Elissa Slotkin

The legislation would empower the secretary of agriculture to closely monitor vulnerabilities in the U.S. food and agriculture supply chains.

Democratic strategists think that Democratic hecklers during President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress were off base in disrupting the speech.

Trump launched the week telling Americans that his administration would work to take "America’s destiny into our own hands" and vowed that "this will be our greatest era."

Chart: Axios VisualsPresident Trump's tariff flip-flop, escalating tensions with Panama, and a controversial pause on aid to Ukraine dominated headlines this week. Here's our recap of key developments.Trump tariffs sweepTrump's shifting position on tariffs rattled U.S. markets this week and incited a global trade war.By some estimates, the president's tariffs on America's closest trading partners could cost the average U.S. household $830 a year. And that's before factoring in the cost of anticipated retaliatory tariffs.The president on Tuesday imposed 25% tariffs on most imports from Mexico and Canada. He increased tariffs on China from 10% to 20%.By Thursday, he reversed himself and paused tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports covered by a North American trade agreement until April 2. Go deeper: Trump stares down early economic potholesTrump's many words to CongressTrump's first congressional address on Tuesday lasted nearly 100 minutes, making it the longest of its kind in recent history.It felt like a typical stump speech from the president. He boasted about the executive order blitz that's upended American life and the nation's position on the world stage and touched on immigration, sports, DEI and foreign policy.Elon Musk, current and former Supreme Court justices and members of Trump's Cabinet attended.The Democrats' response to the speech sparked its own mini-news cycle. Democratic Rep. Al Green (Texas) was ejected from the chamber early in the evening for heckling Trump. Other House members either walked out, held signs or wore pink. House leadership and Democrats didn't widely embrace the moves.Axios' Hill team scooped that Democratic leadership privately scolded some members who defied orders not to make themselves the story. Ten Democrats joined every House Republican in a Thursday vote to censure Green.Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) delivered her party's rebuttal, Go deeper: Behind the Curtain: Trump, on steroidsTrump pauses aid to UkraineThe caustic relationship between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky entered the next phase of volatility this week after a tense and televised meeting between the two last Friday.Trump on Monday halted—at least temporarily—military assistance the U.S. pledged to Ukraine until a date is set for peace negotiations with Russia. Zelensky agreed to a partial ceasefire on Tuesday, and Trump during his address to Congress, softened his tone on the Ukrainian president. Negotiating with HamasThe Trump administration is, for the first time, in direct talks with Hamas about the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza and a wider deal to end the war, Axios' Barak Ravid reported exclusively on Wednesday.Israel announced on Sunday it is halting humanitarian aid and fuel deliveries to Gaza after a ceasefire agreement with Hamas ended.Trump told Hamas he would authorize additional Israeli military strikes on Gaza unless the group releases its remaining hostages.Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is launching an AI-fueled "Catch and Revoke" effort to cancel the visas of foreign nationals who appear to support Hamas or other designated terror groups, senior State Department officials told Axios' Marc Caputo.Trump on Panama CanalPanamanian President José Raúl Mulino accused Trump of "lying again" when he claimed Tuesday his administration will be "reclaiming" the Panama Canal."I reject in the name of Panama and all Panamanians this new affront to the truth and our dignity as a nation," Mulino said Wednesday in a post on X translated from Spanish.The U.S. president's comments follow BlackRock's agreement to acquire two ports serving the canal from a Chinese group, CK Hutchison, as part of a larger $22.8 billion deal.Go deeper: BlackRock buying two Panama Canal ports from China's HutchinsonMore from Axios:White House firings continue despite speed bumpsWhite House now says firing probationary workers up to agenciesTracking Trump: Press pool takeover, Zelensky and the Musk effect

By abandoning trans rights and praising Reagan, Democrats embrace a fangless politics with a track record of electoral failure.The post Gavin Newsom’s Cynical Embrace of the Anti-Trans Agenda appeared first on The Intercept.

Democrats used the overnight Senate session as a platform for their outrage over what President Donald Trump has wrought.

Democratic strategist James Carville and Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin criticized their party in a Saturday video for treating all minorities as if they are identical rather than unique.

The only "no" vote from a Republican came from Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Democrats proved they’re willing to hurt Americans — and Israel — just to signal anger at President Trump.

The Republican narrowly lost to Democrat Elissa Slotkin in November.

'Illegitimate targeting of a key U.S. ally'

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says he thinks it's time to turn over the reins so he won't be seeking a third term in 2026. The surprise decision Tuesday again poses a challenge for Democrats, who'll be forced to defend an...

Pete Buttigieg is looking into a potential Senate run in 2026 in Michigan, which was won by President Donald Trump in 2024.

The announcement by Sen. Gary Peters creates an open seat in battleground Michigan, which has flipped from red to blue to red again in the last three presidential elections.

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says he won't be seeking a third term in 2026

Michigan Democratic Senator Gary Peters will not seek re-election to a third term when his current one expires in January 2027, leaving open a senate seat in a state Donald Trump won.

The 66-year-old Michigan senator's exit after two terms in the Senate comes as a huge surprise.

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters says he won't be seeking a third term in 2026.

Brooke Rollins, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Agriculture secretary, testifies to the Senate Agriculture Committee Thursday.

The Senate on Monday passed a bill that would require federal authorities to detain migrants accused of theft and violent crimes.

The Senate on Monday passed the Laken Riley Act, making the immigration-related bill the first piece of legislation to make it through the upper chamber in the new Congress and putting it a step closer to being signed into law by President Trump. Senators voted 64-35 on the bill. Twelve Democrats voted with every Republican. [...]

Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, here at a Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Friday, is up for reelection in 2026.

Russell Vought has advocated for a dramatic expansion of presidential authority in the past.

Russ Vought, picked to lead the Office of Management and Budget, arrives for his confirmation hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

Neither party made significant gains in 2024, and Republican women still lag behind.

Rep. John Duarte, R-Calif., lost his reelection bid in the final 2024 House race to be decided.

U.S. Sen.-elect John Curtis weighed in on some of Donald Trump’s nominations for his incoming administration, saying he expects some controversial nominees will “resolve themselves” — similarly to the president-elect’s first pick to attorney general.

Jaime Harrison called for more nationwide investments in party infrastructure and better use of non-legacy media, such as podcasts.

The cryptocurrency industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars to elect a pro-crypto Washington. Now it wants results.Why it matters: Crypto interests want to see a much lighter touch from the Trump administration's regulators, and they're also planning to push Congress for a new framework that would help crypto become a bigger part of the financial system.What we're watching: The most immediate shift in crypto's favor will likely come from the Securities and Exchange Commission, its main regulator.The Biden administration has been viewed as acutely hostile, but a new SEC could quickly roll back some of its least popular rules and settle ongoing lawsuits.One early target: Biden-era SEC rules that limit banks' ability to holding cryptocurrency for their customers. The rule is unpopular with pretty much everyone — banks, startups, Republicans and Democrats.New leadership at the agency also might decide to withdraw or settle a slew of lawsuits, many of which focus on technocratic issues in how different cryptocurrencies are regulated.President-elect Trump has yet to name someone to lead the SEC, but he has already appointed two relevant Cabinet members known to be fans of digital assets: Howard Lutnick for the Commerce Department and Scott Bessent for Treasury.Zoom out: The industry's biggest target during the election was Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the chair of the Senate Banking Committee and a crypto foe.Brown lost, thanks in no small part to waves of crypto money supporting his challenger, Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno.But its push was bipartisan — the advocacy group Stand With Crypto also counts newly elected Democratic senators Angela Ashbrooks, Ruebn Gallego, Andy Kim, Elissa Slotkin among its allies.And there are now 276 pro-crypto House members, according to Stand With Crypto.What they're saying: "President-elect Trump's vision to make America the crypto capital of the world is a hope shared by the entire crypto industry," Kristin Smith, CEO of the Blockchain Association, wrote in a post-election statement. The first two priorities she listed in a letter to the president-elect were to establish a crypto regulatory framework and end the debanking of blockhain companies. Reality check: The margins in each chamber are narrow so the industry will still need compromises — and patience.By the numbers: After spending something north of $200 million in the 2024 election cycle, the industry has already said it has $78 million on hand for the midterms.

The identity politics form of left-wing politics is a virus that spreads itself, funding activists and ideology from whatever city or university department it infects.

There had been speculation that the former Michigan Republican could be named to head the bureau.

Michigan and other battleground states might have swung for Trump, but they elected environmentalists to U.S. Senate seats, too.

A GOP senator is pushing a new bill to abolish the Department of Education, which Trump said he planned to do on the campaign trail.

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. House Democrats voted this week to keep their top leaders in place for the next Congress, as the race to lead the national party [...]The post At the Races: DNC, or the Democrats’ Next Campaign appeared first on Roll Call.

"Mike Rogers is one of the chief architects of the surveillance state."

Sens.-elect Elissa Slotkin and Ruben Gallego diagnosed their party’s ills on the Sunday shows.

Moderate Sen. Susan Collins confirmed Thursday that she intends to defend her seat and vie for a sixth term in what is widely expected to be a tough cycle for Senate Republicans.

Yes, Donald Trump took all seven battleground states and the electoral votes to go with them. This time he also won the popular vote, unlike in 2016. But let's put all that in perspective.

Tax cuts, securing the southern border and taking a ”blowtorch” to federal regulations are at the top of the agenda if the GOP sweeps the White House and Congress.

The majority in the U.S. House hangs in balance. It was teetering Wednesday between Republican control that would usher in a new era of unified GOP governance in Washington or a flip to Democrats as a last line of resistance...

WASHINGTON — Time did not bring clarity to the fight to control Congress. After nearly two years since the midterm elections and only days left before Nov. 5, it’s still not clear whether Republicans or Democrats will have a House...

The determination of so many women to elect Harris over Trump could prove decisive. That would be one of the more ironic twists in modern political history.

The Texas Senate race has shifted away from GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, seen here at the Republican National Convention, and is now rated Tilt Republican by Inside Elections.

Campaigns will focus on getting their voters to the polls in Michigan in the last week of the election, hoping to maximize turnout as the time for persuading undecideds closes.

Sens. Jon Tester, left, and Sherrod Brown are at the top of the Roll Call Most Vulnerable Incumbent Senators list.