October 2026
House Republicans appear to have an open-seat problem
ANALYSIS — With President Donald Trump’s national job approval rating hovering near 37 percent, it’s no surprise that dozens of Republican incumbents are sweating their reelection bids. But the GOP’s struggle to hold open seats might tell the story of the midterm elections. While Republican incumbents such as Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania’s 1st District and […]
National leaders crisscross the country at campaign crunch time
It’s crunch time on the campaign trail, and the president, vice president, congressional leaders and no shortage of other surrogates are out in force, trying to rally supporters to get out the vote. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the New York Democrat likely to become speaker if his party wins the majority, campaigned in New […]
Pentagon OKs second destroyer for Maine’s Bath Iron Works
The Pentagon has given the green light for the Navy to build a second Arleigh Burke-class destroyer this fiscal year at a shipyard in Maine, an announcement that could provide a boon to Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in the final weeks of her exceedingly tight race for reelection. In a news release Monday, the Pentagon […]
Trump ousts US ambassador to Greece amid corruption allegations
Kimberly Guilfoyle, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, stepped down Tuesday shortly after President Donald Trump asked her to resign her post. Guilfoyle’s ouster came on the heels of recent press reports that she had engaged in potentially improper or illegal behavior. Those actions reportedly included accepting improper gifts and services and offering to use her […]
Retiring Durbin stepped up to the plate time and again for baseball
Long before Illinois Sen. Richard J. Durbin climbed the ranks of Democratic leadership, he took an interest in the politics of baseball. Back in 1989, when Durbin was representing a Springfield-based district in the House, he lamented changes that were being proposed to the professional ranks of America’s national pastime, including railing against the potential […]
He’s retiring from the Senate. What will happen to his ‘dream’?
When Sen. Richard J. Durbin first proposed what’s known as the DREAM Act, his current interns weren’t born yet. Pagers were often used instead of cellphones, and George W. Bush was president. More than 25 years later, it hasn’t become law. And in just a few months, Durbin will leave the bill — and the […]
Plan for public military execution sparks bipartisan backlash
Lawmakers in both parties are blasting the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to livestream the execution of the man convicted of carrying out the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood. “I absolutely support the sentence of death, but live-streaming executions is what jihadists do. America is better than that,” Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., a member […]
Houchin looks to push kids social media ban in lame duck
A key supporter for an age minimum on social media is not giving up hope that such a provision could be included in a potential compromise online safety package after the midterm elections. Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind., whose original age-minimum bill was amended in committee to replace the age minimum with a related parental consent […]
Army findings inject urgency into air safety bill talks
This week’s release of a U.S. Army investigation into the deadly 2025 air crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is fueling calls for congressional negotiators to default to the Senate’s position on aviation safety legislation that’s been stuck in a bicameral standoff. The investigation, completed in May but only made public on Thursday, found […]
Background checks should be mandatory for Hill staff, Cammack says
When you land a job in most parts of the federal government or the private sector, you can expect a fairly standard step — a criminal background check. Want to work for your member of Congress? No background check necessary. Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., hopes to change that. A resolution introduced by Cammack would amend […]