'Don't know when they are going to learn': Republican laments MAGA election wins on MS NOW

A former Republican lawmaker lamented recent election victories by MAGA candidates in Arizona during a new interview on MS NOW, warning that it could lead to a world of hurt for the party in the midterms. Charlie Dent, a former Republican lawmaker from Pennsylvania, told MS NOW's Alex Witt that the recent victories of candidates like gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, a Republican congressman who supported President Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and Mark Lamb, a Trump-endorsed candidate to replace Biggs in the House who faced a sexting scandal ahead of the primary, could weigh on the party going forward. "It doesn't help, and it makes it much harder for ... not just Arizonans, but Republicans generally to win general elections," Dent said. Dent's comments came at a time when Republicans are gearing up for a tough midterm season. Democrats have won a slew of statewide races since Trump's second term began, prompting some analysts to suggest the party could win back both the House and Senate in November. However, some analysts also worry that Trump may be trying to blunt those gains through illicit means. For instance, Trump recently gave a national address about alleged foreign interference in the 2020 general election, which some saw as the president laying the groundwork to contest the upcoming election results if Republicans suffer steep losses. Dent said the recent MAGA election victories put Republicans in a position to lose more than they gain. "Arizona has done this before, by the way, with Kari Lake and other nominees who are simply repulsive to a lot of, I'll say. To mainstream voters, those more centrist voters, independents, [they are a] total turn-off," Dent said. "So, election deniers, they might please the president in some elements of the base. But republicans end up losing far more than they gain." "I never quite understood it," he added. "I don't know when Arizona Republicans are going to learn their lesson. They haven't had a lot of success statewide since Governor [Doug] Ducey. And so, it looks like they're [going to] have another bad year."

Troy Jackson Crowned As New Maine Senate Nominee

GOP senator says Thune ‘being too cautious’ in talks with Senate Democrats to avoid shutdown

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Sunday said that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is “being too cautious” in his talks with Senate Democratic leaders in an effort to avoid a government shutdown at the end of September. “Look, I mean no disrespect. I love John Thune. He’s my leader. He’s got a big brain.…

'People are scared': MAGA senator lashes out at Trump over 'hair trigger' tensions

A MAGA Senator took to the airwaves to call out President Donald Trump for hypocrisy. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) admitted on "Face the Nation" Sunday that he was not "comfortable" with Trump's newly announced and already problem-laden nuclear deal."We're bombing a country to keep'm from getting a nuclear weapon," said Kennedy. "But we're signing a deal with another country...that the world perceives as possibly, someday leading to a nuclear weapon."The countries, of course, are Iran — which Trump ostensibly started to dismantle their nuclear program — and Saudia Arabia, the nation Trump wants to allow to enrich uranium.The U.S. struck the deal Wednesday but hit a snag over the Saudi government's relationship with Israel. Less than 24 hours after announcing the deal, Trump added a condition that the Saudis normalize those relations. Experts warn the deal could trigger a cascade of nuclear ambitions across the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal has reported, and critics note the Saudis gave Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's private equity firm $2 billion."Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan noted Sunday that any deal would have to be approved by Congress, which prompted Kennedy to list off his concerns. "The world's on a hair trigger," Kennedy said. "The world looks at what's going on in Ukraine, the Middle East, the world looks at America's relationship now with Europe."He added, "People are scared." The Louisiana lawmaker is hardly the first U.S. senator to vent frustration with Trump this week. White House demands that Majority Leader Sen. John Thune (R-SD) do more to pass the SAVE America Act — a non-citizen voting ban critics describe as redundant and dystopian — have infuriated GOP members of the Senate. "Instead of pointing the finger at Republicans," Thune said, "they might think about going after the people who are stopping it on the floor, which is the Democrats."Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) added, "I have 1000 percent confidence in Thune, and anybody in the White House who thinks he's not a good leader isn't qualified for their job.""This idea that he can just command members of the Republican conference to get in line is just a fantasy," responded Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). “It’s creating a circular firing squad for Republicans.”Kennedy himself added, “John can’t put a gun to people’s heads."

Sanders says he does not regret supporting Graham Platner in Maine Senate race

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday said he did not regret supporting former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner (D) after a former girlfriend’s accusations of sexual assault came to light and led the progressive candidate to drop his bid. CBS News’s Margaret Brennan asked Sanders about his support for Platner on Sunday’s “Face the Nation,”…

Saudi nuke ‘last thing we want,’ Netanyahu says after US inks energy deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his strong objection to Saudi Arabia acquiring a nuclear bomb, voicing caution over its planned nuclear program. Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu praised President Donald Trump for attaching the condition that Riyadh must normalize relations with Israel to have a nuclear program, the former of which has been one […]

Democrats May Be in Big Trouble in Their Maine Senate Do-Over

Democrats favored to win House, underdogs in Senate 100 days out

Democrats are favored to win the House but are slight underdogs in the fight for the Senate with 100 days to go before the midterms, according to the latest forecast from Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).  Both parties are dealing with headwinds as they head into the home stretch of the high-stakes election. Republicans are worried…