Articles by Cara Brown McCormick

I voted sticker being put on someone.
Republican Joins Democrats in Maine to Give Voters More Choice
Showing an independent streak in keeping with Maine’s political tradition, Sen. Rick Bennett (R–Oxford) broke ranks with his party this week to join 91 Democrats in supporting a bill that would finally fulfill the will of Maine voters: implementing ranked choice voting (RCV) in all state general elections.
How It Really Works Health Care Behind Bars
Health Care Behind Bars - How It Really Works
The health care crisis behind bars affects two distinct but deeply connected groups: incarcerated individuals and correctional officers. While incarcerated people are constitutionally entitled to care, access remains inconsistent, and most enter custody with significant medical and mental health needs. They face higher rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, and psychiatric conditions than the general public.
Downtown LA.
Peaceful, and Violent, Protests in Los Angeles
What began as peaceful immigration policy protests on June 6 has escalated into a national political crisis, with violent clashes, arrests, looted businesses, burning Waymo cars, a smashed government building, nighttime curfews, and an epic legal showdown between California officials and President Donald Trump fueled by partisan flames of political division.
US map divided in blue and red with a white ballot box on top.
Could Maine Be the First State to Exit the National Popular Vote Compact?
On May 20, the Maine House of Representatives voted 76–71 to withdraw the state from the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC), reversing course just over a year after Maine became the 17th jurisdiction to join the agreement.
New York City
Nine Democrats Face Off in NYC Mayoral Debate as Ranked Choice Voting, Cuomo Probe, and Independent Bid from Adams Reshape the Race
A crowded field of nine Democratic candidates will take the stage tonight, June 4, in the first official debate of the 2025 New York City mayoral primary. Held at NBC’s 30 Rock studios and co-sponsored by the city’s Campaign Finance Board, NBC 4 New York, Telemundo 47, and POLITICO New York, the debate comes at a pivotal moment in a race already shaped by political upheaval, criminal investigations, and the unique dynamics of ranked choice voting.
Bernie Sanders on the campaign trail.
Bernie Sanders Endorses Troy Jackson in Maine Governor’s Race: 'He Knows What It’s Like to Feel Powerless'
In a significant early endorsement in Maine’s 2026 governor’s race, US Senator Bernie Sanders has thrown his support behind Troy Jackson, the former Maine Senate President and longtime champion of working-class issues and political reform.
Person handling cannabis in shop.
California Assembly Unanimously Approves Bill to Halt Major Cannabis Tax Hike
In a stunning show of bipartisan agreement, the California Assembly voted 74-0 on June 2 to approve legislation that would pause a significant tax increase on the state’s legal cannabis industry. 
Caribou on grass with a snow-covered mountain in Alaska in the background.
With Support from Both Alaska Senators, Trump Cabinet Members Tour the North Slope and Move to Reverse Alaska Drilling Protections
The Trump administration has proposed reversing a Biden-era policy that barred new oil, gas, and mining development across much of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), a vast, ecologically and economically significant area roughly the size of Indiana. 
US currency
Independent Voters Reject Medicaid Cuts as Senate GOP Struggles to Unite on Budget Bill
As the Senate begins debate Monday on President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” polling underscores a widening gap between congressional Republicans and the independent voters they will need to win future elections. At the center of the conflict is Medicaid.