Mitch McConnell delivers an opening statement during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the FY2027 budget request in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on May 12, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell was discharged Thursday from the rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home.
“Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home,” McConnell said in a statement. “Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I’ve received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff.”
“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell added.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Florida Republican gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) on Sept. 9, 2026, in Dallas, Texas. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — When Republican Rep. Bryon Donalds announced his campaign for Florida governor on Fox News in February 2025, he said he was “excited to have the full endorsement of President Trump,” and his campaign website described him as a “Trump-Endorsed Proven Conservative Fighter.”
This week, with Trump’s approval ratings hitting lows in the final stretch of the midterm campaign season, Donalds adjusted his website, removing several mentions of the president.
His site now features video of Donalds campaigning and appearing on stage in front of supporters with his family — with Trump’s endorsement reduced to one of several from prominent Republicans rolling across the page.
Responding to the attention to his updated site, Donalds shared an updated image of his endorsements page, saying, “I am proud to have President Trump’s endorsement.”
“While everyone is focused on our website, check out our policy proposals to make life more affordable for Floridians,” he added.
The changes, similar to other GOP candidates, come as some Republicans are taking steps to distance themselves from Trump amid voters’ frustrations with the Iran war and rising gas and diesel prices.
Donalds’ home page also no longer features a photo of Donalds and his wife posing with Trump, or a section called “On the Issues,” that says Donalds “is committed to implementing President Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda so that our state and our nation’s best days are still ahead.”
A spokesman for Donalds said the congressman is “proud” to have Trump’s endorsement. Donalds, unlike some Republicans running for re-election, appeared on stage at the GOP midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month, helping the party sell Trump and Republicans’ legislative record.
“Our campaign website reflects Byron’s focus on the issues that matter most to Floridians — affordability, insurance costs, and government transparency. He’s running to be the next Governor of Florida, is proud to have President Trump’s endorsement, and has real policy proposals to tackle those issues,” Gates McGavick told ABC News in a statement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Melania Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Weijia Jiang attend as Mentalist Oz Pearlman hosts The White House Correspondents Dinner at Washington Hilton, April 25, 2026. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The White House correspondents’ dinner has been rescheduled for July 24, after a shooting forced the cancellation of the annual event in April, White House Correspondents’ Association president Weijia Jiang said.
“Rescheduling was not automatic. It was a choice that the WHCA board made after thoughtful consideration and input from our members,” she said in a statement.
Cole Allen, 31, is accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump at the April 25 dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel. He was tackled by law enforcement after rushing through a security checkpoint at the hotel, where thousands of journalists as well as Trump and members of his Cabinet were gathered for the annual event, according to prosecutors.
Allen allegedly wrote that administration officials were his targets, according to a criminal complaint.
Allen has pleaded not guilty to attempted assassination of the President of the United States, assault on a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, transportation of a firearm and ammunition over state lines with the intent to commit a felony and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Jiang said the rescheduled dinner “will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program. It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence.”
“Our thoughts remain with the officer who was injured and with everyone who experienced that evening,” she added. “We are indebted to the US Secret Service, law enforcement and the hotel staff whose swift response protected our guests and our staff.”
Jiang did not say where July’s dinner will be held.
Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico speaks during a “Talarico for Texas: Frontera Tour” campaign rally at the La Posada facility, July 14, 2026, in Laredo, Texas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) — Democrats raised more money than their Republican opponents in key Senate races across the country in the second quarter, according to campaign finance filings made this week to the Federal Election Commission.
In Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff raised almost ten times what Republican Rep. Mike Collins did. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown outraised Republican Sen. Jon Husted by roughly $10 million. In Texas, Democrat James Talarico outraised Republican Ken Paxton by over $26 million.
Talarico’s haul marks a new record for second quarter fundraising, far surpassing other Democrats who previously pursued Senate seats in Texas.
At this point in Beto O’Rourke’s 2018 campaign, O’Rourke had raised a grand total of just under $24 million since the start of the election cycle. MJ Hegar had raised $6.6 million in 2020, and Colin Allred had raised over $38 million in 2024. All three of those Democratic candidates ultimately lost their general election fights.
Talarico has raised nearly $69 million this cycle, and the candidate still has over $21 million to spend. Lone Star Rising, a super PAC that supports Talarico, raised $12.7 million in the second quarter, most of it from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
Talarico’s opponent, Paxton, who is currently serving as the state’s attorney general, raised $2.2 million in the second quarter and has around $1.8 million in the bank, according to filings.
Lone Star Liberty, a super PAC that supports Paxton, raised about $4.3 million. They have about $35,000 cash on hand.
Republican PACs remain well-stocked, and Elon Musk contributions grow
Still, there are reasons for Republicans to be optimistic as the general election approaches.
In some cases, Republicans still have more money saved. Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola outraised her opponent, Republican Dan Sullivan, by nearly $5 million. But Sullivan spent little (under $1 million) in the second quarter, and still has more than $8 million on hand, according to FEC filings. That puts him $1 million ahead of Peltola.
Republican super PACs and party committees are also well-resourced. The Senate Leadership Fund, a flagship Republican super PAC affiliated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, outraised its Democratic equivalent, the Senate Majority PAC, by nearly $20 million.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) reported having a cash on hand lead of over $10 million on the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) when those groups filed their most recent monthly reports. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has over $125 million in the bank, while the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is in debt.
MAGA Inc., a Donald Trump-affiliated super PAC, had over $382 million on hand when its most recent monthly report was filed.
Among MAGA Inc.’s donors is Elon Musk, who has emerged as one of the Republican party’s top supporters this midterm cycle despite past spats with Trump. He has invested at least $90 million dollars, including a recent $5 million donation, to Vivek Ramaswamy’s super PAC, V-PAC. Ramaswamy is running for Ohio governor against Amy Acton. Musk also endorsed Ramaswamy, which comes after notable tension between the two when co-leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk’s own super PAC, America PAC, has kept a relatively low profile since last year, when Brad Schimel, Musk’s preferred candidate in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, lost in a 10-point blowout. America PAC and other Musk-affiliated groups spent millions supporting Schimel.
Democrats face internal struggles in Michigan and Maine
Democrats also face challenges internally. In Michigan, two Democratic Senate candidates are still locked in a hard-fought primary, vying for the opportunity to challenge Republican Mike Rogers. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, raised $4.6 million, while Rogers raised under $3 million. Rep. Haley Stevens raised about $2.1 million, according to FEC filings. Rogers has more cash on hand, $5.7 million, than either of his potential Democratic opponents.
In Maine, Democrat Graham Platner’s campaign raised over $9 million, while Republican Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign raised around $5.7 million. Collins has far more cash on hand however, $11 million compared to the Platner campaign’s $1.8 million.
Given that Platner dropped out of the race earlier this month in the wake of a sexual assault allegation, which he’s denied, it is still unknown if and how Democrats will access the Platner campaign’s war chest to benefit whoever his replacement turns out to be. Candidate-to-candidate transfers are limited to $2,000.
