Axios

Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) won the Los Angeles mayor’s race Wednesday against billionaire developer Rick Caruso, per AP.

Why it matters: Bass’ victory in the closely watched race between two ideologically opposed Democrats shows that LA voters prefer an institutional Democrat over a political outsider to solve the city’s homelessness crisis.

The Respect for Marriage Act, a bill to codify protections for same-sex and interracial marriage, on Wednesday cleared a major procedural hurdle in the Senate after garnering enough support from Senate Republicans.

Why it matters: A motion to proceed to debate on the bill passed 62-37, more than the 60 votes needed to break a Senate filibuster, signaling the legislation has the support to pass the chamber.

At least 32 transgender and gender non-conforming people have been killed in the U.S. in 2022, according to a new annual report published Wednesday by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Why it matters: This year has been marked by a "shocking wave of anti-transgender legislation" nationwide, with 34 states introducing more than 145 anti-trans bills, the largest number recorded by the HRC in a state legislative session.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference Wednesday that "people just need to chill out a little bit" when discussing the GOP civil war and a potential 2024 matchup with former President Trump, Bloomberg reports.

Why it matters: DeSantis, a potential 2024 candidate for the Republican party, has faced a number of attacks recently from Trump, who launched his own 2024 campaign Tuesday night.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will continue to lead the Senate GOP after gaining enough votes from his Republican colleagues to beat back a challenge by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), the outgoing chair of the Senate GOP’s campaign arm, made less than 24 hours ago, per McConnell's spokesperson.

Why it matters: It's still McConnell's conference, even as the Republican Party continues to splinter following an underwhelming showing in last week's midterms elections.

The man accused of stealing a plane and threatening to crash it into a Mississippi Walmart has died while in federal custody, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said Wednesday.

Driving the news: The pilot, Cory Patterson, was found unresponsive at the Federal Detention Center (FDC) in Miami on Monday, the FBP said.

The Biden administration warned in a new court filing of "an historically large increase" in federal student loan delinquency and defaults without its forgiveness plan.

Why it matters: The program's fate is still undetermined in the wake of numerous legal challenges as the years-long pause on loan repayment is set to expire in December.

Former President Trump, who continues to spread baseless lies about his 2020 defeat, began an unprecedented comeback bid by declaring his 2024 campaign for president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday night.

Why it matters: Trump — the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice, most recently for incitement of insurrection — changed American politics with his unconventional governing style and undeniable grip on the GOP. But his third presidential run comes as Republicans are reevaluating his role as the face of the party following midterm failures and ongoing controversies.

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily stayed a decision that would block the Biden administration from expelling migrants without the chance for asylum under the Title 42 policy.

The latest: The Department of Justice filed a stay motion on Tuesday night requesting a five-week delay before ending the use of Title 42.

The new Democratic and Republican senators took class pictures at the Capitol on Tuesday:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer welcomes Sens.-elect Peter Welch of Vermont (left) and the towering John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell poses with (from left) Sens.-elect Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.

Go deeper: Phil Singer's Marathon Strategies posts an interactive "Meet the Freshmen" guide to the incoming 118th Congress.

The first bus carrying migrants from Texas to Pennsylvania has arrived in the sanctuary city of Philadelphia.

The big picture: Under a controversial move to relocate undocumented migrants, thousands have already been transported from Texas to predominantly Democrat-run cities in other parts of the U.S. in a bid to test the cities' social safety nets and challenge President Biden's border policies.

Advisers knew former President Trump, bleeding support among Republicans for his wild antics over the past week, needed a reset during last night's 2024 announcement. So the text was deliberately low-key.

The big picture: Trump's delivery was so restrained, even languid, that it was widely derided as "low energy" — Trump's devastating jab at former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush during the 2016 primaries.

A bill limiting the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence victims of workplace sexual harassment and assault appears poised to become law in the U.S. The Speak Out Act already passed the Senate unanimously in September and is likely headed for a House vote Wednesday.

Why it matters: If it passes, it's a win for victims of mistreatment — and not only for those who want to speak publicly but for their colleagues who might be unaware that others are facing harassment or assault.

Stephen Schwarzman — chairman, CEO and co-founder of private-equity giant Blackstone — says in a statement to Axios that he's defecting from former President Trump for the 2024 presidential race.

Driving the news: "America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday," Schwarzman says.

Thieves are stealing paper checks from mailboxes, "washing" them with nail polish remover, and filling in new amounts and payees — causing endless grief for victims and their banks, which typically foot the bill.

Driving the news: The black market for "glass" — pilfered checks sold online, with a guarantee they'll clear at the bank — is growing more widespread and sophisticated.

BALI, Indonesia — The G20 group of world powers agreed to a joint communiqué at the close of their summit in Indonesia this week that states that "most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine," but "there were other views" as well.

Why it matters: The G20 includes the U.S. and its allies in Europe and Asia who have condemned and sanctioned Russia, as well as countries like China, India, Saudi Arabia and South Africa that have been reluctant to do so. Russia itself is also a member.

Ivanka Trump said soon after Donald Trump launched his 2024 campaign for president that she would support her father "outside the political arena."

The big picture: The former president's elder daughter served as a senior adviser in the Trump White House. But she told Fox News Digital late Tuesday that she's "choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family."

President Biden said he and the leaders of eight allied countries had agreed during an emergency meeting to support Poland's investigation into the explosion that killed two people near the border with Ukraine and wait for more information before determining their next steps.

What he's saying: Biden did not attribute any blame for the explosion, but said in response to a reporter's question that it was "unlikely" the projectile that caused it was fired from Russia due to its trajectory.

"Jeopardy!" legend Amy Schneider will testify Wednesday in the Ohio state legislature against a bill that would ban gender-affirming health care for minors in Ohio.

The big picture: Ohio is one of several states that have attempted to restrict access to gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth amid a wider slew of anti-trans legislation, even though medical associations like the American Medical Association oppose such measures and say that trans and nonbinary gender identities are "normal variations of human identity and expression."

The White House is choosing the same night as former President Trump's expected announcement to launch a new webpage highlighting manufacturing among President Biden's big legislative wins.

Why it matters: The timing and topics are no coincidence but rather a preview of Biden's affirmative case for his own second term in 2024.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) have been drawn into battles for control over their respective conferences, inflaming a GOP civil war that's getting uglier by the hour.

Why it matters: The fights playing out in public and behind closed doors highlight the reckoning underway at all levels of the Republican Party following a worse-than-expected showing in last week's midterm elections.

Former President Trump is expected to formally launch his 2024 comeback bid at the weakest moment of his political career, testing if his old Teflon suit can protect him — one more time — from the GOP's circular firing squad.

Why it matters: Trump relishes being the underdog. But unlike his first run, the former president finds himself tarnished by Republican losses in three consecutive elections, plummeting internal support, the emergence of a popular GOP alternative and the threat of numerous criminal investigations.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it will support a bill to codify the right to same-sex and interracial marriage.

Driving the news: The church said in a statement the Respect for Marriage Act, which the Senate is scheduled to vote on Wednesday, includes "appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters."