The latest redistricting move: From the Politics Desk - BERITAJA

Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a regular newsletter that brings you the Beritaja Politics team’s latest reporting and study from the White House, Capitol Hill and the run trail.

In today’s edition, Jane C. Timm digs into the latest news connected the redistricting front. Also, “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker digs into really imaginable 2028 statesmanlike candidates are talking — aliases not talking — about that looming election.

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— Scott Bland

Louisiana passes caller legislature map, dismantling 1 majority-Black district

By Jane C. Timm

Louisiana Republicans approved a caller legislature representation today, eliminating 1 of the state’s 2 majority-Black districts and drafting an further Republican-leaning territory successful its place.

The map, which is expected to thief elite 5 Republicans and 1 Democrat to Congress, was passed retired of the authorities Senate this day aft being tweaked successful the authorities House earlier successful the week. Republicans presently person a 4-2 advantage successful Louisiana’s House delegation.

Legislators drew the caller lines successful consequence to a awesome U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Louisiana v. Callais, which recovered the existing legislature representation successful Louisiana to beryllium a group gerrymander and further weakened the Voting Rights Act.

The representation preserves 1 Black-majority territory that snakes from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and is expected to beryllium challenged by voting authorities advocates. A 3rd of Louisiana’s organization is Black.

“We person a representation present that meets each the accepted redistricting criteria, it’s not racially gerrymandered,” said Republican authorities Sen. Jay Morris, who authored the bill. “I consciousness for illustration it’s going to beryllium very defensible.”

Republicans stressed during hours of statement and chat that they focused exclusively connected partisanship, seeking to summation GOP practice successful Congress.

“We focused connected the Democrat numbers, not the group numbers erstwhile drawing,” said authorities Rep. Beau Beaullieu, a Republican starring the representation drafting for the statement successful the House. “We focused successful this lawsuit connected partisanship, which is what Callais said, and I mentioned successful my intro, is intelligibly permissible.”

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For subscribers: U.S. has not confirmed that Iran placed mines successful the Strait of Hormuz, sources say

By Courtney Kube and Katherine Doyle

The U.S. subject has not confirmed that Iran placed mines successful the Strait of Hormuz contempt continued searches of the captious waterway, 2 U.S. officials and a personification acquainted pinch the matter said, adding to increasing disorder about the war.

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Gretchen Whitmer’s walk-back highlights situation for imaginable 2028 Democrats

Analysis by Kristen Welker

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said yesterday that she would not beryllium among the Democrats moving for president successful 2028. But she walked those comments back conscionable a fewer hours later, saying, “I should cognize amended to ne'er opportunity never.”

The about-face underscores the situation facing imaginable statesmanlike contenders erstwhile it comes to navigating questions about their ambitions.

They often reply those questions very carefully, not ruling thing retired but besides being coy about whether they’re decidedly considering statesmanlike runs.

I’ve asked respective imaginable 2028 candidates about their plans connected “Meet the Press.” A fewer — including New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear — person said explicitly that they are not ruling retired statesmanlike campaigns.

Others person stressed that they stay focused connected much pressing issues.

That includes Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who said past month, “I’ve sewage an economical vision, but we’ve sewage to triumph first for the House.” Sen. Ruben Gallego said past autumn that he’s focused connected raising his kids and the 2026 midterms, and will commencement reasoning about a White House tally “after each that.” Fellow Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly said successful October that he was focused connected the authorities shutdown and overseas conflicts.

And Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is now moving for governor, said past twelvemonth she was “focused connected my occupation correct now.”

Two Democratic governors who could beryllium eyeing statesmanlike runs were besides noncommittal.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom told maine past autumn that he had not decided connected a White House bid, saying, “we’ll spot what happens.” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is up for re-election this year, said successful September that he was focused connected “my activity here” and the 2026 midterms.

But 1 imaginable contender did norm retired a tally for the White House.

“I’m not moving for president,” Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told “Meet the Press” backmost successful September. Moore is moving for a 2nd word this year, and he has committed to serving a afloat word if he is re-elected.

Still, statesmanlike hopefuls person been known to norm retired runs successful the past only to reverse course. Then-Sen. Barack Obama said connected “Meet the Press” successful 2006 that he would not tally for the White House. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said the aforesaid successful 2018 arsenic she ran for re-election successful Massachusetts, but ran for president successful 2020.

Even arsenic these Democrats navigate questions about their plans, a protector superior of sorts is already underway arsenic they recreation to battlegrounds and early superior states.

Tonight, Beshear will headline a Democratic fundraiser successful South Carolina, and some he and Khanna are expected to be South Carolina Democratic Rep. Jim Clyburn’s yearly food fry.

Beshear will besides beryllium joining “Meet the Press” this Sunday, caller disconnected his South Carolina trip, on pinch erstwhile Vice President Mike Pence.

That’s each From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Scott Bland.

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