Axios

For months, real estate executives and political pundits have suggested some wealthy New Yorkers would consider relocating to South Florida if Zohran Mamdani were elected the city's mayor.

Why it matters: Less than 24 hours after Mamdani's win, President Trump renewed those predictions, speaking at Miami's Kaseya Center.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that 10% of air traffic at 40 "high-traffic" U.S. airports will be cut starting Friday, if the government shutdown continues.

The big picture: While it's currently unclear which airports will be impacted, staffing shortages from what is now the country's longest shutdown in history are delaying or cancelling flights for thousands nationwide.

Supreme Court justices appeared to question President Trump's unilateral tariff powers Wednesday, though their eventual ruling on the matter might not be a simple yes or no.

Why it matters: While trade lawyers and legal experts expect the Supreme Court to complicate Trump's economic agenda, they might not totally undermine it.

President Trump wants to kill the filibuster in order to break the deadlock over the record-breaking government shutdown.

The big picture: Removing the filibuster would upend a Senate tradition that dates back to the 1800s and potentially haunt both parties for years to come.

Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to Congress in 2026, citing "frequent threats" against him and the "grim milestone" of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Why it matters: Golden represents the most Republican-leaning district of any House Democrat. His retirement is a major blow to his party's efforts to retake the House in 2026.

Democrats' nominee for a special House election in Tennessee declined to say whether she would vote for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as speaker or leader if elected.

Why it matters: Aftyn Behn represents a growing anti-establishment sentiment that has proliferated within the party base for months and is now spilling over into congressional races.

Zohran Mamdani's triumph in New York City's mayoral election Tuesday night was a historic victory that could reverberate far beyond the five boroughs.

The big picture: Mamdani, the city's youngest mayor in at least a century, has catapulted into the national spotlight with a speed and popularity that echoes the trajectories of both Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former President Obama.

Potential Democratic presidential candidates already are using the party's election victories to position themselves for the 2028 primary — throwing elbows at possible primary opponents and basking in Tuesday's results.

Why it matters: No one admits it, but the next presidential primary is already in motion for Democrats.

The chair of House Democrats' campaign arm on Wednesday didn't rule out putting her finger on the scale in key battleground district primaries next year.

Why it matters: Such primary meddling has been the source of public tension in past election cycles, but Democratic leaders maintain their right to try to elevate their preferred candidates.

Pope Leo XIV has spoken in opposition to the Department of Homeland Security denying a coalition of Catholic priests, nuns and other clergy entry to the Broadview ICE processing facility outside Chicago.

The big picture: For decades, clergy have gathered weekly outside Broadview, notably Catholic nuns, to offer prayers for the immigrants inside. Since the launch of "Operation Midway Blitz" this year, Sister JoAnn Persch told the Sun-Times her relationship with officers at the facility has frayed, despite being welcomed before President Trump took office.

Millions of Americans are in crisis and struggling with uncertainty after the Trump administration halted crucial food benefits on Saturday — and it's not clear when those SNAP payments will resume or how much money families will receive.

Why it matters: Rising food costs were already hurting coming into 2025, but a raft of policy actions from the Trump administration have worsened the situation.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) crashed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's press conference Wednesday and warned against agreeing to fund the government without guaranteed extensions of health care tax credits.

Why it matters: The party is splintered over whether to cut a deal to end the shutdown or hold out even longer to force concessions from Republicans.

President Trump's tariffs seemed to be in jeopardy on Wednesday at the Supreme Court, in a high-stakes case that will decide the fate of a critical aspect of Trump's economic and foreign policy agenda.

The big picture: Some of the conservative justices seemed skeptical that Trump has the power to impose such far-reaching tariffs. A ruling against Trump could be devastating to one of his signature second-term priorities.

President Trump has not publicly remarked on the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney more than 24 hours after it was announced.

Why it matters: His lack of comment furthers Trump's departure from presidential conventions. Traditionally, sitting presidents, including Trump, quickly offer condolences to the family after a former president or vice president dies.

The decisive Democratic wins on Tuesday contain a simple message to people who set economic policy: Americans really, really want stuff to be cheaper.

The big picture: Economists take comfort in the fact that the rate of inflation has come down dramatically from its 2022 peak, and that tariffs are likely to cause only a one-time price bump.

• But the level of most prices has continued drifting upward for years, amounting to a significant increase in the cost of many necessities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered officials Wednesday to submit proposals to possibly resume nuclear tests, days after President Trump's surprise directive for the U.S. to end its moratorium on the practice.

Why it matters: Russia boasts the world's biggest nuclear stockpile, and has increasingly threatened to use it as its war in Ukraine has dragged on.

Union opposition is emerging as a potential obstacle to the rollout of driverless vehicle services.

Why it matters: Advocates of self-driving cars say the technology will prevent deaths and make life more convenient, while opponents argue it will destroy jobs and isn't ready for prime time.

Democrats' sweeping victory in Tuesday's elections has the party's House members and activists warning Senate Democrats that the price of caving on the government shutdown just went way up.

Why it matters: "There would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don't let events play out," one House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts about fellow party members, told Axios.

The room was "eerily silent" and "uncomfortable" Wednesday morning as President Trump cajoled Republican senators to end the filibuster, multiple attendees told Axios.

Why it matters: Trump warned the party would "get killed" and be viewed as "do-nothing Republicans" if they don't change Senate rules requiring 60 votes for most legislation.

President Trump on Wednesday again urged Republican Senators to kill the filibuster as a means to end the record-shattering government shutdown.

Why it matters: Despite Trump's demands for a simple-majority Senate to speed his agenda, many Senate Republicans — including Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) — have opposed the idea.

Traditional polls said the New Jersey governor's race was a toss-up. Prediction markets were steadfast for months that it wasn't even close.

• They were right — again.

Why it matters: Just as bettors foresaw Donald Trump's victory over Kamala Harris last year, the New Jersey governor's race is another example of crowd wisdom (with money on the line) having an edge over opinion polling.

California's Proposition 50 passed, according to the Associated Press, with voters agreeing to adopt a redrawn congressional map that favors Democrats.

Why it matters: The new congressional districts give Democrats the chance to flip several GOP seats as they fight for a majority in the U.S. House next year.

Now that they've won the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races, Democrats Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill will seek to fulfill their frequent promises on keeping down electricity costs.

Why it matters: In both states, home energy prices were a top worry for voters — and that's likely to continue in 2026's races elsewhere.

Incredible amounts of U.S. firepower are coalescing in the Caribbean as President Trump plays geopolitical chicken with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.

The big picture: U.S. Southern Command, which is executing Trump's strikes and would oversee operations in Venezuela, is now at the heart of the action after decades of Pentagon priority paid to the Middle East and Indo-Pacific.

Democrats had a big night in Tuesday's elections, but in Congress all they could end up getting on health care is a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies.

Why it matters: A guaranteed vote, but no actual agreement that can be signed into law, would be a tough pill for many Democrats to swallow.

Democrats delivered a resounding rebuke to President Trump in all five of the most-watched races in Tuesday's elections, as voters responded to candidates' promises to address frustrations with high prices and Trump.

• It wasn't just that Democrats, as predicted, won key races in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California and New York City. In race after race, the margins of victory — including double-digit wins in the Virginia and New Jersey governor's races — were what resonated.
• County after county moved blue.

The number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. hit 13.7 million by mid-2023, per new estimates, yet growth has likely slowed (and perhaps even reversed) since then.

Why it matters: The report, from non-partisan think tank Migration Policy Institute (MPI), offers insight into a group that's notoriously hard to count — and thus understand.

President Trump has raised about $1.9 billion from an array of corporate donors to help finance his political committees, White House construction projects and celebrations of the nation's upcoming 250th anniversary, sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: No president has raised so much money, so quickly, for so many different reasons. And there's more to come, aides say.

The U.S. is officially in its longest-ever government shutdown as of Wednesday — surpassing a milestone previously set by President Trump's first administration.

Why it matters: During the 35 days of lapsed funding, federal workers have missed paychecks, anxiety over food access has mounted and Trump has unilaterally carried out his agenda.

Months after abruptly canceling his nomination, President Trump ended a fierce behind-the-scenes tussle and restored Jared Isaacman as his nominee to run NASA.

Why it matters: The White House sees Isaacman — a self-made billionaire who has twice been to space — as the right visionary and leader to get the delayed Artemis missions to the moon back on track in the space race with China.

Zohran Mamdani claimed victory in the New York City mayoral race Tuesday night, and will become the city's first Muslim mayor.

Why it matters: The race to lead the Big Apple captivated the nation. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, electrified young progressives to best scandal-plagued former N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani addressed President Trump in his election victory speech Tuesday, declaring that NYC is "built by immigrants," that it would remain so and now it'll be "led by an immigrant."

Why it matters: Trump has for months criticized Mamdani, the Democratic mayoral nominee, repeatedly calling the democratic socialist a "communist" and endorsing his old foe former N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the mayor's race.

President Trump suggested the government shutdown was to blame for Republicans' losses to Democrats in key elections on Tuesday night.

The big picture: After Democrats won the Virginia and New Jersey governor elections and Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat Trump's pick Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral race, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was not on the ballot.

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) beat the Trump-backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli, to be elected New Jersey governor on Tuesday night, per AP.

The big picture: Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and a member of the U.S. House since 2019, is the first Democratic woman governor elected in the Garden State and will succeed Gov. Phil Murphy (D).

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei writes:

The statistics on modern young men are jarring.

• They're more likely to suffer addiction, slip into sadness, land in jail, stay jobless, remain single, isolate — even kill themselves — than previous generations of men.

I'm a man with two adult sons … the son of a strong, present father … have several tight, honest male friends … and hundreds of male employees past and present. So I have a unique laboratory for studying my gender.

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi has won the Virginia lieutenant governor's race, AP reports.

Why it matters: Hashmi will be the first Muslim woman in the U.S. to be voted into statewide office.

Hamas returned to Israel on Tuesday the body of U.S.-Israeli hostage Itay Chen as part of the agreement to end the war in Gaza.

The big picture: Chen was the last U.S. hostage held in Gaza. The return of his body ended the most serious U.S. hostage crisis since the takeover of the embassy in Tehran in 1979.

One year out from the 2026 midterm elections, a record number of House incumbents have already decided not to return to Congress.

Why it matters: If the redistricting brushfire continues to blaze across the country, wiping out as many as a dozen incumbents from each party, that number is likely to soar.

Abigail Spanberger has won the race for Virginia governor, the AP reports.

Why it matters: The Henrico native will be the first woman to hold the state's top office — and the first from the Richmond area in over a decade.

The White House is warning that unemployment benefits are in jeopardy in some states if the shutdown drags on, though the risks are far less dire than for food assistance or SNAP.

Why it matters: About 1.6 million Americans are unemployed and rely on unemployment insurance to get by — including about 20,000 former federal workers.