Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Preliminary primary results set stage for November races across Columbia Basin
EPHRATA — Initial results from Washington's Aug. 5 primary election show several closely watched races beginning t…
Walz calls for 'goal line stand' against coronavirus spread
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz and health officials delivered a stark warning Monday that Minnesota's fight against the coronavirus is at a critical stage and that residents need to step up their compliance with …
New Mexico officials issue warning about hospital capacity
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — If COVID-19 continues to spread in New Mexico like it has in recent weeks, officials with three of the largest health care systems in the state warned Monday that hospitals and health care …
Maryland breaks record for early voting on 1st day
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland voters lined up on Monday for a busy, record-breaking first day of in-person early voting in the state.
Kansas sets new COVID marks; governor to push mask mandate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas on Monday reported record highs for its seven-day rolling averages of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and a spokesman for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said she was considering cal…
Republican lawsuit alleges problems with absentee balloting
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Republican Party says its election poll challengers in New Mexico are unfairly being denied oversight of the initial verification process for absentee ballots, in a lawsuit filed Monday wi…
Lawsuit over Allegheny County election offices settled
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Two Republican candidates for Congress have settled a lawsuit they filed earlier this month and dropped their effort to force Allegheny County's election board to let them send campaign repre…
Teachers union asks Maryland for more info on virus cases
The union representing more than 74,000 educators in Maryland asked officials on Monday to release standardized procedures to handle coronavirus cases in classrooms across the state and be transparent about infecti…
Nevada fines airport, county over crowd size at Trump rally
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada officials are fining a northern county and an airport a total of more than $5,500 for allowing a campaign event for President Donald Trump in September that drew thousands of people, despite…
The Latest: Trump celebrates expected Barrett confirmation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on
Mississippi governor's mask mandate expands to 16 counties
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Monday that he is extending a mask mandate to seven additional counties to try to control the spread of the coronavirus as cases increase rapidly in some area…
Birx calls Bismarck's virus protocols the worst she's seen
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The White House coronavirus response coordinator said Monday that she spent a day looking around Bismarck and found its COVID-19 protocols to be the worst she’s seen anywhere in the country.
7th Arkansas legislator tests positive for coronavirus
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas legislative leaders on Monday said they'll resume budget hearings but with new social distancing procedures in place after a seventh lawmaker in a week tested positive for COVID-19.
Wyoming revenue report less bleak but Gordon urges restraint
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming’s governor urged legislators Monday to work with him to lower state spending while a report predicted ongoing weak revenue from the oil, natural gas and coal industries.
Arizona Supreme Court explains education tax ruling
PHOENIX (AP) — A trial judge misconstrued an earlier court ruling when he blocked a voter initiative over the summer that the state Supreme Court later revived, the high court said in a Monday ruling that explained…
Edwards sues House GOP for trying to lift coronavirus rules
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. John Bel Edwards filed a lawsuit Monday challenging House Republicans' efforts to rescind Louisiana's statewide mask mandate, business restrictions and other limits the Democratic gover…