“The lieutenant governor of Texas is powerful, unlike those in other states. The officeholder can write the budget, appoint committees and chairs, and set legislative priorities with the governor.”

“Texas GOP state senators can use their simple majority once they reconvene in January to transfer powers from Democrat Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin to a Republican majority leader.”

Republicans outspent Democrats by more than $400 million. As a result, they had a major financial edge in every race that mattered.

In the closing weeks, that advantage became a source of reassurance. As Democrats made late moves into deep-red territory, Republicans kept the faith that their money would save them.

“As the possible first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary during the second Trump era and a Democratic-led Congress loom, Hegseth isn’t going down without a war of words.”

Bloomberg: Pentagon chief Hegseth slams impeachment push in Congress.

Sen. Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) biggest advantage in a possible leadership fight may be the rules.

Unlike the House Speaker, who must win a public vote of the full chamber, the Senate majority leader needs only a majority of his own party. And the vote is secret.

— Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed (D-MI), quoted by Politico, on the 2028 Democratic presidential hopefuls.

“Advisers and friends in Harris’ orbit have told the former vice president that she should decide by the end of this year whether to make another run at the White House, according to three sources familiar with the conversation, arguing that drawing it out much beyond that would be unfair to the nearly two-dozen candidates expected to run.”

“But that time is over, especially in President Trump’s Washington.”

“In the past two weeks alone, prosecutors there have failed to secure indictments in at least three cases — an extraordinary acceleration of the troubles that the Justice Department, and the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington in particular, has had with grand juries for nearly two years.”

Wrote Biden: “What did surprise me was the cynical twist the story took in the political press and among political commentators. Almost immediately, the reaction was: ‘You hid it from us.’ ‘You must have known it.’ ‘You’re lying.’ Let me tell you something: There isn’t anyone in this world with stage 4 cancer who doesn’t wish it had been caught sooner.”

Promise Me, America on Amazon

— Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), quoted by the New York Post.

“Vice President JD Vance faults the war in Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defends it. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says Republicans fought the wrong battles. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) argues the party lost touch with voters’ economic struggles.”

“The competing visions from potential presidential contenders offer an early glimpse of the Republican infighting ahead of 2028. But all face the same dilemma: How to convince voters the party can change course without alienating Trump or the MAGA base they need to win the nomination.”

“The biggest obstacle may be Trump himself, who has shown little appetite for a political retreat.”

Fox News: Rubio’s defense of Trump’s Iran war draws sharp contrast with Vance’s midterm blame.

“The Trump administration is heading into this week’s impeachment showdown over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth— the first major test of the president’s power after his election debacle — with a clear warning that it plans to use executive authority with even greater force in the new political era.”

“There’s little sense of contrition or acknowledgment that Americans voted to impose restraints on President Donald Trump.”

“Trump and his allies are exploring executive action on new tariffs and immigration restrictions, and asserting greater control over spending. On X over the weekend, Trump discussed targeting and perhaps jailing Democrats who investigate administration officials.”

CNBC: Nvidia’s Trump ties draw scrutiny after reports Huang was targeted by Chinese intelligence.

“But as Democrats swept races across the country last week — propelled in part by Americans’ rage over data centers and fears about AI — some tech leaders are now plotting a dramatic shift in strategy.”

The Guardian: Elon Musk and the tech bros banked on Trump and lost. Humbled, humiliated: what will they do next?

“The massive Democratic House victory last week has transformed what might have otherwise been a fraught effort for the sitting minority leader to secure the speaker’s gavel, where a smaller majority could have empowered a tightknit block of hard-left holdouts. Now a broader group is intent on sending a message.”

“President Donald Trump successfully backed redistricting plans in several red states during his second term. The aggressive push led Democrats to respond with their own tit-for-tat efforts. But redistricting in Republican dominated states did not yield the desired results for the GOP — as evidenced by Tuesday’s blue wave — leading leaders from both parties to rethink their approach.”