October 2026
Justices wrestle with video privacy law from VHS era
The Supreme Court on Wednesday grappled with how far a law Congress passed to cover video rentals in the 1980s should stretch to cover the modern advertising-supported internet. The case turns on the justices’ interpretation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, first passed in 1988 and last amended in 2013, and the protection it is […]
Political ad rates case frozen through midterms
The Supreme Court in an unsigned decision Wednesday sided with Republicans in a dispute over expanding discounted television advertising rates beyond political candidates ahead of the midterms. The unsigned order from a majority of the court paused a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals from the 4th Circuit that could have allowed the courts […]
Social Security benefits set for a boost next year
Social Security benefits will increase by 3.6 percent in 2027, a jump from the 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment provided this year, the Social Security Administration announced Wednesday. Monthly benefits for nearly 72 million recipients are set to increase by an average of $75 for all retirees beginning in January, the agency said. Increased payments to […]
Omar home search raises fears about election season probes
A search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home has sent shockwaves through electoral politics weeks before the midterms, as experts said it appeared to flout longstanding norms meant to keep prosecutors out of elections. While the Minnesota Democrat herself has been on a glide path to reelection in a deep-blue district, some worry it could set […]
These states could elect their first female governors this year
Minnesota and Tennessee appear set for a political breakthrough this year, with each state poised to elect its first female governor. The major-party nominees in both states are women, and Congress could see two of its own take over those governorships with Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee favored to win […]
Democrat bets on anti-corruption pitch in Pennsylvania swing district
SCRANTON, Pa. — In this corner of northeastern Pennsylvania, the Democrat running for a battleground House seat sees parallels between her race and Donald Trump’s first election in 2016. Paige Cognetti, who has led Scranton as mayor since 2020, is challenging Republican freshman Rob Bresnahan Jr. in the 8th District, where she hopes to ride […]
Into the uncanny valley of ‘Musk’
Alex Gibney knows a thing or two about confidence men. The director has probed the hubris of Enron executives, the political grift of Jack Abramoff and the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes’ blood-testing company, to name a few. So where does Elon Musk fit into that Mount Rushmore of characters? “Let’s give him some […]
House’s most vulnerable Republicans haven’t deviated from Trump on 2026 votes
While polls show around 60 percent of Americans disapproving of Donald Trump’s job performance, House Republicans have remained steadfast in their support for the president in 2026, especially when it comes to floor votes. Continuing from their record level of support last year, Republicans in the House have, on average, taken Trump’s side 97 percent […]
Bipartisan chorus to Trump: Undo Russian diesel deal
A dozen senators from both parties bluntly told President Donald Trump in a letter Tuesday to reverse a deal he announced last week to allow U.S. purchases of Russian diesel fuel. The proposed waiver of U.S. energy sanctions on Russia would permit the purchase of several hundred thousand tons of the fuel from that country, beginning […]
Suddenly competitive Iowa now pivotal to midterm election
By Evyn Ableson, Lindsay Augustine, Sean Campbell, Benjamin Gamson, Leo Li, Lizzy Liautaud, Maybeline Tucker DAVENPORT, Iowa — In a critical visit to the heartland, Speaker Mike Johnson laid out the stakes clearly as he stood alongside Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, imploring Iowans to “defy history” and help him preserve the GOP majority. Turnout is […]