Tina Smith

Northland communities depend on Lake Superior and benefit enormously from cutting-edge research at the Duluth EPA lab to maintain its purity.

California Rep. Young Kim was among nine Republicans in battleground House races who raised more than $1 million during the first quarter. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

'Politicians often promise things to young voters'

From the editorial: "If the Duluth EPA lab is being indiscriminately targeted, the cutting and slashing (in D.C.) clearly isn’t being done with the care, consideration, or thought such a process demands."

Republicans are hoping Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp runs for Senate next year. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Medicaid is a lifeline for more than 72 million Americans, including people with mental health and substance use conditions. It’s also the largest funder of mental health and substance use care in the U.S. As the executive director at NAMI Southeast Minnesota, part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, I know firsthand the impact Medicaid coverage can have on people with mental illness and their families.

'Colorado, I’m running for Governor'

Sen. Tina Smith strikes a sensible balance with a historic bill to safeguard northeast Minnesota’s fragile watery wilderness from copper mining pollution.

Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet plans to run for governor of the state in 2026.

The Colorado senator is the latest Democrat to announce plans to leave the Senate.

Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet will announce that he’s running for governor of the state in 2026

'It starts to get dicier'

Fifteen Senate Democrats backed a pair of resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to withhold billions of dollars in offensive weapons sales and other military aid to Israel.Why it matters: The votes split the party, revealing continued internal divisions over Democrats' views on the war in Gaza and support for the Israeli government. The measures failed 15-82 and 15-83.Sanders wants to cancel the Trump administration's proposed sales of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel.In addition to Sanders, Democratic Sens. Richard Durbin (Ill.), Martin Heinrich (N.M.), Mazie Hirono (Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (N.M.), Tim Kaine (Va.), and Andy Kim (N.J.) voted in favor.So did Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Chris Murphy (Conn.), Brian Schatz (Hawaii), Tina Smith (Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Peter Welch (Vt.).No Republicans supported the measures.The big picture: Sanders forced similar votes under the Biden administration to call out U.S. support for Israel's war efforts in Gaza."The United States must end our complicity in these atrocities, we cannot be part of this any longer," Sanders said in a video he released on Wednesday.The vote comes as Israel resumed its war in Gaza last month, despite a ceasefire deal between the two sides that was signed earlier this year.Between the lines: Senate Democrats facing reelection next year were split on the resolution. "No" votes could open up incumbents to attacks from their left.Sens. John Hickenlooper (D-Col.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I) — all up for reelection next year — voted "no."Go deeper: Israel resumes war in Gaza with a series of massive airstrikes against HamasEditor's note; This story has been updated with additional reporting.

The president of a Minnesota university that saw one of its students detained by federal immigration authorities last week says five other students have had their visas terminated.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced she plans to run for U.S. Senate on the same day Sen. Tina Smith announced she will not be seeking reelection next year.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan announced she plans to run for U.S. Senate on the same day Sen. Tina Smith announced she will not be seeking reelection next year.

House Democrats vying to flip control of the lower chamber in next year’s midterm elections may face a new challenge: The exodus of battleground incumbents seeking higher office. A number of vulnerable House Democrats are eyeing runs for the Senate or other offices in a handful of states around the country, including Michigan and Maine. [...]

Hampton Roads isn't alone in its overreliance on ADHD diagnoses and psychotropic drugs to handle troublesome schoolchildren, Dr. Gretchen LeFever Watson writes in a guest column.

For months, Democrats have been struggling to coalesce behind a political strategy.

Instead of caving to Trump’s threats, the U should stand tall and protect free speech.

Democrat Kristen McDonald Rivet is the latest House member to receive Senate buzz in Michigan. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo)

The Democratic leaders in the Senate and House sought to strike a unified message on potential GOP cuts to Medicaid, even as they defended their government funding strategies.

With EPA, other cuts, however, concerns will persist until Congress acts

On Feb. 26, our federal government announced the termination of 5,800 USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) awards. Many of these awards are administered through Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian funding organization of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is expected to announce later this month whether or not she’ll seek a fourth six-year term representing New Hampshire in the Senate when she’s up for re-election next year.

The firings were part of the sweeping cuts spurred by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott aims to expand the GOP's majority in the chamber in the 2026 midterm elections and thanks President Donald Trump.

Upon his return from a trade mission, the governor can turn his attention to a Minnesota agenda.

If Trump’s policies are justifiable, why won’t Finstad and Fischbach defend them?

Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, seen at the Capitol in November 2023, is weighing a run for Senate. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota announced Thursday that she will not be seeking re-election. Smith made her announcement in a post on social media platform X. “I’ve decided not [...]The post Democratic Senator Announces She Is Not Running for Re-election appeared first on The Western Journal.

U.S. Sen. Tina Smith's announcement that she won't run again in 2026 could tee up a high-profile battle royale featuring some of Minnesota's biggest political stars.The big picture: Open statewide seats are rare — the last time a U.S. Senate seat was open in Minnesota was 2008 — and there's a deep bench of state Democrats itching for a shot at a bigger gig. An incumbent-less field also makes the November race more competitive, improving Republicans' chances of breaking a statewide losing streak dating back to 2006.State of play: Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who shares a consultant with Smith, was first out of the gate by announcing on Instagram that she intends to run for the seat shortly after the news broke. Gov. Tim Walz, who was already mulling whether to run for a third term as governor, hasn't ruled out a bid of his own, a source familiar with his thinking confirmed to Axios.Between the lines: A fallout between the two allies following Walz's vice presidential campaign had already raised questions about whether they would run as a ticket again if Walz decided to seek a third term as governor.Smith's decision creates a path for one — or both — of them to instead run for U.S. Senate.What we're hearing: DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon is weighing a bid and U.S. Reps. Angie Craig, Ilhan Omar and Kelly Morrison have been urged to run, Axios has learned.As for Republicans, potential candidates include state Sen. Julia Coleman, state Rep. Kristin Robbins and Ryan Wilson, the 2022 auditor candidate who came the closest to winning on the GOP side that year.State Sen. Karin Housley, who ran against Smith in 2018, isn't ruling it out, and U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber didn't shoot down the idea in a statement to Axios.As for Republicans, potential candidates include state Sen. Julia Coleman, state Rep. Kristin Robbins and Ryan Wilson, the 2022 auditor candidate who came the closest to winning on the GOP side that year. State Sen. Karin Housley, who ran against Smith in 2018, told Axios she isn't ruling it out.Royce White, the GOP's 2024 U.S. Senate nominee, and Adam Schwarze, a former congressional candidate and Navy Seal, are also expected to run.Who's out: Former U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, former U.S. Sen. Al Franken, U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty have all said they won't seek the seat. Reality check: Not everyone considering it will actually jump in.Some of the floated candidates are also interested in running for governor or another statewide office in 2026. Others may want to be in the mix to boost their own relevancy.The bottom line: More musical chairs will be ahead, as could-be candidates shift their plans based on who's in — or out — of the race. What Walz decides could play a big role both in how the DFL field shakes out and which Republicans jump in.Axios' Andrew Solender contributed to this report.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks in the Oval Office on Thursday after being sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesAs President Trump nears his term's one-month mark next week, a White House adviser is keeping a calendar tracking daily wins, losses and "jump balls" — and loves the result so far, Axios' Marc Caputo reports.Why it matters: Insiders tell us Trump, who came into office feeling ebullient and empowered, is just getting more confident — fueled by his expected clean sweep of Cabinet confirmations, plus a CBS News poll showing 53% approval amid his aggressive "flood the zone" opening actions.The big picture: The midterm map has gotten more favorable for the GOP with the retirement announcements Thursday by Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) a week into Trump's term — two more hot battleground seats for Dems to defend in an already tough cycle.Privately, there's an undercurrent of worry in Trumpworld that political gravity could weigh him down — especially if inflation rises. The looming debt ceiling and government-funding fights could be messy.For now, it's foot ... on ... gas. White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a photo of eight news channels simultaneously showing this week's Oval Office colloquy by Trump and Elon Musk and labeled it: "FULL SPECTRUM DOMINANCE."Behind the scenes: "Trump is reborn," a confidant who spoke with Trump by phone told Caputo."Normally, a big part of the conversation is the 'Russia hoax' and stuff like that," the confidant said. "It's gone. Now it's: 'Did you see the CBS poll?' Or it's: 'This person is saying nice things about me.' He feels totally vindicated."A highlight of Trump's week was Russia's release of imprisoned Pennsylvania teacher Marc Fogel, who was flown from Moscow straight to D.C. Fogel met the president on the South Lawn late Tuesday night — an American flag draped around his neck and an Iron City Beer in his hand.The cameras captured it all. "This is Trump the Producer," another confidant told us. Elon Musk gives a thumbs-up next to Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick (left) and White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller during Thursday's Oval Office visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/ReutersReality check: Offscreen, it's much messier — sometimes intended, sometimes not — as Trump and Elon Musk race to reshape Washington and reset American foreign policy.Six senior Justice Department officials, including Manhattan's top federal prosecutor, resigned Thursday rather than comply with a Justice Department order to dismiss corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. (Reuters)As layoffs swept the bureaucracy, thousands of workers "were laid off in messages delivered through prerecorded videos and on group calls," The Washington Post reports. "Some were ordered to leave the building within 30 minutes. Others were told they would be formally fired by emails, which never arrived."The Small Business Administration listed a paralegal phone number for laid-off employees to appeal their termination — but the number was an automated line for an apartment building. (WP)There's much more to come: Musk told the World Governments Summit in Dubai via teleconference that the U.S. needs to "delete entire agencies — many of them." (Video)A "climate of fear" hit the Kennedy Center as Trump was installed as the chair, succeeding David Rubenstein, and some upcoming shows vanished from the lineup. (WP)NATO reels: The world's biggest military alliance is in disarray amid new questions about America's commitment to European security after remarks this week by Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (AP)"Trump's Whirlwind Now Blows Through Europe," the N.Y. Times' David E. Sanger writes (gift link), pointing to Trump's tariffs, statements on Ukraine by Trump and Hegseth, and Vice President Vance's "America First" AI speech in Paris.The bottom line: Look for the maximalist Trump to accelerate as more of his confirmed officials ramp up.Go deeper: Axios confirmation tracker.

Last week, the Senate Finance Committee voted along party lines to advance Kennedy to a full Senate floor vote, which could happen this week.

Going on offense

FIRST ON FOX: Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz is reintroducing a constitutional amendment to cap the number of justices on the Supreme Court at nine following calls to expand the Court.

In reality, 77 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Medicaid, polling shows.

Democratic senators brought the fire to a Wednesday confirmation hearing that will help determine whether or not notorious anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will become Donald Trump’s secretary of health and human services.New Hampshire’s Maggie Hassan wiped the floor with Kennedy during his appearance before the Senate Finance Committee. She started by drilling him on all of his crazy vaccine claims before skewering his brazen flip-flop on reproductive rights."So, Mr. Kennedy, I'm confused. You have clearly stated in the past that bodily autonomy is one of your core values,” Hassan said. “The question is, do you stand for that value or not? When was it that you decided to sell out the values you've had your whole life in order to be given power by President Trump?"While Kennedy tried his hardest to sidestep the question, Hassan was not having any of it. "So what you're telling us, just to be clear, because my time is limited, is that regardless of what you believe, regardless of what values you have, if President Trump tells you to do something, you're going to do it," she summarized.xxYouTube VideoSen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said he and Kennedy seemed to agree about the corruption of our health care system, but then backed Kennedy into a corner when he asked the faux health crusader a simple question: Is health care a human right?“In the way that free speech is a human right?” Kennedy responded, before attempting to squirm out of it. Sanders finished Kennedy off by calling out the anti-vaccine baby onesies his so-called health advocacy group is hawking online.xxYouTube VideoSen. Tina Smith of Minnesota held Kennedy’s feet to the fire about the many times he has misinformed the public about a supposed link between antidepressants and school shootings.Numerous studies have debunked the misinformation on mental health that RFK Jr. and the GOP have relied on in order to stall and undermine attempts at gun safety legislation. Of course, there is evidence that school shootings lead to more young people requiring antidepressant treatments after they have survived the terror.xxYouTube VideoElizabeth Warren’s ability to walk Kennedy right into exposing himself as yet another Trumpy grifter was a master class in itself. The senator from Massachusetts got into it with the nominee when he tried to wriggle out of committing not to profit off of his position if he is confirmed as Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. xxYouTube VideoDaily Kos is ready to hold Trump accountable every step of the way. But we need your help. Give $3 a month to support Daily Kos coverage and news you can do something about.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled Wednesday to answer questions about Medicare and Medicaid or to provide details about how he would work to drive down health care costs.

As a longtime English language teacher of adult learners and Southeast Minnesota resident, I’m dismayed that the flawed Laken Riley Act has advanced in the House and Senate at a fast pace. This act requires the mandatory detention of undocumented immigrants charged with such nonviolent crimes as shoplifting.

WASHINGTON — Midterm elections typically favor the party that doesn’t hold the White House. Nevertheless, if 2026 is to be a strong year for Senate Democrats, their path to retaking the majority requires them to make gains in states that have swung decidedly Republican in recent years.

NINE NAYS

The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly cleared a key procedural hurdle toward passing the Laken Riley Act, a bill aimed at curbing crime by migrants, in the first vote of the year by the chamber. Senators cleared the first vote 84 to 9, with 33 Senate Democrats joining with every Republican present to vote "yes." The [...]

The GOP-led Laken Riley Act defeated the legislative filibuster on Thursday, effectively ensuring it will pass and become law.

'The Laken Riley Act is good bipartisan legislation'

“Merrick Garland wasted a year,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler said ahead of the fourth anniversary of the 2021 Capitol riot.