Senate Races in Republican States Tilt Toward Democrats, Polls Find  —  Democrats are performing strongly in five reliably Republican states where they are trying to flip Senate seats to win control of the chamber, new New York Times/Siena polls found.  —  A month before the midterm elections …

In Alabama, Trump Relives His Glory Days (This Time With Some Empty Seats)  —  The Deep South was the birthplace of the mega MAGA rally.  How do people on the Gulf feel about President Trump now?  —  On Friday night, President Trump turned up in Mobile, Ala., to give a campaign rally five weeks ahead of the midterm elections.

U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine Now Involve an Oil Deal Tied to Trump Allies  —  President Vladimir V. Putin brought up a sale of Russian energy assets with President Trump's envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, pushing a deal that raises new questions about conflicts of interest.

Justice Alito confirms he is considering retirement  —  Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has confirmed that he is considering retirement, leaving open the possibility that he could leave after next year's term and hand another nomination to President Donald Trump.

Judge Slows Border Wall Construction in Big Bend Sector  —  The order prevents the Trump administration from waiving environmental protections that would allow it to quickly build across a national and state park.  — Copy  —  A judge on Friday slowed the Trump administration's plans …

Scoop: Trump's top national security aides meet secretly at Camp David on Iran, Yemen  —  President Trump's top cabinet members huddled for hours at Camp David on Friday to discuss next steps in the Iran war and the Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen, three U.S. officials told Axios.

Agency Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress  —  The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation's primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.  —  The National Science Foundation …

Trump promises $100 checks for 20 million seniors for Medicare  —  President Trump late Friday night said the administration would send just under $100 to more than 20 million senior citizens to help pay for Medicare benefits. … - Trump said the money would come from the Medicare Improvement Fund …

Trump says ‘Cornell Seven’ won't get a fair shake under Letitia James  —  President Donald Trump denounced New York Attorney General Letitia James's ability to serve as special prosecutor for the reopened case surrounding gang rape allegations at Cornell University on Friday.

FlyDubai Attacker Had Been Banned From Flying by Oman for Radical Views  —  The U.A.E. airline later hired the co-pilot who stabbed the captain of Flight 1073 and nearly crashed the plane  —  The FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain and sent Flight 1073 diving toward the ground …

How a Provocative Ad on Trump and Immigration Stirred a Florida House Race  —  Representative María Elvira Salazar, a Republican, ran an ad criticizing the Trump administration.  It may have jolted other Republicans — and drawn attention to her Democratic opponent.

Trump's ‘March of Folly’ Empowers Iranian Extremists  —  In early March, nine days after starting his war with Iran, President Trump held a news conference to crow about his “military success, the likes of which people haven't seen.”  —  “We're winning very decisively,” he claimed, and “the result will be lower oil prices.”

The Fall of Roe Changed Doctors.  Now They're Changing Politics. … A gaggle of doctors in white coats gathered at the Virginia state capitol in Richmond on Friday to make their case that the safety of their patients and their ability to practice medicine is threatened by an upcoming referendum …

ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database  —  DHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say.  —  An explosive and newly partially …

Senior House Republican says Trump's ‘lack of favorability’ creating ‘tough’ politics  —  House Financial Services Chair French Hill said he has “no concerns” about winning back his Arkansas seat in the upcoming midterm elections, but the six-term House member acknowledged the political headwinds for his party.

DOJ Not Reopening Criminal Probe Into Powell, Blanche Says  —  The US Justice Department isn't reopening a criminal investigation into former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for cost overruns related to the central bank's building renovation project.  —  Attorney General Todd Blanche …

Diesel Don is tanking the GOP  —  Record high prices are one of Trump's defining political failures. … During his first presidential campaign in 2016, amid a strong economy President Barack Obama revived after the 2008 financial crisis, Donald Trump lied repeatedly about the national unemployment rate.

Sanders, AOC, Merkley propose bill to ban Flock cameras  —  Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Friday released text of legislation intended to ban the use of Flock surveillance cameras and other license plate readers.

With Christa Pike Unconscious, Another Execution Attempt Is in Doubt  —  Her condition raises questions about whether Tennessee could attempt to execute her again if she is incapable of understanding what is happening.  —  Christa Pike was unconscious, intubated and on a ventilator …

Top Democrats battle over California's proposed billionaire tax  —  Sanders and Khanna take the fight to Newsom's doorstep as early voting opens.  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna are heading to California to rally Saturday in support of an initiative that would place a one-time …