Latest news with #midtermelections
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Supreme Court to hear Republican challenge that could shake up US elections
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to take up a Republican-led challenge to U.S. campaign finance restrictions that limit the amount of money that political parties can spend on behalf of certain candidates— a case that could have major implications for the 2026 midterm elections. The case, National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, was originally appealed to the court by the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), and on behalf of two Senate Republican candidates running for election in 2022— among them, now-Vice President J.D. Vance. It centers on whether federal limits on campaign spending from political parties runs afoul of First Amendment protections, including free speech, under the U.S. Constitution. The case comes as federal election spending has reached record highs. Presidential candidates in 2024 raised at least $2 billion and spent roughly $1.8 billion in 2024, according to FEC figures. Oral arguments will be held in the fall. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Trump Pivots to Tax Cuts to Combat Voters' Economic Anxiety
President Donald Trump is pivoting his attention to passing the cornerstone of his legislative agenda, pressuring Congress to quickly approve a massive tax bill that Republicans believe will seal their political fortunes in the midterm elections. Trump has spent recent days focused on foreign affairs — the Iranian conflict, the Group of 7 in Canada and his most recent trip to a NATO summit in the Netherlands. Now, he's shifting to a domestic matter: strong-arming fractious Republican lawmakers to cut a deal on a multi-trillion dollar tax bill by an ambitious July 4 deadline.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
An early look at the 2026 midterm elections
This article was first published in the On the Hill newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Friday mornings here. Hello, friends. We're officially halfway through 2025 and it's been … an interesting year thus far. There was a lot of news this week, stretching from the Oval Office to Capitol Hill, which I'll try to unpack below with an assist from my colleague Lauren Irwin. But first, I thought it might be helpful to take a look at the elephant in the room: the upcoming midterm elections that will soon dictate everyone's behaviors and talking points. — Cami Mondeaux It's more than a year until Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026. But for those unaccustomed to Washington, D.C., an important note: It's always campaign season in the nation's capital. Both chambers of Congress will be up for grabs next fall, and both parties are already strategizing on how they're going to defend their slim majorities or topple their opponents to regain at least a sliver of control. It could be too early to determine which issues will be the selling points for next year. After all, voters historically have short-term memories and it's often the biggest news cycle closest to Election Day that sways opinions the most. But it's clear that Republicans and Democrats are already trying to make their jobs easier for when campaign season begins in earnest — especially for those in the most vulnerable seats. So let's start off with the math. Republicans currently control both the House and the Senate, albeit by the slimmest of margins. There are 35 seats up for reelection in the Senate, where Republicans have a 53-47 majority. However, that makes it seem like there is opportunity for a bigger shake-up than there actually will be. To put into context, only about six of these races will actually be competitive. And only two — both held by Democrats — are considered 'toss-ups.' Those are the seats held by Sen. Jon Ossoff in Georgia and the open Michigan seat being vacated by Sen. Gary Peters. So it puts Democrats in a bit of a defensive posture. Making things more difficult, they'll also need to defend Minnesota's and New Hampshire's Senate seats, which will both be open next year — ridding them of any incumbent advantage. Republicans, meanwhile, will have their work cut out for them in the House. The party currently holds only a 220-212 majority (three seats are absent because of recent deaths, but are likely to lean Democratic) and there are a fair share of competitive races ahead. There are 19 seats expected to be 'toss-ups' in the House next year, 10 held by Democrats and nine by Republicans. But if history tells us anything, Republicans could be the ones at a disadvantage. Historical trends show that the party of the sitting president typically loses control of the House during the midterm elections, giving the minority party an edge. One of the exceptions to that came during George W. Bush's first term, when Republicans actually gained seats in the House after the 9/11 attacks. Then again, Democrats had significant messaging struggles during the 2024 cycle, and it's not clear if they've been able to overcome those to make any gains. But there are some clues as to what they may be looking at to help win over voters who turned against them last November. One area they'll likely try to work on: transgender rights. Democrats have amplified that messaging over the last several years, even though polling shows their stance on the issue has gotten less popular among voters. Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride, who made history as the first transgender member of Congress last year, explained why she thinks Democrats lost ground on the issue. 'Candidly, I think we've lost the art of persuasion. We've lost the art of change-making over the last couple of years,' McBride told The New York Times this week. 'There was a very clear, well-coordinated, well-funded effort to demonize trans people, to stake out positions on fertile ground for anti-trans politics and to have those be the battlegrounds — rather than some of the areas where there's more public support.' Some Democrats have already started to temper their stances on transgender issues, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is considered a top contender for the party should he choose to run for president. Newsom made headlines in March when he admitted he believed transgender athletes playing in women's sports was 'deeply unfair' and criticized Democrats' practice of declaring pronouns in professional introductions. 'I had one meeting where people started going around the table with the pronouns,' Newsom told conservative influencer Charlie Kirk in March. 'I'm like ... 'Why is this the biggest issue?'' Democrats have also made it clear they plan to hammer Republicans on policy issues tucked into President Donald Trump's tax bill — particularly those putting programs such as Medicaid or SNAP at risk. Some Republicans have conceded the giant tax bill could put some of their members at risk. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for one, has not been shy to rail against a proposal to raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion or $5 trillion — predicting that would later be used against them if they vote for it. 'We roll around to 2026 elections, what are they going to say? 'Oh, Democrats, you know, they're for borrow(ing) and spend(ing),'' Paul said. 'But now the Republicans will have joined the Democrats in being for borrow(ing) and spend(ing).' Republicans' performance (and Democrats', too) could depend on what Trump does over the next year and a half. We'll look at how voters view the president so far below. As the election season nears, I'll be keeping a close eye on these issues. Reach out if you have specific policy questions you're interested in or want answers from your representatives. — Cami Mondeaux Lee in the hot seat: Sen. Mike Lee deleted a series of social media posts about a double homicide in Minnesota over the weekend after he was confronted by two of his Senate colleagues over what they said were 'cruel' and insensitive posts. The Deseret News editorial board urged Lee to publicly apologize. Security brief: Lawmakers are pushing for increased security while in Washington and at home after those shootings in Minnesota rattled several members who say they have received similar threats in recent weeks. No decisions have been made about how to counter potential threats, but members said there was bipartisan support for increased resources. Tax bill trouble: Senate Republican leaders are in crunch time as they attempt to get all corners of their party to agree on key provisions of President Donald Trump's signature tax bill. But some provisions have not been met with open arms … and could push lawmakers past their July 4 deadline. As Trump reaches the five-month mark of his second term, much of his legacy can be described as 'a frenetic pace of executive orders and action on issues related to culture as well as immigration and foreign policy,' my colleague Lauren Irwin writes. The Deseret News conducted polling about how Utah voters feel about his term so far — here's a recap of what Lauren found: 'A reliably red state, Utah voters generally approve of Trump's job performance, while a sizable minority still disapproves of his action. Among those surveyed, a majority, 56%, approve of Trump's job as president, which is up from 54% in an April survey. 'Trump still remains popular with Republicans in Utah. Nearly 80% of Utah Republicans approve of the job he's doing as commander in chief, with 47% of them who say they 'strongly approve' of his performance. 'The president performs best with white Utahns, males and with Utahns who are 35-49, the survey found. 'According to the survey, 61% approve of Trump's handling of immigration, while 35% disapprove. Republicans in the state overwhelmingly support Trump on immigration, while just 21% of Democrats approve. Independents were fairly split down the middle on Trump's immigration policy. 'Utahns also strongly approved of Trump's efforts to reduce the cost of government, with 59% job approval compared to 34% who don't approve, and of his administration of the government, with 55% approval compared to 40% who don't approve.' Read Lauren's full analysis here. — Cami Mondeaux and Lauren Irwin From the Hill : Senate Democrat pushes to restrict U.S. military involvement in Iran. … Majority of Utahns support DOGE spending cuts. … House Republicans launch an investigation into LA riots. From the White House: Trump administration eyes Greenland over security concerns. … Trump Organization launches smartphone. … Key moments from the U.S. Army's 250th birthday event. From the courts: Supreme Court upholds ban on medical treatment for transgender minors. … SCOTUS orders review over religious challenge to New York abortion law. The House will be back next week. The Senate will continue deliberations on Trump's 'big, beautiful bill.' Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., hopes to bring that package up for a vote sometime next week. But some Republicans are balking at the suggestion, arguing they need more time to hash out the details. As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.
Reuters
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Argentina ban on former president Kirchner reshapes political landscape
BUENOS AIRES, June 11 (Reuters) - Argentina's supreme court has effectively banned former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner from government, a move that poses both a challenge and an opportunity for the opposition Peronist party ahead of crunch midterm elections this year. The court upheld a six-year jail term against Kirchner for graft on Tuesday, barring one of the country's most high-profile politicians from holding public office. In the short-term, the decision may enable libertarian President Javier Milei to cement his power base in the October midterm vote, but over the long run it could help revamp the Peronist movement, which was Argentina's most powerful political bloc for decades before being ousted by outsider Milei in 2023. Kirchner, a two-term president from 2007-2015 and a senator and vice president from 2019-2023, faces the possibility of jail time. She will likely be able to push for house arrest because of her age, 72, and the court will decide within five working days whether to grant that request. But she will not be able to run as a legislative candidate in the midterm elections in the province of Buenos Aires, a Peronist stronghold, as she had planned. Nonetheless, the leftist Kirchner, the president and one of the leaders of the Peronist party, may still be able to pull political strings given her strong popular support, especially if she remains out of jail. "Cristina will continue her political career; that's why she's choosing to stay in Buenos Aires, in her department of San José," a source close to the former president told Reuters. Kirchner did not respond to a Reuters interview request. Peronists are divided over whether her political ban will help the movement reinvent itself or if she will cast an even longer shadow than before, hurting up-and-comers like Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof who have clashed with her. "This is detrimental to the renewal, because she's now the martyred leader. She's the center of attention," said a source from Kicillof's Buenos Aires provincial government. Kirchner still enjoys significant popular support from close to 30% of the population, polls show, although she is highly divisive - in part due to the corruption cases against her - and would likely struggle to win election. Analysts said that the court ruling could ultimately allow for the party's modernization, at a time some of its leaders, like Kicillof, claim Peronism as a movement is being banished. "For Peronism, it represents the possibility of renewal. Kicillof is playing the victim and, at the same time, becoming independent," said political scientist Andrés Malamud. The ban against Kirchner will take some of the sting out of her bitter rivalry with Milei, but a new more moderate challenger from the Peronist left could hurt the Argentine president if he slips up. "If Milei can keep the economy steady, nothing will happen, but if this doesn't work, it will probably strengthen Kicillof," said analyst Mariel Fornoni from consultancy Management & Fit. The latest polls showed a tie in the important province of Buenos Aires between Milei's La Libertad Avanza and the Peronist opposition for the midterm elections, according to data from the Electoral Observatory. Victory would not give the ruling party a majority in either chamber of Argentina's Congress, but a larger number of legislators would make it easier for the government to approve privatizations of public companies and tax and labor reforms. "Cristina's conviction gives the government a campaign argument it didn't have. Now it won't need to discuss the economic model," said the Buenos Aires government source.
Wall Street Journal
07-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Warns Musk of ‘Serious Consequences' if He Backs Democrats
BEDMINSTER, N.J.—President Trump warned former right-hand-man Elon Musk to stay out of the midterm elections, threatening 'very serious consequences' if he backed Democrats in the campaign. Musk, who crossed Trump by staunchly opposing his 'big, beautiful' tax-and-spending bill over deficit concerns, said last week that anyone who votes for this bill should be fired. Some Democrats have suggested that they try to win Musk over to their side, despite his being villainized by the party for his sweeping cuts to government staff. The billionaire spent about $300 million backing Trump and Republican candidates in the 2024 elections.
