Nashville's Mayor Would Rather Not Be Tangled in an Immigration Fight
First, angry residents accused city officials of helping federal agents detain more than 100 people during the raids, which Mr. O'Connell, a first-term Democrat, quickly denied. After the outcry, he ordered city departments to let his office know about any outreach from immigration agents; he also expressed support for a community fund that seeks private donations for immigrant families.
Tennessee Republicans then demanded investigations into whether the mayor had violated state law. The state has banned local governments from adopting 'sanctuary city' policies, which it describes as limiting cooperation with immigration enforcement and giving undocumented immigrants 'the right to lawful presence.'
Mr. O'Connell drew more Republican wrath when his office published the names of some immigration agents who had contacted the city. He has maintained that the names were published accidentally because they were in public records, including summaries of emergency calls.
The city has since removed the names and denies violating state law. Nonetheless, two congressional committees are investigating the effect of Nashville's policies on federal immigration enforcement.
The backlash demonstrates how Mr. O'Connell, 48, is caught between the laws of his deeply Republican state and the progressive leanings of many of his constituents. It is perhaps the biggest test yet of his cautious pragmatism, at a moment when local leaders are on the front lines of the Trump administration's aggressive overhaul of federal policy.
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Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Governor Comer? The most popular man at Kentucky's biggest political rally is open to it
FANCY FARM, Ky. — The "Comer for Congress" signs were hard to miss along KY-80. Dozens of them lined the eight-mile stretch between Mayfield and Fancy Farm over the weekend ahead of West Kentucky's famed political rally. The region is home territory for U.S. Rep. James Comer, a Tompkinsville native and powerful Republican congressional representative who's running for reelection next year. But even after his opponent spoke on stage at the Aug. 2 Fancy Farm rally, most speakers looked past next year's race when Comer's name entered the conversation. "My friends, aren't we ready to send a Republican back to the governor's mansion?" Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell asked the crowd. "Speaking of, I thank God every day for James Comer. But doesn't Governor Comer sound even better?" The Comer contingent in the crowd roared in approval. And the representative was open with reporters afterward. He has a 2026 race to consider, and he'd be walking away from a high-profile role as chair of the House Oversight Committee. But a run to replace term-limited incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear in 2027 is something he's "very interested" in exploring. "I'm getting a lot of encouragement from people all over Kentucky, so it's something that we're looking very seriously at," he said, noting he has another run for Congress to tackle first. "... Just about every state legislator that's here today, even the ones as far east as Bell County, have said, 'We want you to run. We're all in for you.'" Beshear has repeatedly shut down speculation he'll enter the race for retiring U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell's seat in 2026, saying he isn't going anywhere while his second term is underway (with an exception for speaking engagements in other states, as he weighs a potential presidential run in 2028). Meanwhile, the Democrats' bench to replace him appears thin. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman has not said what she plans to do when Beshear's second term ends, and Beshear special advisor Rocky Adkins' name is also frequently brought up as a potential contender. Coleman had never held political office before joining Beshear's ticket and was trounced by longtime incumbent Republican state Rep. Kim King in her lone run for state office before then — a campaign for Central Kentucky's House District 55 in 2014. Adkins, a former state representative, ran against Beshear in the 2019 primary, finishing second in the race with about 32% of the vote. He has remained close to the governor in the years since he took office, often appearing with him in the aftermath of natural disasters that have hit Kentucky. Comer expressed skepticism that Adkins would be the nominee, citing previous stances — in 2019 he voted in favor of a bill to outlaw abortions immediately if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, for instance — that may not be in line with Democrats in party strongholds such as Louisville and Lexington. "Unless something happens, Jackie Coleman's the overwhelming favorite to be the Democratic nominee," Comer predicted. Through a spokesperson, Coleman declined to comment on his remarks. Coleman described herself as a "pro-life compassionate Democrat" during her 2014 campaign, though a representative in 2019 said she "does not believe politicians should impose their views on others" and believes in protecting reproductive rights. She called for the state to reopen abortion access in an op-ed last year. At a Democrat dinner the night before Fancy Farm, Coleman touched on her absence at the political rally, saying she would not be at the event 'partly because there are so many obvious jokes, but not much worth laughing about at this moment.' '… Although I do hear of some races, like in 2027, that might bring me back to the Fancy Farm stage,' she said. With Democrats a rare sight over the weekend at Fancy Farm — Comer's opponent, John "Drew" Williams, was the only one to take the stage — Comer was the talk of the small West Kentucky town. U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell praised his work in the nation's capital, where he's served in the House of Representatives since late 2016 after four years as Kentucky's agriculture commissioner, calling him a "great congressman." U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, one of three Republicans running for McConnell's seat who spoke at the event, said the region will "have no better friend this side of Jamie Comer when it comes to supporting West Kentucky in the United States Senate," if Barr is elected to the chamber next year. As chair of the House Oversight Committee, Comer has led probes into former President Joe Biden and his family members, though critics have argued he's spent more time building his own profile than helping constituents in Kentucky and has chased conspiracy theories over legitimate investigations. He jokingly gave Williams an "endorsement from Joe Biden, signed by the autopen" during his Fancy Farm speech, a nod to the committee's ongoing inquiry into the former president's mental state during his time in office. Comer acknowledged that role has given him a leg up in name recognition, which would help in a year when the presidential race isn't on the ballot. "The governor's race is in an odd election year, and what happens is Louisville and Lexington and that triangle area, they have a big turnout, and the rural areas don't turn out because they don't have a connection to that candidate," Comer told reporters. "I believe I'm pretty well-known in rural America. "Rural America's conservative. Rural Kentucky's conservative. They watch a lot of conservative media outlets. I'm on Fox News and Newsmax a lot. ... There's a craving in this state for a conservative Republican governor, and that's why I think people are reaching out to me." State Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, said his fellow Western Kentucky native is the "odds-on favorite" to win the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2027, "even though he hasn't announced yet." "I'm going to 100% support Jamie Comer in whatever he decides to do, but especially in the governor's race," Meredith told The Courier Journal. "I don't think there is anybody that's more qualified for the position, and I don't think there's anybody who can have more electoral success at it on our side of the aisle. ... He loves Kentucky, he loves Western Kentucky, and we would love to have a governor like him." Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said Comer is "getting it done in Washington, D.C." But will he trade that seat for a chance to call the governor's mansion home? "It's going to be another year before that decision," Comer said. "... But I am humbled that we're getting so much support from people all over the state." More: On stage with Senate candidates, McConnell — and his legacy — looms large at Fancy Farm Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: James Comer weighs leaving powerful House seat to run for KY governor
Axios
31 minutes ago
- Axios
Democrats go nuclear in redistricting arms race
Top Democrats are speaking — and acting — in increasingly existential terms over the audacious Trump-backed push to redraw Texas' congressional map ahead of the 2026 midterms. Why it matters: The proposed Texas map is designed to net the GOP up to five House seats — potentially enough to decide the majority for President Trump's Republicans in his final two years in office. For many Democrats, this moment is an inflection point in the party's Trump-era identity crisis — one that could determine whether "fighters" or "folders" carry the torch into 2028. "This is a war. We are at war. And that's why the gloves are off, and I say bring it on," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared at a press conference Monday, accusing Texas Republicans of a "legal insurrection." Zoom in: More than 50 Democratic lawmakers fled Texas on Sunday — fanning out to deep-blue Illinois, New York and Massachusetts — to prevent the GOP-controlled legislature from voting on the new map. Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened them with daily $500 fines, felony bribery charges if the fines are paid for by donations, and the possibility of removal from office. The Texas state House issued civil arrest warrants for the Democrats who fled the state, though the warrants are only enforceable inside Texas. Zoom out: Outside Texas, key Democratic governors have launched an aggressive counteroffensive to try to neutralize the GOP's redistricting push. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom is eyeing a November special election that would sideline the state's independent redistricting commission and ask voters to approve a new, legislature-drawn map favoring Democrats. In New York, Hochul said Democrats have "no choice" but to pursue a constitutional amendment to authorize new maps — though it wouldn't appear on the ballot until 2027 at the earliest. In Illinois, where the congressional map is already heavily gerrymandered, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has vowed to protect fleeing Texas Democrats and left the door open to further revisions of the state's map. Between the lines: Newsom, who's made no secret of his presidential ambitions, has openly accused Trump of "rigging" the midterms and suggested California could redraw its map to eliminate all nine GOP-held seats. His push for a referendum in just three months will be a legal and political high-wire act that — if successful — could become the defining achievement of his career. "If this works and Dems win the House in 2026 by <5 seats, 'I saved us from a second MAGA Republican trifecta' is a hell of a platform for Newsom to run [for president] on in 2028," tweeted Democratic pollster Adam Carlson. The intrigue: Hochul, who is running for re-election in 2026, has emerged as an unlikely face of the Democratic resistance. She called Monday for disbanding New York's independent redistricting commission and embracing partisan hardball, telling reporters that she's "tired of fighting this fight with my hand tied behind my back." "I cannot ignore that the playing field has changed dramatically, and shame on us if we ignore that fact and cling tight to the vestiges of the past," Hochul said. The bottom line: Both sides are keenly aware that a Democratic victory in 2026 would grind Trump's agenda to a halt and potentially lead to his third impeachment.
CNN
31 minutes ago
- CNN
What happens next in Texas redistricting and for Democrats facing civil arrest warrants
Texas Republicans are scheduled to reconvene Tuesday after they voted to issue civil arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state to stop a GOP-led redistricting effort. The Texas House on Monday authorized the warrants for dozens of Democratic lawmakers who didn't appear and denied the Texas House a quorum necessary to move forward with redistricting. The warrants empowered state troopers to arrest the absent Democrats and bring them to the Capitol. But the Democrats who left the state fled to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, three Democratic-led states outside Texas law enforcement's authority without local officials' cooperation. 'That's why in this case and in previous recent quorum breaks, they have left the state to escape the jurisdiction of the marshals and other arresting officers in the state,' Sarah Chen, a voting rights attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, told CNN. And since the Democrats aren't breaking any criminal or state laws, Chen said, it wouldn't be possible for officials to seek the lawmakers' extradition from the states they're holed up in. 'Any sort of work with other states or federal law enforcement would be more of like calling in a favor rather than any sort of legal obligation,' she said. One of the Texas lawmakers who fled to New York, state Rep. Jolanda Jones, said Monday that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was 'trying to get soundbites' by threatening arrests of the absent legislators. 'Subpoenas from Texas don't work in New York, so he's going come and get us how?' Monday's action 'is just the procedure of what you do when people walk out,' said Andrew Cates, a lawyer in Texas who specializes in legislative and political law. 'No one is scared of it' if they've left the state. 'They haven't broken any laws that anyone knows of, so extradition is not going to work,' he added. The state House is currently scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. EDT (1 p.m. CDT). It doesn't appear that the House will have enough lawmakers present to reach the two-thirds attendance needed for quorum. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said he had signed civil warrants for the Democratic lawmakers who fled the state. The speaker told reporters that House Republicans will work with the Texas Department of Public Safety 'to locate members.' He said one Democrat had announced a fundraiser Tuesday in Austin. 'I've sent that fundraising letter to DPS and said they should be invited to attend, as well. We'll see how that goes forward,' he said. Abbott said in a statement he had ordered DPS 'to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans.' 'This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol,' he said. The House Democrats' decision to flee the state and deny majority Republicans a quorum comes as the state's legislature seeks to redraw the Texas congressional districts to make five seats more favorable for the GOP. Doing so would improve the party's chances of holding onto control of the US House, where they now have a three-seat majority, next November. As he presided in the House on Monday, Burrows said he would do 'everything in my power to establish quorum and move this body forward by any and all means available to this office.' 'To those who are absent: Return now,' he said. 'Show the courage to face the issues you were elected to solve. Come back and fulfill your duty, because this House will not sit quietly while you obstruct the work of the people. The people of Texas are watching, and so is the nation, and if you choose to continue down this road, you should know, there will be consequences.' Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would do 'everything in my power' to force Democrats back to Austin. 'It's imperative that they be swiftly arrested, punished, and face the full force of the law for turning their backs on the people of Texas,' Paxton said in a statement. Republicans tried a similar tactic to force an end to Democrats' 2021 quorum break — that one a failed attempt to block restrictive new voting laws. The House sergeant-at-arms sent the warrants to those Democrats, deputized law enforcement to find them and even dropped paperwork off at some members' homes, though no arrests were made. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the House does have the authority physically compel the attendance of absent members. In the wake of that 2021 quorum break, the Texas House also adopted new rules that allow for $500-per-day fines for those who are absent. Lawmakers cannot use their campaign or official funds to cover their own fines. Those new rules have not yet been tested in state court, Chen said. Cates noted the fine for absenteeism has not been enshrined in state law. If a lawmaker refused to pay, he said: 'How do you enforce it?' Abbott issued warnings about potential bribery charges – and suggested he will seek to remove the absent Democrats from office and replace them – in a Fox News interview Monday. 'I believe they have forfeited their seats in the state legislature because they're not doing the job they were elected to do,' he said. The GOP's threats, and civil warrants, were not a surprise to Democrats who said they knew the consequences when they left the state. 'If law enforcement arrests me, I will go peacefully. But I am doing this because I'm fighting for my constituents,' state Rep. James Talarico told CNN. CNN's David Wright, Devan Cole and Fredreka Schouten contributed to this report.
