Political Wire

A Far-Right Win Puts New Pressure On Germany’s Leader

September 8, 2026 at 7:35 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A far-right electoral victory in a small eastern state has plunged Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, into a fight for his political survival with no surefire paths to prevail,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Merz was not on the ballot in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, won nearly 44 percent of the vote and now sits on the cusp of becoming the first far-right party to govern a German state since the end of World War II. But Mr. Merz, a mainstream conservative, was very much on voters’ minds, post-election analyses show — and not fondly.”

“Now, with two more key regional elections set for this month — in Berlin and in the coastal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania — Mr. Merz is struggling to reassure restless party stalwarts that he remains the leader that they and Germany need.”

For members: Germany Takes a Hard Right Turn

The Fight for Senate Control Is Wide Open

September 8, 2026 at 7:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Republicans appeared to have a firm grip on the Senate heading into the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. But with less than two months until Election Day, control of the chamber is now up for grabs,” the Associated Press reports.

“Democrats have found themselves competing in states that once seemed beyond their reach as President Donald Trump’s slipping approval ratings and voters’ dissatisfaction with the economy create a difficult political environment for Republicans. But races Democrats once counted on winning have also become more complicated.”

Keep track of the latest on the Polling Dashboard.

New Hampshire Holds Key Senate Primary

September 8, 2026 at 6:52 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“A late surge by a progressive challenger has injected drama into New Hampshire’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, threatening to complicate U.S. Representative Chris Pappas’ path to nomination,” Reuters reports.

“In one of the last states holding primaries in ‌2026, New Hampshire voters will also choose nominees in a Republican Senate primary and in primaries for two U.S. House seats, just eight weeks before the November 3 general election when control of Congress is at stake.”

MS NOW: New Hampshire votes today in a Senate race Democrats no longer feel is safe.

Americans Fear Domestic Extremists More

September 8, 2026 at 6:50 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks focused U.S. fears on threats from abroad, Americans are now considerably more worried about attacks by domestic extremists than by foreign groups,” a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

“When asked to ‌name the biggest threat to the safety of average Americans, 33% of respondents picked ‘domestic terrorism,’ while 20% picked foreign terror and 42% pointed to random acts of violence such as mass shootings, the August 28-31 poll found.”

Hungary to Expel 10 Russian Diplomats

September 8, 2026 at 6:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Hungary will expel 10 Russian diplomats whom the government accused of espionage, setting the stage for a confrontation between Moscow and the new government in Budapest,” Bloomberg reports.

A Blue Wave Could Hit Governors’ Races, Too

September 8, 2026 at 6:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ed Kilgore: “Democrats have reason to hope that a ‘blue wave’ in the midterm elections, fed by Donald Trump’s unpopularity, will help them flip the House and maybe even the Senate this year. National dynamics are typically less decisive in state elections, including the 36 gubernatorial elections on tap.”

“But nationwide trends do shape the electorate that will vote up and down the ballot, so Democrats expect gubernatorial gains, too.”

Trump Dominates GOP Gathering Ahead of Midterms

September 8, 2026 at 5:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump will be at the center of this week’s GOP midterm convention. Many of his fellow Republicans are hoping he doesn’t make it all about him,” Politico reports.

”The parade of lawmakers, candidates, donors and party officials now headed to Dallas for the two-day spectacle are counting on Trump to make a compelling pitch on the national stage before voters hit the polls.”

NPR: Republicans hope unconventional convention will rally voters ahead of midterms.

Self-Funders Are Terrible at Getting Themselves Elected

September 8, 2026 at 5:50 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“It’s still exceedingly difficult to buy oneself a seat in Congress,” NOTUS reports.

“During the 2026 midterms, a record number of wealthy Americans — 69 — have spent more than $1 million of their own money to support their campaigns for federal office.”

“And with primary season ending in the next several days with contests in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware, about two-thirds of these self-funding candidates have turned out to be losers who couldn’t advance to the November general election.”

Senator Sued 700 Patients for Debts and 81 Were Arrested

September 8, 2026 at 5:48 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

New York Times: “The doctor who sued the couple was Roger Marshall, now a senator from Kansas. Mr. Marshall, a Republican who is seeking re-election this fall, filed lawsuits against more than 700 patients with outstanding bills during his decades-long career as an obstetrician-gynecologist, according to a New York Times analysis of Kansas court records.”

“Patients were arrested in 81 of those cases for missing court dates, the record show. In an additional 13 lawsuits, Mr. Marshall’s lawyers sought warrants but it is unclear whether an arrest occurred.”

“They also garnished patients’ paychecks and bank accounts. They routinely charged patients an 18 percent annual interest rate.”

GOP’s Gains Among Latinos Fade in House Battlegrounds

September 8, 2026 at 5:45 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Democrats have gained sharply with Latino voters in some of the country’s most competitive House districts since 2024, a new Hart Research/TelevisaUnivision poll shared exclusively with Axios shows,” Axios reports.

“President Trump came close to erasing Democrats’ longtime advantage among Latinos in the last presidential election. Now, with control of Congress at stake and Trump’s approval ratings hitting new lows, that breakthrough appears to have eroded.”

2026 Candidates Are Targeting Health Care ‘Corruption’

September 8, 2026 at 5:43 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Campaigning on health care used to mean talking about coverage or costs. Now, in the run-up to the midterms, it’s just as likely to focus on ‘corruption,'” Axios reports.

“Candidates are accusing primary or general election opponents of being in the pockets of drugmakers, insurers and other powerful health interests, to the detriment of voters.”

”It’s a strategy that plays into affordability concerns and voter anger at the health system — but frequently avoids addressing what about the system needs fixing.”

Push to Halt Arch Construction Comes as Work Begins

September 8, 2026 at 5:41 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Veterans and Democrats are escalating efforts to prevent construction on President Donald Trump’s planned arch as the anticipated start of site work approaches, arguing the project is illegal and would diminish the experience of visiting nearby Arlington National Cemetery,” the Washington Post reports.

NPR: Trump’s construction projects are transforming the capital.

The Senate Is Up for Grabs

September 8, 2026 at 5:32 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“From the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, it was clear this year’s battle for the Senate majority would come down to what happened on Republican turf. Now, there’s an increasing sense in both parties that the Senate is up for grabs this fall, even in red territory,” NBC News reports.

Senate Republicans Say Crypto Bill Likely to Fail

September 8, 2026 at 5:27 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Republican senators are warning that the Senate’s bipartisan cryptocurrency regulatory bill is likely to fail next week when the chamber returns,” Semafor reports.

“There’s been little movement on the key Democratic demand, an ethics component governing the president and his family.”

Iran War Drives $100 Billion in Extra Energy Costs

September 7, 2026 at 10:25 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The war in Iran has now cost U.S. consumers $100 billion in higher energy prices, and the bill is rising another $1 million about every two minutes, per a real-time estimate from Brown University as of Monday morning,” Axios reports.

“Energy inflation shows up across the entire economy, and the recent surge in diesel prices in particular threatens to have a dramatic impact on freight and travel in the weeks and months to come.”

Ohio Governor’s Race Marred by Violence

September 7, 2026 at 9:28 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“An alleged attack on Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton remained under investigation Monday but the aftermath of the weekend incident made one thing clear: Acton’s closer-than-expected race against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio has become extraordinarily toxic,” the Washington Post reports.

NBC News: Amy Acton reflects on a “rough day” as witnesses recall “frightening” confrontation.

Lewandowski Chased Side Deals at Homeland Security

September 7, 2026 at 9:17 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“When Corey Lewandowski was at the Department of Homeland Security, he approached senior Qatari officials with a proposal,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Hire me on the side, the longtime Trump aide who was effectively the shadow secretary at the department last year, told them… He said he could help the tiny, wealthy Gulf state with any issues that fell under the department’s purview, such as visas…”

“The alleged moneymaking efforts, which appeared to be offers by Lewandowski to sell government services for personal gain, came while he had an expansive portfolio at one of the most powerful agencies in the federal government.”

Some Republicans Eye Tax Increase for Social Security

September 7, 2026 at 8:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For decades, Washington has replayed the same fight over taming the soaring national debt: Democrats cite a need for more taxes. Republicans refuse. And anyone who suggests cutting the biggest source of spending — federal retirement benefits — gets attacked,” the Washington Post reports.

“But a coming crisis in Social Security appears to be pushing at least a few Republicans off the GOP’s long-standing pledge never to raise taxes.”

“This summer, Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in proposing to raise the payroll tax cap so people with higher incomes pay more into the program. Now the idea is emerging as an acceptable fix among other GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Tom Cole, the influential chair of the House Appropriations Committee.”

1
2
3
…
9034
Next Page »