It's been a week of state Supreme Court elections, surprise trips, and 2024 announcements. Here's your recap of the week.
1. Pres. Biden marked the first anniversary of Russia's war on Ukraine this week with a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine.
Biden arrived in Kyiv early Mon. morning: according to the WaPo, he traveled by overnight train to Kyiv from Poland.
Biden's trip to Kyiv was months in the making, coordinated in secret by Pentagon and White House security officials. (WP)
Biden's trip was historic: he is the first president to travel to an active warzone without a US military presence. (ALJ)
2. State Sen. Jennifer McClellan defeated Republican Leon Benjamin Tue. in Virginia's 4th District special election.
McClellan made history with her victory: she is the first Black woman to represent Virginia in Congress. (CNN)
3. Voters across Wisconsin went to the polls Tue. to set the stage for this April's high-stakes Supreme Court election.
Liberal Milwaukee Judge Janet Protasiewicz and conservative former Justice Dan Kelly prevailed in Tue.'s four-way primary.
Conservatives currently hold a 4–3 majority on the state court; this April's election could end their 15-year reign. (AP)
The race could decide 2024: in 2020, the court came within one vote of overturning the state's election results. (WPR)
4. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy announced Tue. a 2024 run for president, becoming the third candidate to join the primary.
Who is Ramaswamy? According to the NYT, Ramaswamy is a conservative author and former biotechnology executive.
Ramaswamy first rose to prominence in 2020 for his vocal opposition to corporate social justice initiatives. (NYT)
5. Former Pres. Donald Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio Wed. nearly three weeks after the town's train derailment.