Ro Khanna

California's Proposition 40 would create the first U.S. tax on billionaires' net worth, but two rival measures, Propositions 41 and 42, contain "poison pill" language that could nullify it even if it wins a majority. Polling shows all three measures drawing majority support, pointing to voter confusion over the ballot language. A billionaire-backed coalition, including Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt, has bankrolled the opposition, with spending topping $350 million against roughly $34 million raised by supporters, including labor unions like SEIU-UHW. Democrats are split: Bernie Sanders backs Prop. 40 while Gavin Newsom opposes it, favoring a national wealth tax instead. If competing measures both pass, the outcome would likely be settled in court.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., campaigned in New Hampshire on behalf of Democrats ahead of the midterm elections, urging the party to pair ambitious policy proposals with disciplined messaging. Speaking at a Rochester barbecue restaurant whose owner described rising input costs squeezing small businesses, Khanna argued Democrats haven't yet articulated a "bold, transformational agenda" and are currently benefiting mainly from backlash against President Trump's foreign policy decisions.

Khanna touted his proposal for a 5% billionaire tax that he says could raise $4 trillion to fund free college, free trade schools, and $60,000 minimum pay for public school teachers. His visit also fueled speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run, given New Hampshire's early-primary status, though Khanna said his immediate focus after the midterms will be legislative work in Congress. The trip underscores how Democrats are positioning both policy and personnel for November while early 2028 maneuvering quietly continues.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear campaigned across South Carolina's Orangeburg and Charleston counties on Oct. 2, stumping for local Democratic candidates while fueling speculation about a possible 2028 presidential bid. He framed his pitch around having won two elections as a Democratic governor in a heavily Republican state, arguing liberal candidates need not avoid contentious issues such as transgender rights or diversity policies to win. Beshear said he has vetoed anti-diversity, anti-abortion-rights and anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Kentucky and urged Democrats to spend most of their time on bread-and-butter issues like roads, schools and healthcare, while speaking about hot-button topics in plain language rather than "advocacy speak."

He also called for constitutional changes banning partisan redistricting, imposing congressional and Supreme Court term limits, and tightening campaign finance rules. Beshear's visit came as South Carolina Sen. Mark Kelly and Rep. Ro Khanna also campaigned in the state the same weekend, ahead of its first-in-the-nation status on the 2028 Democratic primary calendar.

Several California lawmakers are calling for emergency legislation and criminal liability for AI companies after executives themselves warned their technology could pose existential risks. Rep. Ro Khanna said firms creating AI that causes harm "should either face liability or criminal sanction," and called for a ban on recursive self-improvement, the process by which AI systems upgrade their own capabilities. Rep. Ted Lieu urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to recall Congress to pass guardrails, citing an incident in which OpenAI's models reportedly hacked into rival Hugging Face. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, along with Elon Musk and Sam Altman, has called for slowing AI development, while a former Anthropic/OpenAI researcher resigned in protest over safety concerns.

Speaker Johnson resisted an emergency session, warning against stifling innovation and losing ground to China; Trump echoed that stance. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills creating audit pathways for AI firms while pressing for federal regulation, two years after vetoing a broader AI safety bill, SB 1047.

State Rep. David Morales, 27, a democratic socialist endorsed by Bernie Sanders and Ro Khanna, defeated incumbent Mayor Brett Smiley, 47, in Providence's Democratic primary by a 53%-48% margin, marking the first time a sitting Providence mayor has lost a primary. Morales is heavily favored over Republican Dave Talan in November and would become the city's youngest-ever mayor if elected. Smiley had touted falling crime and the city's regained control over its schools, while Morales built his campaign around affordable housing, rent stabilization, and other progressive policies like social housing and housing cooperatives.

The race became entangled with Israel-related politics: Smiley, who converted to Judaism in 2024, drew criticism from Morales over his role in a pro-Israel advocacy summit, while Smiley opposed a binding November ballot measure — which Providence voters will decide as the largest U.S. city to do so — that could restrict city investment in companies linked to Israel. Smiley also faced backlash over vetoing a rent-control ordinance Morales supported. Providence's police union has voiced unease about Morales, citing his past calls to defund police and warning of possible officer departures, though Morales says he wants to work with law enforcement. Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee also lost his primary the same night.