Thursday, August 20th

Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, a Democratic Socialists of America-backed lawmaker from Jacksonville, won Tuesday’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, defeating retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman for the nomination. Vindman, a central witness in Donald Trump’s first impeachment, had outspent Nixon by nearly 13-to-1 and was widely backed by party establishment figures. Nixon will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointee to the seat, in November. Her campaign emphasized universal health care, free child care, higher taxes on wealthy households, abolishing ICE and reducing incarceration.

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he will nominate Dr. Heidi Overton, a White House domestic policy adviser, to serve as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. If confirmed by the Senate, Overton would take over an agency that has faced leadership turnover, layoffs and political pressure, following former commissioner Marty Makary’s resignation in May. Overton is a physician and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council who has helped shape Trump’s second-term health agenda. Senate Health Committee Chair Bill Cassidy said her role in a recent vaccine order raised “strong concerns” and was “almost disqualifying.”

President Donald Trump late Tuesday paused for three days planned 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian imports, less than two hours before they were set to take effect. Trump said the U.S. and Canada have a deal subject to finalization of documents, while Prime Minister Mark Carney said it would secure terms for Canada’s strategic sectors. Key terms remained unclear, though reported negotiating terms included cutting Canadian-built vehicle tariffs to 15% from 25% and halving steel and aluminum tariffs to 25%.