Transcript: Trump Spirals into Fury as GOP Pollsters Deliver Bad News  —  The following is a lightly edited transcript of the October 7 episode of the Daily Blast podcast.  Listen to it here.  —  Greg Sargent: This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR Network.

Exclusive: Paxton privately blames woes on Iran war, gas prices  —  Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton privately lamented the impact of the Iran war and gas prices on his campaign in a meeting last month, telling a group of donors and lobbyists, “I don't make the decisions,” according to audio obtained by Axios.

ICE probed hundreds of voter registration groups across the U.S.  —  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over the past year investigated hundreds of nonprofits across the U.S. that help people register to vote, according to new records analyzed by Democracy Docket.

Trump wants to turn his West Palm Beach golf club into the new Camp David  —  The plan calls for the federal government to be granted part of the property, with the rest maintained as a private course.  —  SummaryLoading...  Much of President Donald Trump's second term has focused on changes to the nation's capital.

Amid Midterm Crunch, Trump Advisers Took Time to Help Russia-Aligned Government  —  James Blair and Chris LaCivita, who are leading the president's congressional campaign operation, traveled to Republika Srpska to provide election advice.  —  As President Trump crisscrossed the country …

The Context for Trump's ‘Take Out’ Los Angeles, San Diego Remarks  —  President Donald Trump's remarks about the possibility that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego have sparked a firestorm of criticism, with Democrats claiming the president was either calling for a foreign adversary …

Vance appears to soften U.S. demands on Iranian nuclear enrichment  —  What to know about the Iran war today:  — Vice President JD Vance appeared to soften U.S. demands on Iran to end the war Tuesday, saying Tehran must do something “meaningful” to reduce its nuclear enrichment …

Roger Marshall is running an all time terrible campaign  —  To commemorate PN's 5th anniversary, this 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.

Trump sons' investments have won billions in Pentagon contracts since his election  —  The contract for a new plant in Baltimore is the latest linked to the brothers.  —  President Donald Trump and his sons Eric Trump, back left, and Donald Trump Jr., back, second right, and granddaughter Chole Trump …

Live Updates: Collins and Jackson Clash in First Debate of Crucial Maine Senate Race  —  Senator Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, faced off on Supreme Court appointees, health care, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their approach to governing.  —  Here's the latest.

Eva Marie Saint, Oscar Winner for ‘On the Waterfront,’ Is Dead at 102  —  A luminous beauty with dramatic depth, she brought a layered intensity to harrowing roles and seduced Cary Grant in the romantic thriller “North by Northwest.”  —  Eva Marie Saint, who won an Academy Award in 1955 …

‘Head on a guillotine’: ABC says Trump's threats are already swaying coverage  —  ABC programs are already tempering their election coverage ahead of the midterms to avoid angering President Donald Trump, a lawyer for the broadcast company told a federal judge on Tuesday, but any possible reprieve is still likely weeks away.

U.S. Escalates Pressure on Russia Over Siberia Lab Death  —  In démarche, State Department urges Moscow to carry out its international health reporting obligations  —  The U.S. has warned Moscow that its failure to disclose details about the death of a lab worker from a plague research center …

Inside Bessent's Treasury: Tension, Turnover and Unmet Economic Goals  —  Ahead of midterms that could turn on high prices and borrowing costs, secretary dresses down officials  —  WASHINGTON—Scott Bessent was fuming.  —  President Trump had just asked his Treasury secretary …

Justice Dept. Turns to Partisans and Conspiracists to Fill Depleted Ranks  —  The civil rights unit has recruited people whose questionable work histories and dearth of education and experience might have disqualified them in the past, former officials said.

Trump Does Not Plan to Reimburse Taxpayers for Promotional Ads  —  A day after the president said his super PAC would pay for the ads, which had drawn bipartisan backlash, officials said that he meant moving forward.  A new taxpayer-funded ad aired Tuesday.

Alabama Makes State Workers Say ‘Gulf of America.’ Colleges Aren't Spared.  —  Republican lawmakers say faculty can only call it the Gulf of Mexico for “historical purposes” in academic courses.  Journalists are constrained by the restriction, too.  —  Alabama's Gulf of America Act took effect …

Amid 2028 buzz, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore doesn't commit to full second term  —  Moore is widely expected to run for president in 2028.  But the Democrat must get reelected first.  —  Loading...  In the lone debate of his reelection campaign, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's toughest question was about his own future.

Republicans Want to Flip the Script on Health Care  —  Back in the summer, physician and former Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup and Trump-aligned pollster John McLaughlin offered coaching to House Republicans on how to talk about health care: Lean in.  —  Republican strategists say the party …

Carpetbagger allegation, misplaced valor make Nevada's safe red House seat competitive  —  RENO, Nev. — The race for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District shouldn't be competitive, just based on history and math.  But the Republican Party's nominee, David Flippo, is facing …

Midterm Elections in New York, October 2026  —  Hochul Leads Blakeman by 11 Points in Governor's Contest in NY  — Hochul (53%) leads Blakeman (42%) by 11 points among registered voters in New York's gubernatorial contest.  Independents break for Blakeman, though, (49% to 42% for Hochul).

‘Use your majority’: In the unlikely event of a Supreme Court vacancy, Republicans are ready to act  —  Senate Republicans are unlikely to get a Supreme Court vacancy this year.  They're privately prepared for one, just in case.  —  A Democratic midterm triumph would carry massive implications …

Dr. Abdul el Sayed is prescribing snake oil as medicine — and voters are swallowing it whole  —  Abdul el Sayed, who recently won the Democratic nomination in Michigan, has appeared in hundreds of television interviews and campaign events delivering a simple message: America's domestic policies are broken …

Fever should part with Sophie Cunningham.  She's too turbulent to be paired with Caitlin Clark  —  This season, Royce White showed up to an Indiana Fever game while wearing a long blond wig.  Enes Kanter Freedom, in a shirt that defined the word “Woman,” got into a yelling match with an opposing player at another Fever game.

ICE came to town and left behind weakened economies … MINNEAPOLIS — Operation Metro Surge has been over for months.  The same can't be said for the crisis facing Daniel Hernandez's Colonial Market grocery stores.  —  After Hernandez's parking lot became a well-known hangout spot …