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By Adam Wren with Dasha Burns and Will Steakin |
Presented by |
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With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner Good Monday morning — and welcome back to your regularly scheduled Playbook. If you saw our note last night, you already know the big news: Adam Wren, Dasha Burns and Will Steakin are taking the helm of Playbook starting today, with a full relaunch on August 31. (If you missed it — including the part where we made all three tell us about their favorite scoops and dream interviews — catch up here.) The timing is no accident. The next few years — a midterm year, a wide-open 2028 race, and a battle over the future of both parties — will be among the most consequential in memory. It's a story too big for any one reporter. Adam, Dasha and Will bring the range and sourcing to cover all of it. More soon. For now, let's get to the news. In today’s Playbook … — AOC pitches a big tent ahead of 2028. — Mikie Sherrill stakes out out a role in the 2028 conversation. — The Boldfaces: Abdul El-Sayed, William Lawrence, Bernie Sanders, Troy Jackson, Lionel Messi, Ron Johnson, Xavier Becerra, JD Vance, Mark Kelly, Rahm Emanuel, James Talarico, and more.
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DRIVING THE DAY |
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GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — To help Democrats win the midterms, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is taking a shrewder, more pragmatic tack to her endorsements than others on the left. She sidestepped Graham Platner’s Maine shipwreck, and on Sunday in Michigan, on a three-city swing for Senate Democratic hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, dealt another quiet blow to William Lawrence, the controversial Michigan congressional candidate who criticized Black political leaders and said their support for the party’s leadership “defangs the White left.” Not only did she not endorse Lawrence, she took pains to skip Sunday’s hand-hoisting curtain-call photo-op with El-Sayed, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Lawrence, leaving the stage before it happened. “I think that there's nuances to a candidate — I think — or to any campaign, that are holistic, but that doesn't mean that they aren't important,” AOC said when asked about that moment. She spoke to Playbook in a rare interview backstage at DeVos Place after addressing a packed crowd of over 2,500. “That doesn't mean that not endorsing in a race is rejection by any means, but I think that me choosing to enter a race has a high bar because of — I put a lot of energy into every candidate that I endorse.” Was that why she didn’t appear with Lawrence? “I'm always careful before I issue any endorsements,” she said.
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A message from Anthropic: Helping a Boston restaurant owner support his team
Running a restaurant means financial pressure and moving parts. At Shy Bird, owner Eli Feldman uses Claude to help solve problems from kitchen organization to manager coaching, so he can give more to the people who make the restaurant run. Learn more. |
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AOC also defended herself from criticisms that she’s moderated too much. “I think my vote record speaks for itself,” she said. It all felt like a testing of the 2028 waters. She struck post-partisan notes in this pivotal purple battleground, telling Playbook, “You can have a clear vision for what we're trying to accomplish as a country, and also include everyone in it, and to show that everyone has a place in that as well.” And while the left flank and establishment wings of the party go to the mat in Michigan, New York, Wisconsin and elsewhere in the primaries, AOC is drawing a throughline between, cutting the figure of a 2028 presidential contender. “I come from a working-class family. I didn't come from a militant leftist family,” AOC said in the interview. “I believe that these are the prescriptions that are going to help us as a country. And so I think that when we talk about it in that frame, it helps people understand that our conclusions are not just from this disconnected partisan motivation, but it is from a motivation to solve the real inequality that has been hurting us as a country.” AOC described El-Sayed’s election as “genuinely important to the party because as we start to see the shamelessness and corruption from this administration, Democrats are going to be outspent. Period, by super PACs and dark money in general elections by Republicans, and I think that when we get to a point of figuring out how to have a strategic advantage that can break past some of these financial barriers, we can really figure out a playbook that works for everyone.” So, is she in or not? “I mean, I can't say that I've ruled it out,” AOC said of her own presidential prospects. El-Sayed, who’s said he wants to have an outsized role in 2028 if he wins, told Playbook AOC “is speaking to the needs that Michiganders are facing, and you know there's a lot of distance between here and there,” he said. “We're focused on 2026 right now, but anybody who's able to speak to those needs, I think, will have a great shot.” In between Lansing and Grand Rapids rallies, AOC told us she tracked Spain’s 1-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Argentina. “While I have a soft spot for Messi,” she said, “It's always good to see an underdog win.”
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A message from Anthropic:  
Helping a Boston restaurant owner support his team
Running a restaurant comes with pressure. At Shy Bird, Claude helps Eli Feldman do more for his team. Learn more. |
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THE OTHER BOSS: But even as the party wrestles with factionalism in the Michigan battle for its soul in 2026, two of its leaders at opposite ideological ends — AOC and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill — are sounding more alike as they stake out different tacks toward 2028. In an exclusive interview with Playbook, Sherrill, marking six months in office today that’s featured a Gateway Tunnel win over President Donald Trump and a passed state budget, told us she wants to be a 2028 powerbroker. “The short answer is yes,” Sherrill said. “I want to make sure that what we see in any candidate in ‘28 and anybody that gets across the finish line, I want to see somebody who is on track with the focus that New Jersey has on creating opportunity for everyone and a great future for our kids.” Could that be a progressive? “I think what people want to see is less about a political spectrum and where you fall in it. There was recently a poll done in New Jersey of the Democratic electorate, and the two most popular people with 80 percent plus approval rating were myself and Bernie Sanders. So I'm telling you that what people want to see right now is somebody that is going to fight for their interest.” ESPECIALLY IN MICHIGAN: It’s not all kumbaya yet as the insurgent left eyes the heavily Democratic Detroit-area district of Rep. Shri Thanedar for its next target. National DSA is endorsing challenger Donovan McKinney, Will Steakin scoops. Also adding to the pile-on: Rep. Summer Lee, who’s emerged as a favorite for progressives on the campaign trail, is also endorsing McKinney ahead of the August primary.
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A message from Anthropic:  
How a Boston restaurant owner uses Claude to help support his team |
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On today’s Playbook Podcast: Adam, Dasha and Will mine what AOC’s moves mean on the road to 2028, and how the Michigan Senate primary will serve as a window into Democrats’ soul-searching.
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THE DOWNLOAD |
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NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN: Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) is stepping into the role of Senate Budget chair at a crucial moment for Republicans’ budgetary plans — a leap into power for a fiscal hawk who’s more often been a thorn in leadership’s side, POLITICO’s Jordain Carney and colleagues report. Johnson will quickly have to play dealmaker to try to get the party singing from the same hymnal about reconciliation 3.0, while also seeking some pay-fors or spending offsets that he typically demands.
- A busy week on the Hill: Speaker Mike Johnson has just four pre-recess days to pass the budget resolution for reconciliation, plus a government funding bill, NDAA and more. That’s if hardliners don’t gum up the House floor again. The process kicks off with a House Rules meeting at 2 p.m. Separately, a hardline immigration bill will come up in House Judiciary tomorrow … Hawks will try to push Russia and Iran sanctions forward. … Senate Democrats will war-game Trumpian threats to the election and put out an anti-corruption platform.
TOMORROW’S PRIMARIES: Arizona voters will take to the polls to decide between candidates in some heated and high-profile primary elections. In a crucial swing House target for Democrats, a very negative race between Marlene Galán-Woods and Amish Shah could leave whoever wins bruised for the general, NYT’s Sejal Govindarao reports, though Jay Feely also has to hold off Joseph Chaplik for the GOP nomination. Republicans’ gubernatorial contest pits Trump-backed Rep. Andy Biggs against more old-school Rep. David Schweikert, who warns that an ultra-MAGA figure could lose the party yet another statewide race, AP’s Jonathan Cooper and colleagues report. 2028 THIS WEEK: The DNC’s Rules & Bylaws Committee will meet Thursday and Friday in D.C. to continue considering states’ applications for Democrats’ first five 2028 presidential primaries. And California gubernatorial nominee Xavier Becerra is backing Nevada to go first (along with South Carolina to lead off in the South). The Silver State is “home to the very communities who have suffered most under the heavy hand of Donald Trump,” Becerra said in a statement, “and they should be first in line to send the message that his reign is over.”
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Catch up on On the Road with Jonathan Martin Season 2 is underway. Watch the premiere from North Dakota, where Jonathan Martin sits down with Doug Burgum, Kelly Armstrong and Kevin Cramer to talk Trump, Teddy Roosevelt, conservation politics and the future of the GOP.
Watch now. |
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THE FRONT PAGE |
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2028 WEST WING WATCH: The West Wing chatter surrounding VP JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s 2028 prospects is heating up, two administration officials tell Dasha. Though both men deny any presidential politicking, those around them — including the president — are increasingly gossiping about who might come out on top after recent moments in the spotlight.
- Vance's lengthy Joe Rogan interview generated praise and criticism. Rubio delivered what many conservatives viewed as a polished, "presidential" address. The narratives shaping online: Vance owns the internet lane. Rubio owns the statesman lane. But the only kingmaker in this equation is Trump, and both officials say he regularly asks everyone and anyone whom they’d prefer for the top spot. Another person close to the administration notes POTUS has been praising Vance’s book tour appearances and the MOU with Iran (which has since fallen apart).
- “The insinuation that chatter is heating up about 2028 is completely false,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said in response. “There will be more than enough time to talk about 2028, but it’s not a topic of conversation yet.”
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Mark Kelly on the trail: The Arizona senator will keynote this year’s Iowa Democratic Wing Ding, taking place in Clear Lake next month. The famous annual fundraiser will feature top Iowa Democrats too. Kelly is also expected to carve out time for the Iowa State Fair. Rahm Emanuel on the trail: The former U.S. ambassador to Japan, another potential 2028 contender, will head to Omaha, Nebraska, today to campaign with Democratic congressional nominee Denise Powell. The pair is expected to visit a Teamsters picket line and hold a presser on the minimum wage, as Emanuel seeks to direct Democrats’ energy away from safe-seat primaries and toward flippable seats. He’ll also attend a Powell fundraiser. AND ANOTHER…FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Ad it up: Texas state Rep. James Talarico’s latest Senate ad is a positive spot that touts his background and says he’ll “take on corruption and make this economy work for working people again.” The 30-second ad is part of a seven-figure buy and starts airing statewide today on TV. Watch it here NRCC SETS ITS TARGETS: Republicans' House campaign arm is adding a final seven districts to its list of targets this cycle, Andrew Howard scoops this morning. The National Republican Congressional Committee is putting AL-02, FL-14, FL-22, LA-06, MO-05, OH-01 and TN-09 on its list — all seats made redder via GOP redistricting this cycle.
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A message from Anthropic: Helping a Boston restaurant owner support his team
Running a restaurant means financial pressure and moving parts. At Shy Bird, owner Eli Feldman uses Claude to help solve problems from kitchen organization to manager coaching, so he can give more to the people who make the restaurant run. Learn more. |
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5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW |
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1. WAR REPORT: Iran wakes up today from the ninth straight night of U.S. attacks, which intensified on both sides as the region plunges into a deeper return to war. The latest escalation followed the weekend’s third U.S. troop death of a service member in Iraq who was trying to detonate an Iranian drone, U.S. Central Command said. That tally may rise to four, as the U.S. worked to identify remains that are believed to be of a soldier who went missing during the deadly attack in Jordan. “We hit it very hard again tonight,” Trump said yesterday, “and we did that in honor” of the U.S. troops killed.
- Is this an escalatory spiral? Though the war hasn’t returned to the all-out nature of its early days, more American deaths could increase domestic pressure on Trump to retaliate — or seek peace. Meanwhile, the price of oil pushed past $90.
2. THAT’S ALL SHE WROTE: Just like that, Troy Jackson is effectively the next Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. Though the delegates he won in a landslide aren’t legally required to vote for him at this weekend’s convention, Nirav Shah, Dan Kleban and Jordan Wood by last night had joined Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in bowing out of the race. The sprint reflects Democrats’ desire to coalesce quickly around someone with a shot against deep-pocketed GOP Sen. Susan Collins.
- But but but: Many Maine Democrats fear this messy, semi-closed process could damage their chances, that Jackson lacks Graham Platner’s charisma and that he’s a relative unknown next to Collins, POLITICO’s Andrew Howard and Aaron Pellish report from Augusta.
3. EYES ON THE SKIES: Trump told reporters that upgrades are coming to his new Air Force One jet, the Qatari gift that’s raised security concerns apparently so sensitive that the FBI subpoenaed NYT reporters over their coverage of it. “As I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out,” the president said yesterday. More from the NYT 4. NOTHING TO SEE HERE: FBI managers received guidance last week that the bureau won’t look into people’s clashes with or assault claims against immigration enforcement officers anymore, NYT’s Devlin Barrett and Hamed Aleaziz report. “If enacted, such a change would sharply limit law enforcement scrutiny of immigration agents,” just as ICE tactics and fatal shootings return to the national spotlight. The Justice Department and DHS denied the change. 5. THE CRISIS IN VENEZUELA: “The U.S. Saw an Investment Boom in Venezuela. Now It’s a $37 Billion Problem,” by WSJ’s Kejal Vyas and Ryan Dubé in La Guaira: “[T]he Trump administration is facing a daunting multibillion-dollar cleanup after twin earthquakes last month tore open roads, downed power lines and flattened buildings. … Failure to rebuild risks more unrest, creating a challenge not only for [Delcy Rodríguez’s] hold on power but also for a U.S. administration that sees Rodríguez as vital to its plans for stabilizing Venezuela.”
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TALK OF THE TOWN |
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HOLLYWOODLAND — From the Iran war to the battles of ancient Greece, conservative influencers have taken on the box office with a feud over Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “The Odyssey,” which hit theaters over the weekend, Dasha reports. Leading up to the premiere, a number of notable right-wing accounts launched a trend of criticizing the film as too woke, mostly due to casting decisions. Then, another set of conservative influencers, including Ben Shapiro and David Rubin, came out praising the film. But how much of the chatter is organic? Another person, who heads a conservative influencer marketing company, tells Dasha they got outreach from both camps looking to pay them for social media content. They declined the offers, but it’s an example of an increasingly controversial practice of various interest groups paying to create organic-looking trends online. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — VP JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance announced their fourth child, Alec Neel Vance, arrived yesterday morning. Both mom and son “are happy and healthy.” MONUMENTAL NEWS — As Trump pushes for fast triumphal arch approvals, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation is considering making rules changes that would speed up the process, The Atlantic’s Janay Kingsberry scooped. Though it could face legal challenges, such a move could also lay the groundwork for other monuments to be built more quickly, with a lower bar and fewer impediments. SPORTS BLINK — In the end at the World Cup, it was Trump on stage with the victors from Spain — the country whose socialist government has frequently feuded with him, POLITICO’s Ali Walker and colleagues capture from East Rutherford. “Turns out, revenge is a dish best served on a warm Sunday afternoon in a New Jersey swamp,” they write. Though Trump gave Spain the trophy, he celebrated the tournament for uniting the world, showing off the U.S. and really making the States “a soccer country.” FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Swing Left is staffing up with Craig Auster as head of political affairs and David Bowes and Lauren Brainerd as senior advisers. Auster previously worked at the League of Conservation Voters. Bowes is founding principal of Bowes&Co. Strategy + Public Affairs. Brainerd previously worked for the Harris campaign and the DSCC. TRANSITIONS — Samantha Paisley is joining Reproductive Freedom for All as senior director of comms. She previously worked at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. … Zoe Cadore is joining energy company Occidental as a senior director on its government affairs team. She previously worked at Calpine Corp. and is an API alum. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) … Tom Friedman … Franklin Foer … CNN’s David Chalian … Texas state Rep. Katrina Pierson … WaPo’s David Lynch … Anita Decker Breckenridge … Patrick Kelly … King & Spalding’s Justin Dews … Jamal Simmons … former Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) … Meta’s Don Seymour … Leah Grace Blackwell … Paula Cino … Cornerstone’s Max de Vreeze … Tristan Breaux of Rep. Shomari Figures’ (D-Ala.) office … Liam Fagan of Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) office … former FCC Chair Dick Wiley … Sharon Copeland of the Herald Group … MS NOW’s Joya Manasseh … POLITICO’s Kevon Eaglin … Ed Henry … Nancy LeaMond of AARP … Margaret Uhler of Rep. Sharice Davids’ (D-Kan.) office … T-Mobile’s Christine Kurth … Sydney Poindexter Hunter McKay of the Link Group … Aloise Phelps 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 editor Giuseppe Macri and deputy editor Garrett Ross.
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