Samantha-Jo Roth

Washington, D.C., United States

Congress and Campaigns Reporter at Washington Examiner

Covering Congress & Campaigns for @dcexaminer. @UArizona alum. PHX ➡️DSM➡️DC 📩 [email protected] | Signal: SamanthaJoRoth.19

Articles

AI provision in 'big, beautiful bill' targeted for removal in Senate

1 week ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, known as the “big, beautiful bill,” includes a proposal that could stall state-level efforts to regulate artificial intelligence. The proposal, tucked into the Republican-backed bill, which spans more than 1,000 pages, narrowly passed the House by a single vote on May 22 and now heads to the Senate for consideration, but is likely to face an uphill battle.
GOP text campaign for Hagerty links Voter ID fears to escaped inmates

1 week ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

A Republican fundraising platform supporting Sen. Bill Hagerty’s (R-TN) reelection campaign is soliciting donations from voters off of the escaped Louisiana inmates, and stoking concerns that the prisoners could vote in upcoming elections to promote a voter ID petition. The text message campaign, sent to voters via the Republican fundraising platform WinRed, links concerns about voter eligibility to the escape of ten inmates from a New Orleans jail earlier this month.
Expansive school choice vouchers tucked into 'big, beautiful bill'

1 week ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” includes a novel federal tax provision that would help nationalize school vouchers for private education tuition and home schooling programs. The legislation that already cleared the House includes a proposal that resembles the Educational Choice for Children Act, a wide-ranging bill introduced this year by Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in both chambers.
Arizona Democrats on shaky ground ahead of 2026, with Katie Hobbs vulnerable

1 week ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

Infighting among Arizona’s top Democrats has plunged the party into disarray, creating an unwelcome distraction for Gov. Katie Hobbs as she braces for a challenging reelection battle. After President Donald Trump won the 2024 election, Arizona Democrats brought in a new leader, Robert Branscomb II, an insurance exec who had been a vice chair. But things got rocky fast. Branscomb butted heads with staff over hiring choices and claimed they were trying to undermine him by hiding financial records.
Medical disclosure becomes expectation for candidates on both sides

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

Former President Joe Biden’s disastrous reelection attempt and a string of deaths among aging lawmakers have fueled a growing demand from donors and voters alike for full medical transparency from candidates in both parties moving forward. News of Biden’s aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis on Sunday surfaced amid debates within the Democratic Party about his mental acuity and whether he should have withdrawn from the presidential race sooner last year.
Biden’s prostate cancer diagnosis renews scrutiny of screening guidelines for older men

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

Former President Joe Biden‘s late-stage prostate cancerdiagnosis has ignited debate about early detection protocols and whether the White House health team failed the former commander-in-chief. Biden’s team revealed that he received a diagnosis last week following complaints of urinary issues. A growth was identified on his prostate, and further evaluation showed the disease had metastasized to his bones, according to the statement from his office.
Biden health revelations could 'be a drag' on 2028 Democratic field

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

Scrutiny over former President Joe Biden’s decline is already testing 2028 hopefuls, particularly those who were involved in his administration. The announcement that Biden was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer on Sunday came amid a fresh reckoning in the party over the former president’s mental acuity and whether he should have withdrawn from the presidential race earlier last year.
Trump IRS nominee under scrutiny for pushing nonexistent tax credit

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

Billy Long, President Donald Trump’s nominee for IRS commissioner, minimized his role in selling tax credits that the Treasury Department and IRS claim do not exist and expressed a willingness to cooperate with any investigation into the matter.
Biden’s cancer diagnosis fuels fresh doubts and distrust among Democrats

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth |Haisten Willis

Former President Joe Biden‘s aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis has thrown a wrench in Democrats’ plans to move beyond his presidency and 2024 campaign. Biden’s cancer diagnosis arrived amid heightened scrutiny of his cognitive health. The book Original Sin, set for release on Tuesday, details episodes of forgetfulness during Biden’s presidency and alleges that his aides sought to conceal these problems.
Senate confirms Jared Kushner's father as ambassador to France

2 weeks ago | washingtonexaminer.com | Samantha-Jo Roth

The Senate confirmed Charles Kushner, father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as U.S. envoy to France on Monday, continuing its record pace of ambassadorial confirmations. Kushner received a presidential pardon from Trump during his first term for offenses related to tax evasion and violations of Federal Election Commission regulations dating back to 2005. The Senate approved his nomination 51 to 45. Sen.