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Hardman beat her Republican opponent by more than 40 percentage points in a special election Tuesday night.

Isabella Luu

Iowa Public Radio

Democrat Hardman wins Iowa Senate special election to fend off GOP supermajority

Isabella Luu

Democrat Renee Hardman beat Republican Lucas Loftin by more than 40 percentage points in a special election Tuesday night. Hardman's win makes her the state's first Black female state senator.

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In a rare formal complaint, a federal judge is accused of bullying law clerks

Carrie Johnson, Mary Louise Kelly

A nonprofit group has filed a complaint alleging a federal judge has been bullying her law clerks. It's a flashpoint in the debate over whether the judiciary can police itself.
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Meet five new species discovered in 2025

Arundathi Nair

A bumpy snailfish, Andean mouse opossum and ancient sea cow were just some of the many species described in 2025.
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What to know about Nick Shirley, the YouTuber alleging day care fraud in Minnesota

Rachel Treisman

Shirley is a 23-year-old self-described "independent YouTube journalist" who made prank videos in high school before pivoting to politics. He participated in a White House roundtable in October.

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