State Politics & News
Coverage of state politics, elections, and conservative policy battles across all 50 states shaping America’s future.
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- News
New York Times Writer Wants to ‘Ruthlessly’ Stamp Out ‘Anti-LGBT’ Attitudes
Josh Barro, a writer for The New York Times, wants to stamp out what he considers to be “anti-LGBT” attitudes from communities “ruthlessly.” Barro was writing in response to a speech Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, gave where he mentioned he was in support of marriage as union of a man and woman. In a tweet…Kelsey Bolar -
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Massachusetts Lawmakers Kill Charter School Expansion
Those 45,000 Massachusetts students on waiting lists to attend charter schools will continue to wait. The state Senate has killed a bill that would have allowed more charter schools to open and expanded the reach of a program that has effectively turned around some of the state’s lowest-performing schools. A similar bill could return after…Mary Tillotson -
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One Year After Texas Enacted Abortion Law, Half of State’s Clinics Have Closed
In Texas, the stage is set for a sequel to last summer’s political drama, a battle that engulfed the state and brought abortion into the national spotlight. As pro-life groups celebrate the one-year anniversary of the state’s passage of abortion regulations, pro-choice groups are preparing to make up for lost ground in November. Since Gov….Philip Wegmann -
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Q&A: Texas Commissioner Explains How the Lone Star State Became ‘Ground Zero’ for Border Crisis
More than three years ago, Todd Staples, Texas commissioner of agriculture, officially put his stamp on an issue seemingly unrelated to agriculture: illegal immigration. After rural landowners reached out to him over the years, sharing stories of how illegal immigrants — specifically, drug cartels and other criminals — trespass farms and ranches, Staples spearheaded the…Josh Siegel -
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From Miami to Minnesota, Protests Call Attention to Border Crisis
Along East 7th Street in the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood of St. Paul, Minn., more signs are in Spanish than English, advertising everything from used cars to groceries. That backdrop certainly made Larry Dalin’s sign stand out. Holding a placard that read, “In Mexico, illegals are jailed,” Dalin was a lone sentry outside the Mexican Consulate…Eric Boehm -
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Oklahoma Man Struggles to Cancel Health Plan for Three Months Due to Obamacare Delay
David Emanuel wanted to cancel his private insurance plan with BlueCross BlueShield after he became eligible for Medicare, but was told nothing could be done until HealthCare.gov consented to the change. The 65-year-old Oklahoma man spent three months entangled in bureaucracy. He shared his story with KJRH-TV in Tulsa, Okla., which was picked up by the Washington…Natalie Johnson -
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EPA’s Restrictions on Alaska Mine Spark Charges of Executive Overreach
Even though the Environmental Protection Agency appears to be backing off its push to preemptively kill a proposed copper and gold mine in Alaska’s bush country, the agency is pitching an array of conditions that could stifle the project. A recently proposed list of restrictions, whose public comment period runs until Sept. 19, could severely…M.D. Kittle -
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Border Crossings Stop After Texas Man Takes Security Into His Own Hands
City of Hidalgo, Texas—Othal E. Brand Jr. is a man in control, and as such, when drug cartels began exploiting the stretch of river at the water pump station he runs, he built a Border Patrol-friendly boat ramp, watchtower and helicopter pad to beef security there. In the Rio Grande Valley, Brand wields more power…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Texas Sending National Guard to Border Is Good First Step, But a Long-Term Solution Still Needed
Gov. Rick Perry, R-Tex., will send around 1,000 National Guard troops to the Texas border under his gubernatorial authorities to help the Texas Department of Public Safety deal with the illegal immigration crisis. Before anyone screams that this is unprecedented or the radical militarization of the border, be assured it is not. In 2006–2008, all four…Steven Bucci -
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Pro-Life Group Attacked in Ohio Says Assaults Increasing
>>> This video contain graphic language and images. There has been a rise in attacks on pro-lifers, according to an activist group. Seth Drayer, Director of Training for pro-life group Created Equal, views the attacks as a sign of the movement’s success. Drayer told The Daily Signal that these incidents represent “a desperate attempt” at…Philip Wegmann -
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People Will Abuse Powdered Alcohol, Ohio Lawmakers Say
We have powdered coffees, powdered juices, powdered soups, powdered eggs, powdered milk. Why not powdered alcohol? After all, it’s light, portable and convenient. But we’ll abuse it, two Ohio lawmakers say. Reps. Ron Gerberry, D-Austintown, and Jim Buchy, R-Greenville, introduced House Bill 594 to prohibit the sale of powdered or crystalline alcohol in Ohio. Alaska…Maggie Thurber -
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Brooks County, Texas: Ranchers Help Secure Border-Crossers Who Skirt Checkpoint
FALFURRIAS, Texas — Far from the crisis along the border with Mexico in the Rio Grande Valley, the checkpoint here exists to deter those who made it this far but want to get away. To an American, the three-lane checkpoint some 70 miles from the border seems far from threatening. A Border Patrol agent asks if…Josh Siegel -
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Former New York Times Top Editor Criticizes White House on Transparency
Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson said in an interview Wednesday that the Obama White House is far from transparent with reporters. A long time veteran of presidential politics, Abramson scoffed at Obama’s continued claim of transparency in light of “eight criminal leak investigations.”Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
Hundreds of Undocumented Children Could Be Coming to Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. — Hundreds of undocumented children may be headed from the Mexican border to Wisconsin. The federal government has asked officials in the Madison and Milwaukee areas to look for potential sites to house some of the children now flooding into the country from Central America through Mexico. Madison Mayor Paul Soglin told Wisconsin…Adam Tobias -
- Opinion
Joe Gibbs’ Organization Housing Undocumented Children in Virginia
It was only a matter of time before some of the thousands of undocumented children flooding the United States border reached Virginia. But the organization that is housing those children was founded by a man familiar to virtually everyone in the Washington, D.C., area. Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-Woodbridge, confirmed…Kathryn Watson -
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Proposal to Divide California into Six States Clears Hurdle to Qualify for 2016 Ballot
Californians are one step closer to casting votes in November to decide whether the state will remain as is or be broken into six separate states. The “Six Californias” campaign announced yesterday it submitted 1.3 million signatures to the state for a ballot initiative that would divide the Golden State into six separate states, pending…Melissa Quinn -
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This Is Exactly How Central Americans Illegally Cross the Mexico-Texas Border
“Welcome to America,” Border Patrol agent Albert Spratte says. As politicians in Washington debate how to best deal with the influx of illegal immigrants from Central America along the southwest border, smugglers continue to transport women, children, and entire families into the country. The Daily Signal went on a tour of the border near McAllen,…Josh Siegel -
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Conservative Groups Respond to Liberal Criticism of Kansas Tax Cuts
Conservative groups came together for a conference call Thursday, arguing against left-leaning media claims that Kansas’ steep income tax reductions have contributed to the downfall of the state’s economy. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback slashed the income tax in 2012 in an effort to reverse the state’s 15 year trend of trailing national economic averages. Some…Natalie Johnson -
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Welcome to Iowa: Group Hits Christie’s ‘Liberal’ Picks for Judges
As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie prepares to travel to Iowa on Thursday to test the waters for a Republican presidential race, a conservative watchdog group is ready to call attention to his record of judicial appointments. Judicial Crisis Network, which promotes the rule of law and “a fair and impartial judiciary,” is beginning a…Melissa Quinn -
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EPA Regs Likely to Kill 68-Year-Old Louisiana Peach Orchard
RUSTON, La. — Peach orchards at Mitcham Farms, near the north Louisiana city of Ruston, have survived winter freezes, droughts and dangerous hail storms. But they evidently will not survive the Environmental Protection Agency and its regulations. The family-owned business, established in 1946 and featured in tourism magazines, is Louisiana’s largest peach orchard,according to its…Chris Butler