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Cash washes over the vulnerable House Democratic newcomers

The most politically vulnerable first-term House Democrats may have run against the campaign finance status quo in 2018, but they are proving themselves adept at exploiting the system for 2020.

Of the 43 freshmen already identified as targets by the House Republican campaign operation, only eight raised less than $300,000 in the first three months of this year, Politico reports. And none of them raised less than Republicans who have already launched challenger campaigns.


Democrats have a 19-seat majority, and the solid early fundraising by their vulnerable freshmen is one indication the party will have the resources necessary to defend its control.

The biggest funding haul among the newcomers was $874,000 by Josh Harder, who narrowly ousted GOP incumbent Jeff Denham last year in a central California district that is a presidential battleground. Five others, all of whom also ousted sitting Republican House members in purple or red-tinged districts, raised more than $500,000: Antonio Delgado and Max Rose of New York; Joe Cunningham of South Carolina; Katie Hill of California; and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher of Texas.

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Ed Martin’s Plan to Shame Trump's Enemies Threatens the Rule of Law

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Getty Images, Andrew Harnik

Ed Martin’s Plan to Shame Trump's Enemies Threatens the Rule of Law

For a long time, scholars, commentators, and officials have debated the efficacy of shame as a form of punishment. Opinion has been divided over the efficacy and appropriateness of using it as a response to a criminal conviction.

But nowhere did anyone ever suggest that shaming someone would be an acceptable reason to prosecute them. Until now.

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Congress Bill Spotlight: Preventing Presidential Inaugurations on MLK Day, Like Trump’s

Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th President of the United States.

Getty Images, Pool

Congress Bill Spotlight: Preventing Presidential Inaugurations on MLK Day, Like Trump’s

The Fulcrum introduces Congress Bill Spotlight, a weekly report by Jesse Rifkin, focusing on the noteworthy legislation of the thousands introduced in Congress. Rifkin has written about Congress for years, and now he's dissecting the most interesting bills you need to know about, but that often don't get the right news coverage.

President Donald Trump falsely claimed his January 6, 2021 speech preceding the Capitol Building riot “had more people” in attendance than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

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RCV Momentum, Young Voters, and Faster Runoffs

RCV Momentum, Young Voters, and Faster Runoffs

RCV Momentum, Young Voters, and Faster Runoffs - This Week’s Expand Democracy 5

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 5. From Rob Ritchie, with Eveline Dowling’s help, we explore five ways democracy is evolving—locally, nationally, and globally. Today's stories include:

🌟 Future of RCV is Bright - Energy & trends favor voter choice

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Just the Facts: Trump Administration Pauses International Student Visas
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Just the Facts: Trump Administration Pauses International Student Visas

The Fulcrum strives to approach news stories with an open mind and skepticism, striving to present our readers with a broad spectrum of viewpoints through diligent research and critical thinking. As best we can, we remove personal bias from our reporting and seek a variety of perspectives in both our news gathering and selection of opinion pieces. However, before our readers can analyze varying viewpoints, they must have the facts.

Has the Trump administration put a hold on issuing student visas for this coming fall?

The Trump administration has paused new student visa interviews as part of an effort to expand social media screening for applicants. The State Department has instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to stop scheduling new student and exchange visitor visa appointments until further guidance is issued. However, previously scheduled interviews will still proceed.

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