Axios

Senate Republican leaders are tantalizingly close to a deal to take some uncomfortable votes in exchange for leaving town at a more comfortable hour.

Why it matters: President Trump won't like all of the outcomes, but senators don't plan to be around to hear about it.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris plans to spend the next few months rallying Southern voters after the Supreme Court "basically undid the Voting Rights Act," she said while speaking to students Friday in New Orleans.

The big picture: Harris characterized the Louisiana v. Callais decision, which narrowed legal protections against racial gerrymandering, as one of several "obstacles" to voting ahead of November's elections.

The Trump administration has launched a new effort to remove Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook, notifying her that President Trump is considering her removal and giving her 21 days to respond to mortgage fraud allegations in a letter obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The Supreme Court this year blocked Trump's first attempt to remove Cook, finding that the Fed official was not given notice or a chance to respond.

The Trump administration will ask the Supreme Court to reverse a block on its White House ballroom project, the president said Friday after a federal appeals court decided his plans need congressional approval.

The big picture: Trump's demolition of the East Wing and $400 million expansion project roiled Washington, sparking a legal challenge that now seems set for the nation's highest court.

The Senate passed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill Friday in an 86-11 vote.

Why it matters: The legislation would impose new sanctions on Russia, renew Iran sanctions and hand President Trump fresh authority to slap tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) announced Friday that he will vote for Todd Blanche's for attorney general, boosting his prospects for confirmation before the Senate leaves for its August recess.

Why it matters: Cassidy's vote keeps Blanche's nomination alive despite previous opposition from Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

A nonpartisan coalition urged Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) Friday to cast the deciding vote against acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, President Trump's pick to head the Department of Justice, according to a letter obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The pressure is building on Cassidy — who will make an announcement on his vote at 10:40 a.m. ET — to oppose Blanche. If Cassidy says he's a no, it would effectively tank Blanche's chance of being confirmed.

The profile of the proposed $67 billion merger between NextEra and Dominion just got even higher — and the path toward creating a new power giant just got even trickier.

Why it matters: Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger's (D) move Thursday to formally take part in the state regulatory proceeding is more than just inside baseball.

America's employers unexpectedly shed 23,000 jobs in July, while the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1%, the government said on Friday.

Why it matters: The report shows the first job decline since February alongside steep downward revisions to previous months' data — hinting at bigger cracks in the labor market than previously known.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will vote against Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general, becoming the second known Republican to oppose him.

Why it matters: Murkowski's opposition puts Blanche's confirmation in jeopardy.

• With Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still absent from the Senate, Blanche cannot afford to lose any more GOP support.
• Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has already announced her opposition, and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) has yet to announce his position.

What they are saying: "The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration," Murkowski said Friday in a 6 a.m. post on X. "I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case."

Zoom in: Majority Leader John Thune has not yet scheduled a final confirmation vote before the Senate is set to leave for its August recess.

• "We intend to vote on him before we leave, and I am hopeful and optimistic that we will get him confirmed," Thune said on Fox News Thursday.
• Earlier this week, Blanche appeared to be on track after the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced his nomination.
• Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) dropped their opposition after reaching a written agreement with Blanche that President Trump's proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund would be terminated.

Friction point: But Collins' announcement threw the nomination's fate into doubt.

• Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who has occasionally supported some of President Trump's nominees, has said he will vote against Blanche.
• Blanche met with Murkowski and Cassidy on Wednesday night, but neither senator indicated at the time how they would vote.

The intrigue: McConnell's office said Thursday that he was discharged from the hospital but did not give a date on when he would return to the Senate.

• McConnell has not publicly said how he would vote on Blanche.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.

Read the polls, watch economic indicators and talk to President Trump's inner circle in private, and the verdict on his second term seems clear:

• Even some longtime insiders fear he's trapped by a war he shouldn't have waged, tariffs he shouldn't have levied, monuments he shouldn't be obsessed with.

Why it matters: These three topics chew up much of Trump's time and attention. All three are widely unpopular in polls.

Republicans plan to use their first-ever midterm convention in Dallas next month to mount a sweeping, made-for-prime-time case that Democrats have become captive to their activist left, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: With President Trump's approval rating in the 30s and his war in Iran weighing on the economy, Republicans don't want the Nov. 3 midterms to be just a referendum on his presidency.

Americans across the country could have very different experiences with AI deepfakes leading up to Election Day, thanks to a patchwork of state rules.

Why it matters: AI-generated attack ads and campaign content are rampant leading up to the midterms as candidates across the political spectrum use the technology.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is waging an unprecedented economic war on Cuba — and wants to make sure the island's communist leaders know it's going to get worse.

• "What we're trying to teach them is there are no escape valves," Rubio told Axios.

Why it matters: Cuba's economy is in a state of slow-motion collapse because of crushing U.S. sanctions and communist mismanagement of the island, which prides itself as the hemisphere's chief foe of the superpower 90 miles to its north.

Former Tennessee agriculture official Charlie Hatcher ousted Trump-backed U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles to win the District 5 House Republican primary election on Thursday.

Why it matters: A primary loss is rare for an incumbent member of Congress, especially a Republican backed by President Trump.

• Ogles, who took office in 2023, was dogged by scandals, such as misrepresenting his resume and failing to explain a personal loan on his campaign finance reports.