Obama visits Ohio to stump for Democratic candidate for governor Richard Cordray

Cordray, the former federal consumer watchdog, faces Republican state Attorney General Mike DeWine in one of the season's most anticipated governor's races. President Trump visited Ohio in August to campaign speak at a rally for DeWine.

Prisoners Fighting Fires Are Being Denied Justice

Evidence of global climate disruption blankets the Earth, pummeling communities with the full arsenal of nature's fury, from hurricanes, tornadoes, relentless rainstorms and thousand-year floods, to historic droughts and searing heat waves. In California, wildfires have raged in record numbers and intensity, pushing the state's firefighting crews to the limit and busting the state's firefighting budget.

APNewsBreak: Firm worked for Cordray’s agency, then campaign

An advertising and media firm to which Ohio gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray's agency gave government work while he was a federal official now is doing political work for him. Records reviewed by The Associated Press show Washington-based GMMB recently has been making Ohio ad buys for Democrat Cordray's gubernatorial campaign against Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Emergency declaration issued for all Georgia counties ahead of Hurricane Florence

Governor Nathan Deal has issued an emergency declaration for all 159 counties in Georgia ahead of Hurricane Florence's landfall. Based on the latest 11 a.m. forecast for Hurricane Florence and recommendations from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency officials, Gov. Nathan Deal issued an emergency declaration for all 159 counties in Georgia on Wednesday.

Storm’s uncertain track sows fear; 10 million in crosshairs

Hurricane Florence put a corridor of more than 10 million people in the crosshairs Wednesday as the monster storm closed in on the Carolinas, uncertainty over its projected path spreading worry across a widening swath of the Southeast. Faced with new forecasts that showed a more southerly threat, Georgia's governor joined his counterparts in Virginia and North and South Carolina in declaring a state of emergency, and some residents who had thought they were safely out of range boarded up their homes.

James wins Democratic primary for NY attorney general

New York City Public Advocate Letitia James won a four-way Democratic primary for attorney general in New York on Thursday in a race that was a competition over who could best use the office to antagonize President Donald Trump. James, 59, would become the first black woman to hold a statewide elected office in New York if she prevails in the general election, where she will be heavily favored.

Andrew Cuomo-Cynthia Nixon New York governor primary high-stakes for incumbent, even if he wins

The strength of public polling, the appeal of celebrity and the power of incumbency will be on the line Thursday in New York where Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo faces off against a Hollywood actress who has hammered away at the two-term Democratic governor's liberal credentials. Cynthia Nixon is running on a platform that includes raising taxes on the rich, increasing school spending, ending cash bail and legalizing marijuana - hoping to harness the same left-wing energy that already has delivered upset wins to high-profile liberal candidates in other primaries this year.

Florence is expected to blow ashore Saturday morning along the North Carolina-South Carolina line.

People who thought they were safe from the onslaught of Hurricane Florence began boarding up and Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency Wednesday as uncertainty over the path of the monster storm spread worry along the Southeastern coast. Closing in with terrifying winds of 125 mph and potentially catastrophic rain and storm surge, Florence is expected to blow ashore Saturday morning along the North Carolina-South Carolina line, the National Hurricane Center said.

Former President George W. Bush to help raise cash for Rick Scott’s Senate bid

Former President George W. Bush will help raise money for Gov. Rick Scott's bid to oust Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in a closely watched and expensive campaign. Former President George W. Bush will stump for Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Friday as Scott revs up for what's expected to be a close race for the U.S. Senate seat.

Hurricane Florence shifts south as Georgia and Carolinas hunker down

Fears about Hurricane Florence spread south on Wednesday, with Georgia declaring a state of emergency after officials in the Carolinas urged people to evacuate the coast ahead of the storm's expected pounding winds and rain-driven floods. Florence weakened slightly to a Category 3 storm on a five-step scale but had maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour as of 2 p.m. EDT , down from 130 mph earlier in the day.

Correction: Carbon Fee-Washington story

In this June 28, 2018, file photo in Seattle Wash., Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks to people as he helps to gather signatures for a proposed initiative that would charge large industrial emitters a fee for their carbon emissions. Voters in Washington state will be asked this fall to do what state and federal leaders have been reluctant to: charge a direct fee on carbon pollution to fight climate change.

Don’t play games with it’: Hurricane Florence takes aim at Southeast

People who thought they were safe from the onslaught of Hurricane Florence began boarding up and Georgia's governor declared a state of emergency Wednesday as uncertainty over the path of the monster storm spread worry along the Southeastern coast. Closing in with terrifying winds of 130 mph and potentially catastrophic rain and storm surge, Florence is expected to blow ashore Saturday morning along the North Carolina-South Carolina line, the National Hurricane Center said.

Bush boosting Republicans in places where Trump isn’t strong

In this June 23, 2017 file photo, former President George W. Bush speaks during "Stand-To," a summit held by the George W. Bush Institute focused on veteran transition, in Washington. Bush will be in Florida on Friday to fundraise for Gov. Rick Scott's bid to oust Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson in a closely watched and expensive campaign.

Mike Pence praises Rich DeVos, touts federal tax cuts in Grand Rapids visit

Speaking Wednesday at Mill Steel Company, Vice President Mike Pence touted the economic impact of federal tax cuts, praised the Trump administration's efforts to bolster domestic steel production and paid tribute to late Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. "When it comes to small business America, when it comes to steel America, you have a champion in president Donald Trump," Pence said, later highlighting that Mill Steel doled out $1,000 bonuses to 400 employees following the passage of Republican-backed federal tax cuts in December.

Louisiana abortion clinic wants regulatory rewrite nullified

A Louisiana abortion clinic is asking a state judge to throw out a 2015 state rewrite of clinic regulations, saying the health department ignored the rules for making such changes. Hope Medical Group for Women says the Louisiana Department of Health disregarded reams of public comments about the regulations when they were being proposed.

APNewsBreak: Firm worked for Cordray’s agency, then campaign Source: AP

An advertising and media firm to which Ohio gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray's agency gave government work while he was a federal official now is doing political work for him. Records reviewed by The Associated Press show Washington-based GMMB recently has been making Ohio ad buys for Democrat Cordray's gubernatorial campaign against Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine.

Making up excuses: Shaheen, Hassan oppose Kavanaugh

Utility companies in New Hampshire are keeping a close eye on Hurricane Florence and preparing for the possibility of sending local crews to the Carolinas to help restore power in the aftermath of... United States senators are under no obligation to give their consent to a President's nominees.