Sep 29, 2026
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) appointed Eric Cantor, former Republican House majority leader, as its next president and CEO. Cantor brings extensive Washington experience to the pharmaceutical industry's top lobbying position.
President Trump announced plans for Mesabi Metallics to build a $15 billion steel plant in Iowa, which the administration is calling the largest in U.S. history. The announcement comes as Trump campaigns for vulnerable Republicans in the battleground state ahead of midterm elections.
National Republican groups are making massive late investments in Senate races in traditionally safe states like Texas and Kansas as new polling shows Democrats competitive. GOP operatives express concern about defending seats once considered secure.
The Trump administration began airing a campaign-style television ad on Fox News and other networks promoting the president and warning against communism, with a disclaimer stating it was 'Paid for by the U.S. Government.' Democrats and some Republicans criticized the ad as potentially illegal government propaganda.
Rep. Byron Donalds scrubbed multiple references to President Trump from his gubernatorial campaign website, joining a growing number of Republicans distancing themselves from the increasingly unpopular president ahead of midterms.
Multiple GOP Senate candidates in battleground states, including Ashley Hinson in Iowa and Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin, are calling for a swift end to the Iran war as diesel prices hit record highs and voters express frustration.
Retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden of Maine endorsed Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in his competitive New York reelection race, calling him 'a true partner.' The rare cross-aisle endorsement angered House Democrats.
Multiple polls show Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa leading or tied with Gov. Greg Abbott, while Senate candidate James Talarico runs competitively against Ken Paxton. The results suggest potential Democratic gains in a state that has been reliably Republican for decades.
President Trump agreed to a significant portion of a stringent ethics proposal embedded in a broader cryptocurrency bill headed for a key Senate vote, according to Republican senators. The provision bars public officials from profiting from crypto holdings.
Speaker Johnson stated that President Trump's promise to send $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain Congress would need legislative approval, tempering expectations about the midterm campaign pledge.
President Trump pledged to issue $5,000 'Trump dividend' checks to every American adult if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in November. The proposal, which would cost over $1.2 trillion, drew immediate bipartisan skepticism.
Dueling federal court orders left Missouri's congressional districts in limbo eight weeks before Election Day, with one court blocking use of new GOP-drawn maps while another prohibited use of old maps, creating unprecedented confusion for voters and election officials.
President Trump announced at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas that his administration would pay a $5,000 'Trump Dividend' to each American adult if voters help Republicans keep their congressional majority in November's elections.
A new NBC News poll shows President Trump's support among Republican voters has declined less than two months before the November midterm elections, with multiple reports indicating GOP candidates are distancing themselves from Trump.
The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way for political parties to buy television advertisements at special reduced rates in the lead-up to the midterm elections, granting an emergency appeal from Republicans. The decision potentially hands a near-term win to the GOP.
Elon Musk's America PAC disclosed its first spending on behalf of Republican candidates, providing roughly $800,000 to help congressional contenders across several states including Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton. The super PAC unleashed $260 million in 2024.
Online prediction market Kalshi suspended Republican House candidate Laurie Buckhout and fined her after finding she wagered on her own race in North Carolina's battleground district. The platform banned her for three years.
The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has now lasted six months, far exceeding President Trump's initial prediction of a four-to-five week conflict. Nearly 8,000 people have been killed, and there is little indication the conflict will end soon, raising concerns among Republican strategists about midterm election impacts.
Two Dan Sullivans will appear on Alaska's November Senate ballot after a federal prisoner with no clear ties to the state advanced from the primary, potentially complicating incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan's reelection bid.
Sen. Darline Graham, appointed to replace her late brother Lindsey Graham, declined to answer a Taiwan/South China Sea question during a GOP primary debate, saying national security is 'not my thing' and admitting she's 'not that informed' on foreign policy.
Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) lost his Republican primary to former TV anchor Ryan Elijah, becoming the fourth House Republican to lose a primary this year amid allegations of domestic violence and sexual misconduct.
President Donald Trump has authorized pouring millions of dollars from his personal PAC toward supporting vulnerable Republicans in November's midterm elections, as GOP prospects face challenges over his handling of the economy and Iran war.
President Trump campaigned on crime and economic issues as new data shows he has the highest disapproval rating for any president on record regarding gas prices, with 79% of Americans and 52% of Republicans viewing his handling negatively.
Rep. Max Miller will remain in his Ohio House race after the Republican ballot deadline passed, despite mounting pressure to resign over domestic abuse allegations. The RNC chair downplayed the allegations while confirming the congressional committee intends to support him.
Representative Andy Ogles was defeated by former state Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher in Tennessee's Republican primary, becoming the third House Republican to lose renomination this year despite President Trump's backing.
The House Ethics Committee found substantial reason to believe Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) violated sexual harassment and hostile workplace rules, recommending censure after an investigation found he acted inappropriately toward two young female staffers.
Former House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger, who served nearly three decades in Congress and was the first Republican woman from Texas elected to the House, died Sunday. Speaker Mike Johnson announced her death.
President Trump threatened to push forward with creating the controversial $1.8 billion compensation fund for political allies if two Republican senators refuse to confirm his attorney general nominee Todd Blanche. The fund was part of an IRS settlement that drew bipartisan criticism.
Elon Musk announced plans to spend between $100 million and $120 million supporting Republican candidates in the 2026 midterm elections, including backing Senator Susan Collins, despite earlier pledges to stay out of politics.
Republican Senators John Cornyn and Thom Tillis are threatening to block Todd Blanche's confirmation as attorney general, demanding written guarantees about Trump's $1.7 billion anti-weaponization fund and audit protections ahead of Thursday's committee vote.
Republican Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio publicly opposed the Trump administration's plan to deport hundreds of thousands of Haitians following the end of Temporary Protected Status, calling it a 'big mistake' that could affect over 150,000 people in Florida alone.
Vice President JD Vance is experiencing intense criticism from fellow Republicans on social media, which his allies describe as a coordinated effort to damage his prospects for the 2028 presidential election. The attacks are unusual for their intensity and early timing in the political calendar.
A rare bipartisan consensus is forming in Congress that any final nuclear agreement President Trump strikes with Iran must receive a vote in Congress, with both Republicans and Democrats insisting on legislative oversight.
Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was admitted to the hospital on Sunday morning, though his office did not immediately disclose the reason for hospitalization. His spokesperson said he is under 'excellent care.'
In a rare primary defeat for Trump, businessman Zach Lahn defeated U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra in Iowa's Republican gubernatorial primary, marking one of the few times a Trump-endorsed candidate has lost in the 2026 primary season.
Paralympic gold medalist Josh Turek won Iowa's Democratic Senate primary, while Trump-endorsed Rep. Ashley Hinson won the Republican nomination for the state's open Senate seat, setting up a competitive general election race.
Louisiana's Republican-controlled legislature approved a new congressional map that dismantles a Democratic-held, majority-Black seat, boosting GOP odds of retaining the U.S. House in November's midterm elections.
Medicaid cuts stemming from Republicans' 2025 tax law are now projected to be significantly larger than originally forecast, with estimates reaching $775 billion. This represents a major expansion of expected reductions to the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.
The House postponed votes on a Senate resolution that would compel President Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, delaying planned votes into June as Republicans struggled to find the votes to dismiss the legislation.
Republican lawmakers who initially deferred to President Trump on the Iran conflict are now facing constraints in their ability to impose war powers limitations, having missed crucial legislative milestones to establish parameters and exit criteria for the ongoing military engagement.
A key GOP lawmaker is investigating whether the American Medical Association's medical billing codes are contributing to healthcare fraud, broadening Republican efforts to combat fraud in the healthcare system.
The Pentagon announced plans to draw down 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, prompting criticism from senior Republican lawmakers who warn it undermines deterrence against Russia, while Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul expressed confidence there would be no gap in NATO's conventional deterrence capability in Europe.
The Pentagon announced withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, with Trump threatening additional cuts in Spain and Italy over disputes about the Iran war and NATO burden-sharing. The move blindsided NATO allies and drew criticism from senior Republicans who warned it sends wrong message to Russia.
Republican legislators in Florida again rejected Governor Ron DeSantis' efforts to implement state-level AI regulations, with lawmakers arguing that AI oversight should occur at the federal level rather than through state laws.
The US-Iran war reached its 60th day, triggering the War Powers Act deadline requiring Trump to obtain congressional authorization or cease hostilities, with at least three Republican senators, Collins, Tillis and Curtis, signaling they would not vote to extend the war. Senate Republicans blocked Democrats' fifth war powers resolution on April 28, though cracks are widening within the GOP as the conflict shows no sign of ending.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Sen. Jim Libby withdrew from Maine's 2026 governor's race after the state's campaign finance watchdog denied his clean elections funding application, citing numerous problems with his campaign's paperwork and allegations of fraud.
Republican John Thune unseated Democratic Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota's Senate race, winning 51 percent to 49 percent. This marks the first time a Senate party leader has been defeated for re-election since 1952.