Devin Cleveland

(The Center Square) – Illinois state Sen. Don DeWitte is questioning the Northern Illinois Transit Authority’s decision to pay interim Executive Director Jamie Rhee $350,000 annually while she collects a taxpayer-funded Chicago pension exceeding $213,000 a year.

DeWitte, R-St. Charles, called the arrangement “double-dipping” and said it raises questions about whether the newly restructured transit agency will deliver the reforms promised during two years of legislative hearings.

“A $500,000 a year salary for an interim appointment, I think most hard-working taxpayers in the state of Illinois can only dream of having an income like that,” DeWitte told The Center Square.

Rhee’s combined annual salary and pension exceed $563,000. She retired from the city of Chicago in April 2025 after more than 32 years of city service, including nearly seven years as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation. She was appointed interim executive director of NITA in September as the agency begins a national search for a permanent leader.

The six-month interim appointment comes as Illinois’ public transit system undergoes a major restructuring intended to address financial challenges and prevent significant service cuts.

DeWitte said lawmakers repeatedly raised concerns during hearings about excessive overtime, cash management, inadequate oversight, executive salaries and performance bonuses under the former Regional Transportation Authority.

“This is not the reform that people were promised,” DeWitte said. “I think this is simply business as usual by Chicago and Cook County Democrats who ultimately now control our entire mass transit system.”

DeWitte said he would support legislation restricting public employees from collecting a government salary while simultaneously receiving a taxpayer-funded pension.

“Do taxpayers really need to be paying both compensation and pension benefits to the same person at the same time?” DeWitte said.

He said Republicans have introduced legislation targeting double-dipping during his eight years in the Illinois Senate, but the issue remains unresolved. He argued that lawmakers should examine whether the practice is appropriate when public agencies face financial pressures.

Rhee’s pension is separate from her NITA salary. NITA has said she will not receive additional retirement benefits from the interim position.

In a Sept. 10 news release, NITA said its board unanimously elected Tom Kotarac as chair and appointed Rhee as interim executive director. The board also authorized a national search for a permanent executive director.

NITA highlighted Rhee’s more than 30 years of experience in Chicago government, including her tenure as commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation from 2018 to 2025. The agency said Rhee’s priorities include delivering early improvements for riders while establishing a strong operational foundation for its permanent leadership.

The Center Square requested comment from NITA regarding Rhee’s compensation and pension but did not receive a response.

The restructuring that created NITA took effect Sept. 1, replacing the RTA as the coordinating agency for the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. The new structure changed how the regional transit system is governed, including board appointments and voting rules.

DeWitte said the changes give Chicago and Cook County Democrats greater control over the system, diminishing the influence of suburban counties. He expressed concern the restructuring could allow Chicago officials to use regional transit resources to address the CTA’s financial difficulties.

The CTA has faced billions of dollars in debt and unfunded pension obligations, adding to pressure for a regional funding solution.

NITA’s initial actions also include expanding its Access Pilot Program to the CTA and Pace beginning Oct. 1, allowing eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients to pay reduced fares across the regional transit system.

According to the agency, more than 350,000 rides had been taken through the program since its launch in February 2024. NITA also unveiled a draft mapping tool to help municipalities implement the People Over Parking Act, which generally prohibits minimum parking requirements for new developments near designated public transportation hubs and corridors.

Under the new law, NITA board appointments must be ratified by the Illinois Senate.

DeWitte said lawmakers could use the confirmation process to question the agency’s leadership, compensation decisions and commitment to reform.

“I will be interested to see how the ratification appointments go at the Senate level,” DeWitte said. He added that he hopes lawmakers will continue pressing for changes to the region’s transit system.

DeWitte said the interim director’s compensation raises broader questions about accountability as NITA assumes responsibility for regional transit planning and funding.

“I think it raises significant questions about whether anything is really going to be changed,” DeWitte said.

(The Center Square) – Inflation ranks among the top three issues for 46% of registered voters, a nine-point climb since March, while the national debt and government spending sit near the bottom at 13%.

Voters put the debt near the bottom in a year the federal government ran a $2 trillion deficit, $218 billion more than in fiscal 2025, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. The government spent $1.052 trillion on net interest on the debt in fiscal 2026, more than the $965 billion it spent on national defense and 14% of all federal spending, according to the Treasury Department’s monthly statement released Friday. Gross interest on Treasury securities, which includes interest the government pays itself, was $1.36 trillion. The net figure works out to about $6,462 for each of the 162.8 million individual income tax returns the IRS processed in fiscal 2025, according to the IRS Data Book.

The Center Square’s Voters’ Voice Poll, conducted by Noble Predictive Insights Oct. 5-7, surveyed 2,527 registered voters nationally through an opt-in online panel and text-to-web cell phone messages. The pollster reports a margin of error of plus or minus 1.95 percentage points. Voters were asked to pick their top three issues from a list of 21.

Inflation led at 46%, up from 41% in an Aug. 12-16 survey of 2,533 voters and 37% in a March 2-5 survey that offered 19 options rather than 21. The economy and jobs followed at 31%, healthcare at 28% and government corruption at 25%.

Inflation was the top issue for every group in the survey. It ranked first among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters at 47%, Republicans and Republican-leaning voters at 45% and true independents at 48%, the pollster’s term for voters who say they lean toward neither party. Nothing else came close to that agreement. Illegal immigration split 30% among Republicans and leaners to 6% among Democrats and leaners. National security split 23% to 7%.

Karlyn Bowman, a distinguished senior fellow emeritus at the American Enterprise Institute who has studied public opinion since the 1970s, said in an email that the pattern is a common one.

“Price levels/increases are immediate. We all feel them,” she said. “Issues such as the government debt are more abstract. People don’t think about them in their daily lives.”

The poll was in the field a week before the government confirmed prices were still climbing. Consumer prices rose 0.6% in September and 3.7% over the year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday, up from 3.4% in August. Gasoline prices rose 9.1% in September alone and 34.2% over 12 months, accounting for more than half of the monthly increase. Grocery prices rose 1.8% over the year and restaurant prices 3.5%.

Voters ranked inflation higher while the headline number held still. The most recent inflation reading was 3.4% when the August poll was in the field, July’s rate, and 3.4% again when the October poll was conducted, August’s rate. Inflation gained five points as a top-three issue between the two.

Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, whose September survey of Wisconsin voters found inflation and the cost of living the single most important issue for 45% of respondents, said the goods driving the increase are the ones people buy most often.

“Both are at least weekly purchases and people feel that directly, as opposed to rent or insurance costs which may rise once a year or so,” he said of gasoline and groceries. He pointed as well to cumulative increases since 2021: “There is still sticker shock at home or auto prices and in how much a family pays at the checkout for three or four bags of groceries, compared to what they remember paying 6 or so years ago.”

The fiscal issues ranked at the bottom. High taxes drew 16%, tariffs and international trade 14%, the national debt and government spending 13% and fraud 7%. The debt has not moved as a top three issue: it drew 14% of respondents in March, 14% in August and 13% in October, while inflation climbed nine points over the same period. It also drew about the same share from every group, 14% among Republicans and leaners, 13% among Democrats and leaners and 15% among true independents.

Franklin said that is unlikely to change on its own.

“Debt seldom gets attention, and then not for very long,” he said. “In the current political environment neither the president nor members of Congress are taking up the debt issue or providing leadership on the issue.” He cited the 2010 Simpson-Bowles commission as the last serious bipartisan attempt at budget reform, and said it failed to win much legislative support. When voters are focused on the cost of living, he said, “it is very hard [for] the debt, or the annual deficit, to get any traction, and certainly not without presidential and congressional leadership on the issue.”

Both parties have noticed. Franklin said Republicans and Democrats alike are running ads about grocery prices.

“Both parties say they will ‘fix’ the problem,” he said. “They are all quite vague as to how they will fix it.”

Voters go to the polls Nov. 3.

(The Center Square) – Following Wednesday's news that inflation remained elevated in September, economic reports released Thursday and Friday offered a look at rising prices across the U.S. economy.

Import prices, export prices, and prices charged by American producers all recorded their largest annual increases since 2022.

Rising import prices can increase the cost of raw materials and finished products that American businesses purchase from overseas. Import prices tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report do not include tariffs, though tariffs can still impact what exporters charge.

Import prices rose 1.1% from August to September and 8.1% from a year earlier — the largest 12-month increase since July 2022, when prices had risen by 8.8% over the previous year. The monthly increase was driven by higher prices for both fuel and nonfuel imports, with fuel prices rising much more sharply.

“Fuel is driving roughly 40% of September’s import price surge,” said Orphe Divounguy, founder of the Quantitative Research Group and former senior economist at Zillow.

Fuel import prices jumped 4.8% after declining in July and August, while nonfuel import prices rose 0.7%. From September 2025 to September 2026, fuel import prices increased 34.5%, including a 35.4% rise in petroleum and petroleum product prices and a 96.5% jump in natural gas prices — the largest annual increase for imported natural gas since June 2022.

Brent crude oil prices averaged roughly $114 per barrel in September, up from about $91 in August, while U.S. retail gasoline prices climbed to an average of $4.35 per gallon, according to the Energy Information Administration. 

Nonfuel import prices also recorded their largest annual increase since April 2022, though the cost of producing those goods can still be affected by energy prices.

Export prices rose 2.2% in September and 11.6% from a year earlier, their largest annual increase since July 2022. Higher export prices can boost revenue for American businesses selling overseas, but may also make their goods less competitive. 

The Producer Price Index, which measures prices charged by U.S. businesses for goods and services, rose 1.3% in September — the largest monthly increase since March 2022. Prices were also up 6.3% from a year earlier, the largest annual increase since December 2022.

Higher import prices can push up costs for American producers, which may pass those increases along to customers.

Energy accounted for even more of the producer price increase than the rise in import costs, according to Divounguy.

“My analysis estimates that energy accounted for about half the increase, while transportation and wholesale and retail margins added another third,” Divounguy said.

Businesses in the New York-Northern New Jersey region also reported weakening economic conditions in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's October Business Leaders Survey.

The survey's business activity index fell 12 points to -20.7, its lowest level since March. Forty-two percent of respondents said business conditions worsened during the month, compared with 22% who reported improvement. Employment held steady, but businesses became more pessimistic about the next six months, with an index measuring expectations for future activity falling into negative territory for the first time since December 2025.

Despite the decline in business activity, firms reported raising their selling prices at the fastest pace since 2022.

About 71% of firms reported paying higher prices, while only 40% reported charging customers more, which Divounguy noted suggests some businesses may be absorbing part of their rising costs rather than passing them along to customers, though the survey cannot determine how much.

The Federal Reserve's interest rate-setting committee is scheduled to meet at the end of October to decide whether to raise, lower or hold rates steady. The Fed raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point in September, to a range of 3.75% to 4%, as part of its effort to bring inflation down.

“I still favor holding rates in October, but it’s a closer call,” Divounguy said. “The risk is that these cost increases keep spreading and people begin expecting inflation to stay higher for longer.”

Missouri men's basketball forward Mark Mitchell is eligible to compete again after a Kentucky judge granted a temporary injunction Friday, giving the fifth-year senior another opportunity to play for the Tigers during the 2026-27 season.

The decision from Jefferson Circuit Court Judge Brian C. Edwards follows a second round of legal proceedings over Mitchell's eligibility. Edwards previously granted Mitchell and other college athletes temporary restraining orders Sept. 4, but an appeals court reversed that decision Oct. 2, allowing the NCAA to enforce its eligibility restrictions while the case returned to circuit court for another hearing.

Missouri coach Dennis Gates testified during Wednesday's hearing in Louisville, Kentucky, in support of Mitchell's case. Edwards ultimately ruled in favor of the athletes again. He determined that they faced the potential loss of a college season they could not recover if they were prevented from competing.

The judge also concluded that the NCAA had not demonstrated comparable harm from allowing the athletes to play while their cases continued through the legal system.

Mitchell's eligibility dispute is not necessarily finished. The NCAA could challenge the latest ruling in the Kentucky Court of Appeals, potentially creating another round of uncertainty for the Tigers as the season approaches. The outcome of a future appeal could determine whether Mitchell remains eligible for the entire season.

For Missouri, the ruling offers a significant development as Gates prepares his roster for the upcoming campaign. Mitchell is an experienced forward whose availability would give the Tigers another established option as they navigate a competitive Southeastern Conference schedule.

Other athletes receive injunctions

Mitchell was among several college athletes who received favorable rulings Friday in disputes with the NCAA over eligibility. Courts in Indiana, New Jersey and Mississippi also rejected NCAA requests to stay rulings that allowed athletes to compete, providing additional developments in the broader legal fight over college eligibility rules.

The cases reflect continuing disagreements over how the NCAA applies its eligibility restrictions and how those rules affect athletes seeking additional seasons of competition. Although Friday's decisions offer opportunities for the athletes involved, the legal proceedings are ongoing, and further appeals could affect their status.

Missouri prepares for Kansas State exhibition

Missouri is scheduled to open its exhibition slate against Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 23, in Manhattan, Kansas. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. with the game available to watch on ESPN+.

Mitchell's restored eligibility gives Missouri a chance to prepare for the exhibition with the forward back in the mix, although, the continuing legal process means his status could remain a developing story.

(The Center Square) - Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford are competing neck to neck as the nation tunes in to the Nevada gubernatorial race.

Elsewhere in the state’s executive branch, candidates to succeed Ford as attorney general debate what makes for the right experience. And an electoral rematch plays out in the secretary of state's race.

An Emerson College Polling/KLAS-TV survey from Sept. 5-8 gave Ford the slight advantage over Lombardo at 44% to 42%, with 11% of the 680 likely voters still undecided. That's essentially a statistical tie, when the percentage of error is considered.  In a later Sept. 22-26 poll by Noble Predictive Insights, 800 registered voters gave Lombardo a narrow lead over Ford by 42% to 40%, again a statistical tie. Users on Kalshi’s predictive market have Ford (51%) and Lombardo (49%), nearly tied at the time of writing.

Candidates have debated everything from data centers to education, voter ID, abortion, affordable housing, the tourism industry and Nevada's relationship with the federal government.

But no topic in the gubernatorial race has received as much attention as the economy.

According to the Emerson College poll, 43% of likely Nevada voters said the economy was their top issue, followed by housing affordability at 15% and healthcare at 10%.

“As governor, you’ll see me stop greedy corporate investors from buying up our homes and pricing Nevadans out of their neighborhoods,” Ford said at a press conference. “You’ll see me sign a bill to cap prescription drug prices to their Medicare negotiated price. You’ll see me sign bills to stop families from going bankrupt from medical bills, and you’ll see me sign bills to halt NV Energy’s demand charge, which Joe Lombardo supports.”

The Attorney General’s office under Ford has regularly sued the federal government and Trump administration. Along with most other state attorneys general, Ford gained a settlement from pharmaceutical companies over inflated prices from 2009-2019. Ford unsuccessfully sued NV Energy, the state’s primary energy utility company, over its demand charge change earlier this year.

Lombardo has highlighted the need to cut down on crime and reduce regulations to make for a friendly business environment. His campaign website said he would oppose tax increases for Nevadans and reduce taxes on businesses. 

In a May conference with the Las Vegas Chamber, he said he would continue to invest in the sports economy.

“We’re known as the entertainment capital. Now let’s progress towards the sports capital,” Lombardo said. “Why is that important? I’m sure that’s part of the question, and it’s because diversifying the economy is important. You’ve heard me talk about that from day one.”

In 2023, Gov. Lombardo signed into law a $380 million taxpayer investment for the Athletics’ $1.5 billion stadium move to Las Vegas. Construction is proceeding on the stadium, located on the Strip at what used to be the Tropicana casino. The team was formerly the Oakland A's.

Other teams in Las Vegas include the Raiders football team.

Along with candidates in countless other races across the country, Lombardo and Ford have traded barbs over fuel costs and data centers in recent months.

On Thursday, Ford’s campaign highlighted a report on his X social media account about the Iran War’s impact on high gas prices in Nevada. 

“Your housing, health care, grocery, and gas bills are skyrocketing because Joe Lombardo and Donald Trump are working together to raise your costs,” wrote Ford. “When I’m governor, my top priority will be making things cost less, so every hardworking Nevadan can achieve the American dream.”

The Iran War has cost the average American household $864.85 since it began in February, according to the Institution on Taxation and Economic policy. Ford's campaign website said he would focus on lowering energy costs by increasing renewable energy use such as solar, pushing back on rate increases by utility companies and on federal policies that he said hurt Nevada's energy industry.

Lombardo has also expressed concern over high fuel prices, but has focused more on what he has called an overreliance by Nevada on California oil.

“There is no readily available alternative supply network that can replace California’s production at scale,” read a letter from March that Lombardo sent to California Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for the state to decrease its gas regulations. “As a result, policy decisions that materially affect refinery operations in your state directly and immediately impact fuel availability, pricing, and economic stability in Nevada.”

Missouri men's basketball added another highly ranked prospect to its 2027 recruiting class Friday when four-star guard Devin Cleveland announced his commitment to the Tigers during a CBS Sports broadcast.

Cleveland, a 6-foot-3 combo guard at La Lumiere School is ranked No. 30 nationally in the 2027 class. He chose Missouri over Michigan and TCU, giving coach Dennis Gates another major addition as the Tigers continue building for the future.

Cleveland visited Columbia during Mizzou's Homecoming weekend and attended the Tigers' football game against Florida. The visit gave him an opportunity to experience the university and its atmosphere as he weighed his college options.

The relationships Cleveland developed with Gates and Missouri's coaching staff played a significant role in his decision. He said he believes Columbia will provide an environment where he can grow both on and off the court.

“It just felt like home,” Cleveland said during his commitment announcement. “I feel like it's somewhere I can go get bigger, for sure, but also me just becoming a better man and an opportunity that they've been giving me. I just feel like it's home, and I think I made the right decision.”

Cleveland's commitment gives Gates another highly regarded guard to build around in the 2027 class. He joins fellow four-star guard Scottie Adkinson to add to Missouri's backcourt recruiting efforts as the program looks to bring in more talent for the coming seasons.

Cleveland also made clear what he hopes to bring to the Tigers when he eventually arrives in Columbia. Beyond his ability as a guard, he emphasized his willingness to work, contribute to the team and help the program compete for championships.

“They're getting a hard worker, a person that's willing to give his all to the team and the community surrounding me,” Cleveland said. “I'm just here to win championships, and that's what I'm coming in to do.”

The commitment marks another recruiting win for Gates as Missouri continues assembling its 2027 class. With Cleveland joining Adkinson, the Tigers have added two highly ranked guards who could help shape the program's future in the Southeastern Conference.

(The Center Square) – Candidates for superintendent of public instruction in California and Arizona are outlining priorities for public education ahead of the Nov. 3 election over school choice, education funding, accountability and more.  

The Center Square exclusively interviewed Republican candidates Sonja Shaw in California and Kimberly Yee in Arizona. Democratic candidates Richard Barrera and Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz did not respond to The Center Square’s multiple requests for an interview. 

California voters will choose between Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education, and Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education.

Barrera’s campaign emphasizes increased education funding, affordable housing for educators and universal early childhood education, among other priorities. 

“The solutions aren’t in Sacramento — they’re in our classrooms, our communities, and the hands of the educators and families who know what our students need,” Barrera states on his campaign website.

According to Transparency USA, Barrera’s campaign has reported $313,428 in total contributions. Listed contributors include the United Domestic Workers of America Action Fund, which contributed $19,800, and the California Teachers Association/Association for Better Citizenship, which contributed $19,600. 

Shaw criticized state education policies, arguing that students should not be subjected to unproven approaches and that more funding should reach classrooms directly.

“Our kids shouldn't be test products. Things should be fully implemented. We should see how it works … We have great teachers, but unfortunately they don’t have the support or the resources,” Shaw told The Center Square.  

Shaw also questioned how education funding is allocated, arguing that money should support student interventions, after-school programs and activities that encourage students to remain engaged in school.

“I would like to see the money go back straight to the classroom; to intervention projects, to helping with after-school programs … things that keep kids excited about going to school at the end of the day. That is where the money should be going, not these pet projects,” Shaw said. 

Shaw said schools should refocus on foundational academic subjects like reading, writing and math to prepare students for college or career pathways after high school. 

Shaw also told The Center Square that she favors school choice programs because it should be up to the parents to decide what is best for their child. 

“As a parent, I do believe that you should have the choice, and I don’t think anybody should be afraid of the choice because if you offer a good product, people by default will already pick your product of public schools.” 

Shaw has also been a huge advocate against transgender athletes in girls' sports and continues to urge the state of California and the California Interscholastic Federation to follow the federal law of Title IX to protect girls in sports. 

Transparency USA lists Shaw’s campaign as having $460,565 in total contributions. Disclosed contributors include The Yuba County Republican Party, listed as a contributor of $12,340.50. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who lost during the gubernatorial primary, contributed $9,800, and Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, donated $5,500. 

The East Valley Republican Women and Patriot Store, the Los Angeles County Lincoln Clubs Political Action Committee and the Republican Club of San Francisco are each listed with $3,000 contributions. 

In Arizona, voters will choose between Republican Yee and Democrat Ruiz for superintendent of public instruction. 

Ruiz is an educator with 35 years of experience. She's also the former president of Glendale Community College in the Phoenix area.

Yee, a former Arizona state treasurer, supports a range of educational options.

“I'm a strong believer that parents know their children best, and what their unique needs are for education,” Yee told The Center Square. “[W]e have options from traditional district public schools to public charter schools, to homeschools, to private schools, to micros schools, to tribal schools; all of them belong on the menu of options for parents to choose the best education that fits their child's unique needs.”

Yee also criticized Arizona’s academic performance, saying the state ranks at the 25th percentile in reading and math proficiency for fourth- and eighth-grade students.

She wants to restore phonics-based reading instruction and traditional mathematics instruction, pointing to Mississippi’s literacy gains as an example of what targeted changes can accomplish.

“I would like to bring back phonics-based reading instruction, and we have seen the state of Mississippi do this and be very successful at increasing their proficiency in early literacy,” Yee said. 

Yee also called for greater transparency in school district budgets and more education funding directed toward classrooms and teachers. Citing the Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute, Yee highlighted that there has been an 8% increase in administrative funding. 

“We have to follow the money because these are taxpayer dollars,” Yee said.  

Teacher retention is another priority for Yee. She proposed a mentorship program pairing newer teachers with experienced or retired educators to help with professional development, classroom instruction, student discipline, time management and parent engagement.

“You can never replace the treasure of a teacher in the classroom,” Yee told The Center Square. 

On artificial intelligence in schools, Yee said students should be taught to use the technology ethically and responsibly. She also called for parental consent and input regarding how extensively AI is used in their children's education.

“We do have to make sure students understand that they have to be responsible with this tool. They have to be ethical with it,” Yee added. 

According to Transparency USA, Yee’s campaign has $323,669 in total contributions, with the Maricopa County Republican Party listed as contributing $309.27.

Ruiz’s campaign website calls for tighter oversight of Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which allows eligible families to use public funds for approved education expenses outside the traditional public school system.

Her platform proposes ending automatic approval of ESA expenditures of $2,000 or less, implementing an automated system to verify that taxpayer funds are used for education and establishing stricter audits.

Ruiz also advocates for increased funding for public schools and expanding universal pre-K. 

Addressing teacher shortages and increasing teacher compensation is also a priority for Ruiz. 

Ruiz’s campaign has reported $188,096 in total contributions, according to Transparency USA. The Arizona Democratic Party is listed as contributing $6,566.

The Arizona Education Association Fund for Public Education has endorsed Ruiz and contributed $10,000 to the Arizona Democratic Party in 2026, according to Transparency USA.

For other Southwest states, Colorado and Nevada have different processes for selecting their top state education officials.

Colorado’s commissioner of education, Susana Córdova, assumed office June 26, 2023, and was unanimously appointed by the Colorado State Board of Education. 

Nevada’s superintendent of public instruction is appointed by the governor from candidates recommended by the State Board of Education. Dr. Victor Wakefield assumed the position on Oct. 27, 2025.

(The Center Square) – Less than three weeks out from Election Day, Democrats are ramping up their rhetorical attacks on Republicans, tapping into U.S. voters’ affordability concerns.

Two years into the second Trump administration, the country “needs dramatic change,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Friday.

“We were promised that costs would go down on day one, but costs haven't gone down,” Jeffries said. “Life has gotten way too expensive, and [President Donald Trump’s] tariffs have unfortunately increased costs on everyday Americans by thousands of dollars per year.”

Jeffries added that Democrats are “committed to making sure your taxpayer dollars are actually spent in a way that makes your life more affordable.”

Democrats have primarily hammered their opponents over rising costs of gas and groceries – due mostly to Trump’s tariffs and the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict – as well as rising healthcare plan costs, which they claim are due to Republicans’ refusal to renew the expansion of certain Obamacare subsidies.

The Premium Tax Credit, temporarily boosted during the COVID-19 pandemic, reverted to original levels last year after a grueling government shutdown, where Democrats refused to fund the government for 43 days over demands that Republicans renew the sunsetting pandemic extension.

The PTC is a subsidy that goes directly to health insurance companies. Those companies are supposed to use 80% of it to lower ACA marketplace enrollees’ monthly premiums and are allowed to keep 20% of the money for overhead costs and profit.

Extending the enhanced portion of the subsidy would have cost at least $350 billion over the next ten years, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

A Government Accountability Office report had also uncovered systemic fraud risk in the enhanced subsidies. More than 90% of GAO’s fake applicants received coverage, with GAO noting that “agents and brokers have a financial incentive to maximize enrollments” under the tax credit system.

Democrats, however, accused Republicans of “stripping healthcare away from Americans,” a message many have continued to voice in their 2026 midterm campaigns.

With control of Congress at stake, Republicans point to massive tax cuts in their signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” as evidence that they are addressing cost of living concerns. They also argue that tariffs are promoting the domestic manufacturing industry and overall economic growth.

“President Trump’s America First agenda and Republican policies are spurring a resurgence of American industry. In fact, we added 72,000 manufacturing jobs in 2026 alone and factory wages have increased by 7.9%,” House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, stated. “Together, we’re ushering in the Golden Age of America.”

Republicans have also highlighted the growing numbers of Democratic Socialist candidates on the 2026 ballot, which they argue is indicative of rising extremism in the Democratic party.

“This election is going to be between ‘we’ and ‘they,’ Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, posted on social media Friday. “If you are a communist, transgender witch, vote Democrat. But if you’re a trucker diver, steel worker, farmer, rancher, waiter, cop, firefighter, oil field worker, mom, or dad, show up and vote Republican!”

(The Center Square) – Some legislators are calling for more taxpayer funding of nonprofit security grants after a potential mass shooting was averted in the Chicago suburbs.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, said he and countless other families were at the Balaji temple in Aurora on Oct. 10 to mark the beginning of one of the most important holidays in the Hindu religion, when an alleged shooter was in the parking lot with 300 rounds of ammunition.

“He took one shot at a passerby, and according to the police, his gun jammed,” Krishnamoorthi said at a news conference Friday in Chicago.

Krishnamoorthi said the suspect informed a co-worker that he was going back to finish the job, but the co-worker informed police, who arrested Alexandros Paporakis, 19, as he was leaving his home in Palatine that night.

“According to court documents, the manifesto that he wrote described Indians, Jews, Black people and other minorities as, quote, sub human,” Krishnamoorthi said.

The congressman said the shooter was radicalized by social media, where silos of communities develop and vent hate.

“And they reinforce each other, driving up engagement and driving up profit for those tech companies, so they are profiting off of hate. But what we know is that hate doesn’t just stay on the internet, it transforms into violence,” Krishnamoorthi said.

Krishnamoorthi said Congress should close the immunity from liability loophole that Big Tech companies enjoy under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, said the federal investment has grown from $300 million to $500 million, but the Jewish community is doing more.

“$1 billion is being invested in security, one community, $1 billion across the country because of the threats we’re facing,” Schneider said.

Schneider said he is a proud Jew who has lived his whole life under the shadow of going to synagogue with armed guards.

Krishnamoorthi said the federal government has withheld nonprofit security grants for “purely political reasons.”

State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, said Illinois’ nonprofit security grant program provided $20 million in its first year, plus subsequent funding, but more is needed.

“As we start our budget conversations, looking through opportunities to fund this program at a higher level and get this funding out the door quicker to the communities that are especially experiencing hate is a top priority,” Villivalam said.

Illinois’ Not-for-Profit Security Grant Program provides up to $150,000 per site for security upgrades to eligible nonprofits who are deemed at high risk of a threat, attack or acts of terrorism.