Congress: The Senate & The House

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🥊 Old guard hits back

Congressional Democrats in their 70s and 80s who are seeking reelection are tired of hearing that they are incapable of doing their jobs due to age — and they're gearing up to push back.

Why it matters: More than half a dozen House Democrats who are 70 or older are trailing at least one younger primary insurgent in fundraising, and those elections are fast approaching.

• 🥱 But to hear some veteran House Democrats tell it, this is nothing out of the ordinary. "There has never been an election where you have not had challenges to incumbents and a few incumbents losing," Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) told reporters Wednesday.
• "I have no idea why this is the year to write this story, except that Joe Biden was old. I think voters will just pick who's doing the best job."
• 💥 Constant internal talk of generational change is "pissing people off," a senior House Democrat told us. "The seasoned members, they're pissed off."

State of play: Sherman, 71, is part of a large cohort of older House Democrats facing stiff competition from at least one well-funded and younger primary challenger.

• 💰 Having raised $1.4 million compared to 41-year-old challenger Jake Levine's $1.1 million, Sherman is faring better than some of his colleagues.
• Reps. David Scott (D-Ga.), 80; Al Green (D-Texas), 78; John Larson (D-Conn.), 77; Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), 76; Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), 75; Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), 71; and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), 70, have all been out-raised by their primary rivals.

The latest: Green faced off against newly elected, 37-year-old Rep. Christian Menefee (D-Texas) for a single Houston-based seat on Tuesday, finishing with 44% of the vote to Menefee's 46%.

• Green's second-place finish came despite the cred he has garnered with the Democratic base for his efforts to impeach President Trump and his two ejections from Trump's speeches to Congress.
• 🗳️ Green and Menefee will go to a runoff in May. Green swatted away questions about the age factor on Wednesday, declaring, "I am generational change."
• That same night, Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-N.C.), 69, barely squeaked out a win against progressive primary challenger Nida Allam, 32.

💬 What they're saying: Longtime House Democrats facing insurgent challengers dismissed the notion that Tuesday's results represent a grim portent for their own races.

• "I'm feeling fine about my race," said Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii), 73, who is being challenged by two state legislators. "I'm not changing anything at all, regardless of what's going on in the continent or anywhere else in the United States."
• Cohen said he is "definitely" taking his race seriously, but he was not worried about the results in Texas and North Carolina.
• Lynch said he doesn't think age is "as important as what a member stands for," adding, "I've got a pretty moderate district, and I think people are worried about some of the economic things ... so that's not really a young vs. old type thing."

Yes, but: Some of these lawmakers acknowledged there is an anti-incumbency sentiment sweeping through the Democratic primary electorate right now.

• Said Case: "Obviously, the American people are not holding Congress in high esteem right now ... and so, of course, if you are feeling that way, you would want to take it out on somebody."
• "There are elements of concern about, you know, 'time for a change' or 'winds of change' or whatever," Larson told us.
• "But," he added, "it still matters what you do in your district, and we do a lot of good work."

— Andrew Solender

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👀 Booker builds clicks

Sen. Cory Booker is collecting viral moments from his clashes with top Trump administration officials in Senate hearings over the last year.

Why it matters: The New Jersey Democrat is one of several potential 2028 presidential hopefuls in the Senate Democratic caucus.

• 🦠 The viral spats are helping to boost his profile ahead of what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary for the White House.

Booker this week took aim at embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, days before President Trump replaced her.

• 📺 A 10-minute clip of Booker questioning Noem over Trump's mass deportation policies has garnered nearly 1.4 million views on Booker's YouTube channel.

Booker's clash with FBI director Kash Patel at a hearing last year received over 300,000 views on ABC's YouTube. Booker accused Patel of making America "weaker and less safe."

🎯 Booker has shot for similar moments in the questioning of other second-term Trump officials.

• That includes a committee showdown with former national security adviser Mike Waltz over the "Signalgate" scandal, and federal judge Emil Bove, who had faced bipartisan backlash to his nomination.

— Stephen Neukam

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🏛️ 1,886 days later ...

Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images A controversial plaque honoring law enforcement members who responded to the Jan. 6 siege was mounted on the Senate side of the Capitol at 4 a.m. yesterday. With no announcement, the staff of the Architect of the Capitol "bolted the bronze plaque to a granite wall near an entrance on the West Front, close to where the armed crowd had amassed and scaled scaffolding set up for the inauguration," The Washington Post reports (gift link).

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📣 Trump's GOP pep talk

DORAL, FL: President Trump told House Republicans the conflict in Iran will be "over pretty quickly," without giving a firm timeline — and repeated his warning that he would not sign any legislation until the Senate passed the SAVE America Act.

Why it matters: The dual messages — boasts about successes abroad, coupled with frustration with Republicans and Democrats at home — competed for attention in his pep-talk to House Republicans at their annual retreat in Florida.

• ✍️ "I am not going to sign anything until this is approved," Trump said of the SAVE legislation, which would require photo IDs at polling stations.
• "They'll have to go to the filibuster, and maybe it will be the talking filibuster, like the old days."

⏰ Moments earlier in Washington, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) repeated his reluctance to move forward with a talking filibuster, in part because of the unintended consequences.

• "You have to show me how, in the end, it prevails and succeeds," Thune told reporters.
• "What people don't realize, I think, is it's unlimited debate, but it's also unlimited amendments."

Between the lines: A bill to reopen the Department of Homeland Security is apparently exempt from Trump's threat. He would sign that, an official told the Washington Examiner.

Zoom out: House Republicans are gathering in Doral, Florida, to plot out their legislative strategy for the rest of the year.

• They were also eager for a first-hand update on Iran and the president's plan to lower energy costs, which have spiked since Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes on Iran 10 days ago.
• For Trump, passing the SAVE America Act is the only legislative item he has for House Republicans' agenda. He even floated attaching the bill to the must-pass reauthorization of FISA.

On Iran, Trump claimed victory had already been achieved, while also suggesting that more work needed to be done.

• "We've already won," he said. "But we haven't won enough. We are determined to achieve total victory over this terrorist regime."

Zoom in: Earlier in the day, the president told CBS News that the war "is very complete, pretty much."

• Pressed later by a reporter on whether the war would be over this week, Trump said, "No."
• "Soon, very soon," was how Trump described the timeline.

🤔 The intrigue: Trump also insisted that Democrats are no longer focused on affordability — or at least the word.

• "You notice you don't hear that word anymore," Trump said.

Reality check: Democrats are expected to continue hammering Trump on inflation, especially rising gas prices.

The bottom line: Trump was trying to rally the House GOP around his actions in Iran and his strategy for lowering energy prices at home, but his frustration with the Senate seeped out.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

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💥 Jeffries pops off

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) unleashed a torrent of ire on Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) after Ogles posted on social media that "Muslims don't belong in American society."

Why it matters: Ogles is one of Democrats' sleeper targets in the November midterms, and they were already hoping that his proclivity for scandal, combined with their strong recruit in Columbia Mayor Chaz Molder, would help them win in the heavily Republican seat.

• 😡 "Andy Ogles is a malignant clown and pathological liar who has fabricated his whole life story," Jeffries wrote in a post on X — referring to reports that Ogles inflated his resumé.
• Jeffries added: "Disgusting Islamophobes like you do not belong in Congress or in civilized society. And that's why House Democrats will defeat you in November."

The other side: Ogles shot back in a post on X addressed to Jeffries, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and "the high-ranking Democrats flooding X to condemn me," pointing to a spate of alleged terrorist incidents in Austin and New York City.

• "A Muslim shot and killed three Americans in Texas. Two Muslims tried to blow up New York City...again," he said.
• "Meanwhile, all DHS counterterrorism programs are unfunded because you shut them down."

🚨 Zoom out: Ogles is one of several hard-right Republicans who have inflamed tensions on Capitol Hill in recent months by making nakedly anti-Muslim public statements.

• Just last month, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) came under fire from colleagues for a post stating: "If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one."

— Andrew Solender

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🗳️ Gillibrand wants to stay

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has privately indicated interest in a second term running Senate Democrats' campaign arm in 2028, multiple sources tell us.

Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Gillibrand have tried to recruit their way out of a bad map — and are convinced they are within striking distance of the majority.

• 🗺️ The map doesn't get much better for Democrats in 2028, but it will give the two New Yorkers another shot at winning 51 seats — or 50 if they take back the White House.

The big picture: Under Gillibrand, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has landed multiple top-choice candidates who have boosted those prospects.

• Former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) and Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) top their list of recruiting wins.
• Schumer told us earlier this year that his party will win in those four states in November, while also protecting Sen. Jon Ossoff's (D-Ga.) seat.

💥 Yes, but: Gillibrand's tenure has also seen the DSCC clash with the party's base over leadership's public support for candidates running against progressive challengers.

• The dynamic is most prominent in Maine, where Gillibrand and Schumer are backing Mills, but the left is lining up behind progressive Democrat Graham Platner.

The bottom line: Democrats' success in the midterms will likely help determine whether Gillibrand and other Democratic leaders can make a compelling case to hold on to power.

— Stephen Neukam

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🔥 Reconciliation 2.0 tension

DORAL, Fla. — For Mike Johnson, reconciliation 2.0 may not be as "big," but it will be "just as beautiful."

Why it matters: Some House Republicans are all in on trying to muscle through one more major bill this year. A sizable bloc, however, is deeply skeptical they have the time, or the unity, to get it done.

• ❤️ "I'd love to do a second reconciliation bill, but I'd also love to be Brad Pitt," said House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who has cast doubt for weeks about the viability of another mega-bill getting through.
• "It won't be as big, but it can be just as beautiful," Johnson said in response.

Driving the news: Johnson described a large whiteboard with a Venn diagram representing the conference's seven primary caucuses. His goal: find "where all those circles join in the middle."

• In an afternoon meeting with other GOP leaders, Johnson spoke about working with members to narrow down the list, according to a source in the room.
• "In concept, we're there," House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) told reporters after a policy listening session.

😮 The intrigue: Last night, Trump signaled he wants nothing else from Congress this year (besides the SAVE America Act). There was no mention of reconciliation 2.0.

• ✍️ But Trump is adamant about signing the SAVE America Act into law, with some senators suggesting the budget reconciliation process, which only requires 50 votes, is the best way to pass it out of the Senate.

While that option was discussed in the Senate GOP's weekly lunch, leaders have expressed skepticism that it can survive procedural challenges.

• Instead, they are likely to hold a procedural vote next week on the bill that would require a 60-vote threshold to proceed. It's expected to fail.

— Kate Santaliz

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🤞Thune's SAVE Act gambit

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is exploring an open-ended debate on the SAVE America Act that could run a week or longer, forcing Democrats to publicly defend their opposition to the bill, according to senators and aides.

Why it matters: Working through nights is on the table (beginning early next week). Passing the bill with a 50-vote threshold is not.

• It's a gambit by Thune to let off some of the MAGA steam over an issue President Trump and his supporters say is central to democracy: requiring ID and proof of citizenship to vote.
• "The idea is to get it to the floor and discuss it and debate the merits of getting this done," said Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.). "Right now, it doesn't appear that we have the votes to pass the bill."

State of play: Thune, who is getting blasted by Trump and the online right, is in a pickle.

• He doesn't have the votes to change Senate filibuster rules and lower the threshold to a simple majority.
• But he also doesn't have the ability, apparently, to convince Trump that the numbers aren't there.
• 💥 Earlier today, Trump called on Thune "to be a leader," with the clear implication that he isn't acting like one.

🎧 What we're hearing: For now, Thune does have the sympathy of his GOP colleagues.

• "All of the members in our caucus know that this is an impossible spot for Thune, and no one blames him for it," said one GOP senator. "Except for maybe Mike Lee."

The intrigue: The president peeled off one prominent Republican senator today.

• Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), seeking Trump's endorsement in his brutal primary runoff, announced that he would support "whatever changes to Senate rules may prove necessary" to pass the SAVE Act.

🔎 Zoom in: The emerging plan, discussed at length at yesterday's GOP lunch, is to allow amendments to the SAVE Act incorporating changes that the president suggested Monday night at House Republicans' policy retreat.

• 📫 Trump called for new rules on mail-in voting, as well as two unrelated provisions on transgender minors and transgender athletes.
• "There will be an opportunity to introduce and debate amendments, and at some point we will vote. The exact sequence is yet to be decided," said Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), the bill's sponsor.

Zoom out: Looming over the SAVE Act debate is the long-simmering fight over Senate rules — specifically, the requirement to secure 60 votes to pass most legislation outside of budget bills.

• Senators like Thune have jealously guarded the 60-vote threshold. Trump and many in the MAGA base see that commitment as antiquated — and naïve.

The bottom line: The Senate GOP conference seems stuck. Cornyn's reversal didn't open the floodgates.

• "I understand why Senator Cornyn may be open to it, but nobody has given me any credible scenario where we would succeed in the end," said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
• "The only thing I think we could succeed at is providing a lot of fodder for Democrats in this year's election."

— Hans Nichols

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🤖 Dems' AI guardrails

Senate Democrats are drafting legislation to codify federal guardrails around the use of AI in fully autonomous weapons and domestic mass surveillance, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The issue is at the heart of the Trump administration's standoff with Anthropic over the government's access to the company's AI models.

• ✍️ Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is writing legislation that he said would place "commonsense safeguards" around the use of AI in warfare and surveillance, adding that there's an "urgent need for guardrails on how AI is used by the Defense Department."
• 👀 Schiff is eyeing an upcoming must-pass defense authorization package as one potential vehicle, a source familiar with the matter said.

Driving the news: The Trump administration this month designated Anthropic a supply chain risk after a high-profile dispute over how the military can use the company's technology.

• Anthropic refused to give the Pentagon unfettered access to its AI model, saying it would not allow its model to be used for the mass surveillance of Americans or the development of weapons that fire without human involvement.

— Stephen Neukam

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The ‘SAVE America Act’

A proposed federal elections overhaul bill – called the “SAVE America Act” – already faced near-impossible odds to get through Congress, but the White House is making it even more difficult to pass by insisting that Republicans include additional controversial provisions. The version that passed the House last month – focused on adding strict new ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements for voting – is not expected to get the approval of the Senate. Now, President Donald Trump has commanded Republicans to also add provisions that would end the widespread practice of no-excuse mail voting and target transgender policies that are unrelated to the running of elections.

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Dems' investigative wish list

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

House and Senate Democrats are starting to have preliminary discussions to coordinate potential congressional investigations into companies, colleges and law firms in the next Congress, multiple sources tell us. Why it matters: The early strategizing on how Democrats could use the investigative power of committees, including subpoenas, is another indication of the party's growing confidence of victory in November. Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), all on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have been involved in the planning discussions on the Senate side. Schiff, the lead manager during President Trump's first impeachment, would bring significant experience to any Senate investigation. 📢 What we're hearing: Lawmakers in both parties believe the House is more likely to fall into Democratic hands than the Senate. The House also has some institutional advantages, including broader subpoena authority. Zoom out: Democrats expect the White House to either stonewall or grandstand in any investigation. They also anticipate Trump officials invoking executive privilege at every turn. But companies, colleges and private citizens won't have that luxury — especially when faced with congressional subpoenas. Democrats want to know how and why major institutions — including billionaires, major law firms and universities — chose to cooperate with the Trump administration, according to people familiar with the conversations. That could include everything from donations for the East Wing renovation to funding agreements involving universities. 🔎 Zoom in: Democrats in both chambers have already signaled where their investigative interests might lie if they flip the House or Senate. This month, House and Senate Democrats requested information from a major law firm that agreed to provide pro bono legal services to the Trump administration. Senate Democrats last year questioned a fundraiser and lobbyists who were reportedly soliciting donations from major corporations and billionaires for Trump's proposed ballroom. And a group of House and Senate Democrats last summer questioned Harvard about its communications with the administration amid escalating tensions with Trump, Axios previously reported. Between the lines: These conversations are happening even though neither chamber is guaranteed to flip. 🤔 The intrigue: There's a difference between investigations and impeachments. Despite efforts from party leaders to tamp down the idea, talk of impeachment is likely to bubble up again. House Democrats have already introduced impeachment resolutions against Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi. The bottom line: Companies are bracing for congressional investigations if one or both chambers flip. And Democrats in both the House and Senate want a piece of the action. — Stephen Neukam

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⏰ FISA time bomb

Trump's suggestion that Republicans attach the SAVE America Act to the must-pass reauthorization of FISA is already shaping up to be a major headache for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Why it matters: Reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is always messy — but this time could be worse than usual.

• The House is expected to move first, with GOP leaders eyeing a vote during the upcoming work period so the Senate has time to move before FISA — which allows warrantless wiretapping of non-U.S. citizens overseas — lapses on April 20.

🚘 Driving the news: Trump told House Republicans at their retreat this week he'd like to attach the SAVE Act to the FISA reauthorization.

• A handful of conservatives, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), were already floating the idea of linking the two, warning they'd seek to tank FISA without SAVE attached.
• Johnson probably has the votes to pass FISA on the floor with bipartisan support, but the rule vote is shaping up to be a big problem given the opposition in his own ranks.
• 🥊 Conservatives have not yet said whether they would support the rule, but often utilize the procedural vote as leverage.

The intrigue: Conservatives' anger is bubbling over at Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) as the Senate prepares for a marathon SAVE Act debate next week that's likely to end in the measure failing.

• Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) referred to Thune's strategy as "performance theater" in a post on X.
• Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) accused Thune of "gaslighting the American people," adding: "This is nothing but a show vote."

The bottom line: If the Senate is unable to pass the SAVE measure, expect Luna to apply even more pressure, in part by attempting to grow the group demanding that SAVE catch a ride with FISA, a source close to Luna tells us.

— Kate Santaliz

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🧢 Clyburn's next (recurring) role

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) plans to stick around for at least another term — partly at the urging of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, who wants the 85-year-old as "part of his leadership" if Democrats win back the majority in November, Clyburn said.

Why it matters: With former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 85, and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), 86, both retiring, Clyburn's role as an elder statesman will become even more pronounced.

• 💬 Clyburn told reporters today in South Carolina he had a "long talk" with Jeffries (D-N.Y.) yesterday morning and that the Democratic leader "was among those who asked me to stay."

The intrigue: Clyburn said Jeffries "expressed an interest in my being a part of his leadership if we were to take the House back" in the midterms. He didn't detail what that role specifically might entail.

• "It made me feel necessary," he said with a chuckle.
• ✅ Clyburn has plenty of leadership experience: He served as Pelosi's third-in-command — variably as majority whip, assistant minority leader and Democratic caucus chair — from 2007 to 2023.
• And after Pelosi and Hoyer relinquished their leadership positions, Clyburn stayed on as Jeffries' assistant leader for another year.

— Andrew Solender

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😡 Fresh censure pressure

House Democrats' effort to censure two GOP members over Islamophobic social media posts is poised to put Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in the hot seat after he declined to condemn the remarks.

Why it matters: Recent violent attacks in Michigan and Virginia have heightened partisan tensions on Capitol Hill.

• Democratic leadership is coordinating with rank-and-file members on efforts to censure Reps. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) and Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) for a series of anti-Muslim posts each has made over the last several weeks.
• 🚨 "We need more Islamophobia, not less. Fear of Islam is rational," Fine posted to X yesterday.
• The comments from Fine and other GOP lawmakers prompted swift outrage from their Democratic colleagues.

Driving the news: Johnson declined earlier this week to directly condemn Ogles' past anti-Muslim comments when reporters asked him about them at the House Republican retreat.

• Instead, the speaker defended members' rights to oppose what he called "the imposition of Sharia law."
• Ogles posted on social media Monday that "Muslims don't belong in American society."
• Fine previously wrote, "If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one."

💬 What they're saying: The speaker said he personally would not have phrased the remarks that way but argued concerns about Sharia law in the U.S. are legitimate.

• "The demand to impose Sharia law in America is a serious problem," he told reporters at a press conference Tuesday.
• Neither Ogles nor Fine differentiated between Muslims and Sharia law in their posts.
• Johnson added he had previously spoken with Fine and Ogles about "our tone and our message and what we say."

"When you seek to come to a country and not assimilate but to impose Sharia law … that is the conflict that people are talking about," Johnson said.

• "It's not about people as Muslims. It's about people who seek to impose a different belief system that is in direct conflict with the Constitution."
• Johnson declined to take follow-up questions on the subject Tuesday, and his office declined to comment today on the latest posts.

Zoom out: Censure was once the House's most serious punishment short of expulsion, but its use has surged in recent years — turning it into what many lawmakers now view as little more than a symbolic rebuke.

• The House only needs a simple majority to censure, and any member can force it to a vote.

👀 What to watch: How swing-district Republicans vote on the censure resolutions could reveal how much political risk the party sees in defending or distancing itself from the comments.

—Kate Santaliz and Andrew Solender

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✈️ Airlines tell Congress: Get TSA paid

Illustration: Tiffany Herring/Axios Airline execs are begging Congress to pay airport security workers as screening delays tied to a partial government shutdown drag on into another busy travel week. CEOs at Delta, United, American and several other airlines say in an open letter to lawmakers: "It's difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid." More than 300 TSA agents have left the agency amid the third total or partial shutdown in six months, parent agency DHS said Friday. 🏛️ The airline CEOs, organized by the trade association Airlines for America, want lawmakers to pass several bills: The Aviation Funding Solvency Act and the Aviation Funding Stability Act would guarantee that air traffic controllers get paid during shutdowns. The Keep America Flying Act would do the same for TSA workers. 🏖️ The execs noted that the stakes are high, with spring break in full swing, the 2026 World Cup approaching and celebrations for America's 250th birthday throughout the year. Go deeper ... Read the letter.

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🌊 Jeffries' growing threat

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could get caught in the undertow of the very blue wave he hopes to ride into power this November as a growing number of Democratic candidates tell us they can't commit to backing his leadership. Why it matters: It's a stark reversal from Jeffries' virtually untouchable standing in the Democratic Party just a few years ago — and a sign that his path to the speakership may be rockier than previously thought. Jeffries and his allies maintain they are not remotely worried about a mass defection, pointing out that — even in the minority — he has had to endure 20 speakers' ballots and hasn't lost a Democratic vote. 🦾 But this crop of freshmen may provide the first chink in that heretofore impenetrable armor. A bloc of viable candidates has made it clear that voting for Jeffries as speaker is not a given if the Democrats take the House. 🚨 State of play: We reported last fall that more than 80 Democratic House candidates were either noncommittal on backing Jeffries or outright opposed. It's only gotten worse for him since. Mai Vang, the leading progressive primary challenger to Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), previously said she would "support the person that my future colleagues elect as our leader." But in an unprompted statement last week, Vang told us Jeffries has "failed to mobilize meaningful opposition to Trump's illegal war," adding, "I cannot support this kind of leadership." Zoom out: Retirement announcements and congressional map redrawings since October have spawned open primaries featuring more candidates who aren't sold on — or outright hostile to — Jeffries' leadership. "Most Democrats are agreed that he's been failing to meet the moment," said Adam Hamawy, a candidate in New Jersey's 12th District, saying he is "looking for someone that's going to stand up to the administration." Claire Valdez, a New York State Assembly member looking to succeed Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), said in an interview that "there would need to be some conversations" when asked if she would support Jeffries. The other side: A Jeffries spokesperson said they have "zero interest in a frivolous story from the same outlet that once sensationally claimed Leader Jeffries was going to face a serious primary." New York Assembly member Alex Bores, a candidate to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), said Jeffries is "doing a difficult, thankless job" and that he would support his leadership. ✅ Reality check: Even some House Democrats who have privately chafed against or questioned Jeffries' leadership have also told us they think his leadership post is secure and that nobody would dare to challenge him. The bottom line: Depending on whether the Democrats win the House and by how many seats, these progressives' fates in their primaries could likely determine whether Jeffries waltzes to the speakership or faces a repeat of Kevin McCarthy's 15-ballot slog. ✍️ The first test comes tomorrow in Illinois, where each open primary has at least one candidate who has refused to commit to supporting Jeffries. Some, like Illinois' 9th District, have multiple Jeffries skeptics. — Andrew Solender

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💰Thune's Maine investment

A political organization closely affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune is launching a $10 million ad campaign that features a Maine father testifying to the effectiveness of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), we have learned.

Why it matters: The GOP establishment wants to burnish Collins' image and improve her numbers while Democrats are locked in a divisive battle on who should challenge her.

• The new buy from One Nation will bring its investment in Maine to $17 million this cycle.

📺 Driving the news: The ad focuses on Collins' support for a federal diabetes program, with the father — Mark Ferguson of Poland, Maine — talking about how the five-term senator helped his family after their son's diagnosis.

• "Thank you, Senator Collins," Ferguson says.
• "Throughout her career, Sen. Susan Collins has been Maine's effective and independent voice in Washington, delivering results that help families like Mark Ferguson's," One Nation communications director Chris Gustafson said.

The intrigue: The ad marks the first time One Nation has featured a first-person testimonial from an actual voter, and could signal a stylistic shift for the Thune-aligned organization.

🔎 Zoom in: Democrats have been working to weaken Collins — who is running for her sixth term — since the summer.

• Last month, a group associated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer launched a $2 million attack on Collins over her votes to fund ICE.
• 🥊 But Collins is well-positioned to fight back. She started the year with $8 million in her campaign account and has at least three outside groups or super PACs spending on her behalf. 

— Hans Nichols

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📋 Thune's biggest test

Senate Republicans opened debate today on the SAVE America Act. While discussions continue over whether the bill will be further modified, the outcome isn't in doubt: the legislation will not pass.

Why it matters: GOP leaders insist the open-ended debate will allow them to spotlight election fraud and draw attention to President Trump's proposed solutions.

• 💥 But on day one, their internal divisions were already on display.
• 📫 At their weekly lunch, several senators took aim at one of Trump's key changes to the House-passed bill — new restrictions on mail-in ballots.
• Still, senators made progress on that issue and said they would work with the White House to address senators' concerns.

"I feel very comfortable where things are at, but always willing to work with people," Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) told Axios.

• "We have to clamp down on this mass mail-in balloting scam," he added.

Driving the news: The process began this afternoon when the Senate voted 51-48 to advance the SAVE America Act past a procedural hurdle.

• Democrats, as expected, voted against it. They were joined by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
• The legislation also would require proof of citizenship and photo ID to vote, and would ban transition surgeries for transgender minors.
• To end debate, Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) will need 60 votes — a threshold he has acknowledged he will not reach.

Zoom out: Democrats framed the effort as voter suppression, arguing Trump and Thune were collaborating to restrict access to the ballot.

• "Twenty million — maybe more — people will be told when they show up to vote, 'You're off the rolls,'" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. "That's the problem with the bill."

🔎 Zoom in: For some Republicans — even staunch opponents of the 60-vote filibuster — simply debating and amending a bill on the floor will be a win.

• But there are potential divisions, including around Trump-backed provisions on banning transgender athletes from women's sports and restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
• "Those were concerns raised," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said following the GOP lunch. "I haven't made up my mind … maybe they are too onerous. Let's have that discussion."

⏰ The bottom line: Senators were reluctant to put a timeline on how long the debate would last, though most suggested it could stretch to about a week.

— Hans Nichols

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🏈 Jeffries' DHS Hail Mary

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is launching a Hail Mary push to effectively end the Department of Homeland Security's now-monthlong shutdown by funding all of its sub-agencies except ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

🔥 Why it matters: Democrats are feeling the heat as federal workers miss paychecks and DHS warns of airport closures. They hope their planned discharge petition will, at the very least, deflect blame onto Republicans.

• Jeffries and Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) made the case today at a closed-door Democratic caucus meeting for members to sign on to the discharge petition, according to lawmakers who were present.
• ✍️ If they're able to compile the needed 218 signatures — a long shot — they could force a vote on a bill to fund the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Coast Guard and other non-immigration DHS agencies.

Jeffries argued the plan "doesn't give up any leverage," said one House Democrat.

• He also said it has the potential to "reveal that the Republicans are willing to hold out on DHS in order to die on the hill of protecting the president's mass deportation campaign."
• This plan would effectively end the DHS shutdown altogether, as the White House is keeping ICE and CBP funded with the more than $100 billion made available to the agencies in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

💬 What they're saying: Most House Democrats whom we spoke to today said they plan to sign on to the discharge petition, including the chairs of their largest ideological caucuses.

Reality check: Democrats need four Republican signatures to force a vote, and centrist Republicans say they see no need to join the effort after the House repeatedly passed GOP bills to fund the whole department.

— Andrew Solender

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💵 Schumer doubles down

Screenshot: Ad from Majority Forward

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is doubling down on his Alaska bet with a new ad campaign targeting Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) — in part over the recent spike in gas prices. Why it matters: Alaska is quickly emerging as a tactical 2026 Senate battlefield as both parties look for opportunities to spend big in a state with a tiny population. 🚘 Driving the news: Majority Forward, a 501(c)(4) organization associated with Schumer, is up with a mid-six-figure ad buy hitting Sullivan on high prices for consumer goods, including gasoline, in Alaska. "Costs are higher than ever. But Dan Sullivan keeps voting yes with his party leaders, no matter how much it hurts Alaska," the narrator in the 30-second ad says. ⛽️ The average price of gasoline is $4.23 in Alaska, up about 70 cents from a month ago, before the U.S. struck Iran, according to AAA. Most of the negative Senate ads that have run so far in the state this cycle have been sponsored by Majority Forward. Zoom in: Republicans are also spending aggressively in the state, with Last Frontier Action, another 501(c)(4), launching a digital ad last month casting Sullivan in a positive light. The bottom line: It's hard to spend much money in an Alaska Senate race. But both parties are testing that proposition.  — Hans Nichols

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🔥 Mullin's unusual challenge

✅ Mullin is expected to advance out of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee tomorrow morning — even with Paul firmly opposed. Why it matters: The hearing was tense, with pointed exchanges, but history — and the math — are on Mullin's side. Senatorial courtesy typically smooths the path for current or former colleagues. And when that fails, partisan backing from a president's own party almost always carries a nominee across the finish line. 🧪 "I think it's a chemistry thing between two members," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told us. "I don't think you can read a trend into it." "Markwayne handled himself OK. He's going to get confirmed." State of play: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has indicated he will vote to advance Mullin out of committee at 9:30 am. If Paul ultimately votes against Mullin on the floor, he would be the only senator in modern history to oppose a fellow senator nominated by a president of his own party. Flashback: The last rejected Cabinet nominee who also served in the Senate was Sen. John Tower (R-Texas), whose 1989 bid to serve as President George H.W. Bush's Defense secretary failed 47–53 amid allegations of heavy drinking. But not a single Republican voted against Tower. "I voted for Tower," former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) told us today at the Capitol. "There's a little something between Rand Paul and the nominee," he added. "They need to cool it a little bit." 🚨 "Frankly, they're both a little out of order." The bottom line: Former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) saw his former Republican colleagues abandon him when President Obama nominated him for Defense secretary in 2013. However, he was still confirmed, 58–41, with four Republicans voting yes. One of them: Rand Paul. — Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam

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💊 Johnson's FISA migraine

House Speaker Mike Johnson is running into early resistance from his right flank as he tries to move a clean reauthorization of a key U.S. surveillance tool next week.

Why it matters: Johnson may not have the votes to pass a clean extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — a must-pass bill the White House is pressing to renew.

• Conservatives are demanding FISA changes, putting Johnson in a familiar bind when it comes to getting the rule passed.

🚘 Driving the news: A classified briefing from Trump administration officials to lawmakers today failed to win over key skeptics.

• "I hope there's some room for negotiating a couple of smaller reforms into it," House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md) said. Harris was noncommittal about supporting the rule.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) flatly told us "no," the briefing did nothing to sway her from her opposition.

• ⁉️ "There's folks who still have a lot of questions that I'm not sure all got answered," Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.), a Freedom Caucus member, told us.
• FISA is expected to draw bipartisan support on final passage, but Democrats are unlikely to help Johnson pass the rule.

Further complicating things, some Republicans are demanding the addition of the SAVE Act — the GOP's election bill — as a condition of their support for the rule.

• Adding the SAVE Act would all but ensure the must-pass bill's failure in the Senate, where Republicans need Democratic support.

— Kate Santaliz

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One ‘freaking snake’ and no apologies: How the Mullin hearing went off the rails The chairman opened Wednesday’s hearing with a provocative dare: Say it to my face. Sen. Rand Paul, the Republican from Kentucky, has made clear he has little regard for President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, fellow Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin. Read more.

What to know: Their differences go way back. Mullin has called Paul a “freaking snake,” siding with Paul’s neighbor who left the senator with multiple broken ribs after a surprise attack, the neighbor having tackled the senator years ago as he was doing yardwork outside his home. Paul calls Mullin a liar with anger management problems who lacks the temperament to lead the troubled Homeland Security Department that is at the forefront of Trump’s mass deportation agenda.   Mullin, a mixed martial arts champion who has led workout sessions in the House gym, took a page from the Trump administration playbook. Fight, fight, fight. He was not backing down. “If I have something to say, I’ll say it directly to your face,” Mullin retorted.   Mullin was grilled for three hours about his personal character and public expertise for the job. He is not a policy wonk, steeped in the intricacies of immigration enforcement, FEMA or other Homeland Security operations. Nor is he a known management expert, having taken over the family plumbing business before joining Congress. What Mullin brings to the job is a relationship with Trump — he called the president a “friend” — and a reputation as an affable convener of people across the political divide, steadily bouncing his stress ball as he walks through the halls of Congress.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ A scary injury led to Trump’s close bond with Mullin   Mullin presents a different vision for FEMA, sparking cautious hope   WATCH: Sen. Paul says he’ll vote against Mullin for DHS, Sen. Fetterman says he’s open-minded   Lawmakers struggle to make headway on Homeland Security funding   How to monitor airport security lines at US airports while TSA officers go without pay   Georgia was going to dump voting machines that Trump hates until things got complicated

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Democrats storm out of Justice Department leaders’ briefing on the Epstein files Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday stormed out of a closed-door briefing on the Jeffrey Epstein files by Justice Department leaders, and said they would push to force Attorney General Pam Bondi to answer questions under oath about the case that has plagued the Trump administration. Read more.

What to know: Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche went to Capitol Hill to try to quell bipartisan frustration over the Justice Department’s handling of millions of files related to Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation. But less than an hour into the briefing, Democrats walked out in protest of the arrangement and said they would press to enforce a subpoena for Bondi to appear for a sworn deposition next month. “We want her under oath because we do not trust her,” said Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost.   Asked by reporters after the briefing whether she would comply with the subpoena, Bondi said, “I made it crystal clear I will follow the law.” Bondi defended the department’s handling of the Epstein files, saying officials are proud of their work to release millions of documents to the public. The committee’s Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer, accused Democrats of political grandstanding.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Bondi gives ousted interim US attorney new title, allows him to keep job in Wisconsin

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🏎️ Johnson's reconciliation jump-start

House Republicans blanched at the Pentagon's reported $200 billion price tag for Iran, but many are embracing the eye-popping number to help energize a stalled reconciliation process.

Why it matters: GOP leaders have struggled to build consensus around a "reconciliation 2.0" package. But injecting a must-pass defense spending bill into the equation will give Speaker Mike Johnson the urgency he needs to bring it to the floor.

• 🚪 The Pentagon's request "opens up the door to a second reconciliation package," Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas) said.

🔎 Zoom in: Any reconciliation process is typically painful and prolonged. And on this one, coming less than a year after the $3 trillion One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the math will be close to impossible — if deficit neutrality is the goal.

• 💬 Expect to hear lots of talk about "offsets" from fiscal hawks.
• "I would just want to see a pay-for. I think reconciliation probably is the best vehicle," Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) said.
• "No blank checks," Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told us. "It needs to be paid for or be a part of a reconciliation package."

The other side: The Senate is decidedly cooler on using a second reconciliation bill to replenish the munitions the Pentagon has used for Operation Epic Fury in Iran.

• "I understand the need to get this through, but it seems to me that it would be best to go through the appropriations process," Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Semafor.

What we're hearing: House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), one of the most vocal backers of reconciliation 2.0, has floated using tariff revenue, cuts to government programs and changes to Affordable Care Act cost-sharing reduction payments as potential offsets.

• "There are savings in reforms on the affordability side and on the anti-fraud side. Again, the question is, how big can we go?" Arrington told us.
• "How big can we get some of the members in more competitive districts who have higher levels of political sensitivity?"

💰 Yes, but: Those same pay-fors could alienate moderates, especially in swing districts.

• Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) said lawmakers need details on "offsets" and "oversight," adding that funding for Ukraine should be included if funding for Iran is added.
• House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who has been skeptical Republicans can pass another mega-bill, told us this week there isn't a consensus in the conference to include defense spending in reconciliation.

The bottom line: The addition of Iran funding could be key to unlocking President Trump's attention. His engagement will almost certainly be needed if GOP leaders want to pass another party-line bill when they have an even smaller majority than last year.

• "He's not a process guy. He's a results guy," Arrington told us of Trump. "The president wants the result to be money to support our troops in this conflict."

— Kate Santaliz