Matthew Cartwright

House Republicans see a path to keeping their majority on Nov. 5 by picking up seats in the Rust Belt that they contend could help offset potential losses on the coast. Why it matters: Political strategists have pointed to clusters of seats in New York and California as the key to which party will have a majority next year, but the National Republican Congressional Committee sees a window in Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania to keep control or grow their numbers. Driving the news: The House GOP's campaign arm has been paying for ads in the Michigan districts held by Democratic Reps. Hillary Scholten, Elissa Slotkin, who is running for Senate, and Dan Kildee, who is retiring. The NRCC is also investing in the Pennsylvania districts held by Democrats Susan Wild, Matt Cartwright and Chris Deluzio, as well as Ohio Rep. Emilia Sykes's (D) district. Zoom in: Congressional Leadership Fund, a group with ties to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), similarly has ramped up spending by about $9 million in the past five weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter. CLF added $2.3 million in Lansing, Mich., bringing the total to almost $7 million for the open seat currently held by Slotkin, and $1.8M in Flint, Mich., bringing the total there $4 million in spending for the seat being vacated by Kildee — districts Democrats have said are two of their tightest races.Johnson's PAC also added $3.8M to its initial $5.4 million Philadelphia reserve for Wild's seat and is spending an additional $1.1 million in Toledo, Ohio, bringing their total to over $4 million in an attempt to unseat Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.What they're saying: "Holding the line on the coasts is how Republicans keep the House majority; Winning races in the Rust Belt is how Republicans expand the majority," one GOP operative said. The operative said former President Trump's appeal in the region could be boon for Republican House candidates there. CLF Spokeswoman Courtney Parella said in a statement that the group was focused on highlighting Democrats' failures "on key issues such as illegal immigration, fentanyl trafficking, and the rising cost of living," adding that they were "confident that voters will turn away from Democrats' extremism."The other side: Democrats dismissed the GOP's bullishness in the region, arguing their spending strategy is flawed and taking out Democratic incumbents will be a heavy lift. Operatives noted Democrats have been outspending in a number of seats including Skyes.' "Republicans struck out recruiting candidates in Ohio, have massive fundraising disadvantages in Pennsylvania, and are running far-right extremists across the Heartland who would ban abortion nationwide," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Aidan Johnson told Axios."This is a last ditch effort to save face, and nobody is buying it."Go deeper: Jeffries and Johnson plow cash into House "squinter" races

Mail ballots are available in some of Pennsylvania's 67 counties. The state's 19 Electoral College votes are considered critical for candidates running for president in 2024.

Face-to-face with the Ukrainian leader, Trump backed down from his apocalyptic war rhetoric and praise of Russia.

‘I think the fact that we’re even together today is a very good sign’

Lawmakers said during a contentious congressional hearing Thursday they are uneasy about the U.S. Postal Service’s readiness for a crush of mail ballots for the November election because some of them feel burned by other Postal Service actions.Postmaster General Louis DeJoy sought to reassure a House Appropriations subcommittee that the Postal Service is well-positioned for an extraordinary effort to deliver mail ballots to election officials on time to be counted and that close to 100% will make it promptly. In recent weeks, DeJoy has pushed back on suggestions from state and local election officials that the Postal Service has not addressed problems that led to mail ballots arriving too late or without postmarks, disenfranchising those voters.But as subcommittee members asked DeJoy about how the Postal Service has addressed election officials' concerns, they criticized a larger, 10-year plan to make the mail delivery system more efficient and less costly by consolidating mail processing centers, suggesting it could slow mail delivery, particularly in rural areas. DeJoy disputed that.

Luzerne County has officially become a Republican region of voter registration advantage as of Thursday, according to data confirmed by a county GOP official.

'This would be an awful idea'

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-8, Moosic, will participate in one debate with Republican businessman Rob Bresnahan, of Dallas Twp.

The Scranton plant is one of the few facilities in the country to manufacture 155 mm artillery shells and has increased production over the past year.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy began his visit to the U.S. with a stop at an ammunition plant in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state that will help determine the outcome of November’s U.S. presidential election.

Many of the highest-profile races are underway in Montana, New York, California and beyond, far from the presidential battleground states contested by Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., talks with Gen. Eric M. Smith, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, left, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Navy budget request, on May 1.

The race for control of Congress is as close as ever. Lawmakers are returning to Washington for a three-week legislative sprint, away from the campaign trail where races have become “trench warfare” and a seat-by-seat slog. Fewer than two dozen...

Democratic stronghold Lackawanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania is a key player in a war some say is barely registering on the political radar there.

Before Republican businessman Rob Bresnahan decided to run for Congress, he donated to U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright's campaign.

The ascension of Kamala Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket has bolstered the party's chances of keeping control of the White House for another four years, but the effect on House races is much less clear. Since replacing President Biden as the Democrats' likely nominee, the vice president has delivered a bolt of [...]

If Vice President Kamala Harris ends up selecting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, he will in part have his former congressional colleagues to thank.Why it matters: A House member from 2007 to 2019, Walz' congressional relationships have manifested into what one senior House Democrat described as "quiet diplomacy" on his behalf.Walz's political bases of support are members from the Midwest and progressives, but others with whom he has deep personal relationships are campaigning for him as well."People like me think the world of him. A truly great human being," said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) a House veteran who serves as ranking member of the House Rules Committee.Zoom in: Walz is believed to be a finalist along with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has his own base of support on Capitol Hill.Several House Democrats from Pennsylvania, including swing-seat Reps. Susan Wild and Matt Cartwright, have lobbied hard for Shapiro, as Axios previously reported.What we're hearing: In addition to public pronunciations of support, many lawmakers have privately reached out to the Harris campaign voicing support for Walz, according to lawmakers familiar with the outreach.A second senior House Democrat told Axios that "a lot of members really like Tim, myself included, and have made that known to the campaign."The senior lawmaker estimated that dozens of members are advocating for Walz in public and private.Another House Democrat told Axios that Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), a veteran progressive from Walz's home state, has reached out to colleagues urging them to "to call [Harris] and talk to press" in favor of Walz.Between the lines: Walz's record as governor has made him the favorite of the party's left flank."A number of [members] on the progressive caucus side like him most," Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), the former chair of the Progressive Caucus, told Axios, noting that some have taken to social media to tout their support.Another House Democrat said of Walz's support among progressives and Midwesterners: "He definitely seems to be the only one who can draw from both of those camps within our caucus."The bottom line: "Whoever she picks I — and I think all Democrats in the house — will enthusiastically support," said McGovern.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday announced a slate of 26 Republican candidates as part of its “Young Gun” program, which highlights non-incumbent candidates and challengers in competitive districts. The initial list of 2024 candidates includes 24 Republicans who are either challenging incumbent Democrats or seeking a seat that a Democrat is vacating, [...]

WASHINGTON — With President Joe Biden’s announcement Sunday that he’s abandoning his reelection campaign, the Democrats’ freakout over the top of the ticket is over — at least for now.