from States Newsroom
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By Robin Opsahl |
As Republicans rallied at the 2026 Republican National Convention last week, President Donald Trump and other Republicans aimed to motivate voters to support GOP candidates in the midterms with both promises of financial incentives and warnings about what changes could come if Democrats gain control of Congress.
Trump, who headlined the first night of the RNC in Dallas, Texas, dangled a “Trump dividend” to voters if his party retains control of both congressional chambers. He said if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate, he would pay out $5,000 "to every adult."
Ultimately, Congress would need to appropriate the funds for Trump’s proposal. Critics said this dividend would hurt, not stimulate, the U.S. economy, with the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget releasing an analysis that said the “Trump Dividend” would “explode” the national deficit and worsen inflation.
When Vice President JD Vance took to the GOP convention stage, he repeatedly maligned Democrats as “crazies,” referencing some of the more controversial statements recent primary winners have made. And he urged the enthusiastic crowd to put aside policy differences with GOP candidates to keep “the party of common sense” in power. Vance’s speech served as a re-introduction ahead of a widely anticipated run for the party’s presidential nomination in 2028.
TOP IMPACT
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., amid fog on Dec. 10, 2024. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
By Jennifer Shutt | News from the States
Both chambers of Congress return to Capitol Hill this week for a brief session before heading back to the campaign trail until mid-November.
The House will be in for one week and the Senate for three, giving Republicans little time to enact any laws or confirm nominees before voters decide whether to give them another two years in power. Lawmakers have already agreed to fund the government through Dec. 11, pushing off any need to reach bipartisan agreement on the dozen annual appropriations bills or risk a government shutdown. But they haven’t reached compromise on several other measures and are unlikely to do so until at least the lame-duck session, which spans five weeks in November and December.
NYPD officers walk down a street in downtown Manhattan as part of the 25th anniversary of 9/11 memorial on Sept. 11, 2026. (Photo by Shalina Chatlani/ Stateline)
By Ashley Murray, Shalina Chatlani, Shauneen Miranda and Ariana Figueroa | News from the States
Powerful U.S. officials past and present faced families, survivors and first responders Friday at ceremonies to honor the 25th anniversary of the day 2,977 Americans died in terrorist attacks in Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania.
Speakers at all three Sept. 11 milestone anniversary events recounted stories of courage and loss as people found themselves in an unimaginable circumstance. Some also flared with frustration at what they say is a lack of justice for those who planned the attacks.
BIG PICTURE
A worker is pictured at the Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio. The Buckeye State’s automobile industry could be hit particularly hard by President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war with Canada. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS AND COURTS
USA: Trump’s Canadian trade war stirs up trouble for Republican candidates | Stateline
TX: At Dallas convention, Texas Republicans claim credit for tax cuts, blame Democrats for high prices | Texas Tribune
AL: Trump’s beef import plan draws criticism from Alabama organizations, politicians | Alabama Reflector
VA: Wittman, running again in VA-01, supports Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense spending budget | Virginia Mercury
MN: Minnesota healthcare providers detail harm to patients from Operation Metro Surge | Minnesota Reformer
USA: CDC program is still focusing on care for 9/11 responders, survivors 25 years later | Stateline
USA: How 9/11 changed the way America surveils its citizens | Stateline
FL: Florida’s leaders ‘honor and commemorate’ heroes of Sept. 11 attacks | Florida Phoenix
USA: Trump plan to limit mail voting hinders Democrats more than GOP, analysis finds | News from the States
CA: With mail-in rules uncertain, here’s how Californians can prepare to vote in November | CalMatters
TX: Texas Supreme Court blocks Galveston County from using districts redrawn after the primaries | Texas Tribune
WI: U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore visits Kansas ICE facility to check on Milwaukee women | Wisconsin Examiner
USA: Suit challenges Trump administration move to allow some ICE presence at polling places | News from the States
USA: Mixed-status immigrant households expected to lose benefits under new public charge rule | Stateline
NJ: Inside the network helping NJ immigrants during mass deportation effort | New Jersey Monitor
MI: DOJ blocked serious ICE shooting charge over federal prosecutor’s ‘strongest possible’ objections | Michigan Advance
FL: Increasing SNAP error rates could be good news for Florida (really) | Florida Phoenix
IN: Families lost weeks of food they couldn’t afford to replace. Then their SNAP claims were denied. | Indiana Capital Chronicle
OH: Nearly half of households using Ohio food banks have had to choose between paying for rent or food | Ohio Capital Journal
GA: Is Jackson’s ‘Intelligent Medicaid Expansion’ weak tea – or a revolutionary fix? | Georgia Recorder
USA: Misinformation, hesitancy could blunt impact of new cancer vaccines | Stateline
CAMPAIGNS, VOTING AND ELECTION LAW
MO: Missouri GOP still see path for gerrymandered congressional map. Legal experts see little hope. | Missouri Independent
OR: Oregon officials urge use of ballot boxes while defending mail voting | Oregon Capital Chronicle
SD: Q&A: South Dakota’s next attorney general aims to undo criminal justice reforms, just not right away | South Dakota Searchlight
TX: GOP to open first-ever midterm convention in Dallas as Texas’ U.S. Senate race hangs in the balance | Texas Tribune
AZ: ‘We can’t just be anti-Trumpers’: Gallego pitches education vision for Democratic majority | Arizona Mirror
NV: CD2 race is more intriguing than it usually is. How much more competitive remains to be seen. | Nevada Current
WA: Coming in November: A big election for WA’s Supreme Court | Washington State Standard
ID: Idaho election officials worry about mail-in ballot changes proposed by Trump administration | Idaho Capital Sun
AR: Democrats see rare signs of hope in solidly red Arkansas’ midterms | Arkansas Advocate
AL: At Anniston town hall, Doug Jones fields variety of questions from 300 attendees | Alabama Reflector
SD: South Dakota governor, challenger both slam Trump on beef imports but clash on other debate topics | South Dakota Searchlight
RI: Nearly 1 in 5 Providence poll workers called out sick or did not show | Rhode Island Current
MI: Citizens-only voting petition sponsors look to 2028 after initiative fails before state canvassers | Michigan Advance
NH: Shaheen defeats Sullivan to win Democratic nomination in 1st Congressional District | New Hampshire Bulletin
RI: Foulkes wins Democratic gubernatorial primary, marking historic loss for McKee | Rhode Island Current
NE: Supreme Court sets Sept. 30 arguments over validity of K-12, collegiate sports ballot measure | Nebraska Examiner
MO: Trump, Kehoe post first negative approval ratings in new Missouri poll | Missouri Independent
IN: Secretary of state candidate Ballard calls for increased Indiana poll worker training | Indiana Capital Chronicle
FL: Angie Nixon says there are ‘$10 million reasons’ to oppose Ashley Moody | Florida Phoenix
NE: Pillen faces blowback on Nebraska immigration stance, releases ‘Pillen Playbook 2.0’ platform | Nebraska Examiner
ME: Dunlap proposes four debates against LePage | Maine Morning Star
AK: National group files federal complaint against US Senate candidate Dan J. Sullivan | Alaska Beacon
MI: Michigan rabbis push El-Sayed to change rhetoric on Israel, ensure safety of Jewish community | Michigan Advance
AL: At Anniston town hall, Doug Jones fields variety of questions from 300 attendees | Alabama Reflector
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