More than half a dozen U.S. House districts in California will send a Democrat to Capitol Hill next year no matter what. Party leadership still has a lot riding on the outcome.
Why it matters: Most of these Democrat vs. Democrat runoffs — a quirk of California's election system — are between an establishment candidate and an outsider vowing to make leadership's life hell.
Presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Ukrainian negotiators and European officials in Miami on Friday to present "new ideas and proposals" to break the stalemate in the Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. and Ukrainian officials say.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is hoping to reach a diplomatic breakthrough ahead of the midterm elections and before brutal winter weather grips Ukraine.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the public will be able to watch the execution of the Fort Hood shooter by firing squad.
Why it matters: The U.S. hasn't held a public execution in 90 years, and Hegseth's remarks raise questions about how the military would allow people to watch.
Source: AdImpact, Census.gov Note: AdImpact data includes dollars spent on video advertisements on broadcast, cable and social media as well as spending estimates on streaming platforms. Chart: Stef Kight/Axios
Every voting-age Mainer could get a $167 voucher for home heating oil with what Democrats and Republicans are spending on ads in the Senate race, according to an analysis of AdImpact data.
Why it matters: Every senator gets one vote, but Senate seats aren't created equal — and they don't cost the same.
Vice President JD Vance announced a crackdown Thursday on the ability of Big Tech companies to sponsor workers seeking green cards to live and work in America.
Why it matters: The move blocks a path to permanent residency for affected workers but does not suspend the H-1B program, which allows skilled foreign workers to work temporarily in the U.S.
President Trump on Thursday called anyone who uses "Artificial Intelligence" instead of "Super Intelligence" "THE ENEMY!" — even as the White House continues using the term "AI."
Why it matters: Trump's push to rebrand AI as "super intelligence" clashes with established terminology in the technology industry.
Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that the Trump administration is suspending Microsoft, Adobe and several other IT firms' ability to hire foreign-born workers for permanent residency in the U.S.
Why it matters: The move will affect hundreds of companies owned by the tech giant, escalating the Trump administration's crackdown on immigrant labor.
President Trump said Thursday the U.S. will not attack Iran ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Why it matters:Trump had been considering for several days resuming major combat operations before the midterms. However, his past statements about his intentions in Iran haven't always matched what he ultimately did.
If major combat operations resume, they're expected to include large-scale strikes on Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear targets, sources say.
Prosecutors accused former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife of orchestrating the torture of people held in his regime's custody, piling onto the narcoterrorism charges they already face in a fresh indictment unveiled Thursday.
The big picture: The charges add new fuel to the historic prosecution seeking to hold the strongman-turned-prisoner accountable for alleged crimes against Americans and alleged abuse of power.
President Trump said he will help pay for his administration's campaign-style ads after the Democratic National Committee sued Wednesday over their use of taxpayer money.
Why it matters: Trump's funding announcement does not address the DNC's central allegation that the administration illegally used taxpayer money to finance the ads.
Gallatin AI raised a $50 million Series A, with defense-tech frequent fliers 8VC and Silent Ventures pitching in, CEO Woody Glier told Axios.
Why it matters: This isn't another drone builder. The California startup is, instead, focused on digitizing and streamlining the nitty-gritty of military logistics and sustainment.
"A lot of the logistics data that is generated today is very manual," Glier said. "It's very messy — literally like clipboard and pen and paper."
Republicans are in a dogfight to defend the Latino gains that had them dreaming of a lasting political realignment just two years ago.
Why it matters: Nowhere is that reversal of fortune more visible than in South Texas, where President Trump ran up historic numbers in 2024 — and Republicans redrew the map in 2025, assuming those Latino gains would last.
Republicans have spent months griping privately to Fox News about coverage they argue is helping Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan's Democratic nominee for Senate, moderate his image. The frustration boiled into public view Tuesday when President Trump lashed out at his favorite network.
Why it matters: Republicans worry that Fox is undercutting their efforts to brand the charismatic El-Sayed as a liberal who's far outside the mainstream.
Lawmakers are considering forcing data centers to shoulder new costs and restrictions while speeding up the energy infrastructure needed to power the AI boom.
Why it matters: The bipartisan legislation, unveiled last week, represents the most aggressive response yet from Washington to data centers amid growing backlash over their energy and environmental impacts.
Republican super PACs are flooding the airwaves in once-safe states, and pulling down ads for races that look like lost causes. President Trump, his approval ratings near record lows, is popping up in some of America's reddest states.
Why it matters: The polls showing Democrats headed toward a blue wave on Nov. 3 may not be quite right. But money — and how campaigns and PACs spend it — rarely lies. Nor do the contrails of Air Force One.
House Speaker Mike Johnson raised $30 million in the third quarter, bringing his total haul this cycle to $156 million as Republicans fight to hold on to their increasingly endangered majority, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Johnson's team says that's the most raised by a Republican speaker or leader at this point in an election cycle.
Americans' confidence in the safety of food on grocery store shelves — and in the federal government's ability to regulate it — has plummeted to new lows according to a new Gallup poll.
The big picture: Simultaneous illness outbreaks put federal regulators under a microscope earlier this year, as layoffs across the nation's health apparatus were already causing food safety angst.
President Trump urged supporters in San Antonio Wednesday to pretend he's on the ballot in what's expected to be a difficult midterm election for Republicans — potentially even in red Texas.
Why it matters: The rally at the Freeman Coliseum on San Antonio's East Side is Trump's third visit to Texas in a month — highlighting the focus the GOP has put on now-competitive races in the Lone Star State that were once presumed easy opportunities for Republicans.
