Political developments with market and economic implications.
Coverage of political events, elections, legislation, and regulatory changes that influence markets and economic policy. Focuses on political risk, fiscal decisions, and policy uncertainty relevant to investors.
347 total articles
Voters in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas cast the initial ballots of the 2026 midterm primary season on March 3, producing contests that illuminate debates within both parties about strategy, loyalty and response to an emerging international crisis. In Texas, a closely watched Democratic Senate primary contrasted an outspoken anti-Trump figure …
John Cornyn and Ken Paxton will face off in a May 26 Republican runoff in Texas after neither candidate secured a majority in the party primary. Cornyn led a three-way field while U.S. Representative Wesley Hunt finished third. Allies of the senator poured more than $60 million into the contest to blunt Paxton's challenge. The primary dynamics - a …
On March 3, Gina Hinojosa, a long-serving member of the Texas House of Representatives and former chair of the Texas Democratic Party, won the Democratic primary for governor and will face incumbent Republican Greg Abbott in the November general election. Hinojosa, 52, first elected to the Texas House in 2016, entered the contest as the clear favor…
California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks has urged candidates seeking the party’s gubernatorial nomination to 'honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign,' citing concern that an overcrowded field could permit two Republicans to secure the top spots in the June 2 open primary and leave Democrats off the November ballot. Hick…
Michael Whatley, a close ally of former President Donald Trump and one-time Republican National Committee chair, won the Republican primary for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat, according to media reports. With more than 30% of the vote in a seven-candidate field, Whatley avoided a runoff and is set to face Democrat Roy Cooper, the state's fo…
Senior members of President Donald Trump’s national security team were due to brief the Senate and the House on U.S.-Israel military action against Iran, as some Democrats and a subset of Republicans pressed for more information and debated whether Congress must authorize further military operations or funding. Lawmakers signaled upcoming votes on …
Hillary Clinton told the House Oversight Committee during a closed-door deposition that she does not recall meeting Jeffrey Epstein and has no information about his criminal conduct. Speaking after a seven-hour session in Chappaqua, New York, Clinton said she never flew on Epstein’s plane or visited his properties. The hearing featured repeated lin…
Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, escalating global attention. Bank of America and Morgan Stanley analysts say Tehran's rhetoric has hardened, but they and other experts question whether Iran can sustain a full maritime blockade given depleted missile inventories, losses to its naval forces, and signs of compromised communications. Oil…
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is set to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee amid mounting criticism of the department's forceful immigration enforcement tactics, stalled funding, and reports of internal disorder. Democrats have linked new funding to changes in enforcement practices, and House Democrats launched an impeachment ef…
Texas voters will decide Democratic and Republican nominees on the first night of the midterm primary season in districts transformed by aggressive redistricting. Several incumbents have shifted plans or face intensified challenges after boundary changes, allegations, and high-profile endorsements. Outcomes in these six contests will influence whic…
Voters in Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas began the official midterm calendar on Tuesday, choosing nominees who will compete in November’s general election for control of the U.S. Congress. The early contests center on a high-profile and fractious Senate primary in Texas that underscores divisions within both parties, while new congressional map…
Republican lawmakers and administration officials told congressional leaders the attacks on Iran fell within presidential authority as commander in chief, citing what they described as an imminent threat following coordinated Israeli and U.S. strikes. Democrats countered that the administration has not justified sustained military action without ex…
President Donald Trump announced he will attend and deliver remarks at the White House Correspondents Association's annual dinner in April after declining to participate during his first term and last year. The invitation, extended by the association, designates him as the evening's honoree. The move ends a prolonged period of avoidance that reflec…
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted an emergency request that reinstated a federal judge’s order blocking California provisions that limit school staff from disclosing a pupil’s gender identity to parents without the student’s consent. The decision, which the court’s three liberal justices opposed, pauses state protections while litigation con…
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the reinstatement of the Staten Island-centered congressional map used by Republican U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis, after a New York judge ruled the district's configuration unlawfully diluted the voting power of Latino and Black residents. The move preserves the boundaries for now while appeals pro…
Republicans hold a slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives heading into the 2026 midterm elections. Over the coming months, voters will choose nominees in a range of primaries that could foreshadow the fall’s competitiveness and each party’s ideological direction. Several races feature incumbents facing high-profile or unconventional cha…
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a government appeal over a federal statute that prohibits firearm possession by unlawful users of controlled substances. The case stems from an indictment against Ali Hemani, who said he used marijuana regularly and was charged after an FBI search turned up a pistol, marijuana and cocaine. A federal appeals court di…
Senior White House aides privately warned President Trump that a major military strike on Iran could trigger an escalation difficult to control and imperil Republican prospects in the November midterm elections. The president moved forward with the operation, emphasizing decisive leadership. White House models and advisers now warn of a gradual pol…
With Republicans holding a 53-47 Senate majority and 35 seats up for election, Democrats face a steep path to regain control in the 2026 midterms. Nonpartisan analysts classify only two Republican-held seats as competitive, while Democrats are defending four such contests and must net four pickups to win a majority. Eight races across Texas, North …
An unprecedented wave of redistricting driven by former President Donald Trump and swift countermeasures by Democrats has produced widespread disruption across multiple states but, so far, little net change in the expected balance of power in the U.S. House. Court rulings, state-level political dynamics and pending legal challenges have combined to…
U.S. lawmakers from both parties say the administration has not presented a coherent post-strike plan for Iran after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed much of Iran’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While Republicans largely welcomed the operation and urged Iranians to determine their future, Democrats questioned wh…
A Reuters/Ipsos nationwide online poll conducted as U.S. strikes unfolded finds just 27% of Americans approve of the strikes that killed Iran’s leader, while 56% say President Donald Trump is too willing to use military force. The survey, with 1,282 respondents and a three-point margin of error, shows wide differences by party affiliation and a siz…
A U.S. military strike on Iran has drawn public criticism from several influential figures within the MAGA movement who warn it may damage Republican prospects in November’s midterm elections. While some conservative commentators and candidates condemned the action as inconsistent with Trump’s 2024 pledge to prioritize domestic issues, other high-p…
President Trump’s decision to launch wide-ranging strikes on Iran, coordinated with Israel, represents a major escalation in U.S. foreign policy and a clear demonstration of willingness to deploy large-scale military power. The operation, announced briefly on the president’s social platform and described by the Pentagon as "Operation Epic Fury," ab…
Scouting America and the U.S. Department of Defense have reached an agreement intended to preserve the long-standing relationship between the youth organization and the military. The deal, announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, calls for the organization to eliminate policies characterized as "DEI" preferences and to base membership on biolog…
