Political Wire

Political Wire Members get the complete experience: exclusive analysis, a 24/7 trending news, no advertising, the weekly news quiz and more.

Stay ahead of politics without spending all day following it.

Join today for instant access.



Republicans Put Trump On Ballot in 2026

By Leave a Comment

Punchbowl News: “It’s striking that Republicans have settled on a message that Trump is on the ballot in 2026. The election will be all about him anyway, so this is an attempt to turn necessity into a political virtue.”

”Yet Trump’s approval ratings are well under 40%, especially on his handling of the economy. He’s conducting an endless campaign against Iran that even top military leaders warn is unsustainable. Trump also launched a costly new trade fight with Canada, including focusing on renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America.’ Inflation remains stubbornly high, and gas is more than $4 per gallon nationally.”

”Dallas will be a fascinating interlude. The Trump White House seems to think it’s wise to put the president at the center of the fall campaign and spend lots of super PAC money touting his accomplishments.”

Mike Johnson Faces Pressure to Cut Out Early

By Leave a Comment

“The House is back in session, but it might be a short one,” Politico reports.

“Speaker Mike Johnson is looking to tick off the lone essential item on the chamber’s to-do list in lawmakers’ first days back: a Senate-passed, shutdown-averting spending bill.”

“A handful of other priorities are caught up in partisan battles and Senate limbo. Rebel factions in a thin House GOP majority continue to threaten Republicans’ plans of opening the floor for debate. And many Republicans are simply eager to get back home to campaign ahead of the November midterms rather than endure more headaches in Washington.”

“Together, those dynamics have fueled open speculation among members and aides that House leaders will call it quits until mid-November much sooner than the currently scheduled Oct. 1 exit date.”

Inside the Democratic Socialists’ War Over 2028

By Leave a Comment

“Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s potential run for president has exposed long-simmering divisions within the Democratic Socialists of America,” Axios reports.

“The socialism movement’s leaders are increasingly at odds over who should speak for them, what policies they stand for — and whether to support AOC, whom some dismiss as more establishment than insurgent.”

Pentagon Secretly Puts Military Influencers in Civilian Roles

By Leave a Comment

“The Pentagon has secretly installed several conservative military veterans with large online followings in government roles, declining to disclose their assignments as they amplify Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s viewpoints and attack those who scrutinize the Trump administration,” the Washington Post reports.

“At least some of the influencers have been assigned to civilian roles that could lead to changes in policy.”

Ted Cruz Calls for Elections in Venezuela

By Leave a Comment

“Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Sunday renewed his call for free and fair elections in Venezuela, just two days after the Trump administration announced that the U.S. would take over 65 billion barrels of oil from the South American nation,” NBC News reports.

Said Cruz: “There need to be democratic, free elections in Venezuela.”

Trump Rejects All Canadian Imports in Scorching Rant

By Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump escalated his trade war with Canada on Sunday by declaring he wants the USA to reject all products coming from North of the border — unless those companies are willing to relocate from Canada to the States,” Mediaite reports.

Said Trump: “I don’t want Canadian cars, I don’t want Canadian parts, I don’t want Canadian anything.”

He added: “They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop. This should have happened long ago with other Presidents, just as stopping Iran should have happened long ago. They want to be treated like a State, but they aren’t one. I deal with the Leadership of many Countries, but I find Canada to be the worst.”

U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets Over Hormuz Mine Threat

By Leave a Comment

“The U.S. military struck Iranian military targets to prevent the deployment of sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz,” Axios reports.

“This is the first known U.S. strike in Iran since late July when President Trump paused a two-week U.S. military campaign in the Strait of Hormuz in late July.”

CNN: U.S. strikes Iranian island where forces were preparing to launch mines, official says.

Venezuela’s Leader Says U.S. Deal Will Last 25 Years

By Leave a Comment

“Venezuelan interim President Delcy ​Rodriguez said on Saturday that an energy agreement with the U.S. would remain in force for 25 ‌years, target an increase in crude output to 1.5 million barrels per day and preserve the country’s sovereignty over its natural resources,” Reuters reports.

“Rodriguez hailed the accord in a late-night address as a ‘historic’ deal that would help revive the economy and boost government revenue, saying it would ​help shape the country’s future.”

World Mostly Shrugs Off Bessent’s ‘D-Day’ Iran Sanctions

By Leave a Comment

“Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent began the week vowing an ‘economic onslaught’ against Iran and its trading partners in a fresh bid to end the war. By the week’s end, countries with ties to Tehran had so far shrugged off the threat and analysts were left underwhelmed by the U.S. actions,” Bloomberg reports.

“China, which buys 90% of Iran’s oil, issued a defiant warning to Washington rather than back down. Iranian bank branches remained open in Dubai.”

“Commercial flights also continued between Iran and Turkey as well as Iran and the United Arab Emirates, which had promised last week to sever all trade and financial transactions with Tehran.”

MS NOW: The Iran war is showing the costs of Trump’s strongman economics.

Merz Says Far-Right Win Would Put Off Investors

By Leave a Comment

“Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that Germany’s eastern Saxony-Anhalt region will suffer economic damage if the far-right AfD party wins control of the state’s government next Sunday,” Bloomberg reports.

Said Merz: “If things turn out the way the polls suggest, this federal state will face significant problems. I cannot imagine international investors showing up for a groundbreaking ceremony with an AfD state premier to establish new plants or set up new businesses in Saxony-Anhalt.”

The Republican Party’s Midterm Nightmare Is Taking Shape

By Leave a Comment

Jonathan Martin: “The Senate map is less complicated than it appears. As with every modern presidential campaign, it runs through the Midwest.”

“If Democrats flip Republican-held seats in Ohio and Iowa while retaining Michigan, they will almost certainly net the four seats total needed to take control of the Senate for President Donald Trump’s final two years.”

“As the traditional start of the campaign season draws near, though, Republicans are increasingly worried they may be consumed by a worsening prairie fire.”

Said Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND): “He’s in serious trouble in farm country. He being Trump — and Trump is us. I’m not very optimistic.”

Trump Wants FCC to Probe Media Polling

By Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks against the media on Sunday with an admonition to the Federal Communications Commission to investigate polling used by news outlets,” Bloomberg reports.

“Trump has long had an adversarial relationship with journalists and news organizations who publish stories he doesn’t like, particularly those about his standing in the polls. Numerous recent polls show Trump has the lowest approval rating of either of his terms in office as the unpopular Iran war continues and gas prices remain high.”

About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.