Tucker Carlson issued an apology for the role he played in getting Donald Trump elected, sharing he’ll be “tormented by it for a long time,” The Wrap reports.
Said Carlson: “I do think it’s like a moment to wrestle with our own consciences. We’ll be tormented by it for a long time — I will be. And I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people, it was not intentional. That’s all I’ll say.”
Washington Post: “Strategists in both parties say President Donald Trump’s unpopularity makes districts he won handily in 2024 look competitive in 2026 — many of them seats that are open or held by incumbents not used to running hard campaigns.”
“Democrats hope expanding the map will put pressure on Republicans to spend money in races that in other years would be safe, leaving them with less to spend on swing seats. The fate of districts that Trump won by five to 10 points in 2024 could also make the difference between a tight majority like the one Democrats achieved in 2020 vs. the wave they won by in 2018.”
“Thirty ex-staffers of California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter (D) are vouching for their former boss in a new letter, pushing back on concerns about her temperament raised by two video clips that show her speaking sharply to a staffer and a reporter,” the Washington Post reports.
“The Iran war is damaging America’s influence around the world and exacerbating tensions with countries already whipsawed by President Donald Trump’s second term — an erosion of power that could be tough to reverse as U.S. adversaries such as China take advantage,” Politico reports.
“From Bangladesh to Slovenia, fuel rationing has throttled transportation, frustrating leaders dealing with the fallout of a war they did not want. In Muslim-majority countries, anti-U.S. narratives are flooding the airwaves, often with tacit permission from governments. Even America’s allies in NATO have limited their help to the U.S., with some stressing the Trump administration did not consult them before launching the fight with Iran.”
“The war appears to be accelerating what some see as a U.S. break-up with much of the rest of the planet since Trump returned to office and began flexing U.S. economic and military might in haphazard ways, including tariffs.”
“Many House Democrats are ready to vote to expel Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) from Congress as soon as the House Ethics Committee meets to decide her fate on Tuesday,” Axios reports.
“Republicans are expected to force an expulsion vote, but they will need roughly 80 Democratic votes to remove Cherfilus-McCormick.”
Punchbowl News: “House Republicans’ FISA debacle and their ongoing refusal to pass legislation to end the unprecedented Department of Homeland Security shutdown have made clear that there’s only one functional chamber on Capitol Hill right now — the Senate. And it’s barely so.”
“This is putting a ton of new pressure on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, whose majority is suddenly at risk. President Donald Trump’s sagging approval ratings and the GOP’s inability to notch legislative wins due to constant infighting are a burden too.”
“Plus, Thune is dealing with a MAGA onslaught over the SAVE America Act, a relentless push to gut the filibuster and an Iranian war that’s exacerbating affordability concerns while providing Democrats with new political ammo.”
New York Times: “In the 10 days since Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race for California governor, two of his Democratic rivals’ fortunes have turned in opposite directions. Betty Yee, a former state controller, ended her campaign on Monday, while Xavier Becerra, a former California attorney general, has drawn a surge of support in multiple polls.”
“Mr. Becerra, whose polling numbers had languished for months, has jumped into the top tier of Democratic candidates since Mr. Swalwell’s campaign imploded amid accusations of sexual assault. Four polls in the last week have shown Mr. Becerra as receiving at least 10 percent support, at least twice what he previously had, putting him in contention in a sprawling field of candidates.”
Virginia voters head to the polls today for a high-stakes ballot measure that could reshape the state’s congressional map and potentially shift the balance of power in Washington, CNN reports.
Supporters say it’s a necessary response to aggressive Donald Trump-ordered redistricting in other states. Opponents call it blatant partisanship
ABC News: In Virginia redistricting election, 4 House seats at stake as voters go to the polls.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed a motion Monday evening to expel her Republican colleague, Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL), from the House, just hours after a report that Mills was considering doing the same to her, NOTUS reports.
“President Donald Trump’s super political action committee raised $35.6 million in March, bolstering his war chest to $550 million as he tries to defy history by hanging onto congressional Republican majorities in an increasingly difficult midterm election environment,” Bloomberg reports.
“Senate Republicans are taking their first steps this week to pass a narrow reconciliation bill that includes money for agencies in charge of immigration enforcement at the center of a funding dispute with Democrats,” NOTUS reports.
“A number of Republican senators, however, believe the strategy could be a mistake if leadership doesn’t broaden the bill’s scope to address voter concerns about the economy and affordability, reflecting widespread anxiety in the party about its odds of retaining control of Congress after the November midterm elections.”
Washington Post: “The contradictory remarks highlighted a continuing challenge for the administration: On information as basic as who would attend high-stakes peace talks, as well as on broader questions of whether Iran has agreed to terms for a deal, Trump’s oscillating claims have led to confusion and required clean-up by his staff.”
“Democrat Analilia Mejia is the newest member of the House, sworn in Monday evening by Speaker Mike Johnson after winning a special election in New Jersey last week,” Politico reports.
“The move narrows Johnson’s majority to 217-214-1, meaning the GOP can afford no more than one defection on a party-line vote. But GOP leaders are confident they will gain a little more breathing room later this week.”
“The House Ethics Committee is set to render judgment on Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) Tuesday, and Republicans granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations expect her to be expelled as soon as Wednesday.”
Wall Street Journal: “Before the U.S. went to war, Trump told his team that Iran’s government would likely capitulate before closing the strait, and that even if Tehran tried, the U.S. military could handle it…”
“Trump has since marveled at the ease with which the strait was closed. A guy with a drone can shut it down, Trump has said to people, expressing belated irritation that the key waterway was so vulnerable.”
“For most of American history, gerrymandering was a behind-the-scenes affair, taking place in the quintessential ‘smoke-filled rooms‘ where political heavyweights carved up the country to best suit their own fortunes. Voters remained largely in the dark,” the New York Times reports.
“That has changed in a remarkable way over the past year.”
“The bare-knuckle fight over redistricting between Democrats and Republicans, started last year by President Trump and the G.O.P. in Texas, has made gerrymandering a top national story that is set to play an important role in the midterm elections.”
“And in two states — California last year and Virginia tomorrow — voters have been given a rare opportunity to decide their own gerrymandered fate.”
“Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned on Monday,” NOTUS reports.
“Her tenure has been plagued by multiple scandals and an investigation that the secretary was engaged in an extramarital affair with a member of her security team and accusations of inappropriate behavior, like drinking on the job.”
Wall Street Journal: Labor secretary resigns after tumultuous tenure.
“President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to provide federal funds for a wide range of energy projects, as his administration faces pressure to help curb rising oil and gas costs,” Bloomberg reports.
CNN: “A senior US delegation met with Cuban government officials in Cuba as the Trump administration ramps up its efforts to pressure Havana into a deal as it continues to exert its economic chokehold on the island.”
“It was the one of the highest-level visits of US officials in roughly a decade and comes as President Donald Trump continues to raise the specter of potential military action. It also comes as Cuba’s economic crisis continues to deepen amid sharp restrictions, including on fuel, from the US administration. Cuba’s president, meanwhile, has made increasingly defiant calls to resist US military aggression in recent days.”
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.