All Politics
First Look'This wasn't in anyone's budget': Pandemic warps election plansIn March, Congress sent $400 million to state election offices to help process absentee ballots and staff polling sites amid the pandemic. Analysts say they need $2 billion.
As recovery falters, can Washington reach a deal?Negotiations between the White House and House Democrats collapsed Friday. So far no new talks are scheduled, though both sides say they are willing.
First LookWhy doctors are handing out voter registration kitsHealth care workers and institutions nationwide are registering voters and supplying patients with emergency ballots as part of Civic Health Month. The pandemic has resulted registration rates down almost 70% in some states.
First LookNo ballots? Why some Puerto Ricans couldn't cast a primary vote.Puerto Rico partially delayed its Sunday primary elections after voting centers ran out of ballots. Incredulous voters and politicians are calling for answers from the election commission as the U.S. territory prepares to pick up voting on Aug. 16.
First LookCoronavirus relief: Can President Trump bypass Congress?President Trump asserted he can defer payroll taxes and extend $400 unemployment benefits. But top Democrats and some Republicans raised doubts.
First LookTrump signs orders aiding economy, asserting power to bypass CongressAfter talks with Congress stall, President Trump signs orders to restart emergency relief. Some question his authority to act unilaterally.
First Look'We seek to dissolve the NRA': NY attorney general sues NRAThe lawsuit against the NRA accuses the organization, as well as Wayne LaPierre, and three other current and former executives, of misspending and violation of state and federal laws. ”The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse,” Attorney General Letitia James said.
First LookBlack women run for office in historic numbersBlack women have long been a loyal voting bloc for Democrats, but haven't been well-represented in political positions. But in recent years, including 2020, Black women have been running in – and winning – local and state elections in historic numbers.
First LookSenate inches toward approving coronavirus reliefThe Senate is moving closer to a new coronavirus relief package, with both parties and the White House making concessions to move toward an agreement. Senators are hopeful the bill will be voted on next week.
Cover StoryHow Trump is moving heaven and earth to motivate evangelical votersGod is “on our side,” President Trump told Evangelicals. Their support is steadfast, but their numbers are shrinking as a share of the electorate.
First LookWhite House struggles with mixed messages on COVID-19As the virus cases grow, so has a chasm between the president and his public health experts, exposing the administration's challenge to find the balance between inspiring hope and diminishing fear against scientific facts.
Politics WatchWill Obama endorsements matter in November?Former President Obama is ramping up his 2020 engagement with down-ballot endorsements and more overtly political rhetoric in public. The Democrats are counting on him.
Rep. Karen Bass on women, politics, and this moment in historyThe head of the Congressional Black Caucus says she’s encouraged by the growing ranks of women in Congress. But the U.S. still has a way to go.
First LookSenate's new virus relief bill: Here's what they're deciding onThe Senate is slowly hammering out a new coronavirus relief package, and has agreed on loans for hard-hit businesses and $1,200 individual relief checks. But weekly jobless benefits, rent aid, and funding for state and local governments remain sticking points.
First LookDistrust haunts Black US voters: Go vote or use mail-in ballots?Many Black voters are concerned their mail-in ballots won't be counted, and plan to vote in-person on Election Day. Their fears are compounded by a history of being barred from the polls, and studies that show their mail-in votes are disproportionately rejected.
Cover Story19th Amendment: The six-week 'brawl' that won women the voteThe final ratification battle over women’s right to vote, in Tennessee, was deeply fraught – and it holds lessons for today.
FocusThe election is in 94 days. Will the results be seen as legitimate?A surge in mail-in voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic means results may not be known right away. Potential irregularities could further erode trust.
First LookPresidential election results could be delayed, but not by TrumpThere is no evidence to support mail-in voting as fraudulent, but Election Day results will likely be delayed because of the time required to count the votes. President Trump's suggestion of a delayed election was widely rejected by fellow Republicans.
How Portland protests became a campaign stage for TrumpPortland, Oregon, has been ground zero for a battle of perspectives, from the need for ‘law and order’ to signs of election-year calculations at work.
First LookNew chapter in DACA saga: US no longer accepts new applicationsAfter a monthlong silence, the Trump administration is firing back after its Supreme Court defeat on the DACA program: The U.S. will no longer accept new DACA applications. This year, 66,000 more children in the country would have been eligible to apply.
