Outside the Beltway

There was no progress on resolving the government shutdown today, and little hope that anything will happen before late next week.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a case involving state laws banning Medicaid reimbursement for non-abortion services provided by Planned Parenthood.

In the end, the race between Cindy Hyde-Smith and Mike Espy was not even close.

With the recounts over we can officially say that Rick Scott will be the next Senator from Florida.

Now that the election is over, President Trump and his sycophants in the right-wing media seem to have completely forgotten about the “invading” “caravan” of Central American asylum seekers.

Democrats have flipped the Senate seat currently held by Republican Jeff Flake.

On Tuesday, Michigan joined the ranks of the states where marijuana is legal and several other states legalized it for medical purposes.

Whether as candidates or as voters, Democrats can thank women for many of their victories on Tuesday.

The 2018 midterms were mostly about Donald Trump. The results were idiosyncratic.

When do we stop pretending that Fox News Channel is anything other than State Run Media for the Trump Administration?

For better or worse, here are my projections for the midterm elections.

With less than forty-eight hours to go until voters head to the polls, the odds are pointing to a Democratic House and a Republican Senate.

As the midterm campaign draws to a close, Donald Trump is returning to the message of xenophobia and fear that dominated his Presidential campaign.

With one week to go before Election Day, Democrats seem well-positioned to gain control of the House while Republicans seem likely to hold on to the Senate.

The vise is tightening on the Catholic Church.

With three weeks to go until Election Day, it’s looking like we’ll end up with a Congress divided between Democrats in the House and Republicans in the Senate.

The first poll taken in the wake of the Kavanaugh nomination fight suggests the voter enthusiasm gap is shifting toward Democrats.

One month before voters in several states head to the polls to vote on legalization referendums, a new poll shows that public support for legalization remains at record high levels.

A new report from The New York Times is likely to cause President Trump’s war on the Justice Department to heat up.

The status of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation remains up in the air, as does the question of whether or not Christine Blasey Ford will appear for a hearing on Monday morning.

A look at the numbers behind the influx of women into electoral politics this year.

Former President Bush has waded back into politics but don’t expect him to be campaigning for Ted Cruz.

After spending most of his post-Presidency on the political sidelines, former President Bush is hitting the fundraising trail for GOP candidates in Texas and Florida.

Several states are opening new investigations of the Catholic Church abuse scandal. It’s about time.

The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh is, effectively, assured. Democrats should be careful about how much further they push their opposition.

The GOP’s hold on the Bob Corker’s Senate seat in Tennessee may be in jeopardy.

The first significant post-primary poll of the Florida Senate race shows a dead heat between Governor Rick Scott and Senator Bill Nelson.

Day One of questions for Judge Brett Kavanaugh went about as you’d expect.

As expected, Rick Scott easily won the GOP nomination for Senate in Florida, setting up one of the most highly anticipated Senate races of the year.

Senator John McCain has died at the age of 81,

Tuesday’s election results were a defeat for the progressive effort to remake the Democratic Party in their image.

In a rare red-state victory for labor unions, Missouri voters rejected a right to work initiative by an overwhelming margin.

You might say he body slammed the opposition.

Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, who challenged Nancy Pelosi for a leadership spot in 2016, is telling supporters he’s running for President in 2020.

The midterm elections are still four months away, but Democrats are already making moves to prepare for the race for their party’s Presidential nomination in 2020.

At least in these early days, Democrats appear to lack a coherent message, or a coherent strategy, to propel any effort to block Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.

What was once a rare symbol of national mourning has become so commonplace as to be meaningless.

Pending the mere formality of approval by the Governor-General, Canada will soon become the largest nation in the world where recreational use of marijuana is legal.

In a new interview, the President says that he doesn’t believe that N.F.L. players who kneel during the National Anthem have a real issue.

Corey Stewart may be the darling of the Trumpidians in the GOP, but he won’t be getting any help from Senate Republicans.

The Trump Administration’s new legal position on coverage for people with pre-existing conditions could pose political problems in the fall.

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

President Trump waded back into the National Anthem debate when he revoked the invitation of the Philadelphia Eagles to come to the White House today.

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

Earlier this week, the Illinois legislature ratified the Equal Rights Amendment. What’s unclear is if this act has any meaning at all.

The Republican Governor of Missouri is resigning amid growing accusations related to an extramarital affair, blackmail, and sexual assault.

The N.F.L. has come up with a dumb “solution” to a non-existent problem.

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

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.

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