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TheBias Brief

AxiosSig. 6NewsPoliticsElectionsMedia

Exclusive: Thune plans another leader bid as Senate GOP fights to survive

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Axios he plans to run for another term as GOP leader even if Republicans lose the Senate majority. The interview details his strategy for 2026, including giving candidates leeway to distance themselves from Trump and Washington, allowing state-driven votes, and directing roughly $280 million in advertising through the Senate Leadership Fund.

The HillSig. 5NewsEconomyElectionsPolitics

Fed’s Barr says future interest rate hikes ‘likely’ needed to tame inflation

Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said the central bank will 'likely' need to raise interest rates again to bring down persistent inflation, after the FOMC hiked rates last week for the first time in over three years. Barr called the quarter-point increase 'right' given inflation above the Fed's 2 percent target, while President Trump continued to call for rate cuts.

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PBS NewsHourSig. 7NewsElectionsPoliticsImmigration

New poll reveals how Trump's low approval might affect midterms

A new PBS News/NPR/Marist poll shows Democrats leading Republicans by 12 points on the generic ballot ahead of the 2026 midterms, with President Trump's approval at a low point and voters motivated more by opposition to him. The segment highlights Democratic advantages on the economy, immigration, and other issues.

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The HillSig. 7NewsEnergyEconomyElections

Farm state Republicans feel the pressure from rising diesel prices

Rising diesel prices, which hit a record $6.51 a gallon after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, are pressuring farm-state Republicans ahead of the midterms. Several GOP lawmakers are urging the Trump administration and Congress to act, including calls to pause diesel exports and suspend the gas tax, while the White House denies plans for a 90-day export ban.

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PBS NewsHourSig. 6NewsPoliticsElectionsLaw

Maine Dems hammer Collins over report of pay-to-play probe. GOP senator calls it 'completely false'

Maine Democrats attacked Sen. Susan Collins over a ProPublica report that the FBI planned a pay-to-play investigation into her dealings with a defense contractor donor, which never launched after Trump took office. Collins called the story false and noted the FBI said the allegations were already investigated and found nothing implicating her. The article closes by detailing the Trump administration's reduction of FBI and Justice Department corruption-fighting resources.

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NPRSig. 8NewsPoliticsForeignElections

Trump heads to U.N. looking for wins after a rough week

President Trump is heading to the U.N. General Assembly after a stretch of legal and political setbacks, low approval ratings, and criticism over banning several news organizations from the White House. He is expected to cast himself as a peacemaker while defending his Iran policy, with much of the diplomacy occurring in sideline meetings and a Washington visit from China's Xi Jinping.

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NPRSig. 8NewsElectionsHealthPolitics

Abortion is on the ballot again as post-Roe policies continue to evolve

Four states will vote on abortion-related ballot measures in November, with Missouri and Nevada considering the issue again after 2024. The measures follow the Dobbs decision and reflect a patchwork of state abortion laws. The article centers on abortion-rights supporters' concerns and a Republican-led effort in Missouri to overturn recent protections.

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PoliticoSig. 8NewsElectionsPoliticsEconomy

‘We need to stop the contagion’: GOP ramps up midterms defense in Trump states

Republicans are expanding their midterm defense into deep-red districts and states, with internal polling showing Trump's approval underwater and tariff-driven price anger threatening GOP incumbents. The article details heavy ad spending, Senate map concerns, and growing worries in Ohio, Iowa, and Kansas as Democrats push into Trump-won territory.

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The GuardianSig. 6OpinionElectionsPoliticsLaw

Many Americans live in the UK – but few vote back home. This year, that must change | Kathryn Sikkink

The article argues that Americans living in the UK vote at very low rates and urges them to use federal absentee voting procedures ahead of the 2026 US midterms. It notes that overseas voting rights are protected by federal law and pushes back on tax-related myths, while warning that Trump administration efforts to restrict mail-in voting could discourage participation.

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