September 2026
Who would this independent caucus with? ‘Everybody’
Three independent candidates made the trek to Capitol Hill this week to make a point about AI and data centers, calling on Congress to rein in a “real threat.” They also made a case for another reality — their own. “We’re all running outside of the corrupt two-party system,” said Dan Osborn, an Omaha mechanic […]
Vote on Chinese car imports bill sought as Xi meets with Trump
With China’s leader Xi Jinping visiting Washington a few blocks away, a bipartisan duo took to the Senate floor Thursday with a push to block imports of certain vehicles and parts originating in that country, calling them a national security risk that puts domestic rivals at a disadvantage. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said he’d try to […]
At the Races: Pivot time for Republicans
Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. By Mary Ellen McIntire, Daniela Altimari and Niels Lesniewski With 40 days to go before Election Day, some Republicans are seeking to separate themselves from […]
Gathering threads: The stories defining the midterm elections
Jason Dick talks with Roll Call campaign writers Daniela Altimari and Mary Ellen McIntire about their on-the-ground reporting as the midterm general election kicks into high gear; the latest batch of polling in key races; the crazy money being raised and spent; why we’re still not done with redistricting; and what to expect from their […]
Schumer, Jeffries sue to block federal agents at polls in November
Congressional Democratic leaders filed a lawsuit Thursday aiming to prevent the Trump administration from following through on statements that they are considering sending armed federal agents to polling places in November. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader […]
‘The assumption is yes,’ Thune says of another leadership run
As the Senate tries to navigate its final business before the midterms, Republicans are facing another question — who will steer the ship once they’re done? So far, they’re not straying far from their current captain, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, with no viable rival emerging as yet. “The assumption is yes,” the South Dakota […]
Permitting bill off until after midterms even as talks close in
Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., said Thursday that the process of papering, selling and voting on a potential deal to take up legislation overhauling the federal permitting system will likely push consideration to the lame-duck session in November. Speaking at a news conference, Whitehouse said that negotiators are “over the […]
Senate Finance approves Klomp nomination for HHS deputy
The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of Chris Klomp to serve as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services, which would make him second in command to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a 15-12 vote. Klomp has risen through the ranks of the Trump administration, most recently serving as chief counselor […]
Appropriators push to protect Kennedy Center from demolition
The Senate could vote on legislation next week aimed at blocking demolition of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts without congressional approval. A draft bill has bipartisan backing from the top appropriators who oversee Kennedy Center funding: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chair of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee, and Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, […]
FDA nominee evasive on abortion pill but firm on vaccine safety
Republicans and Democrats alike on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee tried repeatedly with little success to elicit opinions from the White House’s nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Heidi Overton, on health policy or a pledge to assert the agency’s independence. Throughout the hearing Thursday, Overton told senators she would “follow statutory guidelines” […]