Good morning, it’s Tuesday, November 18, 2025. In today’s edition, Virginia Dems plan redistricting push; Florida not far behind; Trump admin suing California over immigration officer law:
Top Stories
REDISTRICTING: Virginia House Democrats say a plan to redraw state congressional district lines will be among their top priorities when they return to reclaim complete control of Richmond next year. Once the legislature adopts the resolution a second time, voters will be asked to weigh in ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. (Pluribus News)
Democrats laying out their top priorities for next year say they will also hold votes on bills to raise the minimum wage, promote heating efficiency upgrade and housing affordability, and establish a right to obtain contraceptives.
MORE: Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) spoke with President Trump on Monday, assuring Trump he backs a push to draw new U.S. House district lines. The state Senate is the obstacle to drawing new lines, after Senate President Rodric Bray (R) said he didn’t have the votes to advance the bill. (State Affairs)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) told attendees at a conservative conference at his alma mater, Yale, that he is “going to make the legislature do redistricting.” (Yale Daily News)
IMMIGRATION: The Trump administration is suing California over new laws banning federal agents from wearing masks and requiring them to wear identification while on the job. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed the bills in September. The suit cites threats to immigration enforcement agents. (Associated Press)
ENVIRONMENT: Attorneys general from 25 Republican-led states are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to pause California emissions reporting laws. In a brief to the court, the attorneys general say the California laws requiring businesses to submit greenhouse gas emission reports impose “nightmarish compliance costs” on companies. (Washington State Standard)
SOCIAL MEDIA: New Jersey’s Senate Commerce Committee has unanimously advanced legislation requiring social media companies to provide a toll-free number where residents could report fraudulent activity on their accounts. The Assembly previously passed the measure in February. Companies would face a $10,000 fine for failing to comply. (New Jersey Monitor)
HEALTH CARE: South Carolina’s Medicaid program will end coverage of GLP-1 weight loss drugs for obesity. Patients will still be able to access those drugs for diabetes management. State officials said the cost of those drugs for weight management had spiked in just the few months they had offered coverage. (SC Daily Gazette)
In Politics & Business
CONNECTICUT: Former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart (R) will kick off her gubernatorial campaign on Thursday after months of exploring the race. She will join state Sen. Ryan Fazio (R) in the GOP primary in hopes of challenging Gov. Ned Lamont (D) next November. (Hartford Courant)
ILLINOIS: Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) has dropped $25.5 million into his campaign for re-election next year. Pritzker spent $171 million of his own money on his 2018 campaign and $152 million on his re-election bid in 2022. Forbes estimates Pritzker is worth $3.9 billion. (Chicago Tribune)
KANSAS: Gov. Laura Kelly (D) is backing state Sen. Ethan Corson (D) as her chosen successor. Corson faces Sen. Cindy Holscher (D) in the Democratic primary. Neither party has held the governorship for more than eight consecutive years since 1957. (State Affairs)
CRIME BLOTTER: Former Arizona Rep. Austin Smith (R) has pleaded guilty to charges of forging signatures on nominating petitions during his 2024 campaign. A plea deal will see Smith sentenced to probation and a $5,000 fine. (Associated Press)
By The Numbers
36: The number of states that have offered subsidies for data center projects. Only 11 of those states disclose which companies receive incentives. (Kentucky Lantern)
$4.3 billion to $5.2 billion: The revised estimated cost of replacing Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge after its collapse last year. That’s more than double the previous estimate of $1.9 billion. Maryland’s Transportation Authority estimated a new bridge could be open to traffic by 2030. (Associated Press)
1.7 million: The number of fentanyl pills Colorado officials seized from an unpaid storage unit in a Denver suburb. The seizure represents the sixth largest in America. (Colorado Public Radio)
Off The Wall
Alaska transportation officials have named the state’s new snowplow The Whiteout Warrior, after receiving 305 submissions from residents across the state. The plow will serve the Richardson Highway through Thompson Pass. (Alaska DOT)
An Australian prisoner serving a life sentence for murder is suing the state of Victoria over its ban on inmates eating Vegemite, the yeast-based spread. The prisoner says the ban violates his human right to “enjoy his culture as an Australian.” (Associated Press)
Quote of the Day
“The only good thing that the current governor has done for us is he has given us more time to perfect this bill.”
— Virginia Del. Paul Krizek (D), on legislation he is sponsoring to create a legal marijuana marketplace. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) opposed legalization, while Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D) backs a legal market. (Virginia Mercury)