New Mexico GOP candidate arrested over shootings targeting Democrats

Plus, China's population shrank in 2022. Albuquerque police arrest failed Republican candidate over shootings targeting Democrats; China’s population declines for the first time in decades. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.   TOP NEWS Ex-GOP candidate arrested over shootings targeting Democratic homes Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images - Monday, police arrested a former GOP candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives in connection with four drive-by shootings targeting Democratic officials. [[Associated Press / Rio Yamat](] - Before the attacks, the suspect visited the homes of prominent local Democrats to dispute his loss to incumbent Rep. Miguel P. Garcia (D), who won 74 percent of the vote. [[NBC News / Deon J. Hampton, Phil McCausland, and Mirna Alsharif](] - Police say the suspect, Solomon Peña, then hired others to shoot at the homes of two state legislators and two county commissioners in December and early January. No one was injured. [[CNN / Jennifer Henderson, Andi Babineau, and Jason Hanna](] - Cell phone records, surveillance video, and witness statements helped police connect Peña and four other men to the crimes, including conspiracy to commit a felony and shooting at an occupied dwelling. [[NPR / Ayana Archie and Bill Chappell]]( - The attacks coincide with increasing threats against public officials surrounding last year’s midterm elections. [[Axios / Herb Scribner](]  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( China's falling population - In 2022, China’s population shrank for the first time in decades — a significant setback for Beijing’s slowing economy. [[CNN / Simone McCarthy](] - Mainland China's population dropped by over 850,000 people last year as the number of deaths outpaced births, leaving a total population of 1.41 billion. [[CBS News](] - Despite the government scrapping its one-child policy in recent years and offering incentives to support married couples, many in China are deciding not to become parents. [[BBC / Kelly Ng](] - As its population ages, China could see further strain on its economy as the workforce shrinks and the burden grows on social services. [[New York Times / Alexandra Stevenson and Zixu Wang](]   Support our work Reader gifts help keep Vox and newsletters like Sentences free for all. Support our work with a gift today. [Give](   MISCELLANEOUS Vox’s Ian Millhiser argues that many of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s “anti-woke” policies are attacks on the First Amendment. [[Vox / Ian Millhiser](] - Eating one serving of freshwater fish per year may have the same effect as drinking water polluted with “forever chemicals” for a month, an EPA [study]( released Tuesday found. [[The Hill / Sharon Udasin](] - House Republicans assigned Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) to new committees; Democrats removed them from committees last term over hateful rhetoric. [[CNN / Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju](] - In an ongoing lawsuit against the company, an engineer testified that Tesla staged a 2016 video promoting self-driving technology the company did not have. [[Reuters / Hyunjoo Jin](] VERBATIM “Processing this attack continues to be incredibly heavy, especially knowing that other women and people of color elected officials, with children and grandbabies, were targeted.” [[Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, a target of the shootings / CNN](]   LISTEN TO THIS Compost yourself Remember you are dirt and to dirt you shall return. Science journalist Eleanor Cummins and law professor Tanya Marsh explain the rise of human composting, now legal in six states, as an alternative to burial or cremation. [Listen now ▶](   Read more from Vox [The biggest animal welfare crisis you’ve never heard of]( [Kansas voters sided with abortion rights in August. Republicans don’t care.]( [Your credit card rewards might not be worth it]( [Inflation is cooling. Why are egg prices still so hard to crack?]( [Alex Murdaugh stands accused of killing his wife and son. That’s just scratching the surface.](  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.