Poli Alert Politics & Civics

If Ken Paxton wins Texas, he may have Elon Musk to thank. Campaign finance filings released Thursday show Musk, the world’s richest person and a Texas resident with major business interests in the state, sent $158 million in September to the Senate Leadership Fund, the super PAC that serves as …

The Trump administration fired special envoy Paolo Zampolli on Thursday, hours after POLITICO published a report detailing his months-long email feud with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau over the envoy’s authority and conduct. A U.S. official confirmed that Zampolli’s appointment had been terminated and that he was no longer …

Three weeks before the midterm elections, the Trump administration went to federal court Thursday seeking an order to force California to purge 20,000 people from its voter rolls over claims they are not U.S. citizens. The Department of Justice sued the state, asking a judge to validate its claim that …

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing its ban on journalists from CNN, MS NOW and Politico at the White House, ruling that the news organizations are likely to succeed in arguing that the restrictions violated their constitutional rights. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a …

The Social Security Administration announced the increase Wednesday, saying it will affect about 73 million people receiving Social Security benefits and nearly 7.5 million people receiving Supplemental Security Income. Some people receive both types of payments. The adjustment, commonly known as COLA, is designed to help benefits keep pace with …

Ukraine got blindsided. When Russia launched a ballistic missile barrage at Kyiv and other cities early Tuesday morning, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraine “received no advance warning from our partners.” Now multiple sources tell CBS News the U.S. may have intentionally withheld the early warnings it normally provides. What Happened …

U.S. inflation accelerated in September as gasoline prices surged, adding pressure to consumers and creating another economic challenge for Republicans weeks before the midterm elections. Consumer prices rose 3.7% over the 12 months through September, up from 3.4% in August, according to data released Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor …

Democratic U.S. Sen Jon Ossoff and Republican Congressman Mike Collins met face to face on the debate stage Tuesday for their second and likely final confrontation before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The two candidates for Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat clashed over issues including immigration, the war in Iran and …

Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned as U.S. ambassador to Greece on Tuesday after the White House asked her to step down, ending her diplomatic tenure amid a misconduct investigation and allegations she has denied. “Serving as the United States Ambassador to Greece has been the honor of a lifetime,” Guilfoyle wrote in …

Elon Musk has poured more than $276 million into Republican political groups since July, making him the largest known donor of the 2026 midterm cycle as the party fights to retain control of Congress. The contributions include $158 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a leading super PAC supporting Republican …

A federal judge on Monday sharply rebuked the Trump administration for what she called “inexcusable” conduct after the government removed 430 trees from a historic public golf course in Washington over the holiday weekend, despite assurances that officials would provide advance notice before major work began. U.S. District Judge Ana …

Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington-area home Monday morning, just 22 days before the midterm elections, raising questions about the timing of a criminal investigation involving one of President Donald Trump’s most frequent political targets. Homeland Security Investigations, the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, carried …

A bipartisan group of seven senators is urging President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to allow Russian diesel imports, arguing the move could violate federal law and provide financial support to Moscow as its war against Ukraine continues. The senators say the administration’s decision conflicts with a 2022 congressional …

The battle for control of the U.S. Senate is tightening as Democrats challenge Republicans in traditionally conservative states while defending seats of their own in competitive contests across the country. Seven races in Texas, Ohio, Maine, Iowa, Alaska, Michigan and New Hampshire are drawing particular attention from political analysts, campaign …

Michigan’s closely watched U.S. Senate race turned into a personal brawl Thursday as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers traded insults, challenged each other’s credibility and clashed over the war in Iran, health care, immigration and President Donald Trump’s agenda. The first televised debate of the campaign featured accusations …