Outside the Beltway

After a period where Republicans seemed to be closing the gap, Democrats may be widening their lead heading into November.

After three years of ethical and criminal charges, Bob Menendez got a bit of a slap on the wrist from New Jersey Democrats.

Senators hoping for a long summer recess have had their hopes dashed.

The Federal Government will borrow more than $1 trillion this year for the first time in more than a half-decade.

Republicans are at least a bit more confident that they’ll hold on to the Senate this year.

The leading candidate for the GOP nomination for Tennessee’s next Governor has a unique explanation for gun violence.

A new poll indicates that Texas Senator Ted Cruz isn’t as vulnerable as previously thought, and reminds us that Texas is still a very red state.

In an early morning Tweetstorm, President Trump said he would not have hired Jeff Sessions if he knew he’d recuse himself from the Russia investigation.

How far should judicial confirmation hearings go in asking potential Judges and Justices their opinions about issues that may come before them?

A small group of Senators is engaged in a seemingly quixotic effort to save DACA before the election.

As he has in the past, Bernie Sanders will seek the Democratic nomination for Senate in Vermont but won’t accept the nomination if he wins.

Although he came in third place in the GOP primary, Don Blankenship is now running as a third-party candidate and could potentially be a problem for Republicans in November.

As expected, Gina Haspel was confirmed as C.I.A. Director yesterday despite her controversial record when it comes to torture.

The effort by a group of Republican rebels to force a vote on a DACA bill is moving closer to success, but that may end up being the easy part.

At least one red state Democrat will be voting against Gina Haspel.

With a third Democrat crossing the aisle to support her, Gina Haspel now has the votes she needs to become the next C.I.A. Director.

With the end of the Supreme Court term approaching, speculation about a Kennedy retirement is ramping up again.

The former Senate Majority Leader had surgery in Maryland after an apparently early diagnosis.

A big win for Federalism and common sense at the Supreme Court.

Don’t look for a Trump agenda for the rest of the year. It doesn’t exist.

Joe Manchin looks to be facing a strong challenge from Patrick Morrisey.

The Generic Congressional Ballot has tightened in some recent polls, but on average the battle for control of Congress continues to favor Democrats.

Republicans are trying to fight back against efforts to limit their ability to gerrymander Congressional and State Legislative Districts. It’s a fight they deserve to lose.

When it comes to the Trump White House, the fish rots from the head down.

Ohio voters have approved a referendum designed to reform the manner in which district lines are drawn.

Gina Haspel faced some tough questions from Democrats regarding her role in the C.I.A.’s post-9/11 torture programs, but she’s likely to be confirmed anyway.

A small group of Republican rebels in the House are attempting to push legislation protecting DACA beneficiaries to a floor vote. Unfortunately, they’re not likely to succeed.

Republican chances to hold the Senate were boosted in West Virginia last night thanks to the fact that a fringe candidate was soundly defeated.

Whether Don Blankenship wins or loses in West Virginia, his success is yet another example of how Donald Trump has changed the GOP for the worse.

National Republicans are increasingly concerned that an upstart, racist candidate who has unleashed personal attacks on Mitch McConnell’s family will sneak through and win tomorrow’s primary to decide who will face Joe Manchin in November.

The incident involving Paul Ryan and the House Chaplain has raised some questions.

While the Trump Administration slowly tries to remake the Federal Judiciary, states are moving to pass radical new challenges to Roe v. Wade.

After hastily removing the House Chaplain under unclear circumstances, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan has reversed himself.

A new lawsuit seeks to have the 2012 DACA program declared unconstitutional.

Another one of Trump’s lawyers bites the dust, and hired someone with some very specific experience.

In a new book, Senator John McCain makes an announcement that everyone was anticipating.

The White House is pushing back on the allegations of misconduct that were made against Ronny Jackson this week, and trying to use them in a high-profile Senate race in Montana.

Republicans joined with Democrats to advance a bill to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but it’s unlikely to go anywhere beyond that.

With the accusations mounting, the nomination of Ronny Jackson to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs is becoming more and more imperiled.

The GOP’s most vulnerable incumbent is still looking very vulnerable.

The Supreme Court heard oral argument yesterday in a case alleging that Texas’s Congressional and state legislative districts were drawn with the intent to discriminate based on race.

As expected, a Republican won the Special Election in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District, but it’s not a win Republicans should really be celebrating.

For better or worse, Mike Pompeo will be confirmed as the 70th Secretary of State by the end of this week.

The transformation is complete. The GOP is now the party of Donald Trump. If you’re sticking around and not speaking out against what the President represents, you’re part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Hillary Clinton isn’t running for anything in 2018, but that isn’t stopping Republicans from running against her.

Republicans are planning on pushing judicial nominees through the Senate in case they lose control in November. Meanwhile, the possibility of a Supreme Court vacancy raises the stakes.

Mitt Romney stumbled in his bid to become Utah’s next Senator but he’s still likely to win the nomination anyway.

With just over six months to go before the 2018 elections, the storm clouds are starting to gather for the Republican Party.

The highest ranking Democrat in the Senate has introduced a bill that would effectively decriminalize marijuana nationwide and leave it up to each state to decide how far they wish to go with regard to cannabis regulation. It’s a huge step in the right direction.