Good evening. What follows is a major update as events continue to move quickly across the country. The pace of news has not slowed, and several developments tonight carry real political and public health consequences. I am working around the clock to make sure you have the news in real time. It’s just me, no team. Please consider subscribing to support my work, I will always get you the facts first.
Democrats notch a major victory in Iowa
Democrats scored a significant win in Iowa as Renee Hardman captured the State Senate seat in District 16 with 71.5 percent of the vote. That result represents a 27 point Democratic overperformance compared with 2024, when Kamala Harris carried the district by 16 points. Hardman’s victory blocks a Republican supermajority in the chamber and makes history. She becomes the first Black woman ever elected to the Iowa Senate. The result signals continued volatility in state level races and highlights Democratic strength in key battleground districts.
Trump issues first veto of his second term
President Donald Trump has issued the first veto of his second term, killing a unanimous bipartisan bill that would have funded a major drinking water project in Colorado. The veto follows Trump’s public threats to punish Colorado officials over the imprisonment of his ally Tina Peters. The blocked pipeline project sits in the district represented by Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, and comes right after she pushed to release the Epstein files. This is what Senator Bennet had to say:
The move has put Boebert in an unusual and uncomfortable position. She recently challenged Trump to force the release of the Epstein files, and following the veto she released a sharply worded statement saying, in part, “I sincerely hope this veto has nothing to do with political retribution.” The clash underscores growing tensions within Republican ranks as loyalty to Trump collides with district level consequences.
Measles cases reach a 30 year high
Public health officials are sounding alarms as the United States surpasses 2,000 measles cases for the first time in more than three decades. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2,012 cases had been reported nationwide as of December 23. Twenty four of those cases were among international visitors.
Confirmed cases now span nearly the entire country, including states such as California, Texas, Florida, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, and dozens more. The scale and geographic spread of the outbreak marks a troubling reversal after years of measles control and raises renewed concerns about vaccination rates and public health preparedness.
Federal government freezes child care payments to Minnesota
The Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that it is freezing all federal child care payments to the state of Minnesota following the release of a viral video alleging widespread fraud at child care facilities across the state. In a statement and accompanying video posted on Twitter, Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill and Assistant Secretary Alex Adams said the freeze is immediate.
They also announced new nationwide requirements for child care payments. According to the statement, all funds handled by the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, will now require written justification along with receipts or photo evidence before money is sent to states.
“We have turned off the money spigot and we are finding the fraud,” the statement said. In a follow up post more than an hour later, O’Neill added that funds will be released only when states prove the money is being spent legitimately.
Taken together, these developments reflect a volatile mix of political upheaval, public health risk, and aggressive federal enforcement, all unfolding at once as the nation heads into a consequential period ahead.
