History was made in several races during the 2017 off-year elections, with minorities, first-timers, and other under-represented candidates winning their campaigns. But it was no easy feat. Some hopefuls were hit with racial epithets and discriminatory advertisements before they won.
And for them, victory sent a clear message: our state is not a state of hate.
At least this was Virginia’s delegate-elect Elizabeth Guzman’s reaction. She and Hala Ayala this year became the first two Latinas ever elected to the state's House of Delegates. In an interview with Cheddar on Tuesday, Guzman said that many Republicans were mimicking the anti-immigration rhetoric exhibited by President Donald Trump. In her case, her opponent accused her of wanting to protect criminals.
“I think it was a huge response from Virginia to Washington, D.C., and also to Richmond, and Prince William County,” she said about winning. “We are not a state of hate. We are a state that is diverse, and we are proud of our diversity.”
Guzman, who began campaigning in October 2016, says her children were a motivating factor for her run for office. The public administrator and social worker was already heavily involved in her community. As a delegate, she hopes to encourage Latin children to feel represented and hopes more people with her background run for office in the future.
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The black cab drivers are exploring the possibility of bringing a class action lawsuit against the ride-hailing app, arguing that tens of thousands of them have seen their earnings dwindle with Uber's presence in the British capital. Last month, Uber won back its license to operate in London, after the transportation authority initially cited the company's poor working conditions. Cheddar's Kristen Scholer and Tim Stenovec get into the latest.
The company, which counts former House Speaker John Boehner as a board member, just brought in $119 million in funding. Now Acreage Holdings is getting ready to list shares in Canada, a significant step for the growth and acceptance of cannabis, says George Allen, the company's president.
Peter Loftus, Reporter at the Wall Street Journal, is skeptical of pharmaceutical companies touting lower drug prices. Merck may be cutting prices on medications, Loftus told Cheddar, but the ones affected represent a smaller percentage of the company's total sales.
Kaniela Ing is fighting for a lead in Hawaii's First Congressional District. Currently ranked fourth in polling, Ing urges progressive Democrats not to take a step back after Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez's historic campaign, but rather to embrace new wave politics.
Facebook has suspended analytics firm Crimson Hexagon for allegedly mishandling user data. The Boston-based company has also been banned from the site for possible ties to a Kremlin-based nonprofit and the U.S. government. Deputy Tech editor at [Mashable Michael Nuñez explains why users should be concerned.](https://mashable.com/2018/07/20/facebook-suspends-crimson-hexagon/)
The U.S. president on Sunday tweeted at Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to "never, ever threaten the United States or you will suffer consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before." His all-caps post came in response to Rouhani's own strongly-worded message for the United States. Cheddar's J.D. Durkin gets into the latest.
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The president's personal attorney recorded a discussion with Trump two months before the election about payments to a former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Trump, according to a New York Times report. Those payments are under investigation for any potential campaign finance law violations. "The White House is in scramble mode," says Siraj Hashmi, Commentary writer at the Washington Examiner.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA) condemns the President’s behavior at his public meeting with Putin and Trump's remarks in the days that followed. “My greatest concern, really, is what might happen over next few weeks and months where Putin decides to take advantage of this weakness,” he tells Cheddar.
