Brief #120 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by Arvind Salem
Ron DeSantis’ withdrawal makes the Republican primary a two-person race between Nikki Haley and Trump. Despite Haley facing challenges, her current strategy exposes potential weaknesses in Trump’s candidacy that the Democratic nominee, likely Biden, could exploit.
As Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian people draw international condemnation, its support among US voters is shrinking, and with it the influence of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the wealthy and powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization. AIPAC’s backing, once crucial to candidates, is no longer a sure path to election and in some progressive districts is becoming a liability.
Money in politics is as American as apple pie and tossing the pigskin, but its sheer size and impact would boggle an onlooker’s mind. When you show the size of total spending on advertisements in 2024, it looks almost comical: $11,200,000,000.
With the 2026 midterm general elections approaching, analytics show Democrats rebuilding national attention. Though it is early, special election results, voter enthusiasm and new candidates suggest what some analysts call a possible Democratic “blue wave.”
Michigan will be one of the most competitive Democratic Senate primaries of the 2026 cycle following Senator Gary Peters’ decision to retire and not run for re-election. As a battleground state that has flip-flopped in recent federal elections, Michigan’s Senate seat is a top priority for the Democrats. In order to win, Democratic nominee will need to garner support from the party’s urban voter base, perform well in suburban areas, and furthermore perform well with working-class voters all across the state.
On January 7, 2026, the U.S. federal government released the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These new guidelines show a shift in how U.S. health officials define healthy eating andaddress processed foods, protein consumption and dairy. The Guidelines were issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). They are set to shape federal nutrition policy, school meal standards and how public health is messaged for the next five years.
The official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report states that about 240,000 water main breaks occur each year in the United States. This highlights the urgent state of the nation’s water infrastructure. Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., introduced the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act (H.R. 5566) on Sept. 26, 2025. Rep. Carbajal, introduced the bill to modernize the aging water systems across the nation.The bill seeks to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The Protecting Free Vaccines Act (H.R. 5448) aims to preserve stable vaccine coverage by freezing ACIP recommendations as of 2024 and requiring all major insurance programs to continue covering those vaccines without cost-sharing until 2030. H.R. 5448 was introduced on Sept. 18, 2025, by Rep. Frank Pallone D-NJ-6. Since this is a Democrat-sponsored bill in a Republican-controlled House, its chances of passing are currently low unless bipartisan support grows.
I spent most of my adult life in the Republican Party. I enthusiastically supported John McCain in 2000 and 2008. I voted even more enthusiastically for Mitt Romney in 2012. My ideology is grounded in fiscal responsibility, personal liberty, strong national defense, and federalism.
Brief #132 – Elections & Politics Policy Brief
by: Abigail Hunt
Michigan, a pivotal swing state, boasts the highest youth voter turnout in the nation and a thriving manufacturing sector crucial to its economy. As the state gears up for the upcoming election, its diverse demographic and rich history make it a battleground to watch.