In a year where political chaos exploded across the country and natural disasters left a trail of destruction, keeping up with all the headlines was difficult. But, if there was one story that stood out above the rest, it was the #MeToo movement. This watershed moment sparked a national conversation about sexual misconduct and power dynamics in our society.
Other top stories include the battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which was ranked third by AP. The nomination was highly controversial, as a reluctant witness accused the nominee of sexual assault while in high school decades ago. He denied the accusation and defended his integrity, triggering intense debates in the Senate.
Hurricane season was also a huge story in 2018, with the deadly storms causing devastation across the southeastern United States. The massive Hurricane Harvey caused widespread flooding, especially in small farm towns in Texas. Hurricane Irma then made landfall in Florida and Puerto Rico, bringing with it widespread destruction and leaving thousands without power.
Other big stories included the Maine gubernatorial race, which saw Democrat Jared Golden win a historic victory over current Republican Congressman Bruce Poliquin. The election was the first time Maine used a new system called ranked choice voting, where votes are tabulated based on the percentage of total votes received. The other big story was the fight over Central Maine Power’s hydropower proposal, which pitted the power company against environmentalists and many local communities.
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