Top GOP appropriators dominate earmarks in House bills
ANALYSIS — When it comes to congressional earmarks, the big dogs usually eat first. So it’s no surprise that House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., leads the pack on “community project funding” included in his panel’s fiscal 2027 spending bills, with $188.4 million. The No. 2 House Republican, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, comes […]
Trump continues to hold sway in Republican primaries
President Donald Trump got his mojo back with Republican primary voters Tuesday following a setback in Iowa last week when his preferred candidate lost the GOP contest for governor. Trump-backed House candidates notched wins in South Carolina and Nevada. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham overcame a primary challenge from a conservative insurgent. And South Carolina […]
6 takeaways halfway through primary season
ANALYSIS — Four more states held primaries this week, marking the halfway point of the 2026 primary season. A total of 26 states have conducted regular congressional primaries so far this year, the latest being Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina, where voters cast their ballots Tuesday. A handful of those states still have […]
GOP brings home sixth Congressional Baseball Game in a row
With their sixth consecutive win, Republicans have secured a baseball dynasty, at least on the congressional level. The GOP clobbered Democrats 11-2 at Wednesday night’s Congressional Baseball Game, buoyed by bad fielding and hot base running. Conservatives kept a steady hand on the tiller and ran the exact same starting lineup as in 2025. That […]
Lawmakers launch bipartisan efforts to address Sudan civil war
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are pushing bipartisan measures to increase U.S. support for Sudan as the country enters into the fourth year of a brutal civil war and humanitarian crisis. In the Senate, Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, with Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., on Tuesday introduced a bill to address the ongoing […]
James Gallagher sworn in to finish LaMalfa’s term in the House
Republican James Gallagher took the oath of office Wednesday, filling the seat of the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa in California’s 1st District and giving House leaders some breathing room in what has been a tumultuous year of deaths and resignations in Congress. A former state Assembly GOP leader, Gallagher ran with endorsements from President Donald […]
Democrats stick by Platner with Senate control on the line
After Graham Platner sailed to the Democratic Senate nomination in Maine on Tuesday, Democrats on Capitol Hill appeared to settle around his campaign as his progressive allies urged the rest of the party to keep their eye on winning the Senate. Platner’s victory hadn’t been in doubt, but there were questions about what his margin […]
College sports bill sparks unusual alliances
A push on Capitol Hill to craft legislation to rein in college sports amid skyrocketing costs and roster upheaval has created strange alliances across both the political and athletic spectrums, as was on display Wednesday at a roundtable hearing to rally support for the Senate’s version. The head football coaches at the University of Memphis […]
Democrats rebuff Trump pitch on surveillance authority
Senate Democrats appeared ready to reject President Donald Trump’s request for a short-term extension of a key surveillance authority Wednesday, arguing the president’s promise to eventually find a permanent intelligence head wasn’t good enough. The action deepened a legislative standoff over Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to […]
Platner clinches Democratic nod to take on Collins in Maine
Graham Platner is officially the Democratic nominee in Maine to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins this fall, easily winning Tuesday’s primary to set up what’s expected to be among the most competitive Senate races of the year. Platner was leading the primary field with 75 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the […]