Politico

Trump apparently shares Tom Cotton’s phone number in push to make Daylight Saving Time permanent

President Donald Trump appeared to share Sen. Tom Cotton’s phone number in a Saturday morning social media post imploring the Arkansas Republican to get behind a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. “Almost everybody wants “The Sunshine Protection Act” to pass, except for Tom Cotton,” Trump wrote on Truth Social . “To the Great People of Arkansas, please let your Senator know it would be a

Also reported by The Daily Wire (Right)

Sanders to rally for Troy Jackson in Maine

Sen. Bernie Sanders will hit the road for Troy Jackson in Maine starting Oct. 10, the first time the progressive leader will stump for the candidate this cycle. The Vermont independent plans to hold three rallies with Jackson, according to an itinerary shared first with POLITICO: first in Bangor on Oct. 10 followed by Lewiston and Biddeford on Oct. 11. "I am proud to support Troy Jackson for U.S.

Senior House Republican says Trump's 'lack of favorability' creating 'tough' politics

House Financial Services Chair French Hill said he has “no concerns” about winning back his Arkansas seat in the upcoming midterm elections, but the six-term House member acknowledged the political headwinds for his party. “I consider the atmosphere a very tough political environment right now because of President [Donald] Trump's lack of favorability at the top, and you know people are concerned

Sanders, AOC, Merkley propose bill to ban Flock cameras

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Friday released text of legislation intended to ban the use of Flock surveillance cameras and other license plate readers. Flock has faced severe public backlash against the surveillance technology following reports that police officers misused the technology to track women, and it has the largest

Capitol agenda: Dems spend big to help Hakeem’s dream

Democrats watching Speaker Mike Johnson deal with a chaotically slim majority have seen enough — and they’re trying to avoid the same fate . The party is investing in deep-red districts that could pad a future majority and strengthen the hand of Hakeem Jeffries, who’s widely favored as speaker if Democrats win the chamber in November. “Another five-or-so-seat buffer would be a game-changer,” said

The low-profile Democrat helping shape her party’s AI agenda

As Democrats scramble to create a viable plan to regulate artificial intelligence, one little-known lawmaker is playing a major behind-the-scenes role in shaping her party’s approach to the technology. Rep. Valerie Foushee, a North Carolina Democrat in her second term, is one of three co-chairs of a commission tasked by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to generate AI policy recommendations. It's a

‘A game-changer’: House Dems aim for a big majority that could ease Hakeem Jeffries’ headaches

Democrats are making moves to try to secure a big enough House majority to sideline blocs of both progressive and moderate holdouts who could cause constant headaches for Hakeem Jeffries if he becomes speaker next year. Democrats are investing in deep-red districts that could pad a future majority, banking on what appears to be a strong political environment to not just win but win big. That would

Top Democratic appropriator wants White House to pay for airing 'propaganda'

A group of Senate Democrats are rolling out a bill Thursday to cut funding from the White House budget office any time a president uses taxpayer dollars to pay for anything considered political "propaganda." The legislation led by Washington Sen. Patty Murray , the Senate’s top Democratic appropriator, is unlikely to clear Congress unless Democrats win control of the House and Senate in the midter

Barrage of lawsuits targets Trump’s funding cancellation

Lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s move to cancel $810 million in congressionally approved spending are piling up in courtrooms throughout the country as states and groups that receive federal dollars fight to keep the cash flowing. In the final hours before the fiscal year ended late Wednesday, a half-dozen states went to federal court to challenge Trump’s latest use of a controversial

Centrist Dem’s Supreme Court plan boosts momentum for revamp

Democratic efforts to revamp the Supreme Court gained momentum Thursday as an influential center-left think tank released a plan to limit justices’ terms and misconduct. Third Way’s proposal, shared first with POLITICO, highlights growing unity across the ideological spectrum in the Democratic Party for significant changes to the high court as Americans’ trust in the institution hovers at historic

Bipartisan Senate duo drops new data center bills

A bipartisan Senate duo is rolling out two new data center bills one day after Democrats rejected a House-passed measure designed to shield ratepayers from costs associated with the facilities. The measures from Sens. John Curtis (R-Utah) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) would aim to provide people with more information about the data centers being built in their backyards amid growing backlash a

Raskin leads calls for federal investigation into Trump PSA’s

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee is demanding federal inquiries into the amount of taxpayer money used to furnish a television ad blitz propping up President Donald Trump ahead of the midterms. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who is poised to lead the panel if Democrats win the majority in November, joined California Democratic Rep. George Whitesides in sending a letter to the Gove

Capitol agenda: Dems skip DC with wind in their sails

The Senate wrapped up its work late Wednesday night, and lawmakers in both chambers won’t be back until after midterm voters pass judgment. And Chuck Schumer is growing increasingly confident they’ll hand the Senate to Democrats “Here’s how I’d sum up the election: Can enormous amounts of Republican money beat a Democratic enormous advantage in much better candidates and a much better political cl

‘I think we win’: Schumer sets the tone as Senate Democrats grow more confident about November

A tidal wave of Republican money is threatening to soak Democrats in the final stretch of the midterm campaign, and Chuck Schumer has a message for his party: Keep your sheets dry. While the Senate minority leader warned in an interview Wednesday that they shouldn’t be “overconfident,” he painted a rosy picture where Democrats have the “wind in our sails” and are well positioned to overcome an “al

Ron Johnson blocks vote to stop Trump’s funding cancellations

Sen. Ron Johnson blocked the Senate from passing a bill Wednesday to restore $810 million in federal funding President Donald Trump nixed Friday without Congress’ consent and stop him from using the controversial budget tactic again. Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Patty Murray of Washington asked on the Senate floor to swiftly pass a measure that would nullify Trump’s latest move to u

Cruz kills Blackburn effort to pass AI deepfakes bill

Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz blocked an effort from Sen. Marsha Blackburn to pass her bill on the chamber floor Wednesday afternoon that would allow people to sue over artificial intelligence “deepfakes” — the latest episode in a long-running public rift between the two Republicans over AI legislation. Blackburn of Tennessee argued the measure, the NO FAKES Act, would guarantee protections again

Sherrod Brown says Facebook ‘glitch’ cost campaign money, votes

Ohio Democratic Senate nominee Sherrod Brown said Sunday that a “technical glitch” with Facebook’s advertising platform caused around half of his campaign ads on the site to suddenly “go dark with no notice.” “For the past 48 hours, half of our ads have been unable to reach grassroots supporters and voters,” Brown said in a post to his Substack that both detailed the snafu and served as a fundrais

Jim Justice says he has a ‘short’ timeline for deciding on governor run

GOP Sen. Jim Justice said Wednesday that he’ll decide whether to run for West Virginia governor before the end of the year but likely not until after the midterms. “The timeline is short, because I don’t want to jerk you around,” Justice said. “I don’t want to jerk people around.” Justice said he initially wanted to make a decision before the Nov. 3 elections, “but, you know, what’s happened is, w

Paxton secures $20M ad buy

Ken Paxton, the Republican Texas Senate nominee, announced a new $20 million ad buy in the state ahead of November's crucial election. The ad — which will begin running Friday in Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio before expanding statewide — is one of the largest-ever single media investments in a Texas Senate race. "This major media buy is about one thing: making sure every Texan in every c

Eric Schmitt defends mix-up that led to viral gaffe during Jack Smith's hearing

Sen. Eric Schmitt expressed no remorse Wednesday for falsely accusing Jack Smith of lying to Congress about attending a basketball game as a guise to investigate President Donald Trump — and for creating a viral moment that critics have seized on to undercut the GOP’s case against the former special counsel. “He has lied before to Congress,” Schmitt, a Missouri Republican, said in an interview abo

Senate Democrats block House-passed bill restricting member stock trading

A House-passed bill to restrict members of Congress from buying and selling stocks failed on the Senate floor Wednesday in a party-line vote, with Democrats insisting it would not do enough to curb lawmakers’ trading. Senators voted 53-47 on advancing the Stop Insider Trading Act , short of the 60 votes needed. Every Democratic and independent senator voted to reject the measure, which would prohi

Thune's 'difficult' recon update

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday progress on a new party-line spending bill is an "option" after the midterms — but cautioned that he still didn't see a path to getting 50 votes. Thune spoke with Budget Chair Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) Wednesday morning. "Obviously we're continuing to track and see what what is achievable and what we can get the votes for," Thune said, adding t

Capitol agenda: One day more?

Senators are circling a rapid escape from Washington today. Majority Leader John Thune told Jordain the chamber could wrap up by the end of Wednesday. “No certainty around this yet but it seems to be that everybody is … heading toward a glide path tomorrow night,” Thune said Tuesday about the Senate’s impending exit. The decision will let battleground candidates get home to start campaigning as Re

The source of Brian Fitzpatrick’s campaign ad attack fodder: A guest at his own wedding

Facing his toughest election challenge in years, GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick has blanketed southeast Pennsylvania with attacks on his Democratic opponent — many of them citing what appear to be independent local news reports. “Bob Harvie calls himself a king,” reads one article quoted in a June television spot . “Bob Harvie has his FBI files but refuses to release them,” reads another headline quot

Lummis blocks resolution denouncing Trump’s ‘public service announcements’

A Republican senator blocked a resolution Tuesday that would have denounced President Donald Trump's recent campaign-style ads funded with taxpayer dollars. Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming objected to Sen. Maggie Hassan’s nonbinding resolution, which said it was the sense of the Senate that the ads "should not be paid for by the United States government." Because Hassan (D-N.H.) was trying to pass

Republicans wanted Jack Smith to give them a smoking gun. They got a gaffe instead.

It started with a pledge to expose a Biden-era conspiracy to take down President Donald Trump. It ended with a botched attack over basketball tickets. Armed with subpoena power in Congress and a friendly Justice Department on their side, Republican lawmakers have spent two years promising to expose former special counsel Jack Smith as the leader of an anti-Trump witch hunt that morphed into a full

Darline Graham rips Jack Smith for obtaining her late brother’s phone records

Sen. Darline Graham sought to take up her brother’s mantle Tuesday, going after former special counsel Jack Smith for obtaining the late-Sen. Lindsey Graham’s phone data. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” the South Carolina Republican told Smith as he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that the anguish the prosecutor caused her brother “makes me sick.” Lindsey Graham, until

Federal watchdog says Trump’s $810M funding cancellation is unconstitutional

The federal government’s internal watchdog told Congress Tuesday that it has concluded President Donald Trump acted unlawfully in unilaterally canceling $810 million in federal funding. In a letter to congressional leaders obtained by POLITICO, the Government Accountability Office’s top lawyer panned Trump’s declaration Friday that he is using a controversial budget maneuver called a “pocket resci

Eric Schmitt pins down Jack Smith — as a Caitlin Clark fan

Sen. Eric Schmitt thought he caught Jack Smith in a lie. Instead, he outed him as a fan of former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark. In a quest to frame former special counsel Jack Smith as a liar during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Schmitt asked him if he was in Atlanta on Feb. 3, 2024, for an NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta

Also reported by NewsNation (Center)

Mike Johnson backs voluntary regulation to ‘calm the nerves’ on AI safety

Speaker Mike Johnson called Tuesday for more “oversight” and “transparency” of the artificial intelligence industry —including “external auditing” — while expressing a preference that those steps would be taken voluntarily by leading AI firms. Johnson made the comments on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” just hours before he is expected to meet at the White House with President Donald Trump and top AI executiv

What Jack Smith plans to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee

Jack Smith, the former special counsel who orchestrated the federal criminal cases against Donald Trump, plans to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday morning that he stands by his decision to bring charges against the president — arguing that his investigations “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity.” Smith has faced unrelenting crit

Also reported by Politico (Lean left)

New Democrats back candidates in deep-red districts

The centrist New Democrat Coalition is expanding its endorsements into firmly Republican territory, another sign of the party’s ballooning confidence in their midterm prospects. The group’s campaign arm, NewDem Action Fund, is endorsing seven candidates running in seats currently held by the GOP — including several that President Donald Trump won by double digits in 2024. They are Chris Backemeyer

Inside Thune and Barrasso’s midterm campaigning plans

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and GOP Whip John Barrasso are preparing to hit the campaign trail in October. Thune is planning to swing through a number of states starting with North Carolina this week, he told POLITICO. He said he’ll also go to South Carolina, Florida, twice to Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Michigan, among others, as Republicans fight to keep control of the Senate in

Capitol agenda: Dems face tricky votes before midterm sprint

Senate Democrats may be feeling pretty positive going into their final campaign sprint, but first they must deal with a handful of political headaches on the Hill. Democrats at their weekly caucus lunch Tuesday will talk strategy on a number of measures that could split members who have stuck together on other recent high-profile votes. Senate Democratic leaders expect a mostly unified caucus agai

Republicans scheme to block Trump’s funding cancellations

Lawmakers are fuming over President Donald Trump’s latest challenge to Congress’ funding power and already plotting to stop him in the future — a move that would require Republicans to buck their own party’s standard-bearer. Trump declared Friday that he unilaterally nixed a total of $810 million across several pots of cash Congress enacted for specific programs. It’s the second time in two years

Senate passes bipartisan bill to overhaul college sports

The Senate passed a sweeping bipartisan bill Monday that would overhaul the multibillion-dollar college sports industry — a major legislative victory shared by members of both parties and President Donald Trump, who wants to sign the package as soon as possible. A high priority for Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz of Texas and the panel’s top Democrat, Maria Cantwell of Washington, the Protect Colle

Also reported by Straight Arrow News (Center)

Trump controversies pile on Senate Republicans as they seek midterm escape

Senate Republicans want to spend this week insulating themselves from a deteriorating political environment before getting back on the campaign trail. Instead, they’re fending off some final curveballs from President Donald Trump. White House decisions to use air campaign-style ads with taxpayer funds while separately rescinding about a billion dollars in congressionally approved spending are the

Senate to vote on member stock trading bill

The Senate will vote this week on a House-passed bill to restrict the ability of members of Congress and their families to buy and sell stocks, according to two people granted anonymity to disclose unannounced scheduling. The vote is likely to take place Wednesday, the people said, pending GOP leaders setting up the plans on the Senate floor. The stock-trading bill passed the House earlier this ye

Capitol agenda: Thune plots final votes before midterms

The Senate is — finally — on the verge of making a great escape. After last week’s decision to stick around and try to make headway on a number of GOP priorities, Senate Republicans could leave town as soon as Wednesday, according to several senators and aides. A long-sought permitting vote isn’t happening (more on that below), so John Thune’s pre-election to-do list is relatively light. It starts

Trump’s latest Mamdani lovefest comes at a bad time for Republicans

ALBANY, New York — President Donald Trump’s long-term bromance with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has scrambled Republicans’ collective effort to make the democratic socialist the boogeyman of the midterm elections. GOP candidates across the country have sought to tie their opponents to the 34-year-old mayor, his anti-Israel views and his brand of socialism — a bet that American voters will r

Max Miller subpoenas ex-father-in-law Bernie Moreno

Rep. Max Miller issued a subpoena to his former father-in-law and fellow Ohio Republican, Sen. Bernie Moreno, in the latest escalation of a long-running family legal drama. Pamela MacAdams, an attorney for Miller, reported to the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Monday that three subpoenas were served in Miller’s divorce case, according to court records. Aperson with knowledge of the matte

Trump declares $1B canceled in ‘pocket rescission’ in another affront to Congress’ funding power

President Donald Trump informed congressional leaders Friday that he has unilaterally canceled almost $1 billion without Congress’ consent — employing a budget maneuver many lawmakers consider illegal. In a move that will almost certainly set up an ugly government funding battle after the midterms, Trump has again claimed the power to execute a so-called “pocket rescission” to nix money Congress h

Gallego grades Democrats on their midterm messaging to men

Democrats are finally catching on to how to talk to young male voters in the lead-up to the midterms, but the party can still up its game, one battleground senator and potential 2028er said Friday. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has been one of his party’s most outspoken critics on its handling of outreach to young men, who swung right and helped deliver the White House and both chambers of Congress

Bipartisan Russia hawks urge Trump to pull Putin invite to G20 summit

A bipartisan group of 14 senators urged President Donald Trump to rescind his invitation for Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the Group of 20 summit in Miami in December. The letter , whose bipartisan signers were led by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), chair of the Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member on the Foreign Relations Committee, came after S

Capitol agenda: Dems weigh doing Husted a solid

Senate Democrats have a decision to make about whether to grant a political favor to one of their most vulnerable Republican colleagues. GOP leaders are expected to set up an initial vote Wednesday on legislation that would advise states on ensuring data centers pay for all their energy costs and grid updates. Democrats may discuss the matter at a weekly party lunch Tuesday, but so far haven’t had

Democrats weigh how to handle data center vote that could benefit a GOP foe

Senate Democrats will soon have to decide whether to do one of their most vulnerable Republican colleagues a big political favor just weeks before the midterm elections. Republican leaders are expected to set up a vote next week on the Ratepayer Protection Act , legislation that aims to curb energy prices associated with the data centers. It easily passed the House last week with 206 Democratic vo

Johnson, Trump set meeting with AI executives

President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson will meet at the White House Tuesday with the executives of top artificial intelligence companies, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss private plans. The meeting comes as Congress is coming under increasing pressure to put federal guardrails on AI development, as fears mount that technological advancements could soon spiral beyond hu

AOC, 9 other House Dems sign on to AI superintelligence ban

A group of 10 Democrats has signed on to Rep. Greg Casar ’s (D-Texas) bill that would ban superintelligence and pause advanced AI development until a vetting regime could be stood up. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), both of whom are mulling a 2028 presidential run, are cosponsoring the bill, named the Ban Artificial Superintelligence Act . Khanna, in a statement,

Senate GOP eyes data center vote next week

Senate Republicans are discussing whether to call up a data center utility costs bill as they make plans to stay in Washington next week rather than beat an early exit before the midterms. Two GOP aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the Senate will remain in town amid pressure from some corners of the party to send members home early to campaign. Asked if the Senate will stay next w

Permitting deal won't get vote ahead of election

A bipartisan group of senators failed to close a long-sought deal on legislation to ease permitting approvals for energy projects, kicking consideration of the issue until after the midterm elections. A senior Democrat aide familiar with the negotiations and granted anonymity to discuss the matter told POLITICO on Thursday that Senate Democrats don't think there's enough time to get it done. “The

Capitol agenda: Democrats fracture over college sports

An ugly fight is brewing among Democrats about an unlikely issue: college sports regulation. Senate passage of a White House-endorsed bill to overhaul college athletic rules could happen as soon as Thursday. But despite the bill’s bipartisan backing, Black Democratic lawmakers are warning their own party that supporting the measure risks exploiting Black athletes. The debate spotlights a painful p

‘Don't owe the old guys anything’: Backlash builds to GOP chairs clinging to power

House Republicans for decades have prided themselves on their strict three-term limit for committee leaders, saying it promotes fresh blood in the party ranks. But that limit has grown less strict in recent years, and a growing number of GOP lawmakers are aching for a crackdown. Three of the 20 sitting House chairs have signaled interest in applying for a waiver to bypass the six-year term limit R

Senate Republicans have 1 more chance to oppose the Iran war before the midterms

Republicans appear increasingly anxious that the economic fallout from the Iran war could cost them their House and Senate majorities. They have one more chance to stage a symbolic jailbreak — and it's not clear enough of them are ready to take the leap. The Senate will vote as soon as Thursday on another measure aimed at halting the war, giving Democrats likely their final opportunity to put thei

Senators weigh staying in town to vote on data center bill

Senate Republicans are discussing whether to stay in town next week to vote on a data center bill being championed by one of their most vulnerable incumbents, according to two GOP senators granted anonymity to disclose private talks. Republicans haven’t made a decision — and lawmakers said they were given no concrete guidance on their schedule during a closed-door lunch with party leaders Wednesda

Mike Collins memo identifies 1 in 10 Georgia voters who should be voting for him — but are ‘up for grabs’

One in 10 Georgia voters aren’t sold on Mike Collins for Senate — even though those same voters backed President Donald Trump in 2024, according to a new memo from Collins’ campaign. The finding comes as public polling continues to show Collins trailing Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in the premier battleground state. A YouGov poll released Wednesday found Ossoff up by 10 percentage points over Collin

Sanders, Casar introduce ‘superintelligence’ ban

Two top congressional progressives unveiled their bill Wednesday to ban artificial “superintelligence” and establish a Cabinet-level agency to regulate AI, fleshing out their plans for a crackdown on the industry. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) have advocated for heavy regulation of the rapidly evolving technology, particularly following a string of high-profile cyberatt

Troy Carter launches bid to run Congressional Black Caucus

Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) launched a run to head the Congressional Black Caucus, making official his long-anticipated and heavily favored bid to take over the powerful group. Carter announced his plans in a letter to colleagues sent Tuesday and obtained by POLITICO, saying, “I will listen carefully. I will work hard. I will act when action is needed.” Carter has support from much of the CBC and has

Senate Republican seeks to fast-track AI whistleblower bill

Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley is trying to pass a bill before the midterms that would protect whistleblowers who disclose information about the risks involved in artificial intelligence development, according to two people granted anonymity to disclose nonpublic information. The Iowa Republican is seeking to move it through unanimous consent — a way to expedite passage on the Senate floor

Capitol agenda: Republicans riddled by stay-or-go dilemma

Republican senators are stuck in a fight or flight dilemma as they weigh their midterm strategy this week. Senate Majority Leader John Thune hasn’t made a call yet about cutting the session short to get lawmakers back on the campaign trail or keeping them in Washington to try and address growing voter unease with inflation and gas prices fueled by President Donald Trump’s war in Iran. Republicans

Mike Lee could soon be in position to grant Trump a big Senate wish

Donald Trump has long fumed over a Senate practice that lets Democrats effectively veto some of his judicial nominees. He might soon have an ally in a position to do something about it. Utah Sen. Mike Lee is poised to chair the Judiciary Committee should Republicans manage to keep control of the Senate in the midterms. That would give the MAGA stalwart the power to decide the fate of the “blue sli