| | | |  | | By Eli Okun and Rachel Umansky-Castro | | Presented by |  | | | |  | THE CATCH-UP | | CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS WATCH: Will President Donald Trump defy a federal court order that his administration tap emergency funds to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients during the government shutdown? He posted on Truth Social that the benefits “will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government … and not before!” That would be an about-face from USDA’s order yesterday to fund SNAP partially this month. Trump’s post “has created widespread confusion,” POLITICO’s Gregory Svirnovskiy and Marcia Brown report. “Even officials within the Trump administration aren’t clear on whether the post means USDA now won’t abide by the court order and release money for SNAP.” More shutdown sirens: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued his most dire warning yet — that some of the country’s airspace may need to be closed next week if the shutdown doesn’t end, per ABC. “You will see mass chaos,” he warned. And the Trump administration has now indicated in some notifications to civil servants that furloughed feds not working during the shutdown may not get back pay, WaPo’s Hannah Natanson and colleagues report. That would seem to violate a 2019 law.
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New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo addresses the media outside a polling site at the High School of Art and Design on the Upper East Side in New York, Nov. 4, 2025. | Bing Guan for POLITICO | ELECTION DAY: As the nation waits for election results to come in tonight, voting in New Jersey was briefly jolted by a series of bomb threats that law enforcement deemed not credible, NJ.com’s Jeff Goldman and colleagues report. Multiple polling sites had to be relocated to nearby facilities due to police activity. On the trail in NYC: Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani finally revealed his positions on several ballot measures, saying he’d voted for multiple proposals to try to build more housing by weakening the City Council’s control — and against a measure to move elections to even-numbered years, per City & State New York. Mamdani also tried to set expectations on the margin for his anticipated win, telling reporters that “victory is a mandate in and of itself.” One notable Mamdani voter turns out to be Al Franken, per West Side Rag’s Gus Saltonstall. (Still not weighing in: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.) Trying to catch Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo was on Fox News this morning seeking to win Republican voters away from Curtis Sliwa: Trump’s backing “could be very helpful,” Cuomo said, “Because if they don’t vote for Sliwa, they would vote for me.” In multiple Truth Social posts this morning, Trump urged Americans to vote Republican. He reserved particular venom for Mamdani, whom Trump falsely called “a proven and self professed JEW HATER,” adding that any Jewish Mamdani supporter is “stupid.” That was going a little far for Cuomo: “I don’t know if that’s true,” he responded. On the trail in Virginia: In a sign of Virginia Republicans’ possibly diverging fortunes, AG Jason Miyares this morning touted a ticket-splitter who was supporting both Miyares and Democrat Abigail Spanberger for governor. In both New Jersey and Virginia, NBC’s Steve Kornacki has a handy breakdown of the counties, cities and demographic groups to watch today in an era of shifting political coalitions. The view from 1600 Penn: Despite his anti-Mamdani comments, Trump has generally stayed pretty subdued about this fall’s elections, especially in Virginia and New Jersey, POLITICO’s Alec Hernandez reports. That reflects Democrats’ relative strength in these states and this year, but the lack of enthusiasm also risks depressing turnout by Trump’s base. But Trump issued a vague threat against California’s referendum today, alleging a “RIGGED” process without evidence or details: “All ‘Mail-In’ Ballots, where the Republicans in that State are ‘Shut Out,’ is under very serious legal and criminal review,” he posted. “STAY TUNED!” Under the radar: In addition to the highest-profile races and others we spotlighted this morning, keep an eye on the Maine ballot measure for a red-flag gun law, which has drawn notable opposition from Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, AP’s Patrick Whittle reports. The Minneapolis mayoral election looks to be another hard-fought competition between establishment Democratic incumbent Jacob Frey and democratic socialist state Sen. Omar Fateh. There are also crowded mayoral contests in Miami, Detroit and Albuquerque, as well as less suspenseful — but no less consequential — races in Boston, Atlanta, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and more. More ways to watch the results: NewsNation will have special coverage at 7 p.m. led by Chris Cuomo, Elizabeth Vargas, Chris Stirewalt and Leland Vittert, with Connell McShane and Nichole Berlie taking over at 10 p.m. for a two-hour special. … State Navigate will have a live model for every Virginia House of Delegates district as results come in. Good Tuesday afternoon. Thanks for reading Playbook PM. Drop us a line at eokun@politico.com and rumansky-castro@politico.com.
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Learn more. | | | | | | 6 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW | | 1. FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — The shutdown view from the GOP: On the House Republican Conference call this morning, leadership shared new polling to bolster the GOP’s position to stay the course on their messaging, Playbook’s Ali Bianco writes in. The survey from right-leaning polling firm co/efficient conducted in the last week put the shutdown blame at 41 percent on Democrats and 38 percent on Republicans and Trump, a slim edge that falls within the poll’s margin of error — but a House GOP aide told Playbook it’s proof their messaging is working. See the polling memo If at first you don’t succeed: Trump continued to demand that Senate Republicans abolish the filibuster, both to end the government shutdown and to pass GOP policy priorities. He warned senators, who have largely resisted his efforts here so far, that Democrats “are going to end the Filibuster as soon as they get the chance.” Meanwhile, Senate Democrats voted yet again today — for a 14th time — to block the House Republican “clean” continuing resolution, as Congress barrels toward a new shutdown record later today, POLITICO’s Jennifer Scholtes writes. The latest tea leaves: Though bipartisan talks are ongoing, Speaker Mike Johnson said today he’s “not a fan” of a CR that stretches only to December, per POLITICO’s Meredith Lee Hill. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said the GOP could be open to a deal that combines a CR and a funding “minibus,” but remained sharply critical of enhanced Obamacare subsidies. And Senate Majority Leader John Thune said there’s no way that a potential ACA vote would be at a simple-majority threshold instead of 60-vote, per Jordain Carney and Meredith. Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he’d support a funding bill if it blocked the administration from mass layoffs of civil servants, per Semafor’s Burgess Everett. Interesting note: Although TSA’s airport security workers aren’t getting paid — and air travel delays have mounted for weeks — they may face less financial stress than during the 2019 shutdown, Reuters’ Doyinsola Oladipo and David Shepardson report. That’s because the Biden administration significantly increased their salaries and benefits. The screeners’ improved financial fortunes could now reduce one pressure point for ending the shutdown. 2. ALL OVER THE MAP: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore today announced a redistricting commission that will make recommendations on new congressional district lines, per The Baltimore Banner’s Pamela Wood. It’s an effort to keep the prospect of a totalizing Democratic gerrymander alive despite the recent opposition of state Senate President Bill Ferguson. Dems’ current gerrymander has already given them a 7-1 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation, but the party is searching for every inch it can find to counter Trump’s power grab. Moore’s commission would be led by Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and include Brian Frosh and Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss.
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3. REMEMBERING DICK CHENEY: The former VP may no longer be with us, but his impact on American law and Republican legal thinking remains with us today, POLITICO’s Ankush Khardori writes in.
Cheney was famously a proponent of the “unitary executive theory” — the hotly contested legal theory that posits that the president has sole and complete authority over the executive branch, including the power to fire executive branch officials at will. He was also involved in developing and advocating for many of the administration’s controversial legal positions during the George W. Bush presidency — for instance, that the president could torture detainees after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and that the president can ignore laws passed by Congress based on his assessment of constitutional and national security concerns. It is not hard to trace this thinking through to the present day. Trump has taken the position that he is free to ignore laws passed by Congress. He has conducted mass firings of executive branch officials at all levels of the government, including the heads of independent agencies created by Congress. And he has presided over an immigration crackdown and military actions in international waters that appear to run afoul of domestic and international laws. (Cheney, like the Trump administration, had no interest in the War Powers Act.) Cheney came to loathe Trump, and his daughter Liz Cheney was one of Trump’s chief antagonists in Congress before she lost the 2022 GOP primary for her House seat. Still, whether Trump knows it or not, he owes the now-deceased Cheney a deep intellectual debt of gratitude. More from WaPo on Cheney’s legacy Meanwhile, Bush remembered Cheney today as “a calm and steady presence” whose intelligence, integrity and dedication shaped his presidency, calling him “among the finest public servants of his generation,” POLITICO’s Gregory Svirnovskiy reports. | | | | Washington is fixated on the shutdown fallout — and POLITICO is tracking every move.
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➡️ Sign up for West Wing Playbook | | | | | 4. SCOTUS WATCH: Tomorrow’s big tariffs case at the Supreme Court will test a number of striking political alliances and legal precedents. The challenge to Trump is being led by Sara Albrecht’s Liberty Justice Center, a conservative law firm that has previously won big victories for the right in the courts, NYT’s Ann Marimow reports. On the other hand, Trump’s legal defense will lean heavily on a dissent earlier in the case penned by Obama appointee Richard Taranto, who argued that Trump’s tariffs were within the bounds of the statute and that the major questions doctrine is not applicable, Reuters’ John Kruzel reports. How it’s playing: The latest WaPo/ABC/Ipsos poll finds that Trump’s messaging on the benefits of tariffs isn’t landing among the public. Majorities of Americans think Trump’s tariffs drive up U.S. inflation and hurt their personal financial situations. And most say their grocery and utility costs have risen over the past year, with three-fifths of the country blaming Trump. 5: BUSKIRK’S POWER CIRCLE: A small group of tech and business figures led by Arizona investor Chris Buskirk is quietly shaping the next chapter of MAGA, WaPo’s Elizabeth Dwoskin writes. The Rockbridge Network started after a 2019 retreat with Peter Thiel and JD Vance and went on to fund Trump’s 2020 campaign and the vice president’s rise. Now backed by billionaire donors, the group is building data firms, media outlets and private clubs to extend the movement’s reach, which Buskirk calls a “productive elite” or “aristocracy,” and which critics see as a new MAGA elite. 6. MOULTON’S U-TURN: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who last year questioned transgender athletes playing in women’s sports, is now recommitting to trans rights as he runs for Senate, NOTUS’ Oriana González reports. Moulton said he will “support and lead legislation like the Transgender Bill of Rights.”
| | | | Sponsored Survey WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU: Please take a 1-minute survey about one of our advertising partners. | | | | | | TALK OF THE TOWN | | Kimberly Guilfoyle has officially started as the first woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to Greece. Barry Manilow, Lil Jon, Smokey Robinson and Gloria Gaynor are urging Congress to pass the American Music Fairness Act. Alan Wilson apparently subtweeted Nancy Mace with a non-confrontational confab with TSA agents at the Charleston airport. OUT AND ABOUT — The Lafayette Company hosted its inaugural daylong Symposium on Young American Men at the National Press Club yesterday. SPOTTED: Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), Ellen Carmichael, Chris Moody, Morgan Martinez, Marc Caputo, Kate Odell, Patrick Bourke, Patrick Kelly, Wynn Smiley, Nicholas Eberstadt, McKay Coppins, John Cusey, Michael Marinaccio, Josh Thomas, Steve McGuire, Katrina Bishop, Mike Mayer, Anthony Mack, Ed Magee, Gonzalo Schwarz, Kathryn Jean Lopez, Emma Johnson, Alex Tarascio, and Larry and Dawn Wiese. — Forbes and Mika Brzezinski’s Know Your Value celebrated the fifth annual 50 Over 50 List with a luncheon today at HSBC in Hudson Yards to honor the women included. SPOTTED: Maggie McGrath, Huma Abedin, Maria Shriver, Sherry Phillips, Randall Lane, Leann Bonanno, Monica Lewinsky, Alexis McGill Johnson, Hillary Peterson, Jamie Cygielman, Suzanne McCormick, Miriam Vogel, Elizabeth Matthews, Christina Minnis, Monica Molenaar, Alexandra Lebenthal and Kim Vaccarella. TRANSITIONS — Ken Buraker has been named executive creative director at Curley Company. He previously worked at Phoenix & Fable and Urban Emu. … Marc Battle is joining Taft as a partner in its government resource and response group. He previously worked at DC Water. WEEKEND WEDDING — Chris McCann, manager of legislative and external affairs at American Water and a Madeleine Dean alum, and Caitlin Kushnir, major gifts officer at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, got married Saturday at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, Pennsylvania. They started dating in 2018 and met in their hometown of Glenside, Pennsylvania. Pic, via Chloe Paige Photography WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Shannon Kingston, State Department reporter at ABC News, and Tom Kingston, internal medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente, welcomed Chase Crawford Kingston on Oct. 13. Pic, via Bella Baby … Another pic Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here. Send Playbookers tips to playbook@politico.com or text us on Signal here. Playbook couldn’t happen without our deputy editor Garrett Ross and Playbook Podcast producer Callan Tansill-Suddath.
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