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
Taxpayers Cover Cost of Flying Immigrant Children to Hawaii
HONOLULU—Although 2,500 miles from the continental United States, Hawaii has joined the list of states temporarily housing unaccompanied minors from Central America who have illegally crossed into America through the U.S.-Mexico border. Who’s paying to transport the minors to Hawaii? You, the taxpayer. Some 60,000 Central American youths fleeing their home countries have come to the… -
news
Terry McAuliffe Underestimates Child Immigrants in Virginia
Gov. Terry McAuliffe said the border crisis is a federal problem, not Virginia’s, and that undocumented children are only being housed at one location in the state—even though news outlets have confirmed more. During a Wednesday radio interview on WTOP, a caller asked the Democratic governor how he is going to handle the border crisis now that it has… -
news
Did New Jersey School’s Anti-Bullying Policy Go Too Far?
Education officials in New Jersey are being sued for allegedly infringing on a student’s free-speech rights when he was accused of bullying another student. According to a lawsuit filed by the Rutherford Institute, a school nurse sent a letter to parents informing them a student had head lice. While fourth-grade students were working in small groups, one student… -
opinion
How Should Washington Address the Border Crisis?
Join us at 9:30 a.m. ET for a discussion with representatives from Heritage Action and The Daily Signal on today’s border crisis vote in the House of Representatives and where the debate goes from here. -
opinion
New York Times Reporter: ‘Some People Are Deserving of Incivility’
As I recounted Monday at The Daily Signal, The New York Times reporter Josh Barro thinks some people are “unworthy of respect.” Yesterday Barro doubled-down and tweeted back at me that “some people are deserving of incivility.” He argued that I am such a person because of my views about marriage policy. You can see… -
news
Michigan Union Tricks Teachers Into Prolonging Membership
Rob Wiersema teaches high school economics, and he knows the merits of a simple cost-benefit analysis. Leaving the Michigan Education Association, he surmised, made economic sense. He had found another professional association that offered better benefits at a lower cost. But his simple economics become complicated. The union didn’t want him to go. In December… -
opinion
My Exchange with Two New York Times Writers on Marriage Equality and Civility
Can people respect each other and treat one another civilly even while disagreeing about marriage? No, according to New York Times domestic correspondent Josh Barro. As The Daily Signal reported, on viewpoints that Barro considers “anti-LGBT”, he thinks that “we need to stamp them out, ruthlessly.” The problem is that much of what Barro considers… -
news
Virginia Senate Candidates Spar Over Reauthorizing Export-Import Bank
As Virginia’s race for the U.S. Senate heats up, the Export-Import Bank has emerged as a key difference between incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and his Republican challenger, Ed Gillespie. The candidates faced off for a debate Saturday covering a myriad of topics, including the Export-Import Bank. Warner, who supports the bank’s reauthorization, came under… -
news
Oklahoma Congressman Fights Plan to House Illegal Immigrants at Military Bases
Rep. Jim Bridenstine, a freshman congressman and Navy pilot whose military awards decorate his Capitol Hill office, holds a special affection for fellow servicemen. The Oklahoma Republican also is sympathetic to Central American children who are being smuggled into the United States from Mexico to reunite with family. Bridenstine witnessed the intersection of those two… -
news
Rahm Emanuel Seeks to Quell Controversy Over Red-Light Cameras in Chicago
CHICAGO—A substantial city revenue source is under fire as Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced 9,000 drivers would be allowed to contest tickets they received from red-light cameras. Since 2007, the city of Chicago has issued more than 4 million tickets via red-light cameras, bringing in more than $400 million, according to the Chicago Tribune. Questions over the… -
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… -
news
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… -
news
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…. -
news
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… -
news
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… -
news
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… -
news
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… -
news
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… -
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… -
news
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…