CNN: “California Democratic leaders have shifted their strategy to prevent their party from being locked out of the governor’s race: Instead of thinking about consolidating the field, they have turned to behind-the-scenes operations and political spending aimed at tamping down Republicans and building up Democratic turnout.”

“That is letting officials like term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi avoid picking from a field of off-and-on political allies while also saving them from embarrassment if their pick doesn’t win.”

“Rep. Thomas Massie’s lead in his primary later this month is slipping and he is in genuine danger of losing his Kentucky seat,” NOTUS reports.

“Massie — best known for his defiance of President Donald Trump and advocacy for the release of files associated with notorious sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein — is believed to still have a small edge in his race against military veteran Ed Gallrein… But his lead is shrinking under an onslaught of negative ads and steadfast opposition from a bloc of older Republicans who remain fiercely loyal to the president.”

Playbook: “The White House is riding a high this week after President Donald Trump‘s retribution campaign in Indiana gave red-state lawmakers a bloody reminder of his iron grip on the party. But Republicans are publicly and privately fretting about their case for keeping power in November.”

“That’s raising questions like: Has traditional battleground barnstorming by the president been replaced by backroom arm-twisting for more favorable maps?”

“For as much as Trump appears focused at times on keeping the House and fending off a third impeachment and wave of subpoenas, it’s less clear how he plans to win that case outright at the ballot box. While he’s made a handful of trips to get in front of voters, including to Las Vegas last month to play up his ‘no tax on tips’ policy, such trips appear to have fallen off the schedule as the president’s attention shifts elsewhere.”

Washington Post: “The growing media buzz surrounding Rubio comes as Vance has sought to carve out his own higher-profile portfolio in recent weeks. He led the U.S. negotiations with Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan, last month — as Rubio kept his distance — that ultimately did not result in a deal. And he is leading a new task force to root out fraud in federal benefits.”

“Vance leads in early polls of the potential 2028 GOP field, but his overall approval ratings have fallen alongside Trump’s as most Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the Iran war and the economy.”