*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).
Stock trading app Robinhood already has been offering cryptocurrency investments but seems further excited about the asset class following President Biden's recent announcement of an executive order. Dan Gallagher, the chief legal and corporate affairs officer for Robinhood, joined Cheddar News to talk about the White House's tentative vision for digital currency. "I think this executive order firmly states that, yes, crypto is here to stay, which it talks about the important competitive issues around crypto and how the United States needs to be a leader, a global leader, in innovation and technology regarding crypto," he said. Gallagher also discussed having clarity around meme stocks going forward but worried about overregulation slowing down innovation.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the latest inflation report showed the consumer price index rose 7.9 percent — a 40-year high. Heather Boushey, a member of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, joined Cheddar News to discuss what American consumers might be in store for as prices keep rising. "Forecasters at this point believe that the American economy will be resilient," she said. "They’re still predicting that the unemployment rate will continue to be lower at the end of the year than it is today, and we are still seeing folks believe that over time prices will come back down." Boushey did note that it would be dependent on how long the current situation lasts.
Simon Shuster, TIME's Moscow correspondent joins Cheddar to discuss how Ukraine could become part of the EU and what it would mean for politics in Europe.
President Biden has banned imports of Russian oil to the U.S. in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The president warned of higher prices at the gas pump, leading some analysts to think it could propel the transition to clean, renewable energy. Michael Jones, chairman and CEO of investment solutions company Caravel Concepts, discussed how the ban is hitting green energy stocks as gas prices continue to surge. "I think the 10-year prospects for renewables just got a whole lot better because ultimately this is going to force a transition into renewables," he said.
Amid ongoing tensions in the Russia-Ukraine region, many American travelers are nervous about traveling to Europe.
It comes at a time when international travel was set to make a comeback, but uncertainty surrounding the conflict may delay the overall recovery. Francesca Page, Travel Expert, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is coming for the global food supply. Ongoing tensions in the region are threatening the supply of various agricultural products including wheat, barley and corn. Vladik Rikhter, CEO & Cofounder of Zenput joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss how this could impact food prices overseas.
Chris Natividad, CIO of EquBot, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he elaborates on what ultimately dragged the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq lower on Tuesday and discusses how investors are reacting to rising oil prices and February CPI data coming out later this week.
Adam Johnson, Portfolio Manager at Adviser Investments, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he explains why he believes we saw markets jump during Wednesday's session, and adds that investors have already priced in 'every possible kind of bad news we could have.'
Jennifer Klein, the White House Gender Policy Council's co-chair and executive director, spoke to Cheddar News about the economic impact of the pandemic showing the need for a group like the Gender Policy Council, and the need to address issues that have affected women the most,
