On the second of a two-part series examining how the parties are approaching the upcoming midterm elections, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Mike Smith, president of House Majority PAC. They discuss the Democrats plan to take back the House, bellwether races to watch, and the impact of a surging left wing. Plus, Speaker Mike Johnson looks to advance key priorities: Reconciliation 3.0, a CR, the NDAA and a ban on stock trading. 

Note: With the House headed into a long recess and Annalyse headed on maternity leave, this will be the last episode of CONTROL for several months.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Articles Discussed:

WaPo: Four competing priorities bog down Republicans ahead of midterms

POLITICO: Senate GOP isn’t sold on Mike Johnson’s budget blueprint

POLITICO: The Senate GOP’s squeaky wheel suddenly has a lot of power

WSJ: Democrats Go on Offense With $272 Million Ad Strategy

NYT: In Trump’s Second Midterm, Democrats Are Looking for Fighters

Roll Call: Democratic socialists’ primary wins give Trump new midterms attack lines

On the first of a two-part series examining how the parties are approaching the upcoming midterm elections, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Brendan Jaspers, political director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. They cover the key battlegrounds as well as the impact of a recent SCOTUS ruling allowing political parties to spend unlimited funds in direct coordination with candidates. Plus, reactions to the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham and continued gridlock in the House.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Brendan Jaspers, NRSC

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

AP: Lindsey Graham’s journey from a pool hall to the heights of political power

AP: From staunch critic to fierce ally: Graham’s long, strange and consequential friendship with Trump

NOTUS: With Lindsey Graham Gone, Republicans Worry They Lost Their Trump Whisperer

Axios: Inside Mike Johnson's déjà vu cycle of failed rule votes

Washington Examiner: Johnson confronts GOP rebellion over SAVE America Act as House returns to Washington

WSJ: A Zombie Congress Is Threatening Trump’s Agenda

AP: Republicans see their grip on Senate tighten amid Democrats’ dysfunction in Maine

The Hill: Democrats fear chances of winning Senate may be slipping away

NBC News: Sen. Dan Sullivan accuses Democrats of recruiting Alaska Senate candidate with the same name

NYT: Supreme Court Lifts Spending Limits on Political Parties and Candidates

Ahead of a what is scheduled to be a busy week in the House of Representatives, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci ask whether the SAVE America Act will continue to dominate the conversation. Can lawmakers strike deals on the NDAA and annual appropriations bills, or will Reconciliation 3.0 become the only path forward? Then, Ramsey Touchberry, congressional reporter for the Washington Examiner, joins the show to unpack the latest dynamics in the Senate. Plus, on this week's Campaign Corner: insurgent candidates gain ground in Colorado, and establishment Democrats search for a message as the party's left flank gains momentum.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Ramsey Touchberry, Washington Examiner

Producer: Benji Englander

Articles Discussed:

POLITICO: Trump doubles down on SAVE America Act after Supreme Court loss on mail voting

The Hill: Trump calls housing bill ‘a yawn,’ concedes SAVE America Act unlikely to pass

The Hill: Johnson: Blocking House agenda over SAVE America Act is ‘self-defeating’

Fox Business: Trump, Mike Johnson eye SAVE America Act in reconciliation as House races toward recess

POLITICO: GOP infighting threatens critical defense bill

Washington Examiner: Inside Trump’s explosive meeting with Senate Republicans

Washington Examiner: New York socialist surge reveals warning signs for Schumer

As President Trump prepares to head up to Capitol Hill for the Republican Senate lunch, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss what kind of reaction he may receive and what items might be on the agenda from the Save America Act to the Iran deal to the incoming DNI. At the end, the United Kingdom will have a new Prime Minister and Zohran Mamdani looks to flex his political muscle in key New York House primaries.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Producer: Benji Englander

Articles Discussed:

Punchbowl News: Trump to meet with Senate GOP amid tension

NBC News: Senate Republicans grow increasingly frustrated with Trump blindsiding them

The Hill: Senate Republicans in somber, pessimistic mood over Trump deal with Iran

The Hill: Mike Lee: Senate GOP must do ‘hard work’ to pass SAVE America Act

POLITICO: House GOP races to make Recon 3.0 real

POLITICO: He Quit Parliament. Now He’s Set to Become Britain’s Prime Minister.

New York Times: Will New York Swing Further to the Left? Here’s a Preview of Tuesday’s Primaries.

Congress faces another looming deadline this week as FISA authorities are set to expire. Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss if GOP leaders will be able to overcome objections from both sides of the aisle and pass an extension. Plus, Reconciliation 2.0 moves ahead as talk of a third bill heats up. Then, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Puck’s chief Washington correspondent, joins the show to talk about the scramble set off by the Bill Pulte DNI announcement and the latest with the Maine Senate race as Graham Platner faces another scandal.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Leigh Ann Caldwell, Puck

Producer: Benji Englander

Articles Discussed:

Punchbowl: Can Congress pass a short-term FISA extension?

ABC News: Democratic revolt over Trump's DNI pick Pulte puts FISA re-authorization in jeopardy

Puck: The G.O.P.’s Pulte Problem

Puck: Hill Rebellion & The Platner Files

CNBC: Congress moves toward approving $70 billion for ICE and CBP through Trump’s presidency

The Hill: GOP plots third reconciliation bill as midterm clock ticks

The Guardian: Judgment day for under-fire Democrat Graham Platner in Maine primary

Congress is racing to finish some major items, but will any GOP priorities get bogged down amid party infighting? Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the path ahead for reconciliation, FISA and government funding. Then, Natalie Andrews, a White House correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, joins the show to discuss the Senate’s “Wounded Bear Caucus” and Vice President Vance’s relationship with President Trump.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Natalie Andrews, Wall Street Journal

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

Fox News: Congress barrels toward deadline pile-up as GOP divisions threaten Trump agenda

POLITICO: Trump administration retreats on 'Anti-Weaponization Fund'

POLITICO: ‘Get a warrant’: FISA fights resurface

MSNOW: ‘We have the votes to win’: Khanna predicts Iran war powers vote win for Democrats Tuesday

CNN: Spencer Pratt brings Los Angeles’ economic anxieties into primetime

POLITICO: ‘Every week it seems like it’s something else’: Democrats worry about Platner revelations

POLITICO: Chuck Schumer’s Iowa problem

WSJ: A New ‘Wounded Bear Caucus’ in the Senate Means More Trouble for Trump

NYT: Is JD Vance the 2028 Front Runner? Trump Has Questions.

On a new episode of CONTROL, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Scott Wong, Senior Congressional Reporter for NBC News, to break down the latest drama unfolding on Capitol Hill and on the campaign trail. The trio dive into Reconciliation 2.0 and 3.0, President Trump’s influence in GOP primaries and the looming midterms, the continued fight over redistricting, the absence of Rep. Thomas Kean Jr., and much more.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Scott Wong, NBC News

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

Punchbowl: Crunch time for GOP’s reconciliation bill

CNBC: Trump ballroom money in question after Senate parliamentarian rules. Thune says GOP will persist

POLITICO: Trump pushes to attach his SAVE act to must-pass bipartisan bills

The Hill: GOP lawmakers battle as conservatives press for third budget reconciliation bill

NBC News: Rep. Thomas Massie confronts the full force of Trump’s wrath in a Republican primary

NBC News: Democrats warn a third of the Congressional Black Caucus could be wiped out by redistricting wars

New York Times: The Mystery of a Congressman’s Absence Deepens

Speaker Johnson made it through Hell Week, but what does reconciliation have in store? Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci are joined by Matt Glassman, who spent 10 years at the Congressional Research Service and is now a Senior Fellow at the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown, for a primer on Reconciliation 2.0 and a discussion of how the appropriations process has gone awry. Plus, after a setback in Virginia, how will Democrats move forward on redistricting?

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Matt Glassman

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

Punchbowl: Trump’s ballroom security money is in trouble

Axios: Johnson to address Senate Republicans amid escalating tensions

The Hill: GOP opposition grows to moving third reconciliation package on Trump agenda

Politico: Trump wants a gas tax holiday. Republicans will ‘hear him out,’ Thune says

Politico: Jeffries guarantees Democratic House win in midterms despite ‘undemocratic’ rulings

The Hill: GOP braces for high-stakes 2027 spending fight with midterms looming

Matt’s Five Points: The Dawn of Partisan Appropriations

It is “Hell Week” in the House of Representatives with several major votes on the schedule. Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss the outlook for Reconciliation 2.0, FISA and the Farm Bill. Plus, Meredith Lee Hill, Senior Congress reporter for POLITICO, shares how the attack at the WHCD is shaking up the agenda and what to look for during a big week for Speaker Mike Johnson.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Meredith Lee Hill, POLITICO

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

POLITICO: WHCD attack jolts Mike Johnson’s big week

POLITICO: ‘National emergency’: After assassination attempt, White House urges Congress to fund DHS

POLITICO: Johnson says Senate-passed DHS funding bill will have to change

POLITICO: It’s finally farm bill week

Punchbowl News: House GOP has an impossible week

TIME: King Charles Arrives in Trump's Washington, and a Congress Less Civil Than His Mother Faced

The Senate is moving ahead with reconciliation while things go off the rails in the House – all while a pivotal election takes place across the Potomac. On a new episode of CONTROL, Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci discuss Speaker Johnson’s FISA flop and next steps in the Senate for DHS funding and the Iran war. Then, Punchbowl News’ Senior Congressional Reporter Ally Mutnick joins the show to preview the redistricting ballot measure in Virginia and what it portends for both the 2026 midterms and future election cycles. Plus, the trio analyze the most competitive races across the Senate map.

Hosts: Annalyse Keller and Mike Ricci

Guest: Ally Mutnick, Punchbowl News

Audio Producer: Benji Englander

Video Producer: Regina Anderson

Articles Discussed:

POLITICO: Republicans stare down a growing, neverending FISA crisis

Punchbowl News: Thune: Full speed ahead on reconciliation

New York Times: House Thwarts Bid to Halt Iran War, but Some in G.O.P. See Support Fading

WaPo: Senate rejects resolution to block Trump from striking Iran

New York Times: White House Declines to Offer Congress an Estimate of Iran War Cost

Punchbowl News: House, Senate Dems post giant Q1 numbers

Punchbowl News: NRCC outraises DCCC in Q1

New York Times: Democrats Spend Big but Face Tough Fight in Virginia Gerrymandering Battle

CNN: Pinwheels and the ‘lobster district’: How Virginia Democrats drew up a US House map to all but lock out Republicans

CNN: How a must-win Michigan Senate race turned messy for Democrats