Year: 2025
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Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee holds confirmation hearing for Howard Lutnick for secretary of commerce
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee held a confirmation hearing for Howard Lutnick for secretary of commerce on Jan. 29, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Lutnick must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination can be…
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Senate Finance Committee holds confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of health and human services
The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for secretary of health and human services on Jan. 29, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on his nomination. Kennedy must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before his nomination…
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Democrats gain a seat in the Iowa Senate
On Jan. 28, Mike Zimmer (D) defeated Katie Whittington (R) in the special election for Iowa Senate District 35, 51.7% to 48.1%. The seat became vacant in November 2024 after Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) appointed Sen. Chris Cournoyer (R) to serve as lieutenant governor. The last time that the seat was up for election in…
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Lee Zeldin confirmed as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Lee Zeldin as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on Jan. 29, 2025. The Senate voted 56-42 in favor of his nomination with three Democrats and all 53 Republicans voting in favor. This was the seventh member of President Donald Trump’s (R) Cabinet confirmed in his second presidential term. …
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Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee holds confirmation hearing for Kelly Loeffler for administrator of the Small Business Administration
The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee held a confirmation hearing for Kelly Loeffler for administrator of the Small Business Administration on Jan. 29, 2025. At the time the hearing ended, the committee had not scheduled a meeting to vote on her nomination. Leoffler must receive a majority approval vote in the committee before her…
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What to know about the margins of victory in 2024 state legislative elections
Across all 5,807 state legislative seats up for election in 2024, the average margin of victory was 27.3%. An electoral margin of victory (MOV) is the difference between the share of votes cast for the winning candidate and the second-place candidate in an election. Only races with more than one candidate were included in this…
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Sean Duffy confirmed as secretary of transportation
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Sean Duffy as secretary of transportation on Jan. 28, 2025. The Senate voted 77-22 in favor of his nomination with 23 Democrats, one independent who caucuses with Democrats, and 53 Republicans voting in favor. This was the sixth member of President Donald Trump’s (R) Cabinet confirmed in his second…