We’re back and we’re reading – everything from the New York Times to NPR. We’re trying to help you keep up with the rapid pace of politics and policy. Today, we’ve got an update on the Arizona Senate race, a new candidate for the 2020 presidency and an update on the California fire.
An election of firsts
Following several days of ballot counting, Democratic Rep. Kyrsten Sinema defeated Republican Martha McSally to win the Arizona Senate race.
Sinema made history by becoming Arizona’s first woman senator. She also is the first openly bisexual senator in U.S. history. Her victory marks the first Democrat Arizona has elected to the Senate since 1988.
Security guard fatally shot by police
In an alleged attempt to detain a man he believed to be involved in a shooting, an African American security guard was fatally shot by the police, the authorities said Monday.
Jemel Roberson, 26-years-old, was working at a bar in the suburbs of Chicago during the incident.
Witnesses told police that a fight had broken out and someone had started shooting. After the authorities responded, a police officer shot at Roberson, who had a gun, said Sophia Ansari, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.
Roberson later died at the hospital.
Lose the battle, win the war
Just because West Virginia state Sen. Richard Ojeda lost the house race in last week’s midterms, doesn’t mean he is giving up his dreams of winning a spot in the house — the White House, that is.
Ojeda, a Democrat and veteran, declared he is running in 2020 during a Facebook live video. He was an advocate for independent Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary election; however, he cast his final ballot under Trump’s name because he “would be better for West Virginia’s coal miners.”
Despite his public support for President Donald Trump, Ojeda lost his race with 44 percent of the vote. President Trump won this region in 2016 by nearly 50 points.
Ojeda’s goals are to defend working-class Americans and to end Washington corruption.
“If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.”
A video where a white U.S. senator from Mississippi made an unethical lynching remark is incensing voters in a special election runoff.
Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith is facing former congressman and U.S. agriculture secretary Mike Espy, a black Democrat, in a runoff Nov. 27. Democrats are hoping what Hyde-Smith said could propel the blue wave to make its way to the Deep South.
“If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row”- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith says in Tupelo, MS after Colin Hutchinson, cattle rancher, praises her.
Hyde-Smith is in a runoff on Nov 27th against Mike Espy. pic.twitter.com/0a9jOEjokr
— Lamar White, Jr. (@LamarWhiteJr) November 11, 2018
Texas firefighters respond to the call for help
Firefighters across the nation are doing more than just sending their prayers to the Golden State – they’re sending their best workers to help, Texas included.
Gov. Gregg Abbott deployed about 200 firefighters from across the Lone Star state to aid California.
“When disaster strikes, it is imperative that the call for help is answered, and that is exactly what these men and women serving in fire departments across Texas are doing,” said Gov. Abbott in a statement.
Forty-two people have died since California’s three wildfires broke out late last week marking it as the most destructive fire in the state’s history. As of midday Monday, the flames have burned through 113,000 acres of land and is only 25 percent contained.
Familiar faces: Celebrities who have had to flee
The California wildfire has forced hundreds of thousands of California residents to relocate – some celebrities included.
Neil Young, Robin Thicke, Gerard Butler and Miley Cyrus are among those whose houses were impacted by the flames.
Completely devestated by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that’s all that matters right now. My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong. I am grateful for
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) November 12, 2018
Many more, such as the Kardashians, Rainn Wilson and Mark Hamill had to evacuate as well. Bachelor fans, there’s good and bad news: the mansion used to film the popular TV series has been “badly burned,” but is still salvageable.
That’s all we have for today. Check back for more tomorrow.
