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Six Questions We Asked 65 Republican Convention Attendees

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Six Questions We Asked 65 Republican Convention Attendees

With the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, we wanted to learn how the party has changed and where it might be going, not from the officials who will give prime-time convention speeches, but in the words of some of its most committed members from across the country.

We spoke with 65 delegates and other attendees, a majority of whom were going to their first convention. We asked them their views on Donald J. Trump, the issues that drive them, what they’ve seen change, formative political moments, their favorite Republicans and who might be the next leader of the party. The initial conversations happened before the attempted assassination of Mr. Trump on Saturday, and we followed up with respondents at the convention.

1/6

How would you describe your feelings or level of enthusiasm about Donald Trump as the nominee?

Most of the attendees we spoke to said they were very enthusiastic about nominating him. Some said they were energized by his felony conviction in Manhattan in May. While the delegate selection process varies by state, the presumptive nominee has significant influence on who is chosen.

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“This is a time where our country needs a hero, and I believe that Donald Trump is that hero.”

Jason Soseman, 52, Missouri
self-employed worker

Jeff Rawls

“He has nothing to gain. He doesn’t need the money, he doesn’t need the jet, he doesn’t need the big house.”

Jeff Rawls, 59, Florida
construction company owner

AK Kamara

“On a scale of one to a hundred for enthusiasm — one being I don’t want to leave the couch on Election Day and a hundred being that I would crawl over broken glass — I’m probably at a 99.”

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AK Kamara, 40, Minnesota
contract courier

When asked at the convention how they felt about the shooting, many said they were even more determined to see Mr. Trump elected. Another common response was the belief that God had intervened to protect him. Some expressed hope that the political temperature would cool down, while others blamed the rhetoric of Mr. Trump’s detractors. “When you dehumanize people, it opens the door for others to take action in some ways,” said Matthew Rust, a delegate from Wisconsin.

In conversations leading up to the convention, some respondents expressed their support for Mr. Trump but acknowledged that he was not always their first choice, or that they preferred his policies to his personality.

Hayden Head

“There were other candidates that I liked better, but of course I will still support him come November.”

Hayden Head, 20, Texas
student

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Todd Gillman

“I like the guy’s policies. As far as hanging out with him …”

Todd Gillman, 57, Michigan
disabled veteran

Gwen Ecklund

“Over the years he could have chosen his words a little more carefully about people, but the alternative is just really sad.”

Gwen Ecklund, 66, Iowa
retiree

Just one participant said he was not at all enthusiastic about Mr. Trump. Jason Watts, a former district party treasurer who was impeached after telling The New York Times that he had not voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 or 2020, says he feels like an abandoned orphan in the party.

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Jason Watts

“It doesn’t serve our candidiates up and down the ticket if we are stuck with a cult of personality instead of a decipherable platform.”

Jason Watts, 47, Michigan
political consultant

2/6

Is there a particular issue that drives you toward or excites you about the Republican Party right now?

The economy was mentioned by more than 40 percent of respondents. Younger Republicans were more likely to be concerned about the cost of living. “It is near impossible to buy a home, to get married and afford to have kids,” said Stevie Giorno, a 24-year-old delegate from Tennessee.

Kip Christianson

“We are the crushed and destroyed generation, whether it’s on rent, whether it’s on quality of life, whether it’s on wages that have been far outstripped by inflation and the cost of living.”

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Kip Christianson, 33, Minnesota
donor adviser

Logan Z. Glass

“The cost of living for Americans. And I think the national deficit is another issue that we’ve got to get under control.”

Logan Z. Glass, 22, Alabama
county government official

Bethany Wheeler

“The ability to actually take care of your family, buy milk, pay an electric bill, not put everything on credit. That’s my biggest driving factor —survival.”

Bethany Wheeler, 45, Michigan
government employee

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Immigration was mentioned just as frequently (most respondents raised more than one driving issue), especially among older attendees. The responses track with a recent Times/Siena College poll in which more than half of Republicans said either the economy or immigration was the most important issue in deciding their vote.

Last week, Republican Party members approved a new, significantly pared down party platform reflective of Mr. Trump’s priorities. The document calls for mass deportations as well as sealing off the border to migrants.

Mike Crispi

“Trump’s policies when it comes to the Southern border and shutting it down is the No. 1 thing.”

Mike Crispi, 31, New Jersey
talk show host

Janice Fields

“I just feel the country is just not safe anymore. You can say it’s partly because of all the people we let into the country that we just don’t know who they are.”

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Janice Fields, 55, New Jersey
retiree

Susan Aiken

“I don’t think everybody coming into this country is bad, but we’ve got to have a process to vet these folks that come across that border.”

Susan Aiken, 71, South Carolina
retiree

Arif Shad

“My ancestors came also legally from many, many years back from Pakistan. If you want to come, you can come, but go through the legal channels. Don’t just cross the border.”

Arif Shad, 66, Alabama
retired customs agent

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Several respondents talked about the size of government and the national debt, long-held Republican priorities that were largely dropped from the party’s platform.

Abortion came up less frequently in the survey. The new party platform softens the party’s stance on the issue, reflecting Mr. Trump’s recent position that it should be handled by the states, upsetting many anti-abortion activists.

A handful of respondents mentioned issues surrounding education, gender and sexuality, including the Biden administration’s revised Title IX rules. A few respondents included election integrity as important to them, or offered that they believed in the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

3/6

Is there something you’ve seen change in the party?

Bob Witsenhausen

“You have grassroots conservatives who are getting activated, and a lot of the establishment Republicans — the old-style Republicans — are either stepping down or being pushed out.”

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Bob Witsenhausen, 62, New Mexico
electrical contractor

Matthew Bingesser

“Since 2016, I think it’s become more of a working-class party rather than a big business party.”

Matthew Bingesser, 29, Kansas
attorney

Jim Stalzer

“I don‘t think we’ve got the cohesiveness now that we had a dozen years ago.”

Jim Stalzer, 78, South Dakota
state legislator

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Nearly all of the respondents hold positions within their local or state parties, or are members of groups for young Republicans or Republican women. Some hold public office. Many acknowledged an internal struggle in the party stemming from an influx of conservative activists.

Bethany Wheeler

“We have a serious rise in purists that want everyone to agree with them 100 percent. They want to push every normal human out.”

Bethany Wheeler, 45, Michigan
government employee

Rachel Cadena

“Because of all the battles we’re fighting — with the health freedom, with Covid, with parental rights and all of that stuff — a lot more people have gotten involved.”

Rachel Cadena, 54, Iowa
insurance adjuster

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David Lara

“I can say that the grass roots are finally heard. We’re finally taking over from the local party up to the national.”

David Lara, 58, Arizona
self-employed worker

Jennifer Cunningham

“Some parts of the party have gotten very radical, and I don’t think they were like that during the Reagan days.”

Jennifer Cunningham, 46, South Carolina
child care director

Other respondents said they’d seen a sustained movement of the working class toward their party since blue-collar voters helped secure Mr. Trump’s victory in 2016.

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Deborah McMullen

“We had a reputation before of maybe the elite party, and now we’re the working person’s party. We’ve been more embracing of everyone.”

Deborah McMullen, 74, Florida
real estate broker, entrepreneur

Jack Ladyman

“When you look at the millionaires that we have in the United States, most of them are running with the Democrat Party.”

Jack Ladyman, 77, Arkansas
state legislator

Ian Shetron

“Since the arrival of Trump at the scene, there has been a lot more voice to issues that are specific to our region, namely trade and loss of industry.”

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Ian Shetron, 33, Michigan
finance operations manager

When it comes to foreign conflicts like in Gaza and Ukraine, they say today’s party is less willing to be involved.

Jake Hoffman

“The Republicans were always the party of being pro-war, and Democrats were not. In the past four years or five years, there’s really been a shift there.”

Jake Hoffman, 33, Florida
Co-founder of a digital media company

Juan Carlos Porras

“Why don’t we take care of our own in our own country, before we spend millions outside of our country?”

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Juan Carlos Porras, 27, Florida
state legislator, small business owner

Some, but not all, who mentioned diversity said it had increased. In surveys over the past year, Mr. Trump has improved his standing with young and nonwhite voters.

Nina O’Neill

“The Republican Party is very much open to some different ideas, and more open to different kinds of people.”

Nina O’Neill, 60, District of Columbia
teacher

Amber Schroeder

“My Moms for Liberty group has seen a tremendous inpouring of younger people coming into the party and wanting to get involved.”

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Amber Schroeder, 42, Wisconsin
stay-at-home mom, political consultant

Leanna Derrick

“We don’t have a pipeline, a future. I am the only Native American going to the delegation for New Mexico, and the only one in the county party.”

Leanna Derrick, 56, New Mexico
research analyst

4/6

Has there been a particularly meaningful or formative political moment in your life?

Most of the respondents said they had been Republicans their entire lives (or at least since they could vote). One said he campaigned door-to-door with his mother when he was still in the womb. Another recalled running a Reagan re-election campaign at his elementary school as a first grader.

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Liliana Norkaitis

“I remember going around third grade telling all my friends, ‘My mom is voting for Romney.’ And no one else was saying the same thing.”

Liliana Norkaitis, 20, Maryland
student

Christine Peters

“I have this beautiful picture with my mom and me and Laura Bush, and each one of us holding one of my daughters. My mom was the one who did politics with me, and she passed away recently.”

Christine Peters, 47, New Hampshire
educator

Nina O’Neill

On Richard Nixon: “I remember watching him leave the White House with my girlfriend; we were having a sleepover, and we were crying.”

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Nina O’Neill, 60, District of Columbia
teacher

Researchers have estimated that the years between age 14 and 24 are the most formative in shaping political preferences. Many of the major national or world events cited by respondents as meaningful occurred during their young adult years. Karl Von Batten, a 37-year-old lobbyist in Washington, remembered that after Sept. 11: “President George Bush got on a bullhorn and made a call for action. I joined the Army after that.”

Sydney Salatto

“The Brett Kavanaugh hearings. Personally, I thought that there wasn’t much evidence to these accusations. I felt it was politically motivated.”

Sydney Salatto, 25, Florida
grass-roots organizer

Bill G. Schuette

“The disasterous withdrawal from Afghanistan in the Biden administration.”

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Bill G. Schuette, 28, Michigan
state legislator

Kevin M. Cabrera

“I remember seeing the Elián González saga every day on TV and going with my parents to the solidarity marches.”

Kevin M. Cabrera, 33, Florida
Miami-Dade county commissioner

Deborah McMullen

“When Reagan became president. I really felt a connection to the party at that time.”

Deborah McMullen, 74, Florida
real estate broker, entrepreneur

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For most, an election or a campaign event activated their involvement. For the few who were not lifelong Republicans, these moments motivated them to join the party.

Jon Smith

“The Ron Paul campaign in 2008 gave me the conservative bug.”

Jon Smith, 46, Michigan
online salesperson

Gerrick Wilkins

“The Dan Quayle political rally in Farmington, N.M.”

Gerrick Wilkins, 46, Alabama
automotive consultant

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Parker Ward

“In 2019, President Trump came to Bossier to endorse Eddie Rispone and had a rally. I’ve been in politics since I was 13. It was the highlight of my life.”

Parker Ward, 32, Louisiana
property manager

Dean Black

“The election of Ronald Reagan and the optimism that he brought to the country. Shortly after that, the rise of Rush Limbaugh, who day after day explained the virtues of conservative doctrine.”

Dean Black, 58, Florida
state legislator, small business owner

Dan Mason

“Hosting Pat Buchanan for my first political fund-raiser. When you fast-forward 16 years later, Trump won on the policies that Buchanan advocated for in that campaign.”

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Dan Mason, 46, Oregon
property manager

The pandemic was also frequently mentioned.

Matthew Rust

“During Covid, I think everybody saw what a lot of us felt was overreach of the government and other institutions.”

Matthew Rust, 55, Wisconsin
product developer

Amber Schroeder

“Our kids were starting to be locked out of schools, and we saw this tremendous amount of learning loss happening in our public education system. That really woke me up. I actually ended up recalling four school board members.”

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Amber Schroeder, 42, Wisconsin
stay-at-home mom, political consultant

5/6

Which Republican figure do you consider your favorite, or think aligns most closely with your positions?

Many respondents mentioned Mr. Trump. But more than half, including those born long after his presidency, mentioned Ronald Reagan. “Any true Republican should hold Reagan in the highest regard,” said Arik Amundsen, a 24-year-old delegate from Oklahoma.

Sandy Graves

“Reagan, of course. I just think he was the full package — he was charismatic but he was also rhetorically sound in everything he said.”

Sandy Graves, 68, Florida
retiree

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Dan Schuberth

“He was able to disagree with folks without being disagreeable.”

Dan Schuberth, 40, District of Columbia
executive

Renée Gentle Powers

“I feel like the circumstances are somewhat similar in the sense that as gracious as Jimmy Carter was, he was not a good president. And Ronald Reagan brought back a lot of the economy and so forth that was in a mess.”

Renée Gentle Powers, 72, Alabama
retiree

Many people couldn’t name just one favorite. In all, they mentioned 40 Republicans. These were named more than once:

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There were a wide range of others mentioned once, including several home-state lawmakers.

Jason Watts

On the former representative Fred Upton of Michigan: “A willingness to compromise to get to the best solutions is something I think we’ve lost.”

Jason Watts, 47, Michigan
political consultant

Carson M. Butler

“I love Tucker Carlson. He’ll speak truth to the media. He’ll do a lot things that most journalists will never do.”

Carson M. Butler, 27, Alabama
electrician

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Ralph Smith

On Representative Daniel Webster of Florida: “He’s not sexy — he’s no Matt Gaetz. But he’s a gentleman, he’s a worker, works behind the scenes, he gets things done. People in both parties respect him.”

Ralph Smith, 67, Florida
tire store owner

6/6

Is there someone you see as the next leader of the party after Trump?

Participants named 25 people they thought had potential to lead the party after Mr. Trump. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida received the most mentions, from more than one-third of respondents.

Jake Hoffman

“We’re huge fans of Ron DeSantis down here in Florida.”

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Jake Hoffman, 33, Florida
Co-founder of a digital media company

Aaron Bullen

“I’ve found myself wanting to be a citizen of Florida at times, because they have a strong leader who gets things accomplished for his citizenry.”

Aaron Bullen, 37, Utah
engineer

Lori Martinez

“I think it could be someone like DeSantis. It could be someone like Tulsi Gabbard, maybe Kristi Noem.”

Lori Martinez, 63, Arizona
mortgage loan originator and property manager

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These responses were compiled before Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio was announced as Mr. Trump’s running mate, with some attendees saying they were waiting to see who the choice would be. The most common names mentioned after Mr. DeSantis were Vivek Ramaswamy, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and the former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley — all onetime primary contenders.

Mack N. Butler

“Tim Scott was unknown to so many of us. Really like him.”

Mack N. Butler, 61, Alabama
state legislator, small business owner

Jason Mikkelborg

“The only thing I could see as far as competence-wise … maybe one of the boys, maybe Don Jr., or Eric.”

Jason Mikkelborg, 51, Michigan
disabled combat veteran

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Taylor Broyles

“I see a lot of people up and coming, like Vivek Ramaswamy. I think he could really make an impact in the future. A lot of people right now probably just think he’s too young.”

Taylor Broyles, 26, Oklahoma
county employee

More than 20 percent of participants did not name anyone with the potential to take up Mr. Trump’s mantle.

William Wallis

“I hate to keep bringing up Reagan, but I want someone who has the ability to bring people from the other side to a place where we can find more solutions.”

William Wallis, 56, Louisiana
radio show host

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John H. Merrill

“If somebody tells you, ‘Well, so and so is the heir apparent,’ well they’re just talking, because they don’t have any basis in which to say that.”

John H. Merrill, 60, Alabama
Alabama secretary of state from 2015 to 2023

Dean Black

“We have so much talent, and we’ll have to see. Four years is an eternity in politics.”

Dean Black, 58, Florida
state legislator, small business owner

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Trump to kick off Great American State Fair as 250th anniversary celebrations take over National Mall

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Trump to kick off Great American State Fair as 250th anniversary celebrations take over National Mall

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President Donald Trump will kick off the Great American State Fair Wednesday evening as part of celebrations surrounding the nation’s 250th anniversary.

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“President Trump promised the greatest 250th birthday celebration in American history, and Freedom 250 is proud to help deliver it for the American people,” Freedom 250 CEO Keith Kranch told Fox News Digital.

“This celebration is about what makes America exceptional—our freedom, our faith, our optimism, and our people. We are honored to welcome President Trump as he helps kick off these historic festivities tomorrow and begin a nationwide celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday,” Krach added.

The fair brings together all 50 states and six U.S. territories for a national celebration stretching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument featuring military flyovers, musical performances and civic programming. Trump announced he will deliver remarks after a handful of musical artists pulled out of their musical performances, turning the bash into a “Make America Great Again Rally.”

TRUMP FLOATS REPLACING 250TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT WITH MASSIVE MAGA RALLY AFTER ARTISTS PULL OUT

Organizers describe the Great American State Fair as a modern-day World’s Fair celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The event is scheduled to run from June 25 through July 10, 2026, celebrating patriotism to bring together the nation for a celebration of unity.

TRUMP’S DC BEAUTIFICATION PUSH WINS RARE DEM PRAISE AS PRESIDENT SNAPS LANDMARKS BACK TO LIFE

U.S. President Donald J. Trump watches the UFC lightweight championship fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Trump’s anticipated remarks follow his signature last week on a Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, launching a 60-day negotiating period aimed at preventing Tehran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons capability.

The world’s fair-scale event will have pavilions touching on five national themes: Made in America, American Heartland, American Innovates, The American Canvas, and Faith & Family.

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There will also be a 110-foot Ferris wheel and the refurbished Smithsonian carousel for families to enjoy.

Rending of 110-foot ferris wheel coming to National Mall for “Great American State Fair.” (Freedom250)

The U.S. has hosted over two dozen variations of the world’s fair since first hosted in Philadelphia in 1876, according to the State Department.

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Freedom250, the nonpartisan group helping coordinate the broader America250 effort, said the fair will feature food, games, exhibits and themed attractions designed to showcase the country’s culture, history and innovation.

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Why your food scraps travel more than 100 miles — and how an L.A. council member wants to stop it

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Why your food scraps travel more than 100 miles — and how an L.A. council member wants to stop it

Bob Blumenfield would like to see Angelenos’ old banana peels and moldy bread stay local.

On Tuesday morning, the City Council member told a small crowd of waste advocates in front of city hall that he was introducing a motion to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by strengthening local composting infrastructure and decreasing reliance on distant facilities.

Currently, when city residents separate their food waste and yard clippings, chances are it’s being trucked to faraway processing facilities in Bakersfield or Lancaster.

The motion would help the city meet targets set by California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy, or Senate Bill 1383, which phases out sending green waste to the landfill, because it is a major source of the powerful climate pollutant methane.

It also would help meet Mayor Bass’ Climate Action Plan, which aims to use at least 50% of locally produced compost and mulch within Los Angeles by 2030. Currently, only 25% to 30% of the city’s material is applied to land locally.

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The city produces approximately 350,000 tons of organic material a year, Blumenfield told the crowd, which he said equates to roughly 1.2 to 1.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.

“That’s a big number, and when you do the math,” he said, that’s roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide released by the entire country of Belize, the entirety of Humboldt County or the equivalent of burning 1.6 billion pounds of coal per year.

As the announcement was underway, in the background a fire burned for a sixth day in a Boyle Heights warehouse, where 85 million pounds of frozen food was thawing and beginning to rot.

Signed into law in 2016, the state’s composting bill mandated a gradual increase in the amount of organic waste that must be diverted away from landfills. It required 50% of all green and food waste be diverted by 2020; by 2025, that number was supposed to hit 75%.

But it hasn’t. Although Los Angeles has pushed to get a residential curbside bin program in place — recall the “Great Green Bin Apocalypse of 2025” — it has struggled to get people to comply.

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According to reports for the recycLA program, a commercial and multifamily waste collection franchise program, only about half of households and business are separating their compostable waste.

Alex Helou, assistant general manager of L.A. Sanitation & Environment, provided a much brighter picture of the city’s food waste situation. L.A. is the first major city to provide green bins to 750,000 residential customers, he said. The city has “exceeded expectations” in food recovery, he said, saving 80 million meals that would have been thrown out and redirecting them to people in need.

Helou said Blumenfield’s motion completes the loop by keeping food waste close to home, creating more local composting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transporting waste outside of the city. It doesn’t directly affect the city’s compliance with SB 1383, but that isn’t necessary, he said. “We’re meeting that and exceeding that at multiple fronts.”

Blumenfield’s initiative directs the Bureau of Sanitation to develop a plan for expanding local composting across the city. It would also increase the use of locally produced compost and mulch.

For instance, the motion would encourage using the compost on urban farms and at community gardens and city parks. It also would be used to replace artificial grass and turf.

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It will support a “citywide transition away from artificial turf and towards nature-based solutions, such as California native plants and natural grass plant fields, and ensure everyone has access to safer, cooler, and sustainable parks, schools, and communities,” said Terry Saucier, a Tarzana resident and member of the Neighborhood Council Sustainability Alliance and the Tarzana Neighborhood Council.

The state’s composting law has proved challenging on several fronts.

The Antelope Valley has become a dumping site for many of the city’s haulers looking to cut transport and facility costs — causing concern among environmentalists and others who say the material is destroying fragile ecosystems.

Complying has been particularly difficult for Los Angeles and much of coastal Southern California, where there are few large composters and low demand for compost. Unlike areas to the north, there is little agricultural demand for compost and mulch.

Experts say dumping in the desert has always been a problem, but the law made it worse by making it more expensive and difficult to deal with.

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In addition, composters are struggling with the amount of plastic and other debris that people and businesses put in the food waste bins.

According to a report by Closed Loop Partners, which partners with companies such as Pepsico and McDonald’s, nearly 4% of food waste is contaminated with other materials — most of it plastic. State law requires that finished compost contains no more than 0.5% by dry weight of physical contaminants.

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Trump foe wins crucial Dem primary as 2028 presidential speculation swirls

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Trump foe wins crucial Dem primary as 2028 presidential speculation swirls

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Democratic Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, whom pundits consider a potential 2028 presidential contender, is one step closer to winning re-election this year.

Moore on Tuesday captured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the solidly blue Mid-Atlantic state, the Associated Press reports.

Moore and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, easily dispatched a primary challenge from Eric Felber and his running mate, LaTrece Hawkins Lytes. Felber, a physician, unsuccessfully challenged Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin in the 2024 primary in the state’s 8th Congressional District.

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks during an announcement at the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 16, 2026. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on the same ticket in Maryland.

The Democratic ticket will face the winners of a nine-way Republican primary field.

Moore is running for re-election this year amid speculation that he also is eyeing a run for the White House in 2028, in the race to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump. Democrats are expected to field a large and competitive field in the race for their party’s presidential nomination.

The governor has consistently ruled out running for the White House in 2028, saying that his political focus is on his home state and his 2026 re-election.

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But regardless, Moore remains a top Democratic Party surrogate in national politics. And Moore, a 47-year-old Army veteran, who is also a Rhodes Scholar and was CEO of the charitable organization the Robin Hood Foundation during the coronavirus pandemic, is viewed as a rising star in the party.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and President Donald Trump are pictured together in a split image. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, has had a combustible relationship with Trump, which has included very public feuds and verbal sparring, and clashes over policy.

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Earlier this year, Trump initially excluded Moore from a National Governors Association dinner at the White House, charging that the governor was “not worthy” of attending.

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