Republican National Committee/Republican Congressional Campaign Committee

[phkrause]

🍳 GOP leadership scramble

Rep. Tom Emmer at the Republican midterm convention yesterday in Dallas. Photo: Mark Felix / Bloomberg via Getty Images

DALLAS — Republicans don't yet know whether they'll control the House next year, but they're already gaming out what comes next. Why it matters: House Republicans are maneuvering ahead of postelection leadership contests, particularly given that they could lose the majority, scrambling the current leadership slate. Emmer intends to stay on as his party's whip, telling us in Dallas today that he has no plans to try to move up the leadership ladder after the November midterms. The House Republican Conference elects its party leadership during the lame duck session after the midterm elections. Emmer expressed confidence that Republicans will maintain control of the chamber, predicting that Johnson would remain speaker and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) would remain in his current post. "Anybody who's talking otherwise is already being a loser," Emmer said. "We are going to win in November." 🤔 The intrigue: Emmer's comments come as other Republicans are beginning to make moves that could position them for a leadership shakeup after the election. Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has decided not to seek a waiver to remain atop the committee next Congress, prompting speculation about his leadership ambitions. Asked about Jordan's maneuvering, Emmer said it was "news to me" and praised Jordan as "one of the best leaders" in the Republican conference. Asked if he thinks Jordan would make a good minority leader, he said, "You're not going to get me to start pitting my friends against one another." 👉 Emmer also pointed to Trump saying last week that Republicans should "keep Jim right where he is." Between the lines: Hudson (R-N.C.), who is in his last term as chair, wouldn't say what his future plans are. 🗳️ "I'm just thinking about the election, you know, and that's what everybody needs to be focused on next 50 days," he told us today. "I believe God opens doors and closes doors. I have no anxiety about what happens Nov. 4 or 5. I'm focused on Nov. 3, and I think the whole party is." — Kate Santaliz

[phkrause]

MAGA's millennial messenger

Axios' Marc Caputo reports from the GOP convention at American Airlines Center in Dallas:

Support for President Trump is dropping among millennials and Gen Zers — particularly young men. Vice President Vance is in charge of getting them back in the midterms.

• Why it matters: The 42-year-old Vance, the first millennial VP, capped off the GOP's two-day convention with a direct appeal to families with young children, emphasizing the "birthright" of U.S. citizens.

Vance also sought to cast Democrats as anti-American, anti-family "crazies."

• "America belongs to those who love it. Not those who hate it," he said.

🔎 Zoom in: Support for Republicans is slipping across all age brackets. But the disapproval among millennials and young men is an acute concern for Trump's political operation, because they were crucial to the president's 2024 victory.

• Millennials (born from 1981 to 1996, so roughly ages 30-45) are the largest generation in America — and the cohort with the most school-age kids. So they particularly feel the bite of higher food and gas prices.

In his 41-minute speech, Vance established his millennial bona fides by mentioning that he's now the father of four young children who share in the "birthright ... to inherit the blessings of the greatest country on Earth."

• Vance spoke on the first anniversary of the assassination of his friend and ally, Charlie Kirk.
• "Charlie spoke to young men in particular," Vance said. "He understood that there was no greater calling for a young man ... than falling in love, starting a family and becoming a father."

👀 Behind the scenes: Earlier in the day, Vance addressed a closed-door room of Republicans and emphasized the need to talk up the administration's record on lowering costs for prescription drugs — and to attack Democrats.

• "We have to remind the American people of all the good things that we're doing. And number two, we have to remind the American people of how effing crazy the Democrats have become over the past couple of years," Vance said.

Between the lines: Vance is younger than any member of Trump's Cabinet, the freshest face in an administration led by the oldest person ever elected to the presidency — Trump, an 80-year-old Baby Boomer.

• An administration political adviser told us: "The dynamic you're seeing play out in the administration between the young millennial leader and the boomer is happening in corporate boardrooms across America."
• "JD is uniquely qualified to talk to parents with young families. He's one of them, so this is only the start."

🔮 What's next: Vance and Trump plan to hit the campaign trail to support as many as 35 congressional candidates and a dozen Senate campaigns.

[phkrause]

Vance? Rubio? DeSantis? Cruz? Republicans at Dallas convention ponder options for post-Trump leader In interviews with nearly two dozen attendees, there was no clear consensus yet on a favored 2028 candidate. While potential front-runner Vice President JD Vance received plenty of mentions, a long list of others were on wish lists as well. And most said they weren’t ready to commit. Read more.

Why this matters: It reflects how completely the party has come to revolve around President Donald Trump in the decade since he seized control, making it difficult for some Republicans to consider a future without him at the helm. The uncertainty mirrors the wide-open field on the Democratic side, which is embroiled in its own soul searching.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump wants to send Americans money. Congress and economists don’t seem thrilled with the idea  Trump promises $500 Obamacare rebate checks for 1M enrollees in 30 states  Under Trump, census eyes sweeping plan to omit immigrants, race data  Prosecutor brought in to lead investigation of Trump foes tells AP that he has resigned his position

[phkrause]

FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims during the Republican midterm convention

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other Republican officials came together for a two-day convention this week to rally voters in advance of midterm elections in November. But in celebrating their accomplishments, they made several false and misleading claims, many of which have been stated repeatedly during Trump's second term. Read More.   ps:How pathetic! What! Just follow the leader no matter what he says??