Author: Mandy Matthews

This piece looks at Gov. Mikey Sherrill’s refusal to hand over records about the 6,600 noncitizens found on New Jersey’s voter rolls, the legal questions that raises, and the Republican concerns about transparency and election integrity. Gov. Mikey Sherrill says she won’t turn over to the DOJ records on the 6,600 noncitizens found on New Jersey’s voter rolls. That line has become the lightning rod for a wider debate about accountability and how state officials handle voter roll errors. Republicans are framing this as a stonewalling move that undermines confidence in the process. The number itself, 6,600, is the anchor…

Republican senators who give speeches about principle can still act like scorekeepers when it suits them, and those mixed messages matter for how voters see the party. There was a sharp moment of contradiction on display in recent confirmation fights that deserves a clear look. For all their hesitancy about confirming Blanche, Cornyn and Tillis had no issue backing partisan picks made by Democrat presidents. That sentence captures the central inconsistency that people noticed, and it is worth unpacking without theatrics. Voters pay attention to whether officials apply rules equally or pick and choose depending on party advantage. When top…

This piece looks at how policy choices and a clearer economic direction reshaped manufacturing incentives, drove investment decisions, and set the stage for more domestic production. ‘President Trump gave manufacturers the foundation, competitiveness and certainty to invest.’ That line captures the core claim driving this analysis: steady policy signals matter to executives choosing where to put capital. Investors and plant managers respond to tax policy, regulation, trade posture and energy costs, and those levers shifted in ways that favored U.S. industrial investment. The result was renewed attention on reshoring and capacity expansion across key sectors. Tax reform changed the math…

Fraud targeting taxpayers and the vulnerable demands firm accountability, smarter oversight, and policies that both punish bad actors and protect those who rely on public support. Committing fraud and stealing from taxpayers is bad enough, but it is especially egregious when it’s committed against our most vulnerable citizens When someone takes money meant for seniors, veterans, or families in need, it’s not just theft from the treasury, it’s a betrayal of trust. Republicans believe public funds should be safeguarded with vigor so benefits reach the people they were intended to help. That means stronger enforcement, clear consequences, and unambiguous accountability…

King Charles III made a theatrical entrance as he formally opened the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, emerging Thursday from the TARDIS of intergalactic adventurer “Doctor Who.” The moment was part pageant, part pop culture stunt, and it stretched the usual boundaries of a royal opening without changing the basic facts: the sovereign appeared, the ceremony proceeded, and the Games began. The choice of props and staging emphasized spectacle, leaning into recognizable British icons to grab attention and set a playful tone. For many in the stadium it was an unexpected mashup of ceremony and showmanship that set the night…

Sen. Mark Warner was corrected on national TV about Virginia’s voter ID rules, and that on-air stumble has become fodder for three Republican Senate challengers who are pressing the point about his credibility on election law and his opposition to the SAVE Act. Sen. Mark Warner went on ABC’s “This Week” to oppose the SAVE Act and, mid-argument, suggested Virginia requires photo ID to vote. He began to say, “in Virginia, we have voter ID and photo ID, I have to show my…” before ABC anchor Jon Karl interrupted him. Karl, a Virginia voter, cut in and corrected the senator…

The European Union has fined Google $1 billion, alleging the company violated digital antitrust rules tied to how it combined Google Play with its search engine, and regulators say the penalty reflects a broader push to curb dominant platform behavior. The European Union on Thursday hit Google with a fine of $1 billion after it said the technology behemoth broke digital antitrust regulations by setting up Google Play and its ubiquitous search engine. Regulators argue the arrangement steered consumers and developers toward Google-controlled services and bundled market power in ways that limited competition. Google responded by saying it disagrees with…

Steve Hilton has launched his general election campaign for California governor and is pitching a message aimed at persuading left-leaning voters by focusing on everyday issues rather than national partisan battles. Republican Steve Hilton launched his general election campaign for California governor Wednesday, stepping into a crowded political landscape with a clear strategy: target left-leaning voters on practical problems that matter to them. He is positioning himself as a pragmatic alternative who wants to break the usual partisan mold and appeal to voters frustrated with the status quo. The announcement sets up a general election fight centered on local concerns,…

President Trump will attend the dignified transfer at Dover after three U.S. service members were killed in Iranian strikes, and he has vowed Tehran will “pay many times over.” The White House confirmed the president’s plans Monday, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt posting the announcement on X after returning from maternity leave. Two of the three fallen troops have been publicly named: Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. Both were killed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, while a third service member, whose name has not…

Venezuela confirmed on Tuesday that three people died of infections of hantavirus, but stressed there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission in the South American country. Health officials in Venezuela have confirmed three fatalities linked to hantavirus infections, and they emphasized there is no current evidence of person-to-person spread. The cases prompted local investigations and public health notices aimed at clarifying how the infections occurred. Authorities are tracking contacts and environmental exposures while testing samples to confirm the viral strain involved. Hantaviruses are typically carried by rodents and are transmitted to humans through inhalation of dust contaminated with infected rodent…