Axios

Some North Carolina swing voters who'd lost faith in President Biden are expressing a renewed affinity for his leadership, according to our latest Engagious/Schlesinger focus groups.

Why it matters: If that trend holds, it could benefit Democrats in the November midterms.

A super PAC connected to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is making a major investment in Rhode Island's 2nd District, one of the bluest districts Republicans are targeting this year, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Republican candidate Allan Fung exemplifies what House Republicans have pointed to as their greatest asset this cycle and what sets them apart from their more embattled Senate counterparts: recruitment.

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), whose district is seeing a large number of migrants cross the U.S. border, excoriated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a "soulless human being" on Thursday for flying migrants, reportedly without sharing the destination, to Martha's Vineyard.

Why it matters: Escobar's reaction reflects how many Democrats and immigration advocates have reacted to the move. They've criticized DeSantis for treating humans as "pawns" in a political game — a characterization several other border members used in conversations with Axios.

Cabinet heads and White House officials will meet Friday morning to discuss a range of pressing immigration issues — including "litigation options" to respond to GOP governors transporting unauthorized immigrants from the border to other parts of the country, according to planning documents viewed by Axios.

Why it matters: News that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chartered two planes to fly roughly 50 migrants — mostly Venezuelan — to Martha's Vineyard has triggered a wave of backlash from Democrats and immigration advocates, with many condemning the move as political and inhumane.

District Court Judge Aileen Cannon on Thursday denied the Justice Department's request to exclude classified documents from the special master review and appointed former New York federal judge Raymond Dearie to oversee the review.

Why it matters: Dearie will be charged with sifting through the records recovered from former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, including the classified material the DOJ wants to access as part of its criminal investigation.

The chair of the Jan. 6 select committee on Thursday said the panel may make referrals to agencies other than the Justice Department, citing the Federal Election Commission as a potential recipient.

Why it matters: In the panel's second public hearing, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) highlighted Trump campaign fundraising emails that allegedly falsely claimed to be for an "election defense fund," but instead went to Trump's political groups.

• Lofgren said at the time Trump "intentionally misled his donors, asked them to donate to a fund that didn't exist and used the money raised for something other than what he said," but added "it's for someone else to decide whether that's criminal or not."

What they're saying: "I think we will still make referrals [to the DOJ] if they warrant. But, you know, we could be making referrals to other agencies that are not criminal in nature," Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Thursday.

• "FEC would be a good possibility, because obviously we looked seriously at some of the fundraising that went on around Jan. 6."
• Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said the committee's final report aims to "be comprehensive in setting forth both the kinds of violations we saw, and the kinds of things we think should be legal violations, but ... are not."

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, Mass. — State leaders, local volunteers and attorneys are trying to figure out next steps for the 50 or so asylum seekers who were flown Wednesday — some without their knowledge — to Martha’s Vineyard, a small island with few resources to help them.

Why it matters: Roughly 50 people are packed into the small parish house near St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown, after landing at the Martha’s Vineyard airport.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed bipartisan legislation that in part requires online platforms and services, including social media companies, to implement digital safeguards to protect users under 18.

Why it matters: California is the first state to pass such legislation, which is sure to be used as a template for laws passed by other states, Axios' Ashley Gold reports.

A Massachusetts woman was arrested for allegedly calling in a hoax bomb threat to Boston Children’s Hospital last month, the FBI announced Thursday.

The big picture: Boston Children's Hospital and other children’s hospitals have been under siege from far-right activists for providing health care for transgender and non-binary youth, Axios' Steph Solis reports.

Jeffrey Clark, a former Trump Department of Justice official, told the D.C. Bar that the DOJ is investigating him for felony violations involving false statements, conspiracy and obstruction.

Driving the news: Clark said in a filing made public Wednesday that federal investigators seized his phone and other electronic devices while executing a search warrant on his home in June.

House lawmakers on Thursday passed legislation that attempts to shore up protections for federal civil service employees.

Why it matters: The bill comes after Axios' Jonathan Swan reported on plans by top allies of former President Trump to implement "Schedule F" if elected in 2024, allowing him to replace tens of thousands of civil servant positions and career posts with loyalists.

Jackson, Mississippi on Thursday lifted its boil water advisory after Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced that clean water had been restored to the city.

Why it matters: The city has had a boil water advisory in place since July, when tests showed water quality was "cloudy." Flooding in the Pearl River exacerbated the crisis and damaged the city's water system, upending life for the city of nearly 150,000 people.

The Senate is bumping a vote on legislation to codify the right to marriage equality until after the midterm elections, senators announced on Thursday.

Why it matters: The development highlights the challenge senators whipping support for the bill have had wrangling 10 Republican votes on such a sensitive social issue in the run-up to the Nov. 8 election.

Georgia prosecutors' investigation into former President Donald Trump and his allies' efforts to interfere with the outcome of the 2020 election is expected to expand its list of targets soon, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis told the Washington Post in an interview published Thursday.

Driving the news: At least 17 people have been notified so far of being targets in the investigation, including Trump's former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and a slate of 16 potential Republican electors.

Latino workers say they are finding their voice in the resurgence of unionization across the U.S.

The big picture: The pandemic and tight labor market are empowering more workers to organize for better conditions across the country and within new companies, including Starbucks and Amazon.

Speaking in the Rose Garden on Thursday, President Biden thanked the negotiators who brokered a last-minute deal averting a railroad strike that would have crippled the nation's still recovering supply chains.

Why it matters: Biden's handling of the negotiations between the rail companies and their unions marked a pivotal moment for the administration, which had to balance its pro-labor stance with the need to avoid an economically disastrous strike ahead of the midterms.

President Biden's approval rating has recently recovered from its summer low, with 45% of Americans approving of his job performance in the latest AP-NORC Center for Public Research poll released Thursday.

Why it matters: His new rating, based on a survey of 1,054 people this month, signals momentum for Democrats before the November midterms, though the public's perception of Biden's handling of the economy and inflation still remains low.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will receive his updated Omicron-specific COVID vaccine on Friday, according to a White House official.

Driving the news: Emhoff will be the first of the four White House principals — the president, vice president, first lady and second gentleman — to receive the updated shot.

China's President Xi Jinping met with Russia's leader Vladimir Putin in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit Thursday.

Why it matters: Their first in-person encounter since Russian forces launched their Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine marks a show of diplomatic support for the Russian president after Ukrainian troops forced his forces to retreat from much of Ukraine's northeast, even as Putin acknowledged that Beijing may have "questions and concerns" regarding the war.

The House will lose its Democratic majority in the midterms, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told fellow senators earlier this week, contradicting recent comments from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Punchbowl News reports.

Why it matters: The bearish warning come as Democrats had regained some hope of maintaining their majorities after a recent slate of good news for the Biden administration — including falling gas prices and a big legislative win.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called his friend Donald Trump "a lying mother----er" but "a lot of fun to hang out with," according to "The Divider," by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, out next Tuesday.

Why it matters: Graham said it with "a what-can-you-do shrug," the authors report — the mindset of so many Trump allies and enablers.

Early Thursday morning, after 20 hours of talks, the White House announced that a looming rail strike was averted and a tentative deal struck between the freight rail operators and their unions. The run-up to the agreement had businesses — and the economy — on the brink.

Why it matters: The negotiations, which started in 2019 but reached a fever pitch this week, were the latest issue to pop up in the game of supply chain whack-a-mole we've played for two-plus years.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sent two planes of undocumented migrants to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts on Wednesday, joining Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in sending migrants to sanctuary cities, Fox News first reported.

Why it matters: It's an escalation of Republican governors' standoff with President Biden over his immigration and border policies — aimed at forcing predominantly Democratic-run states to grapple with social safety-net issues.