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| Democrats suffer disastrous night in Virginia and a tight race in New Jersey – live | Democrats suffer disastrous night in Virginia and a tight race in New Jersey – live |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Democrat Phil Murphy pulls ahead in New Jersey governor’s contest – follow US politics live | |
| At least six candidates who won elections yesterday attended the “Stop the steal” rally on 6 January, the AP reports: | |
| Adam Gabbatt and agencies report: | |
| The supreme court appeared poised to ease gun control regulation, after several justices expressed scepticism on Wednesday over a New York law that places restrictions on who can carry concealed firearms. | |
| The case could lead to more guns on the streets of New York and California, and affect restrictions on carrying firearms in airports, bars, churches and schools. | |
| The case centers on a New York law that prohibits people from carrying a concealed handgun in public unless they can demonstrate a need to carry the weapon. | |
| Several members of the conservative-dominated court, including Samuel Alito and the three justices nominated by Donald Trump, appeared to question whether the law was constitutional. | |
| The case, which comes after a spate of mass shootings and a rise in gun violence, has been brought by two private citizens and the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, an affiliate of the National Rifle Association. The NRA is a gun rights lobbying group that has received tens of millions of dollars in donations from the gun manufacturers. | |
| The NYSRPA argues that the New York law is too restrictive, and that the two citizens had their applications to carry handguns at all times unfairly denied. Should the court decide in the gun organization’s favor, it could dramatically increase the number of people eligible to carry concealed firearms as they go about their daily lives. | |
| Under the New York law, people applying for a license to carry firearms at all times must prove they have a “special or unique danger to their life”. | |
| Read more: | |
| Hello live blog readers, we’ll hand over to our colleague Maanvi Singh on the US west coast now, who’ll steer you through the next few hours of politics news. It’s been a very lively day with no sign of things letting up, so please stay tuned! | Hello live blog readers, we’ll hand over to our colleague Maanvi Singh on the US west coast now, who’ll steer you through the next few hours of politics news. It’s been a very lively day with no sign of things letting up, so please stay tuned! |
| Here’s where things stand: | Here’s where things stand: |
| The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. | The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. |
| New Jersey’s governor’s race is close to fruition and, although it has not be called yet, Democrat Phil Murphy has inched ahead of his Republican rival. | New Jersey’s governor’s race is close to fruition and, although it has not be called yet, Democrat Phil Murphy has inched ahead of his Republican rival. |
| Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin, who pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many an ominous sign for the ultimate success Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. | Democrat Terry McAuliffe formally conceded the race for the governorship of Virginia to his Republican rival Glenn Youngkin, who pulled off a stunning upset last night that is deemed by many an ominous sign for the ultimate success Joe Biden’s administration and presidency. |
| House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led Democrats in the House in putting a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. | House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led Democrats in the House in putting a paid family leave provision back into their $1.75 trillion social and environmental spending bill that’s the flagship of Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislative agenda. |
| Donald Trump this afternoon rejected an accusation he was deliberately trying to avoid being questioned under oath in a defamation lawsuit by a former contestant on TV’s “The Apprentice” who claimed he sexually assaulted her. | Donald Trump this afternoon rejected an accusation he was deliberately trying to avoid being questioned under oath in a defamation lawsuit by a former contestant on TV’s “The Apprentice” who claimed he sexually assaulted her. |
| Reuters reports: | Reuters reports: |
| The elections director in Georgia’s most populous county, which has been under intense scrutiny for its handling of elections, will step down at the end of the year, county officials said this afternoon. | The elections director in Georgia’s most populous county, which has been under intense scrutiny for its handling of elections, will step down at the end of the year, county officials said this afternoon. |
| The Associated Press reports: | The Associated Press reports: |
| The Guardian’s Sam Levine reported very recently on the crushing pressure on elections officials in a febrile, partisan and at times dangerous atmosphere. Read his report here. | The Guardian’s Sam Levine reported very recently on the crushing pressure on elections officials in a febrile, partisan and at times dangerous atmosphere. Read his report here. |
| Joe Biden is speaking now on the eligibility of Americans ages five to 11 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Young children could start receiving the vaccine today. | Joe Biden is speaking now on the eligibility of Americans ages five to 11 to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. Young children could start receiving the vaccine today. |
| “For parents all over this country, this is a day of relief and celebration,” he said. “After almost 18 months of anxious worrying every time a child had a sniffle or a cough, now you can protect them from this virus.” | “For parents all over this country, this is a day of relief and celebration,” he said. “After almost 18 months of anxious worrying every time a child had a sniffle or a cough, now you can protect them from this virus.” |
| Biden said that the authorization of the vaccine for young children means that 28m more Americans can receive the vaccine now. He added that the country has enough vaccine supply for every child in the age range to receive the vaccine, which will be specially formulated to accommodate younger children. | Biden said that the authorization of the vaccine for young children means that 28m more Americans can receive the vaccine now. He added that the country has enough vaccine supply for every child in the age range to receive the vaccine, which will be specially formulated to accommodate younger children. |
| A report from a justice department watchdog said that the US drone strike that killed 10 civilians in August during the final days of the war in Afghanistan was not caused by misconduct or negligence, according to the Associated Press, which spoke to an anonymous senior defense official familiar with the report. | A report from a justice department watchdog said that the US drone strike that killed 10 civilians in August during the final days of the war in Afghanistan was not caused by misconduct or negligence, according to the Associated Press, which spoke to an anonymous senior defense official familiar with the report. |
| Air force Lt Gen Sami Said, an inspector general of the Air force, authored a report that said that while there were breakdowns in communication during the identification and confirmation of targets during the air strike, there were measures to ensure civilian deaths were prevented. | Air force Lt Gen Sami Said, an inspector general of the Air force, authored a report that said that while there were breakdowns in communication during the identification and confirmation of targets during the air strike, there were measures to ensure civilian deaths were prevented. |
| The report notes that the context of the air strike is important as US forces during that time were overwhelmed with information about civilians and troops trying to leave Afghanistan. | The report notes that the context of the air strike is important as US forces during that time were overwhelmed with information about civilians and troops trying to leave Afghanistan. |
| After last night’s election, Republicans are warning Democrats that they could lose at least 60 seats during the midterm elections next year. | |
| House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said that Democrats should take the election as a warning “to abandon their extremist agenda.” | House minority leader Kevin McCarthy said that Democrats should take the election as a warning “to abandon their extremist agenda.” |
| In response to McCarthy’s prediction, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Sean Maloney said: “I’ll take that bet.” | In response to McCarthy’s prediction, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Sean Maloney said: “I’ll take that bet.” |
| Jacob Frey, mayor of Minneapolis, just won a reelection campaign for his second term even after he came under criticism for his handling of protests after the killing of George Floyd in summer 2020. | Jacob Frey, mayor of Minneapolis, just won a reelection campaign for his second term even after he came under criticism for his handling of protests after the killing of George Floyd in summer 2020. |
| Frey won the vote within the city’s second round of ranked-choice voting, where Frey received 49% of the votes, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The mayor’s challengers, including former Minnesota legislator Kate Knuth, encouraged voters not to rank Frey on their ballots for not implementing changes to policing in the city after the protests. | Frey won the vote within the city’s second round of ranked-choice voting, where Frey received 49% of the votes, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The mayor’s challengers, including former Minnesota legislator Kate Knuth, encouraged voters not to rank Frey on their ballots for not implementing changes to policing in the city after the protests. |
| The mayor has argued that police reform has been happening under his leadership and that he is looking to hold officers accountable rather than support movements to defund the police. | The mayor has argued that police reform has been happening under his leadership and that he is looking to hold officers accountable rather than support movements to defund the police. |
| “There was this push to defund the police,” Frey told supporters on Tuesday. “That movement has been roundly rejected, all of us now, can stop with the hashtags and the slogans and the simplicity and say, ‘Alright, let’s all unite around things that we all agree on.’” | “There was this push to defund the police,” Frey told supporters on Tuesday. “That movement has been roundly rejected, all of us now, can stop with the hashtags and the slogans and the simplicity and say, ‘Alright, let’s all unite around things that we all agree on.’” |
| The Guardian’s voting rights reporter Sam Levine has a quick update on the voting rights bill that the Senate is considering right now: | |
| Senate Republicans officially have enough votes to filibuster a Democratic voting rights bill that would restore a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act. | Senate Republicans officially have enough votes to filibuster a Democratic voting rights bill that would restore a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act. |
| Democrats hope the filibuster, the fourth time Republicans have deployed the procedure to block voting rights legislation since the beginning of the year, will be the final straw that pushes Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to favor changing the filibuster. | Democrats hope the filibuster, the fourth time Republicans have deployed the procedure to block voting rights legislation since the beginning of the year, will be the final straw that pushes Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema to favor changing the filibuster. |
| A 97-year-old man was reelected as mayor of a New Jersey town last night. | A 97-year-old man was reelected as mayor of a New Jersey town last night. |
| Vito Perillo is set to serve his second term as mayor of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, a town south of New York City. | Vito Perillo is set to serve his second term as mayor of Tinton Falls, New Jersey, a town south of New York City. |
| “They tell me I’m the oldest mayor in the country,” Perillo told NJ Advance Media“I’m feeling pretty good, and I think everybody in the borough feels good, too. They were all happy for me this morning.” | “They tell me I’m the oldest mayor in the country,” Perillo told NJ Advance Media“I’m feeling pretty good, and I think everybody in the borough feels good, too. They were all happy for me this morning.” |
| Perillo is a veteran of World War II and has six great-grandchildren. He bested three opponents who were trying to oust him out of office. | Perillo is a veteran of World War II and has six great-grandchildren. He bested three opponents who were trying to oust him out of office. |
| Perillo told NJ Advance Media that he feels “really good” and that his family physician told him he won’t have to come back for another two years. | Perillo told NJ Advance Media that he feels “really good” and that his family physician told him he won’t have to come back for another two years. |
| Here are some pictures of Perillo a few years ago with New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, who is currently in a close reelection race himself. | Here are some pictures of Perillo a few years ago with New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, who is currently in a close reelection race himself. |
| The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. | The US Federal Reserve has announced it is winding down the massive stimulus programme it put in place at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic amid fears that the central bank may have to raise rates soon to control rising inflation. |
| Fed officials have been debating for months over whether and when to taper the stimulus programmes that it set up to head off the economic headwinds caused by the pandemic. They announced on Wednesday that they would begin cutting that stimulus by $15bn a month but left interest rates unchanged. | Fed officials have been debating for months over whether and when to taper the stimulus programmes that it set up to head off the economic headwinds caused by the pandemic. They announced on Wednesday that they would begin cutting that stimulus by $15bn a month but left interest rates unchanged. |
| “With progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators of economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen,” the Fed wrote in a statement. “The sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic have improved in recent months, but the summer’s rise in Covid-19 cases has slowed their recovery. Inflation is elevated, largely reflecting factors that are expected to be transitory.” | “With progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators of economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen,” the Fed wrote in a statement. “The sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic have improved in recent months, but the summer’s rise in Covid-19 cases has slowed their recovery. Inflation is elevated, largely reflecting factors that are expected to be transitory.” |
| In March 2020 as the pandemic brought the global economy to a shuddering halt, the Fed moved to prop up the US economy by cutting interest rates to close to zero and started buying $120bn a month in Treasury- and mortgage-backed securities. | In March 2020 as the pandemic brought the global economy to a shuddering halt, the Fed moved to prop up the US economy by cutting interest rates to close to zero and started buying $120bn a month in Treasury- and mortgage-backed securities. |
| The initiative appears to have helped the US bounce back from a potential economic catastrophe. The unemployment rate has dropped from a record high of 14.7% in April 2020 to 4.8% in September. | The initiative appears to have helped the US bounce back from a potential economic catastrophe. The unemployment rate has dropped from a record high of 14.7% in April 2020 to 4.8% in September. |
| But now the central bank is wrestling with concerns that its stimulus efforts, combined with cash injections from Washington, pent-up consumer demand and the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on the global supply chain, are driving up inflation. | But now the central bank is wrestling with concerns that its stimulus efforts, combined with cash injections from Washington, pent-up consumer demand and the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on the global supply chain, are driving up inflation. |
| This is Lauren Aratani taking over for Joanna Walters. | This is Lauren Aratani taking over for Joanna Walters. |
| Last night was a big night for women in politics, with multiple historic wins around the country for women running for office. | Last night was a big night for women in politics, with multiple historic wins around the country for women running for office. |
| In Boston, Michelle Wu became the first woman and person of color elected to be mayor of the city. Elaine O’Neal was elected to be the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Durham, North Carolina. The majority of the members on the New York City council will be women for the first time in the history of the city council, which is the largest in the country. Winsome Sears, a Republican, is projected to be the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia. | In Boston, Michelle Wu became the first woman and person of color elected to be mayor of the city. Elaine O’Neal was elected to be the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Durham, North Carolina. The majority of the members on the New York City council will be women for the first time in the history of the city council, which is the largest in the country. Winsome Sears, a Republican, is projected to be the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor of Virginia. |
| Many of the candidates acknowledged their historic victories as signs of progress. | Many of the candidates acknowledged their historic victories as signs of progress. |