Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA) has a double-digit lead over his Republican rival Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA) in a newly created 17th Congressional District redrawn for the 2018 midterm elections by the Democrat-controlled Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, according to a poll released on Tuesday by the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “The Democratic candidate has a sizable advantage in the race for Pennsylvania’s newly drawn 17th Congressional District, the nation’s only House contest that pits two incumbents against each other,” the Monmouth University Poll said in a statement accompanying the release of the poll:The Monmouth University Poll finds that Conor Lamb, who has served in Congress for just three months after winning a special election earlier this year, holds a double digit lead over three-term Republican Keith Rothfus. The Democratic lean of the new district gives Lamb a decided advantage, with many voters expressing doubts about economic policies put … [Read more...] about Poll: Dem Conor Lamb Double Digit Lead in District Redrawn by PA Supreme Court
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New Supreme Court justice could weigh in on abortion quickly
President Donald Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court won’t have to wait long to make a potentially historic decision on abortion rights. A slew of abortion-related cases are working their way through lower courts, dealing with questions about when abortions should be allowed, or which procedures doctors can perform to terminate a pregnancy. Any of these could become opportunities for the justices to address fundamental questions about the legal right to abortion in the United States, putting Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court’s sights.Story Continued Below “This court is going to have a ton of opportunities” to address reproductive health, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, the founder of Whole Woman’s Health abortion clinic, which has six lawsuits pending against state abortion restrictions across the country. “When you have a … case on the table, the administration can use that as an opportunity to ask the court to do” more to restrict … [Read more...] about New Supreme Court justice could weigh in on abortion quickly
6 times Justice Kennedy was the tipping point on the Supreme Court shows how consequential his retirement is
caption Anthony Kennedy source Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Despite being a conservative and nominated to the Supreme Court by a Republican president, retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy has been the swing vote on the Supreme Court and sided numerous times with the liberal justices. Kennedy has sided with his liberal colleagues on the court on issues such as gay rights, abortion, capital punishment, and affirmative action. Despite being a conservative and nominated to the Supreme Court by a Republican president, retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy has been the swing vote on the Supreme Court and sided numerous times with the liberal justices. Kennedy has sided with his liberal colleagues on the court on issues such as gay rights, abortion, the death penalty, and affirmative action. Gay rights He wrote the majority opinion for the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex … [Read more...] about 6 times Justice Kennedy was the tipping point on the Supreme Court shows how consequential his retirement is
Effects of Supreme Court voter roll decision appear limited
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has cleared the way for states to take a tougher approach to maintaining their voter rolls, but will they? Ohio plans to resume its process for removing inactive voters after it was affirmed in Monday's 5-4 ruling. It takes a particularly aggressive approach that appears to be an outlier among states. Few appear eager to follow. "Our law has been on the books. It hasn't changed, and it isn't changing," said Oklahoma Election Board spokesman Bryan Dean. At issue is when a state begins the process to notify and ultimately remove people from the rolls after a period of non-voting. In most states with similar laws, that process begins after voters miss two or more federal elections. In Ohio, under the current Republican secretary of state, it starts if voters sit out just one election. They are removed from the rolls if they miss three federal elections over six years and fail to return an address-confirmation card. Oklahoma is among the states that send … [Read more...] about Effects of Supreme Court voter roll decision appear limited
Tribes encouraged by Supreme Court ruling on sports betting but need state to set up legal framework
A U.S. Supreme Court decision issued Monday improves the odds of legal sports betting at Oklahoma's tribal casinos some day.But it isn't likely to happen any time soon — if it ever happens at all.That's because the state of Oklahoma would have to allow sports betting, and the Legislature has not shown much interest in doing that. Two attempts in the House of Representatives last year to pass enabling legislation in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling came to naught, meaning it will likely be next year at the earliest before action is taken.Monday's ruling on a New Jersey case, Christie v. NCAA, found unconstitutional provisions of a 1992 federal law banning sports betting in all states except Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon, all of which allowed forms of sports betting prior to the law's enactment.Pat Crofts, chief executive officer for Muscogee Creek Nation Casinos, said: "Obviously, we're encouraged, but it's very early right now. We think this will pave the way for … [Read more...] about Tribes encouraged by Supreme Court ruling on sports betting but need state to set up legal framework