# News Today: Politics - December Highlights

This episode dives into December's critical political movements, led by Maxwell Slate's sharp analysis of Capitol Hill's activity. The House Armed Services Committee is finalizing the annual defense authorization bill—one of the year's few must-pass pieces of legislation with global implications for American military operations and international power projection.

We explore November's significant "blue wave" at state and local levels, including Democratic victories in Virginia and New Jersey, plus Zohran Mamdani's surprising New York City mayoral win that has established him as a new progressive voice on the national stage.

The episode examines upcoming December runoff elections in New Jersey, Georgia, Albuquerque, and Miami, analyzing how these local contests might influence federal budget negotiations—particularly around Affordable Care Act subsidies that could affect healthcare costs for millions of Americans.

Finally, we investigate the unprecedented flow of tech industry money into Washington, including Open

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI