Mary Peltola at a watch party on November 8, 2022 in Anchorage, Alaska. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is quietly pressing former Rep. Mary Peltola (D) to plunge into the Alaska Senate race.
Why it matters: Schumer is trying to recruit his way out of a bad map. Landing Peltola would give him a third statewide winner to cause problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Recapturing the majority is still an uphill battle for Democrats, but when they squint — and make some favorable assumptions about tariffs and the unpopularity of the "one big beautiful bill" — they are starting to see a path back to 51 seats.
Rep. Greg Casar (C) and other House Democrats from Texas on July 15, 2025. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
House Democrats are looking on in agony as Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) appear destined to duke it out for a single congressional district.
"They are going to be vicious," one senior House Democrat told Axios, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts on a sensitive internal battle.
Why it matters: It would pit a 36-year-old rising progressive star against a well-liked, 78-year-old stalwart of the left at a time when age is already one of Democrats' biggest headaches.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is quietly pressing former Rep. Mary Peltola (D) to plunge into the Alaska Senate race.
Why it matters: Schumer (D-N.Y.) is trying to recruit his way out of a bad map. Landing Peltola would give him a third statewide winner to cause problems for Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).
House Democrats are looking on in agony as Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas) and Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) appear destined to duke it out for a single congressional district.
Why it matters: It would be a fight for the ages, pitting progressives' 36-year-old rising star leader against a well-liked, 78-year-old stalwart of the left at a time when age is already one of Democrats' biggest headaches.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Wednesday made it illegal to sell 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a compound found in some kratom products, by classifying it as a Schedule I controlled substance in the state.
Why it matters: The announcement makes Florida the first state to ban this concentrated kratom byproduct, which acts like an opioid and has been dubbed "legal morphine" by researchers.
President Trump said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin must agree to a ceasefire at their summit on Friday or face "very severe consequences."
Why it matters: Trump had previously downplayed the likelihood of major breakthroughs in Alaska, calling it a "feel-out meeting." Now he's a set a concrete objective — and one Putin has repeatedly rebuffed up to now.
President Trump's approval rating among Republicans has slipped steadily since the start of his second term, dropping 9 points this week, according to a new poll by The Economist and YouGov.
Why it matters: The poll, conducted August 9-11, found that some of Trump's most high-profile current priorities, such as pushing for Republicans to draw more favorable congressional maps and his plans to calm inflation, aren't sitting well with Americans by and large.
President Trump said on Wednesday he plans to extend the federalization of police in D.C. beyond the initially set 30 days.
Why it matters: Trump is looking for congressional permission to continue cementing control over law enforcement in the District, which he has cast as crime-ridden, despite a drop in violent crime over recent years.
The Trump administration plans to increase the National Guard presence on D.C. streets and shift to 24/7 federal patrols starting Wednesday evening, a White House official tells Axios.
Why it matters: The switch from evening patrols means federal agents will be more visible in D.C. around the clock, which may lead to more arrests.
President Donald Trump downplayed the significance of Russia's reported involvement in a hack of the U.S. federal court filing system during a press conference Wednesday.
"Are you surprised?" he told a reporter. "They hack in, that's what they do. They're good at it."
Why it matters: These are Trump's first comments about the recently reported cyberattack, and they come ahead of Trump's scheduled meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.
Spending among the rich is propping up the economy, per a report analyzing detailed credit card data out Wednesday from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
Why it matters: These big spenders are masking increasing fragility in the economy among low- and middle-income Americans, who are seeing rising debt levels and slower spending growth — a situation that doesn't bode well for the economy overall.
The State Department on Tuesday released its long-awaited reports on international human rights, which significantly scaled back the types of abuse outlined from years past.
The big picture: The reports, which are usually released earlier in the year, were released after a prolonged delay, per multiplereports, and the sweeping restructuring of the State Department's human rights bureau.
U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works is under fresh scrutiny after an explosion killed two workers this week.
The big picture: Once a defining part of the Pittsburgh region's economy, the nearly 400-acre facility is increasingly criticized for its environmental impacts and past safety incidents.
Golden Dome is the most publicly discussed U.S.defense project in years — except by the people commissioning it.
The big picture: The Trump administration is mum about its $175 billion hemispheric missile shield, but U.S. defense contractors are maneuvering and messaging as they seek a piece of the action.
President Trump is opening the door to reclassifying marijuana, potentially allowing the GOP to claim another health issue that's long been associated with Democrats.
Why it matters: The administration has already flipped the political script when it comes to banning food dyes, calling for an end to animal lab testing and embracing psychedelics for mental health.
Prominent MAGA leaders are urging President Trump to back off his plans to review federal restrictions on marijuana, warning of a one-way ticket to societal ruin.
Why it matters: Reclassifying marijuana as a Schedule III drug would open the door to expanded research and deliver a major boost to the legal cannabis industry, which is currently constrained by a patchwork of state laws.
Nvidia and AMD can sell their AI chips to China for the low price of 15% of their revenue, paid out to the U.S. government. Investors are unfazed.
Why it matters: Shareholders are focusing on the revenue opportunities that come with more access to Beijing, not on the unprecedented involvement of the Trump administration in Nvidia's business dealings.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his team are doing everything in their power to influence President Trump's thinking before he sits down with Vladimir Putin. His last big chance could come on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Zelensky is staring down a perfect storm: a sudden Russian battlefield breakthrough, mounting discontent at home, and a high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday that could back him into a diplomatic corner.
President Trump's firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief is raising alarms beyond data reliability and monetary policy, JPMorgan warns. It could also upset the $2.1 trillion Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) market.
Why it matters: TIPS are government securities that adjust payouts based on the official inflation rate. If the validity of those numbers weakens, the market could lose an important hedge against inflation.
On the U.S. side of the southern border, local law enforcement officials have begun using AI-programmed drones to locate drug traffickers and migrants.
On the Mexico side, drug cartels are using their own drones to stake out desert areas in the U.S. to smuggle their products.
Why it matters: The U.S. government — whose own patrol drones help create what it calls a "virtual wall" — has long fueled the tech war along the border. But now even small local agencies are stepping into this arms race against cartels and illegal immigration.
President Trump deployed National Guard troops to D.C. on Tuesday as part of a "massive law enforcement surge" in the U.S. capital, per the White House.
Mexico extradited 26 suspected high-ranking drug traffickers to the U.S. on Tuesday — including several linked to groups the Trump administration has designated as global terrorist organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel, per the Department of Justice.
The big picture: The extraditions come after months of pressure from President Trump, who has threatened to hit Mexico with hefty tariffs if Mexican officials don't do enough to stop the flow of drugs.
I owe a huge apology to Mel Robbins, author of the bestselling book in the world.
Maybe it was author envy, or bad "blink" instincts, or both. But I must confess to hearing the premise of "The Let Them Theory" and thinking: No shit!
"Let Them" argues that we need to stop letting others' actions or words bother and control us.
The inner Jim's response: "Duh? If I could just let people be moronic, selfish and make-me-want-to stab-myself annoying, I would — but I can't!"
Why it matters: I was wrong, at least about Robbins' book. I went down the Mel Robbins rabbit hole this past week and discovered how valuable her insights are. I get why she has sold 6 million copies in just under eight months — more books in a shorter time than any author in history.
The Trump administration told the Smithsonian Institution it's launching a "comprehensive internal review" of the world's biggest museum and research complex, per a letter the White House released Tuesday.
The big picture: "As we prepare to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our Nation's founding, it is more important than ever that our national museums reflect the unity, progress, and enduring values that define the American story," states the letter to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch, signed by White House officials Lindsey Halligan, Vince Haley and Russell Vought.
Hakeem Jeffries arrives ahead of a funeral service in New York last month. Photo: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Many Democrats left House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' annual California fundraising event last week convinced Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is running for president, according to four attendees.
🍷 Jeffries' event at the luxury Lodge at Torrey Pines is the successor to Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi's wine-soaked summer donor party in Napa, California.
Why it matters: Democrats lapped up the message from the two-term governor, who told big dollar donors and vulnerable House Dems that the key to winning over Trump voters is staying true to your values.
House Speaker Mike Johnson kicked off the week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, joining Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) for discussion on the "big, beautiful bill" today.
Guests included Palantir CEO Alex Karp, Katherine Boyle of Andreessen Horowitz, House Homeland Security Chair Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.).
NRCC Chair Richard Hudson and CLF President Chris Winkelman also discussed 2026 midterm elections.
Many Democrats left House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' annual California fundraising event last week convinced Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is running for president, according to four attendees.
Why it matters: Democrats lapped up the message from the two-term governor, who told big dollar donors and vulnerable House Democrats that the key to winning over Trump voters is staying true to your values.
