GOP

The emergence of the new Omicron variant shows that Covid-19 "is not done with us" says WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the opening of a special session of the World Health Assembly. Nations are meeting in Geneva from Monday to Wednesday to discuss an international agreement setting out how to handle the next pandemic -- which experts fear is only a matter of time.

If they succeed, the former president and his backers could pull down some of the guardrails that prevented him from overturning President Biden’s victory, critics say.

The Trump International Hotel is the third-tallest building in the nation's capital

Passengers arrive at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, as Israel shuts its borders to non-residents in a bid to stem the spread of the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, said at Sunday's weekly cabinet meeting that the measure is to protect Israel and to avoid a lockdown within the country.

Switch the beginnings of two words. Plus our Losers’ latest song parodies.

New Hampshire is estimated to receive $1.1 billion for federal-aid highways and $225 million for bridges, according to the White House.

Police believe multiple suspects were involved in the shooting.

With his presidency on the ropes, Biden felt a new sense of urgency to produce legislative results — and a willingness to accept greater risk in pursuing them.

Voters in Virginia and New Jersey will be choosing governors, and there are closely-watched contests in New York City, Buffalo and Minneapolis.

Election Day is Tuesday, and despite the fact that there won't be presidential or midterm races this year, there are contests across the country that will have major impacts on the future.

Polls close at 7 p.m. in Virginia and at 8 p.m. in New Jersey.

Arguments in the cases involving the Texas law are taking place one month before the Supreme Court hears a dispute over Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban.

The president answered questions from reporters in Rome before departing for a climate summit in Scotland.

The newspaper's editorial board hammered the Republican Florida governor for having “the gall, the nerve, to take a victory lap."

His dead wife's ballot was sent in with a signature that matched county records. Hartle had claimed the ballot was never delivered to their house.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., tweeted out a video that appeared to show House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., sleeping during a congressional hearing Thursday.

John Scott will oversee Texas elections, including Abbott’s reelection race for governor.

Scrambling to overcome his own mistake, the GOP candidate in the Virginia gubernatorial race invents a claim against his opponent.

West said he will most likely have to be hospitalized after his oxygen levels dropped and x-rays showed pneumonia.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that lawmakers have reached a deal on a short-term debt ceiling increase.

Twice now, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin has used fellow Republican Gov. Brad Little's absences to enact policies that he opposes.

Mr. Biden will travel to Howell, Michigan, and visit a training facility for the International Union of Operating Engineers.

One person was killed and 14 others were wounded after a gunman opened fire at a supermarket.

The 74th Annual Tony Awards will return on Sunday, September 26.

One person was killed and 14 others were wounded after a gunman opened fire at a Kroger supermarket in Collierville, Tennessee.

A look at the history of shutdown and debt ceiling fights.

A Georgia businesswoman announced on Wednesday that she is waging a GOP primary challenge against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

"These guys really have to stretch for some of these criticisms," one critic responded to the Republican senator's claim.

As other Republicans promote the vaccine but generally tip-toe around being forceful about it, the West Virginia governor suffers no fools.

Virginia GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin has rolled out the most sweeping policy proposal of his campaign so far.

Pelosi's ambitious timeline has forced Democrats in recent days to reckon with a series of persistent, internal political divides.

Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis and Doug Ducey get the headlines. Others, though, have shunned the idea that this issue is about personal freedom or a lack of efficacy.

Chris Rock described it as a kind of temper tantrum.

A Republican state senator is among a group of people suing the Virginia Redistricting Commission over plans to count prisoners at their last known address instead of the prisons where they're incarcerated.

Illinois Republicans say census data released last week invalidate the state legislative maps drawn by Democrats based on earlier population estimates

Good morning, Chicago. Here are some of the top stories you need to know to start your day.

Illinois Democrats doled out $2.8 million in federal coronavirus relief money on everything from flood relief to violence prevention programs. Republicans say they were shut out of the process and that the money's being distributed with few specifics.

"Our war is not on DeSantis - it's on the virus, which we're trying to kneecap," Psaki said during a White House press conference on Wednesday.

What the past week's political drama means for crypto and where the industry goes from here.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker defends state's coronavirus response in latest TV spot backing his reelection

High-profile Trump backers in Congress who tried to block President Biden's election win have raked in cash this year. Many of their lesser-known rank-and-file colleagues have not.Why it matters: New campaign finance data underscore a disparity among election objectors. Some have used the infamy to catapult themselves into MAGA stardom. Those who haven't — including some facing competitive 2022 reelection fights — are stuck with all the baggage and little financial benefit.Stay on top of the lat

Texas GOP leaders said Friday they've extended "an additional month of funding" for the state legislature after Gov. Greg Abbott (R) vetoed at least $12.6 million that would have gone to 2,100 state workers, the Texas Tribune reports.Why it matters: Following Texas Democrats' departure from the state, which broke quorum in the regular session, Abbott vetoed a section of the state budget that funds the legislature, its staff and legislative agencies. Texas Democrats have sued Abbott over the acti

First Read is your briefing from "Meet the Press" and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter.

“This is an injustice that can still be rectified if the Olympic Committee will be fair,” Wicker, a Republican, declared on the Senate floor Thursday.

After weeks of long nights and endless Zoom calls, a bipartisan group of senators finally reached a deal on "the major issues" in their $1.2 trillion "hard" infrastructure package, GOP senators involved in the talks announced Wednesday.Why it matters: It could be days before the group finishes writing the bill, but the Senate can begin debating the legislation in earnest now that they have resolved the outstanding issues. The bill needs 60 votes to advance in the Senate.Get market news worthy of

What the far-right's charge to remove Pelosi could mean for Kevin McCarthy

Liz Cheney backs Pelosi over McCarthy following Jan. 6 committee bombshell

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, angrily confronted Kentucky GOP Sen. Rand Paul on Tuesday in testimony on Capitol Hill, rejecting Paul's insinuation that the U.S. helped fund research at a Chinese lab that could have sparked the COVID-19 outbreak. Paul suggested that Fauci had lied before Congress when in May he denied that the National Institutes of Health funded so-called “gain of function” research — the practice of enhancing a virus in a lab to study its potential impact in the real world — at a Wuhan virology lab. U.S. intelligence agencies are currently exploring theories that an accidental leak from that lab could have led to the global pandemic.

He was praised — and criticized — for funneling earmarked federal funds to his district.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger out-raised possible GOP primary challengers.

Democrats in the Texas Legislature on Monday began leaving for Washington, D.C., and said they were ready to remain there for weeks in a second revolt against a GOP overhaul of election laws.

Senator Joe Manchin said that he supports a Democrat-backed ’infrastructure‘ bill to be passed without GOP support via budget reconciliation rules.

Glenn Youngkin has won the GOP gubernatorial nomination for November’s ballot, according to the Associated Press.

Nearly 54,000 registered delegates will cast their vote Saturday for a Republican nominee in Virginia’s race for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

Few places in the country have moved as quickly toward Democrats as Virginia, where Barack Obama ended his party’s 44-year presidential losing streak just 12 years ago.

The quartet of Republican candidates includes Leslie Haley, Jason Miyares, Chuck Smith and Jack White.

Republicans across the Commonwealth are looking to take back the governor’s office this November, but first they will have to choose a candidate.

With less than 200 days until Virginians elect their next governor, some GOP candidates gathered for a debate in Lynchburg Monday.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – After weeks of back and forth about a possible convention, Virginia GOP leaders have decided how they’ll choose their nominees for November’s statewide election. If you wish to have your voice heard, there’s still a chance; however, those looking to participate will have to plan ahead. That’s because the Republican Party’s State Central Committee agreed Friday to hold a drive-by convention due to COVID-19, instead of using one location. AdRich Anderson, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, said the convention will be held May 8 and will allow people to drive to the polling center for their area. GOP leaders are working on the list of locations, and Anderson hopes to release it within two weeks.

RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Senate has given final approval to legislation that would require schools to provide full-time, in-person instruction as the coronavirus pandemic drags on. The chamber voted 36-3 Thursday, sending the measure sponsored by GOP Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant to Gov. The bill would require districts to offer a full-time, in-person option for students, with limited exceptions. If a school has high levels of coronavirus transmission, it could temporarily revert to virtual learning. The bill also says school districts “may” provide fully remote virtual instruction, under certain conditions.

This method sometimes resulted in searing images of drivers plowing through crowds, causing serious injuries and in some cases, deaths. Now, Republican politicians across the country are moving to stop the road-blocking maneuver, proposing increased penalties for demonstrators who run onto highways and legal immunity for drivers who hit them. Whether drivers face criminal charges in such incidents depends on the circumstances of each case, prosecutors say. But Kunzweiler stopped short of endorsing proposals for harsher penalties for protestors or blanket immunity for drivers. A bill granting drivers immunity for hitting protestors easily cleared an Oklahoma Senate committee recently on a 8-1 vote.

The Virginia General Assembly will meet in Special Session starting today. Governor Northam is calling lawmakers back to lengthen this year’s session to 46 days, after Republic lawmakers tried to cut it short. GOP leaders said 30 days should have been enough time after last year’s lengthy special session. The project involved replacing some older equipment and installing additional equipment to increase electric reliability in the region. The Danville-Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce holds its annual membership meeting today.

In this Feb. 2, 2021, photo, Virginia Sen. Amanda Chase and Republican gubernatorial candidate, speaks from her desk at the Science Museum of Virginia in Richmond, Va. The national Republican Party is at war with itself, struggling to reconcile a bitter divide between former President Donald Trumps fierce loyalists and those who want Trumpism purged from their party. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly)FALLS CHURCH, Va. – GOP gubernatorial candidate Amanda Chase on Tuesday sued the Republican Party of Virginia over its plans for a nominating convention to choose candidates in this year’s election. It’s official; I just filed a lawsuit against the Republican Party of Virginia. A spokesman for the Republican Party of Virginia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

DUBLIN, Va. – UPDATEThe results are in, Travis Hackworth has won the Republican primary for Virginia’s 38th District. Hackworth raked in 1,932 votes and is replacing Sen. Ben Chafin, who died from COVID-19 complications on Jan. 1. In total, 5,485 people voted in the special election. A special election has been set for March 23 to fill the empty seat. The names on the GOP ballot included Jony Baker, Dhad Dotson, Travis Hackworth, Elijah Leonard, Kimberly Lowe and Tamara Neo.

President Donald Trump is set to present one of the nation's highest civilian honors to Nunes. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Monday presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to one of his most outspoken congressional allies, California Rep. Devin Nunes, as he looks to reward loyalists with just over two weeks left in his term. Nunes, the former chair of the House Intelligence Committee, has been an ardent backer of Trump's during probes into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the president's 2019 impeachment by the Democratic-led House. In a statement, the White House credited Nunes with uncovering “the greatest scandal in American history," referencing Nunes' efforts to discredit the Russia investigation. U.S. intelligence agencies and multiple congressional committees concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election with the aim of boosting Trump’s candidacy.

Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – By a sweeping bipartisan vote Wednesday, the Senate sent President Trump a bill to fund the government through Dec. 11, averting the possibility of a government shutdown when the new fiscal year starts Thursday. Trump is expected to sign the measure before Wednesday's midnight deadline. The measure would keep the government running through Dec. 11 and passed by a 84-10 vote. The House passed the bill last week. Farm interests won language that would permit Trump's farm bailout to continue without fear of interruption.

AUSTIN, Texas – Former GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul posted a picture of himself in a hospital Friday but said he was OK after video circulated online of him struggling to speak during an interview. The 85-year-old former Texas congressman, who ran for president three times, posted a picture on Facebook showing him smiling in a hospital gown and giving a thumbs-up. The post came after a video took off on social media showing Paul having trouble speaking during an appearance on his livestreamed show “Ron Paul Liberty Report.” The video cuts away to the interviewer as Paul struggles. Paul is the father of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., whose office did not immediately return a message Friday. He faced an electorate frustrated by a weak economy and two wars, and saw his once outsider views become more mainstream.

Herman Cain, a GOP presidential hopeful in the 2012 race, has died from coronavirus complications at 74. His death was announced Thursday on his website by the websites editor, Dan Calabrese. Herman Cain our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us has passed away. Cain, a survivor of stage 4 colon cancer, was a businessman and board chairman of a branch of Kansas Citys Federal Reserve Bank before his career in politics, according to MSNBC. He was also reportedly considered by Trump to join the Federal Reserve Board.

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has canceled segments of the Republican National Convention scheduled for Florida next month, citing a flare-up of the coronavirus. To have a big convention is not the right time," Trump said of Jacksonville. Trump moved parts of the GOP convention to Florida last month amid a dispute with North Carolinas Democratic leaders over holding an event indoors with maskless supporters. But those plans were steadily scaled back as virus cases spiked in Florida and much of the country over the last month. A small subset of GOP delegates will still gather in Charlotte, North Carolina, to formally renominate Trump on Aug. 24.

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump shook up his campaign staff Wednesday, replacing campaign manager Brad Parscale with veteran GOP operative Bill Stepien. Trump and Parscales relationship had been strained since a Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally that drew a dismal crowd, infuriating the president. Parscale, a political novice, ran Trumps digital advertising in 2016 and was credited with helping bring about his surprise victory. Stepien has been in politics for years, working for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and serving as Trumps national field director in 2016.

(CNN) - A GOP congressman and Air Force veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan said Friday President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria puts the US in a "far weaker" position in the region. "We ceded, effectively, Syria over to Russia and Turkey. So when they get together, are they going to basically carve out Syria for themselves? "I think over the next decade especially, but even the next few years, the impact to when we need allies now and in the future, is going to be felt," Kinzinger continued. Trump's decision to abruptly pull US troops out of Syria, thus exposing Kurdish allies to attacks by Turkey, was fiercely opposed on Capitol Hill by members of both parties.