Amid ‘time of transition,’ Freedom Caucus sees room to grow its influence

WASHINGTON — The House Freedom Caucus is poised to look very different next year, with several stalwarts of the hard-line conservative bloc moving on. Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Byron Donalds of Florida and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin are all running for governor. Alabama Rep. Barry Moore is favored to win election to the Senate.

Reps. Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Chip Roy of Texas lost primaries for other elective offices this year, while Tennessee’s Andy Ogles fell short in his House primary. And a few members face competitive reelection fights in November, including former Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.

But a new crop of caucus leaders stands ready to steer the influential group and shape the Republican policy agenda next year – no matter which party controls the chamber.

“It’s a time of transition,” Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins said in an interview, but “the Freedom Caucus will continue to be the deep rudder … to steer the policies of the Republican Conference deeper into the conservative spectrum.’’

—CQ-Roll Call

These Gen Z candidates can’t order a drink, but are running in Southern California elections

Some of the youngest candidates on Southern California ballots agree on one thing: Their age shouldn’t be held against them. In fact, they believe it means they’re ideal challengers to the status quo, experts on artificial intelligence and social media and possess the energy needed to make change happen.

The hot-button issues these Generation Z candidates are championing include the cost of living, climate change, Trump administration’s immigration policies, data centers and warehouses.

“We’ve always had a history of some young people being animated and empowered for social change who want to go through the traditional institutions,” said Sarah Angevine, an associate professor of political science at Whittier College. “That’s something that’s always been fantastic about democracy.”

Angevine said what’s different now is “the ease and access to social media, and what that provides for those with political ambition to run for office.” Because the median age of lawmakers in the U.S. Senate is 65, and the House of Representatives is 57, according to the Pew Research Center, it’s understandable that a 20-year-old would see generational tension.

—The Orange County Register

Could AI spell doom for humans? Poll finds Minnesotans are worried

MINNEAPOLIS — More than two-thirds of Minnesota voters worry that artificial intelligence could someday destroy humanity, according to a new Star Tribune/KARE 11 Minnesota Poll, an extraordinary fear that joins more familiar anxieties about jobs, politics and the future of American life.

The poll found that 68% of likely voters are very or somewhat concerned that advanced AI could bring about humanity’s destruction. Nearly a quarter are very concerned. And 71% favor government regulation of the industry, a rare point of broad agreement among voters otherwise divided over much of the country’s direction.

The findings capture a peculiar moment in the technology’s ascent: AI is becoming an ordinary feature of daily life, even as many Americans remain uncertain about where it is headed — or whether anyone can control it.

A former AI researcher issued a stark warning about the existential threat posed by artificial intelligence that garnered national attention in September.

—The Minnesota Star Tribune

Ukraine probes Starlink curbs with US, NATO after Russian attack

Ukraine is seeking answers from the U.S. and NATO allies about a sudden restriction of SpaceX’s Starlink service for military use after a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks on energy plants.

SpaceX limited terminal connections that complicated Ukrainian drone interceptions and mid-range strikes, according to a person familiar with the situation. The Defense Ministry in Kyiv is in touch with U.S. and NATO partners as well as the company about the situation involving the Starshield network, the person said, asking not to be identified because the matter is sensitive.

SpaceX didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The restriction on use of Starshield appeared days after Starlink’s billionaire founder Elon Musk said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “has gone too far,” in a post on his X platform. That message was a response to a video of President Donald Trump calling for Ukraine to stop hitting Russian oil refineries.

—Bloomberg News