UGA poll: Warnock-Walker close; Kemp builds lead over Abrams  —  U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker remain in a neck-and-neck race for the state's wildly competitive Senate seat, according to a University of Georgia poll released Wednesday, while GOP Gov. Brian Kemp …

New evidence to show Trump was warned of violence on Jan. 6  —  The Jan. 6 select committee's hearing this week is expected to corroborate parts of the more-startling accounts of that day  —  The probably final public hearing of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 …

Watch the Disturbing Kanye Interview Clips That Tucker Carlson Didn't Put on Air  —  Motherboard obtained footage of Ye making bigoted statements about Jewish people and bizarre claims about “fake children,” as well as describing visions of “kinetic energy” cities sent to him by God.  —  Anna Merlan

How Bad Can a Lawyer Be?  —  On Tuesday, September 20, 2011, a young patient walked haltingly into a medical office in South Philadelphia to have his bullet wounds examined.  —  The patient was a 17-year-old named C. J. Rice, who lived in the neighborhood.  The doctor was a pediatrician named Theodore Tapper.

President Biden Pushes Hunter's Addiction as CNN Omits Questions on Influence Peddling and Contradictions  —  This week I wrote a column on a notable shift by political and media figures on the Hunter Biden scandal toward a last line of defense: the addiction defense.

Election deceiver, science fabulist, billionaire benefactor.  After 12 years, it's time to term-limit Sen. Ron Johnson  —  USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Editorial Board  —  He's an election falsifier who recklessly promoted lies about the 2020 presidential race long after it was clear Donald Trump lost.

How to Make a Semi-Fascist Party  —  The hostile, paranoid, and increasingly authoritarian path ahead for American conservatism.  —  In mid-September, I attended the National Conservatism Conference in Miami, where Republican politicians, right-wing thought leaders, and various party apparatchiks …

Brett Favre says he has ‘done nothing wrong’ in Mississippi welfare scandal  —  Brett Favre denied wrongdoing in the Mississippi welfare scandal, speaking out for the first time on the controversy in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying, “I have done nothing wrong and it is past time to set the record straight.”

We Are On a Path to Nuclear War  —  In war, nothing is inevitable and not much is predictable.  But the war in Ukraine has a direction that observers can see and that we should name.  What began as a criminal Russian aggression against Ukraine has become a proxy war between Washington and Moscow.

The Supreme Court won't let a racist jury stop a death sentence  —  “I think we should stay with our Blood Line,” a juror who later sentenced Andre Thomas to death told lawyers before trial.  The conservatives let the Texas death sentence stand.  And: More from SCOTUS.

Good news for Democrats: abortion is a strong motivator for voters  —  Welcome to Wednesday.  If you missed yesterday's breaking news, we've got you covered: A winner has been crowned in the Fat Bear Week contest after a drama-filled week.  —  Today's edition: The Biden administration finalized a fix to Obamacare's “family glitch.”

KFOR EXCLUSIVE: Stitt's secret plan to build a new Governor's mansion  —  OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The State of Oklahoma has a website devoted to the Oklahoma Governor's mansion.  As of this month, paragraph 12 of the website states: “Governor Stitt and his family live in the five rooms on the second floor.”

Ben Sasse is an affirmative action hire if there ever was one  —  Conservatives have long bemoaned the politicization of higher education, accusing faculty and administrators of catering to “wokeness” and engaging in cancel culture personnel policies.  Now, we will see how deep their concern …

Under criminal investigation, DePerno seeks to be the state's chief law enforcement officer  —  The Republican attorney general nominee has made Michigan history, experts say  —  It's a situation unprecedented in Michigan political history: A candidate for statewide office is running under …

How Dr. Oz Boosted an Osteopath Who Became a Top Spreader of Covid Misinformation  —  The FDA has warned Joseph Mercola over his medical claims.  The GOP Senate candidate promoted him.  —  Washington, DC, Bureau Chief  —  Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.

Ex-Bill Clinton Strategist Paul Begala Decries ‘Pain-In-The-Ass White Liberals’  —  The CNN commentator called out those in his party who he thinks could stand in the way of Joe Biden's reelection.  —  Democratic strategist Paul Begala took aim at “pain-in-the-ass white liberals on Twitter” …

Secret Service employee charged with criminal harassment and witness intimidation  —  A US Secret Service employee and driver for former first lady Michelle Obama was charged with criminal harassment and witness intimidation in a Massachusetts court on Friday, according to court documents.

Washington State GOP Pays a White Nationalist, Pro-Nazi Blogger  —  Add it to the list of ways in which Washington has a far-right problem.  —  It's no secret that Washington state has a white nationalist problem.  Among the rugged mountains and towering pines are neo-Nazi groups …

Woman says she had to press Herschel Walker to pay for abortion he wanted  —  The account, echoed by a person she confided in at the time, deepens the questions swirling around the anti-abortion Senate GOP candidate in Georgia.  —  The mother of one of Herschel Walker's children …

American Universities Continue to Falter in World Rankings as China Rises  —  Number of U.S. schools in top 100 list shrinks while University of Oxford keeps No. 1 spot  —  The U.S.'s pre-eminence among the world's top research universities continues to diminish, according to a new global ranking …

Treasury Department IG probing DeSantis' migrant flights  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Treasury Department is examining Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' migrant transports and whether the Republican governor improperly used money connected to Covid-19 aid to facilitate the flights.

Steve Wynn Persuades Judge to Toss US Foreign-Lobbying Case  —  Casino magnate Steve Wynn persuaded a US judge to dismiss a Justice Department civil lawsuit seeking to force him to register as a foreign agent acting for China when he lobbied the Trump administration several years ago.

Scheduled to Die: The Rise of Canada's Assisted Suicide Program  —  What do you do when you discover your son has made an appointment for his death?  —  On September 7, Margaret Marsilla called Joshua Tepper, the doctor who planned to kill her son.  —  Marsilla is 46, and she lives outside Toronto …

Protests in Iran Spread, Including to Oil Sector, Despite Violent Crackdown  —  Human rights groups say at least 185 people have been killed and thousands injured or arrested, but demonstrations that began after the death of Mahsa Amini have continued nearly a month.

Sheriff Reboots Car Fine Collections After Costly Pandemic Pause  —  By placing boots on vehicles, the city is making money from tickets again — with drivers paying higher fees than ever.  —  The New York City Sheriff's Office has booted thousands of cars in the last few months …

CNN Poll: Biden's approval rises, but national economic outlook remains gloomy  —  Americans' views of President Joe Biden have rebounded slightly from their dismal outlook over the summer, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.  But public assessment of the economy remains grim …

Biden says Supreme Court is ‘more an advocacy group’ than an ‘even handed’ court  —  President Joe Biden on Tuesday cast the Supreme Court as more of an “advocacy group these days” than an “even handed” court, as he continues his vocal opposition to the conservative-dominated bench.

House Republicans move aggressively in New England  —  Bonjour, Early Birds.  If you're reading this, this is your sign to watch “Interview with a Vampire” on AMC+.  Tips: earlytips@washpost.com.  Thanks for waking up with us.  —  Reading this online?  Sign up for The Early 202 to get scoops …