Category: Federal

  • Republican party committees maintain lead over Democratic party committees in October

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    As of Oct. 31, 2025, the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $289 million and spent $264 million in the 2026 election cycle, while the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $319 million and spent…

  • Rep. Nydia Velázquez becomes the 37th U.S. House member who is not seeking re-election in 2026

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    Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) announced on Nov. 20, 2025, that she will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. On her retirement, Velázquez posted on X, “After much reflection, I have decided that this will be my last term in Congress. This was not an easy decision, but I believe that…

  • Trump weighs executive order to limit proxy advisors

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    The Trump administration is considering an executive order that would reduce the influence of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, the two largest proxy advisory firms in the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal. Officials are reviewing whether the firms exert too much control over how institutional investors vote on corporate matters.…

  • Republican AGs warn companies about European ESG compliance

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    A coalition of 16 Republican state attorneys general sent letters in October 2025 to corporate leaders at Microsoft, Google, and Meta alleging that compliance with the European Union’s sustainability directives could violate U.S. law. The officials cited the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), saying the measures would effectively…

  • Rep. Adelita Grijalva takes office—ending the second-longest U.S. House vacancy of the 119th Congress

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    On Nov. 12, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) swore Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) into the U.S. House of Representatives, filling the vacancy in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District. The vacancy began on March 13 due to the death of Grijalva’s father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.). In the Sept. 23 special election to fill the…

  • Rep. Jodey Arrington becomes the sixth member of Texas’ congressional delegation to announce their retirement

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    Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) announced on Nov. 11, 2025, that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. In a video announcing his retirement, Arrington said, “As much good as we’ve done together, there’s a time and season for everything. And this season is coming to a close. That’s why…

  • Forty-five members of Congress have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026—the most at this point since 2018

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    Forty-five members of Congress—37 representatives and eight senators—have announced they will not seek re-election in 2026. That’s the most retirement announcements at this point in an election cycle since 2018. Since our Oct. 20 update, six representatives have announced that they will not seek re-election to the U.S. House in 2026. Here are the six…

  • President Donald Trump (R) has issued 142 pardons in second term so far

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    As of Nov. 9, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) has issued a total of 142 pardons during his second term, which is one less than he issued throughout the entirety of his first term (143). Additionally, Trump has issued 28 commutations during his second term. See the chart below for executive clemency figures from 1902…

  • Senate confirms largest number of Trump judicial nominees of his second term

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    In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from Oct. 2 through Nov. 4. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS New vacancies There were 47 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy rate of 5.4%, which is…