Cuomo Takes Brunt of Attacks in Heated N.Y.C. Mayoral Debate
In the final debate of the Democratic primary for New York City mayor on Thursday, the leading candidates clashed over policing, the war in Gaza and how to best fight President Trump. The debate repeatedly devolved into bitter personal attacks.
Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, 67, who leads in most polls, sought to blunt Zohran Mamdani’s surging campaign early in the night by calling the 33-year-old assemblyman woefully unprepared for City Hall. “To put a person in this seat at this time with no experience is reckless and dangerous,” he said.
Democrats reclaim the American flag
Democrats’ newest approach to win back voters is a fresh embrace of the nation’s oldest symbol.
Two days ahead of Flag Day, when President Donald Trump’s military parade will run through the streets of Washington, Democratic Reps. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) fanned out Thursday afternoon to give a gift to their colleagues to unite them.
It was a 4-inch-by-6-inch American flag, which they passed out at almost the exact moment, unbeknownst to them, that Sen. Alex Padilla was getting forcibly removed and handcuffed at a Homeland Security press conference in Los Angeles — an act House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries would later call “unpatriotic.”
www.politico.com/...
Democrat steps forward in race for Kansas governor, focuses on schools and ‘kitchen table’ issues
TOPEKA — Kansas Sen. Cindy Holscher says she will seek the Democratic nomination for governor to try to protect public schools and shield the state from a potential double dose of “slash and burn policies” ignited by Republicans at federal and state levels.
Holscher, from Overland Park, planned to announce her candidacy Thursday, becoming the first well-known Democrat to enter the race. A slate of Republicans have already announced their intentions to replace Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who is serving her second term.
kansasreflector.com/...
New Jersey’s first female governor, Christine Todd Whitman, wants Democrat Mikie Sherrill to be the next one
Christine Todd Whitman, the former Republican New Jersey governor, said Wednesday that she is pulling for U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee in the race to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy.
Whitman, who broke ground as a Republican, running the state from 1994 to 2001, now cochairs the Forward Party, a new national political party, with former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang. She has described it as a party for the “politically homeless,” particularly formoderate Republicans who feel alienated by President Donald Trump.
substack.com/...
Former Rep. Chris Collins, who pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges, hopes to return to Congress
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Former U.S. Representative Chris Collins, a Republican who represented New York’s 27th Congressional District before resigning in disgrace on the day he pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges, now hopes to return to Congress.
He’s officially running in Florida’s 19th Congressional District, which includes the Naples area in Southwest Florida, he told Joe Beamer on WBEN Wednesday morning.
www.wkbw.com/...
Miracle Jenkins enters primary for Illinois’ 9th District, aims to make life ‘easier’ for working Americans
Miracle Jenkins, who grew up in Evanston, officially announced Wednesday his bid for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District in the 2026 primary.
Jenkins’ platform aims to promote livable wages, expand healthcare for all and support union workers, according to his campaign website.
evanstonroundtable.com/...
Akron’s 13th Congressional District likely to see Sykes-Coughlin rematch
It’s looking increasingly likely that voters in Akron and the surrounding area will see a rematch of the 2024 congressional election next year.
Republican Kevin Coughlin, who narrowly lost last year in his challenge of Democratic U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, is well on his way to consolidating support from his potential future colleagues. He’s now landed endorsements from all 10 Ohio Republican congressmen and Ohio’s two U.S. Senators, Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno.
signalohio.org/...
How Democrats could see blue in Green’s seat
Republican Rep. Mark Green’s surprise resignation announcement tees up another barometric test for Democrats as they look to put a check on President Trump and flip the House in the midterms.
Green announced this week that he will resign after the House vote on the Senate’s version of the budget-reconciliation bill, expected in early July. The vacancy will lead to a special election in the Middle Tennessee seat. Despite partisan headwinds—President Trump carried the 7th District by 20 points—the race could play into Democrats’ hands in the right conditions.
www.nationaljournal.com/...
Jeffries all but dares Texas GOP to redraw district lines: ‘Careful what you wish for’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) sees a potential path to a Democratic majority in an unlikely place: deep-red Texas.
The White House is reportedly pressing Texas Republicans to redraw the lines for U.S. House districts to help Republicans keep hold of their razor-thin majority in next year’s midterm elections.
thehill.com/...
Dems struggle with economy messaging, poll finds
Democrats are missing an opportunity to take advantage of President Donald Trump’s weaknesses on the economy, according to the center-left think tank Third Way.
A new memo from the group argues that Democrats need to lean into the fight over fiscal responsibility by painting Republicans as irresponsible on the economy and the national debt.
www.semafor.com/…
www.thirdway.org/...
Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Anti-Voting Decree, Says it Would Likely Disenfranchise Voters
A federal judge halted provisions in President Donald Trump’s anti-voting executive order issued earlier this year, saying that the 19 states challenging the order have shown a “substantial risk” that it would disenfranchise eligible voters.
District Judge Denise Casper, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, ruled that two key provisions in the order — Trump’s attempts to require proof of citizenship on a federal registration form and to prevent states from counting mail ballots received after Election Day — would unduly burden states.
www.democracydocket.com/...
Mamdani and Lander Will Cross-Endorse Each Other in N.Y.C. Mayor’s Race
Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander, the leading progressive candidates in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, will cross-endorse each other on Friday, creating a late-stage partnership designed to help one of them surpass former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in ranked-choice balloting.
The candidates, who are second and third in the polls behind Mr. Cuomo, will encourage their supporters to rank them in the top two spots on their ballots. The city’s ranked-choice voting systemallows primary voters to list up to five candidates in order of preference.
www.nytimes.com/...
The 40 Elections to Watch This June
New Jersey, New York, and Virginia—three populous states that are electing hundreds of state and local officials this year—are holding their primaries over a busy 15-day period in June.
In the highest-profile elections, Democrats are choosing their nominees to replace New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Further down the ballot, progressives are hoping to leave a mark in New York City’s council races and New Jersey’s legislative races. In Virginia, both major parties already know their nominees for governor, but Democrats will select other statewide candidates.
boltsmag.org/...
Bloomberg Gives $5 Million to Pro-Cuomo Super PAC as Primary Nears
Three days after endorsing Andrew M. Cuomo for mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg put his money where his mouth is.
On Friday, Mr. Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor, gave $5 million to Fix the City, a super PAC that is supporting Mr. Cuomo’s bid for mayor. That brings the PAC’s haul to roughly $20 million. Even before this donation, it was the biggest super PAC in New York City history.
www.nytimes.com/...
