Holly Otterbein

1 week ago | politico.com | Holly Otterbein |Andrew Howard

A Democrat blistering what he cast as a “rigged” economy run by “DC elites” is launching a longshot bid against Sen. Joni Ernst in the deep-red state of Iowa. Nathan Sage, executive director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, is kicking off his campaign Wednesday with a video that targets Ernst as a “corporate Republican” and emphasizes his working-class roots. Sage tells viewers he grew up in a trailer, worked as a mechanic, and served in the Iraq War.

1 week ago | politico.com | Jordain Carney |Ally Mutnick |Holly Otterbein

Ken Paxton’s entry into the U.S. Senate race in Texas is becoming a major headache for Republicans. Top GOP senators were maneuvering to undercut the Texas attorney general even before he announced his primary campaign this week against four-term Sen. John Cornyn. Others urged President Donald Trump after Paxton got into the race to endorse the incumbent leadership adviser and former chair of the Senate campaign arm with a deep donor base.

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Nicholas Wu |Holly Otterbein

“The problem is not tariffs, generally. It’s the way that Trump is doing them,” said Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.), from a swing state that relies heavily on car manufacturing. “Trump tariffs are bad, and the American people are suffering. It’s a pretty easy message.” Even Democrats who had previously made public breaks with the party on trade got on the same page this week.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Nicholas Wu |Holly Otterbein

Democrats are sharply divided over trade. But Donald Trump is helping them paper over those rifts. The steep, sweeping tariffs the president unveiled in recent days have largely united a party that has for years undergone bruising internal battles over trade. From populists in the Rust Belt to free-trade champions in blue states, Democrats are lining up against the levies.

2 weeks ago | politico.com | Ally Mutnick |Nicholas Wu |Holly Otterbein

In Iowa, two state lawmakers are considering runs against Rep. Zach Nunn in a district sure to be impacted by tariffs. Two prospective candidates in Pennsylvania and Michigan lost or left jobs thanks to the Trump administration, giving them a powerful story on the campaign trail. A pair of former representatives are considering comeback bids for battleground districts in the Rust Belt. And Democrats think at least two districts in Virginia, held by GOP Reps.