Politics

(WASHINGTON) — Voters in six states on Tuesday decided which candidates will face off in November in House and Senate races that could determine whether the balance of power will shift in the next Congress.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a centrist Democrat, narrowly won the Democratic primary in Wisconsin in a major upset in the race for governor, the Associated Press projects. He defeated Wisconsin assemblywoman Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, in what became a high-stakes test for progressives who pinned their hopes on winning a major party nomination in a crucial battleground state.

And in Connecticut, 14-term Rep. John Larson became the seventh House Democrat incumbent to lose a primary during this election cycle.

Here’s a look at Tuesday’s primaries:

Wisconsin

Republican and Democratic candidates in Wisconsin are vying to win the first open gubernatorial seat since 2010, replacing Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who announced last year that he wouldn’t run for reelection.

There are also primaries in both parties that could have an impact on which controls the House next year.

Live Wisconsin primary results

Connecticut

Incumbent Democratic Rep. John Larson will lose the Democratic primary for his 1st Congressional District seat to challenger Luke Bronin, the former mayor of Hartford, ABC News projects. Larson has held his seat since 1999. Larson is the seventh incumbent House Democrat to lose in primaries this year.

And Gov. Ned Lamont, who was elected in 2018, will fend off a primary challenge from Josh Elliott, ABC News projects. He’ll face Republican Ryan Fazio in November. 

Live Connecticut primary results

Minnesota

Sen. Amy Klobuchar will win the Democratic governor primary, ABC News projects, in the race to replace Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who is retiring. She will face state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who ABC projects will win the Republican governor’s primary, in November.

ABC News also projects Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan will win the Democratic primary in the race to replace Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, who is also retiring. She’ll face former NFL sideline reporter Michelle Tafoya, who ABC projects will win the Republican primary for Senate.

Minnesota also voted in primaries for several House races that could help determine the balance of power in Congress.

Live Minnesota primary results

South Carolina

Darline Graham, the sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham who was appointed to fill the remainder of her brother’s term, will face Rep. Ralph Norman in an Aug. 25 runoff to replace Lindsey Graham on the November ballot, ABC News projects.

Lindsey Graham’s death in July sparked a rapid-fire campaign season. Eight other candidates besides Graham and Norman were running for the seat.

Live South Carolina special Senate primary results

Vermont

Economist Amanda Janoo will win the Democratic primary for governor, ABC News projects, and will face incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott in the general election in November.

Live Vermont primary results

Alabama

In Alabama, some voters decided several House races following the Supreme Court decision that limited portions of the Voting Rights Act and led several states in the South to take part in mid-decade redistricting.

Primaries were held in May, but Republican Gov. Kay Ivey pushed back those in the 1st, 2nd, 6th and 7th districts that were impacted by redistricting after the Supreme Court decision.

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(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that his secret flight out of Turkey last month, which employed a passenger-filled “decoy” Air Force One, was the work of the Secret Service and the U.S. military.

“It’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do,” Trump told reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews following a trip to Ohio.

“So I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane. Equal safety. But they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say,” Trump said of the plan to secretly switch from Air Force One to another plane.

As first reported by The Washington Post on Monday, Trump secretly transferred from the old Air Force One to a military aircraft via a catering container, sources told ABC News, an elaborate ruse that was carried out without the knowledge of the traveling press and even some White House officials aboard the decoy flight.

Sources familiar with the matter told ABC News that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were on the “decoy” Air Force One.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on the other plane flying with the president, sources said.

All three Cabinet members were aware that Trump had secretly switched from the old Air Force One jet to the military aircraft given the threat, sources said.

Asked Tuesday night if he knew about a specific threat at the time, Trump brushed it off.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats,” Trump said.

When asked about the safety of the decoy Air Force One jet, Trump claimed that he was at greater risk on the other plane.

“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump said. “I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that we — that they would be more likely to go for.”

Trump publicly stated at the time that he would be flying on the old Air Force One and not flying on the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet because he was sending it to a base in the U.K. so service members could tour it.

ABC News reported at the time that Trump was advised not to take the plane due to security concerns amid escalations with Iran.

On the Air Force One flight that was believed to be carrying Trump, reporters on board were told that the windows needed to be closed the whole flight and that it was a mandate from the Secret Service. Air Force One, despite the president not being on board, according to the Post, had its transponder turned off.

In a statement to ABC News regarding the Post’s reporting, the White House said, “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl and Luke Barr contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — The Senate on Friday approved a long-awaited Russia and Iran sanctions bill named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.

The bill was approved with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 86-11.

Sen. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister who is currently filling his seat in the chamber and running for a full six-year term this November, gaveled down the vote.  

The package would impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russia and other countries that support Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

The sanctions target Russian political officials and oligarchs, banks and financial institutions, and the Russian shadow fleet, according to a release from a bipartisan group of senators who unveiled the legislation.

This bill still needs to head to the House of Representatives, which is currently on recess until the end of the month.

House Speaker Mike Johnson previously stated he supports sanctioning Russia, but it’s unclear whether the bill will have the support it needs in the lower chamber.

Graham, who died suddenly last month at the age of 71, was a champion of the bill.

A foreign policy hawk, Graham was one of the Republican conference’s most outspoken Ukraine allies and had a strong relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Graham had made his 10th visit to Ukraine shortly before his death.

Zelenskyy attended Graham’s funeral services in Washington, D.C., and was on Capitol Hill last week when the Senate first advanced the Russia sanctions bill, celebrating it as important pressure on Russia.

“It’s not only about money, how to stop how to finance this war, but it’s also a big signal to Europe, big signal to Ukraine, big support of our people,” Zelenskyy said at the time.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy announced Friday he will vote for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to lead the Department of Justice, likely clearing the way for Blanche to be narrowly confirmed.

All eyes were on Cassidy after two other Republican senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, announced their opposition to President Donald Trump’s nominee.

Cassidy, in a speech on the Senate floor, said that he is supporting Blanche because he sees him as more favorable than potential alternatives.

“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this. But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general, who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche,” the senator said. “This puts at risk the progress made fighting violent crime, human and drug trafficking and fraud. And this does not serve the American people well.”

Cassidy, who is leaving office in January after losing to a Republican primary challenger and who has clashed with Trump several times in recent months, appeared to grow emotional as he stated his case.

“This is not a referendum on President Trump. It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche and very specific circumstances. All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche. I’ll be criticized for this vote. What’s new?” Cassidy said, taking a long pause and choking up before he continued. “But people of Louisiana can be assured that I work hard to understand the issue, and to make the right decision.”

The Senate has not yet agreed when they will hold a full vote on Blanche’s nomination.

While Murkowski said she would “oppose” Blanche’s nomination, it remains unclear whether she will cast a “no” vote or use a procedural pairing arrangement with absent Sen. Mitch McConnell that would allow her not to vote while maintaining the balance of the Senate.

Murkowski said in a statement released Friday morning that she had “numerous constructive meetings” with Blanche and described him as “decent and capable.” She also praised his efforts to learn about Alaska and said that, as acting attorney general, he had made “several noteworthy decisions” that would benefit the state and the nation.

“Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination,” Murkowski said in a statement, citing concerns about what she described as the politicization and “weaponization” of the Justice Department.

“The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” Murkowski said.

Among the issues she cited were the handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, what she called “sweeping immunity protections” granted to the president, his family and their businesses, statements made to anti-abortion groups, and what she described as the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. senators.

“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski added. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”

Earlier this week, Collins said in a statement that she would vote no on Blanche’s nomination.

“While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political,” Collins said in a statement. “Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department’s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation.”

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(WASHINGTON) — When Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency launched its effort to slash federal spending last year, it also created a website to show how much money it said it was saving taxpayers.

A new review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found the site’s claim of $110 billion in taxpayer savings was vastly inflated and unreliable.

The report found DOGE could not provide enough information to verify 96% of its reported savings from canceled grants.

Despite its pledge of transparency, the report found DOGE did not use its stated methodology to calculate about half of the savings it reported.

“Because U.S. DOGE Service officials did not respond to requests for information, GAO could not determine the reasons why DOGE did not disclose data quality issues and limitations when the website first went live or at any time since then,” the report said.

The report also found DOGE failed to terminate some of the contracts it claimed to have canceled. According to the report, $27.4 billion in claimed savings was never executed, and DOGE did not provide identifying information for another $7.2 billion in claimed savings.

DOGE also claimed $1.7 billion in savings from an IT services contract for the Defense Department’s Defense Health Agency, but the report said no changes were ever made.

The report also said DOGE claimed savings from millions of dollars in leases that had already been identified for termination.

Musk has since left DOGE. ABC News reached out to Musk and the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Although DOGE formally ended on July 4, its “Wall of Receipts” remains online, claiming a total of $215 billion in taxpayer savings.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy announced Friday he will vote for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to permanently lead the Department of Justice.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, after weeks of in-patient care following a fall in mid-June, announced via a statement from his office on Thursday that he has been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home.

“Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home,” McConnell said in a statement. “Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I’ve received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff.”

“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell added.

McConnell was first hospitalized on June 14 for reasons that were initially undisclosed by his office.

While his office has released two photographs of McConnell since his hospitalization, the Kentucky senator has not been seen in public.

Late last month, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on McConnell to either “verbally” show proof to Kentuckians that he can still serve in the Senate or to resign from Congress.

In a statement issued on July 12, nearly a month later, McConnell said he was hospitalized due to a fall that left him briefly unconscious. He also said he had to deal with a “mild case of pneumonia.”

In that same July 12 statement, McConnell said he had been moved from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility to recover.

The former Republican leader has not been seen on Capitol Hill since June 11. 

McConnell has said he intends to finish his term, which expires in January. The seven-term senator has already said he does not intend to seek reelection in January. 

The Senate is expected to recess until mid-September in the coming days. McConnell’s statement suggests he won’t be seen in the Capitol until at least then. 

Before departing for recess, the Senate is expected to take up acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to permanently lead the Department of Justice. With McConnell’s absence, Blanche can only afford to lose two Republican votes.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell was discharged Thursday from the rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery at home.

“Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home,” McConnell said in a statement. “Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes and support from friends, colleagues, and Kentuckians, and for the attentive care I’ve received from excellent doctors, nurses, therapists, and hospital staff.”

“On the advice of my doctors, I’ll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I’ll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business,” McConnell added.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — “No final decision has been made yet” about the future of the new Air Force One jet donated by Qatar following President Donald Trump’s second term, a White House official told ABC News.

Trump has pledged for more a year that the new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 that was given to the president in a controversial move, would be transferred to his presidential library after his term concluded.

Sources familiar with the proposed arrangement have previously told ABC News that ownership of the plane will be transferred shortly before Trump leaves office to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation.

Questions about the president’s plans for the plane remain — including whether Trump would keep it for personal use, if he would leave it for the next president as part of the Air Force One fleet, or if there are other plans in store. 

The gifted plane has long been expected to be used as the new Air Force One until shortly before Trump leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, sources familiar with the proposed arrangement have previously told ABC News.

The White House official’s comments on Wednesday followed reports from NBC News and The New York Times that called into question the fate of the plane.

Trump’s son Eric Trump reportedly told NBC News in a text message that it was “not the plan” for the jet to be delivered to the library. “No. That’s not the plan at the moment for Miami,” he reportedly texted the outlet. 

Eric Trump, who is involved in developing his father’s presidential library in Miami, suggested that an older decommissioned Air Force One jet would instead be going to the library, not the Qatari-gifted one, NBC News reported.

The Qatari royal family’s donation of the luxury jet valued at approximately $400 million, an unprecedented foreign gift, raised questions from some lawmakers and ethics experts.

The Air Force last year originally estimated it would cost less than $400 million to retrofit the plane to meet stringent security standards, though it’s unclear how much exactly has been spent so far.

Prior to the jet’s first presidential flight in July, the U.S. Air Force said it had been modifying the jet Texas since September to meet the security, communications and other needs to transport the president. Many of the details of the retrofitting on the new plane are considered classified.

Trump in July said plane would be further “maxed out” with security features, undergoing an upgrade that was expected to put it out of commission for about a month in the near future.

Those comments came after the plane carried Trump to July’s NATO summit in Turkey. As Trump prepared to depart the summit, the Secret Service urged the president to take the older Air Force One jet as a precaution, due in part for the differences in security capabilities, ABC News learned at the time.

When asked in May 2025 by ABC News’ Rachel Scott about the future of the plane, the president said it would be sent “directly” to his presidential library after he leaves office, adding, “I wouldn’t be using it, no.”

Trump repeatedly referenced former President Ronald Reagan’s library as a model for his own. A Boeing 707 Air Force One jet was retired to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, in 2001.

“Someday, it will be like Ronald Reagan, they decommission them,” Trump said during the May 2025 event. “You know, they get to a certain age, they decommission them. It’ll go to my library. They’re talking about going to my library in years out.”

ABC News’ Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

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(WASHINGTON) — Republicans on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress.

The committee’s party-line vote of 8-5 comes after Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions at a hearing last week about his role in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and its origins.

A contempt resolution would normally now head to the full Senate, where it would require 60 votes. It is unlikely the Fauci resolution would receive enough support in the full Senate to pass.

Democrats attempted several times on Thursday to table the resolution but were unsuccessful.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul, the committee’s chair, said Fauci could not plead the Fifth Amendment given he was preemptively pardoned by President Joe Biden out of fear of political prosecution.

“Dr. Fauci’s assertion of the Fifth Amendment privilege was unsupported in light of the pardon and the testimony he offered in his opening statement,” Paul said ahead of the vote.

“We are voting on whether a witness who has received the benefit of a sweeping federal pardon can be ordered by this committee to answer questions and then defy that order without consequence,” Paul added.

Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, the committee’s ranking member, criticized the vote and the “damaging precedent” it sets, saying this “could harm our ability to conduct future investigations and disregards constitutional protections long recognized by the U.S. Senate.”

“This resolution will not provide the committee with any additional information, or compel Dr. Fauci to provide answers to our inquiries. Criminal contempt is punitive; it does not compel a witness to answer questions or produce the documents we’d all like to see,” Peters said.

Peters also condemned Paul’s suggestion of possibly referring the contempt resolution directly to the Department of Justice after the vote, saying “that would be even more dangerous and widely unprecedented move.”

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