Abby Livingston • May 4, 2026

“The Only Way Out Is Through”: Democrats Prep for Scorched-Earth Redistricting War

With the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act and essentially legalizing even the most extreme gerrymandering, party leaders say they need to fight fire with fire—even if it means mutually assured destruction.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • May 3, 2026

The Thune-Johnson Trust Deficit

The Republican civil war isn’t just ideological, it’s institutional, with the House and Senate engaged in an intraparty feud with no obvious exit ramp before the midterms.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 30, 2026

The Oysterman Cometh

Janet Mills’s suspension of her Senate bid came with a dig at Chuck Schumer, who had pressed her to run without committing the financial resources.

Julia Ioffe • April 30, 2026

Love Him or LaNeve Him

Pete Hegseth’s decision to replace the highly regarded Gen. Randy George with Gen. Christopher LaNeve infuriated senior Army officials. As he prepares to be confirmed to the role, however, LaNeve is trying to mend fences and win converts.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 29, 2026

V.R.A. Aftershocks & Kash-Strapped Dems

A Supreme Court decision ensures the redistricting battles will spill into next cycle. And Section 702 prevails—no thanks to Kash Patel.

Abby Livingston • April 29, 2026

Johnson’s Margin Call

As the House Republican majority continues to dwindle, Hill insiders are contemplating something unprecedented: Could Democrats gain control of Congress before the midterms?

Peter Hamby • April 27, 2026

An American Sickness

A decade ago, there was a perception that political violence came mostly from right-wing extremists. Now that U.S. politics have degraded further, and social media–drawn battle lines have hardened, more Americans are putting the blame on the far left.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 26, 2026

Schumer’s Enemies Within

Democratic donors are feeling jazzed about the midterms but still haven’t made peace with leadership over the party’s post-’24 aimlessness. Support for Chuck Schumer, in particular, has become a litmus test for candidates and donors alike.

Julia Ioffe • April 23, 2026

Hegseth’s Useful Tool

Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the new chief of staff of the U.S. Army, has enjoyed a spectacular rise from obscurity, often at the expense of more popular generals that Pete Hegseth has purged—fueling suspicions that he’s become a proxy in Hegseth’s feuds and an active participant in his “slow-motion coup.”

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 22, 2026

Virginia Aftershocks & What Moderate White Women Want

Republicans confront the reality that launching the redistricting war might have been a costly mistake. And a new poll shows moderate white women breaking against Trump.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 22, 2026

Jim Banks’s Red Line

Backing Trump’s brinkmanship with Iran while helping the president settle intraparty scores at home, Senator Jim Banks is betting that the Republican base turnout in November will defy the party’s brutal midterm headwinds.

Peter Hamby • April 21, 2026

Trump’s Brain Fog of War

Exclusive new polling finds that Americans have no idea what the president is trying to achieve in Iran—probably because he keeps changing the story, himself. And they’re not thrilled about his war with the pope, either.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 20, 2026

House Expulsion Fever & First Solar’s Trump Playbook

News and notes on the next House expulsion target, plus a savvy lobbying effort from a solar firm seeking the president’s good graces.

Abby Livingston • April 20, 2026

Trump’s Midterm Divine Comedy

The president’s unholy spat with Pope Leo risks undoing Republican gains with working-class Catholics, just as the midterms approach. And Democrats are happy to help twist the knife.

Leigh Ann Caldwell • April 19, 2026

Mike Johnson’s Lousy Week & A Virginia Temp Check

The House speaker is on a losing streak, and a poll shows cracks in the Spanberger coalition ahead of her state's redistricting vote.