Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is quietly trying to derail a left-wing congressional candidate championed by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The May 19 primary is shaping up as an early test of strength for the two potential 2028 presidential campaign rivals.
The day that launched Gavin Newsom as a presidential frontrunner also brought an unwelcome surprise that could haunt the California governor's potential 2028 campaign.
Why it matters: Sen. Alex Padilla caught Newsom off guard Nov. 4 by declaring he wouldn't run for governor — depriving Newsom of his preferred successor on the same day the governor triumphed in a statewide redistricting referendum.
Former President Biden is preparing to ask a court to stop the Trump administration from releasing his conversations with his ghostwriter, tapes that played a central role in a classified-documents investigation.
Why it matters: The tapes go to the heart of Special Counsel Robert Hur's damaging conclusions: that Biden read classified notebook passages aloud to ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer and that the former president's memory lapses would make it harder to prove he acted willfully.
Fewer Americans want to become pastors, accelerating a leadership vacuum inside one of the country's oldest civic institutions.
Why it matters: As the pastor role becomes lower-paid, higher-risk and less trusted, the U.S. isn't just losing clergy — it's losing a key layer of local leadership, especially in rural and Black communities.
Violent crime fell sharply across the largest U.S. cities in early 2026, extending a nationwide decline that began after the pandemic-era crime spike.
Why it matters: Data from 67 major U.S. law enforcement agencies show violent crime fell across major categories during the first quarter compared with the same period in 2025.
Congress is going through its biggest reckoning over sexual misconduct since the #MeToo movement rocked Capitol Hill in 2017 and 2018.
Why it matters: Nearly a decade after lawmakers instituted reforms around sexual harassment, new allegations are exposing what members and staffers say remains an open secret: a culture of bad behavior on the Hill.
The U.S. hospitality industry hopes next month's World Cup can make up for last year's decline in foreign tourism, but travel restrictions and steep prices may keep visitors away.
The big picture: An estimated 1.2 million international fans are coming to the U.S. for the tournament, according to the New York Times, citing the research firm Tourism Economics.
Since changing its press rotation policies last year, the White House has ushered in smaller and creator-led outlets, many of which align politically with the administration.
Why it matters: Just as candidates are leaning into the creator model to reach younger audiences, so too is the Trump administration.
Left-leaning news organizations have gained momentum in Trump 2.0 with podcasts and digital outlets seeing stronger reach, funding and audience engagement.
Why it matters: It marks a reversal from Trump's first term, when conservative media dominated social distribution and audience growth.
Despite the narrative that podcasts and other creator-led media dominated the 2024 election, the vast majority of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris' media appearances during the presidential campaign were with mainstream outlets.
Why it matters: Legacy media still maintain credibility and power in elections.
President Trump is flexing his dominance over the Republican Party to stamp out primaries that would bleed party coffers and fracture the GOP ahead of a treacherous midterm election.
Why it matters: If the party defies expectations and keeps control of Congress this fall, Trump's ruthless maneuvers to sideline some candidates while forcefully backing others will be a big reason.
Republican chances of keeping the House are surging, as panicked Democrats scramble to offset back-to-back-to-back redistricting blows.
Why it matters: Democrats feel good about their midterms affordability message. But they're nervous about the math for retaking the House now that Republicans appear (for now) to have won this year's redistricting wars.
