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A filibuster in the Missouri Senate set a new record Wednesday morning, as Democrats continued to demand ballot candy about non-citizen voting and foreign fundraising be removed from an initiative petition bill before it goes to voters.

The previous modern record for longest filibuster was set earlier this year by the Senate Freedom Caucus, who held the floor for 41 hours. Democrats passed that mark at around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

With time ticking down as the legislature is set to adjourn at 6 p.m. Friday, Democrats argue that if Republicans are truly concerned with ensuring only citizens can vote in Missouri elections, there are at least two other bills close to the finish line that include that language.

The GOP could pass those bills, strip the ballot candy out of the initiative petition bill, end the filibuster and allow the Senate to function in its final days, said Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence.

Were more than happy to let that through, he said.

The longest filibuster in Missouri Senate history happened earlier this year, when the Freedom Caucus held the floor for 41 hours. Democrats will pass that mark around 7:30 a.m.

The bill that inspired this weeks filibuster would ask voters to make it harder to amend the Missouri Constitution through the initiative petition process. But it also includes proposals that would bar non-citizens from voting and ban foreign entities from contributing to or sponsoring constitutional amendments, both of which are already illegal.

Democrats say they will not allow the bill to move forward with even an iota of ballot candy.

Theyre trying to disenfranchise not Democratic voters or Republican voters, state Sen. Brian Williams, a Democrat from University City, said Tuesday. Theyre trying to disenfranchise Missouri voters.

The non-citizen voting prohibitions are also included in two bills that would amend the Missouri Constitution to ban ranked-choice voting.

The House passed its version of the ranked-choice voting bill in April, though it hasnt been heard by a Senate committee.

The Senate also passed its version in April. A House committee approved the bill without making any changes, meaning it could be taken up and sent directly to the statewide ballot at any time this week.

The Senate sponsor of the ranked-choice voting measure, GOP Sen. Ben Brown of Washington, couldnt be reached for comment.

But Republicans remain steadfast as of Tuesday afternoon that they want the initiative petition proposal to go to voters with the ballot candy included.

We want to put something that Republican voters want to vote for, said Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican and member of the Senate Freedom Caucus. I think it can look in different ways; however, we dont want to send this bill to conference. Its hard to say exactly whats going to happen, but were very limited on what we can do.

If a compromise cant be reached, Republicans have one tool at their disposal to end the filibuster: invoking a rarely-used procedural tactic called moving the previous question. This immediately ends debate and forces a vote, but Republicans know doing so could have long-term consequences on how the Senate functions.

Moving the previous question is still on the table, Koenig said, but it remains a last resort.

Not all Republicans are looking for a showdown over the initiative petition bill.

Asked Tuesday if he feels any personal urgency to pass the bill, state Sen. Justin Brown, a Rolla Republican, said: I dont.

Senate Democrats have argued invoking the previous question would be an outrage, as theyve worked in good faith with Republicans all session including ending a filibuster of the initiative petition bill earlier this year after ballot candy was removed.

It would be especially outrageous, Democrats contend, because the Senate Freedom Caucus has used the filibuster and other procedural maneuvers to undermine GOP leadership in the chamber and cause gridlock.

A month after Senate Democrats ended a 21-hour filibuster when Republicans agreed to a paired down initiative petition bill, the bills sponsor, state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold, asked a House committee to put the ballot candy back in.

Senate Democrats said theyd been double crossed, so they retaliated by shutting down Senate business for the day.

Rizzo said if the Republicans invoke the previous question, the consequences could last into next session. While he is not returning to the chamber in 2025, Rizzo said Democrats should play by the Freedom Caucuss rules next year.

I would definitely try to do everything I could to be the most disruptive, Rizzo said during his second filibuster shift Tuesday morning. Because there is no reason to go to work if youre not getting the stuff you want or work in good faith because its clearly not rewarded.

Fate of game changer womens health care bill in hands of Missouri Senate

The Senate gridlock stems from the likelihood that Missouri voters will have the chance to vote to re-establish the constitutional right to abortion later this year. A campaign to legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability in recently submitted more than 380,000 signatures to the Missouri Secretary of States office, paving the way for the issue to land on the November ballot.

Republicans hope that by raising the threshold needed to pass citizen-led ballot measures, they will be able to defeat the abortion vote.

In a video posted to social media Tuesday, state Sen. Bill Eigel, a Republican from Weldon Spring, said hed been up all night defending liberty.

Were going to make (the Democrats) continue to talk until theyre ready to see initiative petition reform go to the people of this state, Eigel said. And were going to protect our Constitution. Were going to protect it from the abortionists who want to enshrine a culture of death into the founding document of the state.

The Independents Rudi Keller contributed to this story.

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Democratic filibuster of initiative petition bill exceeds 41 hours, sets new record Missouri Independent - Missouri Independent

New York is poised to play a decisive role in the battle for control of Congress this fall, with roughly a half-dozen House seats considered up for grabs in November most of them currently held by Republicans.

But polling shows President Joe Bidens popularity in New York has sagged since 2020, raising questions about whether he might be a drag on Democrats chances of winning those contested seats and taking back the majority in theUnited States House of Representatives.

The presidents under water in my district, Rep. Mike Lawler recently told Spectrum News NY1.

Lawler is one of four Republicans looking to win reelection in New York congressional districts that Biden carried four years ago. The others are Rep. Marc Molinaro, Rep. Anthony DEsposito andRep. Brandon Williams.

All have been openly critical of the president.

This administration has not been good for upstate New York, and I have no problem saying that, Molinaro said.

Some have gone a step further, formally endorsingformer President Donald Trumps effort to win the Oval Office again. That includes DEsposito, whose Nassau County district went for Biden by nearly 15 percentage points four years ago.

If you think back to a time when President Trump was the president, we had a safer America, a more affordable America. We had an America that you could be proud of, he said when announcing his endorsement in February.

The willingness of these politically vulnerable Republicans to criticize Biden and, in some cases, openly support Trump, offers a clue about the decline in Bidens standing in heavily blue New York heading into November.

House Republican Conference ChairElise Stefanik, whose goal is to keep these seats red, told Spectrum News NY1 in March that, based on the internal polls she is seeing, President Trump is polling stronger in any of those districts, and Joe Bidens numbers are plummeting.

In 2020, Biden won New York state by more than 23 percentage points.

But a recent poll conducted in April by Siena College shows Biden beating Trump by just 10 pointsamong registered voters.

That same poll showed 45% rating Biden favorably, compared to 52% unfavorably.

Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said that while an April poll is not a predictor of what's going to happen in November, he argued it could be a warning sign.

It should be concerning to Democrats. It should be concerning to the Biden campaign, Greenbergsaid.

The poll, which has an overall margin of error of +/- 4.1 percentage points, also showed that as of mid-April, 27% of registered voters across New York believe the United States is on the right track. Nearly two-thirds said the country is headed in the wrong direction.

Some Republicans see opportunity in these lagging polls.

Lawler, for instance, said that Biden is not the same president that won my district by 10 points in 2020.

Asked if the presidents polling could complicate things for his Democratic rival, former Congressman Mondaire Jones, Lawler said he thinks it could.

Look, people are unhappy. They are unhappy with the direction of the country,Lawler said.

Spectrum News NY1 asked some of the Democrats in these competitive seats whether they worry Biden could be an anchor on their own electoral chances.

Laura Gillen, who is pursuing a rematch against DEsposito on Long Island after losing by just under 10,000 votes in 2022, argued that the expected boost in voter turnout tied to the presidential race should actually increase her odds.

She then pivoted to her own contest, saying that she is focused on holding Anthony DEsposito accountable to his record and for the positions that he's taken. And for the lack of results that he's delivered.

Hudson Valley Rep. Pat Ryan, one of two Democratic incumbents in New Yorks competitive seats the other is Rep. Tom Suozzi on Long Island pointed to the issues, arguing November is about contrasts.

It's not even about any individual. It's about: Do you want to go forward with an optimistic, hopeful vision or do you want to go backwards to more, really, division? Ryan said.

Some of the Democrats in these races have at times sought to distance themselves from the White House, particularly on immigration an issue that has dogged Biden.

Ryan, for instance, recently joined colleagues in writing a letterto the president, urging him to take executive action on the border.

Josh Riley, a Democrat running in a district just north of Ryans, offered this take on the president, saying hes done a terrible job on the border.

And so have all of the politicians, frankly,Riley said.

Regardless of the polling, though, at least one Republican was quick to downplay any boost he may get from Biden lagging.

I still got to earn every vote, Molinaro said.

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With sagging polls, could Biden hurt Democrats in critical New York House races? - Spectrum News NY1

L.L. Bean has just added a third shift at its factory in Brunswick, Maine, in an attempt to keep up with demand for its iconic boot.

Orders have quadrupled in the past few years as the boots have become more popular among a younger, more urban crowd.

The company says it saw the trend coming and tried to prepare, but orders outpaced projections. They expect to sell 450,000 pairs of boots in 2014.

People hoping to have the boots in time for Christmas are likely going to be disappointed. The bootsare back ordered through February and even March.

"I've been told it's a good problem to have but I"m disappointed that customers not getting what they want as quickly as they want," said Senior Manufacturing Manager Royce Haines.

Customers like, Mary Clifford, tried to order boots on line, but they were back ordered until January.

"I was very surprised this is what they are known for and at Christmas time you can't get them when you need them," said Clifford.

People who do have boots are trying to capitalize on the shortage and are selling them on Ebay at a much higher cost.

L.L. Bean says it has hired dozens of new boot makers, but it takes up to six months to train someone to make a boot.

The company has also spent a million dollars on new equipment to try and keep pace with demand.

Some customers are having luck at the retail stores. They have a separate inventory, and while sizes are limited, those stores have boots on the shelves.

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Thousands of Philly Democrats wrote in names other than Biden during Pa. Primary, data shows - NBC Philadelphia

Outside money pouring into ads in an Oregon swing district in recent days spurred accusations from Democrats that Republicans are meddling to ensure incumbent GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces a weaker opponent in November.

Democrats Janelle Bynum and Jamie McLeod-Skinner are in a fierce contest for the Democratic nomination in the 5th Congressional District, which stretches from Bend to Portland and is one of a handful of races nationwide that could determine control of the U.S. House. Ads for both candidates have accelerated ahead of the May 21 deadline to return ballots.

On Wednesday, ads began running on Portland TV stations praising 2022 nominee McLeod-Skinner for fighting for Medicare for all and putting progressive values into action. The super PAC that paid more than $460,000 to air the ads, Health Equity Now, registered with the Federal Election Commission on May 3 and wont disclose its funders until after the election.

But Democrats, including McLeod-Skinners primary opponent, state Rep. Janelle Bynum, suspect the new group is tied to Republican operatives. It used an ad vendor, FiDi Media, which primarily works with Republican campaigns. And the groups treasurer, Trevor Kowalski, was the assistant treasurer on a political committee for former NFL player Herschel Walker during his 2022 Republican campaign for the U.S. Senate in Georgia.

During the Walker campaign, Kowalski reported sharing an address with Sal Purpura, a Republican compliance operative who has been paid by several national candidates and political action committees. Another apparent housemate of Purpuras in 2020 managed a PAC that bought ads to boost a lagging North Carolina Senate candidate in a move Democrats denounced as an attempt to undermine the strongest Democratic candidate vying for a chance to face incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.

That history prompted Bynums campaign to refer to the Health Equity Now ads as shady GOP election meddling.

Democrats need to know what MAGA Republicans already do: There is only one candidate who can defeat extremist Lori Chavez-DeRemer this November and that is Janelle Bynum, Bynum campaign manager Blakely Wall said. Let us be crystal clear, Jamie McLeod-Skinner is House Republicans dream opponent because they know they can beat her making this shady GOP election meddling in a Democratic primary all the more alarming.

McLeod-Skinner said in a statement that she has never heard of Health Equity Now and that she doesnt support undisclosed money in elections. She added that the ads are correct about her health care policies.

McLeod-Skinner and her campaign have claimed corporations and Republicans are meddling to support Bynum, who McLeod-Skinner maintains is the weaker candidate. That claim stems from the nearly $475,000 spent on ads and mail supporting Bynum from the 314 Action Fund, a political action committee that exists to elect more scientists to political positions. The group supported McLeod-Skinner in her 2022 campaign and now backs Bynum.

The 314 Action fund also spent $1.7 million to support state Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, in the 3rd Congressional District and tear down fellow Democrat Susheela Jayapal, a former Multnomah County commissioner. The Intercept reported based on unnamed congressional sources that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is funneling money for that race through 314 Action Fund, as AIPAC disagrees with Jayapals stances on Middle Eastern politics.

The 314 Action Fund doesnt have to reveal its donors until May 20, the day before the primary. In the meantime, Dexters and Bynums primary opponents have claimed, without providing evidence, that MAGA Republicans are behind the science committees political spending. AIPAC has endorsed Chavez-DeRemer and contributes to both Democratic and Republican campaigns throughout the country.

I share the concern about Republicans trying to tip the primary given that it appears that AIPAC, which supports MAGA Republicans who encouraged the January 6th attack on our democracy, has already inserted itself on behalf of Janelle Bynum, McLeod-Skinner said in a statement.

She and her campaign have continued to fundraise on allegations that dark money is supporting Bynum in an attempt to ultimately help McLeod-Skinner.

Corporate and undisclosed money is flooding into our district in a blatant attempt to buy this seat, campaign manager Kelie McWilliams wrote in a Wednesday email seeking contributions. The reason they are attacking Jamie is simple: they want a weak Democrat running against Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in November its the only way they can keep this seat red.

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Revised May 17 with an updated dollar amount for the ads bought by Health Equity Now.

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Outside money in Oregon swing district prompts claims of Republican meddling Oregon Capital Chronicle - Oregon Capital Chronicle

President Biden addressed the crowd at a November 2022 rally in Bowie. Photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

A coalition of progressive voters is celebrating the historic impact of its efforts to pressure President Biden to call for a cease-fire in Gaza, by getting 10% of Democrats to buck the president and vote uncommitted in Tuesdays primary.

But analysts said that the 47,587 uncommitted votes cast Tuesday are likely not fatal to Bidens general election campaign.

Neither of these candidates can take any voter for granted. And both of them have to pay attention to any defections, Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Marys College of Maryland, said of Biden and likely Republican nominee Donald Trump.

But the question is: are the defections outside of the norm of history. And at least when it comes to Biden and the uncommitted vote, the answer is no, it does not, he said.

But members of Listen to Maryland, a coalition of frustrated voters are declaring a resounding expression of protest against the Biden administration.

Listen to Maryland representative Anna Evans-Goldstein, a 36-year-old Baltimore resident, said the protest vote is to push for the Biden administration to actually listen to the voters who voted him into office. She said she was pleased with Tuesdays results.

Electoral politics is one of the tools at our disposal in this democracy to register dissent, she said. In primary elections, since we have an uncommitted option in Maryland, it is a way for voters to signal to the leader of the party and the party itself that they disagree with a particular stance, the policies and whats going on.

She noted that there were 23,725 uncommitted Democratic votes in 2020, about 2.3% of the Democratic primary vote that year. The number nearly doubled this year, when there were fewer overall voters, accounting for just over 10% of the vote, according to unofficial results.

But Eberly says that comparing Tuesdays results to the 2020 primaries is an apples to oranges comparison, because there were more than a dozen Democratic candidates on the ballot then, including relatively popular alternatives to Biden such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.

Eberly says the more apt comparison is the 2012 Democratic primary, when incumbent President Barack Obama was seeking reelection. That year, 37,704 Democrats voted uncommitted, or about 11.5% of 288,766 total votes the primary.

Joe Biden did better than Barack Obama did when he was seeking reelection, Eberly said. So its hard to view that as any kind of victory, moral or otherwise, for the folks who were organizing the uncommitted vote.

Maryland is the latest in a string of states with an uncommitted voter campaign, and Listen to Maryland supporters say the primary results add to a coalition of voters who are frustrated with the options at hand.

In March, 13% of Michigans Democratic primary voters cast uncommitted ballots, followed by 19% of Democrats in Minnesota, among other states.

A Leave it Blank flier that is circulating in New York ahead of that states Democratic primary. Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images.

Its not clear how the uncommitted primary voters will act in the general presidential election come November whether theyll abstain from the election altogether, ultimately vote for Biden or seek a third option.

Patrick Oray, a 56-year-old Baltimore high school teacher, said this was the first year he voted uncommitted in the primary.

Weve been disgusted with whats going on in Gaza and our supports, military and financial, of Israel in Gaza, Oray said. And we have to say something.

That said, he will probably vote for Biden in November, even if the president does not call for a cease-fire.

But Daljit Soni, 43, an attorney and the daughter of immigrants from northern India, said she is not sure how shell vote if Biden doesnt pause aid to Israel.

Well have to wait and see, she said. Im not sure what I am going to do if he doesnt change course.

Evans-Goldstein said the Listen to Maryland campaign is over and it not will provide directions for what its voter bloc should do in the general election.

I cant speak to what anybody is going to do from now on, she said. This was exclusively a campaign focused on the primaries.

Marylands Republican Party took note of the 47,000 uncommitted Democratic voters, who they see as potential targets to recruit in the general election.

My initial assessment is that President Biden has lost some of his voter base he needs to be able to win them back, said Maryland GOP Chairwoman Nicole Beus Harris. It also tells me that those Democrat voters are perhaps even questioning bigger overall things, the presidential policies or even Democrat policy in general, that they might agree with Republicans on policy standpoints and our plans for America.

The Biden campaign responded to the uncommitted vote, saying the president believes making your voice heard and participating in our democracy is fundamental to who we are as Americans. But those voters and the president have the same goals, the officials said.

He shares the goal for an end to the violence and a just, lasting peace in the Middle East. Hes working tirelessly to that end, said Lauren Hitt, a campaign spokesperson.

Eberly also noted that 20.55% of Maryland Republicans bucked Trump on Tuesday and cast their votes for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who dropped out of the GOP race in March. That indicates that the Republican Party has a similar enthusiasm problem that will need to be addressed, Eberly said.

Given the choice, Eberly said he would rather the 10% uncommitted than the 20% who voted for Nikki Haley on the Republican side.

I think that the Biden campaign is going to be more interested in trying to attract the 20% of Haley voters than they are going to worry about the 10% uncommitted, he said.

Both of these candidates have flaws. I think its safe to say that voters arent excited that either of them are the nominee of their party, and I think that is something that they both have to overcome in November, Eberly said.

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Will Maryland's 'uncommitted' primary voters sway Biden administration on Gaza cease-fire? - Maryland Matters