1 Sen. Darline Graham And Rep. Ralph Norman Advance To South Carolina Republican Primary Runoff
Senator Darline Graham, appointed last month to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat, has advanced to a Republican primary runoff in South Carolina after failing to win enough votes to lock up the nomination outright. Yesterday's special primary was held exactly one month after Lindsey Graham died suddenly at age 71. President Trump encouraged Graham to run and endorsed her in a crowded field of 10 candidates, which also included Rep. Russell Fry and former Governor Mark Sanford. Graham has focused her campaign on cost-of-living concerns, saying that while her brother was an expert on the federal budget and national security, she is an expert on the family budget. The winner of the runoff will face Democrat Annie Andrews, a doctor, in November, and is heavily favored to win in the reliably Republican state.
2 Court Asked To Block President's Second Executive Order On Birthright Citizenship
The same legal team that beat President Trump's first attempt to end birthright citizenship is now asking a federal judge to block his second try. Trump's new order, signed last week, seeks to deny citizenship to certain children born on U.S. soil, including those born to enemies of the country, foreign government workers, or parents who paid to obtain citizenship. The ACLU argues the order defies a Supreme Court ruling from June, which struck down his first order and left little room for new exemptions. None of the categories in Trump's order appear in the Constitution or citizenship law, the group says. It’s safe to expect a quick ruling, since the order is set to take effect September 6th.
3 Credit Card Debt Is Near An All-Time Record
Americans' credit card debt climbed to $1.26-trillion in the second quarter of this year, rising by $21-billion and nearing the all-time record set late last year. Strong consumer spending usually pushes card debt higher, and economists also point to rising prices for essentials like groceries and gas. Many households are falling behind, with the share of card balances more than 90 days overdue rising sharply since 2022, though researchers say much of that comes from old debts rather than new charges. Overall U.S. household debt now stands at $18.8-trillion, with auto loan debt hitting a new record of its own.