*By Christian Smith*
Mallory Hagan, crowned Miss America in 2013, wanted to change the stereotypes Americans have about Alabama.
So she decided to run for Congress.
"We are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to healthcare, when it comes to government transparency, when it comes to education, quality of life. But we are at the top when it comes to corruption," Hagan said in an interview on Cheddar Monday. "So many people have a really awful view of our state, and it's a really beautiful place."
Hagan won the Democratic nomination for Alabama's third congressional district in the June 5 primary. She will take on the 16-year incumbent, Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, in the general election on November 5.
Rogers won his last campaign in 2016 by 34 points over the Democratic challenger Jesse Smith. But despite the district's conservative voting record, Hagan believes she can make inroads by galvanizing local college students who don't normally vote.
"My plan is to engage young people in this process, get them involved in this campaign and show them that their vote and their voice does in fact matter, and that their involvement in politics is crucial to the future of our nation," Hagan said.
At the heart of her campaign is the goal of fixing Alabama's healthcare system. The state has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country. In 2016, nine out of every 1,000 newborns died before reaching their first birthday, which is a higher rate than many developing nations.
Hagan's critics question whether her experience as Miss America has any relevance in politics. In the 29-year-old's eyes, winning the title and working with charitable causes around the country was the perfect prep for serving in Congress.
"I've represented our nation before, and I'm ready to represent the people of Alabama," Hagan said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/miss-america-takes-on-new-challenge-congress).
As President Biden travels to Europe this week amid Russia's ongoing invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, former Obama campaign foreign policy advisor and former Bush administration State Department official David Tafuri, joined Cheddar News to discuss the president's stop in Brussels, Belgium, to coordinate with NATO leaders efforts to dissuade Russian President Putin's war. "The maintenance of sanctions and increasingly ratcheting up the sanctions is what he thinks will cause a country like Russia to back off," Tafuri said of Biden. "And so he's committed to that strategy."
John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joined Cheddar News to discuss the growing unionization push by employees at Starbucks and Amazon, and the wider implications of employee organization at these big companies.
Cheddar's Arielle Hixson sat down with five Black women making history as part of the Biden administration's communications team. Karine Jean-Pierre, the principal deputy press secretary; Khanya Brann, the chief of staff to Kate Bedingfield; Amanda Finney, the chief of staff to Jen Psaki; Erica Loewe, the director of African American media; and Rykia Dorsey, the senior regional communications director, shared their stories.
President Biden has embarked on a crucial trip to meet with allies in Belgium and Poland to discuss new sanctions on Russia as it continues to wage war on Ukraine. The president will seek to address the growing humanitarian crisis out of Ukraine, demonstrate a united Western front against Russia, and reassure Ukraine that it has support from the U.S. Joel Rubin, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State & President of the Washington Strategy Group, breaks down what to expect from the President's crucial visit to Europe.
Catching you up on what you need to know Mar 24, 2022, with NATO meeting updates, Ukraine retaking suburbs around Kyiv, the spread of omicron subvariant BA.2 in China, Google Pay launching a third-party billing option, and a 16-year-old is suspected of being the Lapsus$ mastermind behind hacks of Microsoft and others.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week fell to its lowest level in 52 years as the U.S. job market continues to show strength in the midst of rising costs and an ongoing virus pandemic.
Alicia Garza joined Cheddar News to talk about the Black Futures Lab where serves as founder and principal. The non-profit organization seeks to develop grassroots power in the Black community with projects like the Black Census, which takes into account the granular experiences of the demographic. "What we know about Black folks and the reason that we decided to focus on black communities again, it's because we're being left out and left behind their stories being told about us without our input and without our shaping," she said. "If we want a robust democracy in this country, we have to change that equation." Garza also touched on issues around voter suppression and the midterm elections.
Sean O'Hara, President of Pacer ETF's, explains why investors who were down after Jerome Powell's remarks on inflation Monday were more optimistic on Tuesday as the major indexes ended the day near session highs.
