18 U.S. presidents were governors before ascending to the nation's highest office, including nine who were elected while still serving as governor, according to data from Statista and Rutgers University.
Why it matters: Reports over the past week have added new fuel to speculation that at least three high-profile governors — Republicans Ron DeSantis in Florida and Glenn Youngkin in Virginia as well as Democrat Gavin Newsom in California — could be scoping out 2024 presidential runs.
Biden officials expect to fall short by about 100,000 refugees on their goal to resettle 125,000 in the U.S. this fiscal year, according to two sources with direct knowledge of internal estimates.
Why it matters: The U.S. refugee system was drastically curtailed by the Trump administration and has since been beset by pandemic closures. Understaffed agencies have also been tasked with handling a surge in other types of humanitarian applications from Afghans and Ukrainians.
Some key House Democrats think they've found a clever way to break Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's stranglehold on a popular bill to massively fund the U.S. chip industry at the expense of China.
What's happening: McConnell is trying to force Democrats to choose between bipartisan legislation on the stalled China competition bill and a Democrat-only reconciliation package they might reach with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).
A federal judge sentenced a Florida man on Wednesday to three years of probation for sending a death threat to Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The big picture: David Hannon, 67, sent an email to Omar in July 2019 threatening to shoot the congresswoman. He pleaded guilty in April to threatening a federal official.
Rep. Liz Cheney's newest television ad — to be released on Saturday — features the Wyoming Republican defending her position on the Constitution — and subtly taking a dig at former President Trump, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Cheney's campaign ads have so far mainly focused onher accomplishments for the people of Wyoming. This ad, however, emphasizes her position on abiding by the Constitution even "when it is politically inconvenient" — a direct stab at Trump, whom she has repeatedly argued "betrayed" the Constitution on Jan. 6.
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said Thursday that he is disappointed that former Trump administration officials did not come forward sooner with information about the Jan. 6 riot.
The big picture: Upton was one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. He announced in April that he would not seek re-election.
Donald Trump's social media company on Thursday disputed a report that the former president had left its board of directors, despite Florida state business records that suggest he did.
Why it matters: Trump Media & Technology Group is at the heart of ongoing federal and state investigations into a blank-check company with which it's agreed to merge.
A Georgia judge ruled that Republican lawmakers including Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and state Sen. William Ligon must testify before a panel focused on the Atlanta investigation of former President Trump.
But, the judge set parameters regarding what questions they can be asked.
Why it matters: This sets a precedent for any other lawmakers trying to fight subpoenas from the Fulton County DA's special grand jury focused on the broad-reaching investigation into former president Trump and his allies' efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin to 21 years in prison with credit for time already served for charges that included violating the civil rights of George Floyd, MPR News reports.
The big picture: Chauvin pleaded guilty in December 2021 to two federal civil rights charges, including the use of excessive force when he kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes in May 2020.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said Thursday that she would support a carve-out to the filibuster as a way to codify abortion rights.
Why it matters: Feinstein is a long-time supporter of the filibuster and faced pressure from her Democratic colleagues last year to back a filibuster carve-out to pass voting rights legislation.
U.S. gymnast Simone Biles became the youngest person ever to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday at 25 years of age.
Driving the news: President Joe Biden presented the nation's highest civilian honor to Biles and 16 other individuals, including former Rep. Gabby Giffords, the late Sen. John McCain and U.S. soccer player Megan Rapinoe.
The European Parliament voted 324-155, with 38 abstentions, to condemn the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade and demand that abortion rights be enshrined in the EU’s fundamental rights charter.
Why it matters: The Supreme Court's decision last month to end federal protections for abortion was widely denounced by world leaders and human rights organizations.
A New York grand jury on Wednesday indicted five people — including two current and former Department of Homeland Security officials — for their involvement in a transnational scheme to suppress critics of the Chinese government, the Justice Department announced in a press release Thursday.
Driving the news: Three of the defendants had perpetrated the operation, targeting people based in the U.S. "whose political views and actions are disfavored" by the Chinese government, such as advocating for democracy in China.
The Internal Revenue Service said Thursday that it asked the Department of Treasury's Inspector General to investigate the tax audits of former FBI director James Comey and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe, AP reports.
Why it matters: The probe comes after the New York Times reported on Wednesday that both Comey and McCabe faced invasive IRS audits, which are rare and the agency says are random.
Red River Women’s Clinic, the only remaining abortion provider in North Dakota, is suing state officials over the state's trigger ban, which is set to take effect later this summer.
The CEOs of three gun manufacturers have been called to testify before the House Oversight Committee on gun violence at the end of the month.
Why it matters: The announcement, which came days after a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, is part of an investigation into gun manufacturers that the committee opened in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting at an elementary school.
U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken told Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in a phone call on Wednesday that the Biden administration wants to see accountability for the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, U.S. and Israeli officials told me.
Why it matters: Israeli officials had hoped that Monday's State Department statement on the investigation into the death of Abu Akleh would have put the issue behind them, but Blinken's comments signal the U.S. wants the Al Jazeera journalist's case to stay at the forefront.
Boris Johnson on Thursday announced his resignation as head of the U.K. Conservative Party, but promised to stay on as prime minister until a new party leader is chosen. A historic number of government resignations, triggered by a series of scandals, had made Johnson's position untenable.
Why it matters: It's a stunning fall for a prime minister who in 2019 won a historic 80-seat majority on the back of his pledge to take the U.K. out of the EU.
The White House is bracing for Friday’s jobs report, bearing closely watched clues about what's next for the U.S. economy.
Why it matters: Late last year, release of the Consumer Price Index supplanted the employment report as the most anticipated data dump of the month. Now, with the Fed trying to navigate between growth and inflation, the details of the jobs numbers once again are front-burner.
Cassidy Hutchinson, a top aide to former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, brought in the largest live audience of the five daytime Jan. 6 hearings thus far, AP reports.
The big picture: Hutchinson testified in a surprise hearing last week, providing new information about former President Trump's role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
More associates of former President Trump could be subpoenaed in Georgia by a special grand jury investigating 2020 election interference claims, the Fulton County district attorney told NBC News on Wednesday.
The big picture: The special grand jury probing possible interference in Georgia's 2020 election issued subpoenas on Tuesday for key Trump allies, including lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) joint fundraising committee — formed at the start of the 2022 midterm election cycle — has raised $9 million for Senate Republican campaigns so far, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's no secret Cornyn is eager to succeed Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as GOP leader. The formation of the Cornyn Victory Committee (CVC) is a clear way for the Texas senator to position himself as the potential future leader and shore up goodwill within the conference.
The number of congressional districts that vote for a House representative and a presidential candidate from opposing parties has plummeted from 190 in 1972 down to 16 in 2020.
Why it matters: The stark numbers are likely a product of the shrinking number of elected Southern Democrats and worsening polarization in the U.S., as well as the decline in competitive districts because of redistricting and the clustering of like-minded populations.
Democrats around the country are launching or discussing state-formed "baby bond" programs — government-backed funds created at birth for some young Americans to access after they turn 18.
The big picture: As President Biden's economic agenda stalls in Congress, some Democrats are turning to individual states to enact social policies to address the racial wealth gap and intergenerational poverty.
Florida's Ron DeSantis is blazing a new trail for GOP governors — putting his muscle behind conservative school board candidates whoalignwith his agenda.
Why it matters: School boards have become ground zero for political fights over COVID-19 restrictions, curricula involving racism and the rights of LGBTQ students and transgender athletes. DeSantis, who's running for re-election this year, is widely viewed as a rising force in the GOP and a 2024 presidential prospect.
