Category: Federal
-
Taylor, Knapp, Bhatti, Tull lead in pre-primary fundraising in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 1st Congressional District
Candidates running in the Democratic primary for Virginia's 1st Congressional District submitted pre-primary campaign finance reports on July 23 covering all fundraising through July 15. Four candidates reported cumulative fundraising totals exceeding $250,000: Shannon Taylor reported raising $2.14 million since launching her campaign, followed by Jason Knapp with $595,000, Salaam Bhatti with $299,000, and Melvin…
-
Rematch to take place in New York's 3rd Congressional District — one of 23 Democratic-held districts that President Donald Trump (R) won in 2024
Incumbent Rep. Tom Suozzi (D) and Michael LiPetri Jr. (R/Conservative Party) are running in the general election for New York's 3rd Congressional District on Nov. 3, 2026. This election is a rematch from 2024, when Suozzi defeated LiPetri 51.7% to 48.1% in the general election. This district is also one of 23 Democratic-held districts that President Donald Trump (R) won in the 2024 presidential election. Trump defeated Kamala…
-
Twenty-one states and D.C. have open availability of voter files
President Donald Trump (R) addressed the nation in a speech on July 16, 2026, during which he said that China gained illicit access to 220 million U.S. voter files, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and political party preferences. Each state is legally required to maintain voter files, or digital databases of information about registered voters.…
-
SEC chairman suggests no-action pause could continue
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Paul Atkins said the agency may continue suspending most no-action letters for shareholder proposal disputes beyond the current proxy season. Speaking on July 9 at the Society for Corporate Governance National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Atkins said the policy change caused fewer disruptions than many observers had predicted. Rule…
-
New EO on federal contracting
Executive Order Changes Federal Contracting Policy On April 30, 2026, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order which modified how the federal government structures government contracts. The order directed agencies to preferentially use fixed-price performance-based contracts rather than cost-reimbursement contracts. In a fixed-price contract, a contractor delivers goods or services to the government at…
-
Labor Department submits revised ESG rule to White House
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), part of the Department of Labor, submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) on June 30, 2026. The proposed rule would restrict plan fiduciaries from prioritizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) factors when selecting investments and exercising…
-
Federal district judges issue conflicting rulings on states' use of expanded SAVE system for voting purposes
Federal district judges in two jurisdictions have issued conflicting rulings in recent weeks on whether the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may give states access to an expanded version of the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system — which provides information about individuals' immigration and citizenship status — for voter registration and list maintenance…
-
Lindsey Graham's death will set off a special primary election for a Senate seat that's open for the second time since 1956
A special Republican Party primary is scheduled for August 11, 2026, in South Carolina to determine which Republican candidate will run in the state's general election on November 3, 2026. The special primary became necessary after incumbent Lindsey Graham (R), the Republican nominee selected at the June 9 primary, died on July 11, 2026. Graham…
-
Lindsay Graham is the fifth U.S. Senator to die during a re-election campaign since 1918
On July 11, 2026, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) died at the age of 71. He is the first U.S. Senator from South Carolina to die in office since Olin D. Johnston (D-S.C.) died on April 18, 1965. He is also the fourth member of the U.S. Senate since 2013 to die in office and the…
-
Trump White House has 411 employees, according to annual report
The White House released its annual report to Congress on personnel, which details White House staff members and their salaries, on July 1, 2026. The Trump White House includes 411 staff members, according to the report. Forty-six are detailees — staff temporarily assigned to the White House from another agency or department — including three…