BLANCHE LATEST: Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general is up in the air, in part because of concerns from Sens. Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) and John Cornyn (R., Texas). However, multiple sources familiar with Blanche’s confirmation told the Washington Reporter that major progress is being made with both retiring Republican lawmakers.
THE INTERNET IS FOREVER: Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) lit into a reporter from the George Soros-funded Dropsite News, telling him that “I love killing Hamas leadership.” The reporter bizarrely posted the whole video exchange.
TEXAS PROBLEMS: James Talarico appears to have rented a truck for his new campaign ad in the Texas Senate race, which Attorney General Ken Paxton is favored to win. Dave Weigel caught the potential gaffe, noting the “odd detail in new Talarico ad. He drives a Chevy Colorado, which has appeared in other ads and in profiles. But here he’s driving a Dodge Ram 1500. And it’s not hard to spot; you can see the plate, which is linked to an Enterprise rental. Was his car in the shop or something? idk, asked and didn’t hear back.”
WIN FOR ZYN: The White House highlighted a $1.2 billion Zyn factory investment that Philip Morris is making.
THE FUTURE IS NOW: Rep. Stephanie Bice (R., Okla.) wants funding to create an AI bot called My Intelligence Assistant (Mia). Bice wants Mia to connect to data sources throughout the House.
TIME FOR A CHANGE: Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) released an ad targeting former Gov. Roy Cooper (D., N.C.) for his failed record as governor. “40 years is enough,” the ad notes — adding that he “released 3,500 prisoners with the stroke of a pen. One stabbed a woman to death, left her body in a well.”
WIN FOR WISCONSIN: The 2028 elections are far away, but Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R., Wis.) high-profile questioning of Anthony Fauci during this week’s blockbuster Senate hearing already has some Wisconsin Republicans excited about his next potential campaign. Rachel Reisner, a veteran Wisconsin operative, remarked that “2028 called & is asking Ron Johnson to run for a fourth term.”
CONTRAST IS CLEAR: “How can Democrats represent Americans when they hate being American?” The Republican National Committee (RNC) rolled out a new video compilation that is four minutes of Democrats “demonizing America.” Watch it for yourself here.
BROMANCE IS BACK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in town to meet with President Donald Trump and to attend Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R., S.C.) funeral. Following the meeting, Netanyahu said that it was “one of the best conversations I’ve ever had with a President of the United States.”
KENTUCKY’S FUTURE IS HERE: While all eyes are on Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), Lila and Tyler Staker welcomed baby Greer Tate Staker to the world. The Washington Reporter’s Kentucky sources note that Greer is a Kentucky Republican to keep an eye on. Συγχαρητήρια!: Stefanie Farrell, Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R., Ohio) press secretary and Townhall’s Kevin McMahon got engaged in Greece, and they returned stateside where Farrell was surprised by their friends at an engagement celebration at The Salt Line. Among those spotted were Brianna D’Apuzzo, Greg Price, Veronica Snell, Storm Paglia, Lindsay Wigo, Prisila Muńoz, Brad Devlin, Russell Dye, Blayne Clegg, Matt Esguerra, Nate Bennett, J.J. Carola, Zach Hoffman, and Gabbi Sheitelman.
