Current Affairs Of Pakistan & World: Kelly starts the countdown

Kelly starts the countdown

Aug 17, 2026

By Adam Wren, Will Steakin and Dasha Burns

Presented by

With help from Eli Okun, Ali Bianco and Irie Sentner

Good Monday morning, The DNC may have officially given up on Iowa this weekend, but Playbook will continue to visit early and often. We could also go for an apple egg roll at the Iowa State Fair (scroll down for more on that). Get in touch.

In today’s Playbook …

— Mark Kelly takes flight toward a Senate majority — and beyond.

— Primary contests come to a head in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming tomorrow.

— The Boldfaces: Jon Ossoff, Josh Turek, Adam Hamilton, Pete Hegseth, Jared Moskowitz, Mary Peltola, Mark Carney, Nancy Pelosi, Kat Cammack, Teresa Leger Fernández, and more.

DRIVING THE DAY

LAUNCH SEQUENCE: Mark Kelly is no stranger to launches, and now the former astronaut is all but plotting one for a 2028 presidential bid.

Kelly is showering the Democratic Party apparatus with money to the tune of $1 million raised or contributed, leveraging his status as an enemy of President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with $25 million in the bank to build a wealth of political capital.

Now, he’s touching down on campaign ground today in Georgia alongside his wife and former Rep. Gabby Giffords for a three-day swing to stump for Sen. Jon Ossoff, to whom he’s already contributed over $400,000. The duo will head to the Columbus area for a meet-and-greet and discussion with voters about affordability, and a canvass kickoff with volunteers.

Does that foreshadow an Ossoff-Kelly 2028 Democratic ticket?

“Hey, why’d you put it in that order?” Kelly said in an interview with Playbook during a trip through Iowa this weekend.

There, he headlined the annual Wing Ding to a sellout crowd of 750 — the biggest attendance since 2019 — and hooped with Senate candidate Josh Turek at the State Fair, where he also flipped pork chops and ate a pork chop on a stick, a lobster roll and an apple egg roll.

After that: Kansas, where he drew a crowd of 1,000 at the Johnson County Democratic Party dinner he keynoted and headlined a fundraiser for Adam Hamilton. And he stopped at Gates Bar-B-Q in Kansas City with Emanuel Cleaver, the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Kelly also gave a boost to Sherrod Brown in Ohio earlier this month, bringing his Senate turnover tour stops to four.

The goal is to win the Senate — with a side of payback by putting Hegseth under oath. “We've dropped an enormous amount of munitions because [Trump’s] secretary of Defense is unqualified for the job and has no idea what he’s doing,” Kelly said. He added: “I’d also want to find out and ask him under oath, why did he fire all these Black people and all these women?”

And make no mistake, he’s unsentimental about that effort. Of Alaska Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s decision to reject Kamala Harris’ endorsement, Kelly said: “Whatever it takes for her to win at this point.”

On his fundraising stats: 98 percent of contributions notched below $100, and 90 percent under $50. Is he ready to tell those donors he won’t run for president?

“I’m going to figure it out,” Kelly said.

Does he identify as a centrist or progressive amid the ongoing Democratic civil war? “I call myself a Navy pilot and former astronaut,” adding he’s not “into these political labels.” He called Abdul El-Sayed to congratulate him on his primary victory the day after the election, and cut him a $5,000 check from his leadership PAC.

What about the disincentives to not run in 2028? Kelly ticked through a tight argument that could double as an opening statement at the first primary debate.

“I’ve had a president try to indict me for seditious conspiracy. I’ve had the Iraqis shoot missiles at my airplane. One blew up next to me. I’ve almost flown into the ground a bunch of times. I flew on a rocket ship four times, built by the lowest bidder. My wife was nearly assassinated, shot in the head, doing this job, the same job I’m in now. Yeah, I’ve had a lot of, you know, ups and downs. It’s taught me a lot — especially Gabby — about resiliency, about never giving up, never backing down, and always trying to make this country a better place, regardless of the circumstances you find yourself in. And just continuing to fight for this country.”

Some say Democrats should nominate a boring, straight, white man in 2028 — a lane the former veep shortlister for Harris could potentially occupy.

Asked whether he’s winning that primary, Kelly laughed.

“I am not in any kind of a primary right now,” he said. “I’m in a car driving to Kansas.”

On today’s Playbook Podcast: Adam and Dasha tally up Kelly’s 2028-coded moves before dialing up POLITICO’s Daniel Miller in California to talk about the state that’s coming for Hollywood’s lunch. And POLITICO’s Ryan Heath joins from Australia for Canberra Playbook’s debut.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

A simple blood test can detect Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear, enabling significantly more effective treatment. The bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act ensures people benefit from this scientific milestone. Congress has acted to allow Medicare coverage for mammograms and other pivotal screening tests. Now Congress has the same generational opportunity to redefine Alzheimer’s care: Unlock early detection to enable early treatment. Congress must pass the ASAP Act.

THE DOWNLOAD

PRIMARY COLORS: There’s a slate of races to watch Tuesday night across Wyoming, Alaska and Florida. In the Sunshine State, GOP Rep. Byron Donalds is the leader of the pack to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis — but there’s a pileup of 10 Republicans vying to take Donalds’ seat in Florida’s 19th District, where Catalina Lauf recently secured Trump’s backing. Plus, the must-watch Democratic primary in Florida’s safely blue 20th District, where Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is running for reelection.

The progressive march: There’s also a crop of DSA candidates who’ve popped up in both Florida’s Senate race and a primary against Rep. Jared Moskowitz. But the left is navigating tricky terrain in Florida, with its large swath of Latino voters who fled left-wing dictatorships and fear similar ideologies taking hold in the U.S. Florida Republicans are eager to brand all Democrats as “socialists,” hoping to inject fear into a base that may otherwise be unmotivated to show up, POLITICO’s Kimberly Leonard reports.

In Alaska, the Senate race for Republican Dan Sullivan’s seat has garnered plenty of attention between former Rep. Mary Peltola’s involvement, plus that of the other Dan Sullivan. There’s also a crowd to replace term-limited GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy, with Republicans favored to hold the governor’s mansion. And in Wyoming, there’s a handful of Republicans vying to replace retiring GOP Sen. Cynthia Lummis. Rep. Harriet Hageman is Trump’s pick.

O’ CANADA: Trump’s sweeping 50 percent tariff on a wide range of Canadian goods is set to take effect on Wednesday, hanging an ominous cloud over relations with Ottawa. Both sides are trying to land a deal before then, per WaPo’s David Lynch. If not, Canadian PM Mark Carney has warned “all options” for retaliation are on the table. USTR Jamieson Greer is pushing Canada to drop its previous retaliatory trade measures.

TALES FROM THE CRYPTO: The White House is expected to host a gathering with several crypto and prediction market officials on Wednesday, one day before the CFTC inaugurates its new Innovation Advisory Committee, as POLITICO’s Jasper Goodman and Declan Harty reported. The details, and the guest list, are still in flux.

BOSTON DEMOCRATS’ TEA PARTY: Democratic Sen. Ed Markey is set to face off against challenger Rep. Seth Moulton in their final TV debate this Thursday ahead of the Sept. 1 primary. This will be their third debate, and each has gotten progressively more tense as Moulton runs to the center in yet another generational change test case.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

More than 9 in 10 Americans say they would want a simple test for Alzheimer’s. Learn more.

THE FRONT PAGE

BRAVE NEW WORLD: AI has arrived on the Hill, and it’s bringing on a crush of work for congressional lawyers who are now dealing with AI-written bills littered with errors and dicey language, POLITICO’s Owen Dahlkamp reports. The strain on the House Office of Legislative Counsel is increasing as more offices start to use generative AI to craft legislative text, forcing staffers to spend more time poring over the drafts for inaccuracies, which “could ripple well beyond Washington — tying up the passage of legislation and risking lawsuits over erroneously cited statutes or incorrect legal definitions.”

ETHICS WATCH: Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) are leading a bipartisan effort to fundamentally change how Congress investigates and shuts down sexual misconduct and other bad behavior on the Hill. But their push to change the Hill’s workplace culture could hit a wall of longstanding lawmaker resistance to better policing themselves, POLITICO’s Chris Marquette reports.

The pair have been working on legislation for months to reform the House Ethics Committee, streamline the process for staffers to report complaints and strengthen the rules against lawmakers having relationships with staffers. They’re hoping to unveil their framework in September.

NEVER LOSING NANCY: Nancy Pelosi may be leaving the halls of Congress behind, but her former staffers are sticking around in top jobs, POLITICO’s Riley Rogerson reports. Pelosi alums can be found in the offices of Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, guaranteeing a piece of Pelosi’s presence will be felt even as Democratic governance enters a new era without her.

G’DAY, FROM CANBERRA: POLITICO Australia is officially here, and the first-ever edition of Canberra Playbook is out now, bringing our signature mix of scoops, sharp analysis and insider intelligence to the people and power shaping politics Down Under. Read the inaugural edition here, and sign up for your daily briefing on the stories, players and decisions making waves at home — and far beyond its shores.

More from Canberra: Australia’s new U.S. Ambassador Dave Brat is coming into the job fluent in a niche dialect that could give him an edge in boosting U.S.-Aussie relations, POLITICO’s Katherine Tully-McManus writes. “He can speak Trump,” James Braid, Trump’s director of legislative affairs, told KTM.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

This is a mammogram moment for Alzheimer’s. Congress must pass the ASAP Act.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. IRAN LATEST: Trump’s ceasefire with Iran, announced to much fanfare in June, is set to expire today as the conflict increasingly becomes a test of economic endurance, NYT’s Aaron Boxerman and colleagues write. Iran is still resistant to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and negotiations on a possible deal remain at a stalemate. But there are bigger warning signs on the horizon: U.S. officials have warned that the recent attack on U.S. water systems by hackers with ties to Iran may be a warm-up, testing critical U.S. systems as the midterms approach, The Atlantic’s Nick Miroff and Yvonne Wingett Sanchez report.

2. THEY WENT TO JARED: Jared Kushner had a rare meeting with Hamas’ leader yesterday in Egypt in a renewed effort to get the group to disarm and continue to move ahead with the ceasefire plan, per AP. Kushner is expected to meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu today, after he rejected the latest 15-point plan from the Board of Peace. More from Axios’ Barak Ravid

3. FOR YOUR RADAR: Trump directed the Pentagon to substantially scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea, saying it declined to help with denuclearizing Iran, Playbook’s Ali Bianco reports. “If implemented, the directive would mark Mr. Trump’s first-known concrete overture toward North Korea in his second term. However, it remains unclear whether [Kim Jong Un] will embrace the gesture,” NYT’s Choe Sang-Hun notes.

4. TOP TALKER: Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) is heading north to the Hamptons to raise money for his reelection bid. But with $77 million already in the bank for him, this fundraising swing has some serious undertones for 2028, Bloomberg’s Amanda Gordon and Bill Allison report. He’s the latest in a flurry of speculated 2028ers to hit the elite enclave this summer.

5. MODERN MARVELS: Puck’s Peter Hamby has an interesting read on Dem operatives’ efforts to reach disengaged swing voters through the platforms that could decide the next election: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and even ChatGPT.

A message from The Alzheimer's Association:

The ASAP Act is a “mammogram moment” for Alzheimer’s — an opportunity to make early detection the standard of care. When Congress enabled Medicare coverage for routine mammograms, screening rates soared and breast cancer deaths dropped significantly. That early investment led to earlier detection, better outcomes and improved quality of life.

Congress can deliver this same breakthrough for those with Alzheimer’s through the bipartisan ASAP Act, which would allow Medicare to cover a simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s before symptoms appear. Until Congress acts, Medicare cannot cover dementia screening tests. But fewer than 10% of people receive a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment when today’s FDA-approved treatments are significantly more effective. Expanding access to blood-based screening will help more patients receive an early diagnosis, and the opportunity for earlier, more effective treatment. Congress must support the ASAP Act and appropriate Alzheimer’s care.

TALK OF THE TOWN

BALLROOM BLITZ — “Trump’s Ballroom Was His Dream of Beauty and Space. Now It’s a ‘Military Complex,’” by WSJ’s Will Hobson and Louise Radnofsky: “As courts have questioned the president’s authority for the project, he has leaned in to arguments of national security.”

MAKING THE ROUNDS ON X — Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has some new tattoos. She revealed them on her new YouTube show, “Get Maced,” saying she got several in February that gave her “the pain that I need to feel” after an exodus of staffers and a breakup with her fiance. More from the NY Post

MEDIA MOVE — Mike Rothman is now general manager at the Daily Mail. He previously worked at The Dispatch.

TRANSITIONS — Coke Morgan Stewart is now president and CEO of the Council for Innovation Promotion. She previously worked in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and was formerly its acting director. … Marie Bucko has joined the Animal Health Institute as its first COO. She previously worked at Merck Animal Health and is an FDA and Agriculture Department alum. … Kory Wood of Ascent Strategic has been hired as general consultant to Rep. Jefferson Shreve’s (R-Ind.) reelect.

WEDDING — Aliza Oppenheim, a law student at the University of Pennsylvania and Matt Cartwright alum, and Scott Boxer, a research analyst at the State Department and USAID alum, got married Aug. 9 at the Riverview Ballroom in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. They met through the D.C. Jewish community at a friend’s Shabbat lunch. Pic … Another pic

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for the NYT, and Betsy Woodruff Swan, a writer and POLITICO alum, welcomed Rachel Swan last week. She helpfully came in after her dad finished the most intense stretch of his “Regime Change” book tour.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) … Jon Lovett of Crooked Media … Brittany Shepherd … Louisa Terrell … former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) … Jamie Gillespie … former Rep. David Price (D-N.C.) … Ron Bonjean of Rokk Solutions … Sonali Dohale … Daniel Penchina … Sabrina Schaeffer of the R Street Institute … Mike Buczkiewicz … Caroline Boothe Olsen … Philip de Vellis of Beacon Media … Elise Foley … Ben Brody … Fox News’ Will Ricciardella … Jessica Gail … Nick Hawatmeh … Andrea Christianson … Diane Shust … Dave Toomey … David Kusnet … Dynamic SRG’s Darren Rigger … Rebecca Alcorn of Mindset … Belgian Embassy’s Maite Morren … Natalia Latif of New Heights Communications … The Guardian’s Ella Creamer

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