The Daily Punch
Weekday mornings, The Daily Punch brings you inside Capitol Hill, the White House and Washington for an unfiltered look at the key players and stakes of all major issues of the day. Power. People. Politics. Hosted by Punchbowl News founders, journalists and best-selling authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman.
The shocker in Florida
Anna and Jake break down Tuesday's primary results. Plus: the prospect of a 50-50 Senate looms.
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A big primary night ahead
Anna and Jake break down what to watch tonight as primary voters head to the polls in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming.
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'Crooks vs. Commies’ on the campaign trail
Jake and Anna break down the dynamics at play in the House Democratic Caucus as the midterms creep up. Plus, what House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told Jake on the trail.
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Readback: PBN video heads into the field
Our digital content producer Rachel Scully takes you behind the scenes of producing Fly Out Day and capturing Punchbowl News' video content at stakeouts. This story was featured in the Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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What will Scalise do if Republicans lose?
Jake recounts what House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told him on the road in Michigan.
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Data centers take center stage
Jake and Anna break down the role data centers are taking on the campaign trail, with candidates from both sides of the aisle using them as a punching bag.
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Inside a gigantic primary night
Jake and Anna break down what happened last night across the country after the primary polls closed in Connecticut, South Carolina and Wisconsin.
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Inside Democrats' meltdown in Michigan
Anna and Jake break down what went down with Democrats in a downballot House primary in Michigan where a former DSA member won the party's nomination.
Plus, what to watch today as voters in several states head to the polls.
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What the Senate left undone
Jake and Anna explore what the Senate needs to do when they come back next month; the upper chamber may have pushed the CR down the road, but there's still plenty to do. Plus, North Carolina Republicans are picking their replacement for Rep. Chuck Edwards.
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Readback: Inside Michigan’s primary night
Ally and Max discuss Abdul El-Sayed's victory over Rep. Haley Stevens in the Senate Democratic primary in Michigan Tuesday. This story was featured in the Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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Fly Out Day: President Trump on midterms, SAVE America and why he could be “the last Republican president”
Jake Sherman sits down with President Donald Trump to talk the SAVE America Act, Iran, Blanche's nomination and MUCH more. Stick around: John Bresnahan and Anna Palmer provide their post-interview analysis.
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Trump on Fly Out Day plus the Senate latest
Jake and Anna recap Punchbowl News' exclusive interview with President Donald Trump at the White House. The president refused to back Senate Majority Leader John Thune and had some interesting thoughts on the Fed.
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What Schumer told us about El-Sayed
President Donald Trump is our guest on Fly Out Day, the episode drops tomorrow morning.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sat down with Punchbowl News to talk about the midterms. Plus, the Senate countdown is on.
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The left strikes back
The Democratic Party’s reckoning is here. Progressives are on track to win key races in Tuesday’s primaries in Michigan, although not as decisively as predicted — or hoped.
Anna and Jake break down the latest from Primary Day. Plus, what to watch in the Senate GOP’s pre-recess rush.
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The Senate's escape math
The Senate’s ability to clear its pile-up of legislation and nominations before a five-week summer recess may come down to two GOP decisions.
Plus, it’s Primary Day in Michigan! Anna and Jake break down what we’re watching.
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Blanche and Cornyn's deal
The White House believes it has a deal with GOP senators to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee after days of frenzied negotiations.
Jake breaks down the late-night Cornyn-Blanche weaponization deal. Plus, will Rep. Shri Thanedar (Mich.) become the next House Democrat to lose reelection?
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Readback: Blanche’s confirmation battle
Laura and Brendan discuss Todd Blanche's struggle this week to sway Senate GOP holdouts Thom Tillis and John Cornyn on his attorney general nomination. This story was featured in The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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2026 and its campaign tricks
From mystery super PACs to late third-party candidate adds, we’ve seen some questionable campaign practices this cycle, with the control of Congress coming down to a district-by-district, state-by-state knife fight. Punchbowl News Congressional Reporter Laura Weiss joins Jake to discuss the 2026 cycle’s dirty tricks.
Plus, how President Donald Trump’s clashes with Senate Majority Leader John Thune are supercharging Senate Republicans’ fears of a Democratic majority — and inside the Blanche scramble.
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Fly Out Day: Super PAC leader Alex Latcham talks Republicans’ $400 million campaign war chest
Senate Leadership Fund's Alex Latcham joined Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at the Punchbowl News Townhouse to break down midterm spending strategy across key states, the SAVE America Act and MUCH more! Stick around for Igor Bobic of NOTUS and our own Andrew Desiderio on That's Not Gonna Fly!
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Is Trump kicking Thune to the curb?
President Donald Trump on Wednesday declined to say whether Senate Majority Leader John Thune is the right person to lead Senate Republicans amid an inter-party struggle over the president’s top legislative priority, the SAVE America Act.
Anna and Jake discuss the latest dynamic between the two leaders. Plus, how the Green Party is threatening Democrats in Pennsylvania.
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Thune's minefield
From President Donald Trump’s SAVE America Act push to a high-profile Cabinet nomination and a budget reconciliation effort, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a political minefield to navigate before the August recess.
Anna and Jake break down what’s next in the Senate. Plus, will the Shaheen legacy endure in N.H.?
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A SAVE Act cheat sheet for the W.H.
President Donald Trump is upping his pressure campaign on Senate Majority Leader John Thune over the SAVE America Act, backing a push from hardline conservatives to scrap the August recess to try to pass the bill. But it’s not as easy as Trump makes it out to be.
Anna and Jake break down why Trump’s SAVE threats aren’t working. Plus, what to expect ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to the Hill today to sell Democratic skeptics on a long-stalled Russia sanctions package.
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The Senate's two-week sprint
The Senate has a full plate during its two-week sprint to August recess, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces pressure from competing factions of his conference and the White House over the SAVE America Act, reconciliation 3.0 and more.
Anna and Jake break down the chamber’s two-week sprint. Plus, Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) are trying to use their newfound political freedom to extract major concessions out of the White House. Will they hold out?
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Readback: Hegseth’s shaky push for Pentagon cash
Anthony Adragna takes you behind the scenes of Pete Hegseth's Senate hearing, where the DOD secretary pushed for the Trump administration’s $87.6 billion supplemental request. This story was featured in The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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100 days out: House GOP's challenges
Sunday marks 100 days until the midterm elections. The House is gone for five weeks. And things are looking bleak for the House Republican majority.
Anna and Jake break down the House GOP's challenges. Plus, inside the Senate’s two-week sprint to the August recess.
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Fly Out Day: Can the GOP avoid a shutdown? New Senate Budget Chair Ron Johnson on the fight ahead
The new chair of the Senate Budget Committee Sen. Ron Johnson chats with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at the Punchbowl News townhouse about reconciliation 3.0, the SAVE Act, midterms and more! Stick around: Ryan Nobles and Jackie Kucinich stop by for a lively That's Not Gonna Fly!
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Is reconciliation 3.0 destined for the lame duck?
In one day, Speaker Mike Johnson and House GOP leaders overcame Republican opposition to pass three major bills. But the next challenge for House Republicans: it’s increasingly clear that the Senate GOP won’t take up reconciliation before Election Day.
Anna and Jake discuss whether reconciliation 3.0 could slip to the lame duck. Plus, it’s finally showtime for the Clarity Act, but things are off to a bad start.
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Are House and Senate Rs even talking?
Reconciliation is getting very, very messy for Hill Republicans, as Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune find themselves at odds.
Anna and Jake break down the most recent disagreement between the GOP leaders. Plus, the latest in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary and what we learned from primary day in Arizona.
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Budget vote, Hegseth showdown and a crypto breakthrough
There’s so much going on that we need to cover three topics at the top of this morning’s edition — the looming budget resolution vote in the House, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee, and a deal on crypto legislation.
Anna and Jake break it all down. Plus, could Michigan save the Senate GOP majority? And the latest in the wide-open South Carolina Senate GOP special.
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House Republicans' final-week gauntlet
Congress faces a crowded legislative week and an increasingly complex and messy geopolitical landscape as House Republicans look to move forward on reconciliation 3.0 and more. Will they be successful?
Anna and Jake discuss the four big GOP bills to watch for the House’s last week. Plus, the latest in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary that pits progressives against the Democratic establishment.
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Readback: Graham’s death shocks Washington
Andrew and Max discuss Sen. Lindsey Graham's legacy and the latest on the Russia sanctions bill. This story was featured in The Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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Democrats are drowning the House GOP in cash
House Democrats are rolling in cash with just 109 days until the midterms. Congressional Reporter Max Cohen joins Jake to break down the latest trove of campaign-finance reports released this week, which showed a concerning reality for the GOP.
Plus, the latest test of the DCCC’s aggressive primary endorsement strategy comes next Tuesday in Arizona’s 1st District. Jake and Max break down what we’re watching.
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Fly Out Day: HFC Chair Harris on government funding, immigration and redistricting
Maryland GOP Rep. Andy Harris, chairs of the House Freedom Caucus, joins Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer at the Punchbowl News townhouse to discuss Speaker Johnson's and Leader Thune's leadership, the SAVE America Act, immigration and Maryland redistricting. Then, Semafor Congressional Reporter Nick Wu and Punchbowl News Co-Founder John Bresnahan stop by for That's Not Gonna Fly!
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Inside the Democrats' deep Israel split
U.S. policy toward Israel is one of the biggest issues of the 2026 Democratic primaries. And when it came time to vote on cutting off billions in aid to the Jewish State, House Democrats split into three groups.
Anna and Jake break down Dems' deep Israel divide. Plus, how President Donald Trump’s 2020 election obsession is creating problems for the Senate GOP.
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House Republicans' fragile equilibrium
House GOP leaders are entering a very perilous period as they attempt to squeeze six months of legislating into a handful of weeks, with the midterm elections looming like an anvil overhead.
Anna and Jake break down Speaker Mike Johnson’s twin gambit: reconciliation and immigration. Plus, a new push for Russia sanctions belies structural challenges — and what to expect ahead of Todd Blanche’s high-stakes hearing today before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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Johnson's election-year reconciliation rush
With the political winds howling in their face, House Republicans are gearing up to send the Pentagon tens of billions of dollars in new funding for a seemingly endless Iran war that’s bottoming out in public opinion polls.
Anna and Jake break down the House GOP’s reconciliation gamble. Plus, inside the Senate’s changing guards following the loss of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and a wave of looming retirements.
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Graham's death and Congress' scramble
Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) shocking death this weekend at 71 has stunned the Senate, all of Washington, South Carolina and the nation.
Anna and Jake discuss the latest. Plus, what we’re watching this week as reconciliation pressure builds for Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans.
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Readback: What went wrong for Democrats in Maine
Laura and Max break down Graham Platner's exit from the Maine Senate race this week and what it means for Senate Democrats in the midterms. This story was featured in the Readback, our weekend digest featuring the best of Punchbowl News this week.
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Inside Thune's July floor plan
Senate GOP leaders are about to launch into a four-week summer rush to confirm Trump’s nominees in what could finally be a productive stretch for Senate Majority Leader John Thune.
Anna and Jake break down what we’re watching. Plus, inside Dems’ next Michigan headache — and what Senate Majority PAC President J.B. Poersch told us on Fly Out Day about the whole Senate map, including Maine.
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Fly Out Day: Democrats’ dilemma: Senate Majority PAC leader talks Platner, campaign finance and the road to 2026
J.B. Poersch, president of Senate Majority PAC, sat down with Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to break down Democratic strategy, party leadership and the upcoming primaries. Stick around: CNN's Lauren Fox and our own Max Cohen swing by for That's Not Gonna Fly.
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