In the wake of the 2016 election, social media has been singled out for blame for the ways in which some platforms were so easily manipulated into tools against democracy.
For 23-year-old Richard Wolf, it’s a completely different story; social media is the driving force behind his campaign to become the Democratic nominee in Texas House District 63.
“At least for my district...online communities have really put together a lot of really strong volunteers...and have really mobilized the Democrats in my area,” Wolf told Cheddar.
Wolf has been wielding memes to discuss liberal policy proposals on social media, which he says is the most cost-efficient and unfiltered way to campaign. So far, he has only spent about $200 on online advertising.
“Basically, I just make whatever I want, do whatever I like, and I put that online,” Wolf said. “So far, I’ve been getting pretty positive responses.”
Early voting numbers for the Texas primary on Tuesday show that Democratic turnout has surpassed GOP voting, giving the party momentum and hope to flip the Lone Star State. The Democrats face an uphill battle there as the Republicans now hold 95 of the 150 seats in the state House. But Wolf sees positive signs.
“People are not happy with the Trump administration...and we can see the Republican party kind of losing energy.” said Wolf.
Only time will tell whether the rising Democrat tide will lift Wolf’s boat at the ballot box.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/how-this-texas-house-candidate-is-using-memes-to-move-the-state-leftward).
A legislative package to end the government shutdown appears on track. A handful of Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to advance the bill after what's become a deepening disruption of federal programs and services. But hurdles remain. Senators are hopeful they can pass the package as soon as Monday and send it to the House. What’s in and out of the bipartisan deal has drawn criticism and leaves few senators fully satisfied. The legislation includes funding for SNAP food aid and other programs while ensuring backpay for furloughed federal workers. But it fails to fund expiring health care subsidies Democrats have been fighting for, pushing that debate off for a vote next month.
Sabrina Siddiqui, National Politics Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, joins to break down the SNAP funding delays and the human cost of the ongoing shutdown.
Arguments at the Supreme Court have concluded for the day as the justices consider President Donald Trump's sweeping unilateral tariffs in a trillion-dollar test of executive power.
President Donald Trump said he has decided to lower his combined tariff rates on imports of Chinese goods to 47% after talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on curbing fentanyl trafficking.
The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday for a second time this year as it seeks to shore up economic growth and hiring even as inflation stays elevated. The move comes amid a fraught time for the central bank, with hiring sluggish and yet inflation stuck above the Fed’s 2% target. Compounding its challenges, the central bank is navigating without much of the economic data it typically relies on from the government. The Fed has signaled it may reduce its key rate again in December but the data drought raises the uncertainty around its next moves. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters that there were “strongly differing views” at the central bank's policy meeting about to proceed going forward.
