All articles tagged with #senate
Texas’s GOP Senate race moves to a runoff between incumbent John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton after a tight first round, with former President Trump endorsing Paxton. The outcome could affect the general election against Democrat James Talarico, as live results and county-by-county tallies roll in and polls close at 8:00 PM ET.
Maine Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner defended his ad criticizing Red Sox owner John Henry for private equity ties, signaling a campaign message that ties national economic issues to a high-profile local sports figure, with an event participation alongside Bernie Sanders.
With the GOP runoff looming, incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton intensified their final‑day campaigning across the state, including events in McKinney and Lubbock, as voters prepare to head to the polls.
Newsweek reports Ken Paxton’s chances against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn have surged in the days before the election, while Cornyn’s allies say he would fare better against Democrat James Talarico in November.
A retiring Republican senator warns that if Trump keeps acting as he has, it could jeopardize the GOP’s November prospects, urging party leaders to avoid divisive moves and focus on winning over swing voters.
Trump is pushing an $1.8 billion DOJ ‘anti-weaponization’ slush fund to pay his supporters, triggering a furious closed-door revolt by more than a dozen GOP senators who yelled at Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and derailed a partisan funding vote; Trump has doubled down after endorsing Ken Paxton, claiming the fund fights weaponization, while allies say he still controls the agenda, even as Senate leaders and other Republicans condemn the plan as risky for GOP unity ahead of midterms.
A bipartisan, all-women Senate delegation led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) travels to the Arctic to reaffirm the United States’ commitments to its partners in the region.
Trump’s grip on the GOP is uneven: endorsements like Ken Paxton’s upset and pressure on Republicans to fund a White House ballroom are stirring GOP unease, while Democrats gain openings as intra-party feuding surfaces over their own post-2024 autopsy and Colorado backlash; in parallel the administration arranged a $1.776 billion “weaponization” fund to compensate those investigated in Trump-era matters, prompting questions about who will actually benefit, all against a backdrop of ongoing foreign-policy bravado and other distractions as the 2026 midterms loom.
Senators from both parties pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to take action on Ukraine aid, signaling bipartisan pressure as Senate hearings and budget discussions on defense funding unfold.
The White House’s push for an $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund and a personal-project agenda has exposed fresh rifts with Senate Republicans, who fear the fight could derail immigration talks and hurt GOP prospects ahead of the November elections. Trump remains defiant, citing recent primary wins and insisting unity, while lawmakers push back, warning the internal battles risk the party’s control of the Senate unless there’s a reset.
With a favorable 2026 map but historically low Trump approval, Senate Republicans are increasingly distancing themselves from the president to protect the majority, as Trump’s interventions and endorsements complicate party cohesion. Leadership delayed a reconciliation bill due to the politically toxic 'anti-weaponization' fund and optics concerns, and they aim to assemble 50 votes when they return in June, amid concerns about the ripple effects on must-pass items like FISA 702. The dynamic underscores a widening rift between Trump and Senate leaders as they balance political survival with the president’s agenda.
During a two-hour briefing on the DOJ's nearly $1.8B 'anti-weaponization fund,' Cruz said Republicans erupted in anger, with about half of the roughly 45 attendees opposing it; Blanche insisted the fund wouldn't fund Jan. 6 defendants or tie to reconciliation, while Democrats pressed amendments, leading to postponed votes for Memorial Day recess.
The Senate postponed a reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement to avoid votes on Trump’s controversial $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and related White House security funding, while Trump-backed GOP losses and endorsements are widening intra-party tensions. Democrats are moving toward a war powers resolution on Iran, and Republicans are pushing back against Trump’s influence, signaling the possibility that his consequence-free presidency may be ending.
A Semafor analysis portrays Trump’s waning influence over Senate Republicans as a $72 billion immigration-enforcement bill stalls and a separate $1.8 billion fund tied to his priorities provokes anger and delays; GOP lawmakers push back on the fund, a briefing about it is described as chaotic, and Trump’s moves against incumbents and endorsements of Paxton over Cornyn highlight intra-party tensions and a fragile path for a post-2024 GOP to govern in 2026.