The Daily Punch

It’s Day 21 of the government shutdown and the fight over Obamacare is front and center in Washington. Senate Majority Leader John Thune is floating a one-year CR as health care premium hikes dominate the shutdown debate. Plus: Democrats are shifting their Illinois redistricting strategy — and the latest cash dash on the campaign front. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouT...

The shutdown hits Day 20 — and pressure is mounting as Nov. 1 looms. Jake breaks down Schumer’s next move, a potential off-ramp for Democrats and why this week could be decisive.  Plus: Hakeem Jeffries ramps up his redistricting push and the Grijalva lawsuit heads for a showdown. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube!⁠⁠ ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠ to our channel today to see all the n...

Punchbowl News Financial Services Reporter Brendan Pedersen recaps his interviews at D.C. Fintech Week, aka Finchella. 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

Day 17 of the shutdown — and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise is drawing a hard line. Anna and Jake break down their Fly Out Day conversation with Scalise, fresh FEC numbers in the fight for the House and Georgia’s wide-open GOP Senate primary. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube!⁠⁠ ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways we’re investing in video....

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joins Anna and Jake at the Punchbowl News Townhouse to take us inside the government shutdown, now on its 16th day. • Shutdown: Scalise brushed off concerns that people will turn their anger toward GOP • Cassidy: Scalise declined to endorse Sen. Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) reelection effort • Future plans: Scalise said he will run for reelection in 2026 Plus,...

It’s Day 16 of the government shutdown and there's still no resolution. Jake and Anna discuss Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s delicate balancing act with President Donald Trump. Plus: Big takeaways from the FEC filing deadline, and how Democrats are outpacing Republicans in key races. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube!⁠⁠ ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠ to our channel today to see...

Anna and Jake break down how the redistricting battles are shaping the 2026 landscape — with the Supreme Court hearing a pivotal Voting Rights Act case and state-level fights playing out coast to coast. Plus: Day 15 of the government shutdown and John Thune is trying a new strategy on defense spending. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube!⁠⁠ ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠⁠ to our channel...

It’s Day 14 of the government shutdown — and the White House is settling in for the long haul. As President Trump hosts foreign leaders in Washington, his administration is quietly finding ways to blunt the pain of a prolonged standoff. Jake breaks down how these moves could stretch the shutdown well into November. Plus: Sen. Jim Justice’s daily private jet commute. Watch this episode on YouTube h...

It’s Day 13 of the government shutdown — and the House has gone AWOL. As President Trump travels through the Middle East, Washington faces a striking split screen: a major diplomatic moment abroad while negotiations at home remain stalled. Anna and Jake unpack how congressional inaction is shaping the shutdown. Plus: Inside the administration’s move to make sure the Coast Guard gets paid. Punchbow...

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) comes to the Punchbowl News Townhouse to share his views on the government shutdown, now on its ninth day. When will it end? Gallego doesn't see a quick end to the shutdown. ACA: The Arizona Democrat is open to negotiations. Grijalva: Gallego continues to push Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) Plus, John Bresnahan, Punchbowl News' c...

Laura and Max discuss the government shutdown battle and the absence of House members. 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

It’s Day 10 of the government shutdown and pressure is rising as troops prepare to miss their first paychecks. Anna and Jake break down why negotiations remain stuck — and why Trump’s absence looms large. Plus: The Senate passes the NDAA with bipartisan support. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube! ⁠Subscribe⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways ⁠we’re investi...

Punchbowl News Tech Reporter Ben Brody joins Max Cohen to discuss the story of Hercules Candy, a well-established business that took off during the Covid-19 pandemic after YouTube gave it new legs. Plus, stick around for a fireside chat with Punchbowl News Founder and CEO Anna Palmer with Tara Walpert Levy, VP of Americas at YouTube. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? ⁠Subscribe⁠ to...

The government shutdown hits Day 9 with no end in sight. Anna and Jake break down where the negotiations stand — and why both parties are digging in. Plus: A major breakthrough in the Middle East as President Trump announces a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. And the redistricting wars hit a snag in Missouri. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouT...

Day 8 of the government shutdown — and tensions are mounting. Jake breaks down where negotiations stand, what’s at stake for 1.3 million service members about to miss paychecks and how Trump is shaping the GOP’s next move. Plus: Mike Johnson faces new pressure to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, and Republican frustration grows as California’s redistricting fight slips away. Watch this episod...

One week into the government shutdown — and no end in sight. Jake breaks down where negotiations stand, how both parties are digging in and what to make of Donald Trump’s mixed signals on a potential health care deal. Plus: Wesley Hunt shakes up the Texas Senate race, and a new January 6 controversy erupts as Pam Bondi heads to Capitol Hill. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on...

It’s Monday, and Washington is still at a standstill. Anna and Jake break down what to watch as the shutdown drags into its second week — and whether Chuck Schumer can keep Senate Democrats united. Plus: Fresh polling out of California shows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s redistricting measure gaining steam ahead of November, and new data from The Canvass reveals which party senior Hill staffers blame for th...

 Shutdowns hit home for most, if not all, lawmakers. While lawmakers are huddling to try to find a deal and open the government, they’re also lamenting how the shutdown is affecting their respective home states. 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...

It’s Day 3 of the government shutdown — and there’s still no deal in sight. Anna and Jake break down Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s shutdown strategy. Plus: EMILY’s List’s bold move in Illinois. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube! ⁠Subscribe⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways ⁠we’re investing in video.⁠ Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress?...

It’s Day Two of the government shutdown and still no end in sight. Anna breaks down House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s shutdown strategy and the risks Democrats face as the standoff drags on. Plus: A look at our exclusive Fly Out Day conversation with National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett on the shutdown, tariffs and the Fed. And will Congress move to ensure U.S. troops get paid duri...

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett came to the Punchbowl News Townhouse to talk about the government shutdown. The White House official also spoke about tariffs, saying the Trump administration will send billions of dollars to hurting farmers impacted by tariffs and they don't need Congress to pass a bill to do it. After, Jake and Anna were joined by CNN’s Phil Mattingly and Fox News...

The government is officially shut down. Anna and Jake break down how we got here, the cracks already forming in Senate Democrats’ wall and Majority Leader John Thune’s hardball strategy to force their hand.  Plus, a rare bright spot for Democrats in the redistricting wars — a new Utah map that could hand them pickup opportunities heading into the midterms. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punch...

With a government shutdown just hours away, Anna and Jake break down the five key dynamics driving the crisis. Plus, Democrats are pressing the Pentagon over how it plans to spend its reconciliation funds. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube! ⁠Subscribe⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways ⁠we’re investing in video.⁠ Want more in-depth daily coverage from Cong...

Shutdown week is here. Anna and Jake break down what both sides want in today’s White House meeting and how Democrats and Republicans are framing the standoff. Plus: key staff shakeups, CBCF ALC highlights and the latest on NIL. Watch this episode on YouTube here! Punchbowl News is on YouTube!⁠ ⁠Subscribe⁠⁠ to our channel today to see all the new ways⁠ ⁠we’re investing in video.⁠⁠ Want more in-dep...

Punchbowl News Senior Congressional Reporter Andrew Desiderio joins Max to talk about his time in New York this week, speaking with lawmakers at a World Economic Forum event for their Sustainable Development Impact Meetings coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly. Want more in-depth daily coverage from Congress? Subscribe to our free Punchbowl News AM newsletter at punchbowl.news. Learn more abo...