Will Weissert/Associated Press

President Joe Biden is starting the campaign year by evoking the Revolutionary War to mark the third anniversary of the deadly U.S. Capitol insurrection and visiting the South Carolina church where a white gunman massacred Black parishioners.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott has launched his presidential campaign. At an event in his hometown of North Charleston on Monday, Scott offered an optimistic message he hopes can contrast the two figures who have used political combativeness to dominate the early GOP primary field: former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Scott is the Senate's only Black Republican. His team acknowledges the challenge but notes that the political environment can change, that Scott won reelection by a commanding 20 points in November and that he has more money to start his campaign than any presidential candidate in history.

Nearly four decades have passed since federal immigration laws got a major rewrite. The last extensive package to pass Congress came under President Ronald Reagan in 1986, and President George H.W. Bush signed a more limited effort four years later. Even more strikingly, it could be at least that long before another extensive immigration proposal becomes law. The last major chance came 10 years ago, in 2013, when a bipartisan effort led by the "Gang of Eight" U.S. senators from both parties fizzled in the Republican-controlled House.

Bitter divisions dominated a recent national Republican Party gathering. This weekend, Democrats holding their own meeting are eager to showcase just how much they agree on. There will be no party chair fight since Jaime Harrison isn't up for reelection. There is no candidate jostling for a White House bid since President Joe Biden is expected to seek a second term. And there is no national reckoning after a surprisingly strong midterm showing.

President Joe Biden says Democrats should give up "restrictive" caucuses and move to champion diversity in the order of their presidential primary calendar. His recommendation deals a major blow to Iowa's decadeslong status as the state that leads off the process. In a letter to the rule-making arm of the Democratic National Committee, Biden does not mention specific states he'd like to see go first. But he's told Democrats he would like to see South Carolina moved to the front of the calendar, according to three people familiar with his recommendation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. He recommends that Michigan and Georgia move into the first five states.

Democrats may be moving toward shaking up their presidential nominating process starting in 2024. They're poised to boot Iowa from the lead-off spot as part of a broader effort to allow to go earlier less overwhelmingly white states that better reflect the party's diverse electorate. The Democratic National Committee rule-making arm is delaying the decision until after the November midterm election. But rules committee members say the party is leaning toward having either New Hampshire or Nevada go first - or perhaps on the same day. South Carolina would move from fourth to third. That'd free up a larger, midwestern state to perhaps go next, with Michigan and Minnesota making strong cases.

The Democratic Party is delaying a decision on potentially reordering its primary calendar for the 2024 presidential election until after November's midterm elections. The Democratic National Committee's rules committee had planned to decide during meetings in Washington set to begin next week. The question is whether to recommend that presidential voting should continue to begin with Iowa and New Hampshire. Some party leaders and activists say more diverse states should move up, including the current No. 3 and No. 4 states, Nevada and South Carolina.

Sixteen states and Puerto Rico are jockeying for early slots on a new Democratic presidential primary calendar, offering presentations for party bosses on why they deserve to go first — or at least close to it. Iowa has held the leadoff position since 1972, but technical glitches undermined its Democratic caucus two years ago. That sparked clamor for change. States are pressing their case over three days of Democrats' Rules and Bylaws Committee meetings. The full Democratic National Committee plans to vote in August. It could opt to alter the current order of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — or keep it the same.