Why Democrats are starting to feel bullish about a midterm wave  —  Democrats say the Iran war, high prices and President Donald Trump's sinking popularity give them a real chance of congressional majorities.  —  Summary  —  Democrats' wary optimism about the midterms gave way to growing confidence this week.

Kennedy Assures Vaccine Skeptics That They Have a ‘Friend at the White House’  —  The health secretary spoke at a conference featuring misinformation about vaccines, including a claim that the success of the polio vaccines was a “fraud.”  —  Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr …

Trump Moves Ahead With F-35 Jet Sales to Saudi Arabia Despite Intelligence Concerns  —  U.S. intelligence agencies have warned in internal reports that China could acquire or steal U.S. warplane technology if F-35 jets are sent to Saudi Arabia.  —  The State Department said Thursday …

Capitol agenda: High costs hound GOP as House exits  —  A perfect storm of affordability issues is developing for Republicans, and they have all but given up on making law to address it before November.  GOP senators' attempt to fast-track a measure aimed at curtailing high energy bills associated …

Kansas 2026: Hamilton and Marshall in Tight Senate Race; Masterson Leads for Governor  —  Home Polls Kansas 2026: Hamilton and Marshall in Tight Senate Race; Masterson Leads for Governor  —  A new Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media poll finds 45% of Kansas voters support Democrat Adam Hamilton …

Former Institute of Peace Workers Warn Trump May Push to Engrave Name on Building  —  As part of a lawsuit, the workers have asked a federal court to stop any plans to engrave the building with President Trump's name.  —  Former staff members of the U.S. Institute of Peace asked a federal court …

Fear and loathing in Trump's Miami backyard over immigration crackdown  —  Staring into the camera, Rep. Maria Salazar cut a new campaign ad that told President Trump what so many of her fellow Hispanic Republicans in Miami are saying: Immigration crackdown has gone too far.

Massie, Khanna Say They Have Secured 218 Signatures for New Epstein Files Vote  —  The announcement comes hours after MeidasTouch reported the discharge petition was just two signatures short of the threshold needed to force a House vote.  —  Co-Founder of MeidasTouch

For now, Pentagon plan for testosterone testing will apply to male troops only  —  Newly updated guidelines would test male service members aged 30 and over for low testosterone.  Rules for females will be released later, officials said.  —  Summary  —  The Pentagon has republished clinical guidance …

Blanche's Political Campaigning Breaks an Ethical Norm Going Back to Watergate  —  The attorney general's campaign politicking for Republicans adds to the degradation of post-Watergate values at the Justice Department.  —  Attorney General Todd Blanche has repeatedly participated …

A Brief History of Sam Alito's Delusional Obsession With Voter Fraud  —  His conduct in several recent cases suggests that Alito is deep in the right-wing conspiracy theory weeds.  —  Against Justice Samuel Alito's most fervent wishes, a federal district court order that prohibits …

The Story of America, Told in 15 Million First Drafts of History  —  Above my desk hangs an engraving of an island.  It depicts a still-young city in a still-young nation.  Its cobblestone streets are lined with squat buildings, none taller than a church spire.

Trump Is Considering More Data Centers on Public Lands Than Previously Known  —  The Trump administration is considering proposals for at least 12 data centers and data center-related infrastructure projects to be built on federal public lands — far more than previously known.

Most Michigan voters disapprove of Trump's tariffs on Canada, poll shows  —  Among the state's independents, who could determine the outcome of several key midterm races, 68 percent disapprove of the levies on Canadian products.  —  Summary  —  More than 60 percent of likely voters in Michigan …

Democrats vow to pursue ‘Trump crime family’ after midterm elections  —  Lawmaker on oversight committee says he will probe Donald Trump's sons and Elon Musk if his party takes control of the House  —  Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free  —  Democrats will be “aggressive” …

Why Do We Even Have a Constitution Day?  —  Because it's the frame of silver for our apple of gold.  —  The White House's posture toward Russia is getting more bizarre all the time.  On the one hand, Trump has promised to sign a sweeping package which—as Andrew wrote yesterday …

Red and Blue America Have Found Something to Agree On: Flock Cameras Must Go  —  A national backlash against AI-enabled license-plate readers is uniting Trump country and progressive strongholds alike.  'Nobody wants to be surveilled...doesn't matter what your political leaning is.'  —  Kris Maher

How Warsh Raised Rates Without Drawing Trump's Ire  —  No name-calling, no insults.  New Fed chairman's close relationship with president gave him room to move without triggering White House backlash  —  President Trump spent months attacking the Federal Reserve for keeping interest rates too high.

Weeks Before the Midterms, Almost Everything Is Getting More Expensive  —  The price of eating out, filling a gas tank and buying a house keeps rising, while higher interest rates add to borrowing costs  —  Created with Highcharts 9.0.1Average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgageSource: Freddie Mac via St. Louis Fed

Democrats better not confuse gas price fury with thinking they figured out how to defeat Trumpism  —  The simplest and most seductive political analysis is that voters would share all my policy preferences if Democrats just did what I say they should.  And it's a decent analysis because it's somewhat true!

How Three Brothers Built an AI Slop Empire by Buying Legitimate News Sites and Turning Them Into Zombie Content Farms That They Say Get 50 Million Page Views per Month  —  In September 2024, an entrepreneur named Justin Brown uploaded a YouTube video in which he argued that writers should be “scared right now” about the rise of AI.

Ocasio-Cortez Donates to New York Democrats, Will Barnstorm State Ahead of Midterms  —  The news has reignited speculation about whether the progressive representative from the Bronx is considering a run for senator or president.  —  Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez plans to campaign across …

Senate Democrats press Hegseth for Iran war price tag  —  Forty-six members of the Senate Democratic caucus are demanding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provide a detailed accounting of the Iran war's costs, arguing that the Pentagon has failed to explain how it has spent, and plans to spend, tens of billions of taxpayer dollars.

Inside House Democrats' Push to Kick Old People Out of Leadership  —  Insurgent House Democrats are opening a new front in the generational war roiling the party, pushing to put term limits on committee leadership roles.  —  When the lawmakers return to Washington after the midterms …

Iran War Will Make Winter More Expensive for Some Americans  —  The cost of heating oil, which is similar to diesel and used extensively in Northeastern states, has climbed sharply because of the war in Iran.  —  Jonathan Robidoux, a Long Island resident, calls his heating oil supplier every fall …

Montana Ban Would Strike at Political Spending, and the Supreme Court  —  A measure aimed at stemming the tide of corporate money in politics will be on the November ballot.  Opponents say it violates a high court ruling.  —  Voter disgust over an avalanche of political spending by corporations …

The DNC Gets a Fundraising Boost After Months of Struggle  —  The Democratic National Committee racked up two of its biggest grassroots fundraising months in a midterm cycle this summer, bringing in more than $14 million combined in July and August.  —  The grassroots totals surpassed …