The Morning Progressor: Primaries, Public Health, and Privacy Suits

Florida Primaries Test Trump’s Influence

Voters in Florida headed to the polls Tuesday for a critical midterm primary that serves as a bellwether for President Trump’s grip on the GOP. The races for governor and U.S. Senate, featuring candidates like Congressman Byron Donalds, will define the Republican party's direction in a state the President now calls home.

CDC Reports Record High for Vaccine Exemptions

New data from the CDC shows that vaccine exemptions for U.S. kindergarteners reached a record high of 4.2% during the 2025-2026 school year. This decline in coverage coincides with active measles outbreaks, including a recent cluster of 12 cases in southern Iowa where officials are now tracking public exposure sites.

Meta Faces Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

Meta Platforms Inc. is in court this week defending itself against a massive coalition of state attorneys general. The lawsuit alleges the company intentionally engineered Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for young users, a case that poses a potential trillion-dollar threat to the tech giant.

Border Wall Project Paused in Big Bend

The Trump administration has issued a temporary halt to construction of a controversial border wall segment in Big Bend National Park. The pause was enacted to allow the head of the construction agency to conduct an on-the-ground evaluation of the environmental and logistical concerns cited by local activists.

Apple Users Hit by 'Unprecedented' Spyware Alerts

Cybersecurity investigators are sounding the alarm after an unusually high number of Apple users received threat notifications regarding sophisticated spyware. This comes as leaked videos suggest Apple is experimenting with camera-equipped AirPods, raising new questions about the intersection of hardware and user privacy.