The Daily Punch

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Watch this episode on YouTu...

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.?  Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube⁠. ⁠⁠⁠S...

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...

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...

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. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.new...

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. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways⁠⁠...

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 t...

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. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouT...

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...

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....

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. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 wha...

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! Learn more about you...

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. Watch this episode on YouTube here! P...

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...

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 loomi...

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.  Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to our channel...

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. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more about your ad choices....

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. Watch thi...

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An escalation in fighting between the U.S. and Iran — for the second night in a row — could mean big political, legal and economic problems for President Donald Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill. Anna and Jake discuss the latest. Plus, Graham Platner’s Maine Senate campaign is over. So what happens now? Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to...

Senate progressives may have just blown a massive opportunity to drag the party further to the left thanks to the Graham Platner scandal in Maine. Will they ever recover? Jake discusses the latest on Maine. Plus, it’s crunch time for FY2027 spending bills. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠we’re...

Amid reports of alleged sexual assault, Graham Platner is no longer a viable Democratic candidate to take on Maine Sen. Susan Collins, putting Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats in an incredibly difficult position as they look to take the majority on Election Day. Anna and Jake discuss the latest. Plus, why House GOP defense hawks are skeptical of the Trump administration’s terms for a peace deal...