Author: Joel Williams

  • Jeff Landry wins Louisiana gubernatorial election; state becoming Republican trifecta

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    Jeff Landry (R) won election as governor of Louisiana on Oct. 14, 2023. He won outright with 51.6% of the vote. Shawn Wilson (D) finished second with 25.9%. Gov. John Bel Edwards (D)—first elected in 2015 and re-elected in 2019—was term-limited. As a result of the party change, Louisiana will become a Republican trifecta.  Louisiana…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    Each week, we bring you a collection of the most viewed stories from The Daily Brew, condensed. Here are the top stories from the week of October 9-October 13. Hall Pass digs into the policy debates over the science of reading Throughout October, in our weekly education newsletter, Hall Pass, we’re diving deep into the…

  • This fall’s only state supreme court race

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    Welcome to the August 16, 2023, Brew.  Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: This fall’s only state supreme court race A look at the state of police-related ballot measures 93 candidates filed for congressional and statewide offices last week This fall’s only state supreme court race Daniel McCaffery (D) and…

  • 79% of South Dakota school districts canceled elections this year

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    Welcome to the August 15, 2023, Brew.  Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day: A look at school board elections in South Dakota A roundup of city council candidates’ answers to our candidate survey 79% of South Dakota school districts canceled elections this year In many states, elections are canceled outright…

  • Nashville mayoral election headed to a runoff

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    Freddie O’Connell and Alice Rolli advanced from a field of 12 candidates in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Nashville, Tennessee, on Aug. 3, 2023. The two will compete in a Sept. 14, 2023, runoff election. Although the election is officially nonpartisan, both candidates have political affiliations. O’Connell, who has represented District 19 on…

  • Trump holds the lead in Republican presidential primary polling averages and PredictIt market

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    As of July 18, 2023, former President Donald Trump (R) held the lead in both RealClearPolitics’ (RCP) Republican presidential primary polling average and PredictIt’s Republican presidential primary market. Trump’s polling average stood at 54%, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) at 20%. No other candidate had more than a 10% polling average. In PredictIt’s…

  • ICYMI: Top stories of the week

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    Each week, we bring you a collection of the most viewed stories from The Daily Brew, condensed. Here are the top stories from the week of July 3-7. One party controls the top state executive offices in 44 states—up from 30 in 2010 In 44 states, one party controls that state’s top executive offices—governor, attorney…

  • Number of one-party state governments at the highest point in at least three decades

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    There are 39 state government trifectas, more than twice as many as the 19 there were over 30 years ago in 1992. A state government trifecta is a term to describe a single-party government when one political party holds the governorship and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. While there are more total trifectas today…

  • U.S. Supreme Court overturns Alabama’s congressional maps in Allen v. Milligan decision

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    On June 8, 2023, the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Alabama’s congressional redistricting plan adopted in November 2021 and used in the state’s 2022 elections violated the Voting Rights Act and must be redrawn to include a second majority-Black district. In November 2021, a group of Alabama voters and organizations sued Secretary of…

  • Brandon Johnson wins runoff for mayor of Chicago

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    Brandon Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in the runoff election for mayor of Chicago, Illinois, on April 4, 2023. Johnson received 51.4% of the vote and Vallas received 48.6%. They advanced from a field of nine candidates in the Feb. 28 general election. Johnson was elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners as a Democrat…