Live updates: Biden says he plans to run for reelection, expects Harris to remain on ticket

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Matthew Brown, Maureen Groppe, Joey Garrison, Michael Collins and Courtney Subramanian, USA TODAY
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WASHINGTON — Joe Biden is holding his first solo press conference as president Thursday afternoon – his 64th full day in the White House – as new challenges on gun control and an influx of migrants at the southern U.S. border add to an already busy agenda.

Biden has taken longer than his predecessors, Donald Trump and Barack Obama, to formally address the White House press corps, fueling extra intrigue and turning the outing into a highly anticipated event.

Check back for the latest updates.

Biden on GOP voting bills: 'This makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle'

Biden slammed efforts in Republican-led states to pass bills making it more difficult for people to vote, calling it “all by design” to suppress voters of color.

“This makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle,” he said of the hundreds of bills in GOP-led state legislatures aimed at voter access. “This is gigantic what they’re trying to do. And it cannot be sustained.”

Biden said even his Republican friends have called out what’s happening.

“Republican voters I know find this despicable, folks outside this White House. I’m not talking about the elected officials. I’m talking about voters.”

He pointed to passage of the voting rights bill H.R. 1 – which passed the Democratic-controlled House but awaits Senate approval – as his top priority to stop the sweeping changes at the state level.

— Joey Garrison

Biden says he will run for reelection

President Joe Biden has been in office just a little over two months, but he said he’s already planning to run for a second term in 2024.

“Yes, my plan is to run for reelection,” he said. “That's my expectation.”

Biden said he also “would fully expect” that Vice President Kamala Harris would remain on the ticket as his running mate for a second term.

“She’s a great partner,” he said.

— Michael Collins

Biden: 'Difficult' to meet May 1 troop withdrawal deadline in Afghanistan

President Joe Biden conceded that the administration is facing challenges in meeting the May 1 deadline for troop withdrawal in the country.

"It's going to be hard to meet the May 1 deadline," the president said of removing American troops from Afghanistan, citing "tactical reasons." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have both met with regional leaders and allies in recent days to discuss the peace deal.

"We will leave. The question is when we leave," Biden emphasized.

When asked if the U.S. could still have troops in Afghanistan in 2022, Biden said he “can't picture that being the case."

Biden also said the deal brokered by the Trump administration that mandated the May 1 troop withdrawal was “poorly designed.” Former President Donald Trump negotiated a deal between the Taliban and Afghani civilian government in 2019.

Peace talks between the Afghani government and the Taliban have deteriorated over the past year, with Taliban forces regaining control of some segments of the country.

— Matthew Brown

Biden will respond if North Korea escalates actions

President Joe Biden said he’s consulting with allies on how to respond to North Korea’s recent testing of ballistic missiles, which he said violated a U.N. resolution.

“There will be responses if they choose to escalate,” Biden said.

He said he would pursue addressing the situation through “some form of diplomacy,” rather than just a military reaction. But that would be conditioned on North Korea being willing to give up their nuclear weapons, Biden added.

— Maureen Groppe

Biden defends response to increase of migrants at border

President Joe Biden defended his immigration policy in response to a question about whether he may be sending a message to immigrants that they can cross the border.

Biden said he would never tell an unaccompanied child who ends up at the border that “we’re just gonna let him starve to death and stand on the other side.”

“No previous administrations did that either, except Trump,” he said. “I'm not going to do it.”

Biden said that is why he has asked Vice President Kamala Harris to lead White House efforts to stem migration at the border.

— Michael Collins

Biden pushes return to Senate’s old filibuster rules

President Joe Biden said he supports a return to the talking filibuster in the U.S. Senate – not getting rid of the filibuster outright – to pass voting rights legislation and other bills that Republicans are resisting.

“It’s being abused in a gigantic way,” Biden said of the current filibuster rules, which require 60 votes in the evenly split Senate to pass most bills.

He pointed to previous Senate rules that existed when he became a senator in Delaware in the 1970s that required a senator to stand and continue speaking to keep a filibuster alive.

“Guess what?” Biden said. “People got tired of talking and tired of collapsing. I strongly support going in that direction.”

“We’re going to get a lot done,” Biden predicted.

— Joey Garrison

Biden: Increase in migrants is cyclical

President Joe Biden said he should be flattered that people think there’s an increase in immigrants coming to the border because “they know Biden is a good guy.”

But that’s not what’s happening, he said.

Instead, Biden said the recent surge is cycle. There was a similar surge between January and March last year because that’s when it’s safer to travel through the desert heat, he said.

“I’d like to think it’s because I’m a nice guy, but it’s not,” Biden said. “It happens every year.”

— Maureen Groppe

Biden cautions Republicans against ‘politics of division’ in first press conference

President Joe Biden answers a question during his first press briefing as president in the East Room of the White House.
President Joe Biden answers a question during his first press briefing as president in the East Room of the White House.

President Joe Biden addressed questions of his policy priorities during his presidential press briefing, noting that the administration would soon pivot from the its focus on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout to other aspects of his agenda.

“The most urgent problem I stated for the American people was COVID-19 and the economic dislocation,” many have experienced during the pandemic, Biden said. The president, however, noted that with its desired stimulus package enacted and being deployed, the administration will now turn to “long term problems” like immigration reform, gun control and infrastructure.

“My Republican colleagues are going to have to determine whether we can work together or whether they will decide to … divide the country and only pursue the politics of division,” Biden cautioned about passing legislation in Congress.

The president said that the administration would “move on these one at a time and we’re going to get to as many of these as we can,” but did not specify any policy prioritization.

— Matthew Brown

Biden sets new COVID vaccine goal: 200 million shots in 100 days

Biden opened his first formal news conference by setting a new goal of administering 200 million COVID vaccine shots in his first 100 days in office.

“I know it’s ambitious, twice our original goal,” he said. “But no other country in the world has even come close. Not even close to what we're doing. I believe we can do it.”

Biden’s original goal was to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days. The U.S. passed that goal last week and is already on track to reach 200 million shots by the president’s first 100 days.

— Michael Collins

President Joe Biden arrives to speak during his first press conference as president in the East Room of the White House on Thursday.
President Joe Biden arrives to speak during his first press conference as president in the East Room of the White House on Thursday.

Biden holds first press conference as president

Over his long political career, Biden has made his fair share of gaffes. But he's stayed largely on script during his young presidency with a focus on leading the nation out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

That discipline will be tested Thursday as reporters, for the first time besides brief interactions with the president, have an open arena to question Biden.

In the wake of two deadly mass shootings in the last week, in Georgia and Colorado, Biden has said "we have to act" to pass gun background checks and ban assault weapons. That agenda is already facing resistance from Republicans.

Biden is also facing increasing heat over the increase of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Republicans have called the situation a "crisis" of Biden's doing while the White House has resisted that term.

Both issues are likely to come up Thursday.

— Joey Garrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Live updates: President Joe Biden holds first press conference

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    Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar. Today: an unemployed consultant who spends some of her money this week on wasabi. Editor’s Note: This is a bonus throwback Thursday diary — this diary is from the Money Diaries archive and has previously run on the site. Occupation: UnemployedIndustry: Management ConsultingAge: 36Location: Washington, D.C.Salary: Currently $0 (~$120,000-140,000 when employed)Net Worth: $619,148.64 ($475,731.60 in investment accounts, $14,040.04 cash, $129,377 home equity)Debt: Just my mortgage, calculated into home equity abovePaycheck Amount: $0Pronouns: She/herMonthly ExpensesMortgage: $1,809.90 (includes mortgage, property tax, insurance, and HOA)Internet: $25Water: ~$35Electric: ~$25Gas: ~$18Cell Phone: $16.81, prepaid for a yearHulu: $6.35Netflix: $0 (bum off a friend in exchange for Hulu)NYTimes: $8.48Washington Post: $2.56, paid for a year upfrontSpotify: $6.50, paid for a year upfront to a friend I split the account with Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?Yes, absolutely. I contributed to my tuition, did work-study, received scholarships and financial aid, and took out loans. My parents helped as well. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent/guardian(s) educate you about finances?I learned how to compare prices at the grocery store as a kid, look for sales and other bargains first when shopping, and to save money. I didn’t learn about compound interest or investing until I graduated from college and learned about managing money on my own. What was your first job and why did you get it?My first job was at a fast-casual restaurant at the mall. I got a job because my family was low income and often unemployed. I learned at a young age that money gives you options. Getting my own job and earning my own money was empowering. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that managing your finances, investing, and planning for the future is an essential part of setting yourself up for an independent life. Did you worry about money growing up?Yes. I was never sure I would have everything I needed. Do you worry about money now?Yes. I lost my job recently. I have some cash and I know I could liquidate some stocks and draw down on my accounts, but that would be a last resort. At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?I was responsible for myself at 22. I am my own financial safety net. Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.No. Day One 9 a.m. — I wake up after pressing snooze a couple of times. Time to start the day. I lost my job recently and am very burnt out. I plan on resting up and doing things that feel good while still tackling a couple of things a day. Working to find balance is a lifelong pursuit. 9:30 a.m. — After brushing my teeth, washing my face, slapping on sunscreen, and taking my medications and supplements, I walk and feed my dog. It’s finally cold in D.C. 9:45 a.m. — I grab a cold brew out of the fridge to sip while checking my emails and check all the virtual pings I’ve missed. I have a 1:30 p.m. call with a professional contact and the window repair people are slated to arrive anytime between 1 and 4 p.m. to give me a quote on what it will cost me to repair the windows. The rest of the day I can chill and watch TV while knitting. 11 a.m. — I’m hungry, so I reheat leftover chicken soup and decide to make more. I chop up the vegetables, add chicken stock and shredded chicken, and get that going on the stove. I clean as I go and do dishes and clean out old food in the fridge. 12 p.m. — Throw out trash, walk my dog, and chat on the phone with family. 1:15 p.m. — Time flies whether or not you’re on a tight work schedule! Another family member calls to encourage me. It’s nice to know I have people to talk to. As with many, many people, it’s been a year for me. 2:01 p.m. — Ahh! Just missed the call from the window repair company while I was on the phone with my colleague. I call them back and they’ve already been rerouted, so they’ll try again tomorrow morning. Hungry again. Hot bowl of soup it is! I’m not someone who gets sick of eating the same meals, so I eat a lot of meals on repeat. I’m also not a person who likes to spend a lot of time meal planning, so this approach to nourishing myself works for me. 2:40 p.m. — After soup, fruit, and doing the dishes, I am ready to Netflix and knit! 7 p.m. — I take a break from knitting to walk and feed the dog and text with friends. 11 p.m. — Shower, brush teeth, skincare routine, and sleep. Daily Total: $0 Day Two 8:50 a.m. — I wake up to very loud construction noises. I mindlessly go through the motions — brush teeth, wash face, moisturize and sunscreen face, meds and supplements, walk the dog, pick up her poop, and feed her. 9:20 a.m. — I make pour-over coffee today. I check my email, consult my to-do list, and follow up with a recruiter I interviewed with last week. I also pitch an idea for a story to a favorite website. 11:15 a.m. — Lunch of soup. I do dishes while it heats up. 11:30 a.m. — The window people are here! Everyone’s masked up! I hope the estimate isn’t too high. Owning property to build equity is a great way to build wealth, but there are always plenty of expenses to plan for. 11:45 a.m. — After lunch of soup topped off with an apple, I call a foreign currency exchange service. I have several euros leftover from a Europe trip I’ve put off exchanging to U.S. dollars (USD) for years. No idea why. Inertia maybe? Now is a good time to tackle the errands and chores I’ve put off to do some other day. Some other day is today! Or not. The place is closed today, so I plan on going tomorrow. 12:30 p.m. — I walk my dog and head out to drop off a package at the post office to start a return. $3.90 1 p.m. — It’s gorgeous out. I love running errands on foot when the weather is this lovely. At the grocery store, I pick up olive oil, soy sauce, small red beans, black beans, wasabi, mandarins, Honeycrisp apples, cilantro, limes, ginger root, and onions. $39.47 2:15 p.m. — I’m finally home. I greet my pup and check my iPhone health app. I walked 2.5 miles. It’s amazing how moving my body elevates my mood and spirits. 3:15 p.m. — Time to Netflix and knit. 5:30 p.m. — I get on my laptop to attend my psychiatrist appointment over Zoom ($275). This is an unsustainable expense going forward while I’m not working, but for now, it’s an essential expense. Like many psychiatrists, my psychiatrist doesn’t take insurance. I pay cash. $275 7 p.m. — Dinner of soup and two mandarin oranges. I walk and feed my dog afterward. 7:45 p.m. — I’m already exhausted. Wash face, do my minimal skincare routine, brush, and floss. Off to bed I go. Daily Total: $318.37 Day Three 8:45 a.m. — Wake up, wash face, brush teeth, moisturize and sunscreen, take meds and supplements, walk and feed my dog, and make coffee. I search for a sliding cabinet organizer from Target since I have a gift card there and I’m finally sick of knocking over cleaning products when reaching in this deep cabinet to find an item. I find one that fits the specs of my cabinet ($52.07 on gift card). There are a few things I want to get done around my home, so I buy a stud finder, painter’s tape, a ring light (for interviews), and a couple of other household items on Amazon ($54.31). While I shop online, I see an email requesting interviews next week; I email back with available times. $54.31 11:20 a.m. — Lunch! Soup and apple. I walk my dog, pick up a package, and head back home. The package was for flowers a good friend of mine sent to cheer me up. I pack up a couple of gifts I purchased online that were underwhelming and print out return labels. 12:40 p.m. — I leave my apartment to exchange foreign currencies for USD. I receive $266 (after paying $10 in fees) and drop off a package to return. On my way home, I see that I have another package waiting for me. This time, it’s a plush blanket and robe. There’s no card, but I’m pretty certain I know who sent it. I text my friend to thank her and sure enough, it was her. $10 1:45 p.m. — Home. I putz around the house and end up cleaning and organizing my space a bit. 4:30 p.m. — Starving. I finish the last of the soup and reach for bread to toast and eat with the tuna salad I made recently. The bread went bad, so I eat the tuna by itself. I also eat a mandarin and persimmon. 11 p.m. — Brush teeth and turn in. Daily Total: $64.31 Day Four 7:10 a.m. — I wake up early to construction noises. C’mon, guys! It’s Saturday! I had a terrible night’s sleep last night, so I stay in bed to try to get more sleep. 8:30 a.m. — Same deal. Brush teeth, wash face, take meds, do dishes, make coffee. My dog is fast asleep, so I drag my feet getting it together to walk her. I post things to sell online. This is another thing I’ve put off while focused on other things. I have a lot of clutter since I haven’t re-homed things in a while. 11:15 a.m. — I’m hungry. I finished the soup yesterday, so I make a smoothie out of ingredients in my freezer. I always keep frozen fruit in my freezer and ingredients like ground flaxseed meal and oats in my pantry for quick smoothies. After lunch, I walk and feed my dog. 12 p.m. — It’s official. I am grumpy from sleeping poorly and being subjected to construction noises all morning. I decide to take it easy and not push myself to get things done. 5:30 p.m. — I make a salad of tomato, kale, and avocado with a red wine vinaigrette. I eat two mandarins and chocolate for dessert. More knitting while watching TV. I’d like to finish my current knitting project to send as a holiday gift, but I’m not rushing to get it done either. 12 a.m. — Brush teeth, wash face, skincare, crash. Daily Total: $0 Day Five 8 a.m. — I wake up to a text from a friend who lives in my building complaining about construction noises. I know, girl. It’s been incessant. I wish I could get out of the city and shelter-in-place in a cabin some place quiet, but unfortunately, I don’t have the money to spend on a getaway. We’re all just doing our best to get through the year and sometimes that means being safe at home while neighbors repair or renovate their homes. I do the things I do every morning to get ready to start the day. 12:45 p.m. — A good friend in my quaranteam comes by with Taco Bell and persimmons. 2:40 p.m. — After lunch, we take a walk since it’s nice out and wave goodbye. It’s nice to hang out in person. I’m pretty good at enjoying my own company and staying home overall, but it does get tedious. And we are at mile 22 of this, with 4.2 more miles to go. 8:30 p.m. — I get hungry, so I eat the rest of the tacos and eat a persimmon. I get concerned that I’ve eaten very little fiber today, so I wash it down with a psyllium husk drink (Metamucil without the color or flavoring). See? Balance. Daily Total: $0 Day Six 8:20 a.m. — Up, brush teeth, wash face, moisturize and sunscreen, take meds, make coffee, eat a persimmon. Walk and feed my dog. 11:25 a.m. — I make a smoothie for lunch and buy a Girlfriend Collective shipping label to recycle some clothes in exchange for credit. $72:30 p.m. — I call a professional contact to chat about the interview I have coming up. It was definitely difficult to get used to “networking” and maintaining professional relationships, but once I got over the initial discomfort, it became a normal part of my work life. For people who feel hesitant about networking, I think the important thing to focus on is that these relationships are genuine and authentic. I’m also here to support my contacts and be there for them in return as a sounding board, professional reference, or for advisement.3:10 p.m. — A friend calls me to catch up on the phone when I get back from walking my dog. It’s nice to keep in touch with old friends. As I get older, I value my established relationships more and more.6 p.m. — I’m hungry and finally feel like making more soup. I chop vegetables to make another vat of chicken soup. I eat some mandarins while I cook.8:30 p.m. — Christmas honestly snuck up on me this year. What even is time, you know? I decide to buy a few things. I purchase a kitchen tool for a friend ($29.15), a virtual experience for a family member ($52.08), and macadamia honey nut butter for two friends ($43.98). $125.2110 p.m. — I finally eat chicken soup. I save a few pieces of boiled chicken for my dog, who happily gobbles it up. I eat two more mandarin oranges and chocolate.3:30 a.m. — I wake up in a fully lit apartment. I fell asleep while watching TV, so I didn’t wash up yet. I get up to wash my face and moisturize and go back to sleep. Too tired to brush my teeth.Daily Total: $132.21 Day Seven 8 a.m. — I wake up to light construction noises. I really hope it’s not too distracting during my video interviews today. Brush teeth, shower, take meds and supplements, make coffee. I soak my completed knitting project in a wool wash. Since I finished in time for Christmas, I need to wash and dry it right away. 10:50 a.m. — Over coffee, I decide to tile my kitchen backsplash. I make an order on Amazon ($31.69) and on Home Depot ($167.77) for supplies. $199.46 12 p.m. — I receive a quote from the window repair place. They quote me about $500. Time to get two more estimates. I make a smoothie and walk my dog. 1 p.m. — I get ready for the interviews by doing my makeup and pulling my hair back professionally. One of the perks of working from home this year was saving time commuting and getting dressed. It can be so time-consuming (not to mention costly) to look “professional,” whatever that means. 4 p.m. — I’m wiped out from interviews. I need to write thank you emails, but I’m feeling brain dead. I always try to write thoughtful emails that clearly demonstrate that I listened actively and am a capable professional. 5 p.m. — I send both thank you emails. I cannot believe it’s already 5 p.m. 6:30 p.m. — I print more return labels, walk and feed my dog, wash the makeup off my face and moisturize, and nuke chicken soup in the microwave. I top it off with, you guessed it, persimmon and chocolate for dessert. 7:30 p.m. — I do laundry while I chat with a friend. Overall, it’s been a tough time for me, but I’m grateful for my health and safety and my loved ones. Daily Total: $199.46 Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more money diaries, click here.Do you have a Money Diary you’d like to share? Submit it with us here.Have questions about how to submit or our publishing process? Read our Money Diaries FAQ doc here or email us here. Savings vary. See StraightTalk.com. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?A Week In Dallas, TX On A $35,000 SalaryA Week In North Carolina On A $160,000 IncomeA Week In Tennessee On A $142,000 Joint Income

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His initial focus, when first elected, was to make progress on combatting COVID-19, getting people vaccinated and improving an economy devastated by the coronavirus. “All I know is I’ve been hired to solve problems, not create division,” Biden said. Posted Earlier With a growing crisis on the southern border, two mass shootings in less than a week, and hundreds of Americans still dying every day from the novel coronavirus, reporters should have no shortage of questions when President Joe Biden steps to the lectern for the first press conference of his administration on Thursday afternoon. But just how aggressively the 25 reporters in the room will question the 78-year-old Biden, who’s generally received kids-gloves coverage in the mainstream press, remains to be seen. Biden is expected to speak at 1:15 p.m. in front reporters from media outlets including CNN, CBS, Fox News, The New York Times and Politico. With the press conference coming on the 64th day of his term, Biden has waited longer than any president in 100 years to face reporters. In an appearance on Fox on Monday, former President Donald Trump predicted that Biden will receive “softballs” from a press that “protects him totally.” And some on the left have suggested that reporters shouldn’t push Biden particularly hard. In a CNN op-ed, former Bill Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart suggested that reporters who had gotten used to “lies and misstatements and attacks” from Trump, need to adjust to Biden, “who tells the truth to the best of his ability.” An overly aggressive press could do more harm to journalism than to Biden, Lockhart wrote. The Washington Post’s media reporter, Margaret Sullivan, similarly wrote that reporters will have to “recalibrate after the tumultuous, misinformation-filled Trump years to a president who is far less showy and, to date,’ much more truthful.” Border Security and Immigration Biden has started to get some pushback from reporters, particularly about his handling of immigration and the border, which has been flooded with migrants – including thousands of unaccompanied children — since he took office. Biden, who promised more humane border policies, dismantled Trump-era measures designed to deter people from making the trek to the U.S. Biden has denied reporters access to most over-crowded border facilities. On Wednesday, in the leadup to the press conference, the administration allowed a reporter and camera crew to enter one Texas facility. 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Biden has also called for a re-instituted ban on so-called “assault rifles.” “This is not a partisan issue,” he said, instead calling it “an American issue.” COVID-19 and Vaccines Biden has said that responding to the COVID-19 crisis is his primary responsibility, and he likely will take something of a victory lap over his pledge to administer 100 million doses of vaccine in his first 100 days in office. In his CNN op-ed, Lockhart wrote that “Biden has picked the perfect time to meet the press. He has comfortably exceeded his campaign goal on vaccines and that deserves the pomp and circumstance of a full White House press conference.” But the Trump administration was already hitting the 1 million vaccinations a day mark before Biden took office. In the days after Biden’s inauguration, staffers in his administration falsely claimed they inherited no vaccine distribution plan and had to “start from scratch.” Biden also could be asked about his efforts to reopen schools. Spending and the Debt Biden also is likely to tout the passage of the $1.9 million “American Rescue Plan,” which critics say is less of a coronavirus rescue effort and more of a payoff to leftwing interest groups and funding for progressive wish lists. The administration also is considering a series of new bills that require up to $3 trillion in new government spending to enhance the nation’s infrastructure and fight climat change. Health and Future Plans Reporters could dare to ask Biden about his health, less than a week after the 78-year-old tripped three times while climbing the stairs to Air Force One, falling on his hands and knees at one point. Biden is the oldest person to hold the office, and is older than four of his living predecessors, Clinton (74), George W. Bush (74), Barack Obama (59) and Trump (74). 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  • Biden readies for 1st news conference, White House tradition

    “Well, I see we’re trying a new experiment this morning,” President Dwight Eisenhower told the press corps. It was the first presidential news conference captured for broadcast by television. With that, an enlightening, contentious and often showboating tradition came into the modern age, one President Joe Biden carries on Thursday with his first White House news conference.

  • Mark Zuckerberg says Trump 'should be responsible for his words' before the 'disgraceful' Capitol siege

    "I believe that the former president should be responsible for his words" that preceded the deadly insurrection at the Capitol, Zuckerberg testified.

  • Another blood pressure medicine recall for bottles having tablets of the wrong strength

    For the second time this month, there’s a recall of a blood pressure medication because the tablets inside the bottle don’t match the label outside the bottle.

  • Wyoming election changes pushed by Donald Trump Jr. fail

    Wyoming lawmakers rejected a measure that would have required candidates to win a majority of votes in primary elections to avoid runoffs — a change endorsed by Donald Trump Jr. in his campaign to undermine Republican U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney. The state Senate defeated the proposal with a 15-14 vote Wednesday after lawmakers raised concerns over the cost of adding more elections and the burden that doing so would put on voters and local officials. Trump Jr. called for Cheney’s defeat after she voted to impeach President Donald Trump over the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

  • Sports radio host’s racist comments on Serena Williams’ skin tone get him fired

    The conversation started with toaster settings and then took an extremely controversial turn.

  • Fox News host wildly claims Biden wears a mask to hide ‘decline’ from journalists

    ‘Maybe they just don’t want to show how badly he’s declining, I mean I can’t understand him’

  • New data suggests Disney's 'Raya' was a streaming flop, but the studio is charging ahead with the same strategy for 'Black Widow'

    Signups to Disney Plus declined over the movie's opening weekend compared to the previous four weekends, according to Antenna.

  • A Hollywood actress who married into the royal family says the attention Meghan Markle receives would be her idea of 'complete hell'

    Sophie Winkleman, best known for her role in "Two and a Half Men," told Insider she wouldn't be able to cope with the intrusion Meghan Markle faces.