By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve faces an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">unusually contentious</a>&nbsp;meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut.

The Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">sharply divided</a>&nbsp;over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">have been exacerbated</a>&nbsp;by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">remains elevated</a>, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">unemployment rate has risen</a>, which often leads to rate cuts.

Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point cut that Powell is likely to support at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, which would be the most dissenting votes in six years. Just 12 of the 19 members vote on rate decisions. Several of the non-voting officials have also said they oppose another rate cut.

“It’s just a really tricky time. Perfectly sensible people can reach different answers,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed staff member. “And the committee kind of likes to work by consensus, but this is a situation where that consensus is hard to reach.”

The debate, which has also been fueled by a lack of official federal data on employment and inflation during the government shutdown, could be a preview of where the Fed is headed after Powell’s term as chair ends in May. His successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">widely expected to be</a>&nbsp;Kevin Hassett, the top White House economic adviser. Hassett may push for faster cuts than other officials would be willing to support.

English said the potential for greater disagreement could be seen as a sign of healthy debate between different views. The Fed’s tradition of reaching unanimous or nearly-unanimous decisions has often been criticized as evidence of “groupthink.” Yet some Fed officials warn that there are downsides to sharp splits. If the committee votes end up as 8-4 or even 7-5, then financial markets could lose confidence in where the central bank is headed next.

Fed Governor Christopher Waller, for example, has said that in the case of a 7-5 vote, if just one official changed their view, it could bring about a significant shift in Fed policy.

For now, however, most economists expect what’s called a “hawkish cut” — the Fed will reduce rates, while also signaling that it may stand pat for some time to assess the economy’s health. (“Hawks” refer to officials who generally support higher rates to combat inflation, while “doves” more often support lower rates to boost hiring).

The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Jeffrey Schmid, is expected to dissent for a second straight meeting in favor of keeping rates unchanged. He may be joined by St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem. Fed governor Stephen Miran, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-miran-trump-70a09bdf2e10839f35e1596cafe5c415">hurriedly appointed</a>&nbsp;to the Fed’s board by Trump in September, will likely dissent for a third straight meeting in favor of a larger, half-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate.

After the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">last meeting Oct. 28-29</a>, several policymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">said</a>&nbsp;they would prefer to keep rates unchanged at the December meeting, leading Wall Street investors to briefly downgrade the odds of a third rate cut to less than 30%. But then John Williams, president of the New York Fed, said that this year’s uptick in inflation appears to be a temporary blip driven by Trump’s tariffs that would likely fade by the middle of 2026.

As a result, “I still see room for a further adjustment” in the Fed’s short-term rate, Williams said. As president of the New York Fed and vice chair of the rate-setting committee, Williams gets to vote on every interest rate decision and is close to Powell. Analysts said it was unlikely Williams would have made such a statement without Powell’s support. Investors rapidly lifted the odds of a cut, which now are at 89%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank">CME Fedwatch</a>.

“You’re seeing the power of the chair,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and also a former top Fed staffer. “Members of the committee, my instinct is, are wanting to underscore their support for Powell.”

Powell has come under relentless attack from Trump, who just last month said he would “love to fire his ass” and called Powell “this clown.”

The Fed is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, two goals that are potentially in conflict.

For now, Powell and many other Fed officials are more concerned about hiring and unemployment rather than inflation. While the official government jobs reports have been delayed, in September the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, the third straight increase and the highest in four years.

Payroll provider ADP, meanwhile, reported that in November, its data showed companies shed 32,000 jobs. And many large firms have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">announced sweeping layoffs.</a>

Worries that the job market could get worse are a key reason a rate cut in December is likely — but not necessarily beyond that. Fed officials will have up to three months of backlogged jobs and inflation data to consider when they meet in late January. Those figures could show inflation remains stubbornly high or that hiring has rebounded, which would suggest further cuts aren’t needed.

“What they may end up agreeing to do is cut rates now, but give some guidance ... that signals that they’re on&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718218288023.png" alt="Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christopher-rugaber">CHRISTOPHER RUGABER</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve faces an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">unusually contentious</a>&nbsp;meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell’s ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut.The Fed’s 19-member rate-setting committee is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-inflation-8a0060c2f52f884ed3489450a66619b8">sharply divided</a>&nbsp;over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">have been exacerbated</a>&nbsp;by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-spending-eaa913f6df77db354019d0d22a4b01fe">remains elevated</a>, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-tariff-bf603d63e13d6dc1083e9a6616c7ffee">unemployment rate has risen</a>, which often leads to rate cuts.Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point cut that Powell is likely to support at the Dec. 9-10 meeting, which would be the most dissenting votes in six years. Just 12 of the 19 members vote on rate decisions. Several of the non-voting officials have also said they oppose another rate cut.“It’s just a really tricky time. Perfectly sensible people can reach different answers,” said William English, an economist at the Yale School of Management and a former top Fed staff member. “And the committee kind of likes to work by consensus, but this is a situation where that consensus is hard to reach.”The debate, which has also been fueled by a lack of official federal data on employment and inflation during the government shutdown, could be a preview of where the Fed is headed after Powell’s term as chair ends in May. His successor will be appointed by President Donald Trump and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-bessent-26f23d4bbccd2476e913c0e675fbffdc">widely expected to be</a>&nbsp;Kevin Hassett, the top White House economic adviser. Hassett may push for faster cuts than other officials would be willing to support.English said the potential for greater disagreement could be seen as a sign of healthy debate between different views. The Fed’s tradition of reaching unanimous or nearly-unanimous decisions has often been criticized as evidence of “groupthink.” Yet some Fed officials warn that there are downsides to sharp splits. If the committee votes end up as 8-4 or even 7-5, then financial markets could lose confidence in where the central bank is headed next.Fed Governor Christopher Waller, for example, has said that in the case of a 7-5 vote, if just one official changed their view, it could bring about a significant shift in Fed policy.For now, however, most economists expect what’s called a “hawkish cut” — the Fed will reduce rates, while also signaling that it may stand pat for some time to assess the economy’s health. (“Hawks” refer to officials who generally support higher rates to combat inflation, while “doves” more often support lower rates to boost hiring).The president of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Jeffrey Schmid, is expected to dissent for a second straight meeting in favor of keeping rates unchanged. He may be joined by St. Louis Fed president Alberto Musalem. Fed governor Stephen Miran, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-miran-trump-70a09bdf2e10839f35e1596cafe5c415">hurriedly appointed</a>&nbsp;to the Fed’s board by Trump in September, will likely dissent for a third straight meeting in favor of a larger, half-point reduction in the Fed’s key rate.After the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-cut-inflation-jobs-e689e1397856aa24ffebdaaefa9762a2">last meeting Oct. 28-29</a>, several policymakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-economy-federal-reserve-d6f4bbc6c458f73cd230c63e6abb1985">said</a>&nbsp;they would prefer to keep rates unchanged at the December meeting, leading Wall Street investors to briefly downgrade the odds of a third rate cut to less than 30%. But then John Williams, president of the New York Fed, said that this year’s uptick in inflation appears to be a temporary blip driven by Trump’s tariffs that would likely fade by the middle of 2026.As a result, “I still see room for a further adjustment” in the Fed’s short-term rate, Williams said. As president of the New York Fed and vice chair of the rate-setting committee, Williams gets to vote on every interest rate decision and is close to Powell. Analysts said it was unlikely Williams would have made such a statement without Powell’s support. Investors rapidly lifted the odds of a cut, which now are at 89%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank">CME Fedwatch</a>.“You’re seeing the power of the chair,” said Nathan Sheets, chief global economist at Citi and also a former top Fed staffer. “Members of the committee, my instinct is, are wanting to underscore their support for Powell.”Powell has come under relentless attack from Trump, who just last month said he would “love to fire his ass” and called Powell “this clown.”The Fed is required by Congress to seek low inflation and maximum employment, two goals that are potentially in conflict.For now, Powell and many other Fed officials are more concerned about hiring and unemployment rather than inflation. While the official government jobs reports have been delayed, in September the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, the third straight increase and the highest in four years.Payroll provider ADP, meanwhile, reported that in November, its data showed companies shed 32,000 jobs. And many large firms have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/layoffs-us-economy-job-numbers-cd9d657cb7d7b4429f2c8346e18f8840">announced sweeping layoffs.</a>Worries that the job market could get worse are a key reason a rate cut in December is likely — but not necessarily beyond that. Fed officials will have up to three months of backlogged jobs and inflation data to consider when they meet in late January. Those figures could show inflation remains stubbornly high or that hiring has rebounded, which would suggest further cuts aren’t needed.“What they may end up agreeing to do is cut rates now, but give some guidance ... that signals that they’re on&nbsp;

Divided Fed expected to deliver another interest rate cut

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next year’s elections.

Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office — well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held sometime next year.

Referendum votes in Missouri are automatically set for the upcoming November election, unless the General Assembly approves an earlier date during its regular session that begins in January. Missouri’s candidate filing period runs from Feb. 24 through March 31, but districts can still be changed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-census-2020-missouri-congress-73dbf242acd05bfea4f24223228d0621">after the deadline</a>, as occurred when the legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-missouri-redistricting-congress-38efa0999c9901cc531c3768bb53a3c4">approved districts in 2022</a>.

The signatures also need to be formally verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who has argued the referendum is unconstitutional. But if the signatures hold up, the referendum could create a significant obstacle for Republicans who hope the new districts could help them win a currently Democratic-held seat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">in the Kansas City area</a>&nbsp;in the November election.

“At the end of the day, these are going to have to get counted, and people are going to vote on this,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, which sponsored the referendum drive.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">Redistricting</a>&nbsp;typically happens once a decade, after each census. But the national political parties are engaged in an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle after Trump urged Republican-led states to reshape House voting districts to their advantage. The Republican president is trying to avert a historical tendency for the incumbent’s party to lose seats in midterm elections.

Each House seat could be crucial, because Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win control of the chamber and impede Trump’s agenda.

Redistricting is spreading through states

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-texas-redistricting-trump-republicans-discrimination-c1bbf88e2a1f7d49cda512b8ef165750">Texas was the first</a>&nbsp;to respond to Trump’s call by passing a new congressional map that could help Republicans win five additional seats. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;last week for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections.

Republicans could gain one seat each under new maps passed in Missouri and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-north-carolina-map-lawsuit-trump-ce0c6f203eef66a46f1aabb4eaaf32ed">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and have an improved chance at taking two additional seats under a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52">Ohio congressional map</a>. In Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-state-senate-redistricting-vote-b7200fcdba1e8cca2c14a808f3e0b3e0">senators are considering</a>&nbsp;a proposal this week that also could help Republicans win two additional seats.

Democrats scored a victory in California, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">voters in November approved</a>&nbsp;a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win five additional seats. Democrats could gain a seat in Utah under new congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-redistricting-congressional-map-democrats-a443a6584fad0adeeb5eadcc336a4390">districts imposed by a judge</a>.

But Republicans are challenging both states’ measures in court. And Utah lawmakers are meeting in a special session Tuesday to consider delaying the candidate filing deadline to allow more time for the legal challenge.

Virginia Democrats have also taken a first step toward mid-decade redistricting, with additional votes expected in the new year.

Missouri referendum sparks intense battle

People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million, coming mostly from out-of-state organizations opposed to the new map. National Republican-aligned groups have countered with more than $2 million for a committee supporting the new map.

Republicans have tried to thwart the referendum in numerous ways.

Organizations supporting the Republican redistricting have attempted to pay people up to $30,000 to quit gathering petition signatures, according to a lawsuit filed by Advanced Micro Targeting Inc., a company hired by People Not Politicians.

Hoskins, the secretary of state, contends he cannot legally count about 100,000 petition signatures gathered in the one-month span between legislative passage of the redistricting bill and his approval of the referendum petition’s format, but can only count those gathered after that.

Hoskins also wrote a ballot summary stating the new map “repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan ... and better reflects statewide voting patterns.” That’s the opposite of what referendum backers contends it does, and People Not Politicians is challenging that wording in court.

Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hoskins and the General Assembly asserting that congressional redistricting legislation cannot be subject to a referendum. Although a federal judge dismissed that suit Monday, the judge noted that Hoskins has “the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself,” which would likely trigger a new court case.

Missouri’s restricting effort already has sparked an intense court battle. Lawsuits by opponents challenge the legality of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s special session proclamation, assert that mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution, and claim the new districts run afoul of requirements to be compact, contiguous and equally populated.

It’s been more than a century since Missouri last held a referendum on a congressional redistricting plan. In 1922, the U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-led legislature were defeated by nearly 62% of the statewide vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765304429176.png" alt=" Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption> Missouri Capitol Police officers conduct security checks Tuesday on the 691 boxes of petitions filed by People Not Politicians to force a referendum on the gerrymandered Congressional district map passed by lawmakers in September. Of the 27 times a referendum has been placed on the Missouri ballot, voters have rejected the General Assembly’s actions all but twice. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Opponents of Missouri’s new congressional map submitted thousands of petition signatures Tuesday calling for a statewide referendum on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-redistricting-trump-republicans-a89de205d535c8a8cd6054ed191b161c">redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;backed by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;as part of his quest to hold on to a slim Republican majority in next year’s elections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757444658128.png" alt="Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago " />
 <figcaption>Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors / Map by Anna Sago </figcaption>
 </figure>Organizers of the petition drive said they turned in more than 300,000 signatures to the secretary of state’s office — well more than the roughly 110,000 needed to suspend the new U.S. House districts from taking effect until a public vote can be held sometime next year.Referendum votes in Missouri are automatically set for the upcoming November election, unless the General Assembly approves an earlier date during its regular session that begins in January. Missouri’s candidate filing period runs from Feb. 24 through March 31, but districts can still be changed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-census-2020-missouri-congress-73dbf242acd05bfea4f24223228d0621">after the deadline</a>, as occurred when the legislature last&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-missouri-redistricting-congress-38efa0999c9901cc531c3768bb53a3c4">approved districts in 2022</a>.The signatures also need to be formally verified by local election authorities and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who has argued the referendum is unconstitutional. But if the signatures hold up, the referendum could create a significant obstacle for Republicans who hope the new districts could help them win a currently Democratic-held seat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-gerrymander-missouri-trump-e5b75246cbee8eb674dfdb27381cc8ac">in the Kansas City area</a>&nbsp;in the November election.“At the end of the day, these are going to have to get counted, and people are going to vote on this,” said Richard von Glahn, executive director of People Not Politicians, which sponsored the referendum drive.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/redistricting">Redistricting</a>&nbsp;typically happens once a decade, after each census. But the national political parties are engaged in an unusual mid-decade redistricting battle after Trump urged Republican-led states to reshape House voting districts to their advantage. The Republican president is trying to avert a historical tendency for the incumbent’s party to lose seats in midterm elections.Each House seat could be crucial, because Democrats need a net gain of just three seats to win control of the chamber and impede Trump’s agenda.<h2>Redistricting is spreading through states</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-texas-redistricting-trump-republicans-discrimination-c1bbf88e2a1f7d49cda512b8ef165750">Texas was the first</a>&nbsp;to respond to Trump’s call by passing a new congressional map that could help Republicans win five additional seats. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;last week for the new districts to be used in the 2026 elections.Republicans could gain one seat each under new maps passed in Missouri and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/redistricting-north-carolina-map-lawsuit-trump-ce0c6f203eef66a46f1aabb4eaaf32ed">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and have an improved chance at taking two additional seats under a new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-ohio-congressional-redistricting-trump-midterm-election-6c617a08c84f453eacc1727f9be9ef52">Ohio congressional map</a>. In Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indiana-state-senate-redistricting-vote-b7200fcdba1e8cca2c14a808f3e0b3e0">senators are considering</a>&nbsp;a proposal this week that also could help Republicans win two additional seats.Democrats scored a victory in California, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-redistricting-prop-50-gavin-newsom-839193bfc2a817086acca7365315f26f">voters in November approved</a>&nbsp;a new Democratic-drawn congressional map that could help the party win five additional seats. Democrats could gain a seat in Utah under new congressional&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-redistricting-congressional-map-democrats-a443a6584fad0adeeb5eadcc336a4390">districts imposed by a judge</a>.But Republicans are challenging both states’ measures in court. And Utah lawmakers are meeting in a special session Tuesday to consider delaying the candidate filing deadline to allow more time for the legal challenge.Virginia Democrats have also taken a first step toward mid-decade redistricting, with additional votes expected in the new year.<h2>Missouri referendum sparks intense battle</h2>People Not Politicians has raised about $5 million, coming mostly from out-of-state organizations opposed to the new map. National Republican-aligned groups have countered with more than $2 million for a committee supporting the new map.Republicans have tried to thwart the referendum in numerous ways.Organizations supporting the Republican redistricting have attempted to pay people up to $30,000 to quit gathering petition signatures, according to a lawsuit filed by Advanced Micro Targeting Inc., a company hired by People Not Politicians.Hoskins, the secretary of state, contends he cannot legally count about 100,000 petition signatures gathered in the one-month span between legislative passage of the redistricting bill and his approval of the referendum petition’s format, but can only count those gathered after that.Hoskins also wrote a ballot summary stating the new map “repeals Missouri’s existing gerrymandered congressional plan ... and better reflects statewide voting patterns.” That’s the opposite of what referendum backers contends it does, and People Not Politicians is challenging that wording in court.Meanwhile, Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hoskins and the General Assembly asserting that congressional redistricting legislation cannot be subject to a referendum. Although a federal judge dismissed that suit Monday, the judge noted that Hoskins has “the power to declare the petition unconstitutional himself,” which would likely trigger a new court case.Missouri’s restricting effort already has sparked an intense court battle. Lawsuits by opponents challenge the legality of Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe’s special session proclamation, assert that mid-decade redistricting isn’t allowed under Missouri’s constitution, and claim the new districts run afoul of requirements to be compact, contiguous and equally populated.It’s been more than a century since Missouri last held a referendum on a congressional redistricting plan. In 1922, the U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-led legislature were defeated by nearly 62% of the statewide vote.

Opponents of redistricting in Missouri submit a petition to force a public vote

NEW YORK (AP) —A federal judge said Tuesday that the Justice Department can publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">release investigative materials from a sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, the longtime confidante of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>.

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled after the Justice Department in November asked two judges in New York to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits, along with investigative materials that could amount to hundreds or thousands of previously unreleased documents.

He's the second judge to allow the Justice Department to publicly disclose previously secret Epstein-related records.

Last week, a judge in Florida granted the department’s request to release transcripts from an abandoned federal grand jury investigation into Epstein in the 2000s.

A request to release records from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case is still pending.

The Justice Department said Congress intended the unsealing when it passed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765294055381.png" alt="Maxwell -photo Metropolitan Detention center, Brooklyn" />
 <figcaption>Maxwell -photo Metropolitan Detention center, Brooklyn</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —A federal judge said Tuesday that the Justice Department can publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-sex-trafficking-case-records-8e3985dd977cb94ef41b9581115ef61b">release investigative materials from a sex trafficking case</a>&nbsp;against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-ghislaine-maxwell-fa2c504a6dfe30ce1686b857a4123b7b">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, the longtime confidante of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704416234390.png" alt="FILE — AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE — AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ruled after the Justice Department in November asked two judges in New York to unseal grand jury transcripts and exhibits, along with investigative materials that could amount to hundreds or thousands of previously unreleased documents.He's the second judge to allow the Justice Department to publicly disclose previously secret Epstein-related records.Last week, a judge in Florida granted the department’s request to release transcripts from an abandoned federal grand jury investigation into Epstein in the 2000s.A request to release records from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case is still pending.The Justice Department said Congress intended the unsealing when it passed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, which President Donald Trump signed into law last month.

Judge unseals Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury materials, citing Epstein files act

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.

&nbsp;Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge&nbsp;Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 8:30p.m. on June 15, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered 28-year-old Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with Eric Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.

On June 16, police&nbsp; arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting. He met the requirement for bond and was released from jail with an ankle monitor.&nbsp; On June 21, he cut the ankle monitor and fled to Mexico.

On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.

On October 30, deputies booked Gonzalez-Gutierrez back into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on bond totaling over $3 million on charges of first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and violation of the offender registration act, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730371257170.png" alt="Gonzalez-Gutierrez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez-Gutierrez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.&nbsp;Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 33, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge&nbsp;Jeffrey Goering's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 8:30p.m. on June 15, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered 28-year-old Aron Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with Eric Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.On June 16, police&nbsp; arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting. He met the requirement for bond and was released from jail with an ankle monitor.&nbsp; On June 21, he cut the ankle monitor and fled to Mexico.On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.On October 30, deputies booked Gonzalez-Gutierrez back into the Sedgwick County Jail where he remains on bond totaling over $3 million on charges of first degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and violation of the offender registration act, according to online jail records.

Preliminary hearing for Kan. murder suspect captured in Mexico

President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.

Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. 

FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.

Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.

The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.

The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.

“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. 

The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. 

“The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”

Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump Administration

In addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.

Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025

Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.

Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.

The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.

Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.

With the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.

For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.

OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.

The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.

OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.

OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.

OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.

Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input Costs

On September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.

On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.

These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.

Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory Actions

Farm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.

USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 Buys

This year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.

On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.

On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.

On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.

On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.

USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.

This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in history

President Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.

EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.

List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to Date

USDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.

Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.

Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.

El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.

Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.

Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.

Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.

China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.

Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.

Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.

Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goods

South Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.

European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.

Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.

Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.

Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.

United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.

At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625596705829.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Donald J. Trump alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins&nbsp; announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs still impacting farmers, according to a media release from the USDA.Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program, which provides broad relief to United States row crop farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. FBA will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. The FBA Program applies simple, proportional support to producers using a uniform formula to cover a portion of modeled losses during the 2025 crop year. This national loss average is based on FSA reported planted acres, Economic Research Service cost of production estimates, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates yields and prices and economic modeling.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs... We&#39;re going to use that money to provide $12B in economic assistance to American farmers.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/upHPD6a9eP">pic.twitter.com/upHPD6a9eP</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1998115240983019905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Farmers who qualify for the FBA Program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2026. Eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5pm ET on December 19, 2025. Commodity-specific payment rates will be released by the end of the month. Crop insurance linkage will not be required for the FBA Program; however, USDA strongly urges producers to take advantage of the new OBBBA risk management tools to best protect against price risk and volatility in the future.The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example, though details including timelines for those payments are still under development and require additional understanding of market impacts and economic needs.The $12 billion in farmer bridge payments, including those provided through the FBA Program, are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act and will be administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA).To submit questions, justification for USDA farmer bridge aid, or to request a meeting on farmer bridge aid, producers can reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:farmerbridge@usda.gov">farmerbridge@usda.gov</a>.“Four years under the failed Biden Administration continues to leave the American farm economy reeling from record inflation, a depleted farm safety net, and delayed disaster assistance. The lack of new trade deals under the last Administration turned a trade surplus under Trump into a $50 billion trade deficit, causing our farmers to lose markets and feel acute pain from lower commodity prices. President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect,”&nbsp;said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year. It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannot feed ourselves, we will no longer have a country. With this program serving as a bridge to the improvements President Trump and Republicans in Congress have made, it will allow farmers to leverage strengthened price protection risk management tools and the reliability of fair trade deals so they do not have to depend on large ad hoc assistance packages from the government.”Additional Farmer First Actions Taken by the Trump AdministrationIn addition to $12 billion in bridge payments announced today, the Trump Administration has been working around the clock since January 20th to put American farmers first after inheriting one of the worst farm economies the country has experienced in decades. The following actions have been taken to date and together show historic investments and bold and unrelenting dedication to helping our nation’s farmers thrive again.Over $30 Billion in Ad Hoc Assistance Delivered to Farmers Since January 2025Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/emergency-commodity-assistance-program/dashboard">ECAP</a>)&nbsp;is helping farmers recover from the economic hardships of 2024. This program distributed more than $9.3 billion to over 560,000 farmers for soy, corn, sorghum, and other row crops.Marketing Assistance for Specialty Crops (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/marketing-assistance-specialty-crops-masc">MASC</a>)&nbsp;is helping specialty crop producers recover from rising input costs and other market disruptions stemming from the Biden Administration. This program distributed over 1.8 billion in assistance to over 52,000 producers.The&nbsp;Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (<a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/resources/programs/supplemental-disaster-relief-program-sdrp/dashboard">SDRP</a>)&nbsp;is helping producers recover from severe weather events in 2023 and 2024. This program has distributed nearly $6 billion to over 388,000 farmers with up to an additional $9 billion to be distributed over the next four months.Over $2.5 billion via&nbsp;block grants&nbsp;delivered to states and sugar beet and cane processors via block grants to cover losses from 2023 and 2024 that were left uncovered by existing USDA programs.Trump Supported OBBBA Farmer WinsWith the signing of the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, President Trump has made crop insurance more workable and affordable for American farmers and ranchers. Crop insurance is an essential risk management tool that allows American farmers and ranchers endure weather and market volatility. The bill increases crop insurance premium support for beginning farmers and ranchers by expanding the definition from five to 10 years of experience, enabling more producers to qualify for assistance over a longer period. These improvements will result in over $400 million in savings every year for America’s farmers on insurance premiums.For the first time in over a decade the statutory reference prices for the farm safety net programs, ARC and PLC, were raised by 10-21% for major commodities such as corn, soybeans, and wheat. Thanks to OBBBA USDA is also expanding eligibility for these price support programs by adding more than 30 million new base acres to the program making them eligible for future PLC or ARC payments starting in crop year 2026.OBBBA extended the marketing assistance loan programs through 2031 and updated loan rates for major commodities beginning in the 2026 crop year, providing stronger loan rates for crops like wheat, corn, cotton and soybeans.The bill included historic investments to the domestic sugar programs and USDA made them available starting October 1, 2025. The loan rate for raw cane sugar has increased to an average 24 cents per pound for the 2025 - 2031 crop years, with refined beet sugar rates increased to an average of 32.77 cents per pound.OBBBA invested in USDA’s major conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These funds will result in over $34B in conservation work on agricultural land over the next 10 years.OBBBA provides $285 million a year for agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. This is in addition to the existing $234M per year of funding for MAP and FMD. These dollars are key to opening and expanding foreign markets.OBBBA included many important tax provisions for farmers and ranchers. Some of the most impactful provisions for agriculture are the permanency of the 20% qualified business income deduction, full bonus depreciation and the $15 million per individual estate tax exemption, now also indexed for inflation. With the current land values, equipment costs and input prices, even modest-sized farms can easily exceed that threshold, meaning upon the owner’s death, far more family operations would face massive tax bills than previously estimated. A permanent bonus depreciation means that farmers can continue to write off the entire cost of new equipment, land improvements, new barns and other capital upgrades in the year of purchase, rather than depreciating them over many years.Oversight on Competition &amp; Farmer Input CostsOn September 26, 2025, the USDA and the Department of Justice signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-09-29-doj-usda-mou-farm-inputs.pdf">Memorandum of Understanding</a>&nbsp;(PDF, 1.3 MB) that represents a joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs—such as feed, fertilizer, fuel, seed, equipment, and other essential goods—while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the resilience of U.S. agriculture and the food supply.On December 6, 2025, President Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/addressing-security-risks-from-price-fixing-and-anti-competitive-behavior-in-the-food-supply-chain/" target="_blank">Executive Order</a>&nbsp;to stop price fixing, anti-competitive behavior, and foreign influence that drives up prices and threatens the security of America’s food supply. This EO recognizes that sectors including seed, fertilizer, and farm equipment may be vulnerable to anti-competitive manipulation that result in higher prices for farmers and seeks to take aggressive action in part by the establishment of Task Forces created to investigate price fixing and anti-competitive behavior, especially regarding foreign owned entities.These actions combined reiterate the Trump Administration’s commitment to scrutinizing competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace, including antitrust enforcement that promotes free market competition.Lowering Farm Labor Costs through Deregulatory ActionsFarm labor costs alone increased 47% since 2020 largely due to the high cost of utilizing the H-2A program to secure seasonal labor under the Biden Administration who artificially inflated Adverse Effect Wage Rates set by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) using USDA’s Farm Labor Survey which was never designed to be used for setting government-mandated wage rates and is duplicative of other DOL data sources. As such, USDA discontinued this survey while DOL issued a bold new interim final rule which decreased wage costs for H-2A agricultural employers resulting in initial savings of at least $2 billion. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule, effective October 2, 2025, to streamline the filing process for certain temporary agricultural worker petitions. These actions combined are making farm labor more affordable and more accessible for American agriculture.USDA is Prioritizing the Purchase of Healthy U.S. Grown Commodities to Feed Those Most in Need through Section 32 BuysThis year alone, USDA has provided nearly $1 billion in Section 32 purchases, all which benefit the charitable feeding network.On November 24, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/11/24/secretary-rollins-announces-30-million-food-purchase-back-us-producers-and-strengthen-americas-food">announced a $30 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American grown oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins.On August 6, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/06/secretary-rollins-targets-invasive-species-announces-next-steps-clear-chesapeake-harmful-catfish">announced a $2 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of invasive Chesapeake Bay blue catfish.On August 1, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/08/01/secretary-rollins-announces-local-food-purchases-communities-need">announced up to $230 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of Alaska pollock, catfish, apples, beans and cranberries.On May 23, 2025, Secretary Rollins&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/05/23/secretary-rollins-announces-food-purchases-communities-need">announced a $67 million Section 32 buy</a>&nbsp;of American groundfish, pears, cherries, shrimp and beans.USDA will continue to buy Section 32 commodity purchases to support American seafood, fruit, vegetable, and tree-nut producers for distribution to U.S. food banks, schools, and other outlets serving low-income individuals. These actions support President Trump’s vision to Make America Healthy Again through U.S. local farmer grown, healthy, and nutritious commodities.This is the most pro-biofuels Administration in historyPresident Trump recognizes how important the Renewable Fuel Standard is for American corn and soybean farmers. EPA Administrator Zeldin delivered the boldest Renewable Volume Obligations ever and provided much certainty in the market for our producers while delivering lower prices at the pump for consumers. The RVO gives the markets the incentive to invest in American products for American consumers and to export around the world.EPA’s decision to allow the summer sale of E-15 constituted 2025 year-round E15 and continues to deliver immediate relief to consumers, give more choices at the pump, and drive demand for corn grown, processed, and used right here in America. America’s national security depends on our energy security, and biofuels are a crucial asset that brings more jobs and helps farmers in rural America.List of Trade &amp; Market Access Wins to DateUSDA announced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/america-first-trade-promotion-program">applications are now open</a>&nbsp;through January 23, 2026, for the $285 million America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a key component of the Trump Administration’s work to expand global market access and create new export opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers.Additionally, President Trump and his administration have worked to pen new trade deals and trade frameworks with more than 15 countries.Switzerland and Liechtenstein&nbsp;will invest at least $200 billion in the United States, remove tariffs on several agricultural products, allow for market access for American beef, bison, and poultry, and remove non-tariff barriers for poultry and dairy.El Salvador&nbsp;has removed non-tariff barriers including fumigation requirements and arbitrary geographic indicator restrictions on dairy product names.Argentina&nbsp;will allow access for U.S. poultry and poultry products, within one year, and simplify red tape for U.S. exporters of beef, beef products, pork, and pork products. Argentina also has agreed to protect U.S. exporters’ use of certain meat and cheese terms, preserving market access and creating the potential for new opportunities in the region.Ecuador&nbsp;has reduced or eliminated tariffs on American nuts, wheat, and wine; and will reduce major non-tariff barriers for many agricultural products regarding import licensing and facility registration requirements.Guatemala&nbsp;will address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products in its market; maintain science- and risk-based regulatory frameworks; and efficient authorization processes for agricultural products.China&nbsp;committed to delaying new export controls on rare earth minerals, resume large purchases of U.S. soybeans, sorghum, and more. To date, China is already purchasing additional soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.Malaysia&nbsp;will provide significant market access for U.S. products like dairy, horticultural products, poultry, pork, rice, and ethanol; recognize the U.S. food safety systems for U.S. meat, poultry, and dairy products; streamline its halal certification of U.S. food and agricultural products; and open market access for U.S. sorghum.Cambodia&nbsp;will eliminate 100% of its tariffs on U.S. products, while the U.S. maintains a 19% reciprocal tariff rate for imports from Cambodia. It will also recognize the U.S. scientific guidelines for most U.S. agricultural goods and food.Thailand&nbsp;will eliminate tariffs on 99% of U.S. goods, including most food and agricultural products and expedite access for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products, giving American producers unprecedented access to the market.Vietnam&nbsp;will accept preferential access for U.S. agricultural goods, including specialty cheese and meats, and is already improving access for U.S. peaches and nectarines. Vietnam will pay the United States 20% tariffs on all goods and 40% on any transshipped goodsSouth Korea&nbsp;will pay 15 percent tariff to the United States.European Union&nbsp;will purchase $750 billion of American energy and addressing non-tariff barriers for farmers and ranchers - pork and dairy products. Market access for U.S. agricultural goods like tree nuts, sorghum, and more will also be provided as we work to commit to a simpler regulatory agenda.Philippines&nbsp;is opening their market to the United States and charging us zero tariffs while the Philippines will pay 19 percent tariffs to the United States.Indonesia&nbsp;will&nbsp;eliminate 90 percent of tariffs on American exports including for all agricultural products.Japan&nbsp;agreed to $8 billion in American agricultural purchases including corn, soybeans, ethanol, fertilizer, and sustainable aviation fuel. Japan will increase US rice imports by 75%.United Kingdom&nbsp;will create $5 billion in new agricultural export opportunities. $700 million in ethanol and better market access for American beef.At the same time, President Trump is securing new, unprecedented market access for American agricultural producers around the world. For example, wine exports to Mexico are up 30 percent in 2025, reaching $18 million; South Korea has purchased $1 billion in corn, more than double from 2024; Bangladesh purchased $172 million in soybeans; Costa Rica streamlined its dairy access for U.S. producers; and India cut its bourbon tariff in half.

Details from USDA on $12 billion assistance for farmers

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Brazilian woman with family ties to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will be released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while she fights potential deportation, an immigration judge ruled Monday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/karoline-leavitt-ice-brother-nephew-8fba196780b422e577fb96b4c196d9ae">Bruna Ferreira,</a>&nbsp;33, a longtime Massachusetts resident, was previously engaged to Leavitt’s brother, Michael. She was driving to pick up their 11-year-old son in New Hampshire when she was arrested by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts, on Nov. 12.

Ferreira later was moved to a detention facility in Louisiana, where an immigration judge ordered that she be released on $1,500 bond, her attorney Todd Pomerleau said.

“We argued that she wasn’t a danger or a flight risk,” he said in a text message. “The government stipulated to our argument and never once argued that she was criminal illegal alien and waived appeal.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson in an email Monday called Ferreira a “criminal illegal alien” and said she had been arrested for battery, an allegation her attorney denied.

“She will have periodic mandatory check-ins with ICE law enforcement to ensure she is abiding by the terms of her release,” the spokesperson said. “The Department of Homeland Security will continue to work to remove all aliens illegally present in the country as quickly as possible.”

Pomerleau said his client came to the U.S. as a toddler and later enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Obama-era policy that shields immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. He said she was in the process of applying for a green card.

Karoline Leavitt grew up in New Hampshire, and made an unsuccessful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-leavitt-white-house-first-press-briefing-5ba5ff116e18c29b04c934a24a8983d1">run for Congress</a>&nbsp;from the state in 2022 before becoming Trump’s spokesperson for his 2024 campaign and later joining him at the White House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765250414500.png" alt="File image White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt- from White House video" />
 <figcaption>File image White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt- from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A Brazilian woman with family ties to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will be released from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while she fights potential deportation, an immigration judge ruled Monday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/karoline-leavitt-ice-brother-nephew-8fba196780b422e577fb96b4c196d9ae">Bruna Ferreira,</a>&nbsp;33, a longtime Massachusetts resident, was previously engaged to Leavitt’s brother, Michael. She was driving to pick up their 11-year-old son in New Hampshire when she was arrested by ICE agents in Revere, Massachusetts, on Nov. 12.Ferreira later was moved to a detention facility in Louisiana, where an immigration judge ordered that she be released on $1,500 bond, her attorney Todd Pomerleau said.“We argued that she wasn’t a danger or a flight risk,” he said in a text message. “The government stipulated to our argument and never once argued that she was criminal illegal alien and waived appeal.”A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson in an email Monday called Ferreira a “criminal illegal alien” and said she had been arrested for battery, an allegation her attorney denied.“She will have periodic mandatory check-ins with ICE law enforcement to ensure she is abiding by the terms of her release,” the spokesperson said. “The Department of Homeland Security will continue to work to remove all aliens illegally present in the country as quickly as possible.”Pomerleau said his client came to the U.S. as a toddler and later enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Obama-era policy that shields immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. He said she was in the process of applying for a green card.Karoline Leavitt grew up in New Hampshire, and made an unsuccessful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-leavitt-white-house-first-press-briefing-5ba5ff116e18c29b04c934a24a8983d1">run for Congress</a>&nbsp;from the state in 2022 before becoming Trump’s spokesperson for his 2024 campaign and later joining him at the White House.

Judge orders release of an immigrant with ties to White House press secretary 

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Michael G. Weintraub, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just before midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to shooting at a convenience store in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Upon arrival officers did not locate a victim but located evidence of a possible crime scene. Just after midnight a call was received from a local hospital that a shooting victim arrived by private vehicle. The victim, later identified as Michael G. Weintraub was suffering from life threatening gun shot wounds. Investigators and crime scene personnel responded to both scenes and were able to determine he was shot in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, and that both shooting calls were related.&nbsp;

Just after 2a.m. Monday, officers were notified Weintraub died of his injuries at the hospital. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case, according to DiMartino. The name of the victim has not been released.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Michael G. Weintraub, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just before midnight Sunday, police were dispatched to shooting at a convenience store in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Upon arrival officers did not locate a victim but located evidence of a possible crime scene. Just after midnight a call was received from a local hospital that a shooting victim arrived by private vehicle. The victim, later identified as Michael G. Weintraub was suffering from life threatening gun shot wounds. Investigators and crime scene personnel responded to both scenes and were able to determine he was shot in the 2900 block of Van Brunt, and that both shooting calls were related.&nbsp;Just after 2a.m. Monday, officers were notified Weintraub died of his injuries at the hospital. This is now being investigated as a homicide, and homicide detectives have taken over the case, according to DiMartino. The name of the victim has not been released.

KCPD: Sunday shooting victim dies at the hospital

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Zoo reported on Monday they recently learned of a potential case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) identified within Sedgwick County. 

While this strain doesn't pose a high risk to human health, it does put many Zoo animals at risk. To ensure their safety, the zoo activated their HPAI action plan. As a result, the Tropics building at the zoo will be temporarily closed.

"Our dedicated animal care staff is working tirelessly to provide the birds with the best care, following strict safety protocols. We appreciate your understanding and support. We'll keep you updated regarding the reopening of this habitat"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733747978622.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Zoo reported on Monday they recently learned of a potential case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) identified within Sedgwick County. While this strain doesn't pose a high risk to human health, it does put many Zoo animals at risk. To ensure their safety, the zoo activated their HPAI action plan. As a result, the Tropics building at the zoo will be temporarily closed."Our dedicated animal care staff is working tirelessly to provide the birds with the best care, following strict safety protocols. We appreciate your understanding and support. We'll keep you updated regarding the reopening of this habitat"

Case of bird flu prompts closure at Kansas zoo

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/bill-barrow">BILL BARROW</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/john-hanna">JOHN HANNA</a>

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett launched a campaign Monday for the U.S. Senate in Texas, telling President Donald Trump, “I’m coming for you,” and bringing a national profile to what could be a critical race for Democrats’ long-shot hopes of reclaiming a Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections.

Crockett, one of Congress’ most outspoken Democrats, a frequent target of GOP attacks and a Trump target, jumped into the race on the final day of qualifying in Texas. She is seeking the Senate seat held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">Republican John Cornyn</a>, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.

“As a candidate who is constantly attacked and seen as a threat, it’s because I am,” Crockett told supporters in Dallas. “I’m the only one who has gone toe to toe with Donald Trump, and there’s a reason he’s always got my name in his mouth.”

Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to wrest control from Republicans next November, when most of the seats up for reelection are in states like Texas that President Donald Trump won last year. Democrats have long hoped to make Texas more competitive after decades of Republican dominance. Cornyn, first elected to the Senate since 2002, is facing the toughest GOP primary of his career against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton">Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-election-2026-texas-hunt-cornyn-paxton-450ee0f067273ca75de9268cf928d0be">U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt</a>.

Crockett’s announcement came hours after former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-us-senate-cornyn-allred-8d219b9bd7adceec7c82509693561e12">Rep. Colin Allred</a>&nbsp;ended his own campaign for the Democratic nomination in favor of attempting a House comeback bid. She faces a March 3 primary against Democratic state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-talarico-cornyn-paxton-us-senate-texas-1826fe4d6aa162f0bdb8059c58987aa9">Rep. James Talarico</a>, a former teacher with a rising national profile fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jamestalarico/video/7504107443882822958" target="_blank">viral social media posts</a>&nbsp;challenging Republican policies such as private school vouchers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ten-commandments-texas-schools-f16713552035212c4c5430e988dfcf82">requiring the Ten Commandments</a>&nbsp;in classrooms.

“It’s going to be a sprint from now until the primary, but in Texas you have to think about the voter base overall in November, too,” said Kamau Marshall, a Democratic consultant who has worked for Allred before and worked on other campaigns in Texas. “Who can do the work on the ground? After the primary, who can win in the general?”

GOP hopes to make Crockett’s style a liability

Talarico raised almost $6.3 million in the three weeks after he formally organized his primary campaign committee in September and had nearly $5 million in cash on hand at the end of the month, campaign finance reports showed. Crockett raised about $2.7 million for her House campaign fund from July through September and ended September with $4.6 million.

Crockett could test Democratic voters’ appetite for a blunt communicator who is eager to take on Republicans as Democrats pursue their first statewide victory in Texas since 1994.

Republicans were quick Monday to try to turn Crockett’s penchant for public clashes with opponents into liabilities. Paxton called her “Crazy Crockett.”

Cornyn told reporters at the U.S. Capitol he was eager for the chance to face her.

“I think that would be a lot of fun,” he said. “She just says such inflammatory and crazy things.”

Talarico welcomed Crockett to the Democratic primary but pointed to his fundraising and said he has 10,000 volunteers.

“Our movement is rooted in unity over division,” he said in a statement.

Democrats see their best opportunity to pick up the Texas seat if Paxton wins the Republican nomination because he has been shadowed for much of his career by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paxton-mortgages-trump-primary-residence-homestead-deduction-bd259b6bd122afcaf4f11eac5a3a152e">legal and personal issues.</a>&nbsp;Yet Paxton is popular with Trump’s most ardent supporters.

Hunt, who has served two terms representing a Houston-area district,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-election-2026-texas-hunt-cornyn-paxton-450ee0f067273ca75de9268cf928d0be">defied GOP leaders</a>&nbsp;by entering the GOP race.

Crockett told her cheering crowd in Dallas to “tune out” those who say she can’t win in the GOP-dominated state because she is Black, a woman or a Democrat.

Ahead of her 43-minute speech, Crockett’s campaign played a video of her with audio of Trump criticizing her playing over it, mocking the idea that she’s represents the Democratic Party’s future. Trump has called her a “low IQ person.” In response, Crockett said she would agree to take an IQ test against the president.

Crockett addressed the president directly several times.

“You better get to work because I’m coming for you,” she said. “I’m not going away. I’m not giving up.”

Crockett is a civil rights attorney and a former public defender and once the youngest Black Democratic county chair in Texas. She served in the Texas House before winning the first of her two terms in Congress in 2000.

She’s built her national profile with a candid style and viral moments on Capitol Hill. Crockett traded insults with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who announced last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marjorie-taylor-green-congress-resigns-trump-maga-5f42d4893343babc8e87da1491a0de2b">she would resign in January</a>, and had heated exchanges with Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.

She also mocked Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — who uses a wheelchair —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crockett-abbott-wheelchair-a38d50b41e35cc6e05f5d72ad74ff54f">as “Gov. Hot Wheels.”</a>&nbsp;She later said she was referring to Abbott’s policy of using “planes, trains and automobiles” to send thousands of immigrants in Texas illegally to Democratic-led cities.

Democrats’ best showing in a statewide race in the past three decades was in 2018, when former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-senate-elections-8457f060af45417db0bb91be5fb8cb8f">came within 3 points</a>&nbsp;of ousting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. It was the midterm election of Trump’s first administration, and Democrats believe next year’s race could be similarly favorable to their party.

A former professional football player and civil rights attorney, Allred was among Democrats’ star recruits in 2018.

Allred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-cruz-texas-senate-colin-allred-abortion-immigration-91d4b5877fb9d6467fecfe6ff4f1ddcd">lost to Cruz</a>&nbsp;by 8.5 points last year. He is running for the House in a Dallas-Fort Worth area district under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">a new map</a>&nbsp;approved this year by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature to meet Trump’s call for more winnable Republican seats. The district has some areas Allred represented for six years before his run for the Senate in 2024.

Allred says he wants to avoid a bruising primary

An internal party battle, Allred said, “would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers.”

Marshall said Crockett is a “solid national figure” who has a large social media following and is a frequent presence on cable news. That could be an advantage with Democratic primary voters, Marshall said, but not necessarily afterward.

Talarico, meanwhile, must raise money and build name recognition to make the leap from the Texas House of Representatives to a strong statewide candidacy, Marshall said.

A winning Democratic candidate in Texas, Marshall said, would have to energize Black voters, mainly in metro Houston and Dallas, win the kind of diverse suburbs and exurbs like those Allred once represented in Congress, and get enough rural votes, especially among Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley.

“It’s about building complicated coalitions in a big state,” Marshall said.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/bill-barrow">BILL BARROW</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/john-hanna">JOHN HANNA</a>Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett launched a campaign Monday for the U.S. Senate in Texas, telling President Donald Trump, “I’m coming for you,” and bringing a national profile to what could be a critical race for Democrats’ long-shot hopes of reclaiming a Senate majority in next year’s midterm elections.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🚨 JUST IN: US Senate candidate Jasmine Crockett royally SCREWED UP by making her campaign launch video Donald Trump calling her &quot;low IQ&quot; on repeat, while she awkwardly stares into the camera. Trump won Texas by 14 points. Absolute EMBARRASSMENT.<a href="https://t.co/OA1iGl5PRy">pic.twitter.com/OA1iGl5PRy</a>&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1998154602034909403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Announcement <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JasmineForUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JasmineForUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TexasTough?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TexasTough</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZpN6pD4kUQ">https://t.co/ZpN6pD4kUQ</a>&mdash; Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasmineForUS/status/1998162866629943774?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Crockett, one of Congress’ most outspoken Democrats, a frequent target of GOP attacks and a Trump target, jumped into the race on the final day of qualifying in Texas. She is seeking the Senate seat held by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-cornyn">Republican John Cornyn</a>, who is running for reelection in the GOP-dominated state.“As a candidate who is constantly attacked and seen as a threat, it’s because I am,” Crockett told supporters in Dallas. “I’m the only one who has gone toe to toe with Donald Trump, and there’s a reason he’s always got my name in his mouth.”Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to wrest control from Republicans next November, when most of the seats up for reelection are in states like Texas that President Donald Trump won last year. Democrats have long hoped to make Texas more competitive after decades of Republican dominance. Cornyn, first elected to the Senate since 2002, is facing the toughest GOP primary of his career against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ken-paxton">Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-election-2026-texas-hunt-cornyn-paxton-450ee0f067273ca75de9268cf928d0be">U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt</a>.Crockett’s announcement came hours after former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-us-senate-cornyn-allred-8d219b9bd7adceec7c82509693561e12">Rep. Colin Allred</a>&nbsp;ended his own campaign for the Democratic nomination in favor of attempting a House comeback bid. She faces a March 3 primary against Democratic state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-talarico-cornyn-paxton-us-senate-texas-1826fe4d6aa162f0bdb8059c58987aa9">Rep. James Talarico</a>, a former teacher with a rising national profile fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jamestalarico/video/7504107443882822958" target="_blank">viral social media posts</a>&nbsp;challenging Republican policies such as private school vouchers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ten-commandments-texas-schools-f16713552035212c4c5430e988dfcf82">requiring the Ten Commandments</a>&nbsp;in classrooms.“It’s going to be a sprint from now until the primary, but in Texas you have to think about the voter base overall in November, too,” said Kamau Marshall, a Democratic consultant who has worked for Allred before and worked on other campaigns in Texas. “Who can do the work on the ground? After the primary, who can win in the general?”<h2>GOP hopes to make Crockett’s style a liability</h2>Talarico raised almost $6.3 million in the three weeks after he formally organized his primary campaign committee in September and had nearly $5 million in cash on hand at the end of the month, campaign finance reports showed. Crockett raised about $2.7 million for her House campaign fund from July through September and ended September with $4.6 million.Crockett could test Democratic voters’ appetite for a blunt communicator who is eager to take on Republicans as Democrats pursue their first statewide victory in Texas since 1994.Republicans were quick Monday to try to turn Crockett’s penchant for public clashes with opponents into liabilities. Paxton called her “Crazy Crockett.”Cornyn told reporters at the U.S. Capitol he was eager for the chance to face her.“I think that would be a lot of fun,” he said. “She just says such inflammatory and crazy things.”Talarico welcomed Crockett to the Democratic primary but pointed to his fundraising and said he has 10,000 volunteers.“Our movement is rooted in unity over division,” he said in a statement.<h2>Crockett speaks directly to Trump</h2>Democrats see their best opportunity to pick up the Texas seat if Paxton wins the Republican nomination because he has been shadowed for much of his career by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paxton-mortgages-trump-primary-residence-homestead-deduction-bd259b6bd122afcaf4f11eac5a3a152e">legal and personal issues.</a>&nbsp;Yet Paxton is popular with Trump’s most ardent supporters.Hunt, who has served two terms representing a Houston-area district,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-election-2026-texas-hunt-cornyn-paxton-450ee0f067273ca75de9268cf928d0be">defied GOP leaders</a>&nbsp;by entering the GOP race.Crockett told her cheering crowd in Dallas to “tune out” those who say she can’t win in the GOP-dominated state because she is Black, a woman or a Democrat.Ahead of her 43-minute speech, Crockett’s campaign played a video of her with audio of Trump criticizing her playing over it, mocking the idea that she’s represents the Democratic Party’s future. Trump has called her a “low IQ person.” In response, Crockett said she would agree to take an IQ test against the president.Crockett addressed the president directly several times.“You better get to work because I’m coming for you,” she said. “I’m not going away. I’m not giving up.”<h2>Crockett is known for her viral moments</h2>Crockett is a civil rights attorney and a former public defender and once the youngest Black Democratic county chair in Texas. She served in the Texas House before winning the first of her two terms in Congress in 2000.She’s built her national profile with a candid style and viral moments on Capitol Hill. Crockett traded insults with Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who announced last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marjorie-taylor-green-congress-resigns-trump-maga-5f42d4893343babc8e87da1491a0de2b">she would resign in January</a>, and had heated exchanges with Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina.She also mocked Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott — who uses a wheelchair —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crockett-abbott-wheelchair-a38d50b41e35cc6e05f5d72ad74ff54f">as “Gov. Hot Wheels.”</a>&nbsp;She later said she was referring to Abbott’s policy of using “planes, trains and automobiles” to send thousands of immigrants in Texas illegally to Democratic-led cities.Democrats’ best showing in a statewide race in the past three decades was in 2018, when former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-senate-senate-elections-8457f060af45417db0bb91be5fb8cb8f">came within 3 points</a>&nbsp;of ousting Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. It was the midterm election of Trump’s first administration, and Democrats believe next year’s race could be similarly favorable to their party.A former professional football player and civil rights attorney, Allred was among Democrats’ star recruits in 2018.Allred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ted-cruz-texas-senate-colin-allred-abortion-immigration-91d4b5877fb9d6467fecfe6ff4f1ddcd">lost to Cruz</a>&nbsp;by 8.5 points last year. He is running for the House in a Dallas-Fort Worth area district under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-redistricting-texas-trump-02b07b477b153f23ed5c387f2f9ae0c4">a new map</a>&nbsp;approved this year by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature to meet Trump’s call for more winnable Republican seats. The district has some areas Allred represented for six years before his run for the Senate in 2024.<h2>Allred says he wants to avoid a bruising primary</h2>An internal party battle, Allred said, “would prevent the Democratic Party from going into this critical election unified against the danger posed to our communities and our Constitution by Donald Trump and one of his Republican bootlickers.”Marshall said Crockett is a “solid national figure” who has a large social media following and is a frequent presence on cable news. That could be an advantage with Democratic primary voters, Marshall said, but not necessarily afterward.Talarico, meanwhile, must raise money and build name recognition to make the leap from the Texas House of Representatives to a strong statewide candidacy, Marshall said.A winning Democratic candidate in Texas, Marshall said, would have to energize Black voters, mainly in metro Houston and Dallas, win the kind of diverse suburbs and exurbs like those Allred once represented in Congress, and get enough rural votes, especially among Latinos in the Rio Grande Valley.“It’s about building complicated coalitions in a big state,” Marshall said.

🎥 Jasmine Crockett announces US Senate bid, tells Trump 'I'm coming for you'

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in Crawford County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Altima driven by Eric M. Myers, 38, Des Moines, Iowa, was eastbound on U.S. 400 four and one half miles west of Kansas 7.

The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2001 Dodge Dakota driven by Carol S. Sharp, 68, Altoona, head-on. After impact the pickup traveled off the road and rolled into the north ditch.

EMS transported Sharp to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where she was pronouned deceased and Myers to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

CRAWFORD COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in Crawford County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Nissan Altima driven by Eric M. Myers, 38, Des Moines, Iowa, was eastbound on U.S. 400 four and one half miles west of Kansas 7.The car crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2001 Dodge Dakota driven by Carol S. Sharp, 68, Altoona, head-on. After impact the pickup traveled off the road and rolled into the north ditch.EMS transported Sharp to Mercy Hospital in Joplin where she was pronouned deceased and Myers to Mercy Hospital in Pittsburg. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman killed in head-on crash

KANSAS CITY —Pet owners learned have much for which to be thankful after a fire at a boarding facility in the Kansas City metro.

On Sunday night,&nbsp; police assisted fire crews on a smoke alarm call at Lily's Play and Stay 511 Main Street in the city of Belton, according to a media release from the Belton Fire Department.

 Upon arrival, crews discovered smoke and fire inside the building. Fire crews quickly located and extinguished the fire and safely rescued one dog from the affected room. 

The dog was transported by a boarding employee for treatment related to smoke inhalation. Belton Police Officers and Animal Control relocated the remaining 17 animals to ensure their safety.&nbsp; Those animals were taken to Lily’s Rescue Rehab, 1016, north Scott Avenue in Belton. "&nbsp;All pets are safe and accounted for, and our team is working to make sure everyone remains comfortable and cared for," according to the boarding facility.&nbsp; There was no official word on when the boarding facility would reopen or on a cause of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765225798092.png" alt="Photos Belton Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photos Belton Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Pet owners learned have much for which to be thankful after a fire at a boarding facility in the Kansas City metro.On Sunday night,&nbsp; police assisted fire crews on a smoke alarm call at Lily's Play and Stay 511 Main Street in the city of Belton, according to a media release from the Belton Fire Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/12/1765225778375.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Upon arrival, crews discovered smoke and fire inside the building. Fire crews quickly located and extinguished the fire and safely rescued one dog from the affected room. The dog was transported by a boarding employee for treatment related to smoke inhalation. Belton Police Officers and Animal Control relocated the remaining 17 animals to ensure their safety.&nbsp; Those animals were taken to Lily’s Rescue Rehab, 1016, north Scott Avenue in Belton. "&nbsp;All pets are safe and accounted for, and our team is working to make sure everyone remains comfortable and cared for," according to the boarding facility.&nbsp; There was no official word on when the boarding facility would reopen or on a cause of the fire.

Pets rescued from Kansas City area boarding facility

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A jury last week convicted a Kansas man of shooting a woman, later identified as the mother of his children, outside a Wichita elementary school in 2024.

Vincent Solomon, 46, was found guilty of&nbsp;of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal use of weapons and interference with law enforcement in Judge William Wooley's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 9a.m. September 23, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. Solomon made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

Solomon then ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for Solomon to drop his gun and observed Solomon place the gun to the woman's head.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727347323043.png" alt="Solomon photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Solomon photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A jury last week convicted a Kansas man of shooting a woman, later identified as the mother of his children, outside a Wichita elementary school in 2024.Vincent Solomon, 46, was found guilty of&nbsp;of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal use of weapons and interference with law enforcement in Judge William Wooley's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727210527551.png" alt="Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 9a.m. September 23, 2024, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a news conference.The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. Solomon made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.Solomon then ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for Solomon to drop his gun and observed Solomon place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. Solomon would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm Solomon physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.Investigators later learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to Solomon shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the suspect chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw Solomon with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported Somomon and the woman to an area hospital.&nbsp;The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct an investigation. Solomon met the requirement of a $750,000 bond and is no longer in custody.