Each week, The Weekly Brew brings you a collection of the most viewed stories from The Daily Brew, condensed. Here are the top stories from the week of August 10 - August 14.
State lawmakers enacted 37 bills on ballot measures and direct democracy through mid-2026
States have enacted 37 bills and resolutions this year concerning the three powers of direct democracy — the ballot initiative, referendum, and recall election.
With most legislative sessions adjourned for the year, that's fewer than last year's record high of 78 bills and below the annual average of 41 from 2018 through 2025. At the same time, legislators have introduced 370 bills on the topic, tying with 2021 for the third-highest number since 2018.
Voters in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado, will decide on foie gras ban ballot initiatives in November
On Nov. 3, voters in Washington, D.C., and Denver, Colorado, will decide on ballot initiatives on the force-feeding of birds and the sale of foie gras.
Foie gras means “fatty liver” in French. The USDA defines goose- and duck-liver foie gras as liver “obtained exclusively from specially fed and fattened geese and ducks.”
Pro-Animal D.C. and Pro-Animal Colorado, the campaigns supporting the two initiatives, are regional chapters of the same national organization, Pro-Animal Future.
On Aug. 5, the D.C. Board of Elections verified signatures for Initiative 86, which would prohibit the force-feeding of birds to enlarge their livers and ban the commercial sale, distribution, and importation of foie gras and other fattened bird liver products in Washington, D.C.
On Dec. 23, 2025, the Denver Elections Division determined a similar initiative had enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot. It would prohibit the force-feeding of birds to enlarge their livers and ban the commercial sale, distribution, importation, transportation, and receipt of products derived from force-fed birds, including foie gras, in Denver.
Maryland Democrats put measure on 2026 ballot making it the fourth state to take action towards redistricting ahead of 2028
On Aug. 4, the Democratic-controlled Maryland General Assembly voted to put a measure on the 2026 ballot that makes Maryland the fourth state to take steps towards redistricting ahead of the 2028 elections.
The measure would provide that the state constitution's requirements around contiguity, compactness, substantially equal population, and consideration of natural and political subdivision boundaries apply only to state legislative districts, not congressional ones. It would also state that, “Nothing … in this constitution … provides applicable criteria for the boundaries of a congressional districting plan.”
The proposed amendment would not affect the 2026 elections, but would allow the General Assembly to implement a new map in 2027. Democratic lawmakers have called the measure the first step to allowing the General Assembly to pass new maps in the future and said that concerns over redistricting will grow leading up to 2028.
Rep. John Larson becomes the ninth U.S. House incumbent to lose a primary this year to a non-incumbent
Incumbent Rep. John Larson (D) became the ninth member of the U.S. House of Representatives to lose a primary election this year to a non-incumbent.
As a result, this year has the second-highest number of U.S. House members who have lost primary elections to non-incumbents since at least 2014.
Luke Bronin defeated Larson and two other candidates in the Democratic primary for Connecticut's 1st Congressional District. Bronin won 53.5% of the vote to second-place finisher Larson's 34.7%. This primary was also the first time that an incumbent member of Connecticut’s U.S. House delegation ran in a contested primary since 2014.