Politics and views in the United States

Democrat Scott Colom wins Mississippi Senate race, former Senator Joe Manchin says Hegseth impeachment was all politics, and the House considers a bill to help veterans after passing a bill harming them.

Transcript

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

I knew we could win.

I knew there were voters out there that loved our state more than they loved a political party.

And I just share my values with the people and my vision.

It's a great moment for Mississippi because we're getting the attention we deserve.

Democrat Scott Colombe won the Mississippi Senate race over incumbent Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Voting rights groups in the state say counting ballots took longer because hundreds of thousands of registered voters were labeled inactive by the Secretary of State's office.

Cologne is the first black senator to represent the Magnolia State since 1881.

Democrats now have a 55 to 44 majority in the Senate, with Alaska's race being the only one yet to be called for the high chamber.

Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin feels impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hexeth would have held up more important congressional business.

He notes the proceedings would have slowed down approval of the Senate permitting bill and delayed passing the National Defense Authorization Act.

Manchin says it wasn't the right time to move ahead with this.

That would have got nothing done.

And next of all, it wouldn't have been fruitful because it's a political court, if you will.

I mean, it's all done by politics.

The votes aren't there right now.

Now, whether they'll be there later, who knows?

While Democrats plan to investigate corruption in the Trump administration, the White House sent a letter to the incoming House Oversight Committee chair saying Democrats have shown intent to violate constitutional limits on investigations.

It adds the inquiries will be more about scoring political points than achieving legislative goals.

But grassroots organizations want Democrats to use their new majority to impeach President Donald Trump.

Some groups cite Trump circumventing Congress's authority on the Iran war, but others feel this will distract from lawmakers addressing affordability.

Given corruption was a high priority for midterm voters, California Democratic Representative-elect Angela Gonzalez-Torres says accountability is important.

I am letting everyone know that we need to set the bar higher.

We need to make sure that the American people just voted for means something.

The House is voting today on the Major Richard Starr Act.

The bill ends the wounded veteran tax and offset taking a dollar of retirement pay from combat wounded medically retired veterans for every dollar of Veterans Affairs Disability Compensation they receive.

It's drawn support from veterans groups and Defense Secretary Pete Hegs that the Republicans blocked the bill for years due to cost concerns.

California Democratic Representative Mark Takano says the excuse about the perceived price doesn't hold up.

This excuse was brought up repeatedly, even though those same individuals who complain about costs have no problem sending their soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to war and approving the trillion-dollar Pentagon budgets that come along with it.

This comes after House Republicans passed the Take Care of America's Veterans Act without a single Democratic member in the chamber.

The bill is divisive among veterans groups because of a provision cutting almost $57 billion in benefits for veterans with sleep apnea and tinnitus.

The House canceled a vote on the bill earlier this year due to a lack of support.

I'm Edwin J. Viera for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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