In another survey, Richman looked at people on the list of suspended voters — people who didn’t provide proof of citizenship — and flagged any names that appeared to be foreign. Ho asked Richman for an explanation of how he determines which names are foreign and asked if, for example, a name like “Carlos Murguia” would be flagged. When Richman said yes, Ho informed him Murguia is a federal judge in the same courthouse where the trial is taking place.....

During the course of testimony, Richman confirmed is research is intended for a popular audience, and none of it has been reviewed by peers. Instead, 200 political scientists signed an open letter condemning his work.

Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said that the Democratic surge is even more impressive given that it's usually GOP voters, not Democrats, who have been reliable in non-presidential years.

"It's one word — enthusiasm. In a midterm election like this, what you normally expect to see is the Republicans' primary turnout might be twice what the Democratic turnout is, so to have the Democrats even with, and even slightly ahead, of Republicans in this midterm election is really extraordinary," Jillson said.

Key suburban swing districts are likely to determine control of the House in 2018. There are several GOP-held districts like that which could be at play in Texas, such as Rep. Pete Sessions's suburban Dallas seat and Rep. John Culberson's suburban Houston district, which, along with Rep. Will Hurd's expansive border district that runs from San Antonio to El Paso, all voted for Hillary Clinton over Trump in 2016.

ANNAPOLIS — Want to run for president of the United States in Maryland? These lawmakers would like to see your income tax return first.

A Democratic majority in the Maryland Senate moved forward a bill on Thursday that would require presidential candidates to release their federal income tax returns to the Maryland State Board of Elections before a general election. The elections board would, in turn, make the returns publicly available online.

Supporters say that the bill, which would apply to all presidential candidates beginning in 2020, was not intended to target President Donald Trump, but his decision during the 2016 campaign to flout the decades-long practice of voluntary disclosure brought the issue to the fore.

In a Quinnipiac University Poll released last week, 67 percent of Americans said they think Trump should publicly release his tax returns