As Democrats look to expand their House majority, they are hoping to flip the seat for Texas' 24th congressional district.
Republican incumbent Rep. Kenny Marchant is retiring, leaving the seat up for grabs in a district where Donald Trump had a strong showing in the 2016 presidential election, but Democrat Beto O'Rourke performed well in his failed 2018 bid for Senate
Now, if the Democratic nominee Candace Valenzuela manages to pull off a win, she will make history as the country's first Afro-Latina congresswoman.
Still, the idea that lawmakers continue to make history by breaking racial and cultural barriers reflects the lack of progress America has made.
"The fact that I'm the first in 2020, it just speaks to the fact that we've been lacking representation in so many different ways," she noted.
After winning in a primary runoff, Valenzuela told Cheddar she is confident that she will be heading to Washington because she can relate to the voters in her community.
"It's the quintessential American story," Valenzuela said. "It's the story of families fighting for the ability to put a roof over their heads, put food on the table, to see their children succeed because they have access to education they need."
For Valenzuela, life has presented its share of obstacles including homelessess that drove her family to live in shelters, and even outside of a gas station, but through government-assisted programs she says they persevered and landed on solid ground.
"Those opportunities are those that I'm fighting for every Texas and every American," she said. "We were able to get things together through some key programs. Housing through HUD, we got food stamps, and public schools became a source of stability, a source of home, a source of social stability for my brother and I."
As no stranger to hitting life's curveballs,Valenzuela said the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic will not stop her from delivering her message of relatability to voters.
"Instead of knocking on doors, we've been making phone calls, we've been shooting texts, we've been having digital town halls on Facebook, on Instagram, on Twitter," she said.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday signaled a cautious approach to future interest rate cuts, in sharp contrast with other Fed officials who have called for a more urgent approach. In remarks in Providence, Rhode Island, Powell noted that there are risks to both of the Fed’s goals of seeking maximum employment and stable prices. His approach is in sharp contrast to some members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee who are pushing for faster cuts.
President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the American media landscape have led to the suspension of late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Jerry Greenfield is leaving the ice cream brand after 47 years. He says the freedom the company used to have to speak up on social issues has been stifled
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point Wednesday and projected it would do so twice more this year as concern grows at the central bank about the health of the nation’s labor market. The move is the Fed’s first cut since December and lowered its short-term rate to about 4.1%, down from 4.3%. Fed officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, had kept their rate unchanged this year as they evaluated the impact of tariffs, tighter immigration enforcement, and other Trump administration policies on inflation and the economy. The only dissenter was Stephen Miran, the recent Trump-appointee.
After a late-night vote and last-minute ruling, the Federal Reserve began a key meeting on interest rate policy Tuesday with both a new Trump administration appointee and an official the White House has targeted for removal.
The Trump administration has issued its first warnings to online services that offer unofficial versions of popular drugs like the blockbuster obesity treatment Wegovy.
Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama says his new Cabinet will include an artificial intelligence “minister” in charge of fighting corruption. The AI, named Diella, will oversee public funding projects and combat corruption in public tenders. Diella was launched earlier this year as a virtual assistant on the government's public service platform. Corruption has been a persistent issue in Albania since 1990. Rama's Socialist Party won a fourth consecutive term in May. It aims to deliver EU membership for Albania in five years, but the opposition Democratic Party remains skeptical.
The Trump administration has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors by Monday, before the central bank’s next vote on interest rates. Trump sought to fire Cook Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled late Tuesday that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Fed’s board.
President Donald Trump's administration is appealing a ruling blocking him from immediately firing Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook as he seeks more control over the traditionally independent board. The notice of appeal was filed Wednesday, hours after U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb handed down the ruling. The White House insists the Republican president had the right to fire Cook over mortgage fraud allegations involving properties in Michigan and Georgia from before she joined the Fed. Cook's lawsuit denies the allegations and says the firing was unlawful. The case could soon reach the Supreme Court, which has allowed Trump to fire members of other independent agencies but suggested that power has limitations at the Fed.
Chief Justice John Roberts has let President Donald Trump remove a member of the Federal Trade Commission, the latest in a string of high-profile firings allowed for now by the Supreme Court.
