Republicans woke up "in shock" Wednesday morning after they got hit with the biggest midterms wave in 50 years. Within hours, that shock was turning into rage. Why it matters: The battle for control of what's left of the Republican conference — headlined by Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Oho) — is the first salvo in a quest to bring GOP lawmakers back from the political wilderness. Johnson set the tone Wednesday morning, when he took himself out of the running for leader, citing the toll the job has taken on his family. A key outstanding question is the extent to which Republican finger-pointing leads to a wholesale shake-up of the party's leadership ranks, versus a slight readjustment. Driving the news: The intra-party blame game quickly hit a fever pitch. "Dear Republican Senate and House "Leadership," No, the polls were not wrong. You were. Even with record amounts of money at your disposal, you managed to get absolutely annihilated," Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) wrote on X Wednesday morning. "Please do us all a favor and step aside so new leadership can take a truly conservative direction," Steube added. "When you have the worst defeat in modern history, you need a new playbook," another GOP lawmaker told Axios. State of play: The fallout is rippling across the entire House GOP leadership team, with every top position facing a contested race. Minority leader: Scalise and Jordan are squaring off in a rematch of their bitter 2023 battle for the speakership. Minority whip: Tom Emmer faces a challenge from Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas). NRCC Chair: Rudy Yakym and Brian Jack will face off for the post. Current NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) is on track to lose his own reelection bid. Zoom in: Behind the leadership infighting, Republicans are reckoning with what went so disastrously wrong on Election Day, with some blaming the Trump administration's policies for their losses. "Iran, Iran, Iran ... we should have never done
Results for “mike johnson”
Women candidates won enough races Tuesday to set a new record for Democratic women's representation in the U.S. House — among other historic firsts in Congress and governor's races nationwide. The big picture: The spike for Democratic Women's Caucus members in the House alone marks an increase of more than 60% since 2016. At least 100 Democratic women and 16 Republican women have won House seats as of Wednesday morning, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. The total is expected to climb for candidates across both parties, with dozens of races still uncalled. What they're saying: "Despite Republican attempts to silence us and take away our rights, we have built a coalition in Congress that is bigger and more powerful than ever," DWC Chairwoman Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) said in a statement. "We smashed through a glass ceiling," she added. "Because of the hard work of so many, Congress will look more like America." The intrigue: Women veterans are poised to make gains in Congress after 38 ran in Tuesday's general election — up from 21 in 2024, per civic organization With Honor Action . Several Democratic women veterans are leading in competitive House races that could flip Republican-held seats. In South Carolina , retired Navy Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, who was removed as chief of the Navy Reserve under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leads Republican Jenny Costa Honeycutt in the race for former Rep. Nancy Mace's seat. In Arizona, Marine veteran JoAnna Mendoza leads Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani. In Ohio, Air Force veteran Kristina Knickerbocker leads Republican Rep. Mike Turner. The AP had not called any of the three races as of Wednesday morning State of play: Democratic women could gain powerful committee chair positions as control of Congress shifts. Currently, just one woman chairs a standing House committee: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who leads the powerful Rules Committee. She's locked in a razor-thin reelection r
House Speaker Mike Johnson told Republican aides that he would step down, according to a person familiar with the comments, after the party suffered heavy losses in the midterm elections.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) will announce his bid to lead House Republicans on Wednesday, a person familiar with his plans told Axios, as his party begins to regroup from stunning midterm losses that cost them their congressional majorities. Why it matters: Scalise's announcement sets up a potentially bruising battle for the minority leader post, with Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) also being floated as a potential contender. It's Scalise's second attempt at the top House Republican job. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told staff that he will not run for minority leader on a Wednesday morning call, a person familiar with his plans said. Driving the news: Scalise pitched himself as a leader positioned to bring Republicans back into the majority "He is a proven and tested leader who is ready on day one. He's spent his career unifying Republicans and he is prepared for the big legislative and oversight battles ahead. The conference knows him, how he fights, and that he's a trusted leader," the person familiar with his plans said in statement. Catch up quick: Scalise defeated Jordan in the Republican conference's secret-ballot vote to nominate a speaker in October 2023, but withdrew a day later after failing to secure enough support on the House floor. Johnson ultimately emerged as speaker after weeks of Republican infighting. State of play: A Scalise-Jordan race would pit two of the House GOP's most prominent figures against each other. Scalise enters the contest with more than a decade of experience in leadership, while Jordan could draw support from the party's conservative wing. But the scale of the loss on Tuesday night has prompted calls for an entirely new leadership slate — a potential stumbling block for Scalise. Three House Republicans previously told Axios that a major midterm defeat could fuel calls for an entirely new leadership team The intrigue: Majority Whip Tom Emmer, meanwhile is making calls to lock down support from him to stay
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) plans to step down as the House's top Republican after his party's epic midterm election losses wiped out their majority, according to a person familiar with his plans. Why it matters: Johnson's exit touches off a potentially contentious scramble to replace him with Republicans days away from choosing their next leaders. Johnson told staff that he will not run for minority leader on a Wednesday morning call, the person familiar with his plans said. Driving the news : House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) have been floated as potential successors, setting the stage for a bruising leadership battle. Johnson's political future remains uncertain, with questions swirling over whether he will remain in Congress or leave the House altogether after three years as speaker. The Louisiana Republican had spent months traveling across the country and raising millions of dollars in a last-ditch effort to preserve the GOP's majority. Flashback Johnson ascended to the speakership in October 2023 as a little-known lawmaker after weeks of GOP turmoil following Kevin McCarthy's historic ousting . Johnson spent much of his speakership navigating razor-thin Republican majorities, managing persistent GOP infighting and repeated conservative rebellions that brought legislative business to a standstill. But he also emerged as a prolific fundraiser and close Trump ally, helping shepherd the president's legislative agenda through a fractious Republican conference. Yes, but: Johnson had publicly insisted he intended to remain in Republican leadership even if the GOP lost control of the House. After suggesting to Fox News , that he could return to Shreveport and start a lawn care business if Republicans lost the majority, Johnson told CBS News in October that he planned to remain the top House Republican regardless of the election's outcome. His political future had become the subject of private speculation am
Democrats' big night gives them a chance to turn voter anger over high energy prices into legislative action and congressional oversight, but divisions within the party could complicate their plans. Why it matters: This was an energy election . High gasoline prices, record diesel costs, and rising power bills fueled discontent with President Trump and his party. Voters' rebukes of data centers could slow the buildout of power-hungry AI infrastructure. The latest: Stunning Senate wins in red states and House wins nationwide propelled Democrats to control of both chambers, and flipped several governor's mansions. Energy costs were prominent in key races, such as Democrats hitting GOP rivals over farmers' bills in Iowa, Kansas and Ohio. Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa (D) bashed Greg Abbott (R) over his prior embrace of data centers in the state where developers are planning big projects. The data center backlash also featured in Ohio and Pennsylvania, where Sherrod Brown defeated Sen. Jon Husted (R) and Paige Cognetti unseated Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R). Both Republicans faced criticism over their support for data centers. State of play: A detailed Democratic energy agenda hasn't emerged, but there are early clues. Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer tied Republicans to electricity costs in his first comments after returns came in. Likely Speaker-in-waiting Hakeem Jeffries has vowed to quickly push an affordability agenda, with energy as a key pillar. He tasked Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.) and Mike Levin (D-Calif.) with leading a "Gas and Utilities Affordability Working Group" that crafted ideas, though they remain under wraps. Another potential source of ideas: Hundreds of proposals backed this year by the 100-plus member House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition. Some could gain bipartisan backing, like support for advanced nuclear power. But other areas would be largely symbolic, like restoring some IRA tax credits. Catch up quick: In the Senate, Schumer has
Texas woke up red on Tuesday and went to bed blue. Why it matters: Just months ago, Democratic campaigns in the MAGA heartland appeared quixotic — obligatory more than realistic. Now those Democratic candidates have swept to power, led by two state representatives from liberal Austin — James Talarico , soon to be seated in the U.S. Senate, and Gina Hinojosa , who will take her place in the new year in the governor's mansion. Zoom in: The Democratic victories were comprehensive. State Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin) unseated three-term Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, per the Associated Press. Democrat Nathan Johnson , a state senator from Dallas, defeated Republican Mayes Middleton, state senator from Galveston, in the race for attorney general. What they're saying: "We shocked the world tonight. With a Texas chip on our shoulder, we showed the world that anything is possible tonight," Hinojosa said. "We just took back Texas," Talarico told his supporters. What happened: An unpopular president and high gas and grocery prices deep-sixed red-state GOP candidates across the country. But the Texas GOP was further hampered by an unpopular U.S. Senate candidate (even members of his own party impeached him) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. And Greg Abbott, who had served as governor since 2015, was unwilling to debate his gubernatorial opponent. Meanwhile, the Democrats were disciplined, with Talarico and Hinojosa staying on message about affordability even as their Republican opponents tried to make the race about social issues. Follow the money: Republicans went down despite a rescue mission from Elon Musk, who gave north of $150 million in support of Paxton's campaign in a single quarter this year — and gave at least $5.5 million to Abbott's campaign this cycle. The big picture: The Democratic wins have huge implications for the 2028 presidential race. Democrats have proven, after years of flailing, that they could win statewide in Texas, potentially putting the Lone
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan's closely watched U.S. Senate race, the Associated Press projected. He will become the nation's first Muslim senator. Why it matters: El-Sayed's win shows how an unapologetically progressive candidate can win in a battleground state President Trump carried just two years ago. The two candidates competed for the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, with Republicans hoping to flip a seat Democrats have held for decades. But the GOP failed in its endeavor — and already lost its Senate majority. The race took a stunning turn in its final days, when Democratic U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, who narrowly lost the August primary to El-Sayed, endorsed Rogers . The move sparked furious backlash from Democrats and prompted several of Stevens' staffers, including her chief of staff, to resign. The big picture: El-Sayed, a former Detroit health director, ran on a progressive platform centered on Medicare for All, taxing billionaires, and reducing corporate influence in politics. His victory comes after a contentious Democratic primary and a bitter general election campaign that featured personal attacks over his background, medical credentials and Muslim faith. Rogers, a former congressman and FBI agent who narrowly lost a 2024 Senate bid, sought to portray El-Sayed as too extreme for Michigan . El-Sayed cast Rogers as a Washington insider aligned with Trump. Trump himself escalated the attacks in the final stretch of the race, questioning El-Sayed's loyalty to the U.S., and making unsubstantiated allegations of extremist ties. El-Sayed rejected the accusations. Between the lines: El-Sayed's win offers progressives a powerful new argument in the Democratic Party's debate over how to win back voters. Zoom out: Both candidates put affordability at the center of their campaigns, but offered sharply different solutions. El-Sayed called for universal health care, tackling medical debt and higher taxes on
SHREVEPORT, La. — The GOP's election-night defeat has unleashed a wave of finger-pointing inside the House Republican conference, with members questioning whether Speaker Mike Johnson or any of the other top deputies can survive next week's leadership elections. Why it matters: Johnson spent months insisting Republicans would defy the odds and keep the House. But after losing the majority, he cast the defeat as all but inevitable, an explanation unlikely to satisfy Republicans ready for a new leadership slate. One House Republican told Axios that every member of GOP leadership will face a challenger because of the election results. Another said the losses have created a major opening for Republicans looking to challenge the current leadership team. A third said they no longer see a path for Johnson to remain atop the conference. Driving the news: At Johnson's election-night watch party in his hometown of Shreveport, the mood grew increasingly somber as it became clear Democrats would secure the House majority. Johnson remained offstage until just before 11pm eastern time, even after networks projected Democrats would win control of the chamber. In a soundtrack to the GOP's election-night defeat, White on the Ground by the Kruse Brothers played over the speakers to a subdued crowd just before Johnson took the stage. "It's only happened twice in 90 years that a sitting president has picked up or held seats for his party in that first two-year cycle," Johnson told supporters Tuesday night. "It's very, very difficult to overcome, and it looks like history will be kept here tonight." Behind the scenes: House Republicans were already privately unloading on their leaders Tuesday night, with some arguing the scale of the party's losses demands a change at the top. "I think Iran, ICE, inflation, fuel prices, lack of focus on pocketbook issues all played a part of this," one member told Axios. Asked for a vibe check, one member simply texted Axios: "Brutal." The scale of the
Mr. Ossoff, the Democratic incumbent, was an aggressive anti-Trump campaigner. He beat Representative Mike Collins, a Republican.
Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens has requested U.S. marshals' protection after the Democrat told authorities she had received death threats for endorsing Republican Mike Rogers in the swing state's hotly contested Senate race, two senior Trump administration officials tell Axios. Why it matters: Stevens' surprise decision Sunday to switch her endorsement to Rogers over Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed was the biggest political story of the midterm campaign's final days. Stevens — who lost to El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate primary — was widely criticized by Democrats after siding with Rogers, and her top staff members resigned. "She has received death threats and reached out to the Marshals Service," one of the officials said. "There's a process to go through but she's a member of Congress and we expect her request will be fulfilled." Zoom in: Stevens' support for Israel and his criticism of the Jewish state was a major dividing line in their primary campaign. Stevens objected to El-Sayed's ties to controversial progressive streamer Hasan Piker and an ad by a PAC tied to Piker's uncle, Cenk Uygur, blaming Israel for rising grocery prices. El-Sayed disavowed the ad, but Stevens said she believed he hadn't done enough to address her concerns and didn't want her help on the campaign trail. The dispute came to a head when she was told she was no longer welcome at El-Sayed's campaign events. Stevens announced her endorsement of Rogers after appearing with him at a church service on Sunday. Stevens could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The big picture: The political environment in Michigan has been volatile this weekend. On Monday, the New York Post reported a former El-Sayed staffer was one of several anti-Zionist activists federally indicted for allegedly terrorizing members of Michigan's Jewish community. On Sunday, a conservative Jewish activist was attacked by a progressive activist at a University of Michigan event where organizers were criticizing Islam. On
Voting is underway across the country Tuesday in a midterm election that could decide whether President Trump gets two more years of unified Republican rule — or faces a potential Democratic check on his power. Why it matters: The results will be the clearest national test of Trump's second presidency , following war abroad, economic anxiety at home and sweeping changes in Washington. Trump, facing all these challenges, has made himself the face of the Republican campaign for control. State of play: As voters head to the polls, the Trump administration is zeroing-in on the Alaska Senate race. The Department of Justice has sent more than a dozen target letters as part of its investigation into the Dan J. Sullivan campaign, which has been the subject of Trump's ire for several days. It's an escalation into the Trump administration's push for answers in the race where Democrats reportedly conducted an organized effort to recruit another "Dan Sullivan" to join Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) on the ballot. The Justice Department's move comes as the White House is circulating Election Day talking points across the administration, touting Trump's accomplishments as the GOP braces for a tough evening that could see them lose both the House and the Senate, according to some forecasters. Trump has been a massive force on the campaign trail, rallying in several states for his Republican picks. The president has claimed to voters that he is on the ballot this year, making the election about his policies and actions — despite his dismal polling ratings, plagued by the Iran war and economic anxiety. Trump spent the morning of Election Day criticizing Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and the Daily Mail in various social media posts. Zoom in: Voting machine glitches and hiccups popped up in various spots of the country Tuesday, including in the high-profile New York House race between Rep. Mike Lawler (R) and Democratic nominee Cait Conley. Otherwi
Endorsing his opponent while the US risks plummeting into fascism, she reveals the one issue that triggers her to take destructive action “Did you talk to anyone? Did you have a long night of the soul? Were you up all night? ... Did you have a dream?” Interviewing the Michigan US representative Haley Stevens on CNN on Sunday, Anderson Cooper was casting about for explanations. What caused the Democrat’s radical change of heart between a Saturday night promise to her House colleague Debbie Dingell that she would stand with the Democratic Senate candidate Abdul el-Sayed and a public endorsement Sunday morning of his Republican opponent, Mike Rogers? Continue reading...
Voting machines across New York's Westchester County are rejecting paper ballots on Election Day, raising concerns about potential delays in one of the nation's most competitive House races. Why it matters: Results could be delayed for one of the country's most prominent House races, between Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Democratic nominee Cait Conley, as officials address a problem with paper ballots. Driving the news: The Westchester County Board of Elections said Tuesday it was aware of a problem preventing voting machines from accepting paper ballots at polling locations throughout the county. The Board of Elections said it is speaking with New York State officials and the Westchester County government "to address this issue and ensure that voting continues with as little disruption as possible." The cause remains unclear. Election officials initially blamed the thickness of paper ballots but later removed that explanation from their statement, per reports. New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote on X that her office is monitoring the issue. What they're saying: Lawler said officials were working with vendors to resolve the problem, while Conley reassured voters that their ballots would count. Westchester County government wrote on its website: "Let us be absolutely clear: Every eligible vote will be counted." What we're hearing: Voters in the county told Fox 5 NY that they had to fill out paper ballots instead of using the machines. Voters said their ballots were placed in a security box. Other voters shared discontent with the ballots issue on social media . Katie Miller , wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, claimed on X: "This is how the Left steals elections. Mike Lawler's competitive district and they are turning away voters." Context: The county covers roughly 30% of New York's 17th District, which Lawler represents. The contest has emerged as a key battleground race in Democrats' push to gain control of the House. Zoom out: The ballot-scanning pro
Republicans see Michigan as a key Senate seat to flip. Our reporter Christine Zhang breaks down the race between Abdul El-Sayed and Mike Rogers.
Republicans don't know if they'll lose big or small on Tuesday, but they're already bracing for an epic blame game. Why it matters: Privately, Republicans acknowledge it's not a complicated version of Clue. The leading suspect: Mr. President, in the Oval Office, with an assortment of weapons — and one war. Returning Republican senators are unlikely to blame President Trump publicly. There's a price for that. And don't expect Trump to shoulder the responsibility. But do expect departing GOP lawmakers to take shots at Trump or his team, and Trump to fire back at Senate Republicans, whom he's never been shy about torching. The irony of Trump's second midterm: With Republicans privately resigned to losing the House, Trump can still credibly claim victory if they hold the Senate. "It's Donald Trump's midterms. He gets all the credit if we win. He gets all the credit if we lose," one national GOP strategist told Axios. The Iran war: From Alaska to Maine, Trump's decision to go to war with Iran — and the resulting spike in gas and diesel prices — has become a major political liability for Republican Senate nominees. "It's not tariffs … it's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said at a closed-door fundraiser in September, Axios reported last month . Tariffs: Trump's trade policies have compounded Republicans' affordability problems, particularly in farm country, where producers have faced higher costs and uncertainty over export markets. "We need to end this tariff war now," former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) , the GOP Senate nominee, said in an October campaign ad, breaking with Trump over his tariffs on Canada. Bad candidates: Trump's preferred nominees are also drawing blame, GOP strategists tell Axios. Paxton in Texas and Sen. Darline Graham in South Carolina have forced Republicans to spend heavily defending races that should have been easier — and where the party had other options. Complacent incumbents: Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Ka
Stevens’ decision sparked fierce backlash from members of the party, while Donald Trump praised the sudden switch Michigan Democrat Haley Stevens’ shocking last-minute endorsement of Mike Rogers, a Republican Senate candidate, has sparked fierce backlash from members of her party. Stevens, who narrowly lost in the Democratic primary for Senate to Abdul El-Sayed, announced her support for Rogers after a feud with the El-Sayed campaign over an outside group’s campaign ad that blamed the high cost of living on US support for Israel. Continue reading...
Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s former opponent in the U.S. Senate primary, Haley Stevens, has stunned party officials by endorsing Republican Mike Rogers
Some House Democrats want Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) expelled from their caucus after she crossed party lines to endorse Republican Mike Rogers for Senate on Sunday. Why it matters: It would be an extraordinary step that reflects the deep internal resentment towards Stevens within her own party. "I hope she doesn't return to work on Tuesday," Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) told Axios, saying Stevens should be removed from the caucus. "Agreed," Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) told Axios, arguing the endorsement "doesn't accomplish anything except hurt[ing] Haley" and that "she got bad advice." "I'd support that," Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) said of removing Stevens from the caucus. Driving the news: Stevens infuriated colleagues on Sunday by endorsing Rogers over Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who defeated Stevens in the Senate primary in August. Stevens, a pro-Israel moderate, had been urging the more left-leaning El-Sayed to more forcefully denounce a super PAC ad partially blaming U.S. aid to Israel for rising prices. Stevens said the ad claimed "Jews are responsible for America's economic woes." El-Sayed pushed back in a statement saying Stevens "seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago." Stevens attended church with Rogers on Sunday and released a video to social media endorsing him. The two also held a joint press conference. What we're hearing: There has been private discussion about moving to oust Stevens, a senior House Democrat said, telling Axios, "That's what people want." Stevens was also removed from several House Democratic text chains, the senior lawmaker said. A second House Democrat told Axios: "I've heard people invoking the rule about not endorsing against Democrats." "Endorsing a Republican in a tipping point state is ridiculous, especially from a Democrat ... She should be removed from our caucus altogether," a third House Democrat said. Yes, but: Not everyone is on board with the idea — even those frustrated at Ste
Rep. Haley Stevens has pulled her endorsement of her party’s nominee Abdul El-Sayed, and has announced she is now backing his Republican opponent Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race. NBC News’ Liz Kreutz reports.
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on Sunday, a major shake-up in the final stages of a top battleground race that could determine which party controls the Senate.
Ms. Stevens, who lost to Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, once fashioned herself as one of Mr. Rogers’s fiercest critics.
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) faced fierce backlash from fellow Democrats, party officials and her own staffers after endorsing Republican Mike Rogers for U.S. Senate on Sunday. Why it matters: It's a stunning reversal in standing for Stevens, who came within a few percentage points of being her party's nominee for Senate in Michigan just months earlier. "Pathetic, petty, selfish, unhinged," Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios of her endorsement of Rogers. "You run out of words." Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.) said of the video Stevens posted to social media announcing her endorsement and her joint press conference with Rogers: "I've seen more pleasant self-immolations." State of play: Stevens' endorsement of Rogers came after her long-running feud with Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed reached a boiling point over the weekend. El-Sayed, a leftist who narrowly defeated the more moderate Stevens in the Senate primary in August, said in a statement on Friday that Stevens "seems intent on relitigating a primary that ended three months ago." Stevens had been pressing El-Sayed to more forcefully condemn an ad from an outside super PAC that suggested U.S. aid to Israel was partly to blame for rising prices. Stevens, in her video endorsing Rogers, said that El-Sayed "said that I was no longer welcome in his campaign, and that I should stay away," adding, "He's right. ... I don't belong in Abdul's campaign." What they're saying: Stevens' Democratic colleagues met her endorsement with shock and fury. "I am lost for words," Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.) told Axios. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) said in a text to Axios: "WTF!!??" "I JUST SAW THIS BULLSHIT," Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) texted. "There is too much on the line for BS like this." "What the fuck is she doing?" another House Democrat said. "This election is not about her, and this will not age well." Zoom in: "I'm dumbfounded that Haley told me one thing last night and changed her mind today," said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D
Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., endorsed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, a major shake-up in the final stages of a top battleground race that could determine which party controls the Senate.
Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) appeared Sunday at Detroit's Perfecting Church alongside Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers , praising his support for Black-owned businesses just two days before he faces the Democratic nominee she previously endorsed. Stevens then tweeted an endorsement for Rogers. Why it matters: The appearance gives Rogers a striking moment as his party tries to peel away Black and Jewish voters in a tight race that could determine control of the Senate. Driving the news: Stevens' appearance with Rogers came after plans for her to attend a Detroit church service alongside Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) collapsed. Her appearance with Rogers was arranged at the last minute after the two spoke this morning, per a person familiar. The intrigue: A video posted by Detroit journalist Sam Robinson showed Stevens entering the church and praising Rogers . Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), who helped organize the original planned appearance with El-Sayed, told CNN she asked Stevens not to attend because the dispute had become distracting. Stevens narrowly lost the August Democratic primary to El-Sayed but endorsed him afterward. Catch up quick: The bitter primary rivalry erupted again last week when Stevens' fiancé, Jason Turkish, announced he would vote for Rogers, citing concerns about El-Sayed's rhetoric on Israel. Stevens subsequently demanded that El-Sayed condemn an outside group's ad linking U.S. support for Israel to higher grocery prices, and remove a campaign ad featuring Tucker Carlson. El-Sayed accused Stevens of re-litigating the primary. On Saturday, he explicitly rejected the outside ad's contents, prompting Stevens to welcome his remarks. What we're watching: Michigan voters choose between Rogers and El-Sayed on Tuesday, with Democrats facing a crucial test of whether they can reunite their coalition.
Voters are turning against the Republicans. But the clearest possible message is needed to safeguard democracy The psychologist Jennifer Freyd identified a pattern often used by perpetrators: deny, accuse, and reverse victim and offender. More than one observer has noted that Donald Trump employs that pattern politically. With polls suggesting Republicans are likely to lose the House and perhaps the Senate too in the midterms, the man who refused to accept Americans’ democratic verdict in 2020 is hawking a narrative of cheating Democrats who will steal seats via illegitimate votes. The January 6 insurrection showed how acute the peril to American democracy had become. It is more so now. This time, Republican efforts to undermine the results began well in advance. In 2020, Mr Trump’s vice-president, Mike Pence, the attorney general, William Barr, and others refused his most outrageous demands; now the justice department is supine. And the supreme court’s gutting of the Voting Rights Act , which safeguarded against the worst kinds of racial discrimination, means that states no longer require pre-approval for decisions that could well tilt a race. Districts have already been redrawn. Continue reading...
Representative Haley Stevens, who has been in a growing feud with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, appeared with the Republican nominee, Mike Rogers.
Republican congressman’s support of many of the president’s policies has infuriated some of his constituents The Republican congressman Mike Lawler is in danger of losing his seat next week . Again. In the last two elections, Lawler, 40, has defeated Democratic opponents in New York ’s 17th congressional district – one of the closest-run battlegrounds in this year’s midterms – with moderate policies. Continue reading...
One man’s campaign finance operation in Wisconsin exemplifies the opacity of the US political funding system In the summer of 2024, a non-profit called the Green Dragon Coalition wired the last $20,000 of a $445,000 grant to a Super Pac . Its tax return for that year would describe the purpose of the transfer as “educational”. The same day, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, the Super Pac spent $8,000 attacking Celeste Maloy, the Republican congresswoman for Utah’s second district, four days before the primary that would decide whether she kept her seat. It had already spent more than $400,000 promoting her challenger, Colby Jenkins, who was running to her right with the endorsement of the rightwing Utah senator Mike Lee. Continue reading...
On the eve of midterms, President Trump is facing setbacks left and right in his push to investigate alleged election fraud . But in Georgia, he has an opening. Why it matters: Six years ago, Georgia was at the epicenter of Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Now the state's own election board has invited his administration to investigate its voting system. Georgia features two high-stakes statewide campaigns: Sen. Jon Ossoff (D) against Rep. Mike Collins (R) for Senate, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) against businessman Rick Jackson (R) for governor. The big picture: The Justice Department disclosed in court on Friday that the administration has sent letters to officials in California, Washington, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Nevada, asking some states to segregate mail-in ballots from suspected noncitizen voters. A federal judge on Friday issued an emergency order that blocks federal officials from threatening to charge election officials who count ballots from voters the DOJ claims are ineligible. In October, a federal judge restricted the Department of Homeland Security's investigations into suspected noncitizen voters. But Georgia is different . "We've managed with duct tape and bubble gum to be able to bootstrap our way through one last round, but that's not a way of running elections," a Georgia election official told Axios. Georgia's State Election Board asked the Justice and Homeland Security departments to review and potentially investigate the state's voting system and handling of election data. The Sept. 30 letter cited outdated software, threats to ballot secrecy and QR-code ballots it says may violate the Help America Vote Act. A DOJ spokesperson said in response to the letter: "We take seriously allegations that election officials have failed to adequately maintain election equipment and otherwise comply with federal law. We are evaluating the request and will investigate and, if appropriate, bring an enforce
“We had a primary, right?” Dr. El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, told reporters. “I understand that some folks are upset about that. I get it. But I’m here trying to beat Mike Rogers.”
Once among the NFL’s most punishing running backs, Larry Johnson opens up about memory loss, intrusive thoughts and his fears over football’s lasting toll In his heyday, Larry Johnson was the NFL tailback you’d least want to line up against, the steamroller in pads who had defensive players and coaches questioning their life choices on every down. But since Johnson walked away from pro football in 2011, after seven seasons in the league and an All-Pro run with the Kansas City Chiefs, he’s the one doing the soul-searching, grappling with the toll all that gridiron glory has taken on his brain. Johnson, who still cuts a fit and formidable figure at age 46, can scarcely recall his glittering career, much less its highlights. “I go up to maybe 2006, 2007,” he tells me. “Anything before or three years after, I really don’t remember.” Continue reading...
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is endorsing a trio of insurgent Democratic candidates who are challenging his fellow California House Democrats, Axios has learned. Why it matters: This is an aggressive move by a potential 2028 presidential contender who styles himself as one of the few Democrats willing to get into direct confrontations with the party establishment. He has backed members of the progressive "Bloc" who have refused to commit to voting for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as speaker. This is territory where even other high-profile House progressives — including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), another potential 2028er — have largely refused to tread. Driving the news: "Today I'm endorsing three new generation leaders Angela Gonzales-Torres, Eric Jones, and Mai Vang," Khanna said in a statement first shared with Axios. Gonzales-Torres, a former local elected official challenging Rep. Jimmy Gomez, "will join us in our fight against corruption, to stand up for survivors, and to lead with a moral vision," Khanna said. Khanna said he has known Jones — a venture capitalist running against Rep. Mike Thompson — "for many years," calling him "a change agent who understands the working class and building a better life for those left out." Vang, a Sacramento City Council member running against Rep. Doris Matsui, "will call out the genocide in Gaza, be for taxing billionaires, and stand for Medicare for All and the working class," Khanna said. Between the lines: Khanna said he has a "tremendous respect and admiration," for Thompson, 75, who has been in office since 1999. "But voters are crying out for change." Khanna said of Matsui, 82, who has held her seat since 2005: "I respect Doris Matsui's incredible service to our state and nation. This is the time to pass the baton." Jones is 35. Vang is 41. Khanna did not reference Gomez, who is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct. Gomez has admitted to "person
Pike is recovering in isolation at the infirmary at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, where she's been held for decades.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) suggested Thursday the state could withhold certification of the U.S. Senate election results if Democrat Mary Peltola wins. Why it matters: Withholding certification could complicate Peltola's path to the Senate, as Republicans investigate allegations that Democrats recruited a candidate with the same name as GOP incumbent Dan Sullivan . Driving the news: Asked during an interview with NewsNation whether he would certify the election if Peltola wins while the matter remains under investigation, Dunleavy stopped short of committing to do so. "We're going to investigate it. We're going to follow the law," Dunleavy said, adding that any findings of illegal conduct "may in fact impact whether somebody is seated in the U.S. Senate." He said the matter would involve discussions with Senate leadership and that officials would need more information before determining "whether we send something down or not." Pressed on why he had not given an unequivocal yes, Dunleavy said: "We're going to ensure that we aren't going to send a scam to Washington." For the record: Peltola has denied any involvement in the alleged scheme. What they're saying: "Dunleavy's threat to overrule the will of Alaskan voters exemplifies what Alaskans hate about partisan politics and shows why he's the least popular governor in the country," a spokesperson for the "Alaskans for Mary" campaign said in an emailed statement Thursday night. "Mary won't be intimidated by Dunleavy, Sullivan, or any of their DC allies who are trying to steal this election from Alaskans before votes are counted — and she's going to win this race by focusing on solutions to Sullivan's price hiking policies and putting Alaska first." The big picture: House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) is investigating allegations that Democratic operatives recruited another candidate named Dan Sullivan to draw votes away from the Republican incumbent. President Trump accused Democrats and Peltola's
Alaska's tight Senate race is facing a new controversy over two candidates named Dan Sullivan appearing on the ballot — a twist that's drawn attention from President Trump . The big picture: The controversy is adding uncertainty to one of the nation's most competitive Senate contests, with control of Congress on the line in next week's midterm elections. Catch up quick: The New York Times reported this week that Democratic operatives with ties to Mary Peltola's Senate campaign helped recruit a candidate named Dan J. Sullivan to challenge Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan. Trump accused Peltola and Democrats of election fraud and called for criminal prosecution, though the Times did not establish that any laws were broken. Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into Peltola's campaign over the NYT report. House Republicans are also launching an Alaska Senate race probe. Though the presence of two Sullivans in the Senate race has been known for months, the Times' report adds a new wrinkle to a dispute that's already reached the courts. Here's what to know about the controversy. The same-name Senate race controversy The controversy centers on two candidates with nearly identical names appearing on Alaska's Senate ballot: Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and unaffiliated challenger Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. The ballot will show registered Republican "Sullivan, Dan S." and unaffiliated candidate "Sullivan, Daniel J. Jr." Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes will also be on the ballot. The challenger initially filed as a Republican but later changed his registration to undeclared. He will appear on the ballot without a party label. Flashback: Concerns about the duplicate names have existed for months. In June, a top Alaskan election official ruled that candidate Daniel J. Sullivan was ineligible to run on the state's primary ballot. The official said she found the candidacy was "filed with a purpose to confuse or mislead and to thereby compromise the ballo
President Trump accused Democrats and Mary Peltola's campaign of fraud and perjury Wednesday after the New York Times reported that Peltola aides helped recruit another candidate named Dan Sullivan. Why it matters: The revelations add a new twist to Alaska's tight Senate race, where a second Dan Sullivan on the ballot could complicate the Republican incumbent's reelection bid. Zoom out: "Mary got in this race because Alaskans deserve a champion who is fighting to lower their costs and put Alaska first, and no tweet or threat from any DC politician will keep her away from that fight," an "Alaskans for Mary" spokesperson said in a Wednesday night email. "The Alaskans for Mary campaign has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign." The campaign confirmed no assertions have been made in federal court about how Dan J. Sullivan's candidacy came to be or who was involved in his decision to run. Driving the news: The New York Times reported Wednesday that Peltola campaign aides worked with a veteran Democratic operative named Jerid Kurtz, whom the Times described as experienced in ballot-related political tactics. A Peltola staffer was reportedly told to search for every Dan Sullivan in the state. The effort ultimately located Dan J. Sullivan, a retired teacher who registered as a Republican shortly before filing to run for office, per the Times. Dan J. Sullivan previously said he voted for Democrats in the last three presidential elections. He later changed his party registration to undeclared and will appear on November's ballot without a political party label. The latest: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered an investigation into Peltola's campaign Wednesday as a result of the Times report, posting on X that: "Alaskans have a fundamental right to vote for the candidate they actually intend to support." "Deliberately tricking voters into casting their ballots for someone else strikes at the integrity of our elections," he said. Peltola called the Times report a distracti
President Trump seems to think he can save a vulnerable Ohio Republican senator's ass by talking about how strong it is. Why it matters: Republicans are getting hammered over the war in Iran, gas prices and data centers. But they're playing along with Trump's ogling of male candidates, which he's described as an election strategy. "I don't do this with men very often. I started examining his body because I didn't know he was a great athlete. And I looked and I watched up and down and I looked at his ass," Trump said of Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) at an Ohio rally. "My wife and I have a good sense of humor, and we know he's doing all he can to help us win," Husted told Axios. "We have made sure to hit the gym during the busy campaign to uphold the high standards the president has set for us." Zoom in: In five rallies over three weeks across the country, Trump gave a head-to-toe appraisal of his most vulnerable Republican senator. "His ass was like a big piece of muscle," Trump said in Michigan last week. "Then I looked at his legs and I said, 'Man, his feet are big,' " Trump said in North Carolina. Polling has shown Husted narrowly behind or tied with former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), and Republicans view him as the most vulnerable GOP incumbent. Zoom out: Husted is getting the most love, but he's not alone. "You know, he's a very handsome guy," Trump said about Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) at a Montana rally earlier this month. "I like the white hair, I like the big, strong build. Big, strong guy." Trump said of Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), who is running for Senate in Georgia. Trump called him "all man." "I actually think that Rick Jackson's a very handsome, distinguished, beautiful-looking guy," Trump said about the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Georgia. "Look at this beautiful guy," Trump said of House candidate Ed Gallrein (R-Ky.). Trump called him: "Central casting." Between the lines: Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has also joined the fun: "I know tha
Democrats will happily tell you how good they feel about retaking the House on Tuesday — just as soon as they stop hyperventilating into a paper bag. Why it matters: They've been burned too many times on Election Day to feel anything more than "nauseously optimistic," as one House Democrat put it to Axios. The polls point to a decisive Democratic victory on Nov. 3, yet fears of a massive polling error or some other eleventh-hour disaster are giving party members sleepless nights. "One woman at a rally in New Jersey told me last week that she was 'nauseously optimistic,'" Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) told Axios. "That may capture a lot of people's last-minute jitters." A House Democrat who has spoken to leadership told Axios: "They feel optimistic. You know, guarded. Guarded optimism. Where we're going to end up, you never know." State of play: Democrats are targeting dozens of Republican-held seats they think could flip, some of which President Trump carried by 10, 15, even 20 percentage points in 2024. Democrats' House Majority PAC, for instance, went on the air Wednesday in retiring Rep. Elise Stefanik's (R-N.Y.) district, which Trump won by 21 points. They also began spending against Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.), who won his last reelection with 60% of the vote. HMP is so bullish it has moved money out of the races to replace retiring Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) and Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), which they believe Democrats are on track to win handily. "I am cautiously optimistic we win between 20-25 seats," Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told Axios. Democrats' landslide scenario puts them closer to 40 or 50 pickups, which would be a historic night for the party. Yes, but: Mid-decade redistricting in Republican-controlled Southern states is all but certain to cut into those gains. The GOP is expected to easily flip redrawn seats in Tennessee and Louisiana where the incumbent Democrats chose to retire rather than face uphill reelection battles. Democratic lead
Republicans fear that Vivek Ramaswamy 's explosive attack ad featuring his opponent's estranged mother could cost them the Ohio governor's race, based on new internal polling that shows him falling further behind, Axios has learned. Why it matters: The poll's findings underscore Republicans' anxiety over Ramaswamy's decision to air the deeply personal attack on Democrat Amy Acton despite warnings from some fellow Republicans that it crossed a line. Driving the news: The private poll, commissioned by a Republican group and obtained by Axios, found Acton leading Ramaswamy by eight points — up from a two-point lead in the same poll earlier this month, before the ad began circulating on Oct. 19. The ad "is having a significant effect on the gubernatorial race," a memo attached to the poll states. Catch up quick: The ad at the center of the controversy features Donna Arthur, Acton's estranged mother, who accuses her daughter of lying about her childhood and urges Ohioans not to vote for her. Acton has said she was sexually abused by her stepfather when she was 12 and that her mother sided with her abuser. The stepfather was charged with sexual assault but fled to Pennsylvania, where he died in 2004 as a fugitive. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother's custody. Acton has said she hasn't seen her mother since 1978. Zoom out: As Axios first reported , Ramaswamy's campaign treated the ad as a game-changer in the campaign for governor, committing $4 million to airing the commercial statewide despite warnings from other Republicans that it could backfire. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), who worked closely with Acton when she was the state's health director, said that airing the ad was wrong and urged Ramaswamy to take it down. But President Trump and Vice President Vance backed Ramaswamy. Vance told the bipartisan critics of the ad to "stop whining." The intrigue: The new poll done for Republicans indicates that the ad was indeed a game-changer — just not the type R
President Trump has increasingly singled out Muslim politicians and communities in a bid to rally his base in the final push before election day. Why it matters: Trump's comments could energize some Republican voters in close races, but the strategy could alienate those who see the rhetoric as fearmongering or discriminatory . Driving the news: Trump's Monday appearance at a Michigan rally for GOP Senate candidate Mike Rogers included several barbs at Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed's Muslim faith. Trump suggested that El-Sayed posed a security threat, saying, "He would be the only senator that will have to go through a metal detector before he's allowed to go into the Senate." He also called El-Sayed a "jihadist," baselessly claimed the Senate candidate wants to impose sharia law in Michigan, and again accused him of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed has repeatedly denied ties to extremist groups, and no evidence has emerged linking him to the Muslim Brotherhood. His campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Between the lines: Republican political consultant Dennis Darnoi told Axios that Trump's rhetoric "doesn't really move the needle one way or the other" in Michigan, where voters have heard similar language before. Darnoi says the strategy could "energize and mobilize" Trump's base. But it could also discourage Jewish and Black Democrats who backed El-Sayed's primary opponent, Haley Stevens, from supporting him in November. "It's not always about winning, but if you can minimize the size of your loss and then go into more Republican areas and gin up your turnout and gin up your margin of victory, then you can win a very close statewide race." By the numbers: About 38% of Michigan likely voters said they would be less likely to support a Muslim candidate, according to a Michigan State University poll released Monday. But 58% said a candidate's being Muslim would make no difference, while 52% said a Trump endorsement would make them less l
President Trump and MAGA-world influencers are echoing Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro's claims of a rigged election after the Trump-aligned populist fell to the incumbent president in Sunday's election. The big picture: President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's runoff victory has been widely seen as a counterweight to the global right's surge in Latin America. But Bolsonaro, like his father , isn't accepting defeat. What they're saying: "It looked like another rigged election, frankly," Trump told reporters Monday. He added, "Elections have to be indisputable, and it looked very bad to me." The White House did not respond to Axios' request for comment. Friction point: Bolsonaro told reporters it was "impossible to recognize the result of this election in the context of how these things have happened," according to a translation . He also vowed to ask for the results to be annulled. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin's two-hour extension to Sunday's voting has fueled Bolsonaro's claims. Zanin previously served as Lula's lawyer. But both Bolsonaro and Lula's camps requested more time for voters. Lula's team requested the extension because of public transit issues, while Bolsonaro sought additional time in certain states because of weather, Bloomberg reported . The extension was reportedly given as many polling stations were already wrapping up. Multiple outlets noted that the decision risked setting the stage for candidates to dispute the results, despite Brazil's voting system being widely recognized for its reliability. Zoom out: Several prominent voices in the online MAGA movement backed Bolsonaro's refusal to accept the election results, and some urged the Trump administration to act. "The math just ain't mathin'," podcaster Benny Johnson said in a Monday edition of his show where he criticized the election results. He was joined by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who argued Brazil looked like "a banana republic." Former Trump
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are living out their midterm nightmares — with nominees they didn't want and former colleagues they no longer control. Why it matters: Together, Schumer and Thune are stuck with five Senate races in which their party establishments thought they had a better chance of winning with someone else. 🤠 Texas: Thune's efforts to stop Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from winning the party's Senate nomination failed. Now Republicans are spending more than $329 million to defeat state Rep. James Talarico— and it's still a nail-biter. 🍑 Georgia: GOP leaders couldn't convince Gov. Brian Kemp to run. The eventual nominee, Rep. Mike Collins, has struggled to keep pace with fundraising juggernaut Sen. Jon Ossoff (D). GOP money is in retreat. 🦞 Maine: Schumer endorsed Gov. Janet Mills, but Graham Platner's implosion left Democrats with backup Troy Jackson against Sen. Susan Collins. ⛴️ Michigan: Abdul El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens and made a name for himself nationally. But he won by just one point even though primary polls showed him up by double digits. He's now polling within the margin of error against the GOP nominee, former Rep. Mike Rogers. 🏈 Minnesota: Peggy Flanagan ran as a progressive, said she would not support Schumer as leader and bested establishment-backed Rep. Angie Craig. But Cook Political Report moved her race against former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya toward Republicans even as it shifted other races toward Democrats. To make matters worse, Thune's and Schumer's former colleagues are creating fresh headaches by boosting candidates across the aisle. Former Sen. Joe Manchin, who flipped to independent in 2024 after being elected as a Senate Democrat, is campaigning for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), as Semafor reported. Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema , who also flipped from Democrat to independent before leaving office, is boosting Republican Jay Feely in her hom
Sydney and Mike Jensen thought they were on solid financial footing. Their cars were paid off, the mortgage was under control, and they both had full-time jobs. Then came a series of unexpected expenses and like so many families, their costs now exceed their earnings. They want their two young children to have less of a struggle in the future, but worry about what is happening with the cost of living.