Politics and views in the United States

Darline Graham stumbles in South Carolina Senate debate, Representative Peltola and Senator Sullivan among top four advancing in Alaska’s Senate race, Fake election polls fuel misinformation concerns.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

I'm not that informed on national security, but I do support the military.

I'm not a polished politician up here.

National security is not my thing, not my area of expertise.

In a live debate, newly appointed South Carolina Senator Darlene Graham stumbled over whether Taiwan and the South China Sea are national security interests.

Before he died last month, her late brother Lindsey had long been one of the Senate's most aggressive hawks.

Her Republican primary runoff opponent, far-right Representative Ralph Norman, says her response shows she's unqualified.

Former Democratic Congresswoman Mary Peltola and incumbent Republican Dan Sullivan are two of the top four candidates advancing from Alaska's Senate primary.

Peltola says administration budget cuts have hit Alaska hard.

It was doge, mowing down Alaskan federal employees.

The federal government is half of our economy, and so much of that are federal employees.

Third on the ballot will likely be a retired teacher, also named Dan Sullivan.

He's accused of running to confuse voters, but says he's in the race because he hates what the other Dan Sullivan has done in their name.

Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman won the Republican nomination to replace retiring Senator Cynthia Loomis.

Hageman will face Democrat James Byrd in ruby red Wyoming.

California's special election to replace former Congressman Eric Swalwell remains a squeaker.

State Senator Aisha Wahab holds an arrow lead over former Dublin Mayor Melissa Hernandez, but no matter who wins, they seem headed for a November rematch.

Swalwell resigned after sexual assault allegations.

A group called Median Strategies is drawing charges of misinformation after touting bogus polls in California, Wisconsin, and Nevada, then admitting it made them up, supposedly to see how quickly the lies spread.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass reposted one that showed her ahead.

A federal judge is blocking administration changes to a teen pregnancy prevention program, saying the White House can't impose new conditions on grants approved by Congress.

The new rules emphasized abstinence and scaled back contraception education.

Summer crowds are straining national parks already dealing with administration staff cuts and a $24 billion deferred maintenance backlog.

Michael Chalders at Colorado State University says it's changing the experience.

When you're at an overlook or in the valley or on a trail and it's so crowded that you can't hear yourself think that you might as well be in Times Square.

President Donald Trump says he plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un this year, but offered no details.

Trump recently scaled back joint military exercises with South Korea.

North Korea says it still views the U.S. as hostile.

I'm Joe Ollare for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.