Politics and views in the United States

Lawmakers warn against political violence after an assassination attempt rocks Washington. Postal workers call for expanded mail-in voting and Delaware launches an election security task force to push back against federal intrusion.

Transcript

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

What the American people need to do is take a breath, confirm their facts, talk to their elected officials, think a bit before they judge people.

They all have a role to play, and we and elected officers do as well.

Our words matter, and we need to be very measured in the way that we use them.

Republican North Carolina Senator Tom Tillis is repeating his calls for lowering the temperature following a third assassination attempt on President Donald Trump Saturday.

Police say accused lone gunman Cole Thomas Allen sent family members a manifesto before targeting administration officials at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

He allegedly exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents in the hotel, but was tackled.

Members of Congress are calling for a bipartisan commission on political violence, citing last year's assassination of a Minnesota Democrat and her husband, followed by the shooting of right-wing leader Charlie Kirk in Utah.

Mail carriers in Ohio are calling for an expansion of vote-by-mail, even as a Trump executive order would sharply restrict it.

The order faces a steep legal barrier, but it would ban the practice for most and would require the Postal Service to check anyone sending a mail-in ballot against a newly created federal database of citizens.

Jen Lemke with the American Postal Workers Union in Toledo says the option is crucial for people with transportation issues or disabilities and troops on deployment.

I handle ballots every single day during election season, and I see how important it is when people come in and they want to mail their ballots in and they're handing me over their ballots.

They're very, very proud to give it to us.

Nearly a fifth of Ohio voters cast their ballots by mail.

Trump argues, without evidence, that non-citizen voting is widespread and mail-in voting is rife with fraud.

Delaware's Democratic governor, Matthew Meyer, is issuing an executive order meant to protect state election administration from federal intrusion.

He says he's naming a task force because the U.S.

Department of Justice wants to force access to unredacted confidential voter data.

I don't want to sugarcoat it.

We're here today for one reason and one reason only.

Our democracy is being threatened.

The basic concept of one person, one vote is being threatened and it's not an accident.

DOJ is suing half of the states to get voter data, again alleging non-citizen voting.

So far, courts have uniformly ruled against the suits.

A Republican-like California voting measure will be on the ballot this fall after activists submitted nearly a million signatures.

It would require a government ID to vote in person or similar information if voting by mail.

U.S. state legislatures are now one-third women, more than ever before.

Nearly 40 percent of Minnesota's body is female.

Nevada Little Wolf is with women winning in the state.

If you've never had to make a decision about whether to have a child or not have a child, or whether your children are growing up in a safe and healthy community, then you're not really going to be strongly equipped to really solve for those issues.

The Virginia Supreme Court will hear arguments this morning on whether a recently passed redistricting referendum will go into effect.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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