Even after last week's massive victories, Democrats are still divided on how to parlay that victory into future wins... puck.news/how-democrat...

1 year until the midterms. Republicans say it will be nothing like 2018. Trump's unfavorable is steady and the generic ballot favors Dems but by far less than 8 years ago. Dems counter that this will be an economy election and Trump is way underwater. puck.news/2026-midterm...

Lots o'news on shutdown: - Outlines of bipartisan talks: vote to open, vote(s) on ACA, Nov 21 (end of CR) is another leverage point - Some GOP senators perplexed why Thune initially backed "rifle shot" - Many fed up House GOP plan to come back next week puck.news/government-s...

Nine months into Trump’s 2nd term, the House speaker and Senate leader are relinquishing many of Congress' powers to the president. “I think it’s fair to say that most of our leadership class in this country has bent the knee,” one G.O.P. senator told me. puck.news/mike-johnson...

Sen. Mike Rounds and I chatted about A.I., the shutdown and more. In the "more" part of the interview, he said it's a problem that he, a member of Senate Armed Services Committee, hasn't spoken to Pete Hegseth since he was confirmed. Lots more here: puck.news/mike-rounds-...

Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive future mayor of New York, still hasn’t received the endorsements of his fellow New Yorkers Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. It speaks volumes about Democratic insecurities: Is Mamdani the future of the party, or a midterm liability? Both? puck.news/why-schumer-...

Back in March, the Senate Democratic leader feared a shutdown would unshackle Trump to run roughshod over what remains of Congress’s funding power. His predictions are now coming true—but Dems feel fine. puck.news/how-trump-is...

"Republicans say that the farmers aren't happy - but Republicans are very unwilling to speak up very loudly against this." @lacaldwelldc.bsky.social and @stephruhle.bsky.social dig into how the Trump bailout of Argentina could affect American farmers - and what Republicans have to say about it.

As Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly broken with Trump and the G.O.P. on issues from Israel to Epstein to Obamacare, her posturing might be about something much bigger than frustration with her party... puck.news/why-democrat...

House Freedom Caucus & Speaker Boehner resignation: 10 Years Later ... Hear clips and get great inside expert history and analysis from @lacaldwelldc.bsky.social & @pkcapitol.bsky.social ... In NEW episode C-SPAN Radio podcast "The Weekly." www.c-span.org/podcasts/sub... Or wherever you get podcasts

Stephen Miller is one of Trump's most loyal and trusted advisers, responsible for a wide slate of controversial policies. But his standing among Republicans on Capitol Hill isn't great, with many telling me he's going to far... puck.news/are-republic...

After a year of drift and division, the Dem Party’s sudden unity over healthcare as a redline in the government shutdown offers a way forward for 2026. Strategist @adamjentleson.bsky.social offers his candid observations on the shutdown, tactics, and the Schumer of it all puck.news/adam-jentles...

Lots of shutdown nuggets here: The real story behind Russ Vought’s nuclear threat, how closely Dems are watching the polls, Sen. Shaheen’s effort to end the shutdown, and Rep. Thompson’s disappearing act. puck.news/government-s...

Trump's poll ratings, including on the issues that propelled him to victory in 2024, are quite bad. But there are no signs of Republicans, even those in tough districts, breaking from him. This is why.... puck.news/why-republic...

Many have noticed that the Texas senator has been displaying an unusual amount of independence from the White House lately. It's about 2028 AND the future of the Republican Party...And JD Vance. puck.news/whats-behind...

With a few exceptions, GOP on the Hill are avoiding talking about Trump’s demands to shut down broadcast networks, cancel comedians, sue newspapers, and prosecute speech. “We don’t love it,” one said. But mostly they’re waiting to see if things get worse. puck.news/the-deafenin...

It's been a tough slog on the Hill. Anger after Kirk's assassination. Schumer and Thune couldn't lock in a noms deal. Internal D strife on noms. Homeland Sec approps can't meet b/c they are so at odds. All bodes poorly for keeping the gov't open. puck.news/senate-chaos...

Ezra Klein has become something of a spiritual advisor for Capitol Hill Democrats, many of whom have him on speed dial. So when he calls for a shutdown in the pages of the Times, and attendant multimedia channels, lawmakers actually listen—and agonize. puck.news/will-dems-li...

Then my @puck.news partner and pal @lacaldwelldc.bsky.social chopped up the return of Congress to DC after recess, Epstein & RFK Jr developments on the Hill, and the prospect of a govt shutdown on Oct 1. open.spotify.com/episode/3tAX... podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i...

This appears to be the the MAHA report recommendations, expected to be released later today. (Even though it says "embargo" in the name, it was sent to me by a source and I was never part of any embargo.) It proposes a lot of studies. puck.news/wp-content/u...

Washington remains divided between Trump-adjacent Silicon Valley accelerationists who want to advance A.I. at all costs, and skeptical lawmakers from both parties, who warn of unforeseen risks. I dig into what's at stake and how their power is wielded puck.news/whats-next-f...

The GOP is lurching toward an explosive showdown with Democrats and each other over the president’s so-called pocket rescissions. How the Sen. Thune handles the blowback, and a looming government shutdown, could impact the midterms and the future of Congress itself. puck.news/previewing-j...

Next week, Congress will be tasked with confronting Trump's increasingly socialist experiment. Republicans blocked Democrats from an Intel-like agreement in 2022. Plus, the noms fight is brewing. A GOP working group is planning for Senate rules changes. puck.news/why-trump-st...

The bare-knuckled Republican brawlers who once struck fear and trembling inside the House have become sidelined during the second Trump administration. Now, increasingly, they’re showing themselves out. And many House Republicans aren't sad about it. puck.news/house-freedo...

Trump and allies are in the middle of a persuasion campaign to convince Indiana GOP to redistrict. Gov. Braun is "between a rock and a hard place." His legislature doesn't want to do it but he needs federal approval for roads and Medicaid. puck.news/the-redistri...

ICYMI: The spending disparity in the Texas Senate primary b/w Jonn Cornyn and Ken Paxton is 🤨 Paxton is beating Cornyn, after all. But one operative said that Cornyn improving in the polls is exactly what Paxton wants. puck.news/john-cornyns...

MAGA congresswoman MTG has made a career out of defending Trump. But lately she’s started to break with the president she still calls her favorite. Are her followers still with her? puck.news/marjorie-tay...

Sen. Josh Hawley said he didn't know who misrepresented his stock trading bill to the president, which prompted that angry post. I found out. puck.news/inside-trump...

ICYMI what happened over the weekend in the Senate. It wasn't pretty and it doesn't bode well for the fall. I have all the details here: puck.news/senate-pre-r...

Sen. Chuck Schumer is facing down the prospect of another government funding fight before he’s even recovered from the last one. Right now, his caucus is divided. Schumer will have to unify it and his career, and the midterms, will depend on it. puck.news/chuck-schume...

Epstein fallout continues: Some Republicans asked me why Rep. Brian Jack, who is close with Trump, voted w/ Dems to subpoena the DOJ. So I found out. Plus, a tense convo b/w Rep. Higgins and Johnson over Epstein and frustration over a lack of a strategy. puck.news/gop-house-me...

Speaker Mike Johnson touted GOP unity this week. They are anything but. B/c of Epstein. - The Rules Committee refused to meet. - Leadership couldn't control the GOP angst - And some fear it will lead to a gov't shutdown More.... puck.news/house-republ...

Why Sen. Susan Collins dropper her amendment to scale back the recissions bill from $9 billion to $6.5 billion and what it means for the appropriations process.... puck.news/collins-back...

I sat down with @repangiecraig.bsky.social last week at Ned's Club DC. We spoke about why she urged Dems to vote for the crypto bills, the broken farm bill coalition and the future of the Dem Party. puck.news/rep-angie-cr...

Trump's perplexing reversal on the Epstein case has tested Teflon Don. It may not matter in the midterms, but it’s “the first real example of Trump’s base attacking him,” a Republican strategist said. “This softens him up for the next time he crosses them” puck.news/why-trumps-b...

Midterms are getting underway. I have the latest on how Trump is thinking about endorsements for both Cornyn and Cassidy and any House Republican wanting to run statewide. puck.news/the-senates-...

Amid the Trump administration’s assaults on the Government Accountability Office, House Republicans have largely sided with the White House over their own watchdog—the latest sign that they would rather abrogate their own constitutional powers than disagree w/ the president puck.news/what-article...

A blunt conversation with a Republican and corporate influence insider about why businesses were blindsided by the Big Beautiful Bill, and how “America First” renewables beat wind and solar in the energy tax wars. puck.news/how-k-street...

The House is on the verge of passing the tax and spending bill. I detail how hawks and centrists and populist in the House and Senate fell in line behind Trump's bill, with relatively little fight. puck.news/how-the-big-...

Confirming @sangerkatz.bsky.social that Collins got the $50 billion hospital fund in the updated version of the Bill. I had been hearing rumors that if Murkowski votes for it then leadership was more optimistic that Collins would vote for it, too. This is obviously a big incentive for her

A lot here: - Why Tillis decided against reelection (his top campaign aide didn't know) - BBB is making GOP angsty about the midterms - Dems are winning the BBB messaging war. But Priorities USA found that the people that need to hear the message aren't puck.news/the-latest-m...

Cassidy says he won't vote for Kaine's war powers bill, says pres has authority b/c of nuclear weapons. He was one of 7 GOP sens still in office who voted for a similar Kaine res in 2020. Cassidy also needs Trump for his reelect and he's trying to repair that relationship puck.news/war-powers-z...

Puck’s @laurensherman.bsky.social has the scoop on the fashion at the wedding of the century—from specifics of Anna Wintour’s involvement, to the designer Lauren Sánchez will be wearing down the aisle:

That time when @juliaioffe.bsky.social and I explain why Trump attacked Iran now and why Democrats are focusing on demanding Congressional authority. (Hint: they can avoid saying if they agree with strikes or not.) puck.news/why-did-trum...

Trump is withholding endorsements for senators who may need them to hold on to their seats. It's a tactic meant to help ensure their support for the BBB. The fear of a primary still trumps the risk in a general of voting for an unpopular bill --> puck.news/how-trump-is...

I sat down with @schatz.bsky.social last week. We talked about immigration raids, DOGE, Medicaid, Democrats path back to power and what he would do about the filibuster if he becomes Dem Whip. Full convo is here 👇 podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...

Trump is determined to win the A.I. race, especially against China. But his Big Beautiful Bill and his proposed budget would not only hinder A.I. advances but does next to nothing to guard against social and economic disruption. puck.news/trumps-mixed...

ICYMI: I sat down with @schatz.bsky.social last week where he told me that he thinks Congress can un-DOGE some USAID programs, that anarchists are not part of the Dem coalition and more... puck.news/senator-bria...

NEW: After Sen. Fetterman's dinner with Steve Bannon, Democratic aides phones were ablaze with texts wondering what it all meant, and whether Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro could remove and replace him for failing to fulfill his job duties. puck.news/john-fetterm...

NEW: The “most transparent administration in history” has choked off the information flow down Pennsylvania Avenue, doling out intel as a reward to allies while choking off info about what’s happening at USAID, or even who’s running the C.D.C. puck.news/the-trump-ad...