Republicans

Axios reports: Incoming Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) was told he could not bring his bulldog “Babydog” onto the Senate floor on Tuesday during orientation, three sources in the room tell Axios. Babydog is a political celebrity, often accompanying Justice to events and famously taking the stage at the Republican National Convention. But she apparently won’t be at his side during …

Via press release from Texas AG Ken Paxton: Attorney General Ken Paxton sued U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) to prevent potential destruction of any records from Jack Smith’s corrupt investigation into President Donald Trump. On November 8, Attorney General Paxton made a Freedom of Information Act request to the DOJ requesting records related …

Newsweek reports: President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Mike Huckabee as nominee for U.S. ambassador to Israel. “I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected former Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, has been nominated to be The United States Ambassador to Israel,” Trump said in a statement. He continued, “Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader …

CBS News reports: CBS News Miami’s Jim DeFede, citing conversations with multiple Republican sources, reports that several scenarios are being discussed for how DeSantis may proceed. James Uthmeier, who serves as DeSantis’s chief of staff, could act as a caretaker in the Senate role until 2026. This move would give DeSantis the option to run for the Senate seat himself …

The Associated Press reports: A new Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1 was temporarily blocked Tuesday by a federal judge who said the law is “unconstitutional on its face.” U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles in Baton Rouge said the law had an “overtly religious” purpose, and rejected state officials’ claims …

Mediaite reports: Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) trashed the U.S. military, claiming the fighting force is incapable of winning a war in its current state. “We need to build our military up. Our military right now, Laura, is a disaster. Absolute disaster. We couldn’t beat anybody right now. We’ve got some good people in the military. But the structure of it, …

CNN reports: President-elect Donald Trump has selected South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as his next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, according to two people familiar with the selection. Noem will be tapped to take over the agency as two key immigration hardliners — Stephen Miller and Tom Homan — are slated to serve in senior roles, signaling Trump …

The New York Times reports: President-elect Donald J. Trump is expected to name Senator Marco Rubio of Florida as his secretary of state, three people familiar with his thinking said on Monday, as Mr. Trump moves rapidly to fill out his foreign policy and national security team. Mr. Trump could still change his mind at the last minute, the people …

The Wall Street Journal reports: President-elect Donald Trump has asked Rep. Mike Waltz, a Green Beret veteran who served in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, to be his White House national security adviser, according to people familiar with the discussion. The national security adviser, a highly influential post appointed by the president that doesn’t require Senate confirmation, coordinates among …

Ars Technica reports: The Republican who is likely to lead the Federal Communications Commission under President-elect Donald Trump detailed how he would run the agency when he wrote a chapter for the conservative Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. Carr, a longtime opponent of net neutrality rules and other broadband regulations, has also made his views clear numerous times when opposing rulemakings …

USA Today reports: Former New York Rep. Michael Grimm was left paralyzed from the chest down following a “devastating” horseback riding accident in September, according to a new fundraiser organized by the politician’s trust. Grimm, who represented New York in the U.S. Congress from 2011 to 2015, is recovering after being thrown from a horse in September 2024, a GoFundMe …

The New York Post reports: President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, The Post can exclusively report. Zeldin, 44, served four terms as a Republican congressman repping Long Island before losing the 2022 New York governor’s race to Kathy Hochul by a surprisingly close margin. “We will accomplish all …

The Daily Beast reports: RNC co-chair Lara Trump attacked Democrats for “constant mudslinging” before immediately turning around and dismissing her father-in-law’s swearing, racism and petty personal attacks as simply “who he’s always been.” Host Howard Kurtz immediately reached for his notes and shot back: “But couldn‘t Democrats say the same because during the campaign Trump called Harris ’dumb‘, cursed her …

The Guardian reports: A caged Bengal tiger was wheeled on to the field of Tiger Stadium in Louisiana’s capital of Baton Rouge for the first time in nearly a decade before kick-off of Saturday night’s football game between the state’s flagship university and its Alabama counterpart, fulfilling the wishes of the state’s Republican governor, Jeff Landry. The tiger in question …

Politico reports: A conservative lawyer working on Donald Trump’s transition, Mark Paoletta, offered a stark warning to career Justice Department lawyers Monday that those who refuse to advance Trump’s agenda should resign or face the possibility of being fired. “Once the decision is made to move forward, career employees are required to implement the President’s plan,” Paoletta wrote in a …

The Hill reports: Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) is no longer in the running to become the next attorney general in President-elect Trump’s incoming administration. Schmitt, a top ally of the former president, told Trump’s transition team that he’s withdrawing his name from consideration to become the nation’s top cop. The former Missouri attorney general will instead refocus his attention on …

The Hill reports: Republicans began scrambling to replace Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) as House GOP conference chair almost immediately after news broke that President-elect Trump had picked her to serve at the United Nations, with two contenders announcing their bids. Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the House GOP conference secretary, told The Hill she is running for Stefanik’s old post, as …

CNN reports: President-elect Donald Trump has offered Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik the job as US ambassador to the United Nations, two sources familiar told CNN on Sunday. The New York congresswoman, the fourth-ranking House Republican, has been a strong ally of the president-elect and a major fundraiser for the GOP. Once a Trump skeptic — and occasional outright critic — …

“We now have a situation in the state of Florida. You notice on election night the other day that nobody was worrying about how Florida was going to come out. In fact, the Florida Democratic Party, most recently, changed its mascot, and they chose a very beautiful, nice Florida panther. “The only problem is that is an endangered species, but …

Politico Playbook reports: This morning, we have a news flash for Scott’s overzealous allies: Congratulations, your campaign appears to be backfiring, badly. MAGA posters began targeting the GOP senators listed as backing Cornyn or Thune, while others openly threatened primaries and called senators “traitors.” There’s just one problem: There’s probably no group of Republicans more insulated from an outside pressure …