Politics

Lawmakers allow candidates to spend on security

The legislative push comes a year after former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was assassinated.
Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., center, announces his candidacy for the 2026 gubernatorial election Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Lebanon, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nine states this year have approved the use of campaign funds for personal security amid rising concerns about political violence aimed at both state and federal lawmakers.

Candidates in Alabama, Missouri, NebraskaNew Hampshire, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Vermont can now use campaign funds to pay security costs. Most of those states approved security funding through legislation; in South Dakota, Attorney General Marty Jackley authorized the use of funds through a legal opinion.

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