Politics
These state supreme court races could decide abortion access and trans rights
Ohio, North Carolina and Michigan have open seats on their state supreme court, and these hotly contested races will influence how those courts rule in several high-stakes cases.
2026 midterms could be the end of Pennsylvania’s split legislature, with effects on affordability, election reform, marijuana and more
Pennsylvania has a split legislature, and both chambers are up for grabs in the 2026 midterms.
We’ve tracked $80M of spending on almost 170 AI‑generated political ads this year – it’s weird
Almost 170 ads and $80 million in spending and only 31% with a disclaimer: Here’s what researchers found when they tracked AI in this year’s campaign ads.
Can development happen without displacement? Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood is a test case
A decade of research on Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood finds that major riverfront investment did not push out longtime residents.
Christa Pike survived a lethal injection attempt – the latest person to endure a failed execution
The constitutional prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment has shaped legal discourse around failed executions, but courts have not stopped states from attempting to execute the same person again.
White nationalism’s appeal runs deeper than partisan politics
Nearly 1 in 7 white men under 30 in the US support white nationalism, and partisanship alone doesn’t explain who’s drawn to it.
Dan Rather has followed the news wherever he goes, in a career that highlights 75 years of evolving journalism
Dan Rather anchored the ‘CBS Evening News’ for over 20 years, starting on March 9, 1981. But he always seemed more in his element as a reporter, and now as a news analyst on social media.
Up‑and‑down progress of voting rights in America has been shaped by these 10 key moments
The history of voting and elections in America doesn’t follow a steady path toward progress or retreat. It is marked by intense struggles, monumental victories and devastating losses.
The trouble with Flock cameras is the surveillance system’s architecture, not just some of its users
The architecture of automated license plate readers turns local cameras into a far-reaching surveillance network that can be accessed by agencies that never purchased the devices.
Pennsylvania’s skill games are officially gambling – so should they be at every gas station?
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court says skill games are gambling. As lawmakers rush to tax them, a CMU scholar says the debate skips a more fundamental question.