Cara McCormick, principal at Smart Campaigns, advises on strategy and research. With 10+ years in major races, she led Maine’s historic move to ranked choice voting. Her work focuses on election reforms that improve representation and voter choice.
Cannabis
In a stunning show of bipartisan agreement, the California Assembly voted 74-0 on June 2 to approve legislation that would pause a significant tax increase on the state’s legal cannabis industry.
News
The Trump administration has proposed reversing a Biden-era policy that barred new oil, gas, and mining development across much of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), a vast, ecologically and economically significant area roughly the size of Indiana.
Health Care
As the Senate begins debate Monday on President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” polling underscores a widening gap between congressional Republicans and the independent voters they will need to win future elections. At the center of the conflict is Medicaid.
News
US Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) have united in opposition to the Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, highlighting the severe consequences for Afghan women and girls in particular.
Opinion
In the shadow of a damning new campaign exposé, the only elected Democrat to challenge President Biden in 2024 speaks out about what really happened and what must change.
Cannabis
A sweeping bill to ban hemp-derived THC products in Texas is now headed to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk after final legislative approval. On May 26, the Texas Senate voted 25–6 to concur with House amendments to Senate Bill 3 (SB3), clearing the last procedural hurdle for the legislation.
Cannabis
Tennessee's hemp industry is facing major regulatory upheaval after Governor Bill Lee signed a bill on May 21 that will significantly restrict the production and sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid products beginning in 2026.
News
Given the state’s role as home to many leading AI companies, a bipartisan coalition of California legislators is urging Congress to strike a little-noticed provision from the sweeping federal tax package that would block states and local governments from regulating artificial intelligence (AI) for t
Campaigns
It’s springtime in a non-election year. A time to decompress from political commentary, prep for Fourth of July parties, and gear up for summer vacations. But a funny thing happened on the way to sun and fun, in one of the world’s most desirable vacation spots: San Diego County Supervisor Nora Varga
Health Care
A new federal enforcement deadline is set to reshape access to some of the country’s most in-demand weight-loss drugs. Starting May 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will prohibit most pharmacies and providers from producing or distributing compounded versions of GLP-1 medications sema
Campaigns
The New York Times scooped on May 20 that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor and current front-runner in the city’s Democratic mayoral primary. The inquiry focuses on Cuomo’s testimony to Congress about his administratio
Cannabis
In its largest coordinated crackdown to date, California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force seized more than $123 million worth of illegal cannabis during a sweeping, multi-agency operation across the Central Valley.