Good morning, it’s Wednesday, February 11, 2026. In today’s edition, governors pull out of White House meeting after Trump snub; Klobuchar leads Minnesota governor’s race; Hawaii’s $35,000 Bandit unveiled … maybe?
Top Stories
GOVERNORS: Democratic governors said they would refuse invitations to the White House for events surrounding the National Governors Association next week if several of their colleagues are excluded. The NGA said it would no longer support a traditionally bipartisan working meeting to be held next week after President Trump said he would only invite Republican governors to attend. (Pluribus News)
The White House had previously disinvited Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), the NGA’s vice chair, and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D), the group’s immediate past chair, from a traditional Saturday night dinner.
TAXES: Washington’s Senate Ways and Means Committee approved legislation imposing a 9.9% levy on personal incomes over $1 million. The full Senate is expected to vote on the plan next week. Analysts expect the tax could collect up to $2.6 billion in its first biennium. (Washington State Standard)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The Massachusetts House is planning to take up legislation today to prohibit candidates and political groups from distributing negative campaign material generated by AI. The measure would apply to “materially deceptive” audio, video and other communications. (State Affairs)
LGBTQ RIGHTS: The Georgia Senate has approved legislation banning gender-identity care for children at hospitals that receive state funding. The bill applies to government workers on state health plans and to medical providers reimbursed by Medicaid. It includes a ban on puberty-blocking medication. (State Affairs)
CHILD WELFARE: The Indiana Senate has given final passage to legislation allowing children to participate in “independent activity” like playing outdoors or remaining at home without supervision. Under current law, parents can be accused of neglect if children are unsupervised. The measure passed unanimously. (State Affairs)
ALCOHOL: The Mississippi House has approved bills to allow liquor sales on Sundays and direct shipment of alcohol to homes. The bills would allow “wet” counties to approve ordinances allowing Sunday sales between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed legislation last year allowing direct shipment of wine to homes. (Supertalk)
STADIUMS: Oregon lawmakers are considering legislation to divert income taxes from performers and athletes to a new Arena Fund aimed at refurbishing the Moda Center, home to the Portland Trail Blazers. Details are scant, but Gov. Tina Kotek (D) backs the plan after Trail Blazers owners floated leaving the city. (Oregonian)
Iowa lawmakers have launched a long-shot bid to lure the Chicago Bears. The bill would expand an existing incentive program to finance the construction of an NFL stadium. (Des Moines Register)
In Politics & Business
HAWAII: Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke (D) says she may be the unnamed lawmaker cited in a federal court filing alleged to have taken $35,000 in a paper bag — but Luke says she didn’t do it. Luke said she returned $35,100 in donations from people connected to wastewater executive Milton Choy, who was convicted of bribing officials. Luke denied wrongdoing, saying she was handed two campaign checks she later returned. (Pluribus News)
MINNESOTA: A new Emerson College poll finds U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) leading House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R) 51% to 38%, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell (R) 53% to 31%. Independent voters back Klobuchar over Demuth by a 27-point margin, while they favor her over Lindell by 40 points, the pollster found. (Emerson)
GEORGIA: A co/efficient poll finds businessman Rick Jackson (R) leading the GOP field with 24%, followed by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) at 16%, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) at 9% and Attorney General Chris Carr (R) at 3%. (co/efficient)
Recall that yesterday’s Cygnal poll found Jones leading Jackson. Candidates must hit 50% to avoid a runoff.
NEW YORK: Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado (D) has ended his challenge against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) backed Hochul. Recent polls showed Hochul leading the Democratic primary with nearly two-thirds of the vote. (Albany Times-Union)
COLORADO: Senate President Pro Tem Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D) will resign from the legislature on Friday to take a job with a nonprofit combatting antisemitism. Michaelson Jenet cited the low wages in the legislature and the financial burden on her family. (Colorado Sun)
By The Numbers
108,435: The number of job cuts announced by U.S.-based employers in January, up 118% from January 2025 and up 205% from December 2025. It’s the highest monthly total since 2009. Transportation companies, led by UPS, led the way, while technology companies slashed 22,291 cuts. (Challenger, Gray & Christmas)
12.6%: The return earned by the Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management’s main investment fund in 2025, an increase of nearly $14 billion. The group’s executive director cited a strong stock market over the last three years. (State Affairs)
Off The Wall
Alaska has a bridge to sell you. Actually, they’re giving it away for free. The state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is giving away seven spans of the Gerstle River Bridge, a World War II-era span of the Alaska Highway. A new bridge accommodating heavier and taller trucks is in the works. (Alaska Beacon)
The Federal Aviation Administration has halted all flights to and from El Paso International Airport for the next ten days, citing “special security reasons.” The announcement took state and local authorities by surprise. (New York Times)
A 12-year old student in Dallas may be the youngest person to ever achieve nuclear fusion. Aiden McMillan spent four years building a science experiment — and reassuring his mom that nothing could go wrong. (NBC DFW)
“There were some alarm bells with my mom, yes, she was like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, take a step back, tell me exactly what could go wrong, and how it could go wrong and make sure it doesn’t go wrong,” McMillan said.
Quote of the Day
“It’s a parlor game in Sacramento right now — could this happen?”
— California Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell, on the possibility that Republicans win the top two slots in the all-party gubernatorial primary. Twenty-five Democrats are in the race, and polls show conservative activist Steve Hilton (R) and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) leading the field. (Associated Press)