House Democrats left reeling after shock defections  —  House Democrats were left stunned and pointing fingers Tuesday after a pair of centrist lawmakers unexpectedly helped Republican leadership pass a key procedural vote. … - The two centrists, Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) …

Massachusetts Democrats renominate Senator Ed Markey in race seen as test on generational change  —  U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts won renomination on Tuesday, according to U.S. media, as Democratic voters favored the 80-year-old progressive over 47-year-old Seth Moulton …

Hegseth Targets 7 More Officers as His Frustrated Army Secretary Quits  —  The defense secretary's cuts, which have hit about 10 percent of the military's top officers, are dividing the Pentagon, officials said.  —  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired or blocked the promotions …

House censures Rep. Chuck Edwards for conduct toward former female staffers  —  The House voted Tuesday to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., following a House Ethics Committee investigation that concluded he engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct toward two young female staffers in his office.

More than 68% of voters support recall of Independence Councilman John Perkins  —  Voters in Independence have successfully recalled a councilman after his vote to approve a multibillion-dollar data center.  —  District 1 Councilman John Perkins was recalled during a special election on Tuesday …

Johnson eyes highway bill action in lame duck  —  Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that the full, five-year surface transportation reauthorization bill will likely be a lame duck issue — and that he would push to wrap it up before the 119th Congress concludes.

‘A Shit Show’: Postal Service Whistleblower Warns That New Project Will Sow Chaos in Election  —  It raises questions about ‘whether catastrophic failure would be a feature rather than a bug,’ the whistleblower's representatives write.  —  A whistleblower complaint released this morning …

Protests erupt over plan to slash polling locations in key Texas swing county  —  The third-most populous county in Texas will have nearly a third fewer polling places this November after Republican county commissioners dramatically reduced the number of polling locations in Tarrant County.

Scoop: GOP Super PAC hits Jackson on transgender issues  —  A super PAC working to reelect Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is plowing $1.1 million into an ad campaign attacking Democrat Troy Jackson for supporting state legislation that allows transgender women to be housed in women's prisons.

China's objections derail G20 finance statement  —  The G20 finance ministers failed to agree on a joint statement after China objected to several provisions, including language addressing huge trade surpluses and countries' reliance on exports for growth.

Deported Milo Yiannopoulos says he is ‘ashamed’ of support for Trump  —  British far-right pundit breaks silence on ICE arrest and deportation and says he was ‘really, really terrified’  —  Milo Yiannopoulos, the British far-right commentator who was arrested last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement …

Springfield Haitian student takes his own life after being fitted with ICE ankle monitor, advocates say  —  A 20-year-old Wright State student took his own life on Interstate 70 out of anguish over a required ICE ankle monitor, according to local community advocates.

A record 38% of Republicans say Canada is unfriendly or an enemy of the U.S.  —  President Donald Trump recently imposed a 50% tariff on many Canadian goods, a move most Americans are strongly or somewhat opposed to, the latest Economist/YouGov Poll finds.  58% of Americans are opposed …

Here's How Republicans Are Running Campaigns Against Independent Candidates  —  A set of independent candidates is holding the Democratic Party at arm's length.  Republicans want to close that gap.  — Copy  —  Republicans have a simple strategy for how to campaign against a slate …

Using legal loopholes and executive power, Trump is remaking Washington  —  The president's ballroom and other projects are racing the courts and the clock, as the GOP-led Congress largely sits silent.  —  Summary  —  President Donald Trump has said he was puzzled when aides told …

Republicans aren't exactly flocking to Trump's midterm convention  —  President Donald Trump has a vision for next week's GOP convention in Dallas: a televised spectacle putting Republican candidates in front of midterm voters and top party donors just two months before the Election Day — with Trump himself headlining the show.

Former President Joe Biden Will Attend Sept. 11 Ceremony in New York  —  Mr. Biden will join three other living presidents at the event.  President Trump has decided to skip the ceremony and is expected to appear at the Pentagon on the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Trump to promote acting Navy secretary amid Pentagon turmoil  —  Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao is getting a promotion.  —  Cao, who has served in an acting role since Navy Secretary John Phelan abruptly left the post in April, will be nominated to be his permanent replacement …

Apple joins Google in renaming Lake Ontario to “Lake America”  —  Apple has changed the label on Lake Ontario to “Lake America,” according to an Axios review of Apple Maps on Tuesday afternoon.  —  Why it matters: Apple is the second major digital map provider to make the switch.