Smith. Photo: Alex Wong / Getty Images
Former Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith was sworn in to replace Al Franken in the U.S. Senate Wednesday, making her the 22nd woman currently serving in the body. That's a record-breaking number.
The big picture: As recently as 40 years ago, there were zero women in the senate. Minnesota is also now one of four states in the nation that has two female senators. The others are Washington, California and New Hampshire.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Campaigning for Joe Biden at a car rally in Miami on Saturday, Barack Obama railed against President Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, saying "the rest of us have to live with the consequences of what he's done."
Driving the news: With less than two weeks before the election, the Biden campaign is drawing on the former president's popularity with Democrats to drive turnout and motivate voters.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Photo: Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Saturday that she'll vote to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court on Monday, despite her opposition to the process that's recently transpired.
The big picture: Murkowski's decision leaves Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) as the only Republican expected to vote against Barrett.