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Rising Mortgages Are Muddling the GOP’s Housing Message

September 20, 2026 at 11:16 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Inflation is throwing a wrench into Republican messaging on housing affordability,” Politico reports.

”GOP lawmakers went to great lengths this summer to draw bipartisan support for sweeping legislation to make housing more affordable, passing the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in June — even defying President Donald Trump’s demands to add his controversial elections bill to the legislation.”

“But Trump’s war against Iran has sent energy prices soaring, pushing up inflation that increases the price of home loans. The interest rate on mortgages reached almost 7% this past week — the highest point since the beginning of the president’s second term. And the Federal Reserve’s move Wednesday to raise its benchmark interest rate for the first time in three years is likely to bring on a new era of high borrowing costs.”

RFK Jr.’s Movement Now Has Corporate Sponsors

September 20, 2026 at 11:03 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“When devotees of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement meet for a summit Sept. 29 in Washington, titans of American industry will pay the bill,” Politico reports.

”Walmart, America’s biggest retailer and a leading purveyor of the ultraprocessed foods MAHA decries, is among the sponsors. So are two artificial intelligence giants, OpenAI and Anthropic, whose chief executives recently asked Washington to regulate them in order to prevent their tools from wiping out humanity.”

“In exchange, they’ll get to attend a private dinner with summit speakers, which include Health and Human Services Department officials.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

September 20, 2026 at 10:33 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“You have a little higher. It’s a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done. Remember that. It’s a little more. Frankly, even if it was a lot more.”

— President Trump, quoted by the Associated Press, downplaying higher gas prices.

White House Moves to Take Control of NIH Grants

September 20, 2026 at 10:29 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The White House has begun drafting a new executive order that could further cement President Trump’s ability to control billions of dollars in scientific grants and expand the administration’s pressure campaign against elite universities,” the New York Times reports.

“Discussed at a highly contentious meeting at the White House on Friday, the order aims to create a new external committee with the power to veto awards in the National Institutes of Health’s vast research portfolio that do not conform to Mr. Trump’s political agenda.”

Abdul El-Sayed Has an Unlikely Defender: Tucker Carlson

September 20, 2026 at 10:11 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Tucker Carlson, the influential far-right podcaster, lives in Maine and spent more than three decades defending the Republican Party before leaving it this year over his opposition to the war with Iran. He is known for his nativist rhetoric and once said immigrants were making the United States ‘poorer and dirtier,'” the New York Times reports.

“Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a son of Egyptian immigrants, lives in Michigan and has spent his adult life pushing for progressive causes. Now Dr. El-Sayed is the Democratic Party’s nominee in a pivotal Senate race, running on a left-wing platform that calls for universal health care and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

“Yet, in a striking twist that underscores his shifting politics, Mr. Carlson has taken to defending Dr. El-Sayed. Both are vocal critics of the Israeli government and the war with Iran.”

Republicans Start Breaking with Trump

September 20, 2026 at 10:11 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Politico: “The rhetorical shift from such a staunch Trump ally is among a series of breaks from the president that Tiffany and other battleground Republicans have made in recent weeks. They’re an implicit acknowledgment that, even in states and districts where Republicans have had success, candidates are suffering from a deteriorating national political environment for the GOP.”

Trump Gets Caught in a Dilemma Over a Saudi Plea

September 20, 2026 at 9:15 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“For two weeks, the question of whether to yield to pleas from Saudi Arabia and order the U.S. military to strike targets in Yemen controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis has bedeviled President Trump,” the New York Times reports.

“A decision to go forward could open another front in the war against Iran that Mr. Trump started but has been unable to end as it spreads economic shock around the globe.”

“The president had wavered for weeks over the Saudi appeals for help in fighting the Houthis, who took advantage of the instability in the Middle East and reignited their war with the kingdom this summer.”

“But things came to a head on Thursday: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader and a major ally in the Iran war, called the president to implore him, again, to step in to help blunt the rapidly advancing group, administration officials said.”

NBC News: Houthis try to attack Saudi Arabia as Middle East conflict widens.

Republicans Are Unleashing Their Fundraising Advantage

September 20, 2026 at 9:13 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Republicans are pumping money into a series of Senate and House battleground states, unleashing one of their biggest advantages over Democrats as they seek to overcome electoral headwinds in the final weeks before midterm elections,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Democratic candidates have mostly outpaced their Republican opponents in fundraising, but the GOP has maintained a significant lead among their network of super PACs and party committees—and are beginning to open the spending spigot in significant ways.”

“Advertisers supporting Republicans across 10 key Senate races have spent more than $204 million in the first 18 days of September, according to AdImpact—$83 million more than those helping Democrats. It is a sharp turn upward from all of August, when the Republican spending advantage was about $9 million.”

Washington Sun: The NRSC’s spending surges for key midterm races.

Trump’s Greenland Deal Eases Way for U.S. Business

September 20, 2026 at 8:48 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The security deal over Greenland, announced by President Trump on Friday, relieves the pressure from months of American maneuvering to control the semiautonomous Danish territory and smooths the way for more U.S. investments on the cash-starved but resource-rich Arctic island,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

Mother Jones: What to know about Trump’s new “infinite” Greenland deal.

Iran and U.S. Trade Threats

September 20, 2026 at 8:15 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Iran and the United States exchanged new threats on Sunday, with President Donald Trump warning Iran would fail ‌economically or face its leadership being wiped out if it didn’t make a deal, and the Iranian military saying it would retaliate harshly to any fresh attack,” Reuters reports.

“The conflict has looked stalemated for months, with no sign either side was ready for concessions even as it has deepened a global energy crisis, cratered swathes of Iran’s economy and spilled over into new regional escalations.”

Mediaite: Trump lists Iran war among his top “achievements” of “term three.”

Trump Moves to Cripple International Criminal Court

September 20, 2026 at 7:46 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The Trump administration is preparing to impose sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court, a sharp escalation in Washington’s efforts to dismantle the institution after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The sanctions would forbid most transactions with the ICC after a grace period of six to seven months… That could potentially cripple the court by prohibiting it from conducting transactions in U.S. dollars, cutting it off from much of the global financial system.”

South China Morning Post: Trump administration prepares sanctions against International Criminal Court, sources say.

Setbacks Leave Trump Frustrated and Looking for Credit

September 20, 2026 at 7:18 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Trump wants a little gratitude,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“At a recent closed-door meeting in the Oval Office, the president expressed deep frustration to advisers that prominent figures in Washington hadn’t publicly thanked him for trying to overhaul the Kennedy Center, according to a senior administration official.”

“Instead, Trump’s bid to affix his name onto the center’s facade and make sweeping changes to the cultural institution has been met with opposition from Democrats, patrons of the arts and the courts.”

New York Times: How President Trump broke the Kennedy Center.

Trump Eyes Busy Week of Meetings in New York

September 20, 2026 at 7:14 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“President Donald Trump’s two days ​attending the United Nations General Assembly will include a series of bilateral meetings and events with notable political figures ‌such as the leaders of Ukraine and the United Kingdom, and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani,” Reuters reports.

“Nearly 130 heads of state are meeting in New York as the post-World War Two order comes under strain and with the UN itself struggling to remain relevant while weathering attacks from Trump, who has long expressed disdain ​for the institution and has slashed U.S. funding for many of its agencies.”

MS NOW: Mamdani and Zelensky make Trump’s dance card on UN sidelines.

Many Ex-Aides to Harris Betting Against a 2028 Run

September 20, 2026 at 6:57 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Many of those who know Kamala Harris best think she ultimately won’t run for the White House in 2028,” Axios reports.

“What the former vice president decides to do is one of the biggest X factors in the next presidential contest: Early polls suggest Harris is the frontrunner to be the Democratic nominee, and if she opted out, it would scramble the primary.”

“Over the past year, a surprisingly large number of former aides, surrogates and donors to Harris have told Axios they believe she won’t launch another campaign.”

“They argue that the moves she’s making — hitting the trail for midterm candidates, going on the podcast circuit, and writing a book — might make her look like a contender-in-waiting, but actually amount to her simply trying to maintain influence.”

Beshear Says Next President Must Go Big On Housing

September 20, 2026 at 6:50 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signaled “that he would put America’s housing affordability crisis at the center of his campaign if he ran for president in 2028,” Axios reports.

“It’s the latest sign that Beshear, who just kicked off a national book tour, is moving closer to a bid for the White House.”

“Beshear said the next president should pursue a massive housing initiative — with strict guidelines to ensure the money is spent quickly.”

Expert Ratings Are Ignoring Signs of a Blue Wave

September 20, 2026 at 4:49 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Nate Silver: “Democrats’ Senate chances are now between 63 percent and 69 percent in all three versions of FLIPR, including 65 percent in our headline ‘Deluxe’ version.”

“For what it’s worth, FLIPR is in pretty strong alignment with prediction markets, which have Democrats at 61 percent to win the Senate.”

“Conversely, expert ratings imply a much different political environment. The Cook Political Report, for example, counts seven races as ‘toss-ups,’ including states like New Hampshire where models and prediction markets imply that Democrats are heavy favorites.”

“This cautious view is misaligned with the long history of strong opposition performance in midterm elections, especially when the incumbent president is as unpopular as Trump. And it’s becoming harder to justify by the day.”

Cassidy Implores Trump to Be ‘Radically Honest’

September 20, 2026 at 4:39 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on Sunday urged the president to be ‘radically honest’ when he’s speaking about vaccines, as the U.S. this year has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades,” CBS News reports.

Said Cassidy: “I would just ask the president to be aware that people are listening to him — if he discourages immunization, there’ll be fewer people immunized, and if we’re speaking of measles, there’ll be more people sick in the hospital or even die.”

Salazar Says Trump Is ‘Very Receptive’ to Her Warning

September 20, 2026 at 4:20 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) Sunday said that President Donald Trump was ‘very receptive’ to her warning that Hispanic voters feel ‘betrayed’ by his immigration agenda ahead of the midterm elections,” CNN reports.

Said Salazar: “He was a gentleman, very courteous, very receptive. You have this moment in history where you can keep the pot of gold that you brought to the GOP in 2024.”

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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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