Mike Lee

A whistleblower advocacy group notched a court win last week in lawsuit against the DOJ for secretly surveilling congressional staffers from both parties.

With a full slate of games on Saturday there were numerous 2023/2024 transfers who shined. Here are some of the top performances: QB Cam Ward, Miami-Florida (Washington State) Ward completed 26 of 35 passes for 385 yards, three touchdowns and...

A new tally shows the overwhelming number of jobs and projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act go to conservative states that back Trump.

The Arizona Police Association, which just days ago announced its endorsement of former President Donald Trump, surprisingly announced support for Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.

A law banning political parties from waiting until after the primary election to place a state legislative candidate on the general election ballot won’t keep any Republicans from running this November.

SPRINGFIELD — A law banning political parties from waiting until after the primary election to place a state legislative candidate on the general election ballot won’t keep any Republicans from running this November.

CHICAGO — A federal appeals court this week upheld a lower court’s ruling that dismissed a lawsuit filed by a downstate Republican congressman and two GOP officials who wanted to block Illinois’ election authority from counting mail-in ballots cast on...

By The Associated Press The Democratic National Convention heads into its second day Tuesday. Former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and second gentleman Doug Emhoff will speak at the DNC, a day after the unofficial farewell for President Joe Biden, who served eight years as Obama’s vice president. Biden won’t be in the hall to [...]

The Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, and Stephen Wolf, with additional contributions from the Daily Kos Elections team.IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: This is the last Morning Digest that will be published at Daily Kos Elections, but we’re not going away! You’ll find Monday’s Digest—and every edition after that—at our new site, The Downballot. You can also subscribe by email just below to make sure you never miss a single update: Embedded ContentYou can read all about this change right here. Our operations are 100% reader-supported, so we hope you’ll subscribe today! Leading Off● UT-Gov: Utah's three-way race for governor took another unexpected turn on Thursday when Democratic state Rep. Brian King debuted a campaign video co-starring far-right state Rep. Phil Lyman, the election conspiracy theorist who is waging a write-in campaign months after losing the GOP primary to Gov. Spencer Cox. But Cox is exactly what is uniting the two legislators in a piece parodying the governor's "Disagree Better" campaign."Now, Phil and I disagree better about most issues," King tells the audience with a wink after the on-screen text identifies him as the "Democratic candidate for Utah governor" and Lyman as "Former (or current depending on who you ask) GOP candidate for Utah governor *litigation pending*)." The two, though, respond in unison that they are united in the belief that "Spencer Cox should not be our next governor." The state representatives go on to politely argue whether voters should write in Lyman's name or cast their ballot for King.Cox generated national attention with a commercial four years ago where he and his Democratic rival, Chris Peterson, agreed they were "both equally dedicated to the American values of democracy, liberty, and justice for all people," and would accept the results of the 2020 presidential race. Cox, who went on to easily win his general election in this dark red state, has continued to attract national attention by calling for more civility in politics, and he used his year as chair of the National Governors Association to launch his "Disagree Better" initiative.The governor's critics, though, have argued that Cox himself is the one who needs to be persuaded by these messages. Cox, who touts himself as "an ally to the LGBTQ community," signed a bill to ban gender-affirming care, which he denounced as "genital-mutilation surgery" at a February “Disagree Better” event.Skeptics have also highlighted how the governor signed off on a GOP-drawn congressional redistricting plan that even Cox acknowledged was a gerrymander. "You signed off on gerrymandered maps without an ounce of remorse," Democratic state Sen. Nate Blouin tweeted last year upon seeing another news story where Cox called for saving American democracy. "This is the problem with 'disagree better.' You shouldn’t get credit for saying nice things if you consistently do the wrong thing."Democrats took notice again last month when, days after saying he'd be casting a write-in vote for president, Cox responded to the attempted assassination attempt against Donald Trump by declaring his support for his party's leader. "I fear that America is on the precipice of unmitigated disaster," Cox wrote to Trump, whom he'd previously told to resign following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. "We need to turn down the temperature and find ways to come together again before it’s too late." The governor remains in Trump's corner even after it became clear once again that he had zero interest in lowering the temperature.Lyman also is no fan of the governor's project, though for very different reasons. "Our state is slowly slipping away towards becoming something most Utahns don’t recognize," wrote Lyman. "We don’t need to 'disagree better,' we need to Stand for Something!"Lyman himself demonstrated during that campaign that he stood for far-right talking points, which included his responding to the collapse of Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge by retweeted a post claiming that a Black woman on the state’s Port Commission was a "diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) auditor and consultant."The state representative went on to hold Cox to an unimpressive 54-46 margin, and he's spent the ensuing seven weeks refusing to accept that defeat. Lyman launched his write-in campaign on Monday, shortly before the Utah Supreme Court rejected his lawsuit insisting that because he decisively beat Cox at the state party convention before losing the primary, the governor and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson should be removed from office and replaced by state Senate President Stuart Adams. The justices found that Lyman "offered no viable factual or legal basis for the remedy he requests."And even before he appeared in this video with King, Lyman acknowledged he'd prefer to see the Democrat lead Utah instead of Cox. Hard-line U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, though, quickly made it clear he did not see this as an acceptable outcome when he declared his support for the incumbent.Governors● DE-Gov: Newly released emails show that Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long's government office staff had regularly communicated with key staffers running her campaign for governor, reports Randall Chase at the Associated Press. Under state law, Hall-Long's employees are permitted to conduct campaign activities only outside of their regular work hours and cannot do so using public resources, but the emails indicate that some of them helped facilitate campaign activities and used campaign funds for certain expenditures.Hall-Long's husband, Dana Long, previously served as her campaign treasurer, and the emails include instances where he seemingly coordinated with her office staff during regular work hours to schedule and pay for campaign activities, such as appearances at community events. Some correspondence involved Matthew Dougherty, the lieutenant governor's director of operations who recently stepped aside from that role to run her campaign after her previous campaign manager quit.Campaign finance issues have dogged Hall-Long's campaign since shortly after she joined the race last year. Late last month, state officials released a report concluding that her campaign had violated state law by failing to disclose nearly $300,000 in payments to Long over several years. The couple claimed the payments were reimbursements for personal loans, though the documented sum of those loans was $33,000 less than the total payment amounts, according to the state's investigator.The Sept. 10 Democratic primary is quickly approaching, but few polls have been released publicly, particularly in the weeks since the state published its report on Hall-Long's campaign finances. However, the few available polls in recent months have generally found Hall-Long running competitively with New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer, while National Wildlife Foundation leader Collin O'Mara is much further behind.Senate● NJ-Sen: Multiple media outlets report that Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint his former chief of staff, George Helmy, to fill the final months of the term of Sen. Bob Menendez, who is set to resign on Aug. 20. Rep. Andy Kim, who won the Democratic primary in June, is favored to defeat Republican businessman Curtis Bashaw in the fall general election for a full six-year term.Menendez, a member of the Democratic caucus who was convicted on corruption charges last month, still has not said if he'll continue his campaign to keep his seat as an independent. The deadline for Mendendez to withdraw is Friday.House● AZ-01, MI-10, WI-03: The DCCC announced Thursday that it was adding three more nominees to its Red to Blue program for top candidates: Amish Shah in Arizona's 1st District, Carl Marlinga in Michigan's 10th, and Rebecca Cooke in Wisconsin's 3rd. The trio are respectively challenging Republican incumbents David Schweikert, John James, and Derrick Van Orden.Marlinga, who struggled to attract major financial support during his two bids against James, could have the most to gain from being included in the program. Marlinga held James to an unexpectedly tight 49-48 victory two years ago despite being massively outspent by the Republican, and he didn't raise much money ahead of his win in last week's primary. Marlinga's allies, however, hope this will change and give him the resources to flip a Macomb County seat that Donald Trump carried by a narrow 50-49 margin in 2020.● NH-02: Hillary Clinton on Thursday endorsed former Biden administration official Maggie Goodlander in the Sept. 10 Democratic primary for New Hampshire's 2nd District. Goodlander's husband, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, was a longtime Clinton aide for both of her presidential bids and during her intervening time as secretary of state.● NY-18: Republican nominee Alison Esposito's former career as a New York City police officer involved the city paying $120,000 to settle two misconduct lawsuits against her, reports City & State's Timmy Facciola. Additionally, Politico's Nick Reisman recently reported that Esposito had been reprimanded for failing to properly safeguard her off-duty handgun after a thief reportedly stole it, her police badge, and credit cards from her unlocked car in a separate incident from 2016.One of the misconduct lawsuits was filed in 2005 by three Black women who alleged that Esposito and other officers engaged in racial discrimination and used excessive force when arresting them in 2003 on shoplifting charges, which were later dismissed.The other involved a 2016 incident where a woman sued Esposito and a fellow officer, claiming they "did unlawfully stop, assault, frisk, handcuff, detain, arrest, and imprison" her infant daughter after entering her residence without a warrant or probable cause; that prosecution was dismissed later that year. The plaintiff alleged discrimination regarding her "ethnic background." (The complaint does not specify the plaintiff's ethnicity, but she and her daughter have Spanish surnames.)Esposito denied the allegations in both lawsuits, and she has made crime one of the central focuses of her campaign against Democratic Rep. Pat Ryan in a light-blue district in the lower Hudson Valley located north of New York City.● TX-18: Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told the Texas Tribune's Renzo Downey on Wednesday that he would not run in the November special election for the remaining two months of the late Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's term and would instead support her daughter, Erica Lee Carter.The leadership of the Harris County Democratic Party chose Turner on Tuesday to replace Jackson Lee's name on the ballot for a full two-year term in Texas' dark blue 18th District, but Turner, who will turn 70 next month, has made it clear he doesn't intend to be in Congress very long. Turner told the Houston Chronicle last week that he'd serve a maximum of two terms, saying he wants to function as "a bridge from where we are right now."● House: The crypto-aligned super PAC Fairshake recently announced that it would spend over $25 million in ads to help nine House members from each party, and AdImpact reports how much money the group has booked in each of these 18 seats. The totals range from $600,000 to aid Democratic Rep. Nikki Budzinski in Illinois' 13th District to $2 million to back Democratic Rep. Don Davis in North Carolina's 1st.Poll PileAZ-Sen: Peak Insights (R) for the NRSC: Kari Lake (R): 46, Ruben Gallego (D): 46 (44-42 Trump with third-party candidates)MI-Sen: Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) for the AARP: Elissa Slotkin (D): 47, Mike Rogers (R): 44 (48-48 presidential tie in two-way, 45-43 Trump with third-party candidates)PA-Sen: Franklin & Marshall College: Bob Casey (D-inc): 48, Dave McCormick (R): 36 (46-43 Harris with third-party candidates) (March: 46-39 Casey)The Cook Political Report also released several polls on Thursday, conducted by a Democratic firm, Benenson Strategy Group, and a Republican pollster, GS Strategy Group. Note that these polls were completed on Aug. 2.AZ-Sen: Ruben Gallego (D): 51, Kari Lake (R): 42 (48-46 Harris in two-way, 46-42 Harris with third-party candidates) (May: 46-41 Gallego)MI-Sen: Elissa Slotkin (D): 50, Mike Rogers (R): 42 (49-46 Harris in two-way, 46-44 Harris with third-party candidates)NV-Sen: Jacky Rosen (D-inc): 54, Sam Brown (R): 36 (48-45 Trump in two-way, 47-42 Trump with third-party candidates)PA-Sen: Bob Casey (D-inc): 53, Dave McCormick (R): 40 (49-48 Harris in two-way, 48-43 Harris with third-party candidates) (May: 49-41 Casey)WI-Sen: Tammy Baldwin (D-inc): 50, Eric Hovde (R): 43 (49-46 Harris in two-way, 48-43 Harris with third-party candidates) (May: 49-37 Baldwin)NC-Gov: Josh Stein (D): 48, Mark Robinson (R): 40 (48-47 Harris in two-way, 46-44 Harris with third-party candidates) (May: 37-37 gubernatorial tie)Ad RoundupMO-Sen: Lucas Kunce (D) - anti-Josh Hawley (R-inc)NM-Sen: Nella Domenici (R) and the NRSC - anti-Martin Heinrich (D-inc)NV-Sen: Jacky Rosen (D-inc) - anti-Sam Brown (R)TX-Sen: Ted Cruz (R-inc) (in Spanish)WI-Sen: Eric Hovde (R) - anti-Tammy Baldwin (D-inc)CA-40: Winning for Women - pro-Young Kim (R-inc)CA-45: Winning for Women - pro-Michelle Steel (R-inc)CA-47: Dave Min (D)IA-03: Lanon Baccam (D) - anti-Zach Nunn (R-inc)MI-08: Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) - anti-Paul Junge (R)OH-09: Marcy Kaptur (D-inc) - anti-Derek Merrin (R) (here and here)VA-02: Winning for Women - Jen Kiggans (R-inc) Embedded Content

Alaska voters are set to shrink the pool of contenders for its highly sought-after U.S. House seat from a dozen candidates to just four

The DNC estimates some 50,000 visitors will come to Chicago for the convention, which runs Monday through Thursday at the United Center and McCormick Place.

The host committee for next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago said it had raised $94 million for the four-day event, a record for a nominating convention for either party.

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. From concerts to campaign cash, 2024 is shaping up as a test of the crypto industry’s political strength. On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Charles [...]The post At the Races: Crypto campaigning appeared first on Roll Call.

The Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, and Stephen Wolf, with additional contributions from the Daily Kos Elections team.Have you seen our big, big news? Daily Kos Elections is becoming The Downballot! We’re a new, independent site, but our mission remains unchanged: shining a spotlight on the thousands of elections below the presidency—races that all too often get overlooked.You can read all about this announcement right here, and we’ve also prepared an FAQ. But if you have any questions, please fire away. Our operations are 100% reader-supported, so we hope you’ll subscribe today! Leading Off● FL State Senate: Next Tuesday's Republican primary for a dark red seat in the Florida state Senate is now one of the most expensive nomination contests for any office in the entire nation, as well as a proxy fight between Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis. Longtime state Democratic strategist Steve Schale tweeted Tuesday that more than $13 million has been spent on TV ads for the 7th District, which is more than all but three U.S. House primaries this year.Three candidates are facing off in this pricey battle to replace their fellow Republican, termed-out state Sen. Travis Hutson, in the 7th District in Florida’s northeast. State Rep. Tom Leek, who chairs the lower chamber's influential Appropriations Committee, sports endorsements from Hutson, DeSantis, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, and other prominent state and local Republicans. There's long been talk that, if Leek wins a promotion to the upper chamber, he could eventually serve as Senate president. Leek's only primary opponent until two months ago was Gerry James, a former professional wrestler and ordained minister who lost to Hutson 56-44 in 2022 and struggled to match Leek in fundraising. Leek, though, spent weeks on the receiving end of attack ads from a group called The Truth Matters PAC before the third and final candidate, former St. Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, entered the race in June.Shoar, who served as the top lawman in the St. Augustine area from 2005 until his retirement in 2021, quickly began airing ads arguing that the race was a choice between a Trump-aligned Republican and Leek, whom he portrayed as insufficiently conservative. Leek argued in turn that Shoar was tricking voters by implying he had Trump's backing."He is not endorsed by President Trump," the representative told News4JAX in July. "That’s the deception that they’re putting out there to put out their candidate that will do whatever they want."Leek lost that line of argument earlier this month, however, when Trump endorsed Shoar. While Trump's Truth Social post did not mention either of his opponents, the Daytona Beach News-Journal's Mark Harper noted that Leek had endorsed DeSantis' doomed presidential bid the previous year.The two frontrunners and their respective allies have continued to spend millions against one another while largely ignoring James. Leek has in his corner the state branch of Americans for Prosperity, which has long been a key part of the Koch political network, as well as the Florida Chamber of Commerce.Shoar, meanwhile, has benefited from heavy spending from The Truth Matters PAC. Leek highlighted that this outfit is being funded by trial lawyers, a group he's often feuded with while in office. One of Leek's antagonists is John Morgan, the founder of the personal injury firm Morgan & Morgan and the face of this year's amendment campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida. But the man who calls himself "Pot Daddy" is no fan of Leek, and not only because the state representative opposes Amendment 3.Leek, who is the top lawyer at an insurance agency, intensified the already public feud in May when his campaign accused Morgan of financing the attacks against him. Morgan responded by tweeting, "Rep. Tom Leek AKA Tom Leech has begun to attack me as he gears up for a Senate run. I don’t know why because I didn’t give a shit about his race. But now I do and he has awakened a sleeping dog."Morgan has spent the ensuing months making good on that threat, and he currently has a video pinned to his X page of him accusing Leek of passing a 2022 bill that now requires Floridians to "give your lawyer a piece of the money to fix your house, which means you won't have enough money to fix your house."Morgan went on to challenge Leek to a debate concerning homeowners insurance before adding, "You don't have the balls. Your balls—little BB balls—are on the desk of Charlie Lydecker, your employer at the insurance company." Leek's team quickly dismissed any talk that he'd accept 's challenge and highlighted his antagonist's contributions to Democrats. James, for his part, does not have well-heeled backers in his corner, though he's hoping that endorsements from figures like election conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will help him establish himself as an alternative to the "establishment."The Downballot● It's our biggest news in the 21 years since we began covering elections: Daily Kos Elections is striking out on its own to launch a new, independent site with a name that will be very familiar to our listeners. We're calling it The Downballot, but have no fear—we'll still be bringing you this podcast weekly! In fact, our mission isn't changing at all. To learn all about our new venture, including why we're making this change and what to expect, dive right into this week's episode.Most importantly, we're asking folks to support our work shedding light on critical but often overlooked downballot elections by becoming paid subscribers. You can do so right here: https://www.the-downballot.com/subscribeOf course, the world of election news hasn't slowed down one bit! Co-hosts David Nir and David Beard recap a pair of major losses for the GOP at the ballot box in Wisconsin, where Republicans tried to kneecap the state's Democratic governor via constitutional amendment. They also zoom in on Nebraska's swingy 2nd District, where a Democratic hopeful will soon get a boost from the very top of the ticket. And finally, they provide an update on the abortion rights amendment in Arizona, where the arch-conservative state Supreme Court could strike it from the ballot.Never miss an episode! Subscribe to "The Downballot" wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes every Thursday morning!Governors● NJ-Gov: The influential Laborers’ International Union of North America announced this week that it would support Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill if she runs for governor of New Jersey next year. The New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein writes that LIUNA is one of the state's most prominent unions and has access to "one of the largest PACs in the building trades union sector."● UT-Gov: Sen. Mike Lee on Wednesday made it clear he was supporting Utah Gov. Spencer Cox even though Lee's fellow far-right Republican, state Rep. Phil Lyman, announced earlier in the week that he'd wage a write-in campaign. Lee did not directly mention Lyman, who lost the June GOP primary to Cox, even as he unsubtly tweeted, "The Primary is over ... We must defeat the Democrats by uniting behind our fellow Republicans."House● AZ-03: A Maricopa County judge has set an Aug. 20 hearing to announce the results of the automatic recount for the July 30 Democratic primary in Arizona's safely blue 3rd District. The results certified by the county show former Phoenix City Council member Yassamin Ansari with a 44.6-44.5 lead over former state Sen. Raquel Terán—a margin of 42 votes.● NH-02: Businessman Vikram Mansharamani this week publicized an endorsement from former Rep. Charlie Bass, who is the last Republican to represent New Hampshire's 2nd District, ahead of his Sept. 10 primary.Mansharamani ended June with more money available than any of the 13 Republicans running to succeed retiring Rep. Annie Kuster, the Democrat who unseated Bass in 2012. Joe Biden won this constituency by a solid 54-45 margin in 2020, though, and Republicans would need a lot to go right to flip it.Ballot Measures● AZ Ballot: The conservative majority on the Arizona Supreme Court sided with GOP legislators on Wednesday when it ruled they could describe a fetus as an "unborn human being" when summarizing the state's abortion rights amendment in the guide that will be mailed to all voters.Abortion rights opponents, though, are hoping the state's highest court will deliver them a much bigger victory later this month by keeping the amendment from even going before voters. Arizona Right to Life is arguing that a separate 200-word summary that is set to appear on the ballot is "inherently misleading and confusing." The group appealed after a lower court judge rejected this argument, and 12 News says that the courts have an Aug. 22 deadline to make final decisions on ballot measures.The state Supreme Court in 2018 kept an education tax measure from reaching the ballot determining it did not do enough to explain how it would function. The same body, however, allowed a similar measure to appear on the ballot two years later after concluding the summary "did not create a significant danger of confusion or unfairness." But while voters narrowly approved the plan, it was overturned in court after an unfavorable ruling from justices concerning state restrictions on education spending.● FL Ballot, FL-Sen: A pair of new Florida polls find that, while a majority of voters back the state's abortion rights amendment, it's a few points below the 60% it needs to pass. The Canadian firm Mainstreet Research's survey for Florida Atlantic University places Amendment 4 ahead 56-21, while Suffolk University's poll for USA TODAY and WSVN-TV has the "yes" side leading 58-35.Both polls also took a look at the battle to pass Amendment 3, which would legalize recreational legalization. Suffolk showed it passing 63-33, but Mainstreet placed "yes" ahead 56-29—still a few points short of the requisite 60%.Only Mainstreet's release included numbers for the likely matchup between GOP Sen. Rick Scott and former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, and it gives the Republican a small 47-43 advantage. The firm's last poll in June placed Scott ahead 45-43, which was also one of the best results for Mucarsel-Powell we've seen.National Democrats, however, have yet to announce any major ad reservations in an expensive state that Donald Trump is still favored to win. Mainstreet finds him beating Kamala Harris 49-46, while Suffolk gives him a comparable 47-42 advantage. Mucarsel-Powell still needs to win next Tuesday's Democratic primary before she can fully focus on Scott, but there's little indication that she'll have any trouble. Her most prominent intraparty foe, businessman Stanley Campbell, saw his campaign manager quit two weeks ago over what she described as a disorganized effort.Poll PileMT-Sen: American Pulse Research and Polling (R) for KULR-TV: Tim Sheehy (R): 51, Jon Tester (D-inc): 45PA-Sen: Quinnipiac University: Bob Casey (D-inc): 52, Dave McCormick (R): 44 (50-47 Harris in two-way, 48-45 Harris with third-party candidates (Jan.: 53-43 Casey)The Montana poll did not include the two minor party candidates on the ballot. Ad RoundupMI-Sen: DSCC - anti-Mike Rogers (R); One Nation - anti-Elissa Slotkin (D); Great Lakes Conservative Fund - anti-SlotkinPA-Sen: Dave McCormick (R) - anti-Bob Casey (D-inc)WI-Sen: Eric Hovde (R) (here and here); One Nation - anti-Tammy Baldwin (D-inc) ($7.5 million buy)NH-Gov: Chuck Morse (R) - anti-Kelly Ayotte (R)CA-41: Americans 4 Security - anti-Will Rollins (D)MI-08: Paul Junge (R) - anti-Kristen McDonald Rivet (D); DCCC - anti-JungeNY-17: Mike Lawler (R-inc) and the NRCC (part of $5 million buy)PA-08: Rob Bresnahan (R) and the NRCCCampaign Action

A right-wing group known as the Freedom Caucus says Republicans should insist on the bill when Congress returns in September.

Mike Sapraicone is a retired New York City police detective and launched a successful security firm. Now, he's pursuing a new opportunity by running for U.S. Senate.

For a primary election with relatively few marquee races, Saturday’s results brought a surprising measure of drama and change — even as a predicted low turnout become reality, unfortunately.

'Help to get across the finish line'

'Contempt for Christians and their sacred imagery'

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. Michigan’s congressional primaries were overshadowed nationally by the debut of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as the running mate of current Vice President and Democratic [...]The post At the Races: Don’t forget the Motor City (counts votes slowly) appeared first on Roll Call.

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris just held dueling rallies four days apart in the same Georgia location

Biden’s proposed constitutional amendment would be just the latest to amendment to correct a Supreme Court mistake

The acknowledgments page from an upcoming book reviewed by The Intercept shows the deep ties between J.D. Vance and Project 2025.The post Project 2025’s Mastermind Personally Thanked J.D. Vance in His New Book appeared first on The Intercept.

'Nobody wants to believe the worst'

'Passed the Senate in a 91-3 vote'

'No, it was, unfortunately, a bullet that hit my ear,' the former president says.

A successful relationship between a doctor and patient relies on trust, and that includes trusting a doctor to not share information that might be considered embarrassing, unflattering or stigmatizing.

Conspiracy theorists have been able to fill the information void with their own versions of the truth.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now the presumed Democratic nominee for president, has seen her stance on Israel seemingly shift since first becoming a senator.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., talks with reporters after his weekly news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on Tuesday.

“There’s no one more seasoned. There’s no one tougher,” said Lateefah Simon, a superdelegate to the DNC who is running for Congress to fill Rep. Barbara Lee’s seat in Oakland.

To her close friends and supporters, Harris is ready to lead the country.

So ends the half-century career of a flawed but resilient politician who won the White House in a razor-thin election and lost it four years later in a debate: Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.Biden, 81, now eases into a lame-duck presidency for the next six months, as the party he once commanded abandoned him in the span of a few weeks for an as-yet-unnamed candidate to carry the fight against Donald Trump.Biden’s collapse began with a June 27 debate against Trump, when he turned in a disastrous performance from which he couldn’t recover. An elderly president with his mouth agape, he struggled to complete a sentence or finish a thought. One by one, Democratic leaders who watched in alarm broke their polite silence and openly called on him to step aside.Stunning as his fall may be, Biden may be better prepared than most to deal with repudiation. Few presidents in history have endured as much tragedy and disappointment as the 46th.Biden’s life has careened between unexpected triumph and unimaginable loss. He won elections and lost them. He built a family, lost part of it, rebuilt it, and lost part of it once more.Hardened by experience, Biden seems to grasp that political partnerships are transactional: they come with an expiration date.If you want a friend in Washington, “get a dog,” Biden said at an NAACP convention on July 16, invoking former Democratic President Harry Truman’s famous dictum.Delaware to WashingtonLong before he was considered too old to win, Biden was considered too young to serve.He won a U.S. Senate seat in 1972, ousting longtime Republican incumbent Caleb Boggs. Just 29 years old, Biden did not meet the Senate’s minimum age requirement of 30 at the time. He turned 30 a couple of weeks after his victory.He was young, handsome and his political future seemed limitless. Then his world cratered.Before he was sworn-in, his wife Neilia and their 13-month-old daughter, Naomi, died in a traffic accident. A tractor-trailer struck the family’s Chevy station wagon while they were out shopping for a Christmas tree. Biden’s two young sons, Beau and Hunter, were injured in the crash.Biden was so shaken by the accident that he nearly renounced his Catholic faith. He considered giving up the Senate seat he had just won.“The underpinnings of my life had been kicked out from under me,” Biden wrote in his memoir, “Promises to Keep.” “No words, no prayer, no sermon gave me ease. I felt God had played a horrible trick on me, and I was angry. I found no comfort in the Church.”One of the Senate’s giants, Democrat Mike Mansfield of Montana, called constantly, imploring him to fill the seat as Biden sat in the hospital room with his sons. He relented and agreed to serve, riding the Amtrak train home from Washington every day when the Senate was in session so that the boys would not be without a parent.He rebuilt his life with the help of a devoted family. After Neilia’s death, his sister Valerie and brother Jimmy stepped in to help raise his sons.In 1977, Biden remarried. Jill Biden would become a loving partner, stepmother, and community college teacher wrapped into one. She also showed political chops. When Biden mulled a presidential bid in 2004, a bikini-clad Jill walked into a room at their home as he met with advisers. On her stomach she had written the word, “No.”No it was.Biden spent 36 years in the Senate, gaining a national profile when he chaired the Judiciary Committee and presided over two of the most polarizing Supreme Court picks in U.S. history.In 1987, then-President Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork, an appeals court judge, to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Bork’s conservative approach to the law made him anathema to liberal Democrats.Biden led public hearings in which he zeroed in on Bork’s criticism of previous Supreme Court rulings establishing a constitutional right to privacy, a notion that underpinned the Roe v. Wade decision enshrining abortion rights.The Syracuse Law grad prepped mightily so that he could go head-to-head with Bork, a formidable legal mind who once taught at Yale Law School. He held mock hearings in which the respected constitutional law professor, Laurence Tribe, played Bork.When the hearings began, Biden made a point of giving Bork ample time to explain his abstruse judicial views. The strategy proved to be Bork’s undoing: The more Bork spoke, the less the public liked him. The Senate voted against confirmation that fall.Four years later, then-President George H.W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to the high court. Again, Biden led the confirmation hearing from his committee perch.This time, Biden ran afoul of the left and women voters in particular. A law professor named Anita Hill contended that Thomas had sexually harassed her when she worked for him at two federal agencies. The disclosure riveted the nation, making the Thomas hearings must-see TV.Biden and his committee did not allow other women to give in-person testimony that might have buttressed Hill’s contention of mistreatment. Though Biden voted against the nomination, he described Thomas as a person of “high character.”Thomas won confirmation and went on to anchor the high court’s conservative wing for the next three decades. He was part of the 6-3 majority that ruled on July 1 that Donald Trump enjoys some level of immunity for his acts as president, hindering special counsel Jack Smith’s effort to prosecute Trump on charges of interfering with the 2020 election.During his time in the Senate, Biden mounted two failed bids for president. The first, in 1988, ended in embarrassment. Biden dropped out of the race amid disclosures that in his campaign speeches, he had lifted passages first spoken by a British labor leader without attribution.Biden tried again in 2008 and quit the race shortly after finishing a distant fifth in the Iowa caucuses. The career pol from Delaware couldn’t compete against the eloquent young senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.Biden captured the ultimate consolation prize, though, when Obama chose him to be his running mate.Biden didn’t know Obama well at first, but soon became a friend and confidant. As vice president, he pushed to be the last person in the room when Obama faced the most consequential decisions.His old-school persona didn’t always mesh well with Obama’s tight-knit, disciplined operation. Aides chafed when Biden front-ran Obama by coming out in support of gay marriage in 2012.In his memoir, “Beautiful Things,” Hunter Biden wrote that he “didn’t hang around the [Obama] White House much; I didn’t want to be in the position of walking into a barbecue on a Sunday with the president and the White House staff after reading about someone throwing my dad under the bus.”The final years of Biden’s vice presidency were sad ones. His son Beau died in 2015 at the age of 46, cutting short a promising political career of his own. A former attorney general, Beau Biden was seen as a potential presidential aspirant. With his death, Biden lost his first-born and possible heir apparent whom he described as his “soul.”Grieving over the loss, Biden opted not to run for president in 2016. It’s doubtful he would have won anyway. Party leaders from Obama on down had aligned themselves with Hillary Clinton.She won the nomination, then went on to lose to Trump.Out of power, Biden decided to mount one more campaign in 2020. A catalyst, he said, was a searing clash between right-wing extremists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va. In 2017, white nationalists organized a rally to protest the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate general who led the South in the Civil War. Heather Heyer, 32, died when an avowed neo-Nazi plowed his car into her and others who came to protest the march.In a subsequent news conference, Trump said that between those who marched and the counter-protesters, there were “very fine people on both sides.”Appalled by the claim, Biden jumped into the 2020 race, saying nothing less than the “soul of the nation” was at stake. He floundered at first, losing badly in the Iowa and Hampshire Democratic primary contests.He recovered in South Carolina thanks to African-American voters and the endorsement of one of the state’s most influential figures, Democratic Rep. James Clyburn.“In case you didn’t notice, Jim turned it around for me in 2020,” Biden said on July 16 while speaking at an NAACP convention.Seeing Biden as the best bet to oust Trump, Democratic candidates, party leaders and rank-and-file voters quickly coalesced behind the former vice president.An electorate weary of Covid-19 lockdowns — and Trump as well — handed Biden the victory that had eluded him for much of the past half century.Biden engineered some surprising successes in his single term. With the slimmest of majorities in Congress, he passed substantial pieces of legislation aimed at upgrading the nation’s aging roads, bridges and ports; expanding sources of clean, renewable energy; and stimulating an economy that was in a tailspin due to the Covid-19 pandemic.“Presidents have been promising big infrastructure spending since I remember and no one has come through,” said Robert Reich, a former labor secretary in Bill Clinton’s administration.In deference to his age, Biden had hinted he would serve just one term and then step aside. He called himself a “bridge” to a younger generation of leaders during the 2020 race.A few things happened to derail those plans. Biden’s party exceeded expectations during the 2022 midterm elections, keeping the Senate and only narrowly losing the House.The absence of a predicted “red wave” seemed to validate Biden’s leadership. No major rival came forward to challenge him for the nomination.What’s more, Biden seemed smitten with the job. He believed that he had accomplished more in one term than Obama and Bill Clinton had achieved in two.Indeed, in an interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt, Biden proclaimed his presidency to be “the most successful” of any “in modern history, maybe since Franklin Roosevelt.”(Scholars disagree. Evaluating the nation’s presidents earlier this year, political scientists and historians ranked Biden 14th, below Clinton (12) and Obama (7).)Perhaps the biggest inducement to run again was his once-and-future opponent. Having beaten Trump once, Biden saw himself as best positioned to defeat him again and quash a MAGA political movement that he sees as a mortal threat to the nation’s democratic order. Biden formally announced his reelection campaign in April 2023, pledging to “finish this job.”Washington back to DelawareHeartbreak accompanied Biden at every stage of his political ascent. Even after reaching the White House, he couldn’t escape it.His son Hunter struggled with drug addiction and legal troubles that resulted in his conviction in June on three felony gun charges. Hunter Biden faces another criminal trial in September on allegations that he failed to pay taxes. He has pleaded not guilty.Biden has called Hunter his “heart.” He kept him close throughout the term, inviting him to official state dinners even as some advisers cast Hunter as a political liability.“He’s one of the most decent people in politics,” William Daley, a former Obama White House chief of staff, said of Biden.One senior White House official recalls entering the Oval Office on a hot summer day to brief the president, only to see Biden missing and his jacket draped over his chair behind the Resolute Desk.A few minutes later, a sweat-soaked Biden stepped back inside and apologized for being late. He had gone out to the South Lawn to thank the gardeners working that day.“His sleeves were rolled up and his tie was undone,” the official recalled.” He came in looking like s— and sweating like a pig, but he wanted to go out there and thank those guys. That’s the Joe Biden I know.”When his term ends on Jan. 20, Biden will retreat home to Delaware, ceding his leadership position to a younger generation.If given a chance, he believed he could beat Trump a second time. Now he’ll never know.This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:With Biden’s backing, Kamala Harris leads the pack in bid to replace him on the ticketPresident Joe Biden drops out of 2024 presidential raceHarris’ 2020 campaign was a mess. If she ends up atop the ticket, this time could be a lot different.

A Donald Trump ally is under fire after calling Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who served her Houston district for nearly 3 decades before dying of cancer at the age of 74, a "ghetto b----."Raw Story reported on Friday that Lee, who shared publicly in June she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, had died. Laura Loomer, who has been repeatedly praised by the former president for digging up dirt on his political enemies, seized on the unfortunate development."Even on her death bed, this ghetto b---- couldn’t keep President Trump’s name out of her disgusting mouth. I’d say rest in peace, but we all know lying democrats who have destroyed our country are going to hell," Loomer said Friday. "Sheila Jackson Lee will be remembered as a destructive force in America and one of the most low IQ members of Congress in the history of our nation."ALSO READ: How much access did $50,000 buy someone at the Republican National Convention?She concluded, "Today she died. Instead of spending her final moments with her family, she was talking shit about Trump on X and spewing more lies. She won’t be missed. But, I’m sure she will still be voting Democrat this November. Good riddance!"N.Y. congressman Ritchie Torres called Loomer out Saturday."Laura Loomer, a Donald Trump supporter, refers to a Black Congress Member who passed away as a “ghetto b----.”"These are the words of rabid racist who represents everything that is rancid and rotten about the far right," the lawmaker added. "There is a special place in hell for Laura Loomer."Republicans Against Trump said, "Trump ally Laura Loomer celebrates the death of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died last night from cancer, calling her a "ghetto b----" and saying, "good riddance.""Loomer, is a major figure in the MAGA world and well connected to Donald Trump," the account added. "Following his speech at the RNC Convention, Trump blew her a kiss from the stage. She is not fringe. This is MAGA!"Former GOP lawmaker Adam Kinzinger said, "I don’t think 'heaven bound' people tweet things like this."For her part, Loomer said she stands by her controversial online comments.

Donald Trump's own campaign staff members were likely "cringing" after the former president's remarks at the Republican National Convention, according to someone who worked in his White House.Former Mike Pence Homeland Security staffer Olivia Troye appeared on MSNBC, and was asked about Trump going "off the rails" in his RNC speech and repeating many of his regular talking points.Troye said a tiger doesn't change its stripes, and then she described what it was like working at the White House under Trump.ALSO READ: How much access did $50,000 buy someone at the Republican National Convention?"I will say this, his speech started off and went off the rails like it usually does. I was picturing, honestly, Alex, the staff, we have all been there as we have worked at the White House, I was imagining the staff cringing, no, no, no, here he goes," she said. "And then sitting there going and shaking our heads. The reality is, the message that came across during that entire week was it is not the party of unity. It is the party of unifying between and behind an agenda to suit them, an extreme agenda."Watch below or click the link.

LSWA’s Louisiana Prep Football’s All-Time Wins List

On Saturday morning on MSNBC, former prosecutor Katie Phang and ex-RNC chair Michael Steele both suggested there was more than a hint of collusion that led to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon to issue her ruling dismissing the obstruction of justice charges filed against Donald Trump on the same day the Republican National Convention convened.Phang, appearing on Steele's "The Weekend," said the timing was very suspicious coming from a judge most famous for dragging her feet on the DOJ case filed against the man who placed her on the bench with a lifetime appointment.Noting that Cannon's opinion that special counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutionally appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland was the basis for the dismissal of the case related to stolen government documents hoarded at Mar-a-Lago, ex-prosecutor Phang said everything about Cannon's performance deserves scrutiny.RELATED: 'Judicial malpractice': Judge Cannon accused of boosting 'wacky or unfounded arguments'Add to that, the timing of the dismissal."Why not dispose of that issue in February? We hear the oral argument including friends of the court which never happens," she began. "This is at the end of June, the beginning of July and then she sits on a 93-page opinion for that long?""But the reality is once [Supreme Court Justice] Clarence Thomas gave her the green light to file her dismissal, that is when she did it," she added. "And for her to drop that on the first day of the RNC stinks. Something is rotten in Denmark, and I'm going to say it is Aileen Cannon."Host Steele agreed, interjecting, "I am with you on that one because the timing and the process, the level of, you know, coordination is the only word that comes to mind."Watch below or at the link. MSNBC 07 20 2024 09 42 47www.youtube.com

Former President Trump took the stage with a bandaged ear only days after surviving an attempted assassination in Pennsylvania to accept the GOP presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention Thursday night. He left it after roughly 90 minutes of a mostly familiar stump speech.Why it matters: While his speech — widely viewed as a test of his plea for unity — began on a personal tone, it soon returned to Trumpian talking points, misleading statements and lies.Trump has received a week of relatively positive press while his Democratic opponent President Biden faces mounting calls from his party to exit the race. The former president described the assassination attempt at the top of his speech, saying that it's the only time he'll talk about it, "because it's too painful to tell."State of play: He focused primarily on foreign policy, the economy and immigration.At on point, he described a "massive invasion at our southern border" and a planet "teetering on edge of World War III," a likely reference to the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza that have begun since his successor took office. He pledged on Day One to "drill baby drill" and "close those borders."The big picture: The GOP tried to appear as a unified front this week, with many of Trump's onetime presidential rivals appearing as campaign surrogates. Democrats have been in disarray over the top of their ticket.Trump's running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), spoke Wednesday night, leaning into his personal story as a Rust Belt native — a signal of the campaign's strategy ahead to win vital swing voters in key states.Trump this year has been convicted of a felony, juggled multiple court cases with the campaign trail, and this week saw one of the federal cases against him dismissed.Go deeper: Behind the Curtain: "Getting shot in the face changes a man"Editor's note: This story was previously a live blog and has been updated with additional developments.Onetime Trump presidential rivals descend on GOP convention Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at the RNC on Tuesday. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThey sparred aggressively during the campaign and served as surrogates during the convention. Why it matters: Trump's onetime presidential rivals showed up at the Republican National Convention this week to rally behind the former president in a show of GOP unity, Erin Doherty writes.Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, one of Trump's fiercest rivals on the trail, gave the former president her "strong endorsement" and told voters that "for the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump."Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy also spoke this week, kissing the ring of the man they tried to defeat in the GOP primary several months prior.Takeaways from Trump rivals' nightWhy Dana White is introducing Trump UFC president Dana White and former United States president Donald Trump in Las Vegas in December 2023. Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesDana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), is expected to be the final speaker at RNC ahead of Trump.It's unusual for a presidential nominee not be introduced by a spouse or family member, Axios' Zach Basu writes.Both Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, who introduced the former president in 2016 and 2020, respectively, have stepped back from the public eye.White was scheduled to introduce Trump even before the assassination attempt, which brought new meaning to a campaign centered on the theme of "Trump, the fighter."An outspoken and controversial promoter who continued putting on events throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, White says Trump is a genuine combat sports fan with a deep knowledge of the history of the sport.Read on.Influencers hit convention Former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin and athlete Riley Gaines outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Photo: J. Conrad Williams, Jr./Newsday RM via Getty ImagesMILWAUKEE — Nearly 100 conservative influencers swamped the convention, creating content aimed at engaging conservatives who typically don't pay much attention to politics, Axios' April Rubin, Sophia Cai and Stef Kight report.Why it matters: The GOP sees a slate of new, popular conservative influencers and a flood of viral pro-Trump content on social media as a promising way to reach hesitant or untrusting voters — and convince them to cast a ballot in November.The RNC influencer program, overseen by the convention's digital team, has about 75 participants.Between the lines: The embrace of social media is also aimed at winning younger voters, who are disillusioned going into the 2024 presidential election.Go deeper.What Trump is expected to say (and skip) Trump rewrote his speech in the wake of the Butler, Pennsylvania, shooting over the weekend to focus on unity, Axios' Avery Lotz writes.Why it matters: Trump, who usually does not shy away from personal attacks on his political rival, is not expected to mention President Biden by name, Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez told CBS.The original text of the speech was intended to echo his characteristic campaign trail rhetoric slamming Biden's policies, the GOP nominee told the Washington Examiner the day after the attempted assassination."This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together," he told the Examiner.According to excerpts, Trump will say: "As you already know, the assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life.""Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever. Our resolve is unbroken, and our purpose is unchanged--to deliver a government that serves the American People," Trump is expected to say.Trump is still expected to draw a contrast with the current administration saying, "less than four years ago, we were a great nation, and we will soon be a great nation again."Hulk Hogan: "Trump is the toughest of them all" Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesHulk Hogan took the stage at the RNC tonight to endorse former President Donald Trump with the same charisma that made him the most recognizable wrestler in the world, Axios Crypto co-author Brady Dale writes.The big picture: Hulkamania lives on.Flashback: Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media, which resulted in a $140 million verdict in 2016, ultimately proved to have been funded by venture investor Peter Thiel.Years later, Thiel would back the Senate race of J.D. Vance, who went on last night to accept the nomination to be Trump's running mage."I've been in the ring with some of the biggest, some of the baddest dudes on the planet," Hogan said. "I know tough guys, but let me tell you something, brother, Donald Trump is the toughest of them all." VP nominee Vance name-checks Rust Belt in speech Photo: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) spoke on Wednesday night at the RNC, his first speech as former President Trump's running mate, leaning heavily into his personal background to appeal to Rust Belt voters.Why it matters: It's a sign that Vance, a Rust Belt native himself, will be zeroed in on winning these voters in the crucial swing states ahead of November. "I promise you one more thing, to the people of Middletown, Ohio and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio ... I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from," Vance said.Zoom in: Vance's personal bio is one of the factors that appealed to Trump as he made his VP selection, Axios' Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei reported.Takeaways from Vance's speechPics: Trump family at RNC Melania Trump made a surprise appearance. Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Tiffany Trump. Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski / AFPTrump opens with rally recap: "Too painful to tell"Trump began his RNC speech describing in vivid detail his experience surviving the attempted assassination at his campaign rally, saying that he won't tell it again because it's "too painful to tell," Axios' Erin Doherty writes."I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me, really really hard on my right ear. I said to myself, 'Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet,'" Trump said to a captivated audience, some with tears streaming down their faces."My hand was covered with blood, just absolutely blood all over the place," he said."I immediately knew it was very serious that we were under attack and in one movement proceeded to drop to the ground. Bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage.""I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump said, prompting a chant from the crowd: "yes you are," the crowd said.Trump applauds Secret Service agents Photo: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesTrump described the way "very brave" Secret Service agents rushed to his side after the Pennsylvania rally shooting, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. The big picture: The agency has come under harsh scrutiny for their role in securing the site of Saturday's shooting, with Republican leadership calling on Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle to resign in the wake of the attempted assassination.Wednesday evening, GOP lawmakers furiously confronted Cheatle at the convention — sharing videos on social media."They really did, they rushed to the stage," Trump said of the agents. "These are great people, at great risk, I will tell you."He continued: "Bullets were firing over us, yet I felt serene. But now, the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in peril."Trump said with "one bullet used," a Secret Service sniper killed Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old gunman.Trump praises "highly respected" Judge Aileen CannonTable: Axios Visuals. Note: The Aug. 5 trial date in Georgia was proposed by the prosecution, while the Florida and New York dates were set by judges.Trump praised the Florida judge who dismissed his classified documents case earlier this week, handing him his latest legal win as his other two criminal cases remain in limbo. Smith's office appealed Cannon's decision.Why it matters: Trump, the first-ever U.S. president to become a convicted felon, has all but guaranteed that his criminal indictments outside New York are delayed beyond November, Axios' Erin Doherty writes.Zoom in: Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, ruled on Monday that the classified documents case was dismissed because of the "unlawful appointment and funding of special counsel Jack Smith."Cannon, a relatively novice judge, has come under fire from critics who've accuse her of intentionally delaying proceedings in the case.Go deeper: Trump trial tracker."Two smart people": Trump praises J.D. and Usha Vance Usha Vance and J.D. Vance with members of the Trump family. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty ImagesTrump applauded J.D. Vance, his newly official running mate, and his wife Usha, a highly accomplished attorney, as "two smart people," Axios' Avery Lotz writes.The GOP nominee said it was an "honor to select" Vance, a Trump critic turned fierce MAGA ally, to accompany him on the Republican ticket.What they're saying: Trump praised Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, for their Yale educations, characterizing each of them as a "great student." Usha Vance spoke briefly ahead of her husband on Wednesday night."J.D., you're going to be doing this for a long time," Trump added. "Enjoy the ride."Biden mentioned at least onceWhile he wasn't expected to mention Biden's name, Trump criticized the president by name about 40 minutes into his remarks.The former president appeared to go off script when criticizing Biden's foreign policy."I'm only going to say his name once," Trump said."I'm not going to use the name anymore — just one time. The damage that he's done to this country is unthinkable. It's unthinkable," he said of Biden.Trump's "greatest hits" Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesTrump spent the majority of his convention speech railing about usual targets: illegal immigration, electric vehicles and election integrity— and zeroed in on China, Axios' Erin Doherty writes.Why it matters: He primarily echoed many of the grievances that have defined his political career across three consecutive presidential runs.He baselessly accused Democrats of "cheating" in elections and criticized former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.What they're saying: "Donald Trump is just the greatest hits from 2016," Biden campaign director of rapid response Ammar Moussa wrote on X."He has not changed. He has not moderated. He has gotten worse - except now he talks about the "late, great, Hannibal Lecter."

President Joe Biden is facing mounting pressure to exit the 2024 race while Donald Trump prepares to accept the Republican nomination at the convention.

WWII veteran Sgt. William Pekrul gives emotional speech on the third night of the Republican National Convention, which was themed 'Make America Strong Once Again'

Eight years ago, Wes Bellamy and Zyahna Bryant stood shoulder to shoulder. Now they're on opposite sides of the picket line.

Angry GOP lawmakers confronted Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Wednesday evening.The big picture: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) posted video to X of her confronting Cheatle as the federal agency has been under intense scrutiny after the assassination attempt on former President Trump. 🚨FULL VIDEO: Secret Service Director REFUSES to answer to the American people. pic.twitter.com/MPVOke5zhY— Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) July 18, 2024Republican senators were already fuming about the lack of answers following their briefing with Cheatle earlier Wednesday, a GOP aide said. Once they found out she was at the RNC, Blackburn and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) organized a group to ask her questions in a suite at the RNC. She refused to answer and left.Also seen confronting Cheatle were Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.).Zoom in: Senate Republican Conference Chair Barrasso said in a video shared with Axios that he and Blackburn "went face to face" with the Secret Service chief to seek answers on what happened at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally with GOP nominee Trump.Specifically, they wanted answers on "how that shooter was able to get off a clear shot when the FBI and the Secret Service knew that there was a suspicious person an hour in advance of when the shooting occurred and they identified a potential threat," he said, in reference to reports that emerged Wednesday.Blackburn said that Cheatle "would not answer our questions and wanted to say it was not the time nor place."This is after we've been through a conference call today. ... She can run but she cannot hide because the American people want to know how an assassination attempt was carried out on former President Donald Trump," Blackburn added.State of play: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called for Cheatle's resignation and announced plans for a bipartisan task force to investigate Saturday's shooting.Cheatle told House lawmakers earlier Wednesday that the agency "failed" at its "no-fail mission" to protect GOP nominee Trump at Saturday's rally shooting in Pennsylvania that left one spectator dead. Both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called for Cheatle's resignation following the briefing.Lee criticized both Cheatle and the Biden administration in a series of posts to X, including one that asked "why hold the briefing if they weren't going to tell us anything?"What they're saying: A USSS spokesperson said early Thursday that continuity of operations was "paramount during a critical incident" and Cheatle "has no intentions" of stepping down. "She deeply respects members of Congress and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews," the spokesperson added in the emailed statement.More from Axios: Donald Trump Jr. at RNC: "America is Trump tough"In photos: Trump bandage "newest fashion trend' at RNCTrump's granddaughter speaks to the GOP nominee's softer sideVance repeatedly name checks Rust Belt in VP acceptance speechEditor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

Mike Lee responds to Biden's plans to support changes to the Supreme Court

Senators were told during a briefing call Wednesday that the Secret Service had flagged Thomas Crooks as suspicious more than an hour before he shot from a rooftop at former President Trump, and that a counter-sniper spotted him as a potential threat 19 minutes before the shooting, according to a person familiar with the call. [...]

It already seems unlikely the spending plan could pass the House, with the new speaker saying they would need Democrats to support it.