Ledge King

Ex-TV journalists are pitching themselves to their former audiences. Will they be broadcasting wins in November? @NenoNicolosio examines their chances: buff.ly/BKwaCT8

A $200 billion Iran appropriations request will further squeeze a GOP agenda already beset by narrow majorities & a compressed calendar. In his latest unlocked POINT OF ORDER, @ledgeking looks at what's left to do and the chances they do each one: buff.ly/8j5ATjw

Gov. JB Pritzker's first general election ad doesn't even mention his GOP opponent, but instead heavily features Trump youtube.com/watch?v=LAYeTE…

No matter the official agenda, President Trump finds ways to talk about the ballroom or his many other construction projects. @georgecondon with the White House File (unlocked): buff.ly/xgLbsIf

Democrats say they’re confident that they can hold onto vulnerable seats and flip states where a Democratic governor hasn’t served in decades. @abbyyturner_ and @kirk_bado with the Hotline Gubernatorial Power Rankings (unlocked): buff.ly/nnGji52

Polling on Iran generally showed considerable variation in the first week of the war, depending on which pollsters conducted it and what wording they used. @nataliemj10 with the latest Leading Indicators (unlocked): buff.ly/ZsifqSA

If Republican losses are confined to blue and purple states and districts, they will limit the damage. @CharlieCookDC with the latest Off to the Races: buff.ly/DNEj61T

Important reporting from @Vu_Reports

The White House and Capitol Hill are eagerly seeking quick ways to ease gasoline prices. But political maneuvers are unlikely to make everything instantly better, say the experts. @lightmandavid with the latest Following the Money (unlocked): buff.ly/pljNaRd

Ret. Col. William Smullen, Colin Powell's former spokesman and chief of staff, said the general would give the current administration an 'F' for planning. By @TomDeFrank (unlocked): buff.ly/3LkD0Mw

This is pretty interesting: Rep. Ryan Mackenzie—one of the most vulnerable Rs this cycle—sent a letter to Dr. Oz expressing concerns about the proposed rate notice for Medicare Advantage issued at the beginning of the year, which was a meager pay bump of less than 1%. Insurers warned this could force them to cut benefits or pull out of the market altogether. "As CMS evaluates the proposed update for 2027, I respectfully urge the Department to take into account what any changes could mean for seniors, particularly with respect to premiums, cost-sharing, benefits, and plan availability. It is essential to ensure that seniors in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District remain protected and that affordability remains front of mind as final decisions are made." Most Republicans have been preaching austerity for MA, and have been looking to rein in the program. Not Mackenzie, however.

@SenThomTillis told me it was "embarrassing" that Jan. 6 rioters were pardoned more than a year before the plaque honoring the officers they attacked was installed.

Sen. Thom Tillis said the installation of a memorial plaque should not be seen as a larger act of defiance by Republicans increasingly willing to push back against parts of Trump's agenda. @ledgeking with the latest Point of Order buff.ly/XJlOrjF

Republican candidates might be missing from roughly a third of New Mexico's statewide ballot this year, including for U.S. Senate. The problems facing the New Mexico GOP run far deeper. W/ @jamesd0wns for @nationaljournal nationaljournal.com/s/731201/mia-t…

The problems facing the Republican Party in the Land of Enchantment run far deeper than one election cycle. By @Abbyyturner_ and @jamesd0wns (unlocked): buff.ly/FBPs71p

Important journalism from @nationaljournal

News: Casey Means's nomination to be Surgeon General is facing some trouble. At least one GOP senator has indicated to me they're a “hell no” if it reaches the floor. Unclear of when a mark-up will be scheduled to vote on the nomination in Senate HELP. Sen. Murkowski and Collins are still undecided. Murkowski yesterday when asked about Means: "I'm not enthusiastic" about the nomination. Collins said today she just received Means's written responses to questions the senator submitted, and has not had a chance to review them yet.

The Prairie State is ground zero for generational change in the Democratic party. Here's what else to look for in Illinois' primary, detailed by @njhotline free Primary Primer. buff.ly/oSsXg0S

As the winter meetings of farm groups came to a close Tuesday with the National Farmers Union convention, there’s an emerging consensus that U.S. agricultural policy is not working. @hagstromreport with the latest Outside Influences (unlocked): buff.ly/dVl4RyT

Important reporting from @Vu_Reports about the dilemma Democrats face over Iran war funding