American jurist, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Troy Jackson has won the Maine Democratic nomination to replace Graham Platner and will challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. Jackson has consolidated delegate support at a special convention in Bangor and is positioning a working‑class, progressive agenda while critics and Jewish voters express concern over his recent stances on Israel.
The Supreme Court is being pressed as states challenge President Trump’s March executive order to create a national voter list and restrict mail ballots. Courts have blocked key provisions, while the administration seeks emergency relief ahead of the midterms.
Funeral services for Senator Lindsey Graham have taken place in Washington and South Carolina after his sudden death on July 11. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have attended memorials that have highlighted Graham’s influence on U.S. foreign policy and set off a scramble for his Senate seat in South Carolina.
The DOJ has repeatedly lost in federal courts as it seeks voter rolls and citizenship data to back President Trump’s election-security push. Courts across the country have rebuffed its requests, citing constitutional boundaries and procedural limits, while some states have begun sharing data that is publicly available. The legal battle continues as cases move toward potential Supreme Court review.
President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders that narrow who can claim birthright citizenship, targeting birth tourism and expanding exclusions for certain foreign-affiliated parents. The measures follow a June Supreme Court ruling that struck down a broader Trump effort; legal experts and critics say the new orders will face immediate court challenges.
President Donald Trump has named Will Scharf as White House counsel and assistant to the president, effective Sept. 1. Scharf has served as White House staff secretary and chaired the National Capital Planning Commission; he has represented Trump in major cases, including at the Supreme Court. The change comes weeks after Trump elevated other former personal lawyers to senior legal roles.
The Kennedy Center faces a legal and financial dispute as a federal judge has blocked closures and a $250 million renewal plan; Chuck Redd has been awarded attorneys’ fees after a dispute over his Christmas Eve concert, and the center plans to appeal.
Federal and state judges have issued competing orders over Missouri’s congressional map for the November election. The Missouri Supreme Court has ruled the Republican-drawn 2025 map is not legally enacted and ordered the 2022 map used while a referendum proceeds; a federal judge has temporarily ordered officials to use the 2025 map while litigation continues and both sides are appealing to higher courts.
The Supreme Court has ordered that Missouri must use the 2022 district map for the November elections after a series of rulings and appeals involving the state’s redistricting map and a referendum petition.
The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the government’s bid to enforce Trump’s mail-voting rules as states prepare for midterm elections. Courts have blocked the rules, while USPS and administration officials argue for a streamlined process. Ballots are already being mailed in several states, and lawsuits over the rules continue.
Protect Democracy finds 34.8 million Americans have moved districts since 2024; Missouri’s redistricting chaos culminates as the Supreme Court blocks Trump-backed maps and reverts to 2022-24 boundaries ahead of November elections. Lawsuits allege election interference and misused funds, while voters face confusion over district placement.
The Supreme Court has denied the Trump administration's request to lift lower-court orders that blocked new U.S. Postal Service rules narrowing mail-in ballots, leaving states to use their existing procedures for the Nov. 3 midterms. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented; the court has not decided the rule's longer-term legal fate.
The Supreme Court has not lifted constraints on mail voting, and states are continuing to administer ballots under existing procedures as officials prepare for the midterms. Officials warn of potential interference, while voters are urged to act early to ensure timely delivery.
Missouri remains under the 2022 map for November elections after the Supreme Court blocked changes and lower courts weigh conflicting rulings. Absentee voting is underway, with state courts holding hearings amid a nationwide redistricting push linked to midterms.
The Protect College Sports Act has cleared the Senate with broad bipartisan support and is moving toward a House vote. It codifies NIL rights, tightens transfers and eligibility rules, and creates a retention pool to fund women’s and Olympic sports. The House faces challenges from CBC opposition and concerns over antitrust protections as lawmakers weigh the bill’s path to law.
Christa Pike, convicted of a 1995 murder at Knoxville Job Corps, has faced a last-minute stay of execution in Tennessee. A federal appeals court halted the planned lethal injection to allow review of claims that childhood sexual abuse and mental illness were not weighed at sentencing. Tennessee officials say the execution could proceed if stays are lifted; supporters argue for clemency review.