Chris Rufo — Known For ‘DEI’ and ‘CRT’ Panics — Tries to Make ‘the Indian Question’ a Thing  —  Rufo often gets treated as a “respectable” conservative.  His latest podcast episode — framing Indian-Americans as a problem in need of solving — is more evidence that he shouldn't be.

US adds disappointing 29,000 jobs and unemployment ticks up to 4.2% in September  —  U.S. employers added a disappointing 29,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked up last month, the government reported Friday, a month before voters go to the polls in pivotal midterm elections …

The reverend's run  —  With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner  —  Good Friday morning.  We're kicking off today with some nastygrams you won't want to miss.  Read on, and get in touch.  —  FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) lashed out in private texts …

The GOP's Culture-War Hail Mary  —  Last week, as the war with Iran dragged into its seventh month, gas prices shot up to an average of $4.50 a gallon, and polling showed President Trump about twice as far underwater with American voters as he was at this point in 2018, Republican senators determined …

As Prospects Dim, G.O.P. Pulls Money Out of North Carolina Senate Race  —  The Senate Leadership Fund is diverting money to Kansas, which has become a growing concern for the party as it seeks to hold its majority.  —  The top super PAC for Senate Republicans is canceling all the remaining ads …

Trump Tourism Effects  —  In the past day or two on social media I kept seeing this graph from a Semafor story on the declining volume of international visitors to the United States.  —  It seems to show, and was being remarked on as showing, that the second Trump administration …

Who was behind a $250K mystery donation to super PAC backing Ken Paxton?  —  Last year, a super PAC supporting Texas Senate hopeful Ken Paxton received a $250,000 donation from a man calling himself “Paul McLaren,” a supposed “entrepreneur” living in Plano, Texas.

A “Who You Gonna Believe?”  Election  —  If you're arguing, you're losing.  Trump is arguing.  —  They're still doing it!  Click on any White House press release and the image above pops up.  The tone-deafness is almost surreal.  Even if you're a Trump loyalist who really believes …

White House Officials Told the DOJ to Delay Action on Abortion Ahead of the Midterms  —  The White House has instructed the Justice Department to move slowly on any abortion-related actions ahead of the midterm elections, The Washington Sun has learned.  —  In a series of discussions …

Democrats put $3.4M behind Susan Collins allegations  —  The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is turning an explosive ProPublica investigation into Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) into a 30-second, $3.4 million attack campaign in one of the closest Senate races of the midterms.

Not To Alarm You, But Trump's Brain Is Melted  —  Just how bad has Donald Trump's leadership been for the Kennedy Center's financial health?  CNN reports that, after Trump slapped his name on the building late last year, donation pledges plunged more than 100 percent compared to the previous three-month period.

MAGA podcaster Benny Johnson sued for defamation over ICE ride-along videos calling protesters ‘terrorists’  —  Johnson accompanied top DHS officials last year to an ICE protest, where he pointed out “left-wing terrorists” for his millions of followers across social media.

Is There Anything Kash Patel Won't Do for Trump Before the Midterms?  —  Earlier this year, FBI Director Kash Patel vowed before God, Fox Nation, and Donald Trump that he would punish the “deep state” for its manifold transgressions, especially the (actually nonexistent) conspiracy to steal the 2020 election.

Kennedy Center moves to sell all of its Steinway pianos  —  This story has been updated to include comments from Democracy Defenders, Mr. Lewis.  —  Photos show piano movers rolling massive Steinway grand pianos through the red-carpeted halls of the Kennedy Center this week …

Hochul Names Letitia James as Special Prosecutor in Cornell Case  —  Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed the New York State attorney general to investigate allegations by a former Cornell University student that several men sexually assaulted her.  —  Gov. Kathy Hochul has named Letitia James …

JD Vance Says Black, Socialist Candidate for Senate Doesn't ‘Belong in America’  —  A New Chapter in Vance's Effort to Police Who's American  —  JD Vance visited Florida yesterday, stumping for candidates in races that for a few cycles have been safely red.

The Postal Service is slowing delivery.  Will your mail ballot be affected?  —  The Postal Service is implementing broad cost-saving measures that will slow pick-up and delivery times that now cover more than 42% of the continental United States.  —  That puts tens of thousands …

The mendaciousness of the latest DOJ attack on judges  —  Ahead of PN's 5th anniversary next week, we're offering paid subscriptions at the special yearly rate of $40 (or about 16¢ per edition).  This newsletter is only possible thanks to the support of paid subscribers.

MLB drops proposal to host a baseball game at Grand Teton National Park  —  After The Washington Post reported on the proposal, local leaders sent letters to the Trump administration and the MLB commissioner expressing strong opposition.  —  SummaryLoading...

Friday (10/2) News Roundup: Trump “Is Not Well”; Russ Vought, “Shadow President”; Hegseth Needs to Be Impeached ASAP  —  DOJ “Trying to Recast Richard Nixon as the Victim of Watergate”; National outrage over Cornell rape case, barbaric botched execution  —  Here are a few international …

Trump Turned His Beloved Golf Hub Into a Ghost Town  —  In Doral, there are empty tables, shuttered businesses, and families struggling to survive after their loved ones have been thrown in detention.  —  Doral, Florida  —  THE ICONIC EL AREPAZO RESTAURANT IN DORAL is so central …

How The GOP's Signature Law Is Fueling One Of Its Biggest Political Problems  —  Republicans are scrambling to deal with a data center boom they cheered on not long ago.  —  WASHINGTON — When Republicans passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, they knew Democrats would hit …

Who's calling for the Trump administration to send federal agents to polling places?  —  Right-wing media personalities have pushed for the Trump administration to send federal agents and the military to polling places and interfere with vote counting, but voting rights groups are pushing back

Amid rising diesel prices, Republicans turn against Trump for first time on handling inflation  —  It's election season.  Here's my pitch to you to support this work with a paid subscription.  —  The next four weeks are like an extended Super Bowl for election analysts.

Trump Says Europe Has Agreed to Release Diesel Reserves ‘Immediately’  —  The Group of Seven industrial nations said on Friday that they plan to release 100 million barrels of oil in the coming weeks, starting with “substantial” amounts of diesel after the fuel recently hit record high prices …

Trump administration is paying $1.6 million a week to keep Voice of America staff on leave  —  Hundreds of VOA staffers have been on paid leave since the agency sidelined them in March 2025.  —  SummaryLoading...  More than a year after the Trump administration attempted to dismantle Voice of America …

Vance talks 2028, Ted Cruz and a tough midterm climate that could factor into his future  —  In an interview with NBC News, Vance said he is cautiously optimistic that Republicans' numbers are improving even as concerns about the war and gas prices take a political toll.