Good morning, it’s Wednesday, September 17, 2025. In today’s edition, Dems outspending Republicans by wide margins in governor races; DOJ sues states over voter lists; Duncan, Raffensperger enter Georgia governor’s race:
Top Stories
ELECTIONS: Democrats and their allies are outspending Republican candidates and outside groups in this year’s gubernatorial contests by huge margins, sources tell us. In New Jersey, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D) and her supporters are outspending former Assemb. Jack Ciattarelli (R) and his allies by more than a three-to-one margin. In Virginia, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is outspending Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R) by close to a seven-to-one margin. (Pluribus News)
VOTING: The federal Justice Department has sued Oregon and Maine for failing to turn over voter registration lists, the first lawsuits against states as the department seeks detailed voter data. Federal officials have asked at least 26 states for voter data; several Democratic states have refused, citing state laws. (Associated Press)
REDISTRICTING: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) says a potential special session to redistrict the state’s U.S. House lines is inevitable. He said Tuesday he doesn’t yet have the go-ahead from Republican legislative leaders, but he said a session is likely between November and January. Republicans want to target a seat held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan (D) in northwest Indiana. (State Affairs)
HEALTH CARE: The Massachusetts House Budget Committee has advanced a $234 million spending bill to provide financial relief for hospitals and community health centers. The bill makes $199 million available for acute care hospitals, including $122 million for payments to facilities that serve low-income patients. (State Affairs)
EDUCATION: The Oklahoma Supreme Court has paused proposed new social studies standards that include conspiracy theories about the 2020 elections. The order requires the Department of Education to keep existing standards in place while a lawsuit challenging the new standards is being litigated. (Associated Press)
IMMIGRATION: Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Raheem Mullins has issued an order prohibiting warrantless arrests in public spaces of state courthouses and banning law enforcement officials from wearing masks while conducting their duties. State Rep. Steve Stafstrom (D) said he would introduce legislation to codify the policy in next year’s legislative session. (CT News Junkie)
In Politics & Business
MINNESOTA: Democratic candidate Xp Lee won a special election to fill the seat of the late Rep. Melissa Hortman (D), restoring the Minnesota House to a 67-67 tie. With 99% of ballots counted, Lee took 61% of the vote. (MPR News) Gov. Tim Walz (D) formally launched his bid for a third term on Tuesday. (Minnesota Reformer)
GEORGIA: Former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan will run for governor as a Democrat, after serving in statewide office as a Republican. Duncan, a critic of President Trump, spoke at the 2024 Democratic convention. (Associated Press) Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) also said he will run for governor, entering a contested GOP primary that includes Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R) and Attorney General Chris Carr (R). (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
NEW YORK: A new Siena College poll finds Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) leading U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R) 52%-27%, up from a 45%-31% lead last month. Hochul has a 54% job approval rating, her best tally since February 2023. (Siena College)
OREGON: Senate Republicans have elected Sen. Bruce Starr (R) as their new minority leader, after Sen. Daniel Bonham (R) said he would resign in October. Bonham is backing House Minority Leader Christine Drazan (R) to replace him in the Senate. (Oregonian)
2028: Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) will visit New Hampshire on Oct. 7 for multiple events with local Democratic candidates. It’s Beshear’s second visit to the early primary state, after a visit ahead of the 2024 elections last year. (WMUR)
By The Numbers
$1.2 million: The amount former U.S. Rep. Spanberger is spending on television ads in Virginia this week. Her rival, Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears, is spending just $196,000. (Pluribus News)
More than 800,000: The number of U.S. households earning an adjusted gross income of $1 million or more in 2022, according to federal data. That’s nearly triple the number of top-earning households in 2010. (Pluribus News)
30%: The increase in campsite reservations at Pennsylvania state parks this year, a surge state officials attributed to closed federal campgrounds. Reservations surged 60% in areas near federal campgrounds that were closed by federal cuts this summer. (State Affairs)
Off The Wall
Central Perk Coffee Co. will open its first outpost in Manhattan, recreating the coffee shop featured in “Friends.” The company already has a location in Boston; don’t expect $3 coffee like the six main characters sipped back in the ‘90s. (AFP)
New Haven, Conn., has set a new record for the world’s largest pizza party. The city dished out more than 9,000 slices to 4,525 official participants, beating a record set by Tulsa, Okla., in 2023. (UPI)
Quote of the Day
“There is no ‘us versus them.’ We may represent different districts and different parties, but that shouldn’t define us, because at the end of the day, we are moms and dads, sisters and brothers, friends and neighbors.”
— Arizona Rep. Sarah Liguori (D), in an email to fellow House members asking everyone to tone down the rhetoric. Rep. John Gillette (R) responded by telling members that “unity is no longer an option.” (State Affairs)