Chicken Fried Politics: “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy may be viewed around the world as a bold freedom fighter standing up for his people against a tyrannical dictator – but not, apparently, by North Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn. WRAL-TV in Raleigh obtained a video of Cawthorn speaking at a constituent event where he calls Zelenskyy a “thug”…

Watauga Watch: “I reside in the GOP hotbed of Johnston County, which borders the metro county of Wake. Johnston, like all wrap-around counties surrounding the metro counties in North Carolina, has been dubbed a “Countrypolitan” county by Duke professor Mac McCorkle. The word “Countrypolitan” is most associated with the changing sound of country music in…

AL Political Reporter: “After a long back-and-forth fight, pistol permits are no longer required by law in Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill into law Thursday afternoon after the House and Senate worked out a bill in conference committee that both chambers could get enough votes to pass. The House concurred with the conference…

TX Tribune: “The Texas Supreme Court dealt a final blow to abortion providers’ federal challenge to the state’s latest abortion restrictions Friday. The court ruled that state medical licensing officials do not have authority to enforce the law, which bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. This was the last, narrowly cracked window that…

NY Times: “Saddled with daunting logistical and political obstacles, the 2020 census seriously undercounted the number of Hispanic, Black and Native American residents even though its overall population count was largely accurate, the Census Bureau said on Thursday. At the same time, the census overcounted white and Asian American residents, the bureau said. In essence,…

The Daily Beast: “Elections in the U.S. are noted for low rates of voter participation compared to other industrialized countries, and it’s not hard to imagine why: America’s byzantine “self-registration” process for would-be voters has long been an unnecessary barrier to civil participation. While congressional gridlock will likely prevent nationwide AVR from passing this year, states can and must continue to…

WaPo: “Two months after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a plan for a powerful elections police force that would answer to him, state lawmakers on Wednesday passed a watered-down version that barely resembles what the governor asked for but still worries voting rights advocates. DeSantis (R) had asked for nearly $6 million to hire 52 people, including…

Political Wire: “Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) vetoed the congressional redistricting map passed by the Republican-majority Legislature, saying it should have included a district that would allow a second Black candidate a chance to serve in the state’s congressional delegation, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports.”

Miami Herald: “The chants of dozens of students from across Florida could be heard through the walls of the Senate chamber on Monday as lawmakers debated a contentious proposal to bar lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to third grade. “We say gay!” “We say gay!” “We say gay!” A day later,…

The North State Journal: “The U.S. Supreme Court denied a motion to stay the court-drawn congressional map that will now be used in the state’s 2022 elections. The court voted to deny the application by a 6-3 decision, with Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the court’s three…