August 2026
Wildland firefighting bill gains steam as smoke reaches Congress
Wildfire smoke drifting into Washington, D.C., from the Western U.S. and Canada this summer made it hard to ignore the national threat stronger wildfires pose to lawmakers’ constituents across the country. As a result, a bipartisan coalition led by Western lawmakers has a better shot this year at enacting legislation targeting wildfires at their source […]
Democrats’ gripes with Iran war grow as conflict nears six months
Democrats’ litany of grievances with the Iran war is growing as scandals have mounted in recent weeks and the war drags on toward the six-month mark. Reports of unbearable living conditions aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb U.S. ally Oman if it interferes with U.S. plans in the […]
Wyoming Republican Chuck Gray poised to succeed Hageman in House
Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray vanquished eight competitors Tuesday to win the Republican primary for the state’s at-large House seat, putting him on a glide path to succeed Rep. Harriet M. Hageman next year. But the power of President Donald Trump’s endorsement suffered another setback in the Cowboy State, with his preferred candidate for […]
Crypto bill in limbo as stakeholders ramp up recess efforts
A five-week wait on a crucial Senate vote on major cryptocurrency legislation has opened wide a window of opportunity for both advocates and opponents of the measure, which would flesh out in greater detail a regulatory framework for the still-nascent industry’s U.S. operations. Just before the Senate adjourned for its summer recess earlier this month, […]
Rating changes: 10 of 11 races shift toward Democrats
ANALYSIS — With less than three months to go before Election Day, control of both chambers of Congress remains in play. While Democrats lack many guaranteed pickups, there continues to be growing softness or vulnerability for Republicans on the outskirts of the House and Senate battleground. President Donald Trump’s low job approval rating is creating […]
At the Races: Heat’s on in Florida
Welcome to a special edition of At the Races! Throughout the 2026 primary season, watch for these updates from the CQ Roll Call campaign team on what you need to know for Election Day. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. By Mary Ellen McIntire, Daniela Altimari and Nick Eskow A […]
Ethics Committee announces inquiry into California Rep. Jimmy Gomez
The House Ethics Committee announced Monday it is investigating Rep. Jimmy Gomez over sexual misconduct allegations, including “inappropriate sexual contact with a House staffer.” The California Democrat has been facing public allegations of misconduct for months, with the New York Post reporting in April that he was spotted in 2023 kissing a staffer who worked […]
Wealthy House candidates eye payoffs in Florida Republican primaries
More than a dozen House candidates in Florida have poured over $1 million into their campaigns ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections, a CQ Roll Call analysis of fundraising reports shows. The investments — by 14 Republicans running for eight different House seats — come after the GOP-led state Legislature approved a new congressional map this […]
Alaska Senate candidates attempt to link each other to Epstein
By Robert Farley ANALYSIS — In Alaska’s tossup Senate race, Democrat Mary Peltola has put out a new ad misleadingly accusing Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of casting “the deciding vote” to keep the Epstein files “hidden.” While Sullivan voted against considering an amendment to an otherwise unrelated bill that would have released the files earlier, he, […]
Trump paints Blakeman as tough on crime with cops as backdrop at New York rally
President Donald Trump took his midterm campaign tour to New York’s Long Island on Friday, seeking to boost an old friend running for governor and Republicans looking to flip two light-blue House seats. A native New Yorker, Trump was in Garden City ostensibly, to help Bruce Blakeman, the Nassau County executive who is running to […]