Nicole Lafond

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Nicole Lafond is TPM’s deputy editor, based in New York. She has also worked as the special projects editor and as a senior newswriter for TPM. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and previously covered education in central Illinois.

Where Things Stand: Suppressing Democracy To Appease The Faithful Prime Badge
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Brian Kemp is up for reelection in 2022. And the true leader of the Republican Party, former President Donald Trump, has made it pretty clear that Kemp has fallen far outside of his good graces.

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Where Things Stand: Traditional Conservative Values Butt Heads With The New Culture Wars Prime Badge
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Asa Hutchinson’s veto of an anti-trans bill in his state, which we covered yesterday, proved to be for naught — it was promptly overridden by his GOP colleagues in the state legislature.

But his defense of his veto saw him position himself at a crossroads for conservatism, between libertarian values and the increasing desire on the right to punish one’s perceived enemies.

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CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 19:  on the second day of the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Where Things Stand: GOP Governor Steps In To Stop Anti-Trans Bill Prime Badge

As Republicans fling one culture war after another at the wall to see what sticks in recent weeks, at least one GOP governor isn’t playing along.

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11:  U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) listens during a news briefing after the weekly Senate Republican Policy Luncheon July 11, 2017 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. Sen. McConnell announced that Senate will delay its recess to the third week of August.  (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Where Things Stand: The Happy Marriage Between The GOP And Corporations Hits A Rough Patch Prime Badge
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While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) statement decrying the “bullying” of Americans by corporations might mark a new low in the once-fruitful backscratching relationship between corporate American and the GOP, the tension between the two institutions has been building and moving us in this direction for some time.

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House Judiciary Committee Republican member Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) talks out of turn and interrupts the hearing before being stopped by Chairman Jerrold Nadler during a House Judiciary Committee hearing to receive counsel presentations of evidence on the impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 9, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Where Things Stand: Where Are Gaetz’s Friends Now? Prime Badge
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Apparently, they were always few and far between. At least in Washington.

According to a new Daily Beast report, Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-FL) colleagues on the Hill have been wary for some time that he might eventually become embroiled in scandal. Lawmakers told the Daily Beast that it’s widely known in Congress that the Florida Republican has an affinity for partying hard, and it was an open secret in 2018 that he was dating a college student who came to Washington, D.C. as an intern.

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Where Things Stand: Gaetz Tries, Fails To Pick Up Deep State Baton In Trump’s Absence Prime Badge
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And it’s not going well.

If you didn’t watch Rep. Matt Gaetz’ (R-FL) stunning interview on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson’s show last night, you should check out our report on it here.

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Where Things Stand: Preparing For The Next Pandemic Prime Badge
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The global community has taken significant steps in the last week to try to properly arm the world against the inevitability of another pandemic. In a letter published in newspapers around the world, 24 world leaders — including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron — made the case for some form of a global treaty for pandemics, arguing COVID-19 was “a stark and painful reminder that nobody is safe until everyone is safe.”

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on January 19, 2018 in Washington, DC. Where Things Stand: The Sad Wedding Guest Prime Badge
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It’s a Monday in the new Trump-free world and most days it’s best to keep it that way. But we thought this particularly sad weekend news was worth flagging.

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Where Things Stand: Militias And Other Right-Wing Groups Get Particularly Worked Up About Red Flag Laws Prime Badge
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After back-to-back mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder in the past week, gun reform advocates are once again hoping to see an expansion of red flag laws, which allow authorities to confiscate guns from individuals deemed to be particularly dangerous. They’re one of the few gun control measures that some members of the pro-gun lobby will get behind due to their case-by-case enforcement.

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CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18:  on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicks off on July 18. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Where Things Stand: Holding His Foot Soldiers Accountable Prime Badge
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We covered news yesterday that Fulton County prosecutors in Georgia are considering bringing “false statement” charges against Rudy Giuliani and some of Trump’s other close allies over their efforts to spread bogus claims about the 2020 election results in Georgia.

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