A new poll for AARP Pennsylvania revealed candidates must focus on issues critical to voters age 50 and older ahead of the November elections.

The influential voting bloc makes up more than half the state's electorate, and 85% told pollsters they are "extremely motivated" to cast their ballots.

Bill Johnston-Walsh, state director of AARP Pennsylvania, said voters age 50+ will be key in determining who wins in November.

"Voters age 50+ are the largest voting bloc in Pennsylvania and the country," Johnston-Walsh explained. "They consistently show up to the polls, and we anticipate that this year will be no different."

Johnston-Walsh added in the 2020 elections, older voters accounted for 55% of all Pennsylvania voters, and in the 2022 midterms, they made up 62% of the state's voters. He noted they expect those numbers to grow this year for the general election.

Bob Ward with the public-opinion firm Fabrizio Ward said voters age 50+ prioritize economic issues and will back candidates who protect Social Security and support family caregivers.

"When we look at it from an electoral standpoint, it is not surprising that older voters are more likely to vote for the candidates who say they will make sure workers get the Social Security they paid into," Ward observed. "The big picture here among voters 50+ is that economic issues are paramount."

Jeffrey Liszt, partner at Impact Research, said Pennsylvania voters, particularly 31% of those ages 50-64, have a high rate of family caregiving responsibilities and voice concerns about services.

"Over 40% of these family caregivers are spending more than 20 hours a week caring for a loved one, which is why it's such an important issue for them," Liszt explained. "That's why more than three-quarters of voters 50-plus say that they will reward candidates who provide more support for family caregivers."

A significant portion of older voters, 63%, also expressed concerns about their personal financial circumstances, citing the rising costs of food and utilities as reasons for financial strain.

In Ohio, the debate over Issue One has stirred strong emotions among residents and community leaders.

For many, the proposal to establish a citizens' redistricting commission transcends politics. It represents a push for fair representation.

Marian Stewart, a retired pastor from Greene County, is a vocal supporter of the measure and frames the issue as a moral imperative.

"Rigging the maps is not fair; it's cheating," Stewart asserted. "Disenfranchising voters and limiting accountability does not value or respect all of our voices. It's just wrong. That's why I joined with faith leaders across Ohio in voting yes on Issue One."

Stewart's words echoed the concerns of many Ohioans who believe gerrymandered districts limit the political voice of everyday citizens. Proponents argued Issue One will ensure a fairer process by empowering a bipartisan citizens' commission to draw electoral maps.

Critics of the measure, including some conservative groups, countered it could introduce new forms of political bias into redistricting. The opposing group had the language of the ballot issue changed to include the word "gerrymander."

For advocates of Ohio's labor community, the proposal is about ensuring working people's interests are not drowned out by political manipulation.

Ted Linscott, president of the Southeast Ohio Central Labor Council, described how unfair districts can sideline Ohio's working-class voices.

"Working people need fair voting districts so their voices can be heard," Linscott contended. "Workers don't need extreme right or left. We need fairness."

The League of Women Voters of Ohio has been advocating for anti-gerrymandering reforms since 1981, underscoring the need for a responsive government.

Jen Miller, the group's executive director, views Issue One as an important step toward accountability, noting the first initiative had support from the Ohio Republican Party but was opposed by Democrats, who held power at the time.

"The first thing that mappers did was look at the addresses of their favorite candidates and incumbents and draw lines around them, rather than drawing districts that keep communities together and make sure that Ohioans have meaningful elections," Miller pointed out.

Ohio's Issue One has drawn support from a diverse coalition, including labor unions, faith leaders and civic organizations, all advocating for a more representative government. As voters head to the polls, they are faced with a question beyond party lines: Should Ohio's electoral districts be shaped by politicians or by the people they serve?

Uproar over racist jokes at a Madison Square Garden rally for former President Donald Trump has put a spotlight on the increasing influence of right-leaning comedians.

Nick Marx, associate professor of film and media studies at Colorado State University and author of the book, "That's Not Funny: How the Right Makes Comedy Work for Them," said comedy has become politically weaponized, especially over the past decade and money is the main driver of division and partisanship.

"It absolutely plays into the polarization of the United States on virtually every political issue," Marx contended. "They're trying to create different sets of 'in-groups' and 'out-groups' with their comedy."

In some ways, it is nothing new. Marx pointed out comedy has always created two groups, a laugh-er and a laugh-ee, the butt of the joke. He explained what has changed since the rise of Trump is conservative comics are no longer confined to niche right-wing comedy spaces, they are reaching more mainstream audiences through platforms like Netflix.

Long the bastion of liberal-leaning shows including Saturday Night Live and The Daily Show, comics lobbing political jabs from a right perspective are gaining ground through popular podcasts such as the Joe Rogan Experience. Marx warned while many guests may hold back because Rogan is on Spotify, the show can be a gateway to people who have some pretty nasty ideas about how the world works.

"These pathways exist, to the much more extreme and further right's trolling-type humor and avowedly racist and misogynist humor," Marx noted. "Comedy is very often a front door to those universes."

As the slur against Puerto Ricans at Madison Square Garden underscored, right-wing humor is also getting more extreme. Marx added because comedy is such a competitive field, many lean further to the right in order to get a social media boost, gain more listeners and advertising revenue.

"You have to stand out somehow," Marx acknowledged. "Comedians will joke about that which makes them money and gets them the next gig, the next booking, the next appearance on somebody's podcast."

This story is based on original reporting by Stacy Nick for The Audit.

A new report found Project 2025's policies would increase annual energy costs for Nevadans by more than $230 per household in 2030. The figure goes up to about $460 in 2035.

Caitlin Gatchalian a mother and renter, is scared by the prospect of higher energy prices and said while she is fortunate to have a good-paying job, she cannot afford to see her energy bills skyrocket even more.

"I have a daughter that I put into day care," Gatchalian explained. "That is competing with all the other bills that I have to pay for including utilities. Utility bills are high, and they keep getting higher. It is no longer really affordable to live anywhere."

Gatchalian stressed she is living paycheck to paycheck and fears the dream of owning a home could be only a dream. She encouraged voters to elect officials who will work to address their concerns and needs.

While clean energy advocates said Project 2025 would derail the nation's clean energy transition, conservatives argued the plan is about government accountability and taking power back from the political establishment.

Stephen Lassiter is with a solar-energy developer that operates in Las Vegas and said Nevadans are proud their state is leading in the number of folks employed by the solar industry.

"Obviously the federal policies that support solar-energy development have been a key backbone and driver to help Nevada achieve that milestone," Lassiter pointed out. "Taking away those policies would, potentially for that reason, hurt Nevada more than any other state."

Angelyn Tabalba, clean energy consultant for the Nevada Conservation League, contended with days before Election Day, the billions of dollars invested and the tens of thousands of jobs created by the clean energy transition will affect voters' attitudes and decisions. Tabalba noted the environmental policies enacted under the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure law just celebrated its two-year anniversary.

"All of this is a demonstration of what we can get started when we are given the resources to do that," Tabalba asserted. "There is a lot of excitement in Nevada and even in Republican districts where a ton of these jobs are living, folks are excited, they're taking these jobs and clearly excited about the clean energy economy."

Tabalba argued Project 2025 would also gut clean energy tax credits which she emphasized have already saved more than 40,000 Nevada families more than $150 million in new, cleaner technologies.