SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco judge on Tuesday ordered the man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and seeking to kidnap her, to be held without bail.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1548106/download?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read</a> the FBI affidavit

Adam Lipson, a lawyer for defendant David DePape, entered a not guilty plea on Depape's behalf during the brief hearing in Superior Court in San Francisco. It was the first public appearance since the early Friday attack for DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories.

The attack on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi sent shockwaves through the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and election officials have been at all-time highs in this first nationwide election since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, and authorities have issued warning about rising extremism in the U.S.

The 42-year-old DePape faces state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse. The public defender’s office, which is representing him, did not immediately return a request for comment.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on Monday had said prosecutors want to keep DePape behind bars because he poses “obvious and severe public safety risks.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666975658521.jpeg" alt="Police investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)" />
 <figcaption>Police investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco judge on Tuesday ordered the man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and seeking to kidnap her, to be held without bail.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1548106/download?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read</a> the FBI affidavitAdam Lipson, a lawyer for defendant David DePape, entered a not guilty plea on Depape's behalf during the brief hearing in Superior Court in San Francisco. It was the first public appearance since the early Friday attack for DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories.The attack on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi sent shockwaves through the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and election officials have been at all-time highs in this first nationwide election since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol, and authorities have issued warning about rising extremism in the U.S.The 42-year-old DePape faces state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse. The public defender’s office, which is representing him, did not immediately return a request for comment.San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins on Monday had said prosecutors want to keep DePape behind bars because he poses “obvious and severe public safety risks.”

Read the FBI affidavit in attack on Speaker Pelosi's husband

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Kansas native who led an all-female Islamic State battalion when she lived in Syria has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum possible sentence.

Fluke-Ekren, 42, admitted that she led the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion in which roughly 100 women and girls — some as young as 10 years old — learned how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts.

One of Fluke-Ekren's daughters was among those who said she received such training. The daughter and Fluke-Ekren's oldest son both urged the judge to impose a maximum sentence.

They said they were physically and sexually abused by their mother, and described the mistreatment in horrific detail in letters to the court. Fluke-Ekren denied the abuse.

Fluke-Ekren's status as a U.S.-born woman who rose to a level of leadership status in the Islamic State makes her story unique among terror cases. Prosecutors say the abuse she inflicted on her children from a young age helps explain how she went from an 81-acre farm in Overbrook, Kansas, to an Islamic State leader in Syria, with stops in Egypt and Libya along the way.

Fluke-Ekren asked for just a two-year sentence so she could raise her young children. She said at the outset of a lengthy speech that she takes responsibility for her actions but spent most of her speech rationalizing her conduct.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643715398750.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A Kansas native who led an all-female Islamic State battalion when she lived in Syria has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum possible sentence.Fluke-Ekren, 42, admitted that she led the Khatiba Nusaybah, a battalion in which roughly 100 women and girls — some as young as 10 years old — learned how to use automatic weapons and detonate grenades and suicide belts.One of Fluke-Ekren's daughters was among those who said she received such training. The daughter and Fluke-Ekren's oldest son both urged the judge to impose a maximum sentence.They said they were physically and sexually abused by their mother, and described the mistreatment in horrific detail in letters to the court. Fluke-Ekren denied the abuse.Fluke-Ekren's status as a U.S.-born woman who rose to a level of leadership status in the Islamic State makes her story unique among terror cases. Prosecutors say the abuse she inflicted on her children from a young age helps explain how she went from an 81-acre farm in Overbrook, Kansas, to an Islamic State leader in Syria, with stops in Egypt and Libya along the way.Fluke-Ekren asked for just a two-year sentence so she could raise her young children. She said at the outset of a lengthy speech that she takes responsibility for her actions but spent most of her speech rationalizing her conduct.

Kansas mom sentenced for leading Islamic State battalion

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official warned voters Monday that text messages from outside the state were giving them incorrect information about where to vote, but groups involved in the texting said they weren't trying to confuse or mislead people.

Several Democrats said they began hearing about the texts Sunday or had received them. Each message said it was from a representative of Voting Futures, Voto Latino or Black Voters Matter and provided the address of a voting site, with a picture of a building. In some cases, the person already had voted; in others, people couldn't vote in advance at the listed site, and in some, people could vote in advance there, but not on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Election Day, Nov. 8</a>.

Movement Labs, a vendor headquartered in Oakland, California, working for both Voto Latino and Black Voters Matter, tweeted that texts also went to voters in Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia.

Kansas Democrats who learned of the texts worried that a disinformation campaign had targeted their voters in hopes of preventing their ballots from counting or discouraging them from voting. And Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, said voters should be on “high alert" about potential election misinformation from such texts.

Voting Futures later said in follow-up texts that its information may not have been correct. Voto Latino said the problem was a vendor's “database issue," without naming Movement Labs, and said voters would receive corrected information.

Both Black Voters Matters and Movement Labs said that group had not endorsed the texts.

“We are deeply sorry for the confusion that these text messages created and have taken steps to correct this situation,” Black Voters Matter said. “The last thing we ever want is for our outreach to be confused with intentional disinformation which is sometimes targeted to our communities.”

Movement Labs said in separate tweets for&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/movement_labs/status/1587173026847547392?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Voto Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/movement_labs/status/1587172936951078912?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Black Voters Matter:</a>&nbsp;“We take full responsibility for these mistakes and have issued correction texts.”

Kansas counties began allowing people to vote in advance in-person Oct. 19, and people don't need a reason to request a mail ballot. While mail ballots must be postmarked Nov. 8 or before, they can still be counted if they arrive in election offices by Nov. 14.

Democrats and abortion rights advocates have been watching for misinformation after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-technology-health-voting-87dc504b3048e6034896733fc1aa49c6">deceptive texts went to voters</a>&nbsp;on the eve of a statewide vote Aug. 2&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejecting a proposed anti-abortion amendment</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas Constitution. The texts falsely told voters that a yes vote would protect abortion rights, when the opposite was true.

Schwab said in a statement that his office doesn’t use third parties to send information to voters and urged them to contact state and local officials if they have questions, or go to&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/elections.html">the VoteKansas.gov website.</a>

Voters across the state reported that they started receiving texts Sunday from the three groups about where they could vote, including in the Kansas City area, Wichita and Topeka.

“Voting should be accessible to people and straight-forward, and this complicates that,” said Alexis Simmons, the Kansas House Democrats' communications director, who received two of the texts Sunday. “Voting should be empowering.”

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' top elections official warned voters Monday that text messages from outside the state were giving them incorrect information about where to vote, but groups involved in the texting said they weren't trying to confuse or mislead people.Several Democrats said they began hearing about the texts Sunday or had received them. Each message said it was from a representative of Voting Futures, Voto Latino or Black Voters Matter and provided the address of a voting site, with a picture of a building. In some cases, the person already had voted; in others, people couldn't vote in advance at the listed site, and in some, people could vote in advance there, but not on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">Election Day, Nov. 8</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In texts sent on behalf of Voto Latino to voters in KS, NJ, IL, NC, and VA, we sent text messages designed to encourage voting that may have caused confusion amongst voters. We take full responsibility for these mistakes and have issued correction texts.<a href="https://t.co/9CXPKmJphE">https://t.co/9CXPKmJphE</a>&mdash; Movement Labs (@movement_labs) <a href="https://twitter.com/movement_labs/status/1587173026847547392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Movement Labs, a vendor headquartered in Oakland, California, working for both Voto Latino and Black Voters Matter, tweeted that texts also went to voters in Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia.Kansas Democrats who learned of the texts worried that a disinformation campaign had targeted their voters in hopes of preventing their ballots from counting or discouraging them from voting. And Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, said voters should be on “high alert" about potential election misinformation from such texts.Voting Futures later said in follow-up texts that its information may not have been correct. Voto Latino said the problem was a vendor's “database issue," without naming Movement Labs, and said voters would receive corrected information.Both Black Voters Matters and Movement Labs said that group had not endorsed the texts.“We are deeply sorry for the confusion that these text messages created and have taken steps to correct this situation,” Black Voters Matter said. “The last thing we ever want is for our outreach to be confused with intentional disinformation which is sometimes targeted to our communities.”Movement Labs said in separate tweets for&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/movement_labs/status/1587173026847547392?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Voto Latino</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/movement_labs/status/1587172936951078912?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">Black Voters Matter:</a>&nbsp;“We take full responsibility for these mistakes and have issued correction texts.”Kansas counties began allowing people to vote in advance in-person Oct. 19, and people don't need a reason to request a mail ballot. While mail ballots must be postmarked Nov. 8 or before, they can still be counted if they arrive in election offices by Nov. 14.Democrats and abortion rights advocates have been watching for misinformation after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-technology-health-voting-87dc504b3048e6034896733fc1aa49c6">deceptive texts went to voters</a>&nbsp;on the eve of a statewide vote Aug. 2&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejecting a proposed anti-abortion amendment</a>&nbsp;to the Kansas Constitution. The texts falsely told voters that a yes vote would protect abortion rights, when the opposite was true.Schwab said in a statement that his office doesn’t use third parties to send information to voters and urged them to contact state and local officials if they have questions, or go to&nbsp;<a href="https://sos.ks.gov/elections/elections.html">the VoteKansas.gov website.</a>Voters across the state reported that they started receiving texts Sunday from the three groups about where they could vote, including in the Kansas City area, Wichita and Topeka.“Voting should be accessible to people and straight-forward, and this complicates that,” said Alexis Simmons, the Kansas House Democrats' communications director, who received two of the texts Sunday. “Voting should be empowering.”

Disinformation campaign: Texts to Kan. voters rile Democrats

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday announced that October’s total tax receipts were $740.1 million -- 11%, or $73.2 million, above the estimate, and $77.4 million, or 11.7%, more than October of last year, according to a media release from her office.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMDEuNjYwMTA2NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMTEvMDRfT2N0b2Jlcl9SZXZlbnVlX0ZZMjAyM18xMS0wMS0yMDIyX0ZpbmFsLnBkZiJ9.nYh9U-33WOhVzrLBL603JTGvRmOpA_v4pAwpVEz2UnY/s/1303160919/br/147149500485-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to view the October 2022 tax receipts spreadsheet.&nbsp;

 October marks the 27th&nbsp;month in a row in which the state has exceeded its estimated collections.&nbsp;

“For four years, my administration has worked relentlessly to help businesses grow and succeed, create quality jobs, and get our state back on track,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We laid the groundwork for what we’re seeing now: Nearly 30 months of strong revenues that have allowed us to responsibly cut taxes, pay off debts, fully fund schools, invest in our law enforcement, and improve our roads and bridges.”&nbsp;

Individual income tax collections were $357.5 million, which is $52.5 million, or 17.2%, more than the estimate. That is $55.9 million, or 18.6%, more than October 2021. Corporate income tax collections were $32.5 million for the month. That is $0.5 million, or 1.6%, less than the estimate and 18.9% less than October 2021. Corporate receipts for the first four months of FY 2023 are 7.6% greater than the same period in 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Retail sales tax collections were $251.7 million, which is 9.4%, or $21.7 million, more than the estimate. Those collections are $24.0 million, or 10.5%, more than last October. Compensating use tax collections were $70.0 million, which is $2.0 million, or 2.7%, less than the estimate, but 3.6% more than October 2021.&nbsp;

The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CRE), comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, will meet on November 9th&nbsp;to review and possibly revise the FY 2023 estimate and make its initial forecast for FY 2024.&nbsp;

“Each time CRE has met over the past two years, we’ve raised our revenue forecasts, yet Kansas continues to beat the newer, higher forecasts every single month,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart.&nbsp;“We keep setting the bar higher and higher and clearing it every time – a real indication that the Kansas economy is strong.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday announced that October’s total tax receipts were $740.1 million -- 11%, or $73.2 million, above the estimate, and $77.4 million, or 11.7%, more than October of last year, according to a media release from her office.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjExMDEuNjYwMTA2NzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMTEvMDRfT2N0b2Jlcl9SZXZlbnVlX0ZZMjAyM18xMS0wMS0yMDIyX0ZpbmFsLnBkZiJ9.nYh9U-33WOhVzrLBL603JTGvRmOpA_v4pAwpVEz2UnY/s/1303160919/br/147149500485-l" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;to view the October 2022 tax receipts spreadsheet.&nbsp; October marks the 27th&nbsp;month in a row in which the state has exceeded its estimated collections.&nbsp;“For four years, my administration has worked relentlessly to help businesses grow and succeed, create quality jobs, and get our state back on track,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We laid the groundwork for what we’re seeing now: Nearly 30 months of strong revenues that have allowed us to responsibly cut taxes, pay off debts, fully fund schools, invest in our law enforcement, and improve our roads and bridges.”&nbsp;Individual income tax collections were $357.5 million, which is $52.5 million, or 17.2%, more than the estimate. That is $55.9 million, or 18.6%, more than October 2021. Corporate income tax collections were $32.5 million for the month. That is $0.5 million, or 1.6%, less than the estimate and 18.9% less than October 2021. Corporate receipts for the first four months of FY 2023 are 7.6% greater than the same period in 2021.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Retail sales tax collections were $251.7 million, which is 9.4%, or $21.7 million, more than the estimate. Those collections are $24.0 million, or 10.5%, more than last October. Compensating use tax collections were $70.0 million, which is $2.0 million, or 2.7%, less than the estimate, but 3.6% more than October 2021.&nbsp;The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group (CRE), comprised of the Department of Revenue, Division of Budget, Legislative Research Department, and economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, will meet on November 9th&nbsp;to review and possibly revise the FY 2023 estimate and make its initial forecast for FY 2024.&nbsp;“Each time CRE has met over the past two years, we’ve raised our revenue forecasts, yet Kansas continues to beat the newer, higher forecasts every single month,”&nbsp;said Secretary of Revenue Mark Burghart.&nbsp;“We keep setting the bar higher and higher and clearing it every time – a real indication that the Kansas economy is strong.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. exceeds estimated tax collections 27 straight months

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have held both chambers of Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">the presidency</a>&nbsp;for the last two years, but they may not have such consolidated power for much longer.

Republicans are favored to win the House in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the Nov. 8 midterm elections</a>, bolstered by frustration over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-consumer-spending-prices-87798a21acc765400c98ff8b07fae96a">the economy</a>&nbsp;and advantages in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-voting-districts-46af62d6364b0c338a50b301d40ce8c1">the redistricting process</a>&nbsp;that takes place every 10 years. But Democrats are working to hold their ground, campaigning on maintaining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">access to abortion</a>&nbsp;and other issues.

The outlook is murkier in the Senate, where Republicans are bidding to take back control. Several races in key battleground states are tight, leading Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to say the chances of his party winning a majority are just 50-50.

A look at control of Congress and what will happen if Republicans win a majority in either chamber in the election:

Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-business-ap-top-news-589730d4b6834a0db0b588f25356f33a">held the majority since 2018</a>, when they won control in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-elections-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">then-President Donald Trump’s first midterm election</a>. Republicans could take back the House if they net just five seats in dozens of competitive districts, and they are trying to win dozens.

History also gives Republicans reason for optimism. In the modern era, the party that's held the White House has lost congressional seats in virtually every first-term president’s midterm election.

If Republicans win the House on Nov. 8, the GOP caucus will elect a new speaker and take power on Jan. 3, 2023. They will run every committee and decide what bills come to the House floor.

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has already unveiled his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-kevin-mccarthy-newt-gingrich-border-security-97f04b6997ea980a868b8d7628378824">“Commitment to America,”</a>&nbsp;a broad outline of economic, border security and other policies that the GOP would propose in the early days of the next Congress.

A return to Republican power in the House would be a victory for Trump, who has fought Democrat-led efforts to hold him accountable for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection</a>. The vast majority of Republicans who are expected to return to Washington next year, along with most of those hoping to win a first term, are loyal to Trump and have followed his example in their policies and positions.

Among those allies are far-right members like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-gop-votes-greene-d00c46241478d39db3996a36f5cbf91e">stripped of her committee assignments</a>&nbsp;by Democrats because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">her extreme rhetoric</a>&nbsp;but would be part of a broad governing majority under a GOP House. Greene stood behind McCarthy as he introduced the “Commitment to America” in Pennsylvania last month.

Democratic priorities like access to abortion, addressing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment">climate change</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-covid-health-chicago-c912ecc5619e925c5ea7447d36808715">stricter gun control</a>&nbsp;would immediately be sidelined. And most, if not all, of President Joe Biden’s agenda would be effectively dead for the final two years of his term.

Still, nothing becomes law without Biden's signature. Bills to fund the government, raise the debt ceiling and deal with military issues are necessary for government to function. Those bills are likely to become flashpoints in negotiations between the GOP, Democrats and the White House.

Biden, who served in the Senate for decades, has often touted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">his bipartisan credentials</a>&nbsp;and said he wants to work with Republicans. But there would be little appetite for that in a GOP Congress that has made opposition to Biden its top priority.

While the Senate could tilt either way after the midterm elections, the majority party is still likely to have the slimmest of margins. That means Biden will be able to find a bit more common ground there, no matter who is in charge. Much of Biden's legislative achievements in office have been the byproduct of bipartisan negotiations in the Senate.

Still, a Republican-led Senate could pass bills sent over by a GOP House, putting political pressure on Biden. And the GOP would regain control of committees and, with it, the power to conduct investigations and oversight of the administration.

A Republican Senate could also make life difficult for Biden by blocking or delaying passage of the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-bill-clinton-race-and-ethnicity-voting-rights-district-of-columbia-80830dd1e0687173a0d3927952ed4a8b">judicial and executive branch nominees</a>.

If Democrats were to hold the Senate and Republicans win the House, the two chambers would be unlikely to find much common ground. But Republicans could try to win over Democratic Senate moderates on some legislation.

If Democrats were able to keep the House and the Senate, they would likely restart negotiations on some of Biden’s agenda items that were never passed, including his new package of social and economic programs that stalled amid internal Democratic disagreements.

The majority of House districts aren't competitive, thanks to a redistricting process that allows state legislatures to draw their own congressional lines if they decide to. Many legislatures draw lines to give advantages to one party or the other.

Still, dozens of seats are in play, including many of those held by Democrats who won in suburban districts in 2018, winning the majority for the party that year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602710165442.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have held both chambers of Congress and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">the presidency</a>&nbsp;for the last two years, but they may not have such consolidated power for much longer.Republicans are favored to win the House in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">the Nov. 8 midterm elections</a>, bolstered by frustration over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-consumer-spending-prices-87798a21acc765400c98ff8b07fae96a">the economy</a>&nbsp;and advantages in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-voting-districts-46af62d6364b0c338a50b301d40ce8c1">the redistricting process</a>&nbsp;that takes place every 10 years. But Democrats are working to hold their ground, campaigning on maintaining&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">access to abortion</a>&nbsp;and other issues.The outlook is murkier in the Senate, where Republicans are bidding to take back control. Several races in key battleground states are tight, leading Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell to say the chances of his party winning a majority are just 50-50.A look at control of Congress and what will happen if Republicans win a majority in either chamber in the election:WHAT IF THE HOUSE FLIPS?Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-business-ap-top-news-589730d4b6834a0db0b588f25356f33a">held the majority since 2018</a>, when they won control in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-elections-c0be062914e048d79f70bcf120e1ccbb">then-President Donald Trump’s first midterm election</a>. Republicans could take back the House if they net just five seats in dozens of competitive districts, and they are trying to win dozens.History also gives Republicans reason for optimism. In the modern era, the party that's held the White House has lost congressional seats in virtually every first-term president’s midterm election.If Republicans win the House on Nov. 8, the GOP caucus will elect a new speaker and take power on Jan. 3, 2023. They will run every committee and decide what bills come to the House floor.WHAT WOULD A REPUBLICAN HOUSE LOOK LIKE?House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has already unveiled his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-kevin-mccarthy-newt-gingrich-border-security-97f04b6997ea980a868b8d7628378824">“Commitment to America,”</a>&nbsp;a broad outline of economic, border security and other policies that the GOP would propose in the early days of the next Congress.A return to Republican power in the House would be a victory for Trump, who has fought Democrat-led efforts to hold him accountable for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection</a>. The vast majority of Republicans who are expected to return to Washington next year, along with most of those hoping to win a first term, are loyal to Trump and have followed his example in their policies and positions.Among those allies are far-right members like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-gop-votes-greene-d00c46241478d39db3996a36f5cbf91e">stripped of her committee assignments</a>&nbsp;by Democrats because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-marjorie-taylor-greene-congress-ed7fb114dbe45d0cd703d8800c21bfa3">her extreme rhetoric</a>&nbsp;but would be part of a broad governing majority under a GOP House. Greene stood behind McCarthy as he introduced the “Commitment to America” in Pennsylvania last month.WHAT WOULD A GOP HOUSE MEAN FOR BIDEN?Democratic priorities like access to abortion, addressing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment">climate change</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-covid-health-chicago-c912ecc5619e925c5ea7447d36808715">stricter gun control</a>&nbsp;would immediately be sidelined. And most, if not all, of President Joe Biden’s agenda would be effectively dead for the final two years of his term.Still, nothing becomes law without Biden's signature. Bills to fund the government, raise the debt ceiling and deal with military issues are necessary for government to function. Those bills are likely to become flashpoints in negotiations between the GOP, Democrats and the White House.Biden, who served in the Senate for decades, has often touted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">his bipartisan credentials</a>&nbsp;and said he wants to work with Republicans. But there would be little appetite for that in a GOP Congress that has made opposition to Biden its top priority.WHAT ABOUT THE SENATE?While the Senate could tilt either way after the midterm elections, the majority party is still likely to have the slimmest of margins. That means Biden will be able to find a bit more common ground there, no matter who is in charge. Much of Biden's legislative achievements in office have been the byproduct of bipartisan negotiations in the Senate.Still, a Republican-led Senate could pass bills sent over by a GOP House, putting political pressure on Biden. And the GOP would regain control of committees and, with it, the power to conduct investigations and oversight of the administration.A Republican Senate could also make life difficult for Biden by blocking or delaying passage of the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-bill-clinton-race-and-ethnicity-voting-rights-district-of-columbia-80830dd1e0687173a0d3927952ed4a8b">judicial and executive branch nominees</a>.WHAT IF DEMOCRATS WIN?If Democrats were to hold the Senate and Republicans win the House, the two chambers would be unlikely to find much common ground. But Republicans could try to win over Democratic Senate moderates on some legislation.If Democrats were able to keep the House and the Senate, they would likely restart negotiations on some of Biden’s agenda items that were never passed, including his new package of social and economic programs that stalled amid internal Democratic disagreements.WHAT DOES THE HOUSE MAP LOOK LIKE?The majority of House districts aren't competitive, thanks to a redistricting process that allows state legislatures to draw their own congressional lines if they decide to. Many legislatures draw lines to give advantages to one party or the other.Still, dozens of seats are in play, including many of those held by Democrats who won in suburban districts in 2018, winning the majority for the party that year.

Control of Congress: What's at play one week from today

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Salina man wanted on a state parole warrant also was arrested on drug charges after an incident Monday morning in the central part of the city.

Just before 9:30a.m., officers were sent to the 800 block of E. Crawford&nbsp; for the report of a man with a large knife in his back pocket walking in the street and acting evasive, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.

When they arrived, they found Justin I. Howard, 26, of Salina, who had an active arrest and detain state parole warrant. When Howard was taken into custody, police found him to be in possession of multiple knives and a bag of what was suspected to be methamphetamine, Hanus said.

Howard was booked into the Saline County Jail on the warrant and the following requested charges of Possession of an opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant and Use/possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the jail daily booking activity report.

Howard has previous convictions for theft, battery, assault and obstruction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667310679235.jpeg" alt="-Justin Howard has previous convictions for theft, battery, assault and obstruction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-Photo Saline County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>-Justin Howard has previous convictions for theft, battery, assault and obstruction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-Photo Saline County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Salina man wanted on a state parole warrant also was arrested on drug charges after an incident Monday morning in the central part of the city.Just before 9:30a.m., officers were sent to the 800 block of E. Crawford&nbsp; for the report of a man with a large knife in his back pocket walking in the street and acting evasive, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.When they arrived, they found Justin I. Howard, 26, of Salina, who had an active arrest and detain state parole warrant. When Howard was taken into custody, police found him to be in possession of multiple knives and a bag of what was suspected to be methamphetamine, Hanus said.Howard was booked into the Saline County Jail on the warrant and the following requested charges of Possession of an opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant and Use/possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the jail daily booking activity report.Howard has previous convictions for theft, battery, assault and obstruction, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections.

Wanted Kan. felon caught with multiple knives, bag of meth

LAWRENCE —Former University of Kansas basketball player Gethro Muscadin has died, according to a social media tribute from coach Bill Self and the University of New Mexico.

&nbsp;In December of 2021,&nbsp;Muscadin was critically injured in an accident on the Kansas Turnpike in Osage County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

He was a native of Haiti and<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/">&nbsp;played in 11 games</a>&nbsp;during the 20-21 season for the Jayhawks before transferring to the University of New Mexico. The 6-foot-10 Muscadin left the Lobo basketball program in mid December 2021, according to the school's basketball web site.

Muscadin moved to the U.S. in 2006 to pursue basketball. He played at Sunrise Christian Academy and Life Prep Academy, both in Kansas, and Aspire Academy in Kentucky, where Muscadin grew into a four-star prospect that had scholarship offers from a number of high-major programs.

OSAGE COUNTY, Kan.—A former University of Kansas basketball player 21-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/">Gethro Muscadin </a>was critically injured in an accident on the Kansas Turnpike just after 3a.m. Thursday in Osage County.

On Friday, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford passenger vehicle driven by Alaeyia Howard, 21, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 335 in Osage County. The vehicle left the road, rolled and came to rest in a fence line.&nbsp;

EMS transported Howard and Muscadin to Stormont Vail in Topeka. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

The crash log does not list where Muscadin was living. He is native of Haiti and<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/"> played in 11 games</a> during the 20-21 season for the Jayhawks before transferring to the University of New Mexico. The 6-foot-10 Muscadin left the Lobo basketball program earlier this month, according to the school's basketball web site.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640971200715.png" alt="Gethro Muscadin photo courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Gethro Muscadin photo courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE —Former University of Kansas basketball player Gethro Muscadin has died, according to a social media tribute from coach Bill Self and the University of New Mexico.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Gethro Muscadin passed away late last night. He had been unresponsive since the car accident last December. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gethro’s loved ones. So young. So sad. He will always be a teammate of ours. RIP&mdash; Bill Self (@CoachBillSelf) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBillSelf/status/1587471239764918272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;In December of 2021,&nbsp;Muscadin was critically injured in an accident on the Kansas Turnpike in Osage County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Lobo community is saddened today by the passing of former New Mexico basketball player Gethro Muscadin. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time. <a href="https://t.co/ilDeksDDpE">pic.twitter.com/ilDeksDDpE</a>&mdash; Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNMLoboMBB/status/1587459406312091648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He was a native of Haiti and<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/">&nbsp;played in 11 games</a>&nbsp;during the 20-21 season for the Jayhawks before transferring to the University of New Mexico. The 6-foot-10 Muscadin left the Lobo basketball program in mid December 2021, according to the school's basketball web site.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Heartbroken. Rest In Peace Gethro Muscadin 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/Z4MrVnmomO">pic.twitter.com/Z4MrVnmomO</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/1587488751063818241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Muscadin moved to the U.S. in 2006 to pursue basketball. He played at Sunrise Christian Academy and Life Prep Academy, both in Kansas, and Aspire Academy in Kentucky, where Muscadin grew into a four-star prospect that had scholarship offers from a number of high-major programs.-----------------OSAGE COUNTY, Kan.—A former University of Kansas basketball player 21-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/">Gethro Muscadin </a>was critically injured in an accident on the Kansas Turnpike just after 3a.m. Thursday in Osage County.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last night Gethro Muscadin and a friend were involved in a serous one car accident. He, his friend, and their families need a miracle. Please lift them up as Gethro fights for his life.&mdash; Bill Self (@CoachBillSelf) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachBillSelf/status/1476676037723541516?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Friday, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford passenger vehicle driven by Alaeyia Howard, 21, Wichita, was southbound on Interstate 335 in Osage County. The vehicle left the road, rolled and came to rest in a fence line.&nbsp;EMS transported Howard and Muscadin to Stormont Vail in Topeka. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🙏 Lobo fans: please pray for Gethro Muscadin, who was in a serious car accident last night. Every prayer helps.&mdash; Lobo Basketball (@UNMLoboMBB) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNMLoboMBB/status/1476647356137304076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The crash log does not list where Muscadin was living. He is native of Haiti and<a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/season/2020-21/player/157526-2-2-2-2/"> played in 11 games</a> during the 20-21 season for the Jayhawks before transferring to the University of New Mexico. The 6-foot-10 Muscadin left the Lobo basketball program earlier this month, according to the school's basketball web site.

Former KU basketball player, injured in crash, has died

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday put a temporary hold on the handover of former President Donald Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee.

Roberts' order gives the Supreme Court time to weigh the legal issues in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-business-personal-taxes-76fea2bf34654d7ec854d5f9fd2836c2">Trump's emergency appeal to the high court</a>, filed Monday.

Without court intervention, the tax returns could have been provided as early as Thursday by the Treasury Department to the Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.

Roberts gave the committee until Nov. 10 to respond. The chief justice handles emergency appeals from the nation's capital, where the fight over Trump's taxes has been going on since 2019.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-personal-taxes-congress-government-and-politics-386ef94dc8c41c75ea77d02d36afe446">Lower courts ruled that the committee has broad authority to obtain tax returns</a>&nbsp;and rejected Trump’s claims that it was overstepping.

If Trump can persuade the nation’s highest court to intervene in this case, he could potentially delay a final decision until the start of the next Congress in January. If Republicans recapture control of the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">in the fall election</a>, they could drop the records request.

The temporary delay imposed by Roberts is the third such order issued by justices in recent days in cases related to Trump.

The court separately is weighing Sen. Lindsey Graham's emergency appeal to avoid having to testify before a Georgia grand jury that is investigating potential illegal interference by Trump and his allies in the 2020 election in the state.

Also before the court is an emergency appeal from Arizona Republican party chairwoman Kelli Ward to prevent the handover of phone records to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman, Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.

The Justice Department, under the Trump administration, had defended a decision by then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A lawsuit ensued.

After President Joe Biden took office, the committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in court.

Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.

Trump had most recently sought the justices’ intervention in a legal dispute stemming from the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in August. The court rejected that appeal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667315055512.png" alt="Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts during the 2019 State of the Union address-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump and Chief Justice John Roberts during the 2019 State of the Union address-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday put a temporary hold on the handover of former President Donald Trump's tax returns to a congressional committee.Roberts' order gives the Supreme Court time to weigh the legal issues in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-business-personal-taxes-76fea2bf34654d7ec854d5f9fd2836c2">Trump's emergency appeal to the high court</a>, filed Monday.Without court intervention, the tax returns could have been provided as early as Thursday by the Treasury Department to the Democratic-controlled House Ways and Means Committee.Roberts gave the committee until Nov. 10 to respond. The chief justice handles emergency appeals from the nation's capital, where the fight over Trump's taxes has been going on since 2019.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667313899599.png" alt="Former President Trump during a rally for Arizona Republicans last month -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump during a rally for Arizona Republicans last month -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-personal-taxes-congress-government-and-politics-386ef94dc8c41c75ea77d02d36afe446">Lower courts ruled that the committee has broad authority to obtain tax returns</a>&nbsp;and rejected Trump’s claims that it was overstepping.If Trump can persuade the nation’s highest court to intervene in this case, he could potentially delay a final decision until the start of the next Congress in January. If Republicans recapture control of the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections?utm_source=apnewsnav&amp;utm_medium=featured">in the fall election</a>, they could drop the records request.The temporary delay imposed by Roberts is the third such order issued by justices in recent days in cases related to Trump.The court separately is weighing Sen. Lindsey Graham's emergency appeal to avoid having to testify before a Georgia grand jury that is investigating potential illegal interference by Trump and his allies in the 2020 election in the state.Also before the court is an emergency appeal from Arizona Republican party chairwoman Kelli Ward to prevent the handover of phone records to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.The House Ways and Means panel and its chairman, Democrat Richard Neal of Massachusetts, first requested Trump’s tax returns in 2019 as part of an investigation into the Internal Revenue Service’s audit program and tax law compliance by the former president. A federal law says the Internal Revenue Service “shall furnish” the returns of any taxpayer to a handful of top lawmakers.The Justice Department, under the Trump administration, had defended a decision by then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to withhold the tax returns from Congress. Mnuchin argued that he could withhold the documents because he concluded they were being sought by Democrats for partisan reasons. A lawsuit ensued.After President Joe Biden took office, the committee renewed the request, seeking Trump’s tax returns and additional information from 2015-2020. The White House took the position that the request was a valid one and that the Treasury Department had no choice but to comply. Trump then attempted to halt the handover in court.Then-Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. obtained copies of Trump’s personal and business tax records as part of a criminal investigation. That case, too, went to the Supreme Court, which rejected Trump’s argument that he had broad immunity as president.Trump had most recently sought the justices’ intervention in a legal dispute stemming from the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in August. The court rejected that appeal.

Supreme Court temporarily blocks handover of Trump tax returns

GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 371 officials are investigating alleged verbal threats have made an arrest.

A case for criminal threats by a juvenile in Montezuma will be made to the Gray County attorney and an arrest has been made, according to the sheriff's department.

"The threats made are taken seriously as they should be in this day and age," the sheriff's department wrote.

Law enforcement conducted a&nbsp; weapons sweep of the building to further verify the campus is secure, according to a message from Superintendent Jay Zeher.&nbsp;

"I am completely confident the situation has been resolved and attendance at school is as safe as it was prior to receiving this threat."

GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 371 officials are investigating alleged verbal threats have made an arrest.A case for criminal threats by a juvenile in Montezuma will be made to the Gray County attorney and an arrest has been made, according to the sheriff's department."The threats made are taken seriously as they should be in this day and age," the sheriff's department wrote.Law enforcement conducted a&nbsp; weapons sweep of the building to further verify the campus is secure, according to a message from Superintendent Jay Zeher.&nbsp;"I am completely confident the situation has been resolved and attendance at school is as safe as it was prior to receiving this threat."

Student arrested after alleged verbal threat at Kansas school

TOPEKA (AP) — The online commercials in a state Senate race in some Raleigh, North Carolina, suburbs make an ominous claim, similar to one repeated across the country ahead of the Nov. 8 election: The Republican candidate “wants to strip away our reproductive rights.”

The Republican, Mark Cavaliero, says the Planned Parenthood-affiliated political action committee behind the ads is misrepresenting his views, which he says stop short of endorsing a complete abortion ban in one of the Southern states with the fewest abortion restrictions. “There should be some limit,” he said in an interview. “Where that limit is is up for discussion.”

The same theme is echoing in elections across the country in the first nationwide election since the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that protected the right to abortion nationally.

Now, it's a state-by-state question that's the subject of ballot measures in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-south-carolina-general-lindsey-graham-d81ce581ab1a4c1e4af0ed3991796fdd">some states</a>&nbsp;and is a major issue in many elections across the U.S. on Nov. 8. Outcomes of elections for governors, state lawmakers, supreme court justices and attorneys general could determine abortion access. Beyond that, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-south-carolina-general-lindsey-graham-d81ce581ab1a4c1e4af0ed3991796fdd">nationwide ban</a>&nbsp;on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy has been proposed in Congress.

Abortion-rights groups and Democratic candidates are sounding alarms that Republicans would curtail access. Republicans, even those who have supported abortion bans, are campaigning mostly about other issues, including inflation and crime.

Still, it's clear that certain Republican victories could result in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-32f106503dad6d0407003971ea828262">abortion restrictions</a>.

“We’ve got states like Kansas, Pennsylvania, even Georgia, and Wisconsin where the governor's races or state legislature races could determine perhaps where these states go on abortion rights, even though abortion isn't directly on the ballot,” said Linda Goler Blount, president of the Black Women's Health Imperative.

Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, also says results from the election will shape abortion policy. “If Republicans are elected, we may be able to pass some measures," she said in an interview.

In North Carolina, where both chambers of the legislature are under GOP control, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has twice vetoed bills that would have restricted abortion, which is currently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-north-carolina-government-and-politics-59ec5074eb84f16aa614276c7c3fa24d">barred after 20 weeks of pregnancy</a>, with narrow exceptions for urgent medical emergencies for the pregnant woman.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-religion-campaigns-860e5e27dc3301140fabd8a8462868c2">equation could change</a>&nbsp;if Republicans can pick up two more seats in the state Senate and three in the House, giving the party enough members to override vetoes from Cooper, whose term runs another two years.

That’s why Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina has been airing ads targeting Cavaliero and other Republicans in districts where voting margins are expected to be tight. It's part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-congress-71871318f3c725a7df0bbe183e6c84be">nationwide campaign</a>&nbsp;that planned to spend $50 million.

Democratic incumbent Sydney Batch recounted at a recent campaign event about how, when she was in the state House in 2019, she was present to vote against a veto override even though she was recovering from a mastectomy.

“My colleagues and I will continue to show up because we believe that medical decisions and bodily autonomy of every woman in North Carolina should be in their hands,” she said.

Cavaliero said he doesn't want to ban abortion entirely and is not the “anti-abortion extremist” that the ad calls him.

“I take a very reasonable position,” he said. “I feel like at some point during the pregnancy, abortion becomes a real problem.”

While Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have supported restricting abortion, there’s no consensus on how to do it.

That's been a theme since June's U.S. Supreme Court ruling made bans into realities, leaving even abortion opponents divided on details.

The two states where lawmakers have passed new bans since June —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-indiana-legislature-9dda020bf811f19e6254915ca1324edc">Indiana</a>, where enforcement is on hold amid a legal challenge, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-legislature-west-virginia-85283cf498eee8c116d3f1cc8de4a0fb">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;— did so only after debates that led to including exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-congress-government-and-politics-fc8c68d1c4dd29ef0a364050013b8cf4">Polling has shown</a>&nbsp;that most voters want abortion to remain legal. That was reflected in the first election on the issue since Roe was overturned, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">Kansas voters rejected a ballot measure</a>&nbsp;in August that would have allowed lawmakers to tighten restrictions or ban abortion.

Kansas Democrats are rallying voters by focusing on abortion access.

At a recent meeting in the town of Wamego, local Democrats wrote postcards to voters urging them to protect abortion rights. Kathy Swenson, a 71-year-old retired teacher, summarized the message: “If you think your rights are protected just because of Aug. 2, you’re wrong.”

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat in a state where Republicans control the Legislature, is seeking re-election. Her Republican opponent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-legislature-cd8d1d6f24da4612b7faeb325a4611bf">Derek Schmidt,</a>&nbsp;and the GOP candidate for attorney general, Kris Kobach, have promised to defend existing restrictions against any court challenges.

Three years after a state supreme court ruling that found the Kansas Constitution protects abortion rights,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-topeka-government-and-politics-e6e0ddbbb45e99deef0165eb16576c5d">Kansans for Life</a>&nbsp;is urging supporters to vote against retaining five of the six justices who are on the ballot.

Also being closely watched is the governor's race in Arizona, where a ban on abortions after 15 weeks' gestation is in effect while courts decide whether to allow enforcement of a law that would ban abortions at all stages of pregnancy.

In Pennsylvania, the election of a new governor could keep the status quo -- abortions allowed up to 24 weeks -- or install a Republican-controlled government that would be expected to roll back abortion rights. The current governor, Democrat Tom Wolf, has vetoed restrictions passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro has made abortion access a prominent feature of his campaign, raising it at a recent event with union members in Philadelphia. “The other side, they love to talk a good game about freedom, right?” Shapiro said. “Let me tell you something: it’s not freedom to tell women what they’re allowed to do with their bodies.”

Republican Doug Mastriano used his opposition to abortion to help win the primary, saying “life” was the most important issue. He has downplayed that view during the general election campaign, dropping it from his stump speech and handing the microphone to his wife, Rebecca, to bring it up.

“As conservatives, as Republicans we very much believe in women’s rights,” she told a rally in Erie in October. “In fact, we carry the torch on that. First of all, we believe in a woman’s right to be born.”

Since the Supreme Court ruling, bans on abortion at any stage of pregnancy have been adopted or kicked in in a dozen states. In a 13th, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid uncertainty about whether an 1849 ban applies.

There, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-wisconsin-donald-trump-2979751251868875a188e77b81eaac16">suing</a>&nbsp;to overturn the ban — a move supported by the Democratic governor, Tony Evers. Both are up for election this year in a state where Republicans control the Legislature.

The GOP candidate for governor, Tim Michels, supported the ban during the primary. He now says that if he's elected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-arrests-donald-trump-milwaukee-389322e5a0194dbb6725288e0296c0d2">he would sign a bill granting exceptions</a>&nbsp;for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.

In liberal Oregon, one of a handful of states with no abortion restrictions, the issue looms large in the gubernatorial election.

Republican Christine Drazan says she would follow the law if elected governor in a state that has helped fund abortion care for women throughout the Northwest.

In a September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-oregon-campaigns-f6a39797a3cd6c52c25c0dd76e485b31">debate</a>, Democrat Tina Kotek said that's not enough.

“A governor can do a lot of damage even if there’s a law on the books: stopping agencies, not being a champion, not moving resources to help Oregonians," she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661349644152.png" alt="Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the Republican nominee for governor in Kansas (Photos by Sherman Smith and Thad Allton/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, the Republican nominee for governor in Kansas (Photos by Sherman Smith and Thad Allton/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) — The online commercials in a state Senate race in some Raleigh, North Carolina, suburbs make an ominous claim, similar to one repeated across the country ahead of the Nov. 8 election: The Republican candidate “wants to strip away our reproductive rights.”The Republican, Mark Cavaliero, says the Planned Parenthood-affiliated political action committee behind the ads is misrepresenting his views, which he says stop short of endorsing a complete abortion ban in one of the Southern states with the fewest abortion restrictions. “There should be some limit,” he said in an interview. “Where that limit is is up for discussion.”The same theme is echoing in elections across the country in the first nationwide election since the U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that protected the right to abortion nationally.Now, it's a state-by-state question that's the subject of ballot measures in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-south-carolina-general-lindsey-graham-d81ce581ab1a4c1e4af0ed3991796fdd">some states</a>&nbsp;and is a major issue in many elections across the U.S. on Nov. 8. Outcomes of elections for governors, state lawmakers, supreme court justices and attorneys general could determine abortion access. Beyond that, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-south-carolina-general-lindsey-graham-d81ce581ab1a4c1e4af0ed3991796fdd">nationwide ban</a>&nbsp;on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy has been proposed in Congress.Abortion-rights groups and Democratic candidates are sounding alarms that Republicans would curtail access. Republicans, even those who have supported abortion bans, are campaigning mostly about other issues, including inflation and crime.Still, it's clear that certain Republican victories could result in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-32f106503dad6d0407003971ea828262">abortion restrictions</a>.“We’ve got states like Kansas, Pennsylvania, even Georgia, and Wisconsin where the governor's races or state legislature races could determine perhaps where these states go on abortion rights, even though abortion isn't directly on the ballot,” said Linda Goler Blount, president of the Black Women's Health Imperative.Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, also says results from the election will shape abortion policy. “If Republicans are elected, we may be able to pass some measures," she said in an interview.In North Carolina, where both chambers of the legislature are under GOP control, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has twice vetoed bills that would have restricted abortion, which is currently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-north-carolina-government-and-politics-59ec5074eb84f16aa614276c7c3fa24d">barred after 20 weeks of pregnancy</a>, with narrow exceptions for urgent medical emergencies for the pregnant woman.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-religion-campaigns-860e5e27dc3301140fabd8a8462868c2">equation could change</a>&nbsp;if Republicans can pick up two more seats in the state Senate and three in the House, giving the party enough members to override vetoes from Cooper, whose term runs another two years.That’s why Planned Parenthood Action PAC North Carolina has been airing ads targeting Cavaliero and other Republicans in districts where voting margins are expected to be tight. It's part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-health-congress-71871318f3c725a7df0bbe183e6c84be">nationwide campaign</a>&nbsp;that planned to spend $50 million.Democratic incumbent Sydney Batch recounted at a recent campaign event about how, when she was in the state House in 2019, she was present to vote against a veto override even though she was recovering from a mastectomy.“My colleagues and I will continue to show up because we believe that medical decisions and bodily autonomy of every woman in North Carolina should be in their hands,” she said.Cavaliero said he doesn't want to ban abortion entirely and is not the “anti-abortion extremist” that the ad calls him.“I take a very reasonable position,” he said. “I feel like at some point during the pregnancy, abortion becomes a real problem.”While Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have supported restricting abortion, there’s no consensus on how to do it.That's been a theme since June's U.S. Supreme Court ruling made bans into realities, leaving even abortion opponents divided on details.The two states where lawmakers have passed new bans since June —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-indiana-legislature-9dda020bf811f19e6254915ca1324edc">Indiana</a>, where enforcement is on hold amid a legal challenge, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-legislature-west-virginia-85283cf498eee8c116d3f1cc8de4a0fb">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;— did so only after debates that led to including exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-congress-government-and-politics-fc8c68d1c4dd29ef0a364050013b8cf4">Polling has shown</a>&nbsp;that most voters want abortion to remain legal. That was reflected in the first election on the issue since Roe was overturned, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">Kansas voters rejected a ballot measure</a>&nbsp;in August that would have allowed lawmakers to tighten restrictions or ban abortion.Kansas Democrats are rallying voters by focusing on abortion access.At a recent meeting in the town of Wamego, local Democrats wrote postcards to voters urging them to protect abortion rights. Kathy Swenson, a 71-year-old retired teacher, summarized the message: “If you think your rights are protected just because of Aug. 2, you’re wrong.”Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat in a state where Republicans control the Legislature, is seeking re-election. Her Republican opponent,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-presidential-legislature-cd8d1d6f24da4612b7faeb325a4611bf">Derek Schmidt,</a>&nbsp;and the GOP candidate for attorney general, Kris Kobach, have promised to defend existing restrictions against any court challenges.Three years after a state supreme court ruling that found the Kansas Constitution protects abortion rights,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-topeka-government-and-politics-e6e0ddbbb45e99deef0165eb16576c5d">Kansans for Life</a>&nbsp;is urging supporters to vote against retaining five of the six justices who are on the ballot.Also being closely watched is the governor's race in Arizona, where a ban on abortions after 15 weeks' gestation is in effect while courts decide whether to allow enforcement of a law that would ban abortions at all stages of pregnancy.In Pennsylvania, the election of a new governor could keep the status quo -- abortions allowed up to 24 weeks -- or install a Republican-controlled government that would be expected to roll back abortion rights. The current governor, Democrat Tom Wolf, has vetoed restrictions passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature.Democratic candidate Josh Shapiro has made abortion access a prominent feature of his campaign, raising it at a recent event with union members in Philadelphia. “The other side, they love to talk a good game about freedom, right?” Shapiro said. “Let me tell you something: it’s not freedom to tell women what they’re allowed to do with their bodies.”Republican Doug Mastriano used his opposition to abortion to help win the primary, saying “life” was the most important issue. He has downplayed that view during the general election campaign, dropping it from his stump speech and handing the microphone to his wife, Rebecca, to bring it up.“As conservatives, as Republicans we very much believe in women’s rights,” she told a rally in Erie in October. “In fact, we carry the torch on that. First of all, we believe in a woman’s right to be born.”Since the Supreme Court ruling, bans on abortion at any stage of pregnancy have been adopted or kicked in in a dozen states. In a 13th, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid uncertainty about whether an 1849 ban applies.There, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-wisconsin-donald-trump-2979751251868875a188e77b81eaac16">suing</a>&nbsp;to overturn the ban — a move supported by the Democratic governor, Tony Evers. Both are up for election this year in a state where Republicans control the Legislature.The GOP candidate for governor, Tim Michels, supported the ban during the primary. He now says that if he's elected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-arrests-donald-trump-milwaukee-389322e5a0194dbb6725288e0296c0d2">he would sign a bill granting exceptions</a>&nbsp;for pregnancies caused by rape or incest.In liberal Oregon, one of a handful of states with no abortion restrictions, the issue looms large in the gubernatorial election.Republican Christine Drazan says she would follow the law if elected governor in a state that has helped fund abortion care for women throughout the Northwest.In a September&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-oregon-campaigns-f6a39797a3cd6c52c25c0dd76e485b31">debate</a>, Democrat Tina Kotek said that's not enough.“A governor can do a lot of damage even if there’s a law on the books: stopping agencies, not being a champion, not moving resources to help Oregonians," she said.

Abortion access could hinge on state election results

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One person was killed and seven others were wounded after gunfire erupted at a crowded Halloween party in Kansas City, Kansas.

The shooting happened Monday night at a home, according to a media release from police. Between 70 and 100 people were at the party, including high school-aged teenagers.

Police were called around 9 p.m. and found the deceased person and several others with gunshot wounds. No information about the victims has been released.

Officer Marshee London said people suspected in the shootings entered the home and were asked to leave. Afterward, bullets were fired from the outside into the house.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting at a large Halloween Party that left one person dead.

Just after 9p.m. officers were dispatched to a shots fired call at at a home in the 1600 block of S 50th Street, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.

When officers arrived, they discovered a deceased person on scene from an apparent gunshot and as many as 8 others injured. EMS transported the victims to area hospitals.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667299121422.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One person was killed and seven others were wounded after gunfire erupted at a crowded Halloween party in Kansas City, Kansas.The shooting happened Monday night at a home, according to a media release from police. Between 70 and 100 people were at the party, including high school-aged teenagers.Police were called around 9 p.m. and found the deceased person and several others with gunshot wounds. No information about the victims has been released.Officer Marshee London said people suspected in the shootings entered the home and were asked to leave. Afterward, bullets were fired from the outside into the house.No arrests have been made.-------------KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting at a large Halloween Party that left one person dead.Just after 9p.m. officers were dispatched to a shots fired call at at a home in the 1600 block of S 50th Street, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.When officers arrived, they discovered a deceased person on scene from an apparent gunshot and as many as 8 others injured. EMS transported the victims to area hospitals.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

1 dead, multiple injured after Kan. Halloween party shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — The survival of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in higher education appeared to be in serious trouble Monday at a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after hours of debate over vexing questions of race.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-707">Click here</a> to listen to the oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/20-1199">Click here</a> to listen to the oral arguments in&nbsp;Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard

The most diverse court in the nation's history — among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina — is weighing challenges to admissions programs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-education-race-and-ethnicity-north-carolina-university-of-north-carolina-0ed19edd9dcb13d194afe0f13aa330df">University of North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-clears-harvard-racial-bias-4e3eb42d20ee675887e02bcec57ab412">Harvard</a>&nbsp;that use race among many factors in seeking a diverse student body.

The court's six conservative justices all expressed doubts about the practice, which has been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978. The court's three liberals defended the programs, which are similar to those used by many other private and public universities.

Getting rid of race-conscious college admissions would have a “destabilizing” effect that would cause the ranks of Black and Latino students to plummet at the nation’s most selective schools, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, said.

Following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the overturning of the half-century abortion precedent of Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June, the cases offer a big new test of whether the court, with its 6-3 conservative edge, will sharply steer the law to the right on another contentious cultural issue that conservatives have had in their sights for years.

The questions the justices offered further laid bare the stark ideological divisions on the court in an era of intense political polarization in the country.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's second Black justice, who has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-education-15a37e379866d590da82c0d0224679e3">long record of opposition to affirmative action programs and other conservative positions</a>, noted he didn’t go to racially diverse schools, at one point saying, “I’ve heard the word ‘diversity’ quite a few times, and I don’t have a clue what it means.” He also challenged defenders of affirmative action to “tell me what the educational benefits are.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, another conservative, pointed to one of the court's previous affirmative action cases and said it anticipated a halt to its use in declaring that any classification based on race was “dangerous” and had to have an end point.

She was among several conservatives who pushed lawyers representing the schools and the Biden administration to venture a guess when that day would come.

“Your position is that race matters because it’s necessary for diversity, which is necessary for the sort of education you want. It’s not going to stop mattering at some particular point,” said Chief Justice John Roberts, who has long been skeptical of considerations of race.

Justice Samuel Alito likened affirmative action to a footrace in which a minority applicant gets to “start five yards closer to the finish line.” But liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Hispanic member, rejected that comparison saying what universities are doing is looking at students as a whole.

Likewise, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court’s newest justice and its first Black woman, also said race was being used among 40 different factors at the University of North Carolina as part of a broad review of applicants.

“They’re looking at the full person with all of these characteristics,” she said.

Justice Elena Kagan, who was the first female dean at Harvard Law School earlier in her career, called universities the “pipelines to leadership in our society” and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop.

“I thought part of what it meant to be an American and to believe in American pluralism is that actually our institutions, you know, are reflective of who we are as a people in all our variety,” she said.

The Supreme Court has twice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-texas-courts-relationships-race-and-ethnicity-87f9c6ae0150469f9204b5d79c7dc7ad">upheld race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 19 years, including just six years ago.

But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined. Jackson was chosen this year by President Joe Biden.

Lower courts have upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants.

The cases are brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end the use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.

Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.

The group argues that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and calls for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.

Colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors, Students for Fair Admissions argues.

Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed Ryan Park, a lawyer for North Carolina, on why colleges shouldn't be forced to eliminate those preferences, “which tend to favor the children of wealthy white parents,” to see if it allowed them to increase diversity without considering race.

A college might end up with a more diverse student body, but "we just would have a crummy squash team and no art museum,” Gorsuch said.

In the Harvard case, lawyer Seth Waxman pointed to lower court findings rejecting claims that Harvard discriminates on the basis of race. Waxman said the school looks for many different kinds of diversity, including having oboe players for its student orchestra.

“We did not fight a civil war over oboe players," Roberts countered, a sharp allusion to the nation's long struggle with race.

The schools contend that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.

The Biden administration is urging the court to preserve race-conscious admissions. The Trump administration had taken the opposite position in earlier stages of the cases.

UNC says its freshman class is about 65% white, 22% Asian American, 10% Black and 10% Hispanic. The numbers add to more than 100% because some students report belonging to more than one category, a school spokesman said.

White students are just over 40% of Harvard's freshman class, the school said. The class also is just under 28% Asian American, 14% Black and 12% Latino.

Nine states already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.

In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.

Public opinion on the topic varies depending on how the question is asked. A Gallup Poll from 2021 found 62% of Americans in favor of affirmative action programs for racial minorities. But in a Pew Research Center survey in March, 74% of Americans, including majorities of Black and Latino respondents, said race and ethnicity should not factor into college admissions.

Jackson and Roberts received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices went to law school there.

Jackson is sitting out the Harvard case because she was until recently a member of an advisory governing board there.

A decision in the affirmative action cases is not expected before late spring.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1667264915999.jpeg" alt="People rally outside the Supreme Court as the court begins to hear oral arguments in two cases that could decide the future of affirmative action in college admissions, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)" />
 <figcaption>People rally outside the Supreme Court as the court begins to hear oral arguments in two cases that could decide the future of affirmative action in college admissions, Monday, Oct. 31, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The survival of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/affirmative-action">affirmative action</a>&nbsp;in higher education appeared to be in serious trouble Monday at a conservative-dominated Supreme Court after hours of debate over vexing questions of race.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/21-707">Click here</a> to listen to the oral arguments in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2022/20-1199">Click here</a> to listen to the oral arguments in&nbsp;Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of HarvardThe most diverse court in the nation's history — among the nine justices are four women, two Black people and a Latina — is weighing challenges to admissions programs at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-admissions-education-race-and-ethnicity-north-carolina-university-of-north-carolina-0ed19edd9dcb13d194afe0f13aa330df">University of North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/appeals-court-clears-harvard-racial-bias-4e3eb42d20ee675887e02bcec57ab412">Harvard</a>&nbsp;that use race among many factors in seeking a diverse student body.The court's six conservative justices all expressed doubts about the practice, which has been upheld under Supreme Court decisions reaching back to 1978. The court's three liberals defended the programs, which are similar to those used by many other private and public universities.Getting rid of race-conscious college admissions would have a “destabilizing” effect that would cause the ranks of Black and Latino students to plummet at the nation’s most selective schools, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, representing the Biden administration, said.Following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the overturning of the half-century abortion precedent of Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in June, the cases offer a big new test of whether the court, with its 6-3 conservative edge, will sharply steer the law to the right on another contentious cultural issue that conservatives have had in their sights for years.The questions the justices offered further laid bare the stark ideological divisions on the court in an era of intense political polarization in the country.Justice Clarence Thomas, the court's second Black justice, who has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-us-supreme-court-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-education-15a37e379866d590da82c0d0224679e3">long record of opposition to affirmative action programs and other conservative positions</a>, noted he didn’t go to racially diverse schools, at one point saying, “I’ve heard the word ‘diversity’ quite a few times, and I don’t have a clue what it means.” He also challenged defenders of affirmative action to “tell me what the educational benefits are.”Justice Amy Coney Barrett, another conservative, pointed to one of the court's previous affirmative action cases and said it anticipated a halt to its use in declaring that any classification based on race was “dangerous” and had to have an end point.She was among several conservatives who pushed lawyers representing the schools and the Biden administration to venture a guess when that day would come.“Your position is that race matters because it’s necessary for diversity, which is necessary for the sort of education you want. It’s not going to stop mattering at some particular point,” said Chief Justice John Roberts, who has long been skeptical of considerations of race.Justice Samuel Alito likened affirmative action to a footrace in which a minority applicant gets to “start five yards closer to the finish line.” But liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the court's first Hispanic member, rejected that comparison saying what universities are doing is looking at students as a whole.Likewise, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court’s newest justice and its first Black woman, also said race was being used among 40 different factors at the University of North Carolina as part of a broad review of applicants.“They’re looking at the full person with all of these characteristics,” she said.Justice Elena Kagan, who was the first female dean at Harvard Law School earlier in her career, called universities the “pipelines to leadership in our society” and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop.“I thought part of what it meant to be an American and to believe in American pluralism is that actually our institutions, you know, are reflective of who we are as a people in all our variety,” she said.The Supreme Court has twice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-texas-courts-relationships-race-and-ethnicity-87f9c6ae0150469f9204b5d79c7dc7ad">upheld race-conscious college admissions programs</a>&nbsp;in the past 19 years, including just six years ago.But that was before the three appointees of former President Donald Trump joined. Jackson was chosen this year by President Joe Biden.Lower courts have upheld the programs at both UNC and Harvard, rejecting claims that the schools discriminated against white and Asian-American applicants.The cases are brought by conservative activist Edward Blum, who also was behind an earlier affirmative action challenge against the University of Texas as well as the case that led the court in 2013 to end the use of a key provision of the landmark Voting Rights Act.Blum formed Students for Fair Admissions, which filed the lawsuits against both schools in 2014.The group argues that the Constitution forbids the use of race in college admissions and calls for overturning earlier Supreme Court decisions that said otherwise.Colleges and universities can use other, race-neutral ways to assemble a diverse student body, including by focusing on socioeconomic status and eliminating the preference for children of alumni and major donors, Students for Fair Admissions argues.Justice Neil Gorsuch pressed Ryan Park, a lawyer for North Carolina, on why colleges shouldn't be forced to eliminate those preferences, “which tend to favor the children of wealthy white parents,” to see if it allowed them to increase diversity without considering race.A college might end up with a more diverse student body, but "we just would have a crummy squash team and no art museum,” Gorsuch said.In the Harvard case, lawyer Seth Waxman pointed to lower court findings rejecting claims that Harvard discriminates on the basis of race. Waxman said the school looks for many different kinds of diversity, including having oboe players for its student orchestra.“We did not fight a civil war over oboe players," Roberts countered, a sharp allusion to the nation's long struggle with race.The schools contend that they use race in a limited way, but that eliminating it as a factor altogether would make it much harder to achieve a student body that looks like America.The Biden administration is urging the court to preserve race-conscious admissions. The Trump administration had taken the opposite position in earlier stages of the cases.UNC says its freshman class is about 65% white, 22% Asian American, 10% Black and 10% Hispanic. The numbers add to more than 100% because some students report belonging to more than one category, a school spokesman said.White students are just over 40% of Harvard's freshman class, the school said. The class also is just under 28% Asian American, 14% Black and 12% Latino.Nine states already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Washington.In 2020, California voters easily rejected a ballot measure to bring back affirmative action.Public opinion on the topic varies depending on how the question is asked. A Gallup Poll from 2021 found 62% of Americans in favor of affirmative action programs for racial minorities. But in a Pew Research Center survey in March, 74% of Americans, including majorities of Black and Latino respondents, said race and ethnicity should not factor into college admissions.Jackson and Roberts received their undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard. Two other justices went to law school there.Jackson is sitting out the Harvard case because she was until recently a member of an advisory governing board there.A decision in the affirmative action cases is not expected before late spring.

🎤Affirmative action in jeopardy after justices raise doubts

KANSAS CITY (AP)—There were no big treats from the Halloween night Powerball drawing, as none of the tickets sold matched all six numbers.

The lack of a winner means the next drawing Wednesday night will be for a massive $1.2 billion jackpot.

The winning numbers drawn Monday were: white balls 13, 19, 36, 39, 59 and the red power ball 13.

The increased jackpot will be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-aa10b4a420901f35ee98adb41c76c67d">4th-largest in U.S. history</a>. The biggest prize was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2b540577dabe4d47986b66ea1ffbfbcf">$1.586 billion Powerball jackpot</a>&nbsp;won by three ticketholders in 2016.

Massive lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as lottery officials have adjusted game rules and ticket prices to pump up the top prizes. The most recent tweak came in August, when Powerball officials added an additional drawing day — going from two a week to three — to build larger prizes and boost sales.

Although the advertised top prize Wednesday will be an estimated $1.2 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Wednesday night’s drawing will be an estimated $596 million.

No one has hit all six numbers since Aug. 3, meaning there have now been 38 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner — a testament to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-powerball-jackpots-e39d36b5c6c5718703e42b3ba6751470">how slim the odds are</a>&nbsp;of winning the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

KANSAS CITY (AP)—There were no big treats from the Halloween night Powerball drawing, as none of the tickets sold matched all six numbers.The lack of a winner means the next drawing Wednesday night will be for a massive $1.2 billion jackpot.The winning numbers drawn Monday were: white balls 13, 19, 36, 39, 59 and the red power ball 13.The increased jackpot will be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-aa10b4a420901f35ee98adb41c76c67d">4th-largest in U.S. history</a>. The biggest prize was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2b540577dabe4d47986b66ea1ffbfbcf">$1.586 billion Powerball jackpot</a>&nbsp;won by three ticketholders in 2016.Massive lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as lottery officials have adjusted game rules and ticket prices to pump up the top prizes. The most recent tweak came in August, when Powerball officials added an additional drawing day — going from two a week to three — to build larger prizes and boost sales.Although the advertised top prize Wednesday will be an estimated $1.2 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Wednesday night’s drawing will be an estimated $596 million.No one has hit all six numbers since Aug. 3, meaning there have now been 38 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner — a testament to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-powerball-jackpots-e39d36b5c6c5718703e42b3ba6751470">how slim the odds are</a>&nbsp;of winning the jackpot: 1 in 292.2 million.Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.