Sahil Kapur

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is asking for an update from Sen. Mitch McConnell: “As Governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, who has campaigned for Platner in Maine, withdraws his endorsement and tells him to drop out:

Schumer/Gillibrand: “The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.

“Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw… The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”

🚨 New from McCONNELL: "I took a fall which landed me in the hospital."

“My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital."

New from Bernie Sanders: “I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine. In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

PLATNER SAYS HE’S DROPPING OUT of the Maine Senate race: “We believe that for the movement to continue, it can’t be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” he says in a video message tonight.

Fox News poll: Which political party -- the Democrats or the Republicans -- do you think would do a better job on immigration?

50% say Democrats
49% say Republicans

*Quite* a turnaround after Dems got destroyed on immigration politics in 2024; it is (was?) Trump’s best issue.

Pelosi is a YES on the Massie amendment cutting US aid to Israel: “The American people are rightly demanding an end to a perpetual cycle of war, and the Netanyahu gov’t cannot maintain its current course. Therefore, while this amendment is ill-conceived, I vote yes for the message that it sends.”

Nirav Shah drops out: “I am suspending my campaign for the United States Senate today and endorsing Troy Jackson. Susan Collins, Donald Trump, and Senate Republicans are banking on disunity and frustration from Maine Democrats to try and win this seat, and we are not going to give them that.”

MONDAY: Fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Maine

TUESDAY: Collins asks Mullin to cease non-urgent vehicle stops; DHS agrees

WEDNESDAY: Trump says ICE ceasing traffic stops equals “playing right into the criminal’s hands,” wants them reinstated

Shenna Bellows drops out of Maine’s Senate Democratic race. This move comes after she failed to impress in the recent debate and as Troy Jackson jumps to a big advantage with delegate selection.

Lindsey Graham’s office provides an update on his death — new information via the DC Medical Examiner:

Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, in WSJ: “As written, the SAVE America Act isn’t a simple fix to safeguard elections, as proponents claim. It would impose costly new barriers and prevent some, perhaps many, from voting, while also creating chaos before the November elections.” www.wsj.com/opinion/why-...

Opinion | Why I’m Voting Against the SAVE America Act

I believe in its objectives, but it’s too draconian, especially for voters in remote parts of Alaska.

NEW: Government funding situation is a total mess on Capitol Hill

—Collins & Murray publicly sniping, talks hit a wall

—Dems say Trump-GOP $1.5T military ask is crazy

—Iran war hindering D votes on approps, supp, NDAA

—McConnell out, Rs have no Approps majority

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

The Iran war and McConnell’s absence are complicating government funding talks

The stalled negotiations are a particular issue for Sen. Susan Collins, who chairs the committee responsible for writing funding bills and faces a tough re-election race in November.

NEW: House votes to end Iran war, but Senate Republicans vote to let Trump continue waging it

House 214-208

Senate 47-49

Multiple Senate Republican have backed off their own red line of maximum 60 days of war without approval by Congress. War started in February.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

House votes to end Iran war, but Senate Republicans vote to let Trump continue waging it

Democrats forced both votes, hoping to tie Republicans to the unpopular U.S. war with Iran ahead of November’s elections.

NEW: ICE shooting in Maine sparks uproar and puts a spotlight on GOP Sen. Susan Collins

Collins chairs the Appropriations Cmte controlling ICE's budget. She recently backed $70B ICE/CBP $$ without policy restrictions after talks with Dems broke down.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

ICE shooting in Maine sparks uproar and puts a spotlight on GOP Sen. Susan Collins

Democratic candidates for the expedited Senate primary are pointing to Collins’ vote to fund the deportation agency without policy changes, with some calling to “abolish” ICE.

Paramedics responded to a ‘cardiac arrest’ at Mitch McConnell’s home on day of hospitalization

“McConnell’s office hasn’t disclosed why the former Senate majority leader was hospitalized on June 14.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Paramedics responded to a ‘cardiac arrest’ at Mitch McConnell’s home on day of hospitalization

McConnell’s office hasn’t disclosed why the former Senate majority leader was hospitalized on June 14.

NEW: Trump’s primetime speech fails to unlock votes to pass the SAVE America Act

Did it change the Senate dynamic?

“No,” CORNYN tells NBC News. “We don’t have the votes.”

TILLIS: “Not at all.”

www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Trump’s primetime speech fails to unlock votes to pass the SAVE America Act

The speech didn’t fundamentally change the dynamic, multiple Republican senators on both ends of the debate told NBC News.

These are the 103 House Democrats (plus Massie) who voted today to cut off U.S. funding for Israel. Everyone else voted no, present or didn’t vote. Final vote: amendment failed 104-314.

The House just voted 216-214 to adopt this $95 billion budget resolution teeing up another Republican-only reconciliation bill.

It passes with only Republican votes.

All Democrats + Massie (R) + Davidson (R) + Kiley (I) vote NO.

Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social

New: House Republicans release budget resolution text for party-line reconciliation bill —$60B for Armed Services (military, Iran war) —$12B for Ag (farm aid) —$10B for Admin (election measures) —$13B for Intel (classified projects) No offsets Committee markup Thur www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

House Republicans push for $90 billion for Iran war, election measures and farm aid

House Republicans released the text of their third “reconciliation” bill, which they hope to pass without any Democratic votes. It does not offset any new costs.

Maine Senate: Pine Tree State Poll/UNH

Troy Jackson (D) 49%
Susan Collins (R) 46%

FAVORABLE RATINGS

— Jackson: 37% fav, 32% unfav, 15% neutral, 15% don't know enough

— Collins: 35% fav, 53% unfav, 12% neutral, 0% don't know enough

scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcont...

How rapidly has the ground shifted among Democrats on Israel?

In Jan 2024, it was considered radical when Bernie Sanders offered a measure to condition US aid to Israel on respecting human rights; just 11 Senate Ds backed it.

This week 103 House Ds voted to cut off US aid to Israel.

Platner officially withdraws his Senate candidacy, and the Maine secretary of state's office confirms receipt of the papers. This triggers the process for Maine Democrats to replace him, by July 27 under state law.

Sen. Ruben Gallego un-endorses Platner: