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USA Today
15 minutes ago
- Politics
- USA Today
'When Black women run, they do win:' New report shows gains in Black women lawmakers
WASHINGTON ‒ The number of Black women elected to Congress has held steady in recent years, but a record number of Black women have served this year in state legislatures, often the pipeline to higher offices, according to a new report. A new report titled 'Black Women in American Politics 2025" provided to USA TODAY shortly before its July 31 release, tracked the number of Black women serving in statewide offices, state legislatures and Congress over the last decade. The report found that at one point in 2025 there were 402 Black women serving in state legislatures, up from 240 nearly a decade ago. 'It's steady progress," Chelsea Hill, an author of the report, said of the 2024 elections. Since 2014, there's been a 67% increase in the number of Black women in state legislatures, according to the report by Higher Heights, which works to expand Black women's political power, and the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University in New Jersey. State legislatures have long served as a path to Congress. In the more than 10 years since the first report, there's been an acceleration of Black women 'moving along the pipeline,'' said Glynda Carr, president of Higher Heights. Last year also marked some firsts for Black women with Kamala Harris' historic bid for president. Harris, who became the first woman of African American and Asian American descent to run for president and the first woman to serve as vice president, announced July 30 that she would not run for governor in California. She did not say if she had ruled out a presidential bid in 2028. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, both Democrats, also made history when they were elected the first two Black women to serve in the U.S. Senate at the same time. There were no Black women in the Senate when the report was first published in 2014, Carr said. 'It's a reminder of why we do the work and a reminder of the program and the impact of the work,'' she said. 'When Black women run, they do win' There have been more opportunities over the years for Black women to run at the state level, said Carr and Hill. They pointed to more programs to recruit and train women candidates. 'When Black women run, they do win,'' said Hill, director of data at the Center for American Women. 'They have high win rates. At the congressional level, Black women have higher win rates than their counterparts.'' In the 2024 general election, 63% of Black women congressional nominees won their contests, outpacing the win rates of all female candidates at 49% and male candidates at 53% across race/ethnicity, according to the report. Many women serving in Congress are former state lawmakers. The number of Black women in Congress has nearly doubled from 17 to 31, including non-voting delegates, since 2014, the report found. The Kamala effect Hill called Harris' run for the presidency a 'galvanizing force'' for all women, including Black women. Carr said Harris' presidential bid 'shows the strength of a leadership pipeline for Black women.' "Here's a woman who had run and won on every level of government," Carr said noting that Harris served in the Bay area and the state of California for more than a decade. Carr said Harris' calculated decision not to run for governor will continue to inspire women and Black women to run for office. 'More importantly (it has) created a blueprint around 'how do you serve on a local level and continue to serve and run for higher office,'" Carr said. Meanwhile, the report found there have been other gains. Eight Black women serve as mayors of the 100 most populous cities, including Karen Bass in Los Angeles , Muriel Bowser in Washington and LaToya Cantrell in New Orleans. Challenges remain for Black female candidates Despite the gains, women candidates often face hurdles, including fundraising, experts said. Some Black women candidates have complained that party organizations have been slow to support their bids. While there are fewer of those barriers, Carr said there has been an increase in misinformation about candidates and Black women have been targets of political threats. Most Black women elected to Congress have been Democrats. GOP candidates must also deal with the tension of Republicans pushing back against diversity, equity and inclusion, which often includes women. There's only been one Black Republican woman, the late Mia Love of Utah, elected to Congress. 'I certainly hope that I won't be the last one. I really do," Love told USA TODAY in 2022. And while there were a record number of Black women in state legislatures there are five states with no Black women in their state legislatures, Hill said. They include Hawaii, Idaho, Montanna, North Dakota and South Dakota. No Black women governors One place where there has not been a win for Black women is governorships. In the last decade, several Black women have run for governor, such as Stacey Abrams in Georgia, but have not won. More are trying, including Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who running for governor in Virginia this year. Keisha Lance Bottoms, a Democrat, has announced plans to run for governor of Georgia in 2026. The landscape will be different from 2024 when there were 11 governor races, Hill said. In 2026, there will be 36 open seats. 'Hopefully, we can all retire that factoid of 'there's never been a Black woman governor,'" Hill said. Meanwhile, Carr and Hill said there may be more opportunities for Black women to run next year. There were 73 statewide races in 2024. Next year, there will be 200. Hill said she's hoping to see Black women recruited, supported and running for some of those positions. There's also a push for more Black women to run in districts with diverse populations, not just majority-Black districts, Carr said. 'In 2026, the work is to ensure that we are not losing ground and (that) there's an infrastructure in place for Black women to run for reelection, for Black women to run for higher office and for more Black women to run,' she said.
NDTV
10 hours ago
- Health
- NDTV
US Government Freezes $108M In Funds To Duke University Amid Alleged Racial Bias Probe
The Trump administration is freezing $108 million in research funding to Duke University as the federal government accuses the school of racial discrimination in the form of affirmative action, according to a person familiar with the matter. The National Institutes of Health halted the funding to the private university in North Carolina, said the person who spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Education Department sent a joint letter alleging racial preferences in Duke's hiring and admissions. Duke is the latest institution to have its federal funding held up as the government investigates allegations of antisemitism and diversity, equity and inclusion policies the administration says are unlawful. It follows other probes including at Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell. Duke did not immediately comment. In Monday's letter to Duke, leaders of HHS and the Education Department accused the university of 'vile racism.' It alludes to allegations of racial preferences at Duke, its medical school and its health system that, if substantiated, would make Duke 'unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government.' The letter accuses Duke of providing racial preferences in recruiting, admissions, scholarships, hiring and more. It refers to allegations of discrimination without offering specific examples. 'Racism is a scourge when practiced by individuals, but it is especially corrosive when enshrined in the nation's most eminent and respected institutions,' according to the letter, signed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. It's part of a broader campaign to eradicate DEI practices the Trump administration describes as discrimination against white and Asian American people. In their letter, the agencies order Duke to end any practices at its health system that give 'benefits or advantages' based on race. Saying Duke is unlikely to be capable of an 'honest and trustworthy review,' the letter takes the unusual step of requesting a new Merit and Civil Rights Committee that would be approved by the government and authorized by the school's board of trustees. The panel would be tasked with identifying and ending any racial preferences. If problems remained after six months, the administration would pursue legal enforcement, the letter said. The Education Department separately opened an investigation into the Duke Law Journal on Monday over allegations that it gave advantages to prospective editors from underrepresented groups. The Trump administration has used federal research funding as leverage in its effort to reshape universities that President Donald Trump has described as hotbeds of liberalism. It has presented a crisis for universities that rely on federal grants as a major source of revenue, spurring some to take on debt and find other ways to self-fund research. Duke University spent $1.5 billion on research last year, with nearly 60% coming from federal sources, according to the university's website. Even before the latest funding freeze, Duke faced financial turmoil. Last week, university leaders said almost 600 employees had accepted voluntary buyouts but that layoffs would still be needed. Officials said they needed to reduce costs amid uncertainty around federal research funding and a hike to the university's federal endowment tax. The Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on universities in hopes of striking deals like one that Columbia University signed last week. The Ivy League school agreed to pay $200 million and make changes to admissions, hiring, student discipline and more in exchange for regaining access to federal funding. The administration has described it as a template for other universities including Harvard, which has been in talks with the administration even as it battles the White House in court.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Taiwan's Great Recall: Historic bid to remove 'pro-China' lawmakers fails
[Source] A historic vote in Taiwan on Saturday targeting 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT) legislators accused of being too friendly with Beijing ended without any removals but nonetheless shook the island nation's political landscape. The so-called 'Great Recall,' Taiwan's largest coordinated recall effort, sought to remove nearly one-fifth of the legislature in a single day. None of the targeted lawmakers lost their seats after all recall votes failed to meet Taiwan's strict requirements. Recall mechanics and turnout thresholds The campaign was driven by civic groups aligned with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), accusing the KMT lawmakers of blocking defense-related legislation and favoring closer ties with Beijing. Petition organizers in each district collected enough signatures to trigger a recall vote. Under Taiwan's recall law, a motion succeeds only if votes in favor exceed votes against and voter turnout reaches at least 25% of eligible voters. Despite millions of ballots cast and significant public interest, none of the 24 recall votes met both criteria. Political context and fallout The recall effort was fueled in part by frustration over legislative gridlock. The DPP won the presidency in January 2024 but lost its legislative majority, while the KMT and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) gained a combined 62 seats. Citizens' groups framed the recall as a push to defend sovereignty and counter pro-China influence within the legislature. KMT leaders condemned the effort as politically motivated while the DPP said it reflected the democratic will of the people. Trending on NextShark: What's next A second wave of recall votes is scheduled for August 23 targeting seven more KMT lawmakers. Analysts say the sustained effort underscores deepening political polarization and may shape local election dynamics in 2026 and national positioning before the 2028 presidential race. The outcome of the August recalls will test whether civic momentum can overcome systemic electoral barriers. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Vile racism': Trump administration freezes $108 million in research funding to Duke University; withheld over admissions, hiring practices
The Donald Trump administration has suspended $108 million in federal research funding to Duke University, accusing the institution of engaging in racial discrimination through affirmative action policies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The move marks a sharp escalation in the administration's crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices at major US universities, which officials say amount to unlawful racial preferences. Earlier this week, the departments of health and human services and education issued a joint letter accusing Duke University of using racial preferences in its hiring and admissions processes. Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and education secretary Linda McMahon described the alleged practices as 'vile racism,' warning that if substantiated, they would make Duke 'unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government.' The letter claims Duke gave advantages based on race in recruiting, scholarships, and hiring, though it does not provide specific examples. 'Racism is a scourge when practiced by individuals, but it is especially corrosive when enshrined in the nation's most eminent and respected institutions,' the letter said, as cited by AP. The administration is demanding Duke establish a new merit and civil rights committee, approved by the federal government and the school's board of trustees, to identify and eliminate any race-based practices. If violations persist after six months, the administration said it will pursue legal enforcement. The education department has also opened an investigation into the Duke Law Journal for allegedly favoring prospective editors from underrepresented groups. Duke is the latest university to come under federal scrutiny as part of the administration's effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, which it argues amount to discrimination against white and Asian American individuals. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Other universities under investigation include Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell. The funding freeze comes at a difficult time for Duke financially. Nearly 60% of its $1.5 billion annual research spending comes from federal sources. University officials recently announced that around 600 employees had accepted voluntary buyouts, but additional layoffs would still be required due to uncertainty around federal funding and higher endowment taxes. The Trump administration has used funding pressure to prompt reforms at major universities. Columbia University recently agreed to pay $200 million and revise its policies on admissions, hiring, and student discipline in exchange for continued access to federal research funding. The deal is being cited by officials as a model for other institutions, including Harvard. Duke has not yet issued a public comment on the allegations or the funding suspension.
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump administration freezes $108M at Duke amid inquiry into alleged racial discrimination
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is freezing $108 million in research funding to Duke University as the federal government accuses the school of racial discrimination in the form of affirmative action, according to a person familiar with the matter. The National Institutes of Health halted the funding to the private university in North Carolina, said the person who spoke Wednesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Education Department sent a joint letter alleging racial preferences in Duke's hiring and admissions. Duke is the latest institution to have its federal funding held up as the government investigates allegations of antisemitism and diversity, equity and inclusion policies the administration says are unlawful. It follows other probes including at Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell. Duke did not immediately comment. In Monday's letter to Duke, leaders of HHS and the Education Department accused the university of 'vile racism.' It alludes to allegations of racial preferences at Duke, its medical school and its health system that, if substantiated, would make Duke 'unfit for any further financial relationship with the federal government.' The letter accuses Duke of providing racial preferences in recruiting, admissions, scholarships, hiring and more. It refers to allegations of discrimination without offering specific examples. 'Racism is a scourge when practiced by individuals, but it is especially corrosive when enshrined in the nation's most eminent and respected institutions,' according to the letter, signed by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon. It's part of a broader campaign to eradicate DEI practices the Trump administration describes as discrimination against white and Asian American people. In their letter, the agencies order Duke to end any practices at its health system that give 'benefits or advantages' based on race. Saying Duke is unlikely to be capable of an 'honest and trustworthy review,' the letter takes the unusual step of requesting a new Merit and Civil Rights Committee that would be approved by the government and authorized by the school's board of trustees. The panel would be tasked with identifying and ending any racial preferences. If problems remained after six months, the administration would pursue legal enforcement, the letter said. The Education Department separately opened an investigation into the Duke Law Journal on Monday over allegations that it gave advantages to prospective editors from underrepresented groups. The Trump administration has used federal research funding as leverage in its effort to reshape universities that President Donald Trump has described as hotbeds of liberalism. It has presented a crisis for universities that rely on federal grants as a major source of revenue, spurring some to take on debt and find other ways to self-fund research. Duke University spent $1.5 billion on research last year, with nearly 60% coming from federal sources, according to the university's website. Even before the latest funding freeze, Duke faced financial turmoil. Last week, university leaders said almost 600 employees had accepted voluntary buyouts but that layoffs would still be needed. Officials said they needed to reduce costs amid uncertainty around federal research funding and a hike to the university's federal endowment tax. The Trump administration has been ratcheting up pressure on universities in hopes of striking deals like one that Columbia University signed last week. The Ivy League school agreed to pay $200 million and make changes to admissions, hiring, student discipline and more in exchange for regaining access to federal funding. The administration has described it as a template for other universities including Harvard, which has been in talks with the administration even as it battles the White House in court. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
