Top Items:
Alex Isenstadt / Axios:
Scoop: Trump pours millions into Virginia, New Jersey races — President Trump's political operation is digging into its massive war chest to bankroll a multimillion-dollar voter turnout effort in the final days of the New Jersey and Virginia governor races, Axios has learned.
Discussion:
New Republic, WKMG, RedState, KRDO, Joe.My.God., CBS News, Associated Press, twitchy.com, Fox News and New Jersey Online
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Jonathan Martin / Politico:
Trump Is the Democrats' Best Campaigner … The mere fact of his election last year handed Democrats a powerful turnout lever in blue-leaning New Jersey and Virginia, but Trump has further undermined GOP hopes in the two states with his conduct and has seemingly abandoned California Republicans.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Zolan Kanno-Youngs / New York Times:
As the Shutdown Pain Grows, Trump Attends to Other Matters — The president attended a Halloween party Friday and called attention to the marble renovation of a White House bathroom. — American families are worried about losing food stamp benefits. Hundreds of thousands …
Discussion:
Hopium Chronicles, HuffPost, NPR, Straight Arrow News, Raw Story, Wake Up To Politics, Washington Examiner and OutsideTheBeltway
Alexandra Marquez / NBC News:
Government shutdown effects bear down on millions more people after a crucial Nov. 1 deadline passes — Despite a judge's ruling ordering the administration to fund SNAP benefits, President Donald Trump said that November's payments were likely to be delayed.
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Associated Press:
Judges order Trump administration to use emergency reserves for SNAP payments during the shutdown — Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share — Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald …
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, The Hill, Law Dork, Wonkette, New Jersey Globe, Hackwhackers, Axios, CNN, Reuters, @amuse, The Maine Wire, WTOP News, masslive.com, NewsMax.com, The Guardian, Portland Mercury, Associated Press, RedState, CourtListener, New York Times, Blaze Media, Politico, Office of the Governor, CT Mirror, City & State Pennsylvania, The Daily Caller, El País, PBS NewsHour, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, New Jersey Online, NOTUS, New Republic, KFF Health News, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun Times, The Portland Press Herald, Scripps News, NBC News, JURISTnews, Straight Arrow News, The Contrarian, Grabien, Raw Story, al.com, The Mahablog, Jay Jones, Washington Examiner, Washington Post and CNBC
Associated Press:
Uncertainty over federal food aid deepens as the shutdown fight reaches a crisis point — Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share — The crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington were coming …
Discussion:
Salon
Ian Austen / New York Times:
Carney Says He Apologized to Trump Over Ad Reviving Reagan's Tariff Criticism — The Canadian prime minister also said that he had asked the province of Ontario not to air the ad that later prompted the president to end trade talks. — Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada said on Saturday …
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, Scripps News, Washington Examiner, Reuters, Politico, CityNews Toronto and Bloomberg
Ethan Cotler / The Daily Beast:
Obama Is Now Not So Sure America Can Survive Under Trump — HOPE? — The former president is set to make a return to help Democratic gubernatorial candidates. — Barack Obama, 64, is “not so sure” that “America would survive Donald Trump,” according to CNN.
Discussion:
KRDO, New Jersey Online and CNN
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The Hill:
Live updates: SNAP benefits on the line amid shutdown; Obama to stump for Dems in VA, NJ — Federal food aid is on the line as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is poised to run out of money on Saturday amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Discussion:
WTTG-TV, New Jersey Online, NewsNation and The Gateway Pundit
Washington Post:
Nancy Mace berated airport police and TSA agents, incident report says — The report claims Mace called officers “incompetent” and accused them of mistreating her. — Just now — Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), who is running for governor of her state, berated police officers …
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Jake Lahut / Wired:
Nancy Mace Curses, Berates Confused Cops in Airport Meltdown: Police Report
Discussion:
CBS News, HuffPost, FITSNews, New York Post, The Independent, Raw Story, Mediaite and Newsweek
Dietrich Knauth / Reuters:
US judge permanently blocks Trump order requiring voters to prove citizenship — March 25 order required passport or similar document for voting — Other courts have temporarily blocked the executive order — US Constitution gives states authority over elections
Discussion:
Votebeat
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Associated Press:
US judge blocks Trump order requiring proof of citizenship to vote
Discussion:
Raw Story, WTTG-TV, Democracy Docket and The Guardian
Julianna Bragg / Axios:
Trump can't require proof of citizenship for voter registration, judge says
Trump can't require proof of citizenship for voter registration, judge says
Discussion:
Straight Arrow News, The Hill, Washington Examiner, Townhall, Breitbart, Newsweek and Forbes
Ross Douthat / New York Times:
It's Obvious Why Harris Lost in 2024. But Can Democrats Accept It? — The most obvious thing in politics is often the hardest to admit: If you lose an election, the best thing that you can do to make sure you win the next one is to find a message that puts you closer to the median voter than you were the last time around.
Sam Biddle / The Intercept:
ICE Plans Cash Rewards for Private Bounty Hunters to Locate and Track Immigrants — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is considering hiring private bounty hunters to locate immigrants across the country, according to a procurement document reviewed by The Intercept.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Chicago Tribune:
On Halloween, ‘state-sponsored terror’ in Chicago and the north suburbs — Chicago Tribune, RICHIE REQUENA, BRIAN CASSELLA | In Albany Park, they fired pepper-spray balls to disperse an angry crowd and arrested two U.S. citizens. In Evanston, one repeatedly pointed his weapon at protesters …
Discussion:
The Guardian, Chicago Sun Times and Block Club Chicago
Washington Post:
ICE and Border Patrol's use of tear gas injures, sickens and tests the law — Federal immigration agents say chemical agents are needed to disperse violent protesters. But videos also show officers directly firing at people in aggressive and “unorthodox” ways.
Discussion:
One America News Network
Madeleine Ngo / New York Times:
Under Trump, Becoming a U.S. Citizen Gets Harder … A harder civics test. Stricter social media vetting. Neighborhood investigations into people's “moral character.” — The Trump administration is erecting new hurdles for lawful permanent residents applying for U.S. citizenship …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God.
Kenneth P. Vogel / New York Times:
Trump's Team Offers to Keep Some Ballroom Donors Incognito … President Trump's aides have promised transparency about the funding of a new ballroom, but the White House withheld the identities of several donors to the project, including some with business before the administration, The New York Times found.
Maia Davies / BBC:
Andrew should answer Epstein questions in US, Democrats say — Members of a US congressional committee investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case have intensified their calls for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to answer questions about his links to the late sex offender.
Discussion:
Sky News, Politico, Washington Examiner, TheJournal.ie, GB News, The Sun, Raw Story, Reuters and Reason
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Shutdowns, Obamacare and the Risks of Bargaining for Policy Wins in a Crisis — A 2013 attempt to leverage minority power in a health care fight blew up on Republicans. Can today be different for Democrats? — The last time Obamacare was at the center of a federal shutdown …
Discussion:
Salon, Reuters, WIBC 93.1 FM, Politico and NOTUS
Punchbowl News:
11/01/2025 📝 The Readback — Welcome to The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week - a quick roundup of all our scoops, analysis and Capitol Hill insight you won't find anywhere else. We've also included a few of our favorite outside reads from the week.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal
New York Times:
How to Shop for Obamacare When Subsidies Are in Limbo — Enrollment for A.C.A. health coverage begins Nov. 1, with some staggering price increases. Here is a guide to help you choose a plan while Congress is at an impasse over tax credits. — On Saturday, Americans who don't get health insurance through …
Discussion:
Scripps News, WTTG-TV, NPR, Signal Ohio and The Portland Press Herald
Ben Ryder Howe / New York Times:
Whole Foods, MAHA and the Battle Over Healthy Eating in America … The Whole Foods flagship in Austin is a shrine. — With its acres of organic and regenerative produce, a craft beer bar with cheese pairings, and seemingly endless shelves of specialty groceries sculpted to perfection …
Michael L. Gross / New York Times:
‘Kill, Kill, Kill’: How to Wrestle With Death in Gaza — In talks leading up to the cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel, President Trump said he told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “You're going to be remembered for this” — ending the war in Gaza — “far more than if you kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill.”
Pam Belluck / New York Times:
New York Judge Dismisses Texas Challenge to the State's Abortion Shield Law — The lawsuit was filed against an Ulster County clerk who rebuffed an attempt to enforce a Texas judgment against a New York doctor for sending abortion pills to that state. — A judge in New York State …


