Politics | KSTP.com

Newly-elected Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller.

Republican senators elect Jeremy Miller as new state Senate majority leader

In this Nov.. 7, 2018 file photo, then Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch speaks at an election night event in Pewaukee, Wis. Republican Rebecca Kleefisch, who spent eight years as lieutenant governor under Scott Walker, has launched her campaign for governor Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021.

Republican Kleefisch enters Wisconsin governor's race

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, to examine the FBI

Klobuchar reveals stage 1 breast cancer diagnosis, says treatment went well

South Dakota governor orders restrictions on abortion meds

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem on Tuesday issued an executive order to restrict access to abortion medication and make it clear that medicine-induced abortions fall within state law requiring an in-person consultation with a physician.

In this July 16, 2021 file photo, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. Gov. Noem is seeking to pass tougher abortion restrictions in South Dakota, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a law banning most abortions in Texas to go forward. Noem said on social media that she wants to look at the laws and make sure South Dakota's abortion restrictions are the strongest.

Republican Gazelka to enter governor's race

Former Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka is shedding his title as a state legislator, but he's looking to move to the executive branch in 2022. He announced his run for governor on Wednesday.

Former Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka announced his run for governor on Wednesday.

In NYC after Ida, Biden calls climate 'everybody's crisis'

President Joe Biden declared climate change has become “everybody's crisis” on Tuesday as he toured neighborhoods flooded by the remnants of Hurricane Ida, warning it's time for America to get serious about the “code red” danger or face ever worse loss of life and property.

President Joe Biden talks with people as he tours a neighborhood impacted by flooding from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, in the Queens borough of New York.

Wisconsin US Senate candidate charged with theft, fraud

Milwaukee City Council member Chantia Lewis, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, was charged Tuesday with a series of campaign finance violations for allegedly using donations and improper travel reimbursements on more than $21,000 in car payments, family trips, a worship conference and other personal expenses.

Texas governor signs new GOP voting restrictions into law

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an elections overhaul into law Tuesday that adds more voting restrictions in the booming state, after Democrats spent months protesting what they say are efforts to weaken minority turnout and preserve the GOP's eroding dominance.

In this June 8, 2021, file photo, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a news conference in Austin, Texas. Opponents of a sweeping Republican elections overhaul in Texas sued Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021 going to court even before he had signed into law changes that would further tighten the state's already strict voting rules.

Biden to mark 20th anniversary of 9/11 at 3 memorial sites

President Joe Biden will visit all three 9/11 memorial sites to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and pay his respects to the nearly 3,000 people killed that day.

President Joe Biden returns a salute as he walks to board Air Force One to travel to Louisiana to view damage caused by Hurricane Ida, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Biden directs federal aid to NY, NJ after deadly flooding

President Joe Biden approved major disaster declarations Monday greenlighting federal aid for people in six New Jersey counties and five New York counties affected by devastating flooding last week from the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

A subway station that had earlier flooded remains closed after a state of emergency was declared in New York Thursday, Sept 2, 2021, as the remnants of Hurricane Ida remained powerful as it moved along the Eastern seaboard.

Democrats see consequences from redistricting reform push

Democrats argue that the once-a-decade process of redrawing political maps shouldn’t be a partisan cage match. In the name of good government and balance, they've pushed for independent commissions to do the work of rebalancing population changes into congressional districts.

In this March 26, 2019, file photo former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks at a rally calling for

US expects to admit more than 50,000 evacuated Afghans

At least 50,000 Afghans are expected to be admitted into the United States following the fall of Kabul as part of an “enduring commitment" to help people who aided the American war effort and others who are particularly vulnerable under Taliban rule, the secretary of homeland security said Friday.

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly, Va., on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021.

Biden moves to declassify documents about Sept. 11 attacks

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday directing the declassification of certain documents related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a supportive gesture to victims' families who have long sought the records in hopes of implicating the Saudi government.

President Joe Biden speaks from the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, on the August jobs report.

Franzen to run for Senate minority leader after Kent steps down

Minnesota Sen. Melisa López Franzen has announced her plans to run for the Senate minority leader position in 2022.

Wisconsin Gov. Evers extends $100 incentive for COVID-19 vaccinations

Gov. Tony Evers announced the extension on Friday.

A nurse prepares a shot of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID-19 during a vaccination campaign Monday, Aug. 16, 2021.

Experts call for rigorous audit to protect California recall

A group of election security experts on Thursday called for a rigorous audit of the upcoming recall election for California's governor after copies of systems used to run elections across the country were released publicly.

FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2021, file photo a worker passes a Dominion Voting ballot scanner while setting up a polling location at an elementary school in Gwinnett County, Ga., outside of Atlanta. A group of election security experts will ask California officials, Thursday, Sept. 2, to take additional steps to protect the upcoming governor’s recall election after the unauthorized release of voting system software in other states.

Senate DFL leader resigning position, won't seek re-election

Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent, DFL-Woodbury, announced Thursday night that she'll resign her position and will retire instead of seeking re-election at the end of her term next year.

Minnesota Senate Republicans name Johnson new acting leader

A day after Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka announced he was resigning his position as the caucus's leader, a new acting leader has been named.

Acting Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson

Biden pledges 'all the assistance that’s needed' after Ida

President Joe Biden on Thursday said his administration was "ready to provide all the assistance that's needed" in response to a massive wildfire in California and to Hurricane Ida, which knocked out power and wreaked havoc along the Gulf Coast before causing deadly flooding and tornadoes in the Northeast.