February 7, 2026

NJ-11: 'It's pissing people off': Centrist Democrats are livid with AIPAC after primary fiasco

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee uncorked $2 million to try to sink a mainstream Democrat in a multi-candidate special House election primary in New Jersey — and it’s infuriating mainstream Democrats and some of the pro-Israel lobby’s supporters.

“It’s pissing people off,” said Steve Schale, a longtime Democratic strategist and former Obama campaign adviser, who described it as “maddening.”

The organization spent heavily through its super PAC, Unite Democracy Project, to attack former Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.), a pro-Israel moderate who would not support unconditional aid to Israel. In doing so, it provided an opening to Analilia Mejia, a progressive organizer backed by Bernie Sanders who has said Israel committed genocide in Gaza.

Malinowski, who has not conceded the race, now trails Mejia by around 500 votes, with some outstanding votes left to be counted for the affluent, suburban seat.


https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/06/centrist-democrats-are-livid-with-aipac-after-primary-meddling-00769461

February 7, 2026

A MAGA push to erase a Dem House seat is triggering accusations of fraud and violence in Utah

National Republicans are throwing money and bodies at a down-ballot initiative to try to wrest back a congressional seat in Utah. Their efforts could blow up in their face.

With a looming February 15 deadline, Republicans have seen only half the number of verified signatures they need to move things forward. And the effort, which has the backing of President Donald Trump and support from multiple MAGA groups, has devolved into chaos.

Local county clerks are flagging hundreds of potentially fraudulent submissions. People have reportedly been repeatedly misled into signing the petition by signature-gatherers, with some telling local news outlets that they were told it was an anti-ICE petition. Those signature-gatherers have reported being assaulted by hecklers and their signature packets stolen or destroyed.

In the Beehive State, where politics are often seen by outsiders as cartoonishly friendly, this effort has turned so tumultuous that Republican Gov. Spencer Cox — who earned national attention for his pleas for civility after conservative influencer Charlie Kirk was assassinated in the state — called on Utahns to “resolve [their] disagreements peacefully.”


https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/07/trump-backed-redistricting-initiative-in-utah-goes-sideways-00767959

February 7, 2026

Karen Bass draws last-minute challenge from progressive ally in LA

LOS ANGELES — A one-time ally of Karen Bass is launching an eleventh-hour bid challenging the embattled Los Angeles mayor in her run for reelection.

Nithya Raman, a progressive Los Angeles councilmember, announced her mayoral run on Saturday, three hours before the filing deadline for the June election and less than two weeks after endorsing Bass’ reelection.

The 44 year-old former urban planner, addressing reporters after officially filing to run, described a city that was “at a breaking point,” prompting her to break with Bass.

“I do think Angelenos have really given us a lot of faith, voted for more taxes to address important housing issues, address homelessness, to address some of our biggest crises,” she said. “And if we don’t show results to them, I think we will lose them.”




https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/07/la-mayorkaren-bass-draws-last-minute-challenge-from-progressive-ally-00770408

February 7, 2026

NY-12: Pelosi to Endorse Jack Schlossberg, Again Backing a Kennedy for Congress

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to endorse Jack Schlossberg, an online political commentator and the grandson of John F. Kennedy, in his run for a hotly contested House seat in New York City, making a rare foray into a crowded Democratic primary, according to three people familiar with her plans.

Mr. Schlossberg, who is also the cousin of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is one of many Democrats vying to be the party’s nominee in the race to represent New York’s 12th Congressional District. It is an affluent quasi-rectangle in the middle of Manhattan that is home to Times Square, Central Park, the United Nations and the Empire State Building.

Ms. Pelosi, a California Democrat who is retiring from Congress next January, will be the most high-profile endorsement so far, for any candidate.

Mr. Schlossberg’s “candidacy will help Democrats win nationwide,” Ms. Pelosi said in a statement viewed by The New York Times.


https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/pelosi-endorse-schlossberg-kennedy.html

February 7, 2026

St. John's (men) holds off UConn's late rally as Rick Pitino moves to third on NCAA DI wins list

NEW YORK — In a Big East battle that brought March Madness energy to Madison Square Garden in early February, No. 22 St. John’s beat No. 3 UConn 81-72 Friday night.

Zuby Ejiofor had 21 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. He matched a career high with seven assists as the Red Storm won their ninth straight game, snapping the Huskies’ winning streak at 18 in a row. UConn had not lost since Nov. 19 at home to unbeaten Arizona.

“You know you’re going to make me retire because I’m not living life without you,” the 73-year-old Rick Pitino told Ejiofor, who is in his fourth and final season.

For Pitino, it was career victory No. 903, tying him for third all-time in major college basketball with former Kansas and North Carolina coach Roy Williams.




https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7028527/2026/02/06/uconn-st-johns-ncaa-basketball-rick-pitino/

February 7, 2026

Trump's Redistricting Plan Is Falling Short

“President Trump’s effort to push Republican state lawmakers to create more GOP-leaning House districts is on track to yield far fewer gains than expected, the latest sign that his party’s majority is at risk in this year’s elections,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Trump has been pressuring Republican-led states to redraw the boundaries of House seats now, rather than waiting for the next census, in an attempt to hold off the gains that the party out of power usually makes in midterm elections. But a Supreme Court ruling this week makes it likely that the political sea wall the president has tried to build will be weaker than his allies had hoped for, and Democrats’ surprise showing in a Jan. 31 Texas legislative race suggests a Democratic wave could be growing stronger after the party also won major races late last year.




https://politicalwire.com/2026/02/06/trumps-redistricting-plan-is-falling-short/

February 7, 2026

Lutnick lied to the public about Epstein.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said he had "limited interactions" with Jeffrey Epstein, but documents show they were in business together as recently as 2014.

Lutnick and Epstein each signed on behalf of limited liability companies that agreed on Dec. 28, 2012, to acquire stakes in a now-shuttered advertising technology company called Adfin, documents released among the so-called Epstein files show.

Epstein and Lutnick's signatures appear on neighboring pages in the contract, with Epstein signing for his Southern Trust Company, Inc. and Lutnick for a limited liability company called CVAFH I. The documents list nine shareholders in total.

Lutnick, the former chairman of the financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald who at one point lived next door to Epstein, told the New York Post in October that he and his wife Allison had cut ties with Epstein in 2005, deciding after taking a tour of Epstein's New York townhouse, "I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."






https://www.cbsnews.com/news/howard-lutnick-jeffrey-epstein-in-business-together/

February 7, 2026

These maps show how Latino voters helped Democrats flip a reliably red Texas Senate seat

Democrat Taylor Rehmet’s recent upset victory over a MAGA star to represent a reliably red Texas Senate district was, at least in part, due to a significant leftward shift by Latino voters. These maps help illustrate the point.

Precincts in Senate District 9 with a majority of Hispanic residents swung on average 34 percentage points toward Rehmet compared to the margin garnered by the Democratic nominee in 2022, when the seat was last on the ballot.

Across the entire district, VoteHub estimated that Rehmet captured about 79% of the Hispanic vote, a 26-point improvement on the 53% that went for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024 — the biggest shift of any racial group in the district.

The upshot was a decisive 14-point win for Rehmet, an Air Force veteran and union leader, over GOP activist Leigh Wambsganss in last weekend’s special election runoff.






https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/06/texas-senate-district-9-taylor-rehmet-latino-voters-swing-democrats/

February 7, 2026

Thanks for the hearts, everyone.

You're outpouring of support means more than you know.

February 7, 2026

Kotek lobbies NBA commissioner to keep Trail Blazers in Portland as team and county at odds over arena funding

As state lawmakers wait on a bill that would help fund Moda Center renovations, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek spoke with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver last week as part of her full-court press to ensure the Trail Blazers do not relocate from Portland under new ownership.

Kotek’s calendar shows a conversation with Silver on the afternoon of Jan. 30 that a spokesperson for the governor said lasted about 15 minutes and was scheduled at Kotek’s request.

“That was an opportunity for her to reinforce her support for a deal to keep the Blazers in Portland for the long term directly to the commissioner,” said the spokesperson, Elisabeth Shepard.

The call came amid a tense moment for the future of the Trail Blazers. The franchise has worked with the state, city of Portland and Multnomah County to orchestrate a complicated multi-governmental funding package that would generate roughly $600 million toward renovations that are seen as critical to keeping the Trail Blazers in Portland.



https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2026/02/kotek-lobbies-nba-commissioner-to-keep-trail-blazers-in-portland-as-team-and-county-at-odds-over-arena-funding.html?utm_campaign=theoregonian_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter