Politics news summaries — Page 28
Essential facts and source links for recent politics stories.
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A poll finds more Republicans identify first with the GOP than Trump
A September 2026 Echelon Insights poll found 56% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents identify first with the GOP, versus 34% with Trump. In January 2025, 36% chose the party and 59% chose Trump; the question measured identity, not approval or vote intention. -
Appeals court puts Ohio citizenship-proof voter law back in force for now
In a 2-1 ruling, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily restored Ohio’s 2025 law requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote at state motor vehicle offices, pausing a lower-court block ahead of the November 3 midterms. -
CNN, MS NOW and Politico say reporters barred despite judge’s order
CNN, MS NOW and Politico said their journalists were denied White House entry Thursday, Sept. 24, despite a judge’s order to restore access. Politico said the Secret Service confiscated one reporter’s press pass; the outlets sought an emergency hearing. -
US Education Department pledges policies to protect female athletes
The U.S. Education Department pledged “common-sense” policies to protect female athletes, posting that “men do not belong” in women’s sports. The post followed a Fox News report about a transgender athlete in high-school volleyball; it announced no WNBA rule change. -
Trump and Xi open state visit with praise and pandas for Zoo Atlanta
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping opened Xi’s first U.S. state visit since 2015 with mutual praise: Trump called their relationship a “great friendship,” while Xi offered two giant pandas for Zoo Atlanta. They also began talks on trade, AI and national security. -
California enacts election laws on ballot seizures and arrests near polls
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed over a dozen election bills, making ballot seizures before certification a felony and banning police arrests within 200 feet of polling places on Election Day, except when a crime disrupts polling or targets a person or property. -
Obama says federal government has probably never been less corrupt
Former President Barack Obama said on his new podcast that the federal government is “so much less corrupt” than it has probably ever been, in terms of bribes, patronage and favors. He said reforms curbing political machines also made it harder to pass legislation. -
Marist survey finds Talarico and Hinojosa ahead in Texas races
A Marist poll finds Texas Democratic candidates James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa ahead of their Republican rivals before the November 2026 elections: Talarico drew 50% support to Ken Paxton’s 44%, while Hinojosa had 49% to Gov. Greg Abbott’s 46%. -
Blanche says Trump administration will appeal third-country deportation ruling
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Trump administration will immediately ask the US Supreme Court to intervene after a federal appeals court largely upheld a ruling that found its policy of deporting migrants to countries other than their own unlawful. -
Poll finds 17-point Democratic ballot lead among young men most determined to vote
A Cygnal poll conducted Sept. 15–18 found Democrats leading 57% to 40% on the generic congressional ballot among men ages 18–30 who said they were most determined to vote. Inflation and living costs topped their concerns. -
Germany wants EU procurement rules to include reciprocal trade partners
Germany wants the EU’s planned “Made with Europe” rules to let products from trade partners qualify for public contracts, provided those countries give EU companies reciprocal access. The proposal clashes with France’s push to favor European-made goods. -
Judge orders White House to return passes as Politico and MS NOW reporters are turned away
Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to immediately return press passes to Politico and MS NOW, but reporters from both outlets were turned away Thursday morning. It was unclear whether the denial defied the order or reflected a system delay. -
Democrats say oil and gas firms benefited after Trump’s $1 billion donation request
Sens. Chuck Schumer and Sheldon Whitehouse released a report saying oil and gas companies were rewarded with tax breaks, subsidies and environmental-rule rollbacks after Donald Trump asked energy companies for $1 billion in 2024 campaign donations. -
Iran's roadmap to end war echoes June deal on ceasefire and Hormuz reopening
Iran has presented the US with a roadmap to end the war that echoes the countries’ June agreement: a 60-day ceasefire, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and groundwork for further talks, The National reported. Donald Trump said US-Iran talks had momentum. -
Former classmates recall four future first and second ladies outshining husbands in law school
Former classmates and professors recalled Usha Vance, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and Marilyn Quayle as stronger law students than their future husbands. Political scientists cited sexism and a gender gap in ambition as barriers to women seeking office. -
NJ school health plan could be unavailable Jan. 1, 2027, without 34.4% hike
New Jersey's school employee health plan could be unavailable to districts starting Jan. 1, 2027, unless a state commission approves a 34.4% premium increase at its Monday vote. It covers 53,500 active school employees and roughly 114,000 retirees and their families. -
Netanyahu's UN visit expected to last under eight hours amid rocky U.S.-Israel ties
Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to spend under eight hours in New York for his UN address, then return to Israel. His office said he would meet nine world leaders but made no mention of U.S. meetings, amid rocky U.S.-Israeli ties and ahead of Israel's October 27 election. -
YouGov poll projects hung parliament with Labour on 241 seats
A YouGov projection gives Labour 241 seats in a general election, 162 fewer than its current total, pointing to a hung parliament; the Conservatives are forecast to win 130 and Reform UK 123. The government says it does not plan to call an early election. -
Jimmy Kimmel mocks Trump TV after reported audience falls almost 95%
Jimmy Kimmel mocked the White House’s 24/7 Trump TV YouTube livestream on Wednesday after figures reported by The Daily Beast showed its audience had fallen almost 95% in three days: from a Monday-night peak of about 8,500 to fewer than 500 live viewers by Wednesday morning. -
Tusk warns inviting Putin to G20 may encourage more Russian aggression in Ukraine
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said inviting Vladimir Putin to the December G20 meeting in Miami could encourage Russia to continue its aggression against Ukraine. He said he would support the invitation if it could bring a just peace. -
Alyssa Edwards urges Ken Paxton to focus on policy after campaign ad
Alyssa Edwards, whose TV and online clips Ken Paxton used in an ad calling her “sick and twisted” while attacking Senate rival James Talarico, responded in an open letter, saying Texas is big enough for all and urging the attorney general to focus on policy and leadership. -
AI is ‘crucial’ to warfare, EU defence chief says while praising Palantir
EU defence chief Andrius Kubilius called Palantir “a great company” and said AI for intelligence and data management is crucial to modern warfare. He stressed that Europe should develop its own capabilities in an interview in Brussels. -
US farm groups press Trump for firm Chinese crop-buying pledges
US farm groups are urging Donald Trump to seek firmer Chinese crop-buying pledges and an end to Beijing’s 10% retaliatory tariff on US farm goods at this week’s summit with Xi Jinping. Analysts expect the sides to reaffirm existing purchase targets, not sign new deals. -
US-Japan talks focus on Chinese yttrium bottlenecks before Trump-Xi summit
U.S. and Japanese government and company officials met Sept. 10 to discuss bottlenecks in Chinese yttrium supplies, a rare-earth metal used in aerospace and chipmaking, two weeks before a Trump-Xi summit. Reuters could not determine the meeting's outcome. -
White House urges faster checks of voter rolls from at least 47 states
An internal email shows the White House urged agencies to speed review of voter rolls DHS obtained from at least 47 states. DHS's search for potential noncitizen voters produced false-positive leads, including U.S. citizens; officials also struggled to meet targets. -
After Supreme Court ruling, GOP committees exceed old coordinated-spending caps by over $48 million
FEC disclosures show Republican party committees exceeded the former federal caps on coordinated campaign spending by more than $48 million in July and August, versus just under $4 million for Democrats, after the Supreme Court struck down the limits in June. -
GOP Senate hopefuls seek Iran war’s end as voters blame it for high gas prices
GOP Senate candidates Mike Rogers, Jon Husted and Ashley Hinson urge a swift end to the nearly seven-month Iran war as more voters blame it for high gas prices; a CNN poll found approval of Trump’s handling among Republicans fell from 73% in March to 60%. -
Beshear ramps up support for Zach Dembo’s bid to flip Kentucky’s 6th District House seat
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is campaigning and spending to help former aide Zach Dembo win the open 6th District House seat against Republican Ralph Alvarado, turning the Republican-friendly race into a test of Beshear’s political reach ahead of the midterms.
