Blue state lawmakers' response to Medicaid cuts: Keep calm and bash Republicans
Part of the problem for Democratic lawmakers is that no matter what they do, an insurmountable gulf remains between what their states can contribute versus what they will lose in federal dollars.
'We're going to do everything we can to preserve health care, but there's no way we can get … billions of dollars that they're taking away,' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters Wednesday. The governors of Washington, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Arizona echoed Pritzker's sentiment in recent days.
In New York and California, leaders are already hedging their bets. Democratic Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York and Gavin Newsom of California could face pressure from supporters hoping they'll be compelled to make up at least some of the gap left by Congress and President Donald Trump. Hochul was already putting blame squarely on the state's Republican House members as the GOP megabill neared the finish line.
'They're in the majority, they have the power,' Hochul said of the delegation . 'You have the power, and if you don't use that power, then you are complicit in this attack on the American people.'
Some states — including New Mexico, Massachusetts and Oregon — have already made preparations for the anticipated cuts by preemptively increasing state health care program dollars or leaving an unallocated surplus in budgets passed this spring.
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Yahoo
13 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gov. Tony Evers' re-election decision looms over battleground Wisconsin
In one of the nation's most closely divided battleground states, there's one big question on both parties' minds: Is Gov. Tony Evers going to run for a third term next year? The answer will have reverberating consequences in Wisconsin, where one of five Democratic-controlled governorships is up for grabs in 2026 in states President Donald Trump won last year. Evers, 73, has said he would announce whether he'd run again after he reached a budget deal with Republicans, who control both chambers of the Legislature. But with an agreement rapidly signed, sealed and delivered last week, some Wisconsin Democrats are growing impatient for his decision. 'I'd like to see him make a decision, hopefully sooner rather than later, because I do think we've got a lot of elections that we need to be winning and focusing on,' Democratic state Sen. Kelda Roys, who ran against Evers in the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary, said last month. 'If the governor makes a decision, I hope that's going to be soon.' One dynamic hanging over Evers' decision is the possibility he wouldn't have to deal with a combative Legislature fully controlled by Republicans, as he has throughout his tenure. A landmark 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision from a newly installed liberal majority prompted the state's gerrymandered maps to be redrawn, giving Democratic a much more realistic path to taking control of either the state Assembly or Senate in 2026. 'One question he's weighing is, 'Do I try to stay around for one more term and possibly have one, if not both, lower chambers to work with, versus just trying to haggle with Republicans and push the veto pen every single f-----g time,' said one Democratic operative in the state who requested anonymity to speak candidly about the race. Some Democrats also feel that Evers, with the benefit of incumbency, still represents the party's best shot at winning next year's gubernatorial election. 'There's no question that Evers is the most equipped to win next year,' said Joe Zepecki, a Milwaukee-based Democratic strategist who finished second in last month's race to be the chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. 'Why would we not want to have an incumbent Democratic governor who is the most popular politician in the state, beloved by the Democratic base. That makes all the sense in the world in what will be a good political environment for Democrats.' But others have warned that Democrats should not continue to rely on septuagenarian candidates and should clear the way for new voices, particularly following their experience with then-President Joe Biden in 2024. Evers' allies have hit back at that narrative, pointing to recent polling. One Wisconsin Democratic operative familiar with Evers' thinking, who requested anonymity to speak candidly while Evers' decision-making process is ongoing, added, 'That just doesn't match with what we're hearing from Democrats and from the Marquette Poll.' That refers to a Marquette University Law School poll of registered Wisconsin voters released last month showing that Democrats remain widely supportive of Evers running again — even as the general electorate in the purple state remains more split. The survey found that 83% of Democrats said they supported Evers seeking a third term. That poll also found that 42% of all registered voters said they wanted Evers to run again, compared to 55% who said they did not. That support level, the pollsters noted, is still strong by historical standards. Back in 2016, ahead of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's decision to run for a third term, the same poll found that just 36% of registered voters wanted him to run a third time, compared to 61% who did not. Walker ran again in 2018 and lost to Evers. Evers' approval ratings in the poll — 48% of voters said they approved of his job performance, compared to 46% who said they didn't — is in line with the levels he's seen in that survey throughout his two terms in office in the swing state. If Evers ultimately declines to run, there are several Democrats who could seek to replace him, including state Attorney General Josh Kaul, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. But some Wisconsin Democrats expressed concern that an Evers exit could lead to an expensive and divisive primary. 'It would be a big field if he doesn't run. That could get messy,' said the Democratic operative familiar with Evers' thinking. Representatives for the political operations of Kaul, Rodriguez and Crowley didn't respond to questions. Johnson spokesperson Thad Nation said in an email that 'the Mayor has deep respect for that leadership and certainly hopes the Governor will choose to run again,' but that 'if Governor Evers decides not to seek re-election, Mayor Johnson would be in a strong position to enter the race.' Evers' decision isn't likely to have much bearing on who decides to run for the Republican nomination. Currently, the only declared candidate in the race is Josh Schoemann, the county executive of Washington County, an exurban area northwest of Milwaukee. Also weighing bids are businessman Eric Hovde, who narrowly lost a 2024 U.S. Senate race to Democrat Tammy Baldwin, and Tim Michels, who lost to Evers in 2022. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany also hasn't ruled out a campaign. Strategists in both parties said that Evers' decision to wait until after a budget deal was reached with state lawmakers could present the governor with an opportunity to leave on a high note, or help build his case for a third term. 'Evers got most of what he wanted. He is now in a position to say, 'I've done what I needed to do. I got funding back to UW [the University of Wisconsin system], I got funding for child care, we've saved the kids in Wisconsin.' We've got a kids budget — I think that gives him an out,' said Brandon Scholz, a Wisconsin Republican strategist. 'He can go out on top.' Evers' allies said delaying his announcement provided him with maximum leverage during budget discussions with Republicans. 'I think it probably did make better his ability to work with Republicans in the Legislature to get to what appears to now be a reasonable budget,' Zepecki said. Responding to questions about whether the governor would be announcing his decision imminently now that the state budget process has wrapped, Evers senior adviser Sam Roecker said only that 'the governor has been clear he won't make a decision on 2026 until the budget process concludes.' But some Democrats said the prospects of a friendlier Legislature, Evers' poll numbers and the ability to avoid a fractured primary all pointed in one direction. 'I think he has decided, and I think he will run,' Zepecki said. 'If I had to bet money today, that's where we are.' This article was originally published on
San Francisco Chronicle
13 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Don't criticize Trump for enforcing immigration laws. Change them. Here's who can
The party most responsible for the deplorable American situation involving immigrants is Congress. Many are outraged by the recent deportations of undocumented immigrants, calling it shameful that they are being treated like criminals. Sorry. They are still law-breakers even if it is just a misdemeanor. President Donald Trump should not be vilified for enforcing the law. However, the U.S. became a global power because of immigration. The labor of immigrants has and is fueling the largest economy in the world. Inexplicably, because of our laws, a significant portion of this powerful force entered the country illegally. We should not be outraged that the laws are being enforced. We should be outraged that Congress has let such economically suicidal laws remain unchanged. The vast majority of undocumented immigrants in our country are hard-working, many in agricultural, hospitality and manufacturing jobs. They are taxpayers contributing to our economy while seeking a future for their families. Let's find a way to let this contribution continue. Instead of decrying the enforcement of our laws, let's change the law. I think that the Trump administration's messy deportation efforts could produce bipartisan support for immigration reform. Don't go back This year is the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby,' and I am reminded of the novel's last line: 'So on we beat, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' Fitzgerald was the chronicler of the Jazz Age, an era of white, male homogeneity. Black musicians were emerging as exemplars of jazz, but Black people remained excluded from society. In the ingravescent attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion, we are seeing ourselves borne back to that era, when fascism emerged in Europe and eugenics gained a following. In a year in which a judge is arrested for opposing the government, universities are sanctioned for DEI initiatives and law firms are punished for defending those who defy government priorities, we begin to sniff the stench of fascism again. If those who vilify DEI are reluctant to oppose its ideals, their real intent becomes obvious: the homogeneity of white male dominance, inequity and exclusion. They have dynamited the dam of decency to let the rushing river sweep us out to a deep sea of depravity and despair. Perhaps, as Fitzgerald intimates, we need to stretch our arms further toward a receding future. F. Kevin Murphy, Reno Fight the good fight I say, Gov. Gavin, fight fight fight! Trump must be defeated at all costs, lest America spread a dark shadow of tyranny around the world.
Associated Press
16 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Trump and GOP target ballots arriving after Election Day that delay counts and feed conspiracy fears
ATLANTA (AP) — President Donald Trump and other Republicans have long criticized states that take weeks to count their ballots after Election Day. This year has seen a flurry of activity to address it. Part of Trump's executive order on elections, signed in March but held up by lawsuits, takes aim at one of the main reasons for late vote counts: Many states allow mailed ballots to be counted even if they arrive after Election Day. The U.S. Supreme Court last month said it would consider whether a challenge in Illinois can proceed in a case that is among several Republican-backed lawsuits seeking to impose an Election Day deadline for mail ballots. At least three states — Kansas, North Dakota and Utah — passed legislation this year that eliminated a grace period for receiving mailed ballots, saying they now need to be in by Election Day. Even in California, where weekslong vote counting is a frequent source of frustration and a target of Republican criticism, a bill attempting to speed up the process is moving through the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Order asserts federal law prohibits counting late ballots The ballot deadline section of Trump's wide-ranging executive order relies on an interpretation of federal law that establishes Election Day for federal elections. He argues this means all ballots must be received by that date. 'This is like allowing persons who arrive 3 days after Election Day, perhaps after a winner has been declared, to vote in person at a former voting precinct, which would be absurd,' the executive order states. It follows a pattern for the president, who has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of such ballots even though there is no evidence they are the source of widespread fraud. The issue is tied closely to his complaints about how long it takes to count ballots, his desire for results on election night and his false claims that overnight 'dumps' of vote counts point to a rigged election in 2020, when he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. But ballots received after Election Day, in addition to being signed and dated by the voter, must be postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service indicating they were completed and dropped off on or before the final day of voting. Accepting late-arriving ballots has not been a partisan issue historically. States as different as California and Mississippi allow them, while Colorado and Indiana do not. 'There is nothing unreliable or insecure about a ballot that comes back after Election Day,' said Steve Simon, the chief election official in Minnesota, which has an Election Day deadline. In his executive order, most of which is paused by the courts, Trump directs the attorney general to 'take all necessary action' to enforce federal law against states that include late-arriving ballots in their final counts for federal elections. He also directs the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to condition federal funding on compliance. Trump's rhetoric motivates Republican states Republicans in five states have passed legislation since the 2020 election moving the mail ballot deadline to Election Day, according to the Voting Rights Lab, which tracks election legislation. Earlier this year, GOP lawmakers in Kansas ended the state's practice of accepting mail ballots up to three days after Election Day, a change that will take effect for next year's midterms. Problems with mail delivery had prompted Kansas to add the grace period in 2017. Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a Republican who chairs the committee that handles election legislation, compared the grace period to giving a football team extra chances to score after the game clock expires. 'We need this uniform end to the election just so that we know that all voters are operating on the same time frame,' he said. A history of complaints in California California has long been a source of complaints about the amount of time it takes for ballots to be counted and winners declared. 'The rest of the country shouldn't have to wait on California to know the results of the elections,' U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the Committee on House Administration, said during an April hearing. He said California's 'lax election laws' were to blame for the delays. The nation's most populous state has the largest number of registered voters in the country, some 22.9 million, which is roughly equivalent to the number of voters in Florida and Georgia combined. California also has embraced universal mail voting, which means every registered voter automatically receives a ballot in the mail for each election. The deadline for election offices to receive completed ballots is seven days after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then. A survey of some 35,000 Los Angeles County voters during last fall's election found that 40% waited until Election Day to return their ballot. Election officials say the exhaustive process for reviewing and counting mail ballots combined with a large percentage of voters waiting until the last minute makes it impossible for all results to be available on election night. California Democrats consider changes to speed the count Under state law, election officials in California have 30 days to count ballots, conduct a postelection review and certify the results. Dean Logan, Los Angeles County's chief election official, told Congress in May that his team counted nearly 97% of the 3.8 million ballots cast within a week of Election Day in 2024. Jesse Salinas, president of the state clerks' association, said his staff in Yolo County, near Sacramento, already works 16-hour days, seven days a week before and after an election. Assemblyman Marc Berman introduced legislation that would keep the state's 30-day certification period but require county election officials to finish counting most ballots within 13 days after the election. They would be required to notify the state if they weren't going to meet that deadline and give a reason. 'I don't think that we can stick our heads in the sand and pretend like these conspiracies aren't out there and that this lack of confidence doesn't exist, in particular among Republican voters in California,' said Berman, a Democrat. 'There are certain good government things that we can do to strengthen our election system.' He acknowledged that many counties already meet the 13-day deadline in his bill, which awaits consideration in the Senate. 'My hope is that this will strengthen people's confidence in their election system and their democracy by having some of those benchmarks and just making it very clear for folks when different results will be available,' Berman said. ___ Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.
