North Carolina treasurer running for governor in 2024
March 25, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell announced on Saturday he will run for governor in 2024, a bid that will likely require him besting Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson to earn the Republican nomination.
Greene’s DC jail visit pulls GOP closer to Jan. 6 rioters
March 25, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene swept into the District of Columbia jail to check on conditions for the Jan.
Cooper vetoes bill eliminating pistol purchase permit system
March 24, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed Republican gun legislation Friday that would no longer require sheriff approval before someone can purchase a handgun, initiating his first showdown of the session with an increased — and nearly veto-proof — GOP majority.
Louisiana lawmaker rejoins Democratic Party ahead of session
March 24, 2023 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana state Rep. Mandie Landry rejoined the Louisiana Democratic Party Friday, after registering as a political independent last year to protest decisions made by the party’s leadership.
House GOP passes parents’ rights bill in clash over schools
March 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.
Evers’ budget for state building projects rejected, for now
March 24, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' $3.8 billion proposed spending on state building projects got the thumbs down from Republicans as expected on Thursday, sending the final decision on funding to the GOP-controlled Legislature's budget committee.
House GOP demands info from former prosecutors in Trump case
March 23, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Wednesday demanded testimony and documents from two former Manhattan prosecutors who had been leading a criminal investigation into Donald Trump before quitting last year in a clash over the direction of the probe.
Vote on Biden’s pick to run FAA delayed amid GOP opposition
March 22, 2023 GMTA vote on President Joe Biden's choice to run the Federal Aviation Administration was delayed indefinitely Wednesday in the face of an opposition blitz by Republicans, who say the nominee lacks enough experience in aviation to lead the agency, which is under pressure to stem a surge in dangerous close calls between planes.
Michigan GOP slammed for comparing gun reform to Holocaust
March 22, 2023 GMTLANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Republican Party has received backlash from political leaders on both sides of the aisle for posts on social media Wednesday that compared the Holocaust to gun safety measures being considered in the state.
Americans’ faith in banks low after failures: AP-NORC poll
March 22, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Only 10% of U.S. adults say they have high confidence in the nation’s banks and other financial institutions, a new poll finds. That's down from the 22% who said they had high confidence in 2020.
Wisconsin Legislature allows conversion therapy for patients
March 22, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Legislature took the final step needed Wednesday to stop Gov. Tony Evers' administration from enacting a ban on the discredited practice known as conversion therapy.
Presidential waiting game: GOP hopefuls hold off campaigns
March 22, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — They are meeting with campaign donors and giving frequent interviews on cable news. They’re delivering speeches in early voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire and hobnobbing with local Republican groups.
Pence seeks ‘common sense’ Social Security, Medicare reform
March 22, 2023 GMTAs he mulls a 2024 presidential bid, former Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday called for “common sense and compassionate solutions" to reform entitlement programs and the nation's debt burden, suggesting changes to Social Security and Medicare programs hurtling toward insolvency, particularly for younger generations, without naming specific recommendations.
Georgia senators send gender care restrictions to governor
March 21, 2023 GMTATLANTA (AP) — A bill banning most gender-affirming surgeries and hormone replacement therapies in Georgia for transgender people under 18 is headed to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk after senators gave it final passage on Tuesday.
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates clash over abortion, maps
March 21, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — The liberal candidate for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court didn't back down from her support for abortion rights or her belief that the state's Republican-drawn legislative maps are unfair during a debate Tuesday in which her GOP-backed opponent accused her of being “bought and paid for” by Democrats.
Missouri Senate endorses transgender health restrictions
March 21, 2023 GMTJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Senate advanced a pair of bills to prohibit gender-transitioning health care treatments for minors and restrict them from competing in sports, a hard-fought GOP win Tuesday following intense pressure from protesters to act.
Trump legal woes force another moment of choosing for GOP
March 21, 2023 GMTORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — From the moment he rode down the Trump Tower escalator to announce his first presidential campaign, a searing question has hung over the Republican Party: Is this the moment to break from Donald Trump?
House GOP demands info from NY prosecutor about Trump case
March 21, 2023 GMTORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — House Republicans rallied to the defense of former President Donald Trump before his possible indictment, demanding that the Manhattan district attorney who is investigating him turn over documents and come for an interview.
Biden issues first veto, taking on new Republican House
March 20, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden issued the first veto of his presidency Monday in an early sign of shifting White House relations with the new Congress since Republicans took control of the House in January — a move that serves as a prelude to bigger battles with GOP lawmakers on government spending and the nation's debt limit.
GOP donor faces trial on charges of sex trafficking minors
March 19, 2023 GMTMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A formerly well-connected Republican donor, accused of plying petite, vulnerable teenage girls with cash, liquor and gifts, goes on trial Tuesday on federal charges of sex trafficking minors.
Haley, Ramaswamy among those taking on ‘woke ideology’ in SC
March 18, 2023 GMTNORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Republicans who are seeking to lead their party in the 2024 presidential race gathered in South Carolina this weekend with a goal at the forefront of their agenda: taking on “woke ideology.”
Bank failures: Anger in Congress, but division on what to do
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks.
New Mexico passes bill to safeguard abortion providers
March 18, 2023 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico legislators raced against the clock Friday to advance hard-fought proposals aimed at safeguarding abortion access, delivering tax relief and reducing gun violence in the final hours of a 60-day legislative session.
Veto of Kansas bill on trans athletes sets up override fight
March 17, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas bill banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly for the third year in a row Friday, setting up a hotly contested fight in the Republican-controlled Legislature to override her.
Republicans gain supermajority in Louisiana House
March 17, 2023 GMTBATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Republicans now have a two-thirds supermajority in both the Louisiana House and Senate after the state’s longest serving legislator switched parties Friday, giving the GOP the power to override gubernatorial vetoes.
Wisconsin Republicans float bill to designate state rifle
March 16, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers began circulating a bill Thursday that would designate a lever-action rifle produced in northwestern Wisconsin as the state's official rifle.
Kansas anti-ESG push slowed by debate over private investors
March 16, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers pushing to prevent Kansas from investing its funds using socially and environmentally conscious principles disagree about also imposing rules for investment managers handling private funds, complicating their efforts to thwart what they see as “woke” investing.
N. Carolina House sends pistol permit bill to Cooper’s desk
March 15, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s House sent a sweeping firearms bill to the governor's desk on Wednesday that would discard a longstanding requirement that handgun buyers obtain a permit from their county sheriff.
Biden says he’s focused ‘intensely’ on lowering drug costs
March 15, 2023 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday said his administration was focused “intensely” on lowering health care costs and took aim at “MAGA” Republicans who he said are intent on dialing back Medicare coverage for millions of Americans.
How the last banking tumult fuels today’s populist politics
March 15, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Pence and Bernie Sanders are hardly political allies.
But in the aftermath of two large bank failures, the conservative former vice president and the democratic socialist senator are striking remarkably similar tones.
Trump allies file ethics complaint against Gov. DeSantis
March 15, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Allies of former President Donald Trump have filed a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics accusing Gov.
Electric car stores will be restricted in Mississippi
March 15, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill Tuesday restricting electric car manufacturers from selling vehicles in person unless they open franchised dealerships.
Defying calls from some fellow Republicans in the Legislature to veto the measure, Reeves enacted into law House Bill 401, introduced by Republican Rep.
Minnesota Senate backs free school meals for all students
March 14, 2023 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Lunches and breakfasts would be free to Minnesota students regardless of income under a bill that won approval in the state Senate on Tuesday.
Universal free school meals for all students have been a Democratic priority this session.
Wisconsin Assembly votes to mandate school officers
March 14, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Schools that experience a high number of crimes would have to hire police officers and station them in their buildings under a Republican-authored bill the state Assembly passed Tuesday.
Florida advances bills on gender identity, defamation
March 14, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Republicans on Tuesday advanced a proposal to ban classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity through the eighth grade, expanding the controversial law critics call "Don't Say Gay."
GOP lawmakers allow conversion therapy for LGBTQ patients
March 14, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans who control the Wisconsin Assembly voted Tuesday to continue allowing therapists and others to attempt to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
The discredited practice is known as conversion therapy, and Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have been trying to stop it from being banned.
North Carolina GOP again seeking to limit racial teachings
March 14, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A previously vetoed proposal advancing in the North Carolina House would restrict how teachers can discuss certain racial topics in the classroom amid a national GOP crusade against ideas they associate with “ critical race theory."
Biden budget vs. House GOP: Values on display in debt fight
March 10, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — For President Joe Biden, his federal budget is a statement of values — the dollars and cents of a governing philosophy that believes the wealthy and large corporations should pay more taxes to help stem deficits and lift Americans toward middle class stability.
Ex-Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan won’t challenge Trump in 2024
March 5, 2023 GMTANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Larry Hogan, the former Republican governor of Maryland who positioned himself as one of his party's fiercest critics of Donald Trump, said Sunday he will not challenge the ex-president for the GOP's White House nomination in 2024.
Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals
March 5, 2023 GMTOXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump cast himself Saturday as the only Republican candidate who can build on his White House legacy but shied away from directly critiquing his potential rivals, including Florida Gov.
Texas congressman who broke with GOP is censured
March 4, 2023 GMTAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas was censured Saturday in a rare move by his state party over votes that included supporting new gun safety laws after the Uvalde school shooting in his district.
Ohio derailment tests Sen. Brown’s push to buck Dem defeats
March 4, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Sherrod Brown has survived a decade of statewide Democratic losses in Ohio by building a reputation as the rare person in his party who can still connect with the white working-class voters who have increasingly shifted to Republicans.
Pompeo, Haley take veiled jabs at Trump in CPAC remarks
March 4, 2023 GMTOXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Two leading Republicans took veiled jabs at former President Donald Trump at an annual gathering of conservatives Friday, knocking “celebrity leaders” not in tune with reality while noting winnable elections that had been lost as they urged a party course correction ahead of the 2024 presidential contest.
Biden rallies Senate Democrats, endorses Republican measure
March 2, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden visited the Senate on Thursday to demonstrate unity among Democrats — but he ended up endorsing a Republican priority instead.
With Democrats acknowledging they cannot get much done in the closely divided Congress, Biden has pledged to try to find areas where the two parties can agree.
Complaint: Kansas agency probing GOP broke open meetings law
March 2, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two defense attorneys who've questioned the fairness of a yearlong investigation in Kansas into Republican campaign activities accused the state ethics commission Thursday of violating Kansas' open meetings law.
Tennessee GOP lawmaker apologizes over ‘hanging’ comment
March 2, 2023 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee Republican lawmaker on Thursday apologized after asking earlier this week if “hanging by a tree” could be added to the state's execution methods, a comment that has shocked Black lawmakers who point to the state's dark history of lynching.
McCarthy, GOP introduce measure to protect ‘parents’ rights’
March 2, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans pressed ahead Wednesday with one of the central planks of their midterm election campaign, introducing legislation to give parents more of a say in school curriculum.
Biden rallies Democrats as GOP pushes him toward 1st veto
March 2, 2023 GMTBALTIMORE (AP) — President Joe Biden implored House Democrats on Wednesday to go out and sell the accomplishments of the last two years to voters, rallying the lawmakers at a time when their party is confronting the limits of its power in a newly divided Washington.
Wisconsin Republicans push tighter budget, downplay surplus
March 1, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republican legislative leaders downplayed the state's record budget surplus Wednesday, even as Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has pushed for massive spending increases on K-12 education, tax cuts and funding for local governments.
Biden’s pick to lead FAA faces stormy confirmation hearing
March 1, 2023 GMTPresident Joe Biden's pick to run the Federal Aviation Administration finally got a hearing Wednesday on his nomination, with Democrats praising him as a skilled leader of large transportation bureaucracies while Republicans called him unqualified because of his relatively thin aviation experience.
Biden warns of ‘MAGA’ Republicans’ desire to cut spending
March 1, 2023 GMTVIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday said GOP lawmakers could put millions of people's health care at risk, honing his message ahead of the release of his budget plan next week as Republicans push for him to negotiate over spending levels.
Evers proposes $3.8 billion in state building projects
March 1, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday proposed spending $3.8 billion on building projects in 28 counties around the state, with nearly half directed toward work across the University of Wisconsin System.
N. Carolina House Republicans talk privately on abortion
February 28, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans met privately Tuesday to discuss where they stand on additional abortion restrictions, according to the chamber's top official.
But Speaker Tim Moore cautioned against expecting quick movement within the General Assembly among Republicans interested in narrowing further when abortions are permitted in the state.
Minnesota GOP minority lawmakers roll out $13B tax cut plan
February 28, 2023 GMTST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Leaders of the Republican minority at the Minnesota Legislature rolled out a $13 billion “Give It Back” plan Tuesday to tap most of the state’s $17.5 billion budget surplus for one-time and permanent tax cuts, including rebate checks and fully eliminating taxes on Social Security.
West Virginia House backs cap on deliberate intent damages
February 28, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Republicans in the West Virginia House passed a bill Tuesday that would cap some of the damages workers and their families can receive if their employer deliberately puts them in harm's way on the job.
Latino Republicans push back on party’s immigration agenda
February 28, 2023 GMTMIAMI (AP) — More than half of the residents in the slice of Miami that includes Little Havana were born abroad. And when Republican U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar ran for reelection last year, she won by 15 percentage points.
Biden to draw health care contrast with GOP in Virginia
February 24, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will aim to draw a contrast between his health care priorities and those of congressional Republicans at a Virginia event next week in advance of his 2024 budget proposals.
Conspiracies fuel GOP switch on Kansas’ ballot grace period
February 24, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' GOP-controlled Legislature showed Thursday that it's likely to pass a bill eliminating the three extra days state voters get to return mail-in ballots after an election, highlighting the influence election conspiracy theories still hold over Republicans' thinking.
White House urging higher fines for train safety violations
February 23, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is calling on congressional Republicans to increase the fines levied on rail companies for safety violations, as a fiery Feb.
Mississippi tax cut bills stall despite GOP leaders’ push
February 22, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Tax relief proposals favored by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves and Republican legislative leaders stalled Wednesday and appear to be dead for the entire election-year legislative session, despite the GOP holding a supermajority in the House and Senate.
Amid probe, Kansas lawmakers move to overhaul ethics agency
February 22, 2023 GMTTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' ethics commission has been investigating Republican campaign activities for at least a year, and the GOP-controlled Legislature is moving to reduce the agency's power and legalize practices apparently under scrutiny.
Border, Bidens, COVID: House GOP casts wide net in probes
February 21, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The security at the U.S. border with Mexico. The origins of COVID-19. The treatment of parents who protest “woke” school board policies.
Kari Lake looks to harness her movement after Arizona loss
February 21, 2023 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — Brett Foto and his fiancee were vacationing in Phoenix last fall when they heard about a rally nearby for Kari Lake, then running for governor of Arizona.
Rogue Republican makes bid for open Wisconsin Senate seat
February 18, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — A rogue Republican lawmaker who alienated her colleagues in the Wisconsin Assembly when she embraced debunked election fraud conspiracy theories is vying to win an open state Senate seat, a victory that would give the GOP a supermajority in the chamber.
Republicans to adopt loyalty pledge for debate participants
February 17, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP's ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.
Kentucky Senate lets teachers decide on transgender pronouns
February 16, 2023 GMTFRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate passed a bill Thursday allowing teachers to refuse to refer to transgender students by their preferred pronouns — a proposal that was touted as protecting free-speech rights in classrooms but denounced by a lawmaker whose transgender son died recently.
Evers pushing for tax cuts, new paid family leave program
February 16, 2023 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers made a plea for bipartisanship with the unveiling of a nearly $104 billion state budget Wednesday that includes a new paid family leave program for most public and private-sector workers, tax cuts for the middle class, a plan to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in their stadium until at least 2043 and higher spending for public schools.
GOP’s intraparty power battle roiling lawmaking in Ohio
February 14, 2023 GMTCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A battle for political control of the Ohio House has laid bare the risks the Republican Party faces as factions of its legislative supermajority square off more over tactics and the willingness to thwart long held institutional norms than policy.
GOP leaders start laying groundwork for more Ukraine aid
February 14, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Testimony on Russian war crimes. Monthly classified briefings. High-profile hearings, TV appearances and even op-eds in conservative media outlets.
Leading Republicans in Congress are not waiting for the next debate over assistance to Ukraine, instead launching an early and aggressive effort to make the case for why the U.S.
GOP launches probe into COVID origins with letter to Fauci
February 14, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are kicking off an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 by requesting documents and testimony for current and former Biden administration officials.
The Republican chairmen of the House Oversight Committee and the Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic are seeking information, including from Dr.
Who should lead? Democrats, Republicans struggle to decide
February 14, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — While President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, are preparing for a possible rematch in 2024, a new poll finds a notable lack of enthusiasm within the parties for either man as his party's leader and a clear opening for new standard-bearers.
North Carolina House GOP modifies rules on veto overrides
February 14, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina House Republicans are again proposing to modify their chamber's operating rules on veto overrides for the next two years, only now offering Democratic colleagues some broad limits on when they could be attempted.
Haley faces ‘high-wire act’ in 2024 bid against Trump
February 13, 2023 GMTCHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Few have navigated the turbulent politics of the Trump era like Nikki Haley.
In early 2016, the then-South Carolina governor said she was “embarrassed” by candidate Donald Trump and decried his reluctance to condemn white supremacists.
GOP election tactics no surprise to Wisconsin’s Black voters
February 12, 2023 GMTMILWAUKEE (AP) — Recent revelations about Republican election strategies targeting minority communities in Wisconsin's biggest city came as no surprise to many Black voters.
GOP opens ‘weaponization’ probe with sweeping claims of bias
February 10, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans launched the marquee investigation of their new majority Thursday with a brazen assertion that the federal government has been used against conservatives, drawing in current and former lawmakers to make a sprawling — and at times convoluted — case that national security officials, social media companies and the media have been conspiring against them.
GOP asks for records from Biden’s family on business deals
February 9, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans made the first official requests Thursday for documents from Hunter and James Biden regarding their foreign business dealings, further escalating a wide-ranging investigation into the president's family.
Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts
February 9, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — When President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security, the GOP howls of protest during his State of the Union address showcased a striking apparent turnaround for the party that built a brand for years trying to do just that.
Biden in State of Union exhorts Congress: ‘Finish the job’
February 8, 2023 GMTArkansas Gov. Sanders slams Biden for ‘woke fantasies’
February 8, 2023 GMTLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders painted a dystopian portrait of the country in her rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, leaning heavily into Republican culture war issues and accusing Biden of pursuing “woke fantasies.”
Virginia Senate Democrats reject 3 Youngkin appointees
February 8, 2023 GMTRICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Senate Democrats voted Tuesday to reject several appointees of GOP Gov. Glenn Youngkin, including the state health commissioner.
The chamber approved resolutions containing dozens of Youngkin appointees after the names of those to whom they objected — Health Commissioner Dr.