Several House Dems were targeted on Signal about two months ago from an account purporting to be California Gov. Gavin Newsom, asking them to give him a call.

• The apparent phishing attempt targeted members of the California delegation, multiple members told us.
• Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told us that "no one went all the way through with it to the point of being compromised, but people came close."

Why it matters: Yesterday's Signal fiasco has spooked Capitol Hill, where the app is an indispensable tool for sensitive discussions. Some members use it exclusively to communicate.

• One House Republican told us they changed their Signal display name to just their initials and removed their photo from their profile in the wake of the story.

Zoom in: A House Democrat told us members are being more "cautious for sure" in their use of Signal since the story broke.

• A senior House Republican said it is serving as "a good reminder to people to be buttoned up with their communications."

The bottom line: Several lawmakers in both parties stressed that most members know better than to use unsecured apps like Signal to transmit classified or highly sensitive national security information.

• "I've never seen a member of Congress, who aren't necessarily the most responsible fish in the barrel ... share classified information over Signal," said House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.).
• "Don't put classified [information] on it," said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).

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— Andrew Solender

House Dems are afraid of next year's midterm primaries, and some are skeptical their leaders will help.

• 😱 A centrist, swing-district House Dem told us they personally expect to be challenged and said the left is "going after people they think aren't progressive enough ... going after the moderates."
• 😤 "People are scared, anxious and pissed," a progressive House Dem told us on the condition of anonymity.

Why it matters: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has a policy of backing incumbents in primaries.

• But progressive Dems say he did the bare minimum for former "Squad" Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, who were primaried in 2024.
• Said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.): "We believe that incumbents should be protected, we all pay into the DCCC. I think sometimes that doesn't happen. The frontliners get protected, and everyone else gets, you know."

The discontent cuts multiple ways: A senior House Dem said there's a feeling the DCCC "does nothing to help people in primaries" and that there is "a real rift coming ... in this caucus" on the issue.

• Justice Democrats, a left-wing group that helped Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) primary an incumbent House Dem in 2018, is renewing its efforts to unseat incumbent Democrats this cycle.

Zoom in: Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), the first Gen Z member of Democratic leadership, predicted "a lot" of primary challenges soon to come. Some have already started.

The bottom line: Jeffries acknowledged the grassroots frustrations yesterday, saying "there is a lot of energy, a lot of angst, a lot of anxiety."

• "There is definitely a feeling that the younger energy is reinvigorated. And obviously we've seen leadership ... encouraging that," said a House Democrat who spoke anonymously.

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— Andrew Solender

New NRSC Chair Tim Scott is talking with Trump on how to defend GOP incumbents and avoid nasty GOP primaries, he told us in an interview for Axios' What's Next Summit.

Why it matters: The senator says there's no doubt the NRSC will support incumbents, even if they draw a mega-MAGA challenger. But it's virtually impossible to win a primary if Trump turns on them, he acknowledged.

• "So we want to make sure that the president and I are on the same page on these issues," he said.
• Scott said he aims to boost the Senate's 53-seat majority to 55 next year and welcomes any financial resources from Elon Musk to make that happen.

Zoom in: Scott's comments on incumbents could provide some assurance for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who has a primary challenger. He is one of three remaining GOP senators who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial.

• When asked again to clarify that the NRSC will protect Cassidy in particular, Scott said, "We're going to play in all of the races — all of our primaries."
• The other Republican senators to watch for primary challenges are Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.) and John Cornyn (Texas).

Between the lines: Scott had dinner with former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu last night and said he has expressed more interest but isn't locked in for the state's upcoming Senate race.

• Scott expects a decision from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp within 60 days, and said while they have been talking to three candidates who are already in elected office as backup, "if [Kemp] runs, he wins."

— Stef Kight

National security adviser Michael Waltz's fist, American flag and fire emoji combo (👊🇺🇸🔥) response to strikes on Yemen — as revealed in yesterday's secret Signal fiasco — is even a meme on Capitol Hill today.

• "From now on when we do things where we agree, I'll just hold this up rather than giving a really big long speech," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.).

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