By MICHAEL R. BLOOD and TRÂN NGUYỄN Associated Press
A late-hour attempt by California's top Democratic official to thin out the party's crowded field for governor flopped, leaving Democrats anxious over the possibility about a Republican upset in November. Outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has acknowledged fears inside the party that multiple Democratic candidates could undercut each other in the June 2 primary election, opening a pathway for a Republican to seize the top job in one of the nation's most solidly Democratic states. California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged lagging candidates to exit the race before the Friday deadline to formally enter the contest, but none of the established Democrats dropped out.
House Republicans are rushing ahead with legislation that would impose strict new voter ID requirements ahead of the midterm elections. The bill, coming to a vote on Wednesday, is a Trump administration priority aimed at scrutinizing ballot access. But it faces blowback in the Senate. Called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, the legislation requires Americans to present proof of citizenship when they register to vote and to show a valid photo identification before they cast ballots. Republicans say it's needed to prevent voter fraud. Democrats warn it will make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. Experts say voter fraud is extremely rare.
By KATE BRUMBACK, ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press
Updated
An FBI search of the elections hub in Fulton County, Georgia, is part of an investigation into possible "deficiencies or defects" in the vote count in the 2020 contest lost by President Donald Trump, according to an affidavit unsealed Tuesday. The allegations outlined in the affidavit are largely based on claims that have long been made by people who assert that there was fraud in the 2020 election. Audits, state officials, courts and Trump's own former attorney general have rejected the idea that there was widespread fraud in the 2020 election that could have altered the outcome.
