Author

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana Figueroa

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

Democratic women governors showcased at DNC event with ‘Veep’ star Julia Louis-Dreyfus

By: - August 21, 2024

CHICAGO — Actress and climate activist Julia Louis-Dreyfus asked eight Democratic women governors Wednesday if she would be ready for public office after playing a vice president and president on the hit cable TV show “Veep.” “You’re more qualified than Donald Trump, don’t worry about it,” New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul quickly replied, to […]

Harris campaign launches bilingual WhatsApp channel to draw Latino voters in swing states

By: - August 21, 2024

CHICAGO — Latino lawmakers and organizers Wednesday stressed their voting bloc as key to delivering battleground states to Democrats in November, as the Harris campaign launched a bilingual WhatsApp channel to target Latino voters. “The Latino vote will be the deciding factor in this election,” actress and Democratic surrogate Eva Longoria said during a Hispanic […]

UAW’s Shawn Fain predicts working-class support for Harris-Walz ticket

By: - August 20, 2024

CHICAGO — United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain told reporters Tuesday that working-class people can see themselves in the new Democratic presidential ticket. “There’s a very distinct difference in these two people and where they stand with working-class people,” Fain said of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. […]

‘Never, ever give up’: Hillary Clinton urges Democrats to fight for Harris win

By: - August 20, 2024

CHICAGO — Hillary Clinton, the first woman to clinch a major political party’s presidential nomination, on the first night of the Democratic National Convention praised Vice President Kamala Harris — the second woman in U.S. history to be nominated — for her bright vision for the nation and her ability to lead the country forward. […]

Florida Dems say support for abortion rights ballot measure will help drive Harris votes

By: - August 19, 2024

CHICAGO — Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried told delegates at a breakfast meeting at the Democratic National Convention Monday that an abortion-related ballot measure will make the Sunshine State a battleground in the November elections. “We will not be counted out,” Fried said, sporting a white blazer — often symbolic of the women’s suffrage […]

Red-state Democratic legislators praise Harris-Walz ticket for invigorating voters

By: - August 19, 2024

CHICAGO — State legislators from across the country mingled Monday during a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee meeting at the Democratic National Convention, where they overwhelmingly agreed that the new Harris-Walz presidential ticket has reenergized the party base. “I think that there is a collective opportunity to bring a whole new set of Democrats, and voters […]

Black women quickly mobilize to boost Kamala Harris presidential bid?

By: - August 19, 2024

WASHINGTON — As Vice President Kamala Harris prepares to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention Thursday, making her the first Black and South Asian woman to lead a major party ticket, her nomination has energized a strong and loyal voting bloc in the Democratic Party — Black women. Since President Joe Biden […]

The big moment arrives for Harris: Democratic convention kicks off Monday in Chicago?

By: and - August 19, 2024

WASHINGTON — Just a little over a month after she became a candidate for president in the biggest shakeup in generations of presidential politics, Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday will deliver a widely anticipated speech accepting the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention in Chicago. Harris’ ascent to the top of the ticket after […]

Mark your calendar: VP candidates Walz and Vance to debate Oct. 1

By: - August 15, 2024

WASHINGTON — Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance Thursday agreed to an Oct. 1 vice presidential debate against Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on CBS News. Walz agreed to the October debate invitation from CBS on Wednesday. It will take place in New York City. Vance also argued for more debates against Walz, including one on […]

Walz agrees to Oct. 1 vice presidential debate on CBS

By: - August 14, 2024

WASHINGTON — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has agreed to a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 hosted by CBS News. In a statement, CBS News said it reached out to both presidential campaigns, but it’s unclear if the Republican vice presidential candidate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, will participate in the debate in New York City. […]

Trump agrees to Sept. 10 debate with Harris, claims two more upcoming

By: - August 8, 2024

WASHINGTON — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Thursday he has agreed to debate Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Sept. 10, a reversal from his position last week that he would not participate in the ABC News event. During a press conference at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the former president said […]

Harris, Democratic leaders honor Jackson Lee at Houston service

By: - August 1, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic presidential nominee, praised the late U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, one of the most prominent Black women lawmakers in Congress, in a Thursday eulogy focused on the Texan’s decades of fierce advocacy. “Her fight was born out of love, she had a big, big heart,” Harris said. “Very […]