Abigail Spanberger gave Democrats’ response to Trump. But she didn’t have the stage to herself.

Democratic leadership’s choice to have Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger deliver the State of the Union rebuttal was a strategic move to keep the party’s focus on affordability. But she was just one Democrat jockeying to pave the way forward for the party. Various Democratic factions hosting numerous competing events Tuesday night diverged on the best…

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Nicki Minaj’s social media propped up by thousands of bots, analysis finds

Nicki Minaj spent the past year transforming herself from a polarizing rap superstar into a high-profile conservative provocateur, lobbing viral attacks at Democratic leaders, boosting MAGA talking points and earning public praise from President Donald Trump and his allies. On social media, Minaj’s pugnacious persona and sharp-edged posts — including repeated broadsides against California Gov….

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Dem AGs plot to thwart Trump election interference

Democratic attorneys general are bracing for President Donald Trump to interfere in the midterm elections — and war-gaming how to stop him. The party’s top prosecutors have been strategizing for months about how to counter a series of increasingly extreme scenarios they fear could play out this fall. They have huddled in hotel conference rooms…

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Why Graham Platner’s meteoric rise is so unexpected

BRUNSWICK, Maine — The fireplace crackled as Democratic Gov. Janet Mills laid out her vision for beating Susan Collins to a room of supporters in late January. Then came the questions about her primary opponent, Graham Platner. Platner, one attendee noted, was very successful on social media. A second pointed to his support among young…

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The ‘gift’ Democrats think Trump just gave them

Democrats are frothing at the mouth to center President Donald Trump’s tariff chaos in their affordability messaging as they charge into the midterms. The party was already planning to slam Republicans over the economy on the campaign trail, riding the playbook that helped propel New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and New…

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Noem restricts disaster aid over shutdown targeting ICE

The Trump administration on Sunday halted disaster aid to states for long-term rebuilding projects in order to focus on emergency operations as the partial government shutdown enters its second week. The Federal Emergency Management Agency “is scaling back to bare-minimum, life-saving operations only,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “All non-emergency recovery…

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