Top Items:
New York Times:
Even as Trump's Standing Slips, He Slingshots a Political Novice to Victory — After facing low approval ratings and endorsement setbacks, the president made a show of force in lifting Darline Graham to the Republican nomination for Senate in South Carolina.
RELATED:
Bridget Bowman / NBC News:
Democratic socialists notch another win in the Oklahoma Senate primary runoff — Nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas has won the Democratic Senate nomination in Oklahoma, NBC News projects, defeating an older and more moderate opponent. — Nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas has won …
Discussion:
Politico, New York Times, The Hill, NewsMax.com and Palm Beach Post
Kathleen Hunter / Axios:
Darline Graham wins South Carolina GOP Senate runoff — Sen. Darline Graham, President Trump's endorsed candidate, won the Republican nomination Tuesday to fill the Senate vacancy created by her brother Lindsey Graham's death, per the AP. … - Graham, 62, will be heavily favored against Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Discussion:
NBC News, American Greatness, NOTUS, Reuters, Roll Call, NPR, CBS News and Washington Post
Bayliss Wagner / New York Times:
How does The Times get live election results? — Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Graham, had President Trump's support in her race against Ralph Norman for the South Carolina seat. Oklahoma is also holding primary runoffs. — Here's the latest.
Discussion:
Jewish Insider, The Forward, Political.org, NBC News, Breitbart, Blaze Media, Al Jazeera, CBS News, Associated Press, National Politics and The Independent
Julia Mueller / The Hill:
Graham wins GOP nod in South Carolina Senate primary runoff for late brother's seat
Emily Kennard / NOTUS:
Political Operatives Warn Campaigns: Don't Trust Prediction Markets
David Weigel / Semafor:
Graham wins South Carolina Senate primary, vindicating Trump
Graham wins South Carolina Senate primary, vindicating Trump
Discussion:
Bloomberg, France 24, Fox News, MS NOW, Wall Street Journal, NewsMax.com, Slate, NBC News and Jewish Insider
Kaia Hubbard / CBS News:
Sen. Darline Graham projected to win runoff in South Carolina GOP Senate primary, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman
Sen. Darline Graham projected to win runoff in South Carolina GOP Senate primary, defeating Rep. Ralph Norman
Discussion:
New York Times, Fox News, NewsMax.com, Breitbart, HotAir, New Yorker, NOTUS, The Guardian, NBC News, Semafor and Scripps News
Caitlin Reilly / Bloomberg:
Trump-Backed Darline Graham Wins Senate Runoff in South Carolina
Trump-Backed Darline Graham Wins Senate Runoff in South Carolina
Discussion:
The Hill, The Independent, Newsweek, LGBTQ Nation, Daily Mail, NewsMax.com, Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, National Politics, Fox News, UPI, The Contrarian and ABC News
Josephine Walker / Axios:
Trump administration violated court order on mail-voting rules, judge says — A Massachusetts judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration violated a nationwide injunction by finalizing a rule that would significantly overhaul mail voting if allowed to take effect.
Discussion:
NewsMax.com, Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, Talking Points Memo, NOTUS, MS NOW, OutsideTheBeltway, Esquire and Yahoo News
RELATED:
Zolan Kanno-Youngs / New York Times:
Trump's Efforts to Sow Election Doubts Get Boost from Initial Court Order — A preliminary Supreme Court ruling could leave voters confused about casting ballots by mail, even as President Trump's executive order is being litigated in the lower courts, experts said.
Justin Jouvenal / Washington Post:
Judge issues setback to Trump administration plans to restrict mail-in ballots
Judge issues setback to Trump administration plans to restrict mail-in ballots
Discussion:
Meidas+, New York Times, Townhall, Forbes, Bloomberg, Centralmaine.com, MS NOW, New York Post, Scripps News, Democracy Docket, Wired, The Hill, The Daily Caller and NOTUS
Bill Friskics-Warren / New York Times:
Dolly Parton, Superstar Whose Songs Spoke to Millions, Dies at 80 … Dolly Parton in 1975. She was likened to the Big Rock Candy Mountain, the Depression-era symbol of abundance. Her music confronted privation and loss even as it radiated possibility and hope.Jack Manning/The New York Times
Discussion:
OutsideTheBeltway, The Hill, Townhall, Esquire, Salt Lake Tribune, Oil City News, Legal Insurrection, The Mahablog, MS NOW, Vanity Fair, Page Six and Forbes
RELATED:
HuffPost:
Dolly Parton, Queen Of Country Music, Dead At 80 — Parton was one of country music's most honored performers. — Country music's patron saint Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, her family announced in a video posted to her Instagram on Tuesday. — Parton, born Jan. 19, 1946 …
Discussion:
MS NOW, NBC News, The Free Press, The Hollywood Reporter, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Associated Press, Variety, The Guardian, New York Times, The Daily Wire, The Federalist, Daily Kos, LGBTQ Nation, Nashville Banner, Los Angeles Times, NewsMax.com, NewsNation, Advocate, Reuters, Rolling Stone, NPR, Palm Beach Post, New York Post, The Wrap, RTÉ, Page Six, The Daily Caller, The Sun, The Gateway Pundit and Toledo Blade
Emilio Perez Ibarguen / Politico:
Trump orders flags lowered to honor Dolly Parton
Trump orders flags lowered to honor Dolly Parton
Discussion:
The Hill, NOTUS, CBS News, WTTG-TV, Washington Examiner, The Guardian, Florida Politics, RedState, Advocate, American Greatness, Breitbart, The Daily Wire, The Federalist, PinkNews, Axios, Fox News, HuffPost, Political.org, New York Post, NewsNation, Daily Mail, NewsMax.com, The Sun, Rolling Stone, UPI, The Post Millennial, Scripps News, Ace of Spades HQ, New York Times, KTLA, Deadline, USA Today and Page Six
Victoria Craw / Washington Post:
Dan Sullivan joins Dan Sullivan on the November ballot in confusing Alaska race — A retired teacher with the same name as the incumbent senator could pose trouble for Republicans in the competitive Senate race. — Summary — Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher whose candidacy …
Discussion:
Associated Press
RELATED:
Washington Post:
CIA director's secretive visit to Moscow stirs mystery — The trip came as Ukrainian forces have stepped up attacks deep inside Russia, including in the capital. — Summary — CIA Director John Ratcliffe was in Moscow on Tuesday, people familiar with the matter said …
Discussion:
The Moscow Times, Axios, Breitbart, The Sun, France 24, Meidas+, The Spectator, The Guardian, Metro.co.uk, The Japan Times, The Bulwark, Radio Free Europe/Radio …, RedState, Fox News, BBC, Political.org, ABC News, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Daily Mail, New Republic, New York Post, Reuters, The Hill, Bloomberg, Human Events, Washington Examiner, CBS News, Semafor, The American Conservative, Crooks and Liars and NewsMax.com
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Before Hegseth fired him, top general was advised to drop Kid Rock probe — Gen. Randy George appeared troubled by the encounter with Gen. Chris LaNeve, the Army's No. 2 officer now favored for the service's top job, people familiar with the matter told The Post. — Summary
ProPublica:
Top Commanders Told Hegseth Not to Cut Civilian Protection Program, Poll Showed. He Did It Anyway. — Shortly after taking office last year, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth polled the nation's top commanders about cutting a program designed to protect civilians during U.S. military operations.
Discussion:
Letters from an American
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Police arrest a California man after finding a guillotine near the US Capitol — United States Capitol Police on Tuesday arrested a California man with what they said was a guillotine in the bed of a pickup truck parked near the U.S. Capitol complex. Police detained 35-year-old Philan-Tam-Duy Le …
Discussion:
United States Capitol Police, WJLA-TV, Fox News, Forbes, New York Post, Los Angeles Times, Washington Examiner, Washington Post, KTLA and WTTG-TV
RELATED:
Kanishka Singh / Reuters:
Trump administration issues pause on visa appointments for applicants worldwide — President Donald Trump's administration has issued a pause on visa appointments for applicants around the world during an ongoing immigration crackdown by the U.S. government in the Republican leader's second term in the White House.
James Downie / MS NOW:
Trump can't stop sabotaging his own economy — “Why would I want to blow up the global financial system?” an exasperated Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during a press conference Monday, while introducing new sanctions against Iran. Bessent may think that's still a self-evidently ridiculous question.
Discussion:
Alternet.org and Political.org
RELATED:
Stef W. Kight / Axios:
Court ruling threatens GOP cash advantage — A federal appeals court ruling Tuesday could erase a new midterm advantage for Republicans. … - Republicans plan to appeal the decision, setting up another high-stakes campaign finance fight as the fall ad wars heat up ahead of November.
Discussion:
Semafor, more at Mediagazer »
RELATED:
Robert Jimison / New York Times:
Trump Administration Sends Saudi Nuclear Deal to Congress for Review — The prospect that the kingdom could enrich uranium has drawn opposition from Democrats and revived concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. — The Trump administration has submitted to Congress …
Discussion:
MS NOW
RELATED:
Holmes Lybrand / CNN:
3 Secret Service officials placed on leave amid misconduct investigation — Three Secret Service officials, including the agency's director of communications, have been placed on leave as an investigation into potential misconduct unfolds, a source familiar with the decision told CNN.
Discussion:
Straight Arrow, The Independent, RealClearPolitics, Associated Press, Townhall and CBS News
Perry Stein / Washington Post:
Lawyers gear up as Trump administration threatens election officials with arrest — Private voting rights attorneys and Democratic attorneys general are preparing to defend election officials and file lawsuits against the federal government. — Summary — The Trump administration …
Politico:
Republicans were already nervous about November. Then Trump restarted his trade war. — Republicans were already struggling to defuse simmering voter frustrations over the cost of living ahead of the midterms. Then President Donald Trump rekindled his trade wars.
Discussion:
Mark It Down!
NBC News:
Mike Lindell refuses to pay for recount in Minnesota GOP primary, files lawsuit against election officials — The MyPillow founder, who's a fierce Trump ally, said last week that he would pay $825,000 to fund a full hand recount after he lost the state's GOP gubernatorial primary.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, MPR News, Joe.My.God., The Hill, KSTP-TV, NOTUS, KTTC-TV, The Independent, Washington Examiner, Alternet.org and CBS News
Ian Duncan / Washington Post:
Wisconsin prosecutor declines to charge Musk in election bribery investigation — The tech titan last year had offered voters a chance at a $1 million prize. — A Wisconsin prosecutor said Tuesday that he would not bring charges against Elon Musk over allegations of bribery tied to his support …
Discussion:
NOTUS, Politico, Associated Press, Votebeat, WBAY-TV, Washington Examiner, The Independent and The Hill
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Joe Manchin Pushes for More Independents to Join Congress — The former Democratic-turned-independent senator and his daughter are backing independent bids for the House and the Senate to try to weaken the two-party grip on the Capitol. — Frustrated with his fellow Democrats …
The Atlantic:
Trump Plans to Buy Midterm Ads About His Own Record — President Trump gathered his top political advisers in the Oval Office early this month to solve a problem of riches: how to spend his super PAC's $400 million political war chest with fewer than 100 days to go before the midterm elections.
Discussion:
NOTUS, The Independent, Joe.My.God. and Alternet.org
Avani Kalra / NOTUS:
How Corporate PAC Money Gets to Democrats Who Swore It Off — Democratic candidates' call to get money out of politics is a central theme in the 2026 midterms, with dozens of Democratic incumbents and candidates pledging to reject donations from corporate political action committees.


