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Democrat TJ Cox wins House race against GOP incumbent in California

TJ Cox. Photo: Leonard Ortiz/Orange County Register via Getty Images

California Democrat TJ Cox won the House race in California's 21st district after his Republican opponent Rep. David Valado conceded the race on Thursday afternoon, the Mercury News reports.

Why it matters: Valado was initially declared the victor by the Associated Press, but Cox took the lead in the race at the end of last month. Cox's victory gives Democrats their 7th flipped seat in California and their 40th nationwide.

Go deeper

Alayna Treene, author of Sneak Peek
29 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump revokes ethics order barring former aides from lobbying

Photo: Spencer Platt via Getty

Shortly after pardoning members of Congress and lobbyists convicted on corruption charges, President Trump revoked an executive order barring former officials from lobbying for five years after leaving his administration.

Why it matters: The order, which was signed eight days after he took office, was an attempt to fulfill his campaign promise to “drain the swamp.”

  • But with less than 12 hours left in office, Trump has now removed those limitations on his own aides.
Lachlan Markay
59 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump pardons former fundraiser Elliott Broidy

President Trump has pardoned Elliott Broidy, a former top Republican fundraiser who pleaded guilty late last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws as part of a campaign to sway the administration on behalf of Chinese and Malaysian interests.

Why it matters: Broidy was a deputy finance chair for the Republican National Committee early in Trump’s presidency, and attempted to leverage his influence in the Trump administration on behalf of his clients. The president's decision to pardon Broidy represents one last favor for a prominent political ally.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Ursula Perano
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Trump grants flurry of last-minute pardons

Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

President Trump issued 73 pardons and commuted the sentences of 70 individuals, hours from leaving office early Wednesday, hours from leaving office.

Why it matters: It's a last-minute gift to some of the president's loyalists and an evident use of executive power with only hours left of his presidency. Axios reported in December that Trump planned to grant pardons to "every person who ever talked to me."

Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow