Jul 27, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Rep. Martha Roby won't seek re-election, as GOP faces dwindling number of women in the House

Rep. Martha Roby at a 2016 news conference. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

Rep. Martha Roby (R-Ala.) announced her impending retirement on Friday, potentially leaving Republicans with as few as 11 women in the House after 2020.

Where it stands: Rep. Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) announced her departure from the House in June, and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is mulling a Senate run, per the Post. The current number of female GOP representatives is the lowest it's been since 1993, according to the Brookings Institution.

  • The 8 female GOP senators currently in office are a record-high for Republicans.
  • Democrats are also at all-time highs in Congress, with 17 female senators and 89 representatives.
“Chairman [Tom] Emmer is committed to making the House Republican caucus more diverse. ... We’ve already met with over 200 women considering running for Congress and will continue doing so. We look forward to having many more women as part of our new Republican Majority after the 2020 elections.”
— National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Chris Pack, in a statement to the Post

Go deeper: Republicans struggle to elect and retain female members of Congress

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 40 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of midnight ET: 19,571,989 — Total deaths: 725,914 — Total recoveries — 11,884,565 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of midnight ET: 4,997,705 — Total deaths: 162,422 — Total recoveries: 1,643,118 — Total tests: 61,080,587 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump signs 4 executive actions on coronavirus aid — Democrats, and some Republicans, criticize the move
  4. Public health: Fauci says chances are "not great" that COVID-19 vaccine will be 98% effective — 1 in 3 Americans would decline COVID-19 vaccine.
  5. Science: Indoor air is the next coronavirus frontline.
  6. Schools: How back-to-school is playing out in the South as coronavirus rages on — Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Howard to hold fall classes online.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Axios
Updated 56 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Republicans and Democrats react to Trump's coronavirus aid action

President Trump speaks to workers at a manufacturing facility in Clyde, Ohio, on Thursday. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Some Republicans joined Democrats in criticizing President Trump Saturday night for taking executive action on coronavirus aid, with Democratic leaders demanding the GOP return to negotiations after stimulus package talks broke down a day earlier.

Why it matters: Trump could face legal challenges on his ability to act without congressional approval, where the power lies on federal spending. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) was the most vocal Republican critic, saying in a statement: "The pen-and-phone theory of executive lawmaking is unconstitutional slop."

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Jacob Knutson
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Trump signs 4 executive actions on coronavirus aid

President Trump speaking during a press conference on Aug. 8. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump on Saturday signed four executive actions to provide relief from economic damage sustained during the coronavirus pandemic after talks between the White House and Democratic leadership collapsed Friday afternoon.

Why it matters: Because the Constitution gives Congress the power to appropriate federal spending, Trump has limited authority to act unilaterally — and risks a legal challenge if congressional Democrats believe he has overstepped.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow