Democrats are deciding whether to help Republicans confirm several Trump nominations, or force the body to stay in session next month. Normally the Senate would break from its labors to take an extended August recess, allowing members to leave DC and catch up on work in their home states. But this year may be different with Republicans under pressure to confirm Trump nominees, and Democrats divided on whether to help expedite the process or force delays. Some Democrats are holding out for concessions from Republicans in exchange for their cooperation and others say they want to slow down the confrmations, even if that means nobody gets to break for the August recess.

A popular former North Carolina governor has thrown his hat into the ring in next year’s Senate race. Former two-term Democrat Governor Roy Cooper says he’s in the running to win his party’s nomination to run for the seat of retiring Republican Thom Tillis [R-NC]. He’s considered the favor Democrat and has alreacy come under fire from Republicans over his record, including hs veto of a bill that woud have kept boys from playing on girls sports teams. His likely opponent would be National Republican Committee chairman Michael Whatley, whose planning to run and has the endorsement of President Trump.

A Democrat senator is sending signals he may be planning a run for the White House in 2028. Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego [D-AZ] has booked a trip to New Hampshire for late August to attend the Politics and Eggs event at St. Anselm College. The event was foubded in 1995 to give New Hampshire  and New England business leaders a chanced to meet major part presidential candidates. He’ll also campaign for New Hampshore Congressman Chris Pappas who’s running to replace the retiring Senatore Jeanne Shaheen in 2026.

An oil industry expert says President Trump’s new trade deal with the European Union is also a big win for U.S. energy producers, and a setback for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Daniel Turner, founder and executive director of Power The Future says it’s not just a better deal but a “complete 180”.  He says under President Biden the U.S. wasn’t selling energy to the EU, leaving them to buy it from Russia, and fueling Moscow’s war machine. He says that all changed with the president’s  new trade deal the president struck with the EU over the weekend.

A leading GOP strategist says it’s far too early to predict who will lead the Republican party forward after President Trump’s second term comes to an end in 2028. Erin Maguire says selecting the next GOP presidential candidate will be no coronation. Maguire tells the Salem Radio Network she won’t be surprised if some of those who throw their hat into the ring come from within the Trump administration.

RNC chairman Michael Whatley is expected to run for an open Senate seat in North Carolina next year. Politico was the first to report that Whatley has decided to run for the seat soon to be vacated by Republican Thom Tillis [R-NC] and that he did so after President Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump decided not to.run. Whatley enjoys the full support of President Trump. Whatley is expected to square off against popular former Democrat Governor Roy Copper. Both men are expected to make their candidacies offical in the next several days.

Former National Security advisor Mike Waltz appears to be on his way to confirmation as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, thanks to a bi-partisan deal in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Waltz advanced out of committee despite a “no” vote from Republican Senator Rand Paul, who objects to the former congredsman’s vote to keep troops in Afghanistan. Waltz got te help he needed from Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who did some horse trading with Republicans and th State Department, who agreed to free up $75-MILLION in foreign aid to Haiti and Nigeria. Waltz is now expected to be confirmed by the full Senate.

Senator Josh Hawley [R-MO] had to be escorted off the stage after he was approached by a pro-Palestinian protestor at an event in Washington today (on Wednesday). Hawley attended the Axios News Shapers forum in Washington and was being interviewed when a demonstrator approached and began shouting that Hawley supports the starvation of children, since he supports Israel’s war in Gaza, Other protestors held up signs and shouted similar claims. Later when things calmed down Hawley returned to the  stage to a round of applause and told the crowd it was-quote- “just another day in the Senate.”

It’s still not clear whether the Senate will be allowed to break for its August recess. President Trump has called on Majority leader John Thune to call off the August recess this year, given the Senate’s backlog of important work, including confirmation of a number of Trump nominations. Republicans also face a brewing standoff with Democrats over a number of budget priorities, with Democrats hinting they’ll cause a government shutdown when the fiscal year comes to an end October 1st. Senator Thune has not cancelled the August recess, but did tell Repulicans on Tuesday to hold off on making any travel plans for next weeknd.

A big step forward for the nation’s 2026 Defense budget. Democrats on Tuesday helped Republicans advance the bill aimed at providing money for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill provides $153-BILLION and passed out of the Appropriations Committee on a bi-partisan vote of 26-3. It’s the first of many appropriations bills for 2026 to advance to the Senate floor.

One of the nation’s top political observers says President Trump’s second term is on course to be one for the history books. Political commentator Victor Davis Hanson says President Trump is waging a classic counter-revolution, one he says is economic, social, cultural, and diplomatic. From taking on big education, and the Green Lobby, to fixing the border, and reinvigorating recruitment to the Armed Services, all things the experts said could not be done. Hanson also says the president has undermined race and tribe, stressing class interests and the connection between working people from all backgrounds.

President Trump is endorsing the re-election of South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds [R-SD]. Rounds is expected to seek re-election next year, although he has yet to officially announce  he’s running. The president’s early endorsement may be an effort to underscore that he’s put his previous disagreement with Rounds aside. Back in 2022 Rounds drew Trump’s ire when he said the 2020 election had been fair. At the time the president clled Round s a “jerk” Now Trump writes on Truth Social “ “Mike Rounds has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

A GOP senator says constant battles with radicals may be taking a toll on President Trump’s health. Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville [R-ALA] told New York talk show host John Catsimitidis on Sunday  President Trump’s health may be taking a hit due to his ongoing battles with bad actors all over the world but also with what he called “the radicals in this country,” In his wordS ”Every day it’s almost like a fistfight.”  The white house announced last week Mr. Trump has been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, which affects the the flow of blood returning from the legs to the heart.

Former Texas Congressman Beto O’Rourke says he’s considering throwing his hat into the ring in next year’s midterm election. O’Rourke took to the Sunday talk shows to address the question of whether he’ll rn to challenge incumbent GOP Senator John Cornyn. “I don’t Know” he told CNN’s when asked about his pans, but said he’s been holding townhall events across Texas to get in touch with Democrat voters to-In his words “channel our anger into action, registering people to vote, organizing with voters.” O’Rourke ran failed bids for the Senate in 2018, president in 2020, and governor in 2022.

There are rumors on Capitol Hill that Maine Senator Susan Collins may decide not to run for re-election next year. She has given indications she plans to run again, but finds herself out of step with the Senate majority eager to advance President Trump’s American First agenda. She voted against the reconciliation tax and spending package and more recently agaist the nine-Billion dollar rescission bill. Collins is the rare GOP senator who’s managed to win re-election in a mostly state. She has served five terms and was first elected to the Senate in.1996.

The recently passed reconciliation bill likely won’t be the last. Oklahoma Senator James Lankford says all Republicans agree there needs to be a second reconciliation bill, but working out the details is a complex legal problem. Lankford says even though Republicans enjoy the majority, as he puts it they need to get their “ducks in a row” when it comes to the types of spending that can be addressed in a reconciliation bill. Lankford says his party may need a few months to decide what budget and spending issues should be included in a second bill.

Democrats walked out of confirmation hearings for several Trump nominees on Thursday. Chairman Chuck Grassley [R-IA] moved forward with the nomination of Emil Bove to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, and blasted Democrat demands to hear from more witnesseS. Democrat Corey Booker arguing a delay of at least one more week. In the end the commitee advance Bove’s nomination, and that of former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, to serve as U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C.

A Republican senator says working toward greater innovation and energy production is bringing out the best in bi-partisan cooperation in his state. Pennsylvania Senator Dave McCormick [R-PA] says working together is already paying big dividends. McCormick says in the Keystone State there’s a lot riding on Democrats and Republicans working together. McCormick tells the Salem Radio Network being the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas” Pennsylvania can provide the enormous amounts of energy it takes to keep AI centers up and running.

To pass their massive rescission bill, Republicans had to make some adjustments to ensure protection for tribal radio stations. Senator Mike Rounds [R-SD] went head-to-head with his GOP colleagues demanding that the rescission bill not cut funding for tribal radio stations in South Dakota. He wrote on X “ I will now vote to support President Trump’s rescissions package to clawback $9.4 billion in federal spending.  Rounds went on to say tribal broadcast services in South Dakota provide potentially lifesaving emergency alerts. He says a deal was made to secure the brodcast funding by redirecting funds that had previously been allocated to former President Biden’s Green New Deal program,

Republicans have agreed to remove the international aids program PEPFAR from the rescission package lowering the amount of savings in the bill to NINE-billion. News came Tuesday afternoon that GOP senators , facing resistance from within their own ranks, had agreed to remove PEPFAR from the list of programs targeted in the bill. Appropriations chair Susan Collins of Maine was the chief proponent of omitting PEPFAR from the bill, which is designed to reduce wasteful spending previously approved by Congress. PEPFAR has been credited with saving millions of lives  since it was created under President George W. Bush.