History bears out the political trope that the president’s party loses seats in the midterms: there’s rarely been an exception in modern elections.
Why it matters: Both Democrats and Republicans are gearing up for an intense midterm season this fall, expanding their battlegrounds with the elections only about six months away. A Democratic loss would inhibit President Biden from passing the rest of his political agenda.
It turns out spam filters have their own partisan divide.
Driving the news: New research shows Gmail was substantially more likely to mark Republican fundraising emails as spam during the heat of the 2020 campaign, while Yahoo and Outlook disproportionately flagged Democratic ones.
The next four weeks — leading up to an annual Victory Day celebration in Moscow — are a crucial and intensely dangerous period in Russia's war on Ukraine, U.S. officials and others familiar with Russian military history tell Axios.
Why it matters: May 9 is a major holiday in the Russian Federation, with the country closing down each year to mark its World War II victory over the Nazis. That makes it a deadline with significant symbolism in Russian domestic politics.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the U.S. must return to a state of energy independence during an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," saying the Biden administration must "take the shackles off of domestic production."
Why it matters: During an interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan earlier this week, McConnell highlighted domestic energy production as a key policy priority in 2023.
Jan. 6 Select Committee Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday disputed a New York Times report that claimed the panel is divided on whether to make a criminal referral to the Department of Justice on former President Trump for his actions during the insurrection.
Driving the news: A New York Times report out Sunday claimed the panel is split on a referral even though members have concluded they have enough evidence to do so.
Former President Trump'ssurprise endorsement of TV's Dr. Oz on Saturday in the Republican U.S. Senate primary in Pennsylvania is a gamble, and a substantial test of his endorsement power.
Why it matters: If Mehmet Oz's chief rival for the nomination, Dave McCormick, wins anyway on May 17, people will say the words Trump hates most: "He did it without Trump."
A bipartisan group of lawmakers arrived in Poland this weekend to meet with U.S. forces and allies in the region.
Driving the news: During a stop in Warsaw, the group — led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as Poland's defense minister and the U.S. ambassador to Poland, McCarthy's office announced in a press release Sunday.
At another stop in northeast Poland, the delegation met with Ukrainian refugees, Ukrainian officials and civil society members, as well as U.S. troops.
The 10-person delegation was made up of McCarthy and seven other Republicans, including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Michael Turner (R-Ohio), Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.) and Mike Garcia (R-Calif.).
Two Democrats, Reps. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.) and Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), also took part in the delegation.
What they're saying: “The whole world is watching what’s unfolding in Ukraine,” McCarthy said in the press release. “We see the atrocities being committed by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, and more importantly, we see the bravery of the Ukrainian people."
"We are here — as representatives of the United States — to ensure we are doing what is right to support Ukrainians as they defend themselves and their democracy," he added.
McCarthy lauded Poland as "an indispensable strategic partner"before adding that,“our visit today should serve as a powerful message to Putin that we condemn his unprovoked attacks. Evil cannot win.”
"This is just heartbreaking to see the effects of people who are fleeing the war, with just the belongings that they could grab. With their young kids, perhaps just trying to seek safety," Turner told Fox News Digital on Sunday after touring a Polish refugee facility.
This map shows 2020 (pandemic era) poverty data, with concentrations in Appalachia, the South, Southwest and South Dakota.
The big picture: The U.S. economy is emerging from the pandemic with more well-paying jobs for those who want them, less hunger, less poverty, higher wages, less inequality, and more wealth for everyday Americans, Axios reported in September.
Australia will hold a federal election on May 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Sunday morning local time.
Why it matters: Morrison's coalition has a one-seat majority in the House of Representatives and polls indicate Anthony Albanese's opposition Labor Party will defeat Morrison's center-right Liberal-National coalition government, per the BBC.
Authorities in Texas say they've charged a 26-year-old woman with murder for allegedly causing "the death of an individual by self-induced abortion," AP reports.
Driving the news: Lizelle Herrera was arrested Thursday and held at the Starr County jail in Rio Grande City, near Mexico, until Saturday, said La Frontera Fund, an abortion assistance group in the Rio Grande Valley that campaigned for her release.
Former President Trump made a surprise endorsement of Mehmet Oz, better known as Dr. Oz, in the closely watched race for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania.
Trump said Oz has the best chance of winning the general election: "He has lived with us through the screen and has always been popular, respected and smart. ... Women, in particular, are drawn to Dr. Oz for his advice and counsel."