Political Wire

Trump Heads to Dallas Ahead of Promised Campaign Blitz

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“President Donald Trump on Wednesday will head to a Republican midterm convention that will offer clues about the message he intends to deliver when he hits the campaign trail for a 30-day October blitz before Election Day,” Roll Call reports.

“The GOP leader is set to address the party faithful Wednesday and Thursday nights, including prime-time remarks on the second evening from the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The midterm convention begins this election cycle’s homestretch, which will kick into high gear when Congress adjourns later this month for its pre-election recess.”

“While several vulnerable Republican lawmakers are staying home to campaign, Trump and his team are hopeful that the Dallas gathering, which will feature over 100 speakers, will help break what polls show is some momentum for Democratic candidates. The president could also signal how active he will be in the cycle’s final weeks — and just where he intends to campaign.”

Politico: Republicans hope Trump won’t dominate Dallas.

Brett Kavanaugh Won’t Allow Missouri to Use GOP Map

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“Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday refused to lift a block on Missouri’s new congressional map, which was poised to give Republicans a pickup opportunity in November,” The Hill reports.

“Missouri officials held their primaries using Republicans’ new 7-1 House map, but the decision means the Show Me State must revert to its existing GOP-favored 6-2 House map for the November election.”

“The dueling use of maps raises questions around how the state will pick primary winners ahead of November with less than 60 days before the election.”

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House Republicans Abandon Key New York Swing Seat

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“House Republicans are effectively abandoning what was supposed to be a key battleground district in New York over concerns that their candidate, state Sen. Peter Oberacker, is too flawed to seriously compete,” Axios reports.

“Expect to see more of this cold calculus as the general election heats up, with both parties determining where their money will actually make enough of a difference to be worth spending.”

U.S. Strikes Iranian Tankers

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“The U.S. on Tuesday struck multiple Iranian tankers in response to more attempted missile attacks on a Navy warship,” the Associated Press reports.

“It marks the latest tit-for-tat strikes as Washington and Tehran lurch back toward fighting during more than six months of war.”

Trump’s Bizarre History with 9/11

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Rolling Stone: “September 11th is the most solemn day on the U.S. calendar. The terrorist attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead 25 years ago are still fresh in the minds of many, and no occasion calls for a greater show of reverence and respect, especially from the nation’s commander-in-chief.”

“Unfortunately, America’s current commander-in-chief, Donald Trump, has a tough time showing reverence and respect for anything other than himself. It’s been especially true with regard to 9/11, as the president reminded everyone on Tuesday during an event intended to honor first responders and victims of the attacks.”

Mediaite: Trump makes wild new claim in rambling remarks about visiting 9/11 rubble.

Iran Launched Undisclosed Second Wave of Attacks

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“Iran launched an attack against U.S. Navy ships on Monday that the U.S. military has yet to acknowledge, after firing ballistic missiles at an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer over the weekend,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“No American ships were struck in the attacks, but Iran’s recent attempts to hit American naval assets are raising alarm that its military is using more sophisticated weapons and could be getting assistance from China or Russia.”

Supreme Court Rejects School Vaccine Exemption

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“The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a New York woman’s bid to send her son to kindergarten without receiving state-required vaccines, in a case that highlights the limits of the court’s push to expand religious rights,” the Washington Post reports.

“In a one-line order, the high court effectively sided with state and local officials, who argued that a religious exemption would undermine their attempts to prevent the spread of disease among children and the general public.”

Rural Voters May Decide Whether 2026 Is a Wave Election

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Amy Walter: “How will we know if 2026 is a wave election in the House? To me, the real sign of a wave year won’t be how many seats Republicans lose, but rather the types of seats that change hands.”

“Democrats could have a good Election Night just by winning seats Trump carried by six points or less, which would be enough to take back control of the House. But if Democrats also win in districts that Trump carried by double digits, it would reveal the limits of his ability to pursue unpopular policies that are felt most acutely in rural America — like tariffs, the Iran war and Medicaid cuts. That, in my book, would define a wave election.”

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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.

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