Surprises and scandals scramble the battle for Congress  —  Unexpected primary results have complicated both parties' paths to control of the House and Senate.  —  The final stretch of primary season has scrambled the battle for Congress, as scandals, insurgent victories and voters' rejection …

Trump to Axios: “We are low keying it” with Iran  —  President Trump signaled on Sunday that he's prepared to allow economic pressure on Iran to mount — as opposed to ordering a new military offensive — even as the country continues to defy the U.S. … But in an interview with Axios, he did not make any new military threats.

Taylor Farms Voluntarily Recalls Fresh Jalapeños Over Salmonella Concerns  —  The company said it was unaware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños, which were distributed to major retailers across 26 states.  —  Taylor Farms, which has been linked …

Trump picks longtime aide Will Scharf as new top White House lawyer  —  The White House staff secretary replaces David Warrington, who is leaving for the private sector.  —  Summary  —  President Donald Trump has named Will Scharf as the next top White House lawyer, replacing David Warrington …

A twist in the race for Lindsey Graham's seat: No clear Trump-aligned candidate  —  The president backs Graham's sister, but each contender in South Carolina's Senate primary has found themselves out of step with him in some way, and a runoff is likely.  —  Summary

Hegseth can't persuade Republicans to back his big budget  —  In the year and a half since Pete Hegseth squeaked through his Senate confirmation, congressional Republicans have handed the Pentagon chief big wins — and defended some of his most controversial moves.

New in SpyWeek: Kremlin Hints FSB May Tempt Kash with Dem Dirt in Moscow, as Berlin Expels Russian Spies, CIA Targets Cuba  —  Moscow Mule?  FBI Director Kash Patel's scheduled Moscow sojourn only weeks before the U.S. midterm elections has generated lots of questions, but none so provocative …

The Great Delegalization  —  More than a million immigrants are seeing protections that granted them safe lives in the U.S. suddenly swept away.  —  In early 2010, an earthquake devastated Haiti—but, even as Haitians in the U.S. had far less to return to, they received a new opportunity to stay.

Trump Turns National Parks into Piggybank  —  Cutbacks and Setbacks Hammer America's National Parks in the Shadow of Trump's Vanity Projects  —  There are enormous canyons.  —  Geysers.  —  Majestic cliffs.  —  Waterfalls and wildlife.  —  Rainforests and reindeer.

The Republican Party Is Losing Its Edge With Voters on the Economy  —  Cost-of-living worries are eroding GOP's image as economic managers, giving Democrats an advantage  —  Mitchell Brown, a Republican pollster, has noticed something new in the focus groups he runs with voters in battleground states …

'We're not going to let them do it in the shadows': Hundreds rally at site where Haitians required to check-in, get monitors after end of TPS  —  Hundreds of people gathered outside a federal immigration office Sunday morning to show support for Haitian immigrants from Springfield who were called to report for immigration check-ins.

Pelosi wages war over her succession  —  SAN FRANCISCO — Nancy Pelosi is unleashing her political machine to block one of California's most prominent state lawmakers from replacing her in Congress, bringing an increasingly bitter feud to a head inside San Francisco's Democratic establishment.

The Moronic Bullshit of the “Third Way”  —  There's no “middle” between neofascist corporatism and democracy  —  The statements seem as belligerent as Pete Hegseth on a bad hair day.  —  “We are preparing for the next war that is coming,” says Jonathan Cowan.

Yasukuni Shrine introduces ban on military attire and cosplay  —  With the anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II approaching, Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine has introduced new rules banning visitors from wearing military uniforms or costumes on its grounds.

Mullin faces MAGA backlash at Homeland Security … - Mullin provoked border czar Tom Homan with an ICE nominee who has limited immigration experience, had to walk back changes in immigration policy, and angered the MAGA base with talk of immigration reform.

Voters are sick of the 2-party system.  A new poll shows they're open to big changes  —  Amid growing frustration with both major political parties, voters are open to some big changes.  —  A new poll, commissioned by supporters of election reforms and shared with NPR …

Ben Jones, Cooter Davenport on ‘The Dukes of Hazzard,’ Dies at 84  —  After he overcame a drinking problem, he spent seven seasons on the hit CBS show and represented Georgia during two terms in Congress.  —  Ben Jones, who portrayed the scruffy mechanic Cooter Davenport on all seven seasons …