Politics

Destiny Laurence receives a call at the Harris County Election Office in downtown Houston. In January alone, Washington and the 14 other workers in the call center received 8,000 calls from people asking for help navigating the voting process.

Politics & Government

Texas election workers provide practical and emotional support to confused voters

7:00am February 27, 2022

Tuesday is the first statewide election in Texas since it enacted a sweeping new voting law. Some elections officials say the law has left voters unsure how and if they will be able to participate.

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Alabama leaders say their maps don't disfavor Black voters, but activists disagree

8:54pm February 26, 2022

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with lawmakers and an activist in Montgomery, Ala., to learn more about the battle over voting rights and gerrymandering in the state.

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Politics & Government

Rep. Adam Kinzinger says politicizing Russia-Ukraine crisis hurts Washington

5:14pm February 26, 2022

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and President Biden's reaction to it.

Politics & Government

Georgia Republicans will choose between candidates that supported or denounced Trump

8:42am February 26, 2022

by Miles Parks

The GOP primary for Georgia's top election office includes a candidate who was pressured by former President Donald Trump to overturn his 2020 defeat and another who supports Trump's election lies.

Will the current sanctions actually push Russia to withdraw from Ukraine?

8:32am February 26, 2022

Scott Simon speaks to businessman Bill Browder, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, about sanctions on Russia.

Politics & Government

Week in politics: Biden sanctions Russia; first Black woman named to Supreme Court

7:59am February 26, 2022

by Ron Elving

The Biden administration responds to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the president announces his historic pick to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court.

President Biden's State of the Union speech Tuesday will be his first since becoming president. But in April 2021, he addressed a joint session of Congress, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Harris behind him on the dais.

Politics & Government

This won't be the first State of the Union speech given during a crisis

5:00am February 26, 2022

by Ron Elving

Even when under maximum pressure, presidents have viewed the speech as a unique opportunity to make their case to the rest of the government, to the nation as a whole and to the wider world as well.

The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist survey, which was conducted before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has stark numbers for President Biden.

Politics & Government

A majority says Biden's first year was a failure, a new poll finds

5:29pm February 25, 2022

by Domenico Montanaro

President Biden is at just 39% approval. "These are sort of rock-bottom numbers," said the director of the survey, which was conducted before Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Politics & Government

News brief: Ukraine invasion, U.S, intelligence, GOP criticizes Biden

6:09am February 25, 2022

The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to unfold. U.S. intelligence didn't prevent the invasion, so what role should the U.S. play now? The GOP criticizes Biden over his response to the invasion.

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Republicans dominate Texas politics despite the state's changing demographics

5:41am February 25, 2022

by Wade Goodwyn

In Texas, early voting is well underway ahead of Tuesday's primary election. Democrats haven't won a statewide election in Texas for decades, despite many attempts to "turn Texas blue."