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Congressional Republicans have seen a bounce in generic polling against Democrats after passing tax cuts last month. A new CNN poll tightened the margin to 5 points — with Democrats at 49% and Republicans at 44%. The same poll showed Democrats leading by 18 points last month.

Why it matters: The GOP is banking its 2018 hopes on the tax law, and while it's far from universally popular it is making a difference. A 5-point deficit is still bad, though at least the sky isn't falling. One thing that should be worrying: that CNN poll has those excited about turning out for the midterms favoring Democrats by 15 points.

More on that trend:

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Trump tells House GOP leader he wants a "big deal" on COVID relief

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Within a day of tweeting that he was calling off bipartisan talks for a coronavirus stimulus deal, President Trump phoned House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and indicated he was worried by the stock market reaction and wanted a "big deal" with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, per two sources familiar with the call.

What we're hearing: Trump was spooked after seeing the instant drop in the stock market and intense backlash to his tweet, and has since directed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to push for a more comprehensive relief bill before the election.

Medical ethics in pandemic times

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

The COVID-19 pandemic is rife with scientific and medical uncertainty, including debates about the ethics of using experimental treatments.

The big picture: As the global pandemic continues, the tension between providing the best available care for patients and performing trials to determine whether that care is effective risks complicating the medical response.

White House again refuses to disclose Trump's last negative coronavirus test

Photo: Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

White House communications director Alyssa Farah declined to tell reporters when President Trump last tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday, saying that "the doctors would like to keep it private."

Why it matters: It marks at least the eighth time since Trump tested positive for the virus one week ago that White House officials have refused to disclose the information. The detail could help determine when he contracted the virus, who he exposed and the timeline of his illness.