Gary C. Watson Jr., who was born and raised in St. John the Baptist Parish, poses for a photo in Edgard, La., Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, across the river from a Marathon Petroleum Refinery. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton) “In a stretch of Louisiana with about 170 fossil fuel and petrochemical plants, premature death is a fact of life for people living nearby. The air is so polluted and the cancer rates so high it is known as Cancer Alley .
 “Most adults in the area are attending two

By: Stuart Schmidt Jr. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan during his run for U.S. Senate. (Lloyd Fox/Staff) “Last month, former Gov. Larry Hogan announced that he will not seek another term this cycle. While Maryland law would permit him to run again after time out of office, his decision marks the close of a significant chapter in our state’s political life…” “Gov. Hogan led during a time when politics increasingly rewarded partisan theatrics over substance. He chose a differ

By Josh Davis “City of Salisbury officials weighed a wide range of election reforms Monday — from changing how vacancies are filled to overhauling how votes are cast — but largely sidestepped a central question: how much any of it would cost.
 City Council members agreed to move quickly on revising the appointment process for filling council vacancies, a response to the fallout from last year’s abrupt resignation of former Council President D’Shawn Doughty. His departure trig

By: BRYAN P. SEARS The House of Delegates chamber. House leaders are fast-tracking legislation to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts, drawing sharp criticism from Republicans who stand to lose the only seat the party holds in Maryland in the process. The House on Friday introduced House Bill 488 , a 40-page bill redrawing the state’s congressional districts for 2026 and then asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would keep the new districts fo

By Colin Pascal The U.S. Capitol is photographed, Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) “This year begins with the familiar sound of politicians belittling each other and seeking attention by any means. President Donald Trump has admitted that he hates his opponents and Democrats continue to treat his voters as damaged people who need to be saved. The loss of a young woman in Minnesota during a confrontation with ICE agents, and the vastly different re

WASHINGTON (AP) “Americans are increasingly rejecting the two major political parties, according to new polling. Just under half, 45%, of U.S. adults now identify as independents, a new Gallup survey found. That’s a substantial shift from 20 years ago, when closer to one-third of Americans said they didn’t identify with the Democrats or Republicans.” Learn more here: https://apnews.com/article/poll-independents-moderates-republicans-democrats-trump-ba353eb6807fd854f5b6e6de52

See report and proposed maps here:

BY: BRYAN P. SEARS The steps of the Maryland State House. (Photo by Danielle E. Gaines/Maryland Matters) “Critics decry secret meeting of Governor’s Redistricting Advisory Commission, Ferguson blasts ‘preordained,’ ‘predetermined’ outcome” “A panel appointed by Gov. Wes Moore (D) to make recommendations on midcycle congressional redistricting voted behind closed doors Thursday to move forward with its work and solicit proposals from the public on how the state’s eight distric

A flag stand atop the Maryland State House on May 11, 2023, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/Brian Witte, File) “A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Politics at the University of Maryland Baltimore County has revealed more concerns of Maryland residents… … identified the economy, jobs, and cost of living as the most significant issues… … A significant 77% of respondents rated the cost of healthcare as a high priority, followed by the quality of K-12 public education at 7

Indiana Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray takes a question after a bill to redistrict the state's congressional map was defeated on Thursday. (Michael Conroy/AP) By: Colin Pascal “The decision by Republican state senators in Indiana to oppose partisan redistricting was a courageous act in the face of immense political pressure. President Donald Trump is sure to unleash the full force of his vitriol against members of his party who opposed his dictates from Washington.

Commentary by: Delegate Lily Qi Daniel Roche votes at the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library. Voters turn out to cast their ballots in the Annapolis Primary Election Tuesday. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff) “Maryland is now home to nearly a million independent voters, about one in four voters. This reflects a national trend. Many are party-averse immigrants from countries where politics often evoke fear and distrust. In fact, immigrant-heavy Hispanic and Asian communities top the l

BY: BRYAN P. SEARS Karl Aro, former executive director of the Department of Legislative Services, testifies to the three members of the Governor's Redistricting Advisory Committee who showed up for Tuesday's virtual meeting. Clockwise from top right, they are Senate Preisdent Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), Aro, Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) and Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss. (Screenshot) “A former executive director of the Department of Legislative Services warned a redistri