Reuters US Domestic News Summary

US Representative Chuck Edwards of North Carolina has dropped his reelection bid after a House Ethics Committee recommended censure over allegations of sexual harassment.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

North Carolina Republican Edwards drops reelection bid after sexual harassment allegations

Republican U.S. Representative Chuck Edwards of North Carolina said on Wednesday he was dropping his bid for reelection, after a House Ethics Committee recommended a censure following allegations of sexual harassment. "After much prayer and reflection, I’ve decided to withdraw from my re-election campaign. I will complete my current ​term," Edwards wrote in an early morning X post that did not address the allegations or the committee report.

Attorney Taylor wins Democratic nomination in competitive Virginia congressional district, US media projects

Henrico County Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor won the Democratic nomination in a competitive Virginia ​congressional district on Tuesday, according to U.S. media.

CDC expands largest known cyclosporiasis outbreak to 15 states, Washington Post reports

The U.S. CDC is adding six more states to the cyclosporiasis outbreak ‌linked to iceberg lettuce, ​widening the number of affected states to 15, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing three individuals familiar with the investigation. The outbreak, among the largest caused by foodborne illness in recent U.S. history, has produced more than 10,468 laboratory-confirmed cases and 12,255 suspected cases nationwide, the CDC website showed. The agency's surveillance lags state reporting by several weeks.

William Lawrence wins Democratic primary for battleground US House seat in Michigan, US media projects

Progressive climate activist William Lawrence won the Democratic nomination for a battleground congressional district in Michigan, according to U.S. media, defeating two moderates to challenge Republican U.S. Representative Tom Barrett in November.

Exclusive-Under Patel, FBI forges unprecedented law enforcement ties with China, Russia

FBI Director Kash Patel says he has forged new law enforcement partnerships with China and Russia, two longtime U.S. rivals, over the past year in hopes of gaining allies in combating transnational crime including fentanyl, cyber fraud and ‌child sexual exploitation. The partnerships have involved personnel exchanges in which Chinese law enforcement officials have visited the United States and FBI agents have traveled to China to work on cases together and share intelligence. Separately, FBI and Chinese officers have carried out joint raids and arrests under the arrangement.

Army veteran Bouchard wins Republican primary for competitive US House seat in Michigan, US media reports

U.S. Army veteran Mike Bouchard won the Republican nomination for a competitive congressional district in Michigan, according to U.S. media projections on Tuesday.

Seven months after Trump intervention, US senators seek Venezuela elections

A group of Republican and Democratic U.S. senators on Tuesday called for elections in Venezuela, seven months after President Donald Trump's administration removed then-President Nicolas Maduro and installed his vice president as acting president. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire introduced a resolution reaffirming U.S. support for elections in Venezuela, calling for the release of political prisoners and saying that anyone - including senior government figures - should be punished if they are responsible for harming anyone seeking public office.

Trump administration unveils new paid family leave incentives

The U.S. Treasury Department will announce new guidance on Wednesday expanding incentives for employers to offer paid family leave, according to three people familiar with ‌the plans that the White House hopes to tout in midterm elections. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and House Speaker Mike Johnson are set to join Arizona Representative Juan Ciscomani outside Phoenix to discuss the policy. Ciscomani is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House, and administration officials are rallying to support candidates facing strong Democratic challengers.

Wildfires near Spokane destroy more than 700 buildings, force 64,000 to flee

Wildfires raging on the outskirts of Spokane, Washington, for a third day have destroyed at least 700 buildings and forced tens of thousands of people to flee their ‌homes in and around the state's second-most populous city, officials said on Monday.

The cluster of three blazes ranked as the top firefighting priority in the U.S. as a whole, including the drought-parched Pacific Northwest, where dozens of major wildfires have burned for weeks, degrading air quality across a wide region.

John Braun advances to general election in Washington battleground district, US media projects

State Senate Republican Leader John Braun advanced to November's general election in a Washington battleground congressional district, according to U.S. media.

Michigan primary cliffhanger tests direction of U.S. Democrats

What had been billed as a defining test of the Democratic Party's direction turned into an election-night cliffhanger, with progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed clinging to a narrowing lead over U.S. Representative Haley Stevens in Michigan's U.S. Senate primary. El-Sayed led throughout the night, but the margin tightened as votes were being counted in Detroit, Flint and other heavily Black communities where Stevens has performed strongly. With nearly eight years in Congress, Stevens had the backing of the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus' political action committee.

Trump vowed to 'bring free speech back.' Judges in 75 cases ruled that he has stifled it

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly campaigned for his second term as a champion of free expression, vowing in his January 2025 inaugural address to stop what he described as years of "government censorship." Since then, a wave of court rulings has concluded his administration has done the opposite. Reuters identified 75 federal-judge rulings finding Trump’s government infringed on First-Amendment rights including freedoms ⁠of speech, religion, and the press.

Exclusive-White ​House set to extend Jones Act waiver as Trump hunts for cheaper gasoline

The White House is expected to extend a waiver of the century-old Jones Act in ⁠the coming days to try and hold down gasoline prices, sources said, as President Donald Trump escalates his attacks on Exxon Mobil and Chevron for making "too much money." The Jones Act requires cargo moving between U.S. ports to be carried on ships built in the U.S., owned by U.S. companies and crewed by American workers, and the waiver aims to lower gas prices by increasing shipping flexibility and reducing transport bottlenecks.

Five things to watch in Tuesday's US primaries

The Democratic Party's ideological divide faces its biggest test of the 2026 primary season on Tuesday, with progressive Abdul El-Sayed looking to win Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senate nomination over center-left U.S. Representative Haley Stevens. Michigan is one of five states holding primaries along with Kansas, ⁠Missouri, Virginia and Washington state. Democrats need to net four seats to retake the Senate, making Michigan — a state Donald Trump won in 2024 — central to those hopes.

Analysis-The US box office is booming, but fewer people are going to the movies

The U.S. box office saw its biggest opening weekend in history thanks to the one-two punch of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey." But the industry's rebound is increasingly being powered by higher ticket prices, premium-format screenings and a handful of blockbuster releases rather than a broad return of moviegoers. While the domestic box office revenue is on pace for its best year since the pandemic, film audiences have shrunk.

Trump to promote tax cuts in ​Nevada visit as Republicans battle for House seats

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit Las Vegas on Wednesday to tout his administration's tax cut policies and sharpen contrasts with Democrats, as Republicans look to defend their congressional majorities in the November midterm election. The trip is part of a more aggressive political push by the White House as Republicans confront voter concerns about the economy and the Iran war, which entered its sixth month this week. Trump has increasingly mixed official events with campaign-style appearances, using recent stops in Michigan and Georgia ⁠to praise Republican candidates and attack Democrats.

Former US Rep. Luria wins Democratic nomination in Virginia battleground district, US media projects

Former U.S. Representative Elaine Luria won the Democratic nomination in a Virginia battleground district, according to U.S. media.

US Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez advances to general election in Washington battleground district, US media projects

U.S. Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez advanced to November's general election in a Washington battleground district, according to U.S. media.

Chipotle pulls jalapenos from some restaurants amid salmonella probe

Chipotle Mexican Grill said on Tuesday it had removed jalapenos from all its restaurants in Minnesota and other locations that received the product after identifying the peppers as a potential common ingredient in a salmonella outbreak under investigation by public health authorities. Shares of Chipotle fell as much as 8.5% to $35.20, as investors weighed ⁠the impact ​of another food-safety investigation on the burrito chain that has faced more than a few foodborne disease outbreaks in the past.

Family of man who died in ICE detention in New Jersey alleges medical negligence in custody

The family of a man from El Salvador, who died in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in New Jersey, alleged medical negligence during his custody and demanded an independent investigation into his death. ICE said on Monday that Edwin Lopez-Cornejo, who was being held at the Delaney Hall detention facility, was pronounced dead on Saturday by medical personnel at University Hospital, in Newark, New Jersey, after suffering what the agency described as a medical emergency.

US judge grants DOJ request to dismiss January 6 cases against Oath Keepers

A U.S. judge on Tuesday granted the U.S. Justice Department's request to dismiss cases against members of the right-wing Oath Keepers militia who took part in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, according to a court filing. The ruling from Washington-based U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta tosses out convictions of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and other members of the group who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for plotting to stop the transfer of ⁠power after President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

Shifting left, Democrats see universal health care, taxing the rich as 'essential,' Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

Liberal Democrats now make up a clear majority of their party and view universal healthcare, greater abortion access and higher taxes on the rich as essential political positions, underscoring how Democrats have moved leftward in recent years, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The finding comes ahead of a Tuesday Democratic primary in which left-wing doctor Abdul El-Sayed is vying against moderate U.S. Representative Haley Stevens for the party's nomination to run for ⁠a Michigan U.S. Senate seat. The seat is seen as critical for Democrats' hopes of winning a majority in that chamber in the November midterm elections.

Embattled US Representative Max ⁠Miller requests ethics probe of abuse claims against him

A U.S. congressional ethics panel opened a probe on Tuesday into Republican Representative Max Miller, who requested the investigation saying he wanted to clear his name after his ex-wife accused him of abuse. Miller, who has denied the allegations, is running for reelection in Ohio's 7th Congressional District. If he drops out of the race, Republicans would need to name a new candidate under state law by August 10.

Cyclosporiasis cases in Michigan climb to 11,508 in ongoing outbreak

Michigan health officials on Tuesday reported 11,508 cases linked to a cyclosporiasis outbreak, up by more than 200 from the previous day's update. The state also reported the first two deaths associated with the outbreak, noting that both individuals had significant underlying health conditions.

Blanche clears key nomination hurdle after deal wins senators' vote

Todd Blanche cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday on his path to ‌nomination for U.S. attorney general, as Republicans voted to advance him out of committee on a party-line ‌vote. But questions persist about a deal he said would end President Donald Trump's "anti-weaponization" fund and narrow an agreement giving Trump immunity from audits of past tax returns. Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer and the current acting attorney general, agreed on Sunday to amend the terms of the fund and the ​tax immunity deal in order to win the backing of two holdout Republican senators, although critics say the amendments do not go far enough.