US Policy Pulse

GOP pushes SAVE Act; stalled in Senate. Trump fired EAC commissioners. DOJ 2020 probe dealt blow. Multiple state-level battles: DC Circuit stays mail-in ballot EO; 1st Circuit upholds injunction blocking federal voter list. Senate passed funding bill to avert shutdown through Dec. 11 – no Trump battleship money, Border Patrol fund transfer blocked, grant rule delayed. Shutdown risk significantly reduced. Americans' confidence in fair elections deteriorating (new Gallup: 67% worry about political pressure on officials). State-level: Michigan data shows 60% early voting, rare non-citizen voting; Colorado candidate cited for improper donations. Congress faces legislative logjam on reconciliation, CR, and NDAA. Sen. Schiff introduces bills to ban AI political ads and require influencer disclosure. Alaska ranked choice voting fight sees massive outside spending disparity. Missouri primary sees $40M in ballot measure spending. SCOTUS issued two campaign finance decisions in July, tightening disclosure and upholding state contribution limits. Alaska ballot measure on campaign donation limits ($2,000/$4,000) to appear on Aug 18 primary. Trump defends Jan. 6 compensation fund, calling attackers 'great American Patriots' – a major escalation in accountability debate. New: Missouri congressman's op-ed cites New Jersey non-citizen voter roll as SAVE Act evidence. New: Elon Musk's America PAC preparing major midterm push. New: Systemic piece ties corruption, DOJ politicization, and immunity to election integrity erosion. New: Op-ed argues mail-in ballots risk voters missing late-breaking developments. New: Oklahoma campaigns using AI with little regulation; Saxum model predicts primary outcomes. New: Pennsylvania challenges to Trump-era policy rollbacks (Shapiro lawsuits) highlight federal-state tensions. New: Cyberattack on water systems reported; Trump blames Minnesota. New: Michigan primary results: El-Sayed wins narrow victory; Rogers wins GOP primary. New article details preemptive election conspiracy claims by Blakeman and others, reinforcing pattern of election denial shaping the 2026 midterms. New article catalogs systematic dismantling of federal election security infrastructure under Trump – eliminated entities, reduced funding, staffing cuts – ahead of midterms. New: Pennsylvania lawmakers call for end to corporate money in politics, adding to state-level campaign finance reform push. New: Maryland voters to decide on redistricting rules in November; Ohio candidates campaign on voter confidence. New: Tennessee redistricting dilutes Black voting power after SCOTUS weakened VRA; voter registration data shows Florida GOP surge, Dem gains in PA/NC/AZ/NV. FTC proposes regulating AI for ideological bias as deceptive practice; faces criticism. Court blocks Trump from using ballroom for event. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) loses primary. New: Super PACs pour money into Florida primaries (Frankel, Moskowitz) with crypto/AI backing; AIPAC unfavorability noted. New: Prediction markets emerge as new threat to election trust; L.A. officials scrambling to craft policies. New: AI-generated voter suppression scenarios detailed. New: Oregon proposed campaign finance initiative to restrict corporate spending via corporate authority, bypassing Citizens United; legal theory novel. New: Explainer on how money works in elections highlights early money signals viability; raises question of disclosure effectiveness. New: Pro-voter ID op-ed from PA think tank cites 83% support and NBER study. New: Legal analysis questions Trump's ability to use emergency powers to change election rules, citing Elections Clause. New: Pew poll shows only 55% of Americans believe midterms will be fair, down from 61% in 2024; partisan split widens. New: Louisiana enacts laws targeting AI use in political communications, requiring disclosure and penalties.