Politics

Winsome Sears, Virginia's new lieutenant governor, is the first woman of color to be elected to the position and the first woman of color to win any statewide election there. She's also a Republican willing to say all of the white people-friendly things regarding race relations in America.

Voters have rejected a ballot question that would have reimagined public safety in Minneapolis replacing the city's police department, which has been at the center of racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd last year.

Tuesday's results, particularly in Virginia and New Jersey, are telling, but they are not the whole picture. The real question is whether candidates and their teams will learn the right lessons or continue to do the same thing that lost major ground in 2010 after President Barack Obama was elected. 

Glenn Youngkin, the GOP hopeful in Virginia's gubernatorial race, has two loud and proud neo-Nazis, Lucas Isturiz and Angie Chang, in his fan club, and he has shown no interest in denouncing them. 

Channeling her inner Kanye West circa 2005, freshman progressive Missouri Rep. Cori Bush effectively said in a public letter that Joe Manchin doesn't care about Black people if he doesn't support Biden's Build Back Better legislation.

Electoral participation isn’t a means to an end. It is a pathway to a more connected society. By funding sustained engagement and organizing, Patrick sees Bridge Together as supporting local talent and listening to understand from residents what issues matter and how they manifest in their daily lives.

Noor says that the campaign to change the city charter was ultimately a heavy lift for the community. Mobilizing after the charter commission squashed a vote from taking place last year, the community engaged in what they call an even "more democratic" process.   

While much of the focus nationally is on presidential and midterm elections, local and state races are equally important. This month, several races are taking place that will significantly impact the lives of local communities.  Many elections are taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 2, but in some areas, special elections and runoffs are happening later in the month. Early voting is underway in Louisiana, which has elections on Nov. 13. 

A viral tweet from CNN reporter Kasie Hunt threatened to cover scorned "suburban women" -- aka white women -- who voted for Biden instead of Trump if paid family leave was left out of the Build Back Better framework. Spoiler alert: It was.

GOP Hopeful Vernon Jones and Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers got into a Twitter feud over Rogers -- who said he was "tap-dancing" -- wanting her endorsement of Jones removed from his page amid allegations that he's racist against white people.

The president of the NAACP's Atlanta chapter has apologized for denouncing Kasim Reed's candidacy for mayor one day after the national group publicly admonished what it said amounted to an unsanctioned endorsement. Other NAACP members beg to differ.

The nearly 3-year-old blackface scandal surrounding Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has resurfaced as the state's Democratic and Republican gubernatorial nominees court Black voters ahead of next week's election. It's not a good look for Terry McAuliffe or Glenn Youngkin.