Welcome to the daily briefing. Start your day with a story like this:
nicole farato Here’s the news you need to know Thursday, from commuter races in Washington to golf emergencies.
The U.S. House of Representatives is about to be reborn.
The winner of Thursday’s special election in New Jersey will head to Washington to represent the 11th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Why is there a special election? The House seat was vacated by Democrat Mikie Sherrill, currently the governor of New Jersey, who resigned in November 2025 to run for governor.
who is running? Joe Hathaway is considered a moderate Republican. Analilia Mejia, Progressive Democrat; and independent Alan Bond.
Why does race matter?: Mejia is expected to win in Democratic-heavy districts, but the winner will bring a new face to the House of Representatives. Chairman Mike Johnson intends to balance the slim Republican majority and pursue a hard-line agenda for President Trump’s second term. And this is not the only election to replace members of Congress this year, as two more seats have just become vacant due to resignations of members of the House of Representatives.
More news you need to know right now
- Seismic shock in parliamentary ethics: Just seven months before crucial midterm elections could shift the balance of power in Washington, the high-profile exits of Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Tony Gonzalez punctuated another #MeToo moment on Capitol Hill.
- Cruise companies that pay millions of dollars: Norwegian Cruise Line has agreed to pay $2 million to more than a dozen U.S. states following an investigation into deceptive sales practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Fire at the Fed? Amid threats to remove Jerome Powell, it is unclear whether President Trump will actually be able to fire the chairman of the Federal Reserve.
movie
Snoop Dogg is coming to movie theaters
Snoop Dogg announced at the opening of Universal Studios’ presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 15 that a biopic based on his life will be released in theaters “next year.”
sports
LIV golf emergency meeting
The Telegraph reports that LIV Golf officials have been called to an emergency meeting in New York amid speculation on social media that the Saudi-backed course is at risk of closure. Meanwhile, this week’s LIV Golf event in Mexico City canceled its pre-tournament press conference hours before it was scheduled to start. USA TODAY Sports is following this development.
before going
- The politics of the “Pilates girl.”
- Don’t forget this before your trip to London.
- Mr. Collarbone spoke out after being admitted to the hospital.
Have feedback about the daily briefing? Email Nicole at NFallert@usatoday.com.
