Politics
Who Will Run for Mitch McConnell’s Senate Seat in Kentucky?
The jockeying began almost immediately after Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, announced on Thursday, his 83rd birthday, that he would not seek re-election for the seat that he has held for seven terms.
Around noon on Thursday, shortly after Mr. McConnell made his announcement, Daniel Cameron, the former attorney general for Kentucky and a Republican, said that he would be running for the seat in 2026. Andy Barr, a Republican representing central Kentucky in the House, posted around the same time that he was “considering running for Senate because Kentucky deserves a Senator who will fight for President Trump and the America First Agenda.” Mr. Barr said that his decision would come soon.
Others had indicated that they were considering running even before the announcement from Mr. McConnell, a pivotal player in obstructing major Democratic agenda items and stacking federal courts with conservatives.
Nate Morris, a Kentucky businessman and a Republican, said in a video posted on Feb. 11 that he was “seriously considering” running for either the Senate or for governor of Kentucky. Mr. Morris doubled down on his interest in the Senate in a video on Thursday.
“The candidates that are looking at this race, Andy Barr and Daniel Cameron, have refused to call out Mitch McConnell for the sabotage of President Trump’s agenda,” said Mr. Morris.
Several potential candidates also removed themselves from consideration on Thursday. Two top state Democrats, Gov. Andy Beshear and Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, will not be in the race, according to Mr. Beshear’s campaign manager and a spokesman for Ms. Coleman. Representative James Comer, a Republican, is not running in 2026 “but is strongly considering a run for governor in 2027,” according to his spokesman, Austin Hacker.
In the state’s last governor’s race, in 2023, Mr. Beshear, the incumbent, defeated Mr. Cameron. Stephen Voss, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s Department of Political Science, said that Mr. Cameron’s gubernatorial campaign would give him the most name recognition early on in the race for Mr. McConnell’s seat. But Mr. Voss also noted that Mr. Barr had “good fund-raising capabilities” and that Mr. Morris, who founded Rubicon, a software-based waste management company, would “be able to draw on his own resources to jump-start a campaign.”
On the Democrats’ side, Pamela Stevenson, a state representative, said that she would formally announce her intent to run for the Senate seat in a few weeks. Mr. Voss speculated that other high-ranking Democrats would also step into the race.
“We’re going to have an open Senate race early enough for the full democratic process to play out,” Mr. Voss said, adding that even people who are on the sidelines may enter the race. “Beshear might come under more external pressure from national Democrats.”
Politics
Zohran Mamdani tells 1M social media followers to boycott Starbucks amid ongoing worker strike
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New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani encouraged his more than 1 million X followers this week to boycott Starbucks.
“Starbucks workers across the country are on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, fighting for a fair contract,” the 34-year-old wrote on Thursday. “While workers are on strike, I won’t be buying any Starbucks, and I’m asking you to join us. Together, we can send a powerful message: No contract, no coffee.”
On the same day, Starbucks Workers United, a union representing workers at the coffee giant, announced it was going on an open-ended strike in what is being dubbed the “Red Cup Rebellion.”
1K UNIONIZED STARBUCKS BARISTAS LAUNCH LABOR STRIKE AT 65 STORES
New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani encouraged his more than 1 million X followers this week to boycott Starbucks. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
“As of today, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE,” the union wrote on social media. “And we’re prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history. Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON’T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX.”
Thursday was also Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, during which customers can pick up a free reusable festive red cup for the holidays.
CHICAGO BARISTA SAYS STARBUCKS WORKERS ARE BEING ‘ABUSED VERBALLY’ UNDER NEW CEO POLICIES
Starbucks employees and supporters strike in Seattle, where the company was founded, on Thursday. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Red Cup Day is typically one of the company’s busiest days.
Mamdani was elected mayor on Nov. 4 following a shock win in the Democratic primary last June due to him being a Democratic socialist. Both times he handily beat former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an Independent in the general election.
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Mamdani’s office and Starbucks didn’t immediately return requests for comment.
Politics
Foul-mouthed, brash and savvy: What to know about ex-Newsom aide tangled in a corruption probe
The FBI was secretly listening last year when a high-ranking advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom unleashed a stream of profanities as she vented about a public records request from an unnamed individual.
“Double f— her!” said Dana Williamson, Newsom’s chief of staff, repeating the f word throughout the conversation. She also called another person an “a—,” according to federal court documents made public this week.
Before Wednesday, few people outside of California’s political bubble likely knew Williamson’s name.
Now she’s engulfed in a scandal involving political consultants and illicit payments that threatens to haunt her former boss, Newsom, as he challenges President Trump and looks toward the 2028 presidential race.
A smart and savvy negotiator who bridged Sacramento’s overlapping worlds of government, business and labor, Williamson is also someone who picked unnecessary fights and launched cruel missives, political consultants and friends said this week.
Federal agents arrested Williamson Wednesday at her home in Carmichael, a Sacramento suburb. Her lawyer, former U.S. Atty. McGregor Scott, was furious about how the arrest was handled, saying she was seriously ill and in need of a liver transplant.
Federal prosecutors allege that she conspired to funnel money out of one of her one-time client’s state campaign accounts for bogus services, and falsified documents related to her COVID loan.
She also is accused of lying on her tax returns about luxury items and services, including a $150,000 birthday trip to Mexico, that she allegedly sought to pass off as business expenses, according to the government.
Williamson, who pleaded not guilty to the charges this week, appeared in a courtroom in Sacramento. She appeared solemn during the hearing, at one point reportedly lifting her cuffed hand to wipe away a tear, and left without talking to reporters.
Court documents filed this week paint an image of both a conniving player and a fragile individual. “I’m scared,” she wrote in a February 2022 text message to a colleague as they discussed the alleged money-laundering scheme, which was allegedly in the early planning stages.
Public affairs consultant Steven Maviglio has known her since the two worked in President Clinton’s administration — and then later the administration of Gov. Gray Davis. He is now trying to put together a legal defense fund for her.
He described Williamson as a “no nonsense, no BS, get it done” person who was “straight-talking, sometimes to the point of offensive to people.”
She regularly dropped f-bombs, he added.
In another recording captured by the FBI, Williamson joined two colleagues last year in a restaurant near the state Capitol in Sacramento. The government was asking questions about money she received through her COVID loan.
She complained about the “f—” drama and said her Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan got “popped” — before adding another swear word. According to federal officials, she created false contracts in an attempt to show the COVID money was appropriately used.
There is little sympathy from her detractors. Gil Duran, the former press secretary to Gov. Jerry Brown, who worked alongside Williamson, likened her to a “mafia boss” in an interview with CNN. She also has numerous defenders in Sacramento, many of them women, who view her as a tough and inspiring figure.
The details in the federal filings sent shock waves beyond Sacramento and the state Capitol this week.
“I’m stunned about the allegation and find it hard to believe,” said Alison Gaulden, who supervised Williamson when she worked as an associate vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte from 2002 to 2004.
Gaulden described her as “incredibly bright and well versed in policy. I’ve admired how she grew in her career.”
Williamson, who grew up in Santa Rosa, moved between the private and public sectors, and was employed by three governors, Davis, Jerry Brown and Newsom.
At Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E), she worked alongside two other women who would be remarkably influential in her life: Nancy McFadden, the late advisor to Brown and Alexis Podesta, a longtime California political insider who also appears in the federal court documents filed this week.
Podesta is the person identified as “Co-Conspirator 2,” but has not been charged and is cooperating with investigators, according to her attorney.
Williamson was hired as a senior advisor for Brown and was later promoted to Cabinet secretary.
While working for Brown, Williamson publicly advocated for children’s health, testifying in favor of legislation that would eliminate the state’s personal-belief exemption for childhood vaccines. She said the issue was meaningful to her because she was a mother of four.
“Usually, staff doesn’t speak on bills, the great thing about the governor is that he respects that we are people first,” Williamson told the San Francisco Chronicle. “This was important to me.”
Business advocates appreciated her direct approach when she worked for Brown.
“She was very straightforward, she was a good person to work with,” said Stuart Waldman, president of Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. He said he hadn’t dealt with her in years.
She flip-flopped between private and government work, drawing criticism from groups like Consumer Watchdog for her “revolving door” career.
In one episode, she was allegedly seen negotiating for her energy clients in Brown’s office as the state hammered out details over a grid deal, drawing outrage from the watchdog group.
She started her own government relations firm, Grace Public Affairs, which handled an array of campaigns, including the online sports betting initiative Proposition 27, which appeared on the 2022 ballot, but failed to pass.
Her clients included California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and former Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose campaign fund was allegedly raided by Williamson, and others.
By 2017, she had a close group of female friends, who had also risen to the top of their professions. But to those who weren’t in her inner circle, she was all elbows, one political insider said this week.
At the California Democratic Party headquarters in downtown Sacramento, a bronze statue of Williamson’s then-5-year-old daughter was installed as part of a campaign to promote female empowerment following Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss.
Those behind the statue included Williamson’s friends Robin Swanson, a Democratic communications consultant, and Angie Tate, then a chief fundraiser for the California Democratic Party.
The installation was intended to mimic the “Fearless Girl” statue at New York’s Wall Street, which shows a 4-foot young woman looking defiantly at the famous charging bull statue.
In 2022, Newsom’s office announced Williamson was joining his office as chief of staff. Though the two weren’t particularly close when she joined, she quickly became part of his inner circle, Politico reported at the time.
Anthony York, Newsom’s former communications director and a former L.A. Times reporter, told Politico at the time that Williamson was not intimidated by the governor’s celebrity status. “She gives zero f—s, which is part of what makes her so great,” York said.
During her time in Newsom’s office, she worked with former Senate leader Darrell Steinberg on the successful passage of Proposition 1, which borrows billions of dollars for mental health services, and was a personal issue for her family.
“I had a particularly tough experience with my husband that I learned a lot from… when the incident happened with him, I learned about all the holes in the system,” she told KQED.
She moved from Elk Grove last year to Carmichael, purchasing a home for $1.695 million, according to property records. The records show her linked to several homes in Elk Grove, including one that went into foreclosure in 2012.
Williamson would send off combative messages, including social media posts or texts, often at night. Among her targets: California Labor Federation President Lorena Gonzalez and U.S. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin), whom she called an “entertaining idiot” on X.
She took aim at former Assemblymember Kevin McCarty during his campaign last year for Sacramento mayor. She called him a “devil” on X and urged others not to vote for him, before her comment was taken down a few days later.
Newsom placed Williamson on leave when she informed him last year she was under criminal investigation. Her last day in office was in November 2024. At the time, the governor said in a statement that “her insight, tenacity, and big heart will be missed.”
This week, a spokesperson for the governor struck a different tone: “Ms. Williamson no longer serves in this administration. While we are still learning details of the allegations, the Governor expects all public servants to uphold the highest standards of integrity.”
Politics
Video: Kristi Noem Hands $10,000 Bonuses to Some T.S.A. Agents
new video loaded: Kristi Noem Hands $10,000 Bonuses to Some T.S.A. Agents
transcript
transcript
Kristi Noem Hands $10,000 Bonuses to Some T.S.A. Agents
The secretary for Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, awarded $10,000 checks to Transportation Security Administration workers who “went above and beyond” during the shutdown.
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Every single one of these individuals served with exemplary service. They went above and beyond. They helped individuals. They served extra shifts.
By Shawn Paik
November 13, 2025
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