Dec 6, 2019

N.C. GOP Rep. George Holding to retire in 2020 after district is redrawn

Photo: Al Drago/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images

Rep. George Holding (R-N.C.) announced Friday that he will not seek re-election in 2020 after North Carolina's recently redrawn congressional maps placed him in a heavily Democratic district.

Why it matters: Holding's decision to leave Congress is one of the first major impacts of North Carolina's new maps, which still favor Republicans in eight out of the state's 13 congressional seats. He is the 21st House Republican to announce their retirement this cycle.

Go deeper: The members of Congress departing in 2020

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Ursula Perano

Court upholds North Carolina Republicans' redrawn congressional map

Photo: Aurora Samperio/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A panel of judges ruled in favor of North Carolina Republicans' redrawn 2020 congressional map Monday, CBS News reports.

The big picture: In October, the judges directed North Carolina's GOP-held state legislature to redraw the map after it found "beyond a reasonable doubt that the 2016 congressional districts are extreme partisan gerrymanders." The new map favors Republicans for eight of the state's 13 congressional seats, whereas they'd previously held 10.

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Keep ReadingDec 2, 2019

Marisa Fernandez

Georgia GOP Rep. Tom Graves to retire in 2020

Rep. Tom Graves. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) announced Thursday that he won't seek re-election in 2020.

The big picture: Graves is the 20th House Republican to announce his retirement in 2020, but his seat in Georgia's 14th district is considered an extremely safe GOP seat, according to Cook Political Report.

Go deeper: The members of Congress departing in 2020

Keep ReadingDec 5, 2019

Rashaan Ayesh

North Korea conducts satellite test for second time in less than a week

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un supervised the test firing of a new multiple rocket launcher on July 31. Photo: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP via Getty Images

North Korea said on Saturday that it carried out another satellite launch test near the Chinese border, and that the unspecified test "would help bolster the country's nuclear deterrent," the Washington Post reports.

Why it matters: The reported test was conducted Friday evening — making it the second North Korean satellite launch in less than a week, state news agency KCNA said, per Reuters

Go deeperDec 14, 2019