Katie Britt and Roger Wicker introduce resolution to designate August as National Catfish Month
U.S. Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville recently joined Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and 10 colleagues in introducing a resolution to designate August 2023 as National Catfish Month. This resolution recognizes the importance of the U.S. catfish to our economy and praises catfish farmers and industry workers for their contributions. “Nearly 33% of all catfish produced in the United States comes from right here in sweet home Alabama,” said Sen. Britt. “Catfish is a vital part of our state’s economy, and I will always support our hardworking farmers and processors. I’m proud to join my colleagues in bringing forward this resolution to recognize the catfish industry’s contributions to our state and country.” “Mississippi is recognized across the country for our farm-raised catfish production, which helps provide American families with a fresh, local, and delicious source of fish,” Wicker said. “Designating the month of August as National Catfish Month would recognize catfish producers for their work to support this industry that contributes almost $2 billion to our national economy.” Sens. Britt, Tuberville, and Wicker were joined on the resolution by Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi). The full text of the resolution states: “Whereas the Catfish Institute recognizes August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas recognize August to be National Catfish Month; Whereas the States of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee embody the Channel Catfish as their State Fish; Whereas the farm-raised catfish industry in the United States employs over 9,000 people and contributes almost $2,000,000,000 to the economy of the United States; Whereas the United States has 55,855 surface water acres used for catfish production in 2023, and catfish growers in the United States had $447,039,000 in sales during 2022; Whereas the average catfish farmer produces 6,800 pounds of catfish per acre; Whereas 99 percent of all United States farm-raised catfish are grown in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Texas; Whereas catfish is the largest farm-raised seafood product, by weight, in the United States, representing more than 50 percent of the food fish produced by the United States aquaculture industry; Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are consistently high quality and, unlike ocean-caught fish, are available all year long; Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are a sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood product; Whereas catfish is a lean fish and an excellent source of protein; and Whereas catfish is a versatile fish in cuisine of the United States, with a myriad of regional and national recipes to be enjoyed by all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) designates August 2023 as ‘‘National Catfish Month’’; (2) recognizes the contributions of all workers, past and present, that produce, process, and provide catfish for the people of the United States; and (3) recognizes that purchasing United States farm-raised catfish supports farmers, jobs, and the economy of the United States.” Over the last 25 years, American catfish farmers have faced increasing pressures from foreign competitors as imports of foreign catfish and catfish-like products have increased exponentially in the U.S. Katie Britt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Tommy Tuberville introduces farm legislation
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) introduced two pieces of legislation—the Farm Board Act and the Mid-South Oilseed Double Cropping Study Act of 2023—to improve opportunities and representation for Alabama’s agriculture community. “Agriculture is the foundation of our economy,” Sen. Tuberville said. “That’s why I am proud to work on a bipartisan basis with Senators Warnock and Welch to introduce the Farm Board Act, legislation that will work to ensure our livestock producers have a seat at the table on the FCIC Board. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to unveil more risk management tools to help our cattle and livestock producers in Alabama, and we want the Board to reflect their needs. I am also proud to stand united with my fellow Senators from Alabama and Tennessee to advocate for a new revenue opportunity for our farmers in the Southeast to produce canola and rapeseed. With the growing demand for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels, our producers will have enhanced opportunities to use productive acres during the winter months to earn a paycheck; now we just need the data to address the crop insurance gaps.” The Farm Board Act is led by Senators Tuberville, Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), and Peter Welch (D-Vermont). The legislation would change the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation’s (FCIC) ten-member Board of Directors. The FCIC is a government-owned corporation that finances the federal crop insurance program’s (FCIP’s) operations. Crop insurance is vitally important to farmers, especially with high input costs. Presently there are four seats for agricultural producers on the board, one of which must be a specialty crop producer. This bill designates two of the remaining three open seats for farmers on the FCIC Board and then leaves the final seat open. The changes would not immediately affect the current structure of the board as this legislation would apply to appointments to the Board for a period of service beginning October 1, 2024, or later. “The members of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors should reflect the farmers who their policies impact,” said Sen. Warnock. “The FCIC plays a crucial role in ensuring farmers aren’t financially ruined by a poor season or a natural disaster. I’m proud to partner with Senator Tuberville on this effort to ensure livestock and underserved producers have a seat at the FCIC Board’s table—this representation will be a net positive for Georgia farmers and families.” Jimmy Parnell is the President of the Alabama Farmers Federation. “As the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and RMA continue to introduce more risk management tools for livestock producers, it is important to have farmers on the board who produce both row crops and livestock to offer their perspective,” said President Parnell. “We appreciate Senator Tuberville’s continued support of agriculture and particularly the livestock sector,” the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association said in a statement. “Changes to risk management programs have allowed increased access for cattlemen to utilize these tools effectively, so representation on this board is greatly appreciated.” The Mid-South Oilseed Double Cropping Study Act of 2023 is led by Senators Tommy Tuberville, Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee). The legislation would request a study from the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) on the gap in crop insurance coverage for certain winter oilseed crops, specifically canola and rapeseed, and double cropping policies. For farmers to take advantage of opportunities in renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel, they need the assurance that crop insurance—such as Catastrophic Risk Protection, Yield Protection, Revenue Protection, or Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion—will be eligible in their counties for these crops and practices. To address crop insurance gaps that may exist, RMA and FCIC need analysis of winter oilseed crop and double-cropping production practices and opportunities. The diversification of our energy markets is dependent on adding new, cost-effective, and sustainable options is necessary. As a result, the agriculture industry has the opportunity not only to feed the world but also to fuel the world. There is a growing demand for renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which can be met with the increased production of oilseed crops like canola and rapeseed crops. Tommy Tuberville was elected to the United States Senate in 2020 and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and HELP Committees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Sen. Katie Britt supports bipartisan bills capping insulin prices
U.S. Senator Katie Britt announced that she is cosponsoring two pieces of bipartisan legislation to help all Alabamians access insulin. This includes the Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023, which would cap the price of insulin for all patients, including those who are uninsured, at $35 for a 30-day supply. “For many, insulin is essential for their long-term health and survival. Alabamians should not have to make the unthinkable choice about whether to purchase life-saving insulin or another basic necessity like food simply due to the drug’s prohibitive cost,” said Sen. Britt. “Additionally, these pieces of legislation would help support our healthcare system by increasing access to insulin for diabetic Alabamians, keeping them healthy so they do not require more costly treatments and extensive medical care down the road. I’ll continue to fight to ensure that every Alabamian, no matter their zip code, can live the American Dream.” The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia). “I’ve long been focused on strengthening access to affordable health care and lowering costs for Georgians, and that’s why I am proud to lead the effort in the Senate to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin,” Sen. Warnock said. “Georgians should never have to choose between paying for life’s basic essentials or life-preserving medicines.” The Affordable Insulin Now Act would cap out-of-pocket costs of insulin products at $35 per month for people with private health plans and Medicare Part D plans, including Medicare Advantage drug plans. For commercial plans, this applies to one of each dosage form (ie. vial, pump, inhaler) of each different type of insulin (rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, long-acting, ultra-long-acting, and premixed). For Medicare plans, this applies to all covered insulin products, and copays are capped at $35 for all preferred and nonpreferred products included on plan formularies. Require private group or individual plans to cover one of each insulin dosage form (i.e. vial, pen) and insulin type (i.e. rapid-acting, short-acting, intermediate-acting, and long-acting) for no more than $35 per month. The legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a program to reimburse qualifying entities for covering any costs that exceed $35 for providing a 30-day supply of insulin to uninsured patients. “We need to stop nibbling around the edges,” Sen. Kennedy said. “We need to be smart enough to figure this out. And the cost? I think it can be done for $250 million a year, and I’m not talking about taking out a reverse mortgage on Alaska and borrowing more money. I’m talking about finding it in our budget. The federal budget is 6,000 billion dollars every year—and we can’t find $250 million to cap the price of insulin? Let’s do it right.” Sen. Britt says that she is bringing awareness to the devastating impact of diabetes across Alabama and fighting to ensure that all Alabamians are able to access the life-saving benefits of affordable insulin. Senator Britt this week discussed the topics during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Appropriations with medical experts and youth diabetes advocates. Dr. Griffin Rogers is the Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. During the questioning of Rogers, Senator Britt noted the high rate of diabetes among Alabamians. Approximately 568,000 people in Alabama, or almost 12% of the state’s population, have been diagnosed with diabetes. In Alabama, direct medical expenses total an estimated $4.2 billion a year for those who are diagnosed with diabetes. Sen. Britt has also signed on as a co-sponsor of the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act of 2023, which would comprehensively address the skyrocketing costs of insulin, removing barriers to care and making it more accessible for millions more Americans. This bipartisan legislation was introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). The INSULIN Act of 2023 would limit out-of-pocket costs for patients with diabetes by ensuring that group and individual market health plans must waive any deductible and limit cost-sharing to no more than $35 or 25% of the list price per month for at least one insulin of each type and dosage form. Additionally, the legislation forbids pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) would be prohibited from placing utilization management tools – prior authorization, step therapy, etc. – on products with capped out-of-pocket costs. Mandate PBMs pass through 100% of insulin rebates and other discounts received from manufacturers to plan sponsors, reducing perverse incentives in the insulin market that encourage high list prices and helping patients in the form of reduced premiums. It also promotes generic and biosimilar competition to lower costs to patients by creating a new expedited FDA approval pathway for biologic drugs lacking adequate biosimilar competition, similar to FDA’s current Competitive Generic Therapies pathway. This will improve the timeliness of resolving regulatory barriers slowing down market entry of lower-cost products; ensuring adequate oversight of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) citizen petition process, easing approval of generic and biosimilar drugs; allowing Medicare Part D plans to place biosimilar drugs on formulary immediately after entering the market, identical to other generic drugs; and, requiring a report to Congress on issues and market dynamics delaying or restricting biosimilar insulin competition. The Cardinal Institute opposes price caps on insulin. They argue that there is a growing idea that the government should create ceilings for drug pricing, manufacturing, and marketing, but that fundamental economics teaches that such restrictions fail to create an ethical, accessible healthcare system. The Cardinal Institute argues that when governments create price limits on goods and services, they always initiate scarcity. When supply is low, and demand is high, prices rise, or, in this case, where businesses are constrained, profits must be funneled away from research and innovation. They claim that numerous economic studies indicate price caps reduce the number of new drugs being brought into the market. Thus, temporary relief creates disastrous long-term effects. Katie Britt was elected to her first term in the U.S. Senate in 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment,
Barry Moore and Jasmine Crockett introduce legislation to protect against feral hogs
Last week, Congressman Barry Moore introduced legislation to combat the growing feral swine problem. Hogs are not native to North America and have no natural predators in the wild here. H.R. 3984, the bipartisan, bicameral Feral Swine Eradication Act, was co-authored by U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30). “Feral swine have caused millions of dollars in damage on agricultural operations across Alabama and can undo years of hard work on Alabama’s farms, ranches, and forests toward feeding our country,” said Moore. “I am standing with Alabama farmers to take action against this threat by authorizing an eradication pilot program with proven results, with changes to make it better.” “My constituents in TX-30 are still seeing painfully high prices at the grocery store. Fruits and vegetables are missing from the shelves. As with so many things we’ve experienced over the last three years, the issue is the supply chain – and in Texas, our supply chain is getting ravaged by the scourge of feral hogs,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett. “As a top 5 agriculture exporting state, any disruptions to Texas farms have significant ripple effects across the country. Feral Hogs are an invasive species, and they destroy billions of dollars of crops. This cuts food out of the supply chain and increases costs consumers pay at the grocery store. I am introducing this bill to bring food prices under control and protect rural communities.” This legislation extends the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP). Feral swine are consistently detrimental to farmers, ranchers, and foresters’ operations, causing $1.5 billion in damages every year while preying on native ground-nesting birds like quail and turkeys as well as native reptiles and other animals. Where the FSCP pilot program has been implemented, it has shown great success in reducing these damages through trapping, removing and monitoring, and assessing the lands on which feral swine frequently reside. This legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate as S.613. The Senate version of this legislation is sponsored by Senators Tommy Tuberville, Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). “Feral swine are a serious threat to the livelihoods of Alabama’s farmers. Feral hogs destroy crops, land, and undo months, if not years, of work by our farmers to feed our country,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Over the past five years, feral swine have impacted more than 173,000 acres in Alabama. Yet, the pigs are still running rampant throughout the South. And so today, I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.” The legislation has been endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation. “Feral swine continue to be a plague on farms all over Alabama, causing both economic and ecological damage,” said Jimmy Parnell, president, and CEO of the Alabama Farmers Federation. “We appreciate Coach Tuberville’s efforts to make permanent a pilot program that has yielded good results in Alabama and other states. While progress has been made there is still work to be done, and this bill will allow USDA to continue and expand upon the work done thus far.” Barry Moore is in his second term representing Alabama’s Second Congressional District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Katie Britt and Senate colleagues introduce a bipartisan bill to cut compensations from failed bank executives
U.S. Senator Katie Britt on Friday joined Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in introducing the Failed Bank Executives Clawback Act. This legislation would enable federal regulators to claw back compensation from bank executives who are responsible for the reckless decisions that resulted in their institution’s failures. “When executives drive financial institutions into failure with reckless business practices, they shouldn’t be allowed to use their golden parachutes to escape responsibility while their customers, their employees, and hardworking American families are left footing the bill for the failure of their bank,” said Sen. Britt. “This commonsense legislation will dissuade risky bank mismanagement and ensure that bad actors are held accountable.” “The executives responsible for running their banks into the ground are sitting on millions of dollars in compensation and bonuses. Meanwhile, the American people are bearing the financial burden for their excessive risk-taking and gross mismanagement,” said Sen. Vance. “This legislation would right that wrong and ensure that failed bank executives are held accountable for the collapse of their institutions – not the American taxpayer.” “Nearly three months after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, a bipartisan group of Senators is demonstrating a serious commitment to pass legislation requiring financial regulators to claw back pay from executives when they implode their bank,” said Sen. Warren. “Congress must answer the President’s call for stronger laws to hold failed bank executives accountable, and I’m determined to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee to deliver change.” The bill would expand the existing authority of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to claw back the compensation of bank executives when they are found to have substantially contributed to the collapse of a financial institution by engaging in reckless business practices. Any funding that is clawed back will be directed to the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund. This legislation was introduced in light of the recent collapses of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) in California and Signature Bank in New York. Sponsors claim that considering the cost of the institutions’ collapse to the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund and impact to the broader banking sector, this legislation is needed to deter future bad actors. Sen. Britt questioned former SVB CEO Greg Becker at a recent Banking Committee hearing, demanding answers about his responsibility in the bank’s collapse and his plans to give back the $1.5 million bonus he received. “If the team would have known it was going to be the fastest rate in history, I believe they would have considered different decisions,” Becker testified. “Senator, I was the CEO of Silicon Valley Bank. I take responsibility for what ultimately happened.” Co-sponsors of the bill also include U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), Mark Warner (D-Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri.), and Mike Braun (R-Indiana). To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Joe Biden announces 2024 reelection bid: ‘Let’s finish this job’
President Joe Biden on Tuesday formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” and extend the run of America’s oldest president for another four years. Biden, who would be 86 at the end of a second term, is betting his first-term legislative achievements and more than 50 years of experience in Washington will count for more than concerns over his age. He faces a smooth path to winning his party’s nomination, with no serious Democratic challengers. But he’s still set for a hard-fought struggle to retain the presidency in a bitterly divided nation. In his first public appearance Tuesday since the announcement, Biden offered a preview of how he plans to navigate the dual roles of president and presidential candidate, using a speech to building trades union members to highlight his accomplishments and undercut his GOP rivals, while showing voters he remained focused on his day job. Greeted with chants of “Let’s Go Joe” from a raucous crowd of building trades union members — a key base of Democratic support — Biden showcased the tens of thousands of construction jobs being created since he took office that are supported by legislation he signed into law. “We — you and I — together, we’re turning things around, and we’re doing it in a big way,” Biden said. “It’s time to finish the job. Finish the job.” Biden’s campaign announcement, in a three-minute video, comes on the four-year anniversary of when he declared for the White House in 2019, promising to heal the “soul of the nation” amid the turbulent presidency of Donald Trump — a goal that has remained elusive. “I said we are in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said. “The question we are facing is whether in the years ahead we have more freedom or less freedom. More rights or fewer.” While the prospect of seeking reelection has been a given for most modern presidents, that’s not always been the case for Biden. A notable swath of Democratic voters has indicated they would prefer he not run, in part because of his age. Biden has called those concerns “totally legitimate,” but he did not address the issue head-on in his launch video. Yet few things have unified Democratic voters like the prospect of Trump returning to power. And Biden’s political standing within his party stabilized after Democrats notched a stronger-than-expected performance in last year’s midterm elections. The president is set to run again on the same themes that buoyed his party last fall, particularly on preserving access to abortion. “Freedom. Personal freedom is fundamental to who we are as Americans. There’s nothing more important. Nothing more sacred,” Biden said in the launch video, depicting Republican extremists as trying to roll back access to abortion, cut Social Security, limit voting rights, and ban books they disagree with. “Around the country, MAGA extremists are lining up to take those bedrock freedoms away.” As the contours of the campaign begin to take shape, Biden plans to run on his record. He spent his first two years as president combating the coronavirus pandemic and pushing through major bills such as the bipartisan infrastructure package and legislation to promote high-tech manufacturing and climate measures. The president also has multiple policy goals and unmet promises from his first campaign that he’s asking voters to give him another chance to fulfill. “Let’s finish this job. I know we can,” Biden said in the video, repeating a mantra he said a dozen times during his State of the Union address in February. Vice President Kamala Harris, who was featured prominently alongside Biden in the video, held a political rally at Howard University in Washington on Tuesday evening in support of abortion access, kicking off her own efforts to support the reelection effort. Saying she’s “proud to run for reelection with President Joe Biden,” Harris added, “Our hard-won freedoms are under attack. And this is a moment for us to stand and fight.” In the video, Biden speaks over brief clips and photographs of key moments in his presidency, snapshots of diverse Americans, and flashes of outspoken Republican foes, including Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. He exhorts supporters that “this is our moment” to “defend democracy. Stand up for our personal freedoms. Stand up for the right to vote and our civil rights.” Biden also plans to point to his work over the past two years shoring up American alliances, leading a global coalition to support Ukraine’s defenses against Russia’s invasion and returning the U.S. to the Paris climate accord. But public support in the U.S. for Ukraine has softened in recent months, and some voters question the tens of billions of dollars in military and economic assistance flowing to Kyiv. The president also faces lingering criticism over his administration’s chaotic 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of war, which undercut the image of competence he aimed to portray, and he’s the target of GOP attacks over his immigration and economic policies. As a candidate in 2020, Biden pitched voters on his familiarity with the halls of power in Washington and his relationships around the world. But even back then, he was acutely aware of voters’ concerns about his age. “Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else,” Biden said in March 2020, as he campaigned in Michigan with younger Democrats, including Harris, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.” Three years later, the president now 80, Biden allies say his time in office has demonstrated that he saw himself as more of a transformational than a transitional leader. Still, many Democrats would prefer that Biden didn’t run again. A recent poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows just 47% of Democrats say they want him to seek a second term, up from 37% in February. And Biden’s verbal — and occasional physical — stumbles have become fodder for critics trying to
Raphael Warnock defeats Herschel Walker in Georgia Senate race
In a highly watched and competitive race for U.S. Senate in Georgia, Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican retired football player Herschel Walker. The re-election of Warnock means that every incumbent Senator who ran in 2022 was re-elected. Democrats increased their majority in the Senate from 50 to 50, with the Vice President breaking the tie in favor of Democrats to a 51 to 49 Democratic edge. These numbers include two independents who caucus with the Democrats. Democrats picked up an open Senate seat in Pennsylvania, where incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey did not run for re-election in part due to a public feud with former President Donald Trump. With 98.67% of the vote in, Warnock had 1,817,465 votes (51.38% of the vote), and Herschel Walker had 1,719,868 votes (48.62% of the vote). Republicans did generally well in Georgia in statewide races. Still, the power of incumbency combined with a very negative campaign with many personal attacks was too much for Walker to overcome. In the Governor’s race last month, Republican incumbent Brian Kemp had 2,110,328 votes (53.43%) to Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams’ 1,811,471 (45.86%). Warnock, when all the final votes eventually come in, will beat Abrams’s totals by just a few thousand votes; but Walker, however, is trailing Kemp by nearly 400,000 votes. Walker’s underperformance compared to other high-profile Republicans on the statewide ballot in Georgia can be partially attributed to the many allegations levied against Walker. These include questions about his residency (he has a home in Dallas) and allegations that he (a pro-life candidate) paid for a former girlfriend’s abortion. There were additional allegations by a former girlfriend that he abused her, and many of his children claimed he was not a good father. There were also concerns that he lacked the political experience and intellect to serve effectively in the Senate. Democrats also outspent Republicans in Georgia, particularly in the last month of the race. Warnock, the Senior Pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, had his own allegations, including that he tried to run over his ex-wife (he did run over her foot), as well as questions about how a pastor can be pro-abortion, but Warnock ultimately prevailed. This is the second time in two years that Warnock has won a closely contested U.S. Senate race in Georgia. Warnock beat incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler in the 2020 Senate race. The race has implications for the 2024 Presidential election. Former President Trump is a close friend of Walker’s. Walker played for him at the failed USFL’s New Jersey Generals in the 1980s and was Trump’s endorsed candidate in the Republican primary. Trump held several rallies in Georgia before the general election for Walker, while former President Barack Obama campaigned for Warnock. President Joe Biden avoided campaigning heavily in Georgia as there were concerns that a heavy Biden presence might get out the vote for Republicans, who otherwise did not enthusiastically embrace Walker. Trump also alienated many Georgia Republicans by endorsing Kemp’s primary opponent. The Alabama Republican Party was heavily involved in the Georgia Senate race, with the Mighty Alabama Strike Force making several trips to Georgia to campaign for Walker. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Supreme Court weighs ‘most important case’ on democracy
The Supreme Court is about to confront a new elections case, a Republican-led challenge asking the justices for a novel ruling that could significantly increase the power of state lawmakers over elections for Congress and the presidency. The court is set to hear arguments Wednesday in a case from North Carolina, where Republican efforts to draw congressional districts heavily in their favor were blocked by a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court because the GOP map violated the state constitution. A court-drawn map produced seven seats for each party in last month’s midterm elections in highly competitive North Carolina. The question for the justices is whether the U.S. Constitution’s provision giving state legislatures the power to make the rules about the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections cuts state courts out of the process. “This is the single most important case on American democracy — and for American democracy — in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision. The Republican leaders of North Carolina’s legislature told the Supreme Court that the Constitution’s “carefully drawn lines place the regulation of federal elections in the hands of state legislatures, Congress, and no one else.” Three conservative justices already have voiced some support for the idea that the state court had improperly taken powers given by the Constitution when it comes to federal elections. A fourth has written approvingly about limiting the power of state courts in this area. But the Supreme Court has never invoked what is known as the independent state legislature theory. It was, though, mentioned in a separate opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election. If the court were to recognize it now, opponents of the concept argue, the effects could be much broader than just redistricting. The most robust ruling for North Carolina Republicans could undermine more than 170 state constitutional provisions, over 650 state laws delegating authority to make election policies to state and local officials, and thousands of regulations down to the location of polling places, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law. Luttig, who advised former Vice President Mike Pence that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can’t be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting. That group includes former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, law professor Steven Calabresi, a founder of the conservative Federalist Society, and Benjamin Ginsberg, a longtime lawyer for Republican candidates and the party. “Unfortunately, because of ongoing and widespread efforts to sow distrust and spread disinformation, confidence in our elections is at a low ebb,” Ginsberg wrote in a Supreme Court filing. “The version of the independent state legislature theory advanced by Petitioners, in this case, threatens to make a bad situation much worse, exacerbating the current moment of political polarization and further undermining confidence in our elections.” The arguments are taking place a day after the final contest of the 2022 midterms, the Georgia Senate runoff between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker. In that contest, state courts ruled in favor of Democrats to allow for voting on the Saturday before the election, over the objections of Republicans. Jason Snead, of the conservative Honest Elections Project, said the case is an opportunity for the high court to rein in out-of-control state courts which are being pushed by Democratic attorneys to effectively create new rules governing voting, including the Georgia example. “We’ve seen a fairly pervasive attempt to use courts to rewrite election laws if those laws don’t suit partisan agendas,” Snead said in a call with reporters. “That’s not something we want to see when it flies in the face of the Constitution.” He is among proponents of the high court’s intervention who argue the case doesn’t represent “a threat to democracy.” The justices can instead write a narrow opinion that places limits on state courts without upsetting the choices New York and other states have made to restrict partisan redistricting, a group of New York voters wrote in a court filing. The New Yorkers implicitly recognize that if the court gives more power to state legislatures over drawing congressional lines, Republicans may not necessarily benefit. During the last redistricting cycle, states that used independent redistricting commissions rather than legislatures were largely Democratic-dominated ones. Commissions drew 95 House seats in states with Democratic legislatures and governors, as opposed to only 12 in states with GOP control. A ruling that grants legislatures ultimate power over redistricting could eradicate those commissions and let Democrats redraw a major chunk of the House map. “The bottom line is the impact of this fringe theory would be terrible,” said former Attorney General Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. “It could unleash a wave of gerrymandering from both parties.” Even less dramatic changes may not necessarily tilt the GOP’s way on a national redistricting map that was essentially fought to a draw, and where state court rulings cost Democrats about as many House seats as Republicans. The Supreme Court refused to step into the North Carolina case in March, allowing the court-drawn districts to be used this year. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas dissented. Writing for the three, Alito said, “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.” Justice Brett Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections. Chief Justice John Roberts’ record on this question gives both sides some hope. In 2015,
Georgia runoff: Early voting for Warnock-Walker round 2
In-person early voting for the last U.S. Senate seat is underway statewide in Georgia’s runoff, with Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock working to get the jump on Republican challenger Herschel Walker, who is putting less emphasis on advance balloting. After winning a state lawsuit to allow Saturday voting after Thanksgiving, Warnock spent the weekend urging his supporters not to wait until the December 6 runoff. Trying to leverage his role as pastor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s church and Georgia’s first Black U.S. senator, Warnock concentrated his efforts Sunday among Black communities in metro Atlanta. “What we are doing right now is soul work,” Warnock said at Liberty International Church southwest of downtown, where he rallied supporters before leading a march to a nearby early voting site where he cast his ballot. “We are engaged in a political exercise,” Warnock continued, “but this is moral and spiritual work, and for us, that has always been based on the foundation of the church.” Walker, in contrast, did not hold public events over the long Thanksgiving weekend, and he has not emphasized early voting in his runoff campaign appearances, even as the Republican Party and its aligned PACs attempt to drive voter turnout after Walker underperformed other Georgia Republicans in the general election. Walker finished the first round with about 200,000 fewer votes than Gov. Brian Kemp, who easily won a second term. Walker resumes his campaign Monday with stops in small-town Toccoa and suburban Cumming. Early in-person voting continues through Friday. Runoff Election Day is Tuesday of next week. Warnock led Walker by about 37,000 votes out of about 4 million cast in the general election but fell short of the majority required under Georgia law, triggering a four-week runoff blitz. Warnock first won the seat as part of concurrent Senate runoffs on January 5, 2021, when he and Sen. Jon Ossoff prevailed over Republican incumbents to give Democrats narrow control of the Senate for the start of President Joe Biden’s tenure. Warnock won a special election and now is seeking a full six-year term. This time, Senate control is not in play, with Democrats already having secured 50 seats to go with Vice President Kamala Harris’s tiebreaking vote. That puts pressure on both Warnock and Walker to convince Georgia voters that it’s worth their time to cast a second ballot, even if the national stakes aren’t as high. As of late Sunday, almost 200,000 ballots had been cast in the relative handful of counties that opted to have weekend voting. That total was built on long lines in several heavily Democratic counties of metro Atlanta, enough to give Democrats confidence that their core supporters remain excited to vote for Warnock. But the total remains a small fraction of the nearly 2.3 million early in-person voters ahead of the November 8 general election. And Democrats remain cautious given that the early voting window is much shorter than two years ago when the second round spanned two months between the general election and runoff. Voting on Saturday was allowed only because Warnock and Democrats sued amid a dispute with the Republican secretary of state over whether Saturday voting could occur on a holiday weekend. The senator followed up with a parade of Black leaders for weekend rallies and a march reminiscent of voting rights demonstrations during the civil rights movement. “We have one vote here that can change the world,” Andrew Young, a former Atlanta mayor and onetime aide to King, implored Black voters on Sunday. Rising from his wheelchair to speak, the 90-year-old former congressman and U.N. ambassador reminded the assembly of the congressional compromise that ended post-Civil War Reconstruction and paved the way for Jim Crow segregation across the South. “One vote at the end of the Civil War pulled all of the Union troops out of the South and lost us the rights we had fought for in the war and that people had fought for us,” he said, starting “a struggle that we have been in ever since.” Warnock was shifting to a suburban focus late Monday with an evening concert headlined by the Dave Matthews Band. Walker, for his part, has drawn enthusiastic crowds in the early weeks of the runoff, as well, and his campaign aides remain confident that he has no problem among core Republicans. His challenge comes with the middle of the Georgia electorate, a gap highlighted by his shortfall compared to Kemp. “I feel Herschel Walker benefited by having Brian Kemp in the original election on Nov. 8, and I think Kemp not being there will hurt the Republicans a little bit,” said Alpharetta resident Marcelo Salvatierra, who voted for Republican Kemp and Democrat Warnock and still supports the senator in the runoff. Salvatierra said he backed Kemp’s re-election “because it seems to me Georgia has done well.” But Republicans at the federal level, he said, never offered a serious counter to Democratic control of Washington, while Walker also comes with considerable personal baggage. “Character matters, and I sense he doesn’t have character,” Salvatierra said. Warnock has encouraged that sentiment among core Democrats, independents, and moderate Republicans. For months, he’s said Walker, a former football star making his first bid for public office, was “not ready” for the Senate. In recent weeks, he’s ratcheted up the attack to say Walker is “not fit,” highlighting the challenger’s falsehoods about his accomplishments in the private sector, along with allegations of violence against women and accusations by two women that Walker encouraged and paid for their abortions. Walker, who backs a national ban on abortions without exceptions, denies that he ever paid for any abortions. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Georgia runoff: Some counties offer weekend voting following judge’s ruling
Some Georgia counties will be offering early voting this weekend following confusion over what state law allows. Georgia voters will return to the polls for a U.S. Senate runoff between Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. According to the state, early voting for the Dec. 6 runoff begins on Monday, Nov. 28. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Cox Jr. ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by Democrats and Warnock’s campaign that allows counties to offer early voting starting this weekend. “If recent elections prove one thing, it’s that voters expect candidates to focus on winning at the ballot box – not at the courthouse,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement last week before the ruling. “Senator Warnock and his Democratic Party allies are seeking to change Georgia law right before an election based on their political preferences,” Raffensperger added. “Instead of muddying the water and pressuring counties to ignore Georgia law, Senator Warnock should be allowing county election officials to continue preparations for the upcoming runoff.” According to the Democratic Party of Georgia, Chatham, DeKalb, Fulton, Muscogee, and Rockdale counties will offer Saturday voting. According to the ACLU of Georgia, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett will be among the counties offering Sunday voting; Rockdale will also offer Sunday voting, DPG said. “County elections officials should take every possible measure so voting is convenient for Georgians and no one is left out of the democratic process,” Vasu Abhiraman, ACLU of Georgia senior policy counsel, said in a statement. The midterm election has yielded 50 Senate seats to Democrats and 49 to Republicans. The tie-breaking vote comes from the West Wing should it end 50-50. Both candidates have taken public image hits in the campaign. There are reports Walker paid for abortions and that an apartment building owned by Warnock’s church tried to evict tenants behind on their rent by as little as $28.55. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Britt calls incoming freshman of GOP Senators “the kind of fresh blood needed”
Senator-elect Katie Britt released a statement praising the group of freshmen Republican Senators entering the U.S. Senate following the Senate Republican Caucus’s meeting and leadership elections on Wednesday. “Our incoming freshman class of Republican senators represents the kind of fresh blood needed to help get our country back on the right track, and I’m going to bring that perspective to our caucus every single day,” Britt said in a statement. “I believe that having this spirited internal debate on how we can best fight to put American families first and defend our conservative values is good for our party and good for our country. Now, it’s time to move forward together as a united front determined to do everything in our power to stop President [Joe] Biden and his congressional allies from crushing hardworking Alabamians and Americans even further. The first step, and where our full focus must be, is helping Herschel Walker win in Georgia.” The GOP Senate Caucus voted during the meeting to keep Sen. Mitch McConnell as the Senate Minority Leader. McConnell beat back a challenge from Sen. Rick Scott, who headed the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) during the recent midterm elections. Senate Republicans are still shocked by their poor performance in the midterm elections that many pollsters had reported would go their way. The GOP lost close Senate elections in Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada that would have flipped control of the Senate to Republicans. Scott criticized McConnell for failure to articulate a Republican message prior to the election. Sens. Tom Cotton and John Barrasso nominated McConnell, while Sen. Ron Johnson nominated Scott. “Every one of our candidates knew what they were for, expressed it quite clearly,” McConnell said. “It’s pretty obvious, and all of you have been writing about it, what happened. We underperformed among independents and moderates because their impression of many of the people in our party in leadership roles is that they’re involved in chaos, negativity, excessive attacks, and it frightened independent and moderate Republican voters.” Some observers believed that McConnell was making a veiled reference to former President Donald Trump, who announced Tuesday night that he was once again running for the Republican nomination for President in the 2024 election. Two McConnell-controlled outside groups, One Nation and the Republican Leadership fund spent $363 million on the midterm elections – significantly more than Scott and the NRSC. McConnell won reelection as Senate GOP leader 37 to 10, with one member abstaining. Republican nominee for Senate Herschel Walker is in a December 6 runoff election with incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock. Despite the disappointing Senate performance, Republicans did win control of the U.S. House of Representatives. This means that Kevin McCarthy will likely replace Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Britt defeated Democratic nominee Dr. Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus a week ago in the general election on November 8 to win the open Senate seat. Clay Armentrout and Sean Ross are heading Britt’s transition team. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Democrats keep Senate majority as GOP push falters in Nevada
Democrats kept control of the Senate on Saturday, repelling Republican efforts to retake the chamber and making it harder for them to thwart President Joe Biden’s agenda. The fate of the House was still uncertain as the GOP struggled to pull together a slim majority there. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s victory in Nevada gave Democrats the 50 seats they needed to keep the Senate. Her win reflects the surprising strength of Democrats across the U.S. this election year. Seeking reelection in an economically challenged state that has some of the highest gas prices in the nation, Cortez Masto was considered the Senate’s most vulnerable member, adding to the frustration of Republicans who were confident she could be defeated. “We got a lot done, and we’ll do a lot more for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Saturday night. “The American people rejected — soundly rejected — the anti-democratic, authoritarian, nasty and divisive direction the MAGA Republicans wanted to take our country.” With the results in Nevada now decided, Georgia is the only state where both parties are still competing for a Senate seat. Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock faces GOP challenger Herschel Walker in a December 6 runoff. Alaska’s Senate race has advanced to ranked-choice voting, though the seat will stay in Republican hands. Democratic control of the Senate ensures a smoother process for Biden’s Cabinet appointments and judicial picks, including those for potential Supreme Court openings. The party will also keep control over committees and have the power to conduct investigations or oversight of the Biden administration, and will be able to reject legislation sent over by the House if the GOP wins that chamber. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Biden said of the election results: “I feel good. I’m looking forward to the next couple of years.” He said winning a 51st seat from the Georgia runoff would be important and allow Democrats to boost their standing on Senate committees. “It’s just simply better,” Biden said. “The bigger the number, the better.” If Democrats manage to pull off a win in the House, it would mean full control of Congress for Democrats — and another chance to advance Biden priorities, which he has said include codifying abortion rights. The party still lacks the 60 votes in the Senate needed to move many kinds of major legislative changes. Biden, who called to congratulate Cortez Masto, said he was still hopeful that Democrats could hold the House. “It’s a stretch,” he acknowledged. “Everything has to fall our way.” The Senate fight had hinged on a handful of deeply contested seats. Both parties spent tens of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, the top battlegrounds where Democrats had hoped that Republicans’ decision to nominate untested candidates — many backed by former President Donald Trump — would help them defy national headwinds. Democrats scored a big win in Pennsylvania, where Lt. Gov. John Fetterman defeated celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was endorsed by Trump, to pick up a seat currently held by a Republican. Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly won reelection by about 5 percentage points. A closely divided swing state, Nevada is one of the most racially diverse in the nation, a working-class state whose residents have been especially hard-hit by inflation and other economic turmoil. Roughly three-fourths of Nevada voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction, and about half called the economy the most important issue facing the country, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of 2,100 of the state’s voters. Heading into the midterm election, Republicans focused relentlessly on the economy, a top concern for many voters amid stubborn inflation and high gas and food prices. The GOP also hit Democrats on crime, a message that sometimes overstated the threat but nonetheless tapped into anxiety, particularly among the suburban voters who turned away from the party in 2018 and 2020. And they highlighted illegal border crossings, accusing Biden and other Democrats of failing to protect the country. But Democrats were buoyed by voters angry about the Supreme Court’s June decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion. They also portrayed Republicans as too extreme and a threat to democracy, following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Trump’s false claims — repeated by many GOP candidates — that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Schumer said Democratic candidates’ promises to defend abortion rights resonated with voters. He said the election results made him feel good about the country and its commitment to democracy. “We knew that the negativity, the nastiness, the condoning of Donald Trump’s big lie — and saying that the elections were rigged when there’s no proof of that at all — would hurt Republicans, not help them,” Schumer said. “But too many of them, and their candidates, fell into those traps.” Referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, Schumer said voters had rejected “extremist MAGA Republicans.” Nationally, VoteCast showed that 7 in 10 voters said the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade was an important factor in their midterm decisions. It also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. And roughly 6 in 10 said they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly in their vote, while 44% said the future of democracy was their primary consideration. Beyond Congress, Democrats won key governors’ races in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — battlegrounds critical to Biden’s 2020 win over Trump. Republicans, though, held governors’ mansions in Florida, Texas, and Georgia — another battleground state Biden narrowly won two years ago. Though the midterms failed to deliver Republican romps, Trump remains a major factor in the national party and plans to announce his third run for the presidency Tuesday at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida — setting up a potential rematch for the White House with Biden. “I think the Republican Party is going to have to … decide who they are,” Biden said. Republished
