GET THE APP
Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Category: Politics
4 hours ago
News
Politics

South Carolina House Passes Redistricted Midterms Map.

The South Carolina House of Representatives has passed a new congressional map favoring Republicans, potentially eliminating the last Democrat-held seat in the state.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: South Carolina’s House of Representatives has officially approved the state’s redrawn congressional map, potentially giving Republicans a full seven-seat sweep at the midterms.
📰 DETAIL: House Bill 5683, which redraws South Carolina’s congressional map, was passed on Wednesday. The aim of the redraw was to dissolve the 6th Congressional District, currently held by Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat and the only one of his party in the state’s congressional delegation. The redraw of South Carolina’s congressional map began on May 15, 2026, after Republican Governor Henry McMaster called for a special legislative session earlier in the month. It follows the Supreme Court ruling that racially gerrymandered majority-minority electoral districts, like Clyburn’s, are unconstitutional.
🎯 IMPACT: Governor McMaster summoned state legislators for a special session after a small number of Republican-in-name-only (RINO) state senators sided with the Democrats to block a previous redistricting measure. “Whatever we can do to see that we have a functioning Congress, we ought to do it,” said McMaster when asked by reporters about the decision to pursue a congressional redraw. The measure will now head to the state Senate. Notably, the previous attempt failed because a supermajority was required, but in the special session a simple majority will be sufficient. If approved by the state Senate, the new map will likely eliminate the Democrats’ only congressional district in the state, giving all seven seats to the Republicans. This would strengthen the Republicans’ electoral prospects in the midterms in November. Republican-controlled states like Texas and Florida have already pursued redraws favoring the GOP, while Democrat-controlled California and Virginia have sought to reduce Republican representation. However, not every state will redistrict before the elections in November.

Image by jpellgen.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

The South Carolina House of Representatives has passed a new congressional map favoring Republicans, potentially eliminating the last Democrat-held seat in the state.

show more
6 hours ago
Politics
UK

AIPAC Takes Kentucky Victory Lap: ‘Proud to Defeat’ Massie.

Pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC cheered the primary defeat of Representative Thomas Massie at the hands of Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein in Kentucky.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Thomas Massie lost the Kentucky GOP primary to Ed Gallrein, a challenger backed by President Donald J. Trump, on Tuesday, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) being quick to celebrate.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Pro-Israel Americans are proud to help defeat anti-Israel candidates! Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics!” – AIPAC on X (formerly Twitter)
📰 DETAIL: Massie had drawn the ire of both Trump and AIPAC over his opposition to the administration’s Middle East policy, particularly the military intervention in Iran. The Kentucky congressman also voted to force the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the Epstein Files, opposed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and opposed the administration’s strikes on cartel vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. Gallrein beat him by roughly 55 percent to 45 percent on Tuesday, after Trump branded Massie “the worst Republican congressman in history.” The race became the most expensive House primary on record, with enormous resources poured into removing Massie from office.
🎯 IMPACT: Gallrein’s win comes alongside Clay Fuller’s victory in the Georgia district formerly represented by Israel critic Marjorie Taylor Greene. AIPAC noted Wednesday morning: “Ed Gallrein’s victory in KY and Clay Fuller’s win in GA ensures two outspoken pro-Israel voices are positioned to fill seats previously held by outspoken detractors, Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene,” and added that their community was “proud to help pro-Israel candidates win” both contests.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC cheered the primary defeat of Representative Thomas Massie at the hands of Trump-endorsed challenger Ed Gallrein in Kentucky.

show more
21 hours ago
News
Politics

Wesley Hunt Backs Paxton After Trump’s Endorsement.

Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) has thrown his support behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s Republican Senate runoff, creating a united front against incumbent Senator John Cornyn after a decisive endorsement from President Donald J. Trump.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX) has joined President Donald J. Trump in endorsing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state’s Republican Senate runoff.
📺 DETAIL: After finishing third in the state’s Senate primary, Rep. Hunt did not immediately endorse Paxton after being eliminated. However, following President Donald J. Trump’s endorsement of Paxton on Tuesday, Rep. Hunt has endorsed the Texas Attorney General. President Trump delayed his endorsement until one week before the primary runoff, having previously suggested that the non-endorsed candidate should step aside. Both Hunt and Paxton have been highly critical of Cornyn, who has a long history of backstabbing Trump and the MAGA movement, although Paxton offered to stand aside if Cornyn could pass the SAVE America Act, an election integrity bill and a cornerstone proposal of the Trump administration. Cornyn failed to do so.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “Today, President Donald Trump has made his position unmistakably clear in the Texas Senate race, he is fully backing Attorney General Ken Paxton, and SO AM I… NOW is the time to come together, fight TOGETHER, and deliver a strong America First victory for Texas and for our nation.” – Rep. Hunt on X (formerly Twitter)
🎯 IMPACT: The endorsements from both President Trump and Rep. Hunt bolster state Attorney General Paxton’s position in the primary race, creating a united front against Cornyn. As per polling from March, Paxton is projected to beat Cornyn in the runoff. This is another in a series of victories for Paxton. Earlier this week, Texas Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in the country, agreed to a multi-million-dollar settlement with the state of Texas over so-called “gender affirming care” and agreed to establish a detransition clinic, representing a legal and cultural victory for opponents of transgenderism. The winner of the Republican Senate primary in Texas will face off against Democrat candidate James Talarico in November.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) has thrown his support behind Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state's Republican Senate runoff, creating a united front against incumbent Senator John Cornyn after a decisive endorsement from President Donald J. Trump.

show more
21 hours ago
News
Politics

‘This is Peanuts’ – Trump Downplays Rising Gas Prices.

President Trump downplayed rising gas prices, despite rising inflation being tied to his slipping polling numbers ahead of the November midterms, arguing that the hikes are temporary and that stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is more important.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump dismissed rising gas prices as “peanuts” on Tuesday, even as new polling shows his approval rating sinking to just 37 percent, driven by concerns over his handling of inflation and the economy generally.
📺 DETAIL: Gas prices are averaging about $4.53 per gallon nationwide, driven higher by ongoing conflict with Iran and the resulting global supply disruptions. Analysts note Trump’s handling of inflation is viewed particularly poorly, with only 25 percent of Americans approving. Polling indicates this dissatisfaction is part of a sustained trend rather than a short-term fluctuation, contributing to concerns that energy costs and inflation could dominate voter sentiment heading into the November midterms. Despite the criticism, Trump emphasized in comments to the press that his focus on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, suggesting that the country’s economic issues are relatively trivial and only temporary.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “This is peanuts. I appreciate everybody putting up with it for a little while. But I don’t even think about it. What I think about is you can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon.” – President Trump

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

President Trump downplayed rising gas prices, despite rising inflation being tied to his slipping polling numbers ahead of the November midterms, arguing that the hikes are temporary and that stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is more important.

show more
23 hours ago
News
Politics

Rahm Emanuel’s 2028 Policy Blitz Falls Flat With Democrat Voters.

Despite releasing numerous policy proposals, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) remains largely unnoticed in early 2028 presidential polls, as he looks to become a Democrat nomination challenger.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) is actively promoting his policy ideas for a potential 2028 presidential run, yet he remains virtually unnoticed in early polling data.
📰 DETAIL: Despite regular appearances on CNN, the podcast circuit, and columns in the Wall Street Journal, Emanuel trails well behind other potential Democrat contenders, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, and California Rep. Ro Khanna. Recent surveys show his backing ranges from less than one percent to effectively zero percent in early-state and national polls. Emanuel’s policy initiatives include social media limits for children, a ban on federal employees betting with prediction markets, work training for retired service members, mandatory retirement for politicians at 75, a federal tax on online gambling, tax credits for first-time homebuyers, and diverting ICE funding to community colleges. He has visited key primary states such as Nevada, South Carolina, Michigan, and New Hampshire, where he plans a bike tour next month. However, while he criticizes the Democrat establishment, his long history in Washington, including service as Barack Obama‘s White House chief of staff, ambassador to Japan under Joe Biden, and a member of Congress, could be a double-edged sword, with voters frustrated by the political status quo. Observers note that his name recognition is limited outside Illinois, and many early polls did not even include him as an option.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “As always, D.C. has too much time on its hands… We’re not in the first inning. We’re not in the pregame. We aren’t even in spring training, and you’re asking me about the World Series,” Emanuel told Axios when quizzed on his lack of impact on the polls.
🎯 IMPACT: Emanuel’s lack of traction in the polls suggests that his extensive experience in Washington and his many policy proposals are not resonating with voters, who may be seeking fresh faces and ideas. Nevertheless, his continued efforts to engage with key primary states indicate he is undeterred by early polling results.

Image by Daniel X. O’Neil.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Despite releasing numerous policy proposals, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) remains largely unnoticed in early 2028 presidential polls, as he looks to become a Democrat nomination challenger.

show more
May 18, 2026
News
Politics

Big Pharma Bill Cassidy, Who Voted to Convict Trump, Loses Senate Primary.

Senator Bill Cassidy’s primary defeat signals a shift in Louisiana’s Republican politics, with Trump-backed Julia Letlow leading ahead of an upcoming runoff.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) lost his Louisiana Republican Senate primary, finishing third behind Trump-backed Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) and state Treasurer John Fleming. This marks the first time in nearly 15 years that a sitting U.S. Senator has lost a primary in a regularly scheduled election.
📍 WHEN & WHERE: The Louisiana GOP primary took place on May 17, 2026. Letlow and Fleming will now face off in a runoff election scheduled for June 27.
📺 DETAIL: Cassidy, a supporter of Obamacare, faced backlash for voting to convict President Trump in the Senate during his first term. His ties to the pharmaceutical industry, including over $1.2 million in career contributions, and opposition to drug pricing reforms have drawn criticism from the Make America Healthy Against (MAHA) movement. In contrast, Letlow campaigned on America First priorities, including border security, energy independence, and opposition to progressivism.
🎯 IMPACT: Cassidy’s defeat underscores the GOP base’s dissatisfaction with establishment Republicans, particularly those who have opposed key America First policies. Letlow’s lead highlights a shift toward Trump-aligned candidates in Louisiana.
📺 FLASHBACK: The last sitting U.S. Senator to lose a primary was Richard Lugar (R-IN) in 2012, who was defeated by a more conservative challenger. Cassidy’s loss follows a similar pattern of voters rejecting establishment figures in favor of candidates more aligned with grassroots priorities.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Senator Bill Cassidy's primary defeat signals a shift in Louisiana's Republican politics, with Trump-backed Julia Letlow leading ahead of an upcoming runoff.

show more
May 15, 2026
News
Politics

South Carolina Governor Calls Special Session on Redistricting to Reverse RINO Sabotage.

Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster (R) summoned state legislators to the General Assembly for a special session to redraw the state’s congressional map.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: South Carolina’s General Assembly has started its special legislative session to redraw the state’s congressional map, following a Supreme Court ruling that racially gerrmandered minority-majority districts are unconstitutional. This follows a previous attempt to redistrict this week, which was sabotaged by a small number of Republican state senators siding with the Democrats to block it. 
💬 KEY QUOTE: “I have issued an Executive Order calling the General Assembly back for an extra legislative session to address the state budget and congressional districts beginning Friday, May 15, at 11:00 AM.” – Governor Henry McMaster on X.
📺 DETAIL: On Thursday, Governor McMaster called for the South Carolina General Assembly, the state’s legislature, to hold a special legislative session to redraw South Carolina’s congressional maps. The governor’s announcement on X (formerly Twitter) follows the decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court during the Louisiana v. Callais case, in which provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 mandating the creation of majority-minority districts were deemed racial gerrymandering, and thus unconstitutional. The ruling has since sparked a series of redraws across the country ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in November. The governor’s call for a special session comes after several Republican state senators in South Carolina, including the Majority Leader, broke ranks and blocked a redistricting effort on Tuesday. The proposal would have turned South Carolina’s sole Democrat district into a Republican-leaning one. However, while the previous vote failed because it fell just short of a supermajority in the state senate, the special session will require only a simple majority to pass the new map.
🎯 IMPACT: The special session reflects the intensifying nationwide scramble to redistrict ahead of the midterms in November. South Carolina’s special session reflects a broader pattern of states pursuing redistricting proposals that benefit the incumbent party. States like California and Virginia have advanced proposals favoring the Democrats, while states like Texas and Florida have made efforts to boost Republican representation. However, not every state will redistrict before the 2026 midterms. Georgia is set to redistrict in time for 2028 but not 2026, while recent comments from Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves (R) suggest a redraw there is highly unlikely.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster (R) summoned state legislators to the General Assembly for a special session to redraw the state's congressional map.

show more
May 13, 2026
News
Politics

Mississippi Governor Backs Off Redistricting Before Midterms.

Republican Governor Tate Reeves has suggested that Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms, according to Governor Tate Reeves (R).
📺 DETAIL: In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Governor Reeves announced that he expected Mississippi lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional, legislative, and Supreme Court districts before the 2027 elections, rather than before the 2026 midterms in November. At present, Mississippi’s congressional map includes four districts, one of which is represented by Bennie Thompson, a Democrat. This announcement followed reports on Wednesday that Gov. Reeves canceled a special session centered around the possibility of redistricting the state. The session was scheduled for Wednesday next week. “Just to clarify, I said I expect lawmakers to redraw congressional lines BETWEEN NOW and 2027 elections! I also expect them to redraw legislative and Supreme Court lines between now and 2027 elections,” Reeves said. While it initially appeared Reeves was leaving the door open to redistricting before November, a follow-up announcement clarified that Mississippi will not be pursuing a redraw of its maps, which the governor suggested are now unnecessary, citing the dissolution of a District Court’s injunction preventing the use of the state’s current Supreme Court map.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “[T]here is no need for the Legislature to draw a new map. I am recalling and dissolving my April 23, 2026, Proclamation which called for a special session to redraw Mississippi’s Supreme Court map next Wednesday.” – Governor Reeves
🎯 IMPACT: Mississippi’s map is very unlikely to change ahead of the 2026 midterms, although Reeves claims he is open to doing so in the future. “Today is not the end of the redistricting process—it is just the beginning!” he said on X. However, assuming any potential redistricting proposal for Mississippi will not take place until after the November midterms, Republicans will have to look to other states to shore up additional potential representation. Reeves called for a special session prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana’s redistricting case, one of several battles to redraw congressional maps ahead of the midterms. States like California and Virginia have pushed proposals favoring Democrats while states like Texas and Florida seek to boost Republican representation in Congress. This week, it was reported that South Carolina and Missouri are making their own pushes to redistrict.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Republican Governor Tate Reeves has suggested that Mississippi will not redraw its congressional maps before the 2026 midterms.

show more
May 13, 2026
News
Politics

Louisiana GOP Advances New Congressional Map.

Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Senate has advanced a new congressional map that could shift the state’s congressional delegation from a 4-2 to a 5-1 Republican majority, following a Supreme Court decision against racial gerrymandering.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: The Louisiana Senate has moved forward with a new congressional map favoring Republicans, potentially increasing their delegation to five seats compared to one for Democrats. This follows a Supreme Court decision striking down the previous map, which included a racially gerrymandered, Democrat-leaning black-majority district, as unconstitutional.
📺 DETAIL: The proposal, approved by a state Senate committee after hours of overnight testimony, would likely force Democratic Reps. Troy Carter and Cleo Fields into the same district. The redistricting push follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened aspects of the Voting Rights Act mandating racial gerrymandering in favor of minorities, and opened the door for Republican-led states to redraw congressional maps in a number of states. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) previously delayed congressional primaries to give lawmakers time to adopt a new map. The proposal now heads to the full Senate and, if approved, would move to the state House and then to Governor Landry for final approval.
📺 FLASHBACK: The Supreme Court previously ruled that Louisiana’s 2022 congressional maps violated constitutional protections by relying on racial data to draw districts, mandating the creation of a second majority-Black district. This marks the third redistricting effort in Louisiana since the last census.
🎯 IMPACT: If approved, the map could have significant implications for the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives come the November midterms. Redistricting efforts are intensifying across the country ahead of these elections, with the Democrats moving to redraw maps in their favor in states like California and Virginia, and the Republicans doing the same in states like Louisiana, Tennessee, and Florida.

Image by Ted Eytan.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

Louisiana's Republican-controlled Senate has advanced a new congressional map that could shift the state's congressional delegation from a 4-2 to a 5-1 Republican majority, following a Supreme Court decision against racial gerrymandering.

show more
May 12, 2026
News
Politics

South Carolina Voting on Redistricting as New Missouri Map Goes to Court.

The national redistricting battle is heating up in South Carolina and Missouri, with the GOP in the former considering changes to the state’s electoral map as the latter defends a new map in court.

PULSE POINTS
❓ WHAT HAPPENED: Missouri’s Supreme Court is reviewing a legal challenge to a new congressional map, as GOP lawmakers in South Carolina consider redistricting plans that could eliminate a Democrat-held U.S. House seat.
📰 DETAIL: Missouri’s new map aims to secure more GOP seats by altering the Kansas City district, following a Supreme Court ruling that existing districts racially gerrymandered to create Democrat-leaning black majorities are unconstitutional. In South Carolina, the focus is on potentially redrawing the state’s only Democratic-held seat, which could lead to a Republican sweep. The South Carolina effort has passed the state House, but must be approved by a supermajority in the state Senate, where some GOP lawmakers are hesitant.
🎯 IMPACT: The outcomes of these redistricting efforts could significantly influence the balance of power in the U.S. House following the November midterms, with Republicans aiming to gain additional seats in several states. Notably, the Democrats have also been seeking to redraw electoral maps in their favor in states such as California and Virginia, with mixed success.
💬 KEY QUOTE: “The South Carolina State Senate has a big vote… on Redistricting. I’m watching closely, along with all Republicans across the Country who are counting on their Elected Leaders to use every Legal and Constitutional authority they have to stop the Radical Left Democrats from destroying our Country, including leveling the playing field against their decades of egregious Gerrymandering and Census Rigging. South Carolina Republicans: BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS, just like the Republicans of the Great State of Tennessee were last week! ” – President Trump, urging South Carolina state senators to support redistricting efforts on Truth Social

Image by jpellgen.

Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.

show less

The national redistricting battle is heating up in South Carolina and Missouri, with the GOP in the former considering changes to the state's electoral map as the latter defends a new map in court.

show more