May 5

Ohio holds primary election for governor, with Vivek Ramaswamy running in open seat

Ohio holds its primary election on May 5, 2026, for governor and other offices. The governor''s race is fully open: Mike DeWine is term-limited. Vivek Ramaswamy — biotech entrepreneur and 2024 Republican presidential candidate — won both Trump''s and Vance''s endorsements for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Attorney General Dave Yost withdrew from the race and endorsed Ramaswamy in May 2025. The general election leans Republican but is rated as competitive, moving from Likely Republican to Lean Republican by Sabato''s Crystal Ball by March 2026.

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DHS submits final rule on fixed admission periods to OMB/OIRA for review

The Department of Homeland Security submits the final rule replacing Duration of Status with fixed 4-year admission periods to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review under Executive Order 12866. The submission follows a public comment period of 60+ days. If enacted, the rule will terminate 73 years of D/S immigration policy and require all international students to apply for individual extensions of stay before graduation.

Election deadline: Indiana Primary Election 2026

Voting for Indiana Primary Election 2026 occurs on this date. Offices on ballot: U.S. House (9 seats); Governor; State Legislature. See the linked election record for registration, early voting, and mail ballot deadlines.

Election deadline: Ohio Primary Election 2026

Voting for Ohio Primary Election 2026 occurs on this date. Offices on ballot: U.S. Senate; U.S. House (15 seats); Governor; State Legislature. See the linked election record for registration, early voting, and mail ballot deadlines.

FDA authorizes fruit-flavored vapes for first time after Trump pressure on Makary

The FDA authorized marketing of four e-cigarette flavors — including mango and blueberry — made by Los Angeles-based Glas on May 5, 2026, marking the first approval of fruit-flavored vaping products in the agency's history. FDA Commissioner Martin Makary had initially opposed the authorization despite career staff approval, but reversed course after President Trump personally admonished him to move faster. The devices require Bluetooth age-verification pairing with a government-issued ID, a condition opponents said was unenforceable at scale.

Justice Alito temporarily stays Fifth Circuit mifepristone ruling, restoring mail-order access pending full review

Justice Samuel Alito, acting as the circuit justice for the Fifth Circuit, issues a temporary administrative stay on May 5, 2026, pausing the Fifth Circuit's ruling that had reinstated the in-person-only mifepristone requirement. The stay temporarily restores mail-order access to the abortion pill while the full Supreme Court considers whether to issue a longer-term injunction. Alito sets a May 11 deadline for Louisiana and the FDA to respond to emergency applications from Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro. The temporary stay is notable because Alito himself wrote the majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. Legal analysts note the stay does not necessarily reflect Alito's view of the merits but is standard practice to preserve the status quo pending full briefing.

Senate Republicans unveil $72B ICE and CBP reconciliation package

Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees released a $71.7 billion reconciliation spending package on May 5, 2026, including $38.2 billion for ICE, $26 billion for CBP, $5 billion for other border enforcement, and $1.5 billion for DOJ immigration programs. The package represented the largest single immigration enforcement appropriation in US history and would be borrowed entirely, adding to the deficit. Markup hearings were scheduled for the week of May 19 before a floor vote.

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Iowa and Montana file state plan amendments to implement Medicaid work requirements by July and December 2026

Iowa and Montana file state plan amendments with CMS in early May 2026 to implement Medicaid work requirements before the federal January 2027 deadline, following Nebraska's lead. Iowa proposes a July 1, 2026 start date with a 100-hour monthly requirement, phased in six months after certification. Montana proposes a December 1, 2026 start date with an 80-hour monthly requirement, with additional exemptions. South Carolina files an application conditioning expanded Medicaid for parents and caretakers on 80 hours of monthly work activity. The three filings signal that Nebraska's early implementation is the beginning of a wave, and that CMS guidance — expected in June 2026 — will define the boundaries for dozens of other states required to act by 2027.

Supreme Court refuses Louisiana rehearing request, immediately finalizing Callais to allow map redraw

The Supreme Court rejects Louisiana's request for rehearing in Louisiana v. Callais on May 5, 2026, without comment, and simultaneously grants a request from the state to immediately finalize the opinion — bypassing the normal 25-day waiting period before judgment issues. The accelerated finalization allows Louisiana to begin drawing a new congressional map immediately rather than waiting until late May. Justice Samuel Alito includes a striking footnote noting the majority had wanted to issue the opinion nearly seven months earlier but was delayed by the dissenting justices. The immediate finalization leaves civil rights plaintiffs with no time to seek additional stays and effectively starts the clock for Louisiana's accelerated redistricting before its July 15 rescheduled primary.

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Trump Administration withholds $2 billion in education grants approved by Congress

OMB Director Russell Vought and Education Secretary Linda McMahon directed the freeze of approximately $2 billion in education grants that Congress had appropriated for fiscal year 2026, leaving more than 30 separate K-12 and higher education programs without access to their authorized funds. Affected programs include competitive grants for teacher training, community schools, magnet schools, and education research — programs the administration had proposed eliminating in its budget requests. The administration had not submitted a formal rescission request to Congress as required by the Impoundment Control Act before withholding the funds. Legal experts described the action as an unlawful impoundment under the 1974 law.

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