Free Republic

The Democrat will run for the seat held by GOP. Sen Jon Husted, who was appointed to serve the remainder of Vice President JD Vance's term. Former Sen. Sherrod Brown has decided to run for the Senate next year in Ohio, according to three sources familiar with his plans, potentially putting the Republican-leaning state in play for Democrats. Brown lost his race for a fourth term last year by about 3.5 percentage points as President Donald Trump carried Ohio by 11 points. But a midterm year is typically tougher for the president's party, and Democrats have been aggressively recruiting Brown...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has privately discussed the idea of running for political office next year in Tennessee, according to two people who have spoken directly with him about it. If Hegseth were to follow through on the discussions, it would amount to a major leadership shake-up at the department that oversees the American military and millions of federal employees. The Defense Department bars civilian employees from running for political office, meaning Hegseth would have to resign to do so. In a statement, Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said, “Hegseth’s focus remains solely on serving under President Trump.” One...

Tuesday’s elections in Wisconsin and Florida were kind to the favorites but not to billionaire White House adviser Elon Musk. And that result could stick around long after the votes are counted. State Circuit Judge Susan Crawford won a pivotal election to maintain liberal control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court despite a big push from Musk and his millions, while two Republican candidates in Florida won special House elections in deep-red districts. But even though their candidates won just one of the three contests on the ballot, it was a good night for Democrats. They spent heavily to back Crawford, who...

Just 24% of Americans surveyed have positive views of the Make America Great Again movement in a new national NBC News poll.President Donald Trump is still unpopular and so is the political movement created in his image, according to a new national NBC News poll. The Make America Great Again, or ‘MAGA,’ movement, which takes its name from Trump’s first campaign slogan, was the least popular individual or group tested in the new survey. Just 24% of Americans have positive views of the movement, while 45% voice negative views. These numbers come as President Joe Biden made Trump — and...

While some Democrats are voicing concerns about President Joe Biden’s re-election prospects, Gov. Jared Polis, D-Colo., says President Joe Biden “has plenty of time to turn this around.” The New York Times reported this week that “dozens” of Democratic lawmakers and officials are frustrated with Biden as he faces low approval ratings, with some suggesting he should not run again. Asked about that report on Meet the Press NOW, Polis said Friday that Biden still has time to improve his standing. “I think he has every opportunity to turn this around,” Polis said of the president. “Maybe pull some new...

If it’s Friday ... President Biden talks infrastructure as his voting rights push appears all but dead. ... Biden also plans executive action on police reform. ... Super PAC attacks Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania. ... And TODAY celebrates 70 years on the air. But first: Former President Donald Trump is bringing the 2022 roadshow to Arizona this Saturday for his first rally of the midterm-election year. And the event will include Arizona Republicans like Kari Lake (a candidate for governor) and Mark Finchem (running for secretary of state) who have trumpeted Trump’s attacks on the 2020 presidential election — and...

Sen. Lisa Murkowski is still weighing whether to run for a fourth full term, and she demurred Tuesday on a timeline for her decision. The Alaska Republican told reporters at the Capitol that she will make her final decision “when I make it.” “I have been doing everything that a good incumbent does in terms of preserving my options, visiting with Alaskans, spending a lot of time, as much time on the ground as I can, and raising money,” Murkowski said. Former President Donald Trump, who won Alaska by 10 percentage points in November, has vowed to campaign against Murkowski....