Politics and views in the United States

Voters in Arkansas, North Carolina, and Texas kick off the 2026 midterm primary elections, nuclear weapons experts warn of a diplomacy breakdown as the Iran war expands and blue states aim to hike taxes on the ultra-rich.

TRANSCRIPT

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

It's really about taking advantage of your opportunity to vote and not rolling over so that maybe representative government doesn't represent you.

Stacey Blakely with the nonprofit Builders Movement says their new ad campaign encourages Texas voters not to curl up and hide from the primary elections like Armadillo's.

That looks unlikely.

The extremely close Democratic Senate contest between Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett and State Representative James Tallarico has seen a record turnout, and the contentious Republican battle may go to a runoff.

Former North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper will face former RNC Chair Michael Watley when trying to replace retiring Republican Senator Tom Tillis.

In Arkansas, the race for governor and all the seats in Congress are rated solidly Republican.

As the Iran war escalates, nuclear weapons experts say they're concerned about a new arms race.

Alicia Sanders-Zachry with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons says U.N. inspectors haven't visited Iran's nuclear facilities since a U.S. bombing campaign last summer and warns that nuclear materials could be stolen in the chaos.

"It's very concerning and certainly the risk of nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear use is now much higher than it was before the Israeli and U.S. strikes."

The arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia just expired, with President Donald Trump expressing little concern.

The administration's telling Congress the U.S. will increase the intensity of attacks on Iran, but it's publicly giving various justifications, goals and timelines for the conflict.

A group of moderate House Democrats has introduced a War Powers resolution, giving the White House more leeway than the resolution backed by party leadership, which would require the immediate withdrawal of forces.

A vote is expected this week.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before a Senate committee as lawmakers grappled over her unprecedented budget.

Tillis, the North Carolina moderate Republican and administration critic, pilloried Noem for violating citizens' rights in an effort to reach a preset quota for deportations.

Quality matters, not quantity.

Quality.

And what we've seen is a disaster.

Under your leadership, Ms. Noem, a disaster.

During her testimony, Nome declined to apologize for implying two Minnesota residents shot and killed by ICE agents were domestic terrorists.

Progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation to create a 5 percent annual wealth tax on America's billionaires.

More than 100 bills have been filed in state capitals to raise taxes on the ultra rich.

Ryan Tipping with the group Mainers for Tax Fairness says Americans want their government to fund public services, not kickbacks to wealthy donors.

They're raising costs for regular people who can least afford it so they can give even more to those that already have everything.

I'm Catherine Carley for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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