Republicans

Roll Call reports: Former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley on Monday launched a campaign for Senate in Georgia, joining a crowded Republican field. Dooley, who is from Athens, Ga., and whose father, Vince Dooley, was head coach at the University of Georgia, joins the primary field of potential challengers to Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in one of the …

Florida Playbook reports: Don’t say DOGE. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia has begun raking through local government spending to look for waste — in a similar style to what Elon Musk did with DOGE in DC. But Ingoglia says it’s time for a name overhaul. He’s now calling the effort the Florida Agency for Fiscal Oversight. That’s right: FAFO. Ingoglia, …

The Daily Beast reports: JD Vance’s waistline may have gotten a digital nip and tuck courtesy of the GOP. To mark his 41st birthday on Saturday, the party’s official X account posted a photo of Vance overlaid with the message: “Happy Birthday Vice President J.D. Vance.” Vance’s thumb appears to be cut off, while the stars on the flag behind …

Axios reports: House Speaker Mike Johnson is expected to visit a settlement in the occupied West Bank on Monday as part of a private visit to Israel organized by a pro-Israel advocacy group. While many Republican Congress members have visited West Bank settlements, it is highly unusual visit for a speaker of the house to do so. Johnson’s unannounced trip …

Charleston’s CBS affiliate reports: Representative Nancy Mace announced that she will be running for governor of South Carolina. The announcement was released on Nancy mace’s personal website, with a video titled “Huge MAGA Announcement.” Mace currently serves as Representative of South Carolina’s first congressional district, a position she’s held since 2021. Mace joins a growing list of Republicans aiming for …

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott informed Texas House Democrats late Sunday that he would attempt to have them removed from office if they do not return to Austin to pass the GOP’s proposed new congressional maps.  The Republican governor’s late-night missive came after more than 50 Democrats left the state Sunday afternoon so the Texas House would not …

The New York Times reports: Republican cuts to the federal food stamp program could put millions of people at risk of losing benefits, which would make it harder for them to afford groceries. But the changes could have further consequences, as the reductions squeeze small grocery stores that depend on those customers. Grocers and food policy researchers have warned that …

“He’s been persecuted more than any modern politician. They probably did more than to Nixon, whether it’s the indictments, the impeachments, the investigations, now we’re realizing just how disgusting the Democrats are and how they manipulated the intelligence community just because they couldn’t take losing. In the state of Florida, we are winning. And the only way to stop winning …

The Guardian reports: “If the president is firing the statistician because he doesn’t like the numbers but they are accurate, then that’s a problem,” said Wyoming Republican senator Cynthia Lummis. “It’s not the statistician’s fault if the numbers are accurate and that they’re not what the president had hoped for.” North Carolina senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, said: “If she …

The Associated Press reports: A federal receiver is on the hunt to recover $140 million lost in an alleged Ponzi scheme that benefited some Republicans in the top ranks of their party in Georgia and Alabama. He’s looking to claw back funds, including almost 1,000 political donations totaling more than $1 million, that often backed far-right Republican insurgents. Some of …

Florida Politics reports: Five protesters disrupted remarks by U.S. Rep. Randy Fine during a congressional panel in Orlando. All took issue with his controversial remarks about the war in Gaza. The first stood up and yelled “Shame on you,” before party officials took him by both arms and removed him from the room. Another shouted “You are murdering and starving …

Politico Europe reports: A prominent U.S. lawmaker and Trump ally says he is unpersuaded new European online safety laws will not violate the free speech of Americans. Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Republican Rep. Jim Jordan told a press briefing on Friday: “The biggest takeaway from our week here in Europe is that nothing has really changed our concerns.” …

The Texas Tribune reports: A Texas House panel on Saturday advanced a draft congressional map aimed at adding five new Republican districts next year over protests from Democrats that the proposal would suppress the votes of people of color. The chamber’s redistricting committee approved the map on party lines, 12 to 6, after spending much of Friday hearing testimony from …

“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced today that it will be closing down by the end of the year following the passage of a rescissions package earlier this month. My team and I are still figuring out what this announcement will mean for Alaska Public Media, but rest assured that I will not back down when it comes to public …

Mediaite reports: The official GOP social media accounts posted an image Thursday evening of President Donald Trump standing in front of a car with a caption saying “Making Automobiles Great Again” — drawing swift mockery because the automobile pictured was not only not American, it was a Russian Lada. Ladas were first manufactured in the Soviet Union in 1970 and …

Florida Politics reports: Alachua County School Board’s Chair generated outrage after disparaging late wrestler Hulk Hogan. Now, Florida’s Department of Education has threatened her professional credentials and could withhold salaries for the entire board. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a letter to School Board Chair Sarah Rockwell calling out her “unprofessional conduct.” Rockwell on her Facebook page posted “Good. One …

First, a reminder about this church: An Indianapolis church is calling for members of the LGBTQ+ community to be put to death or to kill themselves. The call was made during a recent sermon titled “Pray the Gay Away” inside Sure Foundation Baptist Church on the northwest side of the city. “There’s nothing good to be proud about being a …

The Ohio Capital Journal reports: The Ohio legislature may have finished its work on the state operating budget, but when it returns from summer break, another significant piece of work lies ahead of them. The congressional map that establishes voting districts for Ohio’s U.S. House representatives must be redrawn before the end of the year. State lawmakers’ first deadline is …

Pittsburgh’s PBS affiliate reports: Rep. Rob Bresnahan said House ethics rules have so far thwarted his try at putting his stocks and other investments into a blind trust that will block him from controlling or knowing about trades. Bresnahan, who as a candidate last year called for banning members of Congress from trading stocks, has faced sharp criticism from a …

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports: U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil was met with consistent boos during a town hall Thursday night, as scores of attendees jeered the Janesville Republican over his support for President Donald Trump’s policies. Steil struggled to get through answers from the crowd of more than 250 people gathered in Elkhorn Area High School’s auditorium. Many in the …