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Texas Democrats Face Test On Border Security

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“Republican Gov. Greg Abbott placed Texas at the center of the immigration debate for years, launching aggressive state-led efforts to clamp down on border crossings and antagonizing Democrats by busing thousands of migrants to blue cities across the country,” CNN reports.

“But Democrat Gina Hinojosa’s election as governor has flipped that dynamic on its head, and Texas’ run as a loyal partner in President Donald Trump’s immigration machine is likely over. What replaces it will be a test of how Democrats govern the state that wrote the Republican playbook on border security, according to current and former Homeland Security officials, Democratic lawmakers, and immigrant advocates.”

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How Much Power Does a White House Chief of Staff Have?

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Talking PointsA longtime Political Wire reader asks how much power Stephen Miller will have as White House chief of staff — and whether he can use the position to advance his own agenda.

The short answer is that the chief of staff is arguably the most powerful unelected position in Washington. But almost none of that power is guaranteed by law. It comes directly from the president.

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Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

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“Anthony Constantino was by far the worst candidate I ever encountered. I ran way ahead of him in his District and if it weren’t for me he wouldn’t have won. See you in two years, pal.”

— Failed New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, on X, on the Republican who won the seat of departing Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

Stephen Miller Shuts Door On Big Business

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“The replacement of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles with her hardline deputy Stephen Miller shuts the door through which many CEOs softened Trump administration policies or sought favors, and sets the stage for more direct confrontation with business in the second half of Trump’s term,” Semafor reports.

“Even CEOs skeptical of Trump’s chaotic style and his hostility to trade and immigration found that they could, with the help of Wiles and now-former tech czar David Sacks, talk Trump out of his aides’ most aggressive immigration moves, from worksite raids to canceling TSA PreCheck.”

Why Colorado Keeps Winding Up Before the Court

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New York Times: “The Supreme Court reviews thousands of petitions each term and agrees to schedule only about 60 for oral argument on its formal merits docket. But again and again, cases from the same Western state, with just over six million residents, have come before the court.”

“The reason, according to local lawyers, academics and former elected officials, says a lot about the shifting politics and demographics of Colorado and a little about how a local legal dispute can evolve into a precedent-setting case heard by the Supreme Court.”

“They also cited Colorado’s complicated history with gay rights and the ease with which citizens can propose ballot measures to amend the state’s Constitution.”

Progressives Launch ‘Ready for AOC’ Ahead of 2028

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“Fresh off a midterm election that energized the left, a network of progressive activists is shifting their attention a new objective: urging Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to run for president in 2028,” the New York Times reports.

“A political organization called Ready for AOC announced Monday that it was launching a push, powered by volunteers, to encourage the progressive New York congresswoman to run for president, and to show her that she has a legion of supporters ready to mobilize if she does.”

“Ready for AOC, which has been quietly organizing this fall, said it aimed to enlist 10,000 community leaders around the country who would gather at least a million signatures from people pledging to support a presidential run by Ms. Ocasio-Cortez.”

Centrist Democrats Want Restraint After Midterm Wins

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“Democrats just won what could be their largest House majority in decades but some battle-tested centrists are already warning their party not to lose it in 2028,” CNN reports.

“Those now-emboldened Democrats, who have long competed in battleground districts, are now urging party leaders to stick to this fall’s core promises on affordability — or risk a backlash in the next election.”

“Privately and publicly, these Democrats are urging leaders to focus on kitchen-table issues and avoid culture-war fights they believe could divide the party and invite Republican attacks.”

Senate’s Post-Election Drama Escalates Quickly

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“Congress’ lame-duck session starts with a bang on Monday, as Senate Republicans debate their future after last week’s shellacking and Democrats face their first vote on a permitting reform bill that is cleaving them,” Semafor reports.

“On the first front, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is expected to deliver Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) a letter on Monday with the requisite five signatures needed to force a special conference meeting.”

“That won’t delay Majority Leader John Thune’s leadership election, nor will it block Thune’s bid to helm the conference in the minority, but it will force a debate about party leadership — and there may eventually be a vote on whether to delay the leadership election.”

Company Linked to Trump Sons Lands Ebola Contracts

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“The Trump administration awarded a small biosecurity company nearly $40 million to screen for Ebola and other infectious diseases just months after a firm linked to President Donald Trump’s elder sons invested in its parent company,” ProPublica reports.

“The contracts, one to screen for Ebola in several U.S. airports and the other to respond to disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, are seven times the total value of government contracts the company had directly received before.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

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“I devote almost no time to my net worth. I don’t care. I make, I have a lot of money. Far more than I ever thought I’d have. And, I guess it’s gone up. I don’t even know.”

— President Trump, quoted by the New York Post.

Iran Hardens Line Against Nuclear Monitoring

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“Iran said it’s not obliged to submit to full nuclear monitoring while under threat from U.S. military attacks, hardening its position against international inspectors,” Bloomberg reports.

“In a 10-page report sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency and circulated among diplomats late last week, Iran said assaults on its nuclear facilities and the threat of renewed strikes have made normal inspections impossible.”

Democrats Aren’t Waiting Until January to End Iran War

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“It’s no secret that Democrats intend to force President Donald Trump to end his war with Iran once they take control of the House and Senate next year. But Democrats also believe they may not have to wait that long,” MS NOW reports.

“With lawmakers needing to address government funding and a major defense policy bill before the new year — as well as the prospect of an impeachment vote on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth — Democrats believe they may have some unexpected leverage to end the eight-month war in the coming weeks.”

The Texas Miracle

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Paul Krugman: “Although the U.S. right has long wanted to Orbanize America, on the eve of the midterms the U.S. wasn’t Hungary — that is, it wasn’t a state that had lived for years under one-party rule, rule that party had used to rig the political system to make that rule permanent.”

“But while America as a whole wasn’t like Hungary, Texas was. Republicans have dominated the state’s politics since the 1990s, and have been ruthless about using gerrymandering, crony capitalism that rewards their allies, and other tactics to preserve that dominance. The effects of gerrymandering are still highly visible if we look at the state’s Congressional representation: Democrats swept every statewide office, yet only 14 of the 38 representatives Texas will be sending to the next House of Representatives will be Democrats. And while Republicans lost the state’s own House, they retain control of its heavily gerrymandered Senate.”

“Yet Democrats did sweep every statewide office.”

Stephen Miller Takes Over

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“President Donald Trump is acknowledging that parts of his immigration crackdown may have gone too far. But as Stephen Miller takes over as White House chief of staff Monday, administration officials are signaling there are no plans to slow down deportations,” NewsNation reports.

“The messaging comes less than a week after the midterm elections, when voters expressed growing concerns about immigration enforcement and Republicans suffered significant losses, including Texas.”

The Guardian: How Stephen Miller appointment shows Trump hasn’t learned his lesson on immigration.

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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