Alexei Koseff
@akoseff.bsky.social
Congress accountability and enterprise reporter for @washingtonpost.com Reach me at alexei.koseff@washpost.com or on Signal at akoseff.01
I spoke with dozens of voters across Max Miller’s district yesterday. With a deadline to drop out looming, the abuse allegations against him have been slow to register. Republicans were largely wary of wading into what they considered a family matter. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
GOP voters reluctant to abandon Rep. Max Miller over abuse allegations
The Ohio Republican, who has denied any wrongdoing, has pledged to stay in his race for a third term.
washingtonpost.com
To beat Susan Collins, Troy Jackson is betting that his background will allow him to reach the rural Mainers who have increasingly drifted away from Democrats. I had a delightful visit last week to his hometown of Allagash, where reaction was split: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate touts his rural appeal. His hometown has mixed feelings.
In Allagash, a hamlet of some 200 people near Canada, residents are sharply divided over Troy Jackson.
washingtonpost.com
Schumer wants to create a new federal agency to investigate corruption in response to President Donald Trump’s administration, @theodoricmeyer.bsky.social reports: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Schumer pitches new federal agency to investigate corruption
The new bill is part of the Democrats’ effort to articulate a legislative agenda ahead of the midterm elections.
washingtonpost.com
Lawmakers could not use campaign contributions to fight or settle sexual misconduct allegations under a bill from @rokhanna.bsky.social. It’s backed by @cheyennehunt.bsky.social, who is working with women that came forward with accusations this spring. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Unlikely duo seeks ban on using campaign funds to fight sexual harassment claims
Reps. Ro Khanna (D-California) and Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) have teamed up on new legislation in response to a spate of scandals.
washingtonpost.com
It's official: @troyjackson207.bsky.social is the new Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. Democrats now have 101 days to unify a party riven by the spectacular collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign and refocus on defeating Susan Collins in November. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Democrats pick new Senate candidate in Maine in aftermath of Platner debacle
Troy Jackson won his party's nomination by commandeering the progressive movement that fueled Graham Platner's rise. He will face off against GOP Sen. Susan Collins in November.
washingtonpost.com
Maine Democrats are gathered in Bangor this morning to select Troy Jackson as their replacement Senate nominee
The House passed a measure to halt the war in Iran on Thursday, as Democrats mounted a last-minute bid to constrain the escalating conflict before lawmakers left Washington for a month-long recess. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
House passes measure to restrain Trump on Iran
The vote marks the first test of Republican support for the conflict since President Donald Trump resumed military strikes against Tehran this month.
washingtonpost.com
He cursed and shouted at colleagues and once threw a water bottle in anger. In the Maine Senate, Troy Jackson's temper was a feature of his leadership that caused problems with fellow Democratic lawmakers. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Democrat set to replace Platner in Maine led state Senate with a temper
Troy Jackson, the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), yelled and cursed at fellow state lawmakers, interviews reveal.
washingtonpost.com
As Maine Democrats chose delegates this weekend for their convention to nominate a new Senate candidate, Troy Jackson sprinted to a lead so formidable that two of his top rivals dropped out. @ktumulty.bsky.social reported on the ground: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Maine Democrats rally around logger Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner
The former state senate president, a progressive who champions Medicare-for-all, sprinted to a formidable lead in the race to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins. Two of Jackson's top rivals dropped out.
washingtonpost.com
The coincidental convergence Wednesday of three hearings in which Jeffrey Epstein played, to varying degrees, a prominent role illustrates how enduring the scandal has become in politics and how it continues to cast a shadow over Trump’s second term. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Jeffrey Epstein is ubiquitous on a busy day on Capitol Hill
Fallout from the handling of the convicted sex offender’s cases continues to cast a shadow over President Donald Trump’s second term.
washingtonpost.com
Darline Graham Nordone was picked Monday to serve out the term of her late brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), who died suddenly over the weekend. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Lindsey Graham’s sister picked to serve the rest of his Senate term
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) announced his selection of Darline Graham Nordone to serve into January after her brother died suddenly amid a campaign for a fifth term.
washingtonpost.com
A gubernatorial appointment, a special primary election next month and what else awaits for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
What happens next with Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat
South Carolina's Republican governor is tasked with naming a replacement to serve out the rest of Graham's term, and a special primary is set for August.
washingtonpost.com
Lindsey Graham, a longtime Republican senator from South Carolina, died suddenly on Saturday night, his office said. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Lindsey Graham, longtime senator from South Carolina, dies at 71
Graham, a staunch Trump ally and key GOP foreign policy voice, was running for reelection this year. He died of a “brief and sudden illness,” his office said.
washingtonpost.com
A housing bill is set to become law tonight without President Trump's signature, denying Republicans a public opportunity to pitch their affordability agenda www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
Trump denies this Congress what could be its last major bill-signing ceremony
President Donald Trump still has not signed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, but it’s set to go into law anyway on Friday without his signature.
washingtonpost.com
Who will replace Graham Platner on the ballot in Maine? A rundown of the many contenders, several of whom already made it official tonight: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
9 possible candidates who could replace Platner on Maine’s ballot
Will Democrats choose another progressive nominee or distance themselves from Graham Platner’s wing of the party amid his scandals?
washingtonpost.com
An increasingly isolated Graham Platner is holed up at home in rural Maine, navigating the likely end of his campaign and trying to leverage input on the next steps. Campaign staff were told this afternoon that Platner will speak on his future tonight. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Graham Platner, isolated, defies Maine Democrats as they try to hatch a plan
People close to the Senate candidate’s campaign say that they know he has to drop out but that Platner has struggled with the decision.
washingtonpost.com
Platner hasn't even ended his campaign, but the maneuvering for his replacement has already begun. We've got warnings from progressive groups, a call for a televised debate, an exploratory committee and more! www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Democratic factions vie to pick Platner replacement before he leaves Maine race
Potential candidates and their backers moved quickly to gain an edge in the contest over who would replace Graham Platner if he exits the key Senate race.
washingtonpost.com
"We see an opportunity to push the conversation forward so this is not left on the cutting room floor like so many congressional responsibilities" @annalissroy.bsky.social and I spoke to staff group keeping pressure on Congress to fix sexual misconduct rules: www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Staffers push Congress for new sexual misconduct rules
The group’s proposals land with only weeks left before Congress breaks ahead of the year’s final stretch until the midterms.
washingtonpost.com
Some of Graham Platner's top backers, as well as the Maine Democratic Party, called on him to end his Senate campaign and rescinded endorsements on Monday after he was accused of sexual assault by a woman he previously dated. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Top Democrats pull Graham Platner endorsements, call on him to end Maine Senate campaign
The Democrat, who has withstood other scandals since launching his challenge to Sen. Susan Collins (R), is accused of sexual assault by a woman he previously dated.
washingtonpost.com
A Republican meltdown in Congress heading into the Fourth of July, with very little runway on the other side to right their agenda before the midterms www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Republicans’ agenda in Congress stalls with their majorities in peril
Much of the meltdown can be traced to President Donald Trump’s demand to pass voter identification legislation.
washingtonpost.com
This is was an interesting tidbit from @maiforus.bsky.social about how the new cohort of left-wing challengers is already organizing www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Pelosi's post-Congress career pivot: launching an institute at UC Berkeley, @mariana-alfaro.bsky.social reports www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Nancy Pelosi to establish new democracy institute at UC-Berkeley
The former House speaker is preparing to leave Congress after a nearly four-decade decorated career.
washingtonpost.com
A new book reports @repmarcykaptur.bsky.social considered crossing the aisle to back Kevin McCarthy during his protracted speakership fight. She told me she tried to form an independent caucus with GOP colleagues but "I couldn’t find partners to dance with.” www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
This Democratic congresswoman almost helped elect a Republican speaker
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) explains why she contemplated supporting Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) in 2023 with an extremely rare crossover vote.
washingtonpost.com
When Newsom announced he was under investigation, he blamed his White House aspirations instead of his frequent ideological clashes with Trump or dozens of lawsuits against the federal government, framing himself as a major threat to the MAGA movement. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
2028 presidential run looms over Gavin Newsom’s response to DOJ probe
While clear evidence of wrongdoing could harm Newsom's presidential ambitions, Democratic voters could rally around the California governor if they see the investigation as politically motivated.
washingtonpost.com
I started this week as the Congress accountability and enterprise reporter for @washingtonpost.com. I’m excited to join this fantastic team to do investigations on the Hill. If you’ve got a juicy tip or want to connect, reach out at alexei.koseff@washpost.com or akoseff.01 on Signal.
Under the Trump administration, the once-routine renewal of DACA status, which must be extended every two years, has turned into a protracted and uncertain process that is upending applicants’ lives and fomenting fears about the program’s future. www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...
DACA renewals are dragging on for months, upending participants’ lives
Advocates worry the administration is intentionally stalling renewals in a backdoor effort to undermine the program and drive participants out of the country.
sfchronicle.com
Primary results show Democrats well-positioned to flip the five California House seats they targeted with Prop 50 www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...
Is California on track to flip five House seats for Democrats? What the primary results show
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bid to help Democrats take control of the House faced its first major test this month in the state’s primary elections. Here’s a look at how those races are shaping up.
sfchronicle.com
The first question that San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su faced set the tone for the hearing, @jilltucker.bsky.social writes: “At what age do you think students should be exposed to drag queen story hour?” www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...
Maria Su faces sharp questioning as Congress puts S.F. schools in culture wars spotlight
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce drew a large crowd of parents and activists as school leaders were asked about transgender policies, religious beliefs and parental rights.
sfchronicle.com
UPDATE: Democrat Xavier Becerra is now leading Republican Steve Hilton in California’s race for governor. Here are the latest results.
California Primary Election Results 2026: Live Maps
See live California primary election results, including in the governor race and other statewide races.
sfchronicle.com
A near-complete freeze on federal funding to help California communities recovering from natural disasters better prepare for future hazards has raised alarms among state officials. www.sfchronicle.com/politics/art...
Lawmakers want answers over FEMA funding freeze on California projects
Nearly two dozen California lawmakers sent a letter Friday to the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeking an explanation for why it appears to be withholding more than $1.6 billion.
sfchronicle.com