First quarter campaign finance reports are due. There a few things to keep in mind when deciphering what the numbers indicate about a candidate’s ability to win the vote.

1. Satellite Spending

'Satellite spending' is a term coined by Ballotpedia and it refers to “political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate” according to the website.

The testimony of Mark Zuckerberg on privacy protections and data collection on Facebook in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal will likely be the most watched and closely analyzed hearing of the year. People on all sides of the political spectrum have weighed in over social media in droves.

There are many aspects of the hearing that are getting the most attention: Many senators' lack of knowledge of Facebook and perplexing questions, Mark Zuckerberg's at times contradictory statements, the joke that the whole thing turned into online, and more.

Maine businessman and independent state legislator Martin Grohman launched his campaign for Congress Tuesday. Grohman is running to represent Maine's First Congressional District against incumbent Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree.

Like many independent candidates and most US voters, Grohman is fed up with the hyper-partisan gridlock that has crippled the legislative process and prevents anything substantive from getting done in the US.

"Our nation faces enormous challenges, but Washington is too entrenched in party gridlock to effectively address them," says Grohman.

CARSON CITY, Nev.-- In an effort to strengthen the voice of Nevada voters, Nevadans for Election Reform filed the “Greater Choice – Greater Voice” initiative with the secretary of state. The initiative seeks to replace the state’s current partisan closed primary system with a single election in November using ranked choice voting (RCV). The plan would combine the state’s primary and general election, which would save taxpayers money.

Washington Hawks like John Bolton and Lindsey Graham are eager for a war in Syria, but if Donald Trump takes us to war in the Middle East, he'll lose his second term in the White House in 2020.

With his eye on the Oval Office, Donald Trump spent the Obama years telling the world– through tweets– about his foreign policy philosophy, a practical approach to the world that would keep America out of costly and fruitless foreign military entanglements and obligations that don't make Americans safer, nor add anything to the American people's bottom line.

T.J. O’Hara, the host of Deconstructed, is joined by David Walker again.

The two breakdown the omnibus spending bill versus restoring and improving the traditional appropriations process, the continuing resolutions approach, the effectiveness and non-partisan nature of inspectors general, Dave’s gubernatorial bid in Connecticut, and more.

Dave served as the seventh U.S. Comptroller General, for the Clinton and Bush Administrations, and was the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Dave is currently running for governor of Connecticut.

A lot of independents like Rand Paul because he's so different from a lot of U.S. Senators who go to Washington to lie low, not make any waves, bring back something for the constituents, and enjoy the smooth sailing of a cush job in a prestigious career pinnacle position. Maybe despite (or because of) a completely undistinguished career in the Senate chamber with no controversial stands or anything important, they'll get tapped to be Vice President.