"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will heal their land."

Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at University of California, Berkeley and University of Southern California, was assessing Gavin Newsom’s long-running struggle to shake his image as a California elitist. He said Newsom’s forthcoming memoir may not erase the cultural and political distance between the governor and voters in swing states like Ohio or Pennsylvania but could help narrow it by offering more personal context as Newsom’s national profile and 2028 speculation continues to grow. (The Sacramento Bee)

Arizona state Rep. Gail Griffin, arguing that Arizona must be prepared for a potential legal battle over Colorado River water as interstate negotiations remain stalled. Griffin made the comments after the Arizona House voted unanimously to add another $1 million to the state’s Colorado River Litigation Fund, bringing its total to $4 million. She said other states have been positioning themselves for court for years and warned that, while litigation is not the preferred outcome, Arizona needs the resources to defend water supplies that support millions of residents and billions of dollars in economic activity if a deal isn’t reached. (AZ Mirror)

Juan Pagan, president of the Florida Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce, reacting to a decision by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to stop offering driver license exams in any language other than English beginning Feb. 6. The change eliminates translated and oral exams in other languages across all license types. While acknowledging the importance of drivers understanding English, Pagan said the policy reflects what he called an “adversarial approach to assimilation” that sends an exclusionary message to immigrants. (Sun Sentinel)

President Donald Trump during a podcast appearance with former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, arguing that the federal government should take control of elections. Repeating unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, he said Republicans should “take over the voting” in multiple states, a proposal that would run headlong into the Constitution’s framework granting states primary authority over election administration and signals Trump’s continued push to reshape voting rules ahead of the midterm elections. (Washington Post)