New tax cuts are a focal point of Republicans’ pitch to voters heading into the midterms, nowhere more so than in Nevada, where Trump first pitched no-tax-on-tips in 2024. But there are signs economic headwinds are blunting the impact of the tax relief. tinyurl.com/hawswnkc

So far at this town hall, not a single voter has asked Platner about the misconduct allegations against him. Q's have been about: healthcare,fisheries,Billionaire tax, Citizens United, SCOTUS, and what committee he’d want to work on, and who he'd want to work with in Washington

WSJ reports from inside the senators meeting with Platner. Some interesting details where his biggest backers pressed him if any additional allegations were coming. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders asked Platner if any additional allegations would emerge against the embattled Democratic candidate, according to people familiar with the discussion. Platner said there weren’t any. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who also attended the meeting, followed up and said there is a big difference between marital issues and allegations of sexual assault, the people said. Platner agreed and denied any credible allegations of assault were forthcoming.  wsj.com/politics/policy/sena…

We asked @MaineVillager readers (i.e. Maine voters) for their take on the Graham Platner sexting scandal. Here's what they're telling us: midcoastvillager.com/news/wi…

That national Republicans are all spending so much time and energy trying to tear Talarico down is actually just a sign that they’re pretty worried about holding on to a Senate seat in…Texas.

Smart story on the Trump aide in charge of the midterm strategy —

Trump's More than 3,700 Trades Astonish Wall Street Insiders, via @Bloomberg bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

NEW: From an office a few blocks from the White House, a group of former Wall Streeters known as “Deal Team Six” is at the forefront of the Pentagon’s plan to crack China’s critical-minerals stranglehold: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

NEW THIS MORNIG: The biggest donor in the 2026 midterms? Andreessen Horowitz. The firm has spent $115 million on politics this cycle, a never-before-seen investment by a venture capital firm to shape American politics, crypto and AI. Inside the strategy, at the link.

He’s not wrong! I would add a sense of authenticity to this —

Thomas Massie’s lead in his primary later this month is slipping and he is in genuine danger of losing, according to interviews with local GOP officials. On the increasingly close race in Kentucky’s 4th District, in a race that’s drawn national attention notus.org/2026-election/thom…

Semafor: The Trump administration plans to invite CEOs from Nvidia, Apple, Exxon, Boeing, and other big companies to accompany the president on his trip to China next week, a person familiar with the matter said.

New: Talks on a Spirit Airlines bailout have ended, per sources. There’s no deal and the proposed Trump framework is dead as-is after creditors balked. Barring some last-minute change, the airline is preparing to shutter at 3 am. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

SCOOP: 2028 Democrats are already starting to meet with Wall Street executives and those with ties to the finance world as they prepare for potential bids for the White House. And some on Wall Street are putting together a new finance heavy group for private listening sessions with contenders. Centerview Partners co-founder Blair Effron; Joshua Steiner, a partner at investment firm SSW Partners; former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who is now chairman of the private-equity firm Warburg Pincus; Blackstonevice chairman Tom Nides; and former Oracle President Charles Phillips are among the executives that are part of the group Story w/ @McCormickJohn wsj.com/politics/elections/d…

A super PAC that has disclosed no donors or fundraising to date called Kentucky 4th PAC is dropping some big independent expenditures for Thomas Massie in Kentucky.

News from the Hegseth hearing on the Hill: The price tag for the Iran War (Operation Epic Fury) so far is $25 billion

The VA ballot initiative has only deepened Republicans’ sense of doom about the November elections, w/ some referring to the redistricting push as “Blairy-mandering” after WH aide James Blair. W/ the indefatigable @nancook & @hlowenkron bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

And the teachable moment from Tillis to his colleagues about the leverage they have is complete > wsj.com/economy/central-bank…

NEW TONIGHT: Kristi Noem Has Continued Using a Waterfront Coast Guard House Since Ouster wsj.com/politics/national-se… @marianne_levine @tparti @mhackman

"Don't rush me," President Trump says when asked about Iran. "So were in Vietnam for 18 years. Iraq, many, many years....I've been doing this for...six weeks."