Former President Trump is leaning strongly toward endorsing highly controversial Pennsylvania state Sen. Doug Mastriano for governor, according to three sources familiar with his private deliberations.
Why it matters: Mastriano — who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 — has gone beyond trying to help Trump overturn the 2020 election. He's proposed defying Pennsylvania's popular vote outcome and spoke at an event last month that promoted QAnon conspiracies.
Frank James, the man accused of carrying out a subway shooting in Brooklyn last month that injured at least 23 people, pleaded not guilty to terrorism and weapons charges during his arraignment Friday, according the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
Driving the news: If James is convicted, he could face a maximum punishment of life in prison.
Outgoing White House press secretary Jen Psaki teared up during her last briefing on Friday, thanking President Biden for the opportunity to serve in the role. "I promised myself I wasn't going to get emotional," she said.
Driving the news: Psaki said her first conversation with Biden and first lady Jill Biden was after the presidential election in November 2020.
Kathy Barnette, a Republican Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, has a social media history packed with anti-Muslim and anti-LGBTQ sentiments, as well as conspiracy theories about former President Obama.
Why it matters: Barnette's social media posts have drawn scrutiny because she has garnered a lot of buzz in the closely watched Pennsylvania race, surprising — and frightening — many influential Republicans in Washington.
A Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that the state could resume investigating parents for child abuse if they seek gender-affirming care for transgender kids.
Why it matters: The decision reverses an injunction by a Texas appeals court in March that temporarily blocked such investigations.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Friday with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu in the leaders' first conversation since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Driving the news: Austin "urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said in a statement.
A Republican lawmaker in Louisiana on Thursday pulled a bill that would have allowed prosecutors to charge a person with homicide if they get an abortion — effectively ending the chance it would become law this legislative session.
Why it matters: The bill was different from most recent anti-abortion laws, which have focused on punishing abortion providers and people who help others obtain an abortion rather than the patient themselves.
Former Vice President Mike Pence will campaign for Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on the eve of his May 24 primary against Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue.
Why it matters: Pence's decision to back one of former President Trump's most prominent GOP targets puts the fractures inside the Republican Party, and between Trump and his former vice president, on stark display.
Donald Trump has found a new way to milk his ex-presidency — and test another — hitting the lucrative motivational speaking circuit with more fervor than any other active U.S. politician in history.
Why it matters: It's a way to build support for a possible 2024 presidential bid while potentially pocketing large speaking fees as many of his iconic properties are struggling.
Georgia swing voters in the latest Axios Engagious/Schlesinger focus groups strongly support abortion rights — but say the issue alone probably won't decide who they support in November's midterm elections.
Why it matters: This could limit the effectiveness of the Democrats' plans to convert public opposition to the Supreme Court's expected overturning of Roe v. Wade into a strategy to save their congressional majorities.
The Jan. 6 committee's decision to issue five major subpoenas Thursday — two targeting potential House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan — is likely to open a Pandora's box of retaliation.
Why it matters: The GOP was alreadyplottingrevenge, and now the minority feels more emboldened than ever, Republican lawmakers tell Axios. Prepare for committee removals, retaliatory subpoenas and even impeachments should the midterms go as polls — and history — predict.
