The GOP Primary Debate Probably Won’t Address Real Issues. Here Are Some Stories That Do.
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The GOP Primary Debate Probably Won’t Address Real Issues. Here Are Some Stories That Do.
President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act turns one, while a Republican congressman rents offices from an insurrectionist and anti-LGBTQ bills become law in North Carolina.
Welcome to From the Frontlines, a bi-weekly newsletter featuring the local political stories you need to know from key states ahead of the 2024 election.
We’re just a few short hours away from the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate, an event that promises to be about as digestible as the Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese from the Iowa State Fair.
The debate has been overshadowed by the absence of the race’s frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, but from our perspective, tonight’s showdown promises to be revealing about the state of the modern Republican Party and its ongoing attacks on freedom and democracy.
After all, the debate stage will include at least four candidates who support banning abortion nationwide (Mike Pence, Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, and Asa Hutchinson), a newcomer to politics who wants to abolish the FBI and suggested 9/11 was a government conspiracy (Vivek Ramaswamy), a former governor whose term was marred by scandal (Chris Christie), and a sitting governor who’s signed some of the nation’s strictest anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ laws (Doug Burgum).
And then of course there’s Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who’s created a climate so hostile in his state that teachers are quitting their jobs in droves, LGBTQ people are desperate to leave, and countless families are becoming “political refugees” as they flee the state.
We expect tonight to include more of the same nonsense that’s animated this race so far: a competition to see who can defend Donald Trump the most and display their “anti-woke” bonafides, a bunch of inaccurate claims about transgender people, fear-mongering over the border, and conspiracy theories about Joe Biden.
What we don’t expect is to hear anything about the problems actual families are dealing with or potential solutions to those issues.
However, some federal, state, and local leaders are making headway on real crises, as today’s round-up of stories shows.
P.S. Since we were last in your inbox, Courier launched our ninth newsroom, this time in Nevada. Check out The Nevadan / El Nevadense and give us a follow.
Let’s jump right in with the stories you need to know from the past two weeks:
Arizona: 5 Republican Presidential Candidates That Likely Won’t Make It to Arizona
Over a dozen presidential candidates descended upon the Iowa State Fair earlier this month, eager to draw crowds and entice voters. By the time Arizonans cast their votes in the state’s presidential primary, most of those candidates will have dropped out of the race. Read the full story here.
More from Copper Courier:
One Year In, Here’s How the Inflation Reduction Act Has Helped Arizona
What It’s Like to Be a Student in One of Arizona’s Most Expensive Cities for Housing
Florida: DeSantis’ Veto of Federal Funds Costs Floridians $354 Million
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis used his veto power last month to reject federal funds aimed at lowering energy costs, a decision that will ultimately cost Florida taxpayers $354 million. DeSantis' decision comes as Floridians like Mirta Rodriguez struggle with skyrocketing electric bills. Read the full story here.
More from Floricua:
One Year In, Here’s How the Inflation Reduction Act Has Helped Florida
Miami Population Drops for the First Time in Decades Amid Housing Crisis
Iowa: DeSantis Has Law Enforcement Block Iowa Journalist From Event
Two Courier reporters—including Iowa Starting Line’s Chief Political Correspondent Ty Rushing—were recently greeted by multiple sheriff’s deputies when they tried to enter and cover a Ron DeSantis campaign event. Read the full story here.
More from Iowa Starting Line:
To Fight School Book Banning, Johnston Parent Starts Little Library
Iowa Doctors: Exceptions In Abortion Ban Don’t Protect Mothers
Michigan: The ‘Gander’s Exclusive Birthday Interview with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is celebrating her 52nd birthday this week. And to recognize the occasion, she sat down with The ‘Gander Newsroom for a wide-ranging, rapid-fire interview filled with exactly 52 questions. Watch the full video here
More from The ‘Gander:
One Year Later: Biden’s CHIPS Act Makes Michigan a ‘Global Epicenter’ for Manufacturing
13 Times Michigan Was Mentioned in Trump’s Latest Indictment
Nevada: Thousands of clean energy jobs going to Nevada’s Latino communities
Nevada’s second congressional district in Northern Nevada has seen 10,450 new clean energy jobs announced over the past year since President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. That is the second highest number of new clean energy jobs of any district in the country, according to Climate Power. Read the full story here.
More from The Nevadan/El Nevadense:
North Carolina: Republicans Override Cooper’s Vetoes of Anti-LGBTQ Bills
The Republican-controlled General Assembly last week voted to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes of bills that require teachers to out students to their parents, prohibit gender-affirming care for minors, and prevent transgender students from joining female sports teams. Read the full story here.
More from Cardinal & Pine:
Pennsylvania: Scott Perry Rents Offices from Man Who Assaulted Cops on Jan. 6
Property records show that Congressman Scott Perry (R-York) leases two district offices in the Harrisburg area from Lowell Gates, who was arrested earlier this month for assaulting police officers during the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. Read the full story here.
More from The Keystone:
Rob Mercuri Scrubs Anti-Abortion Language From Website for Congressional Run
2,400 Pennsylvania Workers Keep Their Pensions Thanks to Biden’s American Rescue Plan
Is PA’s Richest Billionaire Trying to Buy a State Supreme Court Seat?
Virginia: How a Biden-Era Law Will Save Virginians Thousands on Prescription Drugs
The Inflation Reduction Act, which Biden signed one year ago this month, included a measure that will cap annual out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors to just $2,000 per year starting in 2025. The provision is expected to benefit nearly 400,000 Virginians with Medicare prescription drug coverage, who will save more than $440 per year on average as a result of the provision. Read the full story here.
More from Dogwood:
Wisconsin: The Battle for Wisconsin Is Underway
Wisconsin will again become the center of the American political universe, when Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum hosts the first Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 campaign on Wednesday night. It’s a position the state should probably get used to. Read the full story here.
More from Up North News:
Here’s Your Scorecard to Track the Many Criminal Trials Facing Former President Trump
Biden in Wisconsin: The US Is ‘Getting Back to Exporting Products, Not Jobs’
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