CNN This Morning

President Trump's endorsement was all it took to elect Lindsey Graham's sister. Are GOP primaries essentially loyalty tests? ... The president's plan to bring down the price of beef runs afoul of cattle ranchers, who are calling it a raw deal. Could cheaper imports come at their expense? ... True crime obsession surrounds the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, with amateur sleuths raising all kinds of conspiracies. Has the internet gone too far? ... In a nation divided, Dolly Parton was loved on both sides of the aisle. Was she America's last cultural common ground? 

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We begin today's show with a look at South Carolina's critical runoff between Darline Graham, the political newcomer and sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, and Ralph Norman, the ultra-conservative congressman who backed President Trump's agenda but did not earn his endorsement ... Michigan's Abdul el-Sayed is still trying to distance himself from Hasan Piker. Was it worth the political risk to pal around with him in the first place? ... AI threatens to disrupt Texas politics. Could the rural revolt over data centers turn parts of the Lone Star State blue? 

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The buzz continues this morning after we learned about a secret, face-to-face meeting between Jared Kushner and Hakeem Jeffries. So, who should be more concerned, Democrats or Republicans? ... The White House says today is economic D-day for Iran. But haven't years of sanctions and isolation already failed? The father of a sailor serving an extended deployment aboard the USS Lincoln has been detained by ICE for deportation. We discuss how voters are responding to that. 

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Have Donald Trump and his former fixer Michael Cohen reunited? Or is the renewed flattery just a very public push for a pardon? ... The Navy may strip a Black war hero's name from an aircraft carrier and replace it with Donald Trump. What's behind the latest vanity project? ... Key midterm races in Texas and Iowa are now considered tossups. Is the GOP in real danger of losing the Senate this fall? 

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The national debt is soaring, while the war in the Middle East

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Not even a Trump endorsement could save scandal-plagued Florida Congressman Cory Mills, who lost his House primary race last night to former local TV news anchor Ryan Elijah. Mills has been facing a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations including sexual misconduct, campaign finance violations, and misuse of congressional resources, all of which he has denied. 

Also: A Democratic Socialist upset the Florida establishment. Are Republicans the real winners here? .... A debate stage blunder for political newbie Darline Graham ...Trump aide Natalie Harp's brother talks to CNN about his sister and the president. 

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Jon Ossoff slams the president, and Trump predictably fires right back. Did the Georgia senator cross the line or just hit a nerve? ... Primary voters head to the polls today in Florida. Can a scandal-plagued congressman ride a Trump endorsement to victory? ... Pete Hegseth talks politics in the all-important primary state of Iowa. Could he be thinking of running for the White House in 2028? 

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Asked yesterday if he could promise to be independent from the White House, new US Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "No." Was it naive to think he would? ... Democrats finalize their 2028 calendar, scheduling racially diverse states first. How does that help the party find its strongest candidate? ... Looking for a deal for Gaza, Trump son-in-law says he's got Hamas on board. But what about Israel? 

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When a Russian-born American citizen named Ilya Beloozerov is gunned down by the FBI in 2024, the authorities refuse to say why they’d killed him. CNN’s Isabelle Chapman embarks on a sprawling investigation that takes her from the Mississippi parking lot where he died to Washington, D.C. to unravel the mystery: Why did Ilya abruptly leave his family and his job and head for the border with laptops and cash? Why is there still no official explanation of his death? And maybe most importantly: Was Ilya a spy? 

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Will the man accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson plead guilty in court today? And what kind of deal would bring justice in the court of public opinion? ... Gen Z voters want younger candidates, but will it deliver real generational change in the midterms? ... JD Vance says Republicans should blame themselves if socialists win in November. Is the Vice President a little socialist curious? ... And the University of Michigan skips letter grades in the name of mental health. Is this basically a participation trophy? 

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