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Three of Long Island's four U.S. House races will go without candidate debates before the Nov. 3 election, continuing a trend analysts call a decline in a longstanding American political tradition. Only one debate has been scheduled on the Island: a taped cable TV matchup between Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and challenger Michael LiPetri on Oct. 20.

Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) have both declined debate invitations, citing direct voter engagement over "staged" events. Garbarino's challenger Patrick Halpin says he's ready to debate "anytime, anyplace," while Gillen's opponent Jeanine Driscoll accused her of avoiding scrutiny. In a reversal of the usual pattern, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) wants to debate, but Democratic challenger Chris Gallant has refused. Experts, including former Rep. Steve Israel, warn the decline — tied to safer social media messaging and less competitive districts — deprives voters of chances to see how candidates handle pressure, even as debates continue in some other competitive New York races like NY-17.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta reached a settlement allowing the $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger to proceed, ending a 12-state antitrust challenge, but the deal has drawn criticism from within the Democratic coalition itself. Sources say Gov. Gavin Newsom, LA Mayor Karen Bass and gubernatorial front-runner Xavier Becerra pressured Bonta to settle, while attorneys general in New York and Connecticut wanted stronger concessions before ultimately signing on. Paramount agreed to production commitments, spending on U.S. film production, preserving its California lots, and an oversight board meant to protect editorial independence at CNN and CBS News, both folded into the merger under CEO David Ellison.

Critics, including Sen. Cory Booker and the Writers Guild of America, argue the deal is too weak and that Ellison's threat to relocate Paramount out of California influenced the outcome. Some attorneys general called it only a partial win, while Bonta defended it as enforceable, with divestment penalties if Paramount fails to comply.

CNN, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) and Politico filed an emergency First Amendment lawsuit Monday in the DC District Court seeking to restore White House access after President Trump revoked their reporters' credentials over coverage he called "fake news." Reporters Betsy Klein (CNN), Akayla Gardner (MS NOW) and Cheyenne Haslett (Politico) had their press badges disabled Saturday and were denied entry; CNN also lost its pool coverage slot, meaning no television network traveled with Trump that day, an unprecedented gap.

The lawsuit names Trump, chief of staff Susie Wiles, spokesperson Steven Cheung and Secret Service chief Sean Curran, arguing the ban is unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination lacking due process, citing precedent involving Jim Acosta and the Associated Press. White House Correspondents' Association president Jacqui Heinrich and press-freedom advocates called the move "textbook viewpoint discrimination," warning the precedent could later be used against any outlet. Trump has said he might expand the ban further, and legal experts widely expect courts to strike it down.

Analysis marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks argues that the national unity seen in 2001 would be far less likely if a comparable crisis struck today. After 9/11, President George W. Bush's approval rating jumped from roughly 53 percent to as high as 92 percent in polling from Gallup and ABC News, reflecting a rare moment of bipartisan cohesion. By contrast, President Trump's current average approval sits around 38 percent, illustrating how deeply polarized the country has become.

The piece points to five structural shifts since 2001: the rise of social media and information silos, the decline of traditional media in favor of partisan cable "brands," rapid partisan blame-assigning after major events, eroding public trust in government — cited in a new Associated Press-NORC survey showing six in ten adults distrust federal information — and the widest wealth gap in three decades per Federal Reserve data. Together, these trends suggest that a modern-day catastrophic event would likely deepen division rather than foster the shared resolve seen after 9/11.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom capped a multi-state "take it back tour" with eight public events across South Carolina, plus stops in Alabama and North Carolina, intensifying speculation about a 2028 Democratic presidential run. In North Carolina, Newsom campaigned for U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper in Charlotte and rallied Labor Day weekend crowds in Monroe, urging Democrats to focus on the 2026 midterms rather than 2028. He accused Trump of ruthlessness, corruption and attempting to "nationalize" elections through mail-in voting restrictions, telling supporters it's time to "fight fire with fire." Newsom told the Associated Press a 2028 decision could come before year's end.

Voters and strategists increasingly frame California itself as Newsom's central liability, with critics warning his state's liberal image could hurt him against rivals like Josh Shapiro and Pete Buttigieg. Republicans, including North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley and local officials, mocked the visits with "Wrong Coast" signs and accused him of trying to "California" their states. Newsom's team counters that his progressive record on health care, wages and climate could be an asset in a Democratic primary. South Carolina, hosting Democrats' first 2028 primary, remains a key early proving ground alongside hopefuls like Cory Booker.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) won her party's primary in Florida's newly drawn 20th Congressional District, a plurality-Black seat centered on Broward County, after her old 25th District seat was eliminated in Republican-led mid-decade redistricting ordered by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Rather than run in a new, whiter district that favored Trump, she chose to compete in the 20th, drawing criticism from local Black leaders, the Broward Black Democratic Caucus, and Congressional Black Caucus members who saw her candidacy as a threat to Black political representation already weakened by the Supreme Court's rollback of the Voting Rights Act; Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries declined to endorse her.

Wasserman Schultz defeated a divided field of four Black challengers — former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, rapper Luther "Luke" Campbell, Elijah Manley, and Dale Holness — leaning on seniority, fundraising, and an Appropriations Committee seat while her rivals split the opposing vote. Her win makes her the only white House member representing a plurality or majority-Black district heading into 2027, following the elimination of Rep. Steve Cohen's Memphis district by Tennessee Republicans. The broader Florida redistricting effort cut four Democratic-leaning seats ahead of the midterms.

Illinois Democrats gathered at the state fair in Springfield for their annual Democrats' Day, with Gov. JB Pritzker, Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren delivering anti-Trump speeches while downplaying ideological rifts roiling the national party. Warren praised Senate candidate Juliana Stratton for standing up to AIPAC and corporate PACs, touching on divisions over Israel-Gaza policy and campaign finance that have proven more combustible elsewhere. But the celebratory tone was clouded by House Speaker Chris Welch's handling of a sexual harassment scandal involving former Rep. Harry Benton, and the recent indictment of Rep. Carol Ammons and her husband on fraud charges. Welch skipped the main event; three House Democrats have refused to join his working group on the harassment issue, calling its formation flawed.

A day later, Republicans held their own fairground rally, with Gov. candidate Darren Bailey and running mate Aaron Del Mar attacking Pritzker over cost of living, public safety and schools while avoiding mention of Trump. Senate candidate Don Tracy branded Stratton and Democratic Socialist allies as extreme, and House GOP leader Tony McCombie renewed criticism of Welch. Separately, the DNC narrowed its 2028 convention host shortlist to Boston, Denver and Philadelphia, excluding Chicago, which hosted in 2024 and remains in contention for 2032. Pritzker's campaign also launched a TV ad branding Bailey as extreme ahead of November.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said he remains open to settlement talks with Paramount Skydance over its proposed $111-billion merger with Warner Bros., a day after canceling negotiations. Bonta accused Paramount of "amateur hour" conduct, saying leaks about confidential settlement discussions to news outlets crossed a line, though he clarified Paramount had initiated the talks. He reiterated that any resolution would likely require Paramount to sell cable channels such as TBS, TNT, and CNN and keep Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures as separate units — concessions CEO David Ellison has resisted given the company's need for cable cash flow to service $80 billion in new debt.

Bonta leads a 12-state coalition suing to block the merger on antitrust grounds. The coalition recently secured a temporary restraining order, and Paramount agreed not to close the deal before a March 2 trial or June 1, whichever comes first. Paramount's board has reportedly approved a contingency plan to relocate the studio, with Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia floated as alternatives if no settlement is reached by October 1; Austin has emerged as a leading candidate, backed by Texas's $300-million film incentive program. Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass have urged a swift resolution. No new settlement talks are currently scheduled.