Politics Update 12/27/2025: What to Watch in a Fast-Moving Week Estimated reading time: 4 minutes High-level diplomacy dominates headlines, with a planned meeting between Ukraine’s president and former U.S. President Donald Trump. Regional tensions ease as Cambodia and Thailand agree to a truce, signaling a pause in escalating conflict. Domestic focus remains on how international…

Maine Politics Continues to Defy the Crystal Ball Estimated reading time: 4 minutes Key Takeaways Maine politics remains unusually unpredictable, resisting the kind of easy forecasting common in national races. Columnist Jim Fossel highlights how avoiding bold predictions can actually offer clearer, more honest political analysis. Readers are encouraged to focus less on horse-race predictions…

Trump’s Second Term And The 2026 Midterms: What NPR’s Ron Elving Says To Watch Estimated reading time: 4 minutes Trump’s second term is far less constrained than his first, with a Cabinet and staff made up largely of loyalists and enablers. Cracks in Republican support are emerging over Ukraine, the economy, health care, food prices,…

Kosovo’s Snap Election: What the Vote Means for Democracy and Stability Estimated reading time: 4 minutes Key takeaways Kosovo is holding a snap parliamentary election after months of political deadlock following the February 2025 vote. Prime minister Albin Kurti’s Self-Determination (Vetëvendosje) party is favoured but may again fall short of a governing majority. The country…

What New Yorkers Opposed to Zohran Mamdani Are Planning Next Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Key Takeaways Zohran Mamdani will take office as New York City’s mayor on Jan. 1, 2026, after winning with about 51% of the vote in a historically high-turnout election. Nearly half of voters backed other candidates, primarily former governor Andrew…

Winner and Loser of the Year in Florida Politics: What 2025 Reveals About 2026 Estimated reading time: 6 minutes Key Takeaways Statewide power is realigning: Florida’s CFO, Attorney General, and House Speaker dramatically expanded their political profiles in 2025. 2026 Governor’s race is already taking shape, with Byron Donalds emerging as the clear Republican frontrunner…

Vivek Ramaswamy’s Ohio Pivot: From Combative Outsider to Conservative Bridge-Builder Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Key Takeaways Ramaswamy is rebranding from a combative 2023 presidential candidate to a “conservative without being combative” as he runs for Ohio governor. He is positioning himself against hard-right “blood-and-soil” nationalism, publicly criticizing extremist figures and rhetoric inside the GOP.…

The Biggest Political Headlines of 2025 – And What They Mean for 2026 Estimated reading time: 4 minutes WPVI’s “Inside Story” New Year’s edition brings together Matt O’Donnell and a bipartisan panel to unpack 2025’s biggest political headlines. The discussion blends local Philadelphia-region stories with national U.S. political trends to give viewers broader context. Panelists…

HOKU PAC Launches to Elevate Māhū and LGBTQIA+ Representation in Hawaiʻi Politics Estimated reading time: 4 minutes Key Takeaways HOKU PAC is a new nonpartisan political action committee focused on empowering māhū and LGBTQIA+ candidates—and allies—across Hawaiʻi. The PAC is grounded in four guiding principles: Haʻaheo (pride), ʻOhana (family), Kaulike (justice) and Ui (activate). Its…

Year In Review: Trump's 2025 Foreign Policy, Explained Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Key takeaways President Trump's 2025 foreign policy centered on hard-edged border security, shifting U.S. aid, and high-stakes diplomacy heading into 2026. Decisions on Mexico, Ukraine, Myanmar, Thailand–Cambodia, and broader aid cuts reshaped America's global image and alliances. U.S. vaccine and health policies…