Voters in Florida overwhelmingly passed an amendment to restore voting eligibility to former felons. It was one of several criminal justice initiatives passed across the county this election.
More than 47 percent of the voting-eligible population cast a ballot in the midterm elections on Tuesday, according to early estimates. That's the highest turnout for a midterm since 1966.
The chief of staff to former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Whitaker is a former U.S. attorney with a history of questioning the scope of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
Politically conservative Catholics criticize Francis for being pro-migrant, anti-capitalist and less rigid in doctrine than predecessors. The cleric sex abuse scandals have emboldened these critics.
Sessions was an early Trump supporter, but he quickly lost the president's favor after recusing himself from the Russia investigation. Democrats immediately expressed concern about the probe's fate.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee. He speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' resignation which he called a "break the glass moment."
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with reporter Nicole Lewis of The Marshall Project about the results of criminal justice ballot measures across the country and what voters said.