Trump-backed Arizona Senate candidate escalates election fears ahead of GOP primary  —  (CNN)Arizona Republican Blake Masters, who earned Donald Trump's endorsement for the Senate race by embracing the former President's lies that he won the 2020 election, has turned to questioning whether …

Maryland GOP Throws It All Away  —  Republicans turned their backs on their popular two-term governor, Larry Hogan, by elevating a crank over his chosen moderate successor.  —  Back in April, I introduced readers to Dan Cox, a far-right kook and Maryland state legislator running for governor.

Trump's choices set nation on path to Jan. 6 violence, committee shows  —  Across seven hearings, the panel's findings have illustrated how the president repeatedly escalated tensions following his election defeat  —  Gift Article  —  Donald Trump had already been told by his campaign manager …

Biden to announce executive actions on climate change that still fall short  —  The president plans to make the announcements in Massachusetts on Wednesday.  —  President Joe Biden is expected to announce on Wednesday a few executive actions to address climate change, with a focus …

GOP's grassroots money problem  —  Democrats across the 10 most competitive Senate races are out-raising Republicans by more than $75 million among small-dollar donors — those giving less than $200 — according to an Axios analysis of Federal Election Commission records.

Russia's goals in Ukraine now include territory outside the Donbas, Lavrov says  —  Russia's military objectives in Ukraine have now expanded beyond the Donbas region in the eastern part of the country, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told state media on Wednesday.

'It's the accumulation': The Jan. 6 hearings are wounding Trump, after all  —  The conventional wisdom about the Jan. 6 committee hearings was that no single revelation was going to change Republican minds about Donald Trump.  —  What happened instead, a slow drip of negative coverage, may be just as damaging to the former president.

US Rep. Timmons deflects affair, abuse of power allegations on Upstate SC radio  —  GREENVILLE — U.S. Rep. William Timmons went on conservative talk radio to address rumors circling for weeks that he had an extramarital affair and abused his power as a congressman to further it.

Okay, but Cassandra cannot possibly be right *again*  —  Listen  —  Gift Article  —  I hear what you are saying.  And, yes, the data is compelling.  Cassandra has been right literally every time she has made a prediction.  War.  Famine.  Rights rollbacks.

Indiana mall hero Elisjsha Dicken returned fire just 15 seconds into mass shooting  —  The hero of the Indiana mall shooting returned fire and fatally struck gunman Jonathan Sapirman just 15 seconds after the carnage began — not 2 minutes, it was revealed on Tuesday.

Doctor who treated 10-year-old rape victim moves to sue state AG for defamation  —  Caitlin Bernard, the OB-GYN who provided an abortion on a 10-year-old girl from Ohio who was raped, took the first legal step to sue Indiana's attorney general for defamation over his comments alleging medical misconduct.

After 246 years, Marines set for their first Black four-star general … Listen  —  Gift Article  —  In the late 1980s, Maj. Ronald Bailey met a young Marine he knew had promise.  Michael E. Langley was a powerlifter who dominated flag football games, an intellectual who set records …

Brett Kavanaugh's neighbors: For abortion rights but tired of protests  —  Weekly demonstrations on their street prompt increased noise complaints; police warn of possible arrests  —  Listen  —  Gift Article  —  On paper at least, Emily Strulson might seem a welcoming host …

Documents show the secret strategy behind Trump's census citizenship question push  —  Former President Donald Trump's administration spent years trying to add a census citizenship question as part of a secret strategy for altering the population numbers used to divide up seats in Congress …

White House begins the search for fresh communications team  —  Longtime Biden adviser Anita Dunn is interviewing candidates to replace departing top communications members.  —  The White House is considering a major overhaul of its press and communications shop in the coming weeks …

Ohio Republicans want more action, effort from JD Vance in key fall Senate race  —  Complaints about JD Vance and his Senate campaign are rising among Ohio Republicans after the conservative populist posted an anemic second-quarter fundraising report.  —  Vance entered July with $628,804 …

Senate advances more than $50 billion bill to boost U.S. semiconductor production  — The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance a slimmed-down version of its bill designed to boost U.S. semiconductor competition with China.  — The legislation, which would provide about $50 billion …

U.S. Messaging on Monkeypox Is Deeply Flawed  —  This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture.  Sign up for it here.  —  As monkeypox cases rise in the U.S. …

Colbert crew's behavior in Capitol complex caused Democrat staffer to call for emergency help  —  Stephen Colbert's comedy crew was warned “several times” it could not trespass on Capitol grounds, and its behavior in a congressional office building during an unauthorized nighttime visit …

U.K. Inflation Hits 9.4%, a New 40-Year High  —  Acceleration in consumer prices has triggered a surge in private sector pay, as BOE prepares for more rate rises  —  U.K.'s Next PM Faces Economic Hurdles After Boris Johnson Resignation … The U.K.'s annual rate of inflation rose …

Mission largely accomplished, says Johnson in final PMQs  —  Play video BBC News Channel (UK Only)  —  Summary  — Boris Johnson says his “mission is largely accomplished... for now” in his final PMQs as prime minister  — He defends his record following attacks by Labour on the economy and public trust

Scoop: GOP's oil reserve amnesia  —  The Trump administration sold oil from the U.S. strategic reserves to China's largest oil producer in 2017, according to government data reviewed by Axios. … - Former President Trump and conservative media personalities have also criticized the sale …

House passes bill protecting marriage equality, with 47 GOP members voting ‘yes’  —  The House passed a bill on Tuesday to protect marriage equality, a direct response to an opinion from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas last month that called for reversing multiple decisions that enshrined LGBTQ rights.

E.U. proposes plan to ration gas ahead of ‘likely’ cutoff by Russia  —  Listen  —  Gift Article  —  BRUSSELS — The European Union proposed a plan on Wednesday to ration natural gas as it braces for the “likely scenario” that Russia could cut off the flow to Europe.

Pediatric Gender Medicine and the Moral Panic Over Suicide  —  Hyperbolic rhetoric about suicide rates may do more to increase suicide than prevent it.  —  Writes Leor Sapir  · Subscribe  —  Reality's Last Stand is a reader-supported publication.