Bloomberg.com • 27th November 2024

Pam Bondi Has a Track Record of Putting Donors Above the Law

Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general and Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Justice, has what he likes in all his cabinet picks: a made-for-TV presence and a track record of fealty. And unlike Trump’s first pick — fellow Floridian flame-thrower Matt Gaetz — Bondi actually has some relevant experience. She was a prosecutor for 26 years, including eight years as state AG. Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general and Donald Trump’s pick to run the Department of Justice, h...

Bloomberg.com • 25th November 2024

The Looming GOP Divide Over School Vouchers

Republican donors extol school choice. But in many red counties, parents understand that their best bet is to keep funding flowing to public schools.

Seeking Rents • 22nd November 2024

Seeking Rents podcast: Why so many legislators don't care what you think

I enjoyed speaking with Jason Garcia about my findings with Carolyn Silverman on one-party states and what the implications are for voters.

Bloomberg.com • 13th November 2024

Rick Scott’s Myriad Failures Make Him Unfit to Lead the Senate

Florida Senator Rick Scott has emerged as the MAGA favorite in the race to succeed Mitch McConnell as majority leader. But anyone who looks at Scott’s record will conclude that President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters ought to be wary. Scott could do more harm to the Trump agenda than even Susie Wiles could handle.

Bloomberg.com • 7th November 2024

The Irony of Women Voting for Abortion Rights — and Trump

When it came to their ballot choices on Tuesday, many of the same women who voted to enshrine reproductive rights in their state constitutions also voted to return to the White House the man responsible for stripping them of that right, Donald Trump.

Bloomberg.com • 5th November 2024

Election Results Take Time. Be Patient.

Be patient as election results roll in Tuesday night. Ignore any premature claims of victory by candidates or media outlets. Whatever the count is by the early hours of Wednesday will probably not be the final one. The tally will change, and the counting will continue. And if the Electoral College numbers are close, the outcome of the presidential race might not be known for days.Trust me. I learned the importance of election night patience the hard way — along with most of America — during 36 d...

Bloomberg.com • 2nd November 2024

Don’t Let Trump Fool You. US Elections Are Fair and Secure.

Maricopa County Supervisor Bill Gates appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in 2021 and told lawmakers that “as a Republican who believes in democracy, I dreamed of one day going to a nation that was trying to build a democracy and help them out. I never could have imagined that I would be doing that work here in the United States of America.”Gates testified during a congressional review of Republicans’ unfounded claims of 2020 election fraud in Arizona and underscored the...

Bloomberg.com • 30th October 2024

Christians, You Can Stand Up to Trump

Vote to love your neighbor. That message on a lawn sign created by Dorothy Shank, a member of the Ridgeway Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, belongs to one of the most encouraging and under-appreciated movements to emerge this election season.Long before the dark, racist and vile rhetoric erupted from Donald Trump and his allies at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, “love your neighbor” had become the message of a growing group of Christians working to fight the Trump-embracing Christian...

Bloomberg.com • 30th October 2024

Christians, You Can Stand Up to Trump

Vote to love your neighbor. That message on a lawn sign created by Dorothy Shank, a member of the Ridgeway Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, belongs to one of the most encouraging and under-appreciated movements to emerge this election season. Long before the dark, racist and vile rhetoric erupted from Donald Trump and his allies at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, “love your neighbor” had become the message of a growing group of Christians working to fight the Trump-embracing Christian nationalism that is dividing their churches, and America.

Bloomberg.com • 25th October 2024

Why Do Some Black Voters Support Trump? It’s Complicated

A September poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found Vice President Kamala Harris was 10 percentage points behind President Joe Biden’s 2020 performance with the state’s largest and most reliable Democratic voting bloc — Black Georgians.The news was followed by handwringing among Democrats and chest-thumping by Republicans as national polls showed up to 6% more Black voters were willing to consider Trump this election. A September poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found Vice Pr...

Bloomberg.com • 25th October 2024

Why Do Some Black Voters Support Trump? It’s Complicated

A September poll from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found Vice President Kamala Harris was 10 percentage points behind President Joe Biden’s 2020 performance with the state’s largest and most reliable Democratic voting bloc — Black Georgians. The news was followed by handwringing among Democrats and chest-thumping by Republicans as national polls showed up to 6% more Black voters were willing to consider Trump this election.

Bloomberg.com • 22nd October 2024

This Is Why You Don’t Recognize Your State Government

Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world The most underappreciated story this election year is happening everywhere and yet is completely overshadowed...

Bloomberg.com • 22nd October 2024

This Is Why You Don’t Recognize Your State Government

The most under-appreciated story this election year is happening everywhere and yet is completely overshadowed by the race for the White House. No matter who wins the presidency, the nation is going in two different directions. That’s because more states have fallen under one-party control — either Republican or Democrat — than at any time in modern US history. A trove of legislative and electoral data reveals that when one party secures control, voters get ignored.

Bloomberg.com • 14th October 2024

Why Trump Is Winning With Some Georgia Immigrants

One of every four residents of Gwinnett County, Georgia, was born outside the United States. That’s nearly double the national average, and those numbers keep growing in this metro Atlanta area, which is home to a richly diverse community of Latin, Asian and European immigrants.It’s also a community that can’t be pigeonholed when it comes to politics in this critical swing state. One of every four residents of Gwinnett County, Georgia, was born outside the United States. That’s nearly double th...

Bloomberg.com • 14th October 2024

Why Trump Is Winning With Some Georgia Immigrants

Donald Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants “poisoning the blood of this country,” and his promises “to launch the largest deportation in the history of the country” have been ugly and vile. But many naturalized citizens I met in Gwinnett County, Georgia -- where one in four people was born outside the United States-- are voting for him anyway. Kamala Harris should be listening.

Bloomberg.com • 3rd October 2024

Don’t Let a Hurricane Take North Carolina’s Votes, Too

The North Carolina General Assembly spent the last four years passing laws that selectively suppress voter turnout. Encouraged by Donald Trump, who narrowly won the state in 2020, the Republican-controlled legislature imposed new photo ID requirements, shortened the time voters have to return mail-in ballots, weakened the authority of the state’s top elections official and added hurdles to voter registration.They needn’t have bothered. Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the western part of the st...

Bloomberg.com • 3rd October 2024

Don’t Let a Hurricane Take North Carolina’s Votes, Too

The North Carolina General Assembly spent the last four years passing laws that selectively suppress voter turnout encouraged by Donald Trump, who narrowly won the state in 2020. Now, Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the western part of the state is poised to keep thousands of people from the polls on Election Day unless legislators act.

Bloomberg.com • 27th September 2024

Brian Kemp Has Failed Georgia Voters

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has the power to stop the partisan and likely illegal new rules created by three Donald Trump allies on the State Election Board. But instead of using his authority to halt an election-year meltdown that could turn November into a nightmare, Kemp has allowed the threat to fester for months.Georgia law allows the governor to remove from office anyone who violates the state’s constitution, something Georgia’s attorney general believes the board has done. The law require...

Bloomberg.com • 27th September 2024

Brian Kemp Has Failed Georgia Voters

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has the power to stop the partisan and likely illegal new rules created by three Donald Trump allies on the State Election Board. But instead of using his authority to halt an election-year meltdown that could turn November into a nightmare, Kemp has allowed the threat to fester for months.

Bloomberg.com • 20th September 2024

Black Republican Who Called Himself a ‘Nazi’ Is Another MAGA Failure

Mark Robinson is the Republican nominee for North Carolina governor because the state’s Republicans haven’t learned the most obvious lessons. He won the nomination because Donald Trump endorsed him, and even though Robinson has turned out to be the toxic drag on the ticket that his primary opponents predicted, Republicans say they are sticking with him.CNN broke a story Thursday with yet another round of sordid details from the past of the misogynistic, porn-addicted lieutenant governor. Mark R...