First they marched, now they're running. Lauren Underwood is one of the many first-time female candidates seeking public office in 2018. She joins Cheddar to discuss why the time is right to challenge the GOP incumbent in Illinois' 14th congressional district.
Underwood is a registered nurse who served as an aide to the Department of Health and Human Services during the Obama Administration. She reveals how her own pre-existing condition turned the healthcare debate into a more personal issue. The candidate explains how she was inspired by her own personal experiences to run for the seat.
Underwood reveals how her candidacy helped inspire two other contenders to run for office. She considers whether campaigns like hers would have been possible had Hillary Clinton won the 2016 presidential election. The event served as a turning point in the minds of many women choosing to run for office for the first time.
With a government shutdown five days away, Congress is moving into crisis mode as Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces an insurgency from hard-right Republicans eager to slash spending even if it means curtailing federal services for millions of Americans.
Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey announced on Saturday that he will run against Sen. Robert Menendez in the state’s Democratic primary for Senate next year, saying he feels compelled to run against the three-term senator after he and his wife were indicted on sweeping corruption charges.
