Axios

The four most persuasive ads from Democrats' top Senate super PAC accused Republicans of protecting sexual abusers, according to internal data obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: Democrats turned Republicans' 2024 demands to release the Jeffrey Epstein files against them, using accusations of protecting sexual predators to erode trust in the GOP even in deep-red states.

Navajo Nation voters made history this week by choosing their first woman president, handing Crystalyne Curley a groundbreaking victory — and a political fight before she even takes office.

Why it matters: Curley's victory breaks a barrier in the Navajo Nation, where women hold deep cultural influence, but men have long dominated the presidency.

Calley Means, a former adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., said he resigned from the Trump administration over alleged internal corruption from a "concentrated group of people."

Why it matters: Means left the Trump administration two weeks before the midterm elections that saw the GOP engulfed by a blue wave. He is one of the first former administration members to speak out about his time in the executive branch.

The White House was blindsided by RNC co-chair KC Crosbie's decision to challenge President Trump's handpicked party chairman, Joe Gruters — a move that has infuriated administration officials days after the GOP's midterm drubbing, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Sitting Republican presidents traditionally choose the RNC chair, making leadership elections little more than a formality. Crosbie is challenging that arrangement — despite owing her own position to Trump.

Democratic House members and members-elect are being bombarded with phone calls and emails urging them not to elect Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as speaker, more than a dozen lawmakers and aides tell Axios.

Why it matters: The calls point to a fundamental disconnect between House Democrats — most of whom are likely to vote for Jeffries — and at least a portion of their grassroots base.

Voters were unambiguous on Tuesday: Don't B.S. us. Don't say you'll lower prices and end wars and corruption, then do the opposite. It's really that simple.

• This isn't so different from when Americans told Democrats not to B.S. them about Joe Biden's health, or about the words they should use, or social behaviors they should adopt.

Why it matters: Most Americans agree broadly on most things, most of the time. They want competent politicians to focus on issues that meaningfully impact their lives.

• Like clockwork, every two years, Americans feel the party in power fails to deliver this — so they punish the incumbents at the polls.

Talk of subpoenas and warnings to "lawyer up" hint at the extent of the health care investigations and oversight hearings that Democrats are expected to launch once they take control of Congress.

Why it matters: Democrats have been building a paper trail for months to probe instances of political interference in vaccine policies, whether Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. benefited financially from vaccine litigation and more.

President Trump has told advisers that he plans to keep raising money for his political operation — a move aimed at salvaging his clout after the GOP's midterm debacle.

Why it matters: Maintaining a political organization — either his existing MAGA Inc. super PAC or one to be created — would give Trump a vehicle to try to influence elections in 2028 and beyond, including the next presidential contest.

Democrats have made climate change a centerpiece of their campaigns for years — but this year they barely mentioned it.

Why it matters: The midterms showed just how far the topic has fallen down the political priority list, even within the party most committed to addressing it — and suggest affordability will shape how Democrats govern next year.

Religious "nones" outnumbered white evangelicals by a stunning ten percentage points in the 2026 midterms electorate, up from just one point in 2024.

Why it matters: The era of conservative white evangelicals dominating America's religious-political narrative faces a mathematical collapse.