WASHINGTON — Four years after helping Democrats win both U.S. Senate seats in Georgia, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer went looking for a candidate who could expand the party's map. He found one in an unlikely place: Mississippi. Public prosecutor Scott Colom had seen his path to becoming the state's...
Five Things to Know About How Xavier Becerra Will Govern California
California Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra will take the reins during a delicate time for California. He faces the prospect of deeper federal healthcare cuts, skyrocketing wildfire costs and a persistent cost-of-living crisis. But many of the specifics of his policies are still unknown after he ran a quiet race as a...
No, the Media Calling an Election Doesn’t Mean Your Vote Stops Counting
Back in June, during California’s primary election, I wrote a column asking what I thought was a fairly straightforward question: Y’all understand that “calling” an election is a media thing, right? Judging by some of the reactions flying around social media on Election Night, apparently it is time to have...
Cantwell-Copher Holds the Edge Over O’Brien for Top Fresno Schools Post
With nearly 28% of ballots counted through Wednesday morning, incumbent Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Michelle Cantwell-Copher was fending off challenger Eimear O'Brien. Cantwell-Copher, who is vying for her second term, had 56.51% of the vote to 43.49% for O'Brien, a former Clovis Unified superintendent. Cantwell-Copher Emphasizes Progress to Voters...
When Fresno Progressives Look in the Mirror, Do They See Donald Trump?
When Fresno progressives look in the mirror, they might see Donald Trump grinning at them. Many of the local progressives running in this election cycle, along with their surrogates, have adopted Trump tactics. Among them: I'm the only one who can fix this, labeling rival candidates "losers," and playing the...
If the Polls Are Right, What Will Congress Look Like After Election Day?
If the polls are exactly right, the balance of power in Congress could look dramatically different after Tuesday's midterm elections. But that is a big "if." The final RealClearPolling averages heading into Election Day show Democrats with a substantial advantage nationally, while Democratic candidates lead in more than enough Republican-held...
Fresno State Rises in Rainy Challenge, Blows Up Oregon State
Fresno State already had been outplaying Oregon State before weather became a factor. Then it started raining. The few but faithful Red Wave fans who showed up for a late game on Halloween night busted out their ponchos. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, intensified their own type of downpour — generated through...
Fresno County Elections Sites Will Be Flooded With Poll Monitors
Tuesday's midterm election is one of the most contentious in recent memory as Republicans and Democrats battle furiously to control the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. That, along with the Trump administration's intense efforts to weed out voter fraud, will bring many poll monitors to sites across the United...
A New Crop of Progressives Could Reshape a Democratic Congress
WASHINGTON — The outlook was grim two years ago for Justice Democrats. The left-wing political organization, best known for powering Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s rise to Congress, backs primary challenges to moderate establishment Democrats in Congress to expand the ranks of progressives on Capitol Hill. But in 2024, its power appeared...
ICE Raids Spark Accusations of Voter Intimidation in Valadao’s Toss-Up District
BAKERSFIELD — Federal immigration agents have fanned out across California’s Central Valley in recent weeks, stirring fear in Latino communities and allegations of voter intimidation in a toss-up race that could help decide control of the US House of Representatives. The planned surge in California was announced to agents in...
