popes and spiritual leaders of my lifetime, at a time when we needed him most. He brought people together, teaching mercy, compassion and reconciliation. I join Catholics across the world in mourning,' Lamont said. Sen. Stephen Harding released a statement on behalf of the Senate Republican Caucus. 'Pope Francis's message and mission was based on compassion. Compassion for the less fortunate. Compassion among races and religions. He was loved by millions of people across the globe. We collectively remember that compassion and we mourn his passing,' Sen. Harding said in a written statement. A parishioner, Tom Hall, who regularly attends the catholic church in Waterbury, said he hopes things go back to traditional basics, like in the past. He also said he is happy Pope Francis is in a better place. 'In a polarized world, Pope Francis showed us the power of God's love. He was not shy about challenging powerful forces who harmed or demonized our fellow human beings. He spoke out against injustice and always lead with compassion and empathy. May he rest in eternal peace. Well done good and faithful servant,' Sen. Jorge Cabrera wrote. Tributes from around the globe pour in for Pope Francis after his death His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday, just a day before his death, to bless thousands at St. Peter's Square. Francis was the 266th pope introduced 12 years ago on March 13, 2023. The AP contributed to this post. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
18-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Minnesota Lawmaker Tried to Meet With Underage Prostitute, Police Say
A Republican state senator in Minnesota was arrested this week and accused of arranging to meet with an underage prostitute, the police said, making him the second lawmaker in the closely divided State Senate to now be facing felony charges. The Republican senator, Justin Eichorn, 40, had actually been talking to a detective from the Bloomington Police Department in Bloomington, Minn., who was posing as a 16-year-old when he arranged the meet-up on Monday, the police said. The authorities are recommending that he be charged with soliciting a prostitute under the age of 18, a felony that is punishable with up to five years in prison. Mr. Eichorn's office did not respond to a request for comment. The Senate Republican Caucus called on Mr. Eichorn to step down on Tuesday. 'We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation,' the caucus said in a statement. 'Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.' Mr. Eichorn, who was elected to the State Senate in 2016, represents a largely rural district in northern Minnesota. He is married and has four children, according to his campaign website. His name has been in the news in recent days because he is one of the sponsors of a state bill that would recognize 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' as a form of mental illness. The bill describes the syndrome as an 'acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump.' The bill has been broadly seen as an exercise in political theater and is highly unlikely to advance in the Senate, where Democrats have a one-seat majority. Mr. Eichorn is now the second Minnesota senator currently in office who is facing felony charges: Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat, is preparing to go to trial on burglary charges in the coming months. Ms. Mitchell, who has pleaded not guilty, was arrested last April after the police said she broke into her stepmother's home. The senator told investigators that she was trying to retrieve items of 'sentimental value' that had belonged to her father, according to the police. Republicans have called on Ms. Mitchell to resign since her arrest, but she has refused, arguing that she deserves her day in court and wishes to continue representing her constituents. Her fellow Democrats, eyeing their razor-thin majority, have largely accepted that decision. Minnesota Republicans showed less leniency toward Mr. Eichorn on Tuesday. 'Resign in disgrace,' Representative Elliott Engen, a House Republican, wrote on X in response to news of the arrest. 'Prosecute to the fullest. Throw away the key.' According to the Bloomington Police Department, Mr. Eichorn arrived in a pickup truck in a commercial district in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis, on Monday after discussing a sexual encounter with the undercover detective. The police said the lawmaker 'was arrested without incident' and transported to the local jail. Bloomington has promoted itself as an 'Orange Jumpsuit District,' intended to convey that it has zero tolerance for conduct that unfolds in sex work enclaves known as red-light districts. 'As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone's child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up,' the Bloomington police chief, Booker Hodges, said in a statement on Tuesday. After a person is arrested in Minnesota, the police present evidence to the local county attorney's office, which decides whether to formally issue charges. A public charging document had not been filed in the court system as of Tuesday afternoon.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Sen. Justin Eichorn arrested for allegedly soliciting prostitution with minor
Police arrested a northern Minnesota state senator in Bloomington Monday on suspicion of soliciting a teenage girl for sex. Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, thought he was meeting with a 16-year-old girl in the city who turned out to be a city police detective, according to a news release from the Bloomington Police Department. Eichorn, who arrived in his pickup truck in an area near 8300 Normandale Avenue, was arrested without incident, according to police. He was booked into the Bloomington Police Department jail and was expected to be rebooked in the Hennepin County Jail, the release said. The senator had not yet been formally charged as of Tuesday afternoon. Bloomington Police said a charge of soliciting someone under 18 to practice prostitution is pending against Eichorn. 'As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone's child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up,' said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, referring to his department's anti-crime initiative. Eichorn was elected in 2016 and is serving his third term as a state Senator for District 6. He lives in Grand Rapids with his wife and four children, according to his state Senate biography. Legislative Republicans called for Eichorn to leave office. 'We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation,' the Senate Republican Caucus said in a statement. 'Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.' 'Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign,' said House Speaker Lisa Demuth. 'While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.' Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, reacted to the arrest Tuesday afternoon. 'The felony allegation against Senator Eichorn is deeply disturbing, and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents,' she said. Politics | Minnesota Supreme Court tosses recall petitions against DFLers who boycotted session Politics | Rep. David Gottfried takes seat, returns Minnesota House to tie Politics | Letters: How 'bout you start with your own budgets, budget-cutters? Politics | Republican bill would classify 'Trump derangement' as mental illness in Minnesota Politics | As MN Legislature again weighs ending ban on new nuclear plants, Prairie Island tribe a key voice
