Politics A.M.: Democrat wins legislative seat in Florida as once-sleepy state races heat up in Trump era

Longtime Trump attorney says he made $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels with his money; Fact-checking Nancy Pelosi's fundraising numbers

Democracy Dies in Darkness     The most important politics stories today   PowerPost Democrat wins legislative seat in Florida as once-sleepy state races heat up in Trump era Republican candidates won easily in Georgia and Oklahoma. But as Democrats claimed their 36th state legislative seat since Trump took office, Republicans insisted the trend was overstated and a reflection of Democrats outspending the GOP. By David Weigel  •  Read more » Longtime Trump attorney says he made $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels with his money The president's longtime lawyer does not say why he made the payment or whether the president reimbursed him. Read more »   Fact Checker • Analysis Fact-checking Nancy Pelosi's fundraising numbers House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she raised nearly $48 million for the DCCC. Do the figures add up? By Glenn Kessler  •  Read more »   Monkey Cage • Analysis Even if Trump is as smart as he says he is, does it matter? Maybe not. Presidential intelligence isn't strongly related to their success. By Costas Panagopoulos and Kendall Bailey  •  Read more »   The Fix • Analysis The White House's evolving explanations in the Rob Porter scandal are making less and less sense The White House said Rob Porter's background check was "not our process." Now it admits the matter was being handled by its personnel security office. By Aaron Blake  •  Read more »   White House reels as FBI director contradicts official claims about alleged abuser The controversy has undermined the credibility of Trump's second chief of staff, John Kelly, as the administration seeks to focus on its agenda. By Ashley Parker, Philip Rucker and Josh Dawsey  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT The Fix • Analysis Sarah Huckabee Sanders pleads ignorance as the Rob Porter mess worsens "Obviously the press team's not going to be as read-in" as other White House officials, Sanders told reporters. By Callum Borchers  •  Read more »   PowerPost Corker warms to Trump and flirts with reelection bid The Tennessee Republican called the White House an "adult day care." Now he's talking to Trump as he weighs shelving his retirement plans. By Robert Costa, Sean Sullivan and Josh Dawsey  •  Read more »   PowerPost In reversal, North Dakota's Kevin Cramer said to be considering Senate run The congressman, a top GOP recruit, is seen in the party as the best contender to take on Democrat Heidi Heitkamp. By Sean Sullivan and Josh Dawsey  •  Read more »   ADVERTISEMENT PowerPost Trump calls immigration debate 'last chance' for action as Senate weighs competing plans Sen. Jeff Flake unveiled a plan designed to win over skeptical Democrats, while supporters of a Trump-backed proposal said theirs is the only one that can prevail. By Ed O'Keefe and Matt Zapotosky  •  Read more »   PowerPost • Perspective Is Trump joking about 'strengthening the federal workforce'? A better title for the appendix to the Trump administration's budget plan would be "Picking the Pockets of Federal Employees." By Joe Davidson  •  Read more »   Post Politics Trump donates $100,000 of his salary to a new federal grant program for infrastructure projects Before taking office he promised to donate his $400,000 annual presidential salary. So far, he has donated it in quarterly chunks to various federal agencies. By David A. Fahrenthold  •  Read more »   The Fix • Analysis Omarosa calls Pence's faith 'extreme,' but that's why evangelicals like him — and Trump What concerns her about Trump's No. 2 is exactly what drew many evangelicals to support Trump in the first place. By Eugene Scott  •  Read more »   The Trump accuser who refuses to go away Summer Zervos is pressing her case in a New York court as the only one of about a dozen accusers to bring legal action. By Frances Stead Sellers  •  Read more »   Analysis Trump has held three news conferences … since the Republican convention Trump will have gone a year without a presser this Friday. By Philip Bump  •  Read more »   Recommended for you     Get the DemocracyPost newsletter Opinions and commentary that illuminate the challenges facing democracy around the world. Sign Up  »         Share Politics:    Twitter     Facebook Trouble reading? Click here to view in your browser. You received this email because you signed up for Politics or because it is included in your subscription. For additional free newsletters or to manage your newsletters, click here. We respect your privacy. If you believe that this email has been sent to you in error or you no longer wish to receive email from The Washington Post, click here. Contact us for help. ©2018 The Washington Post, 1301 K St NW, Washington DC 20071