McCarthy earlier in the day did not rule out serving as Speaker again amid pressure to fill the vacancy following the Hamas attack on Israel over the weekend. The House has faced questions on what actions it can take without a permanent Speaker elected.

“Look, the conference has to make that decision. I’m still a member. I’m going to continue to fight and act,” McCarthy told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt when asked if he'd serve again if Republicans can't decide on a replacement.

The House GOP is set to have a candidate forum Tuesday and internal conference election Wednesday to decide on a Speaker after McCarthy was ousted last week when eight Republicans joined Democrats to vote to remove him as Speaker.

McCarthy's news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. EDT.

Watch the live video above.

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt asked McCarthy — who lost the gavel last week after eight House Republicans joined with Democrats to oust him — on Monday whether he would serve again as Speaker if Republicans are deadlocked on a replacement. 

“Look, the conference has to make that decision. I’m still a member. I’m going to continue to fight and act,” McCarthy said.

Pressed again on whether he would take the job again if the eight GOP members who opposed him retreated, McCarthy remained open to the possibility.

“Look, whatever the conference wants, I will do,” McCarthy said. “I think we need to be strong. I think we need to be united. The eight, in my view, don’t look to be — it was a personal thing.”

He expressed frustration with the Republicans who voted against a GOP-only stopgap proposal. The party's repeated failure to pass a temporary funding bill that included spending cuts and policy provisions prompted McCarthy to pass a “clean” stopgap to avoid a government shutdown, infuriating the hard-line GOP members who then voted to oust him.

McCarthy defended the decision, pointing to the war breaking out in Israel.

“They’re the ones who wanted a government shutdown,” McCarthy said. “We wouldn’t be paying our troops while we’re putting out a carrier strike fighter there – 30,000 American men and women in our armed services in the Middle East wouldn’t be being paid right now? I mean, what weakness would we be at?”

Some Republicans, such as Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) and Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), have argued that McCarthy should be reinstated as Speaker, particularly in light of the new war in Israel.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are running to replace McCarthy as Speaker. The House GOP is set to have a candidate forum Tuesday and an internal conference election Wednesday.

Democratic state House and Senate candidates have largely zeroed in on abortion as a key messaging tactic, painting their Republican opponents as extreme on the issue. Republicans, on the other hand, have hit Democrats for being too lax on crime. 

The election comes as both parties navigate a post-Roe v. Wade world that has seen crime become an increasing concern for voters. 

“It really is the Democratic message vs. the Republican message and seeing which of those is resonating more,” said Abhi Rahman, communications director at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), a group that works to elect Democrats in state legislature races.

Rahman noted that of the 10 most competitive House of Delegates races in Virginia, seven are open seats, while five of the most competitive state Senate seats are open seats. 

“It means basically there is no incumbent advantage,” he noted. 

Polling shows a tight race in the commonwealth. A University of Mary Washington poll released last week found 40 percent of respondents saying they favored Democratic majorities in both chambers next year, while 37 percent said they favored Republican majorities. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3 points. 

And both sides are pouring massive amounts of money into the off-year battle. On Thursday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) Spirit of Virginia PAC announced it brought in more than $7 million during the third quarter, while the DLCC said it was injecting $2 million into the races in an effort to boost Democratic candidates. 

Republican and Democratic groups and candidates have been infiltrating Virginia’s airwaves with spots pushing their messaging on their preferred issue in recent months. 

In July, Virginia House Republicans launched a six-figure ad buy targeting 12 House Democrats, painting them as extreme on crime and taxes. Meanwhile, Democrats have sought to capitalize on the party’s successful attacks on Republicans over abortion last cycle. 

Democrats point to the Virginia special House of Delegates race in January in the 7th state Senate District. Now-Sen. Aaron Rouse (D), who campaigned heavily on the issue of abortion, flipped the seat, which represents swaths of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. And two months before that, Democrats performed better than expected in the 2022 midterms.

“The reason we believe that seat flipped for us is because of the messaging on women’s reproductive rights,” said state Sen. Mamie Locke (D), chairwoman of the Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus. “I did door-knocking for that candidate, and much of what we heard is, ‘This candidate going to protect women’s right to choose?’” 

According to data from the firm AdImpact cited in the Washington Post on Friday, abortion is the top issue in ads supporting House and Senate Democrats in Virginia’s Legislature. Those ads total $4.5 million. 

“People know that the only thing that is stopping Virginia from becoming the next Florida is having a Democratic Senate,” Rahman said.  

The same University of Mary Washington poll found that 53 percent of Virginia voters said the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year would be a “major factor” for them at the ballot box; 23 percent of respondents said abortion should be legal in all cases, while 34 percent said it should be legal in most cases. Another 27 percent of voters said abortion should be illegal in most cases, while 8 percent said it should be illegal in all cases. 

Republicans note that there is much more nuance in abortion messaging, noting how voters nationwide tend to be more supportive of a 15-week federal ban. 

“We’ve told Democrats and the whole commonwealth exactly where we are,” said Garren Shipley, communications director for House of Delegates Speaker Todd Gilbert. “We are at a limit after 15 weeks with exceptions for rape, incest, and the life and health of the mother.”

A Gallup poll released last June found that 69 percent of Americans said they believe first-trimester abortions should be “generally legal,” while 37 percent said they supported second-trimester abortion access in general and 22 percent said the same about abortion access in the third trimester. However, Gallup also found that support for second- and third-trimester abortions increased by 9 percent since 2018.  

Veteran Virginia political analyst Bob Holsworth said the Democratic messaging on abortion polls well, but noted the support changes when it comes to a 15-week ban. 

“If you ask about the 15-week ban, most of the polls I see, it’s relatively even,” Holsworth said. “What the Democrats are doing, they’re just saying [the Republicans] want a ban, and 15 weeks is disingenuous.” 

“For the Republicans, what’s interesting is, does the 15-week ban … does this work? Or does the fact that Republicans have pushed far more stringent bans in many states make their claim suspect?” 

Virginia Republicans were not immune from Democratic successes during last year’s midterm elections, with Democrats winning two out of the three competitive federal House races, in the 7th and 10th Districts. Republicans were successful in flipping Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. 

Democrats in 2022 focused heavily on the threat of potential state abortion bans in their elections, catching many Republicans nationwide flat-footed. But Republicans inside and outside of Virginia say this time around they’re confronting the issue head-on. 

“We’re not putting our head in the sand,” said Zack Roday coordinated campaigns director for Youngkin's Spirit of Virginia PAC. “We’re correcting the record and sharing where Democrats are in this case, with a pretty simple choice between a reasonable 15-week limit to protect life and an extreme position where there are no limits to abortion.”

“I just always go back to Campaign 101,” Roday continued. “You can’t just ignore what your opponent is leveling against you when it’s their No. 1 attack.” 

Roday said Republicans are continuing to zero in on kitchen-table issues, such as education, crime, and the economy. 

“We’re running toward where the broad majority of issues and where their interests are and that’s the kitchen table around those three: economy, education, and public safety,” he said. 

On crime, Republicans are seeking to peel away from the support Democrats are trying to win in the suburban enclaves in Northern Virginia, outside of Richmond, and the greater Virginia Beach. 

“There is an understanding out there that persuadable voters are concerned about inflation and they’re also concerned about crime,” Shipley said. “The closer you get to an urban area, the more concern about crime pops up.” 

Holsworth also noted that many of the Republican attacks on crime in Northern Virginia are linked to the election of progressive prosecutors in the region. 

“The crime issue is one which is really an attack on the progressive prosecutors, which they’re hoping will rub off on the Democrats,” he said. 

But Democrats also say they are also focused on running on kitchen table issues, including public safety. 

“Voters are really concerned about what happens at their kitchen tables,” said Locke, the state senator. “Yes, they’re concerned about crime. They’re concerned about what’s going on at the federal level, but they’re more concerned about what’s going on in my neighborhood, what’s going on in my community.”

Democrats are also trying to flip the script on Republicans, saying the GOP is to blame for crime-related issues, citing issues such as gun control. 

“Every time that we have tried to address those kinds of issues, they have voted against all of it,” Locke said. 

“We can’t be hypocritical about this issue,” she continued. “Where Democrats have always tried to figure out ways we can be sensible about this issue, we have had roadblocks thrown in our way.” 

The loss of the two, coupled with Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) own exit from the Speakership late last year, has shaken up the state — and put it in an unfamiliar position. It has long relied on top members, especially Feinstein, to bring dollars and projects home; Feinstein served in the Senate from 1992 until her death last month.

“She set a tremendous standard for what it means for a United States senator to represent California,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) told The Hill. “And to serve here in the Senate, I can only pray that I come anywhere close to live up to the standard that she set.” 

“It is impossible to overstate the impact she’s had on California,” Padilla also told reporters Wednesday, adding that Feinstein was “the one that we turned to for leadership and for comfort, whether it was in times of conflict or crisis” back home.  

That role now falls to a new crowd on the Democratic side, including Padilla, who is in his first full term, and Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Feinstein’s newly minted replacement, as well as a rising group in the House headlined by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the No. 3 House Democrat. 

A number of veterans remain in the mix, including Pelosi as Speaker emerita, with Vice President Harris also leading the charge in the administration. 

However, filling the hole left behind Feinstein will be difficult. Feinstein was a longtime appropriator and led the charge for the state on a number of items, including wildfires, clean energy and water issues, among more. She was also a national leader on gun violence, women’s issues and gay rights, including having authored the Respect for Marriage Act that passed last year.

Bill Whalen, who served as a top aide to former California Gov. Pete Wilson (R), noted that Feinstein was the consummate workhorse and the one to seek out if anyone needed something for the state. 

“Most times [Wilson and I] went to Washington, there was time on the calendar to meet with Sen. Feinstein, because you turned to her for California matters,” said Whalen, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at the University of Stanford.

McCarthy hailed the late senator and specifically noted their joint work on the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, a law passed in 2016 that authorizes a number of federal programs to boost water infrastructure for rivers and harbors.

“I remember the hours and the nights that we would have to work to try to work through and the challenges,” McCarthy said at a press conference shortly after her death. “We come from different parties, we have different philosophies, but we put our state first.” 

McCarthy, on top of his GOP leadership work and efforts on water legislation, was also a leading proponent of boosting commercial space competitiveness, a key issue in his Bakersfield-based district. The former Speaker authored the SPACE Act in 2015, which was subsequently signed into law by then-President Obama. 

McCarthy’s political work from atop the House GOP conference — before he was removed from the Speakership on Tuesday — also benefited the state. His work on recruiting and strategy helped Republicans nab or keep a number of seats in the state last cycle to clinch the narrow majority, including on behalf of Reps. Young Kim, Michelle Steel, Mike Garcia and David Valadao, one of his good friends and top allies. 

“A lot of people don’t realize that the House majority really ran through California, and that was the product of McCarthy recruiting good candidates, backing and supporting them to make sure they had the resources,” said Lanhee Chen, who ran for California controller on the GOP ticket in 2022 and is also a Hoover Institution fellow. Chen added that McCarthy helped put some seats within reach “that had no business being competitive.” 

The ex-GOP leader also helms one of the most extensive fundraising operations within the GOP, and questions surround the future of that apparatus and how McCarthy plans to wield it. Some political operatives and analysts still believe he will try to help California-based candidates, though he may not have the clout he once did. 

Speaking to reporters after announcing he would not seek the top spot again, McCarthy added that he will continue to help candidates, but that he can be more selective now that he’s a “free agent.” 

 “It’s going to be a massive hit if he’s no longer doing this, because a lot of folks depend on him. … There’s so many people who gave to Kevin because they trusted him,” said one GOP operative involved in House contests. “It takes time for that, to build up that trust.”

“There’s going to be a lot of folks who say, ‘I want to give, and I want to help the GOP, but [are House races] the best place to spend my money?’” the operative added.

In a surprise move, Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on Saturday, which has now left at least 600 dead in Israel and another 300 dead in Gaza. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) said Sunday that he is in touch with constituents who are currently in Israel amid the attacks.

“Well, we have been in touch with dozens of constituents who are in Israel currently. Obviously, for their safety and security, I'm not going to get too specific. But we are working with them, as well as the consulate, to try and get them out as quickly as possible,” he said on CNN's “State of the Union.”

“Given the situation on the ground, we want to make sure that all of our residents here in the 17th District get home as quickly as possible,” he added.

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) also said that he has been notified by 53 of his own constituents on Sunday, saying that they are “panicked” and “trying to find their way to get back to America.”

“If anybody — if you haven't been to Israel, in southern Israel by the Gaza border, by Gaza City, yes, it is really easy for them to come across that border. That's what we saw. We need to provide every assistance possible to Israel to get Americans back,” Donalds said on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”

“And, listen, let me be very clear with Hamas. Touch an American's head and see what happens to you. That's my position. That needs to be the position of the president of the United States right now. We need to get those people back and support Israel in every way possible to see that happen,” he added.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that U.S. officials have received reports that several Americans have been killed in Israel and that they are working to verify the reports. It’s also been reported that Hamas has taken people in Israel, including women and children, as hostages.

“Yes, we have reports that several Americans were killed,” Blinken told CNN’s Dana Bash when asked whether Americans were killed or kidnapped in Israel.

“We’re working overtime to verify that. At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans, and there again, we’re working to verify those reports,” he said.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was also in Jerusalem on Saturday as Hamas launched their first round of attacks. His office confirmed Sunday that the senator had safely departed Israel after needing to shelter in place with his staff.

“It was a surprise attack,” Herzog said in an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation. “There was definitely an element of surprise, but I think we'll have enough time to investigate that once we conclude that war in victory.”

Herzog’s comments come after Hamas launched what has been described as the largest attack on Israel in decades. Hundreds of Israelis died as Hamas attacked from different fronts. 

Officials have raised questions about why Israel was not prepared for the attack, with some pointing to potential significant security failures. Herzog cautioned not to focus on the failures immediately. 

“They prepared a surprise attack. They breached the border fence, they came with paragliders and through the sea,” he said. “ There will be sufficient time after the war to investigate what exactly happened. Right now, we are at war. And we have to fight that war and win it. We were attacked by a terror organization funded by Iran, and that's where we are right now.”

Herzog also stressed the gravity of the attack.

“Israel is at war. Yesterday we were attacked by a terror organization. They infiltrated Israeli territory and killed hundreds of Israelis, at least 600 were butchered yesterday, including whole families, elderly, women, children. Babies were taken out of the mother's lap and murdered. This is war and we have to fight that war and win it. We have to destroy [Hamas's] war machine,” he said. 

The Biden administration has pledged support to Israel but has not yet gone into details about what sort of support that entails.

Adams, up for reelection in 2025, has been sounding the alarm since last spring over what his office reports is a surge of more than 110,000 asylum seekers into the nation’s most populous city — and he’s repeatedly criticized the Biden administration and Republicans, while calling on the federal government for help.

“It's never good for either party when prominent leaders of the same party are in such broad disagreement. And the problem is that, so far, it's just relationship toxicity and pointing fingers,” Democratic strategist Jon Reinish said. “Nobody looks good here.” 

Adams kicked off a four-day trip across the border to Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia on Friday, with plans to “give an honest assessment” of the situation in New York and stress that the city is “at capacity.” 

"We can't sit back and just, you know, continue to expect that [we are] going to get the relief that we deserve. We want help from the federal government. We're going to need help from the state," Adams said Tuesday.

The mayor has said that the migrant crisis “will destroy New York City.” A state of emergency over the “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” has been declared in New York City since last year. 

“I think the president has done a great job. We’ve stood side by side around crime, we stood side by his side around environmental issues, but on this issue, I believe the White House is wrong,” Adams told Semafor on Wednesday, adding that cities shouldn’t be left to “carry the weight” of a national problem.  

The mayor’s ongoing criticism comes as Biden fends off Republican attacks on the administration’s border policies amid his reelection run. In May, Adams was dropped as a Biden campaign surrogate. 

He recently praised Biden for a move extending temporary protected status to Venezuelan migrants in the country, but the critiques quickly resumed. 

Still, strategists say Adams’s public critiques — while potentially irksome to deal with — don't endanger Biden’s reelection bid in the Democratic stronghold state.

New York-based Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf argued that Biden and his reelection bid can’t be hurt nationally by the migrant crisis any more than they’ve been — and his approval among New York voters is solid enough that Adams’s blasts won’t bring him down.  

A Siena College poll last month found Biden’s favorability was on the uptick in New York, at 50 percent among the state’s voters. He also led Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination, in a hypothetical 2024 match-up. 

“No matter the disagreement we may appear to have amongst each other as Democrats, they do not compare in any way, shape or form to the magnitude of the disagreement or the disconnect we have with Republicans,” said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright.  

Adams and Biden ultimately have common goals on the issue of immigration, Seawright noted, more than Democrats and Republicans do. He pushed back against any perception that Biden is “ignoring” Adams’s alarm. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed at a briefing this week that Biden “has provided record amount of support” and funding to deal with the situation at the border, and argued “Republicans do the opposite.”  

At the same time, Adams has also faced criticism over his tough rhetoric on immigration, as his administration grapples with the influx and looks to deter new arrivals. 

“Instead of repeating failed ‘do not come’ messaging, he could work with other mayors and Biden to ensure people seeking asylum are received with safety and dignity,” Ari Sawyer, Mexico-based border researcher for Human Rights Watch, said in response to Adams’s international trip this week. 

As he publicly knocks the White House and travels abroad on the issue, Adams likely wants “the world to know he’s fighting for NYC,” Seawright said. 

Strategists say Adams is likely spurred to vocally break with his party’s leader on this issue to advocate for his New York City constituents, who are feeling the strain of the influx of asylum-seekers on the city.  

“The mayor has no choice. If he doesn’t do what he’s doing, his constituency will look at him as if he has three heads,” Sheinkopf said.  

Adams has to champion his constituents, Sheinkopf said, or risk empowering possible challengers when he’s up for reelection in 2025.  

“So, will it create problems with him and the administration, and Democrats nationally? The answer is yes. Does it matter to Adams? It might, but the more important thing is getting reelected,” Sheinkopf said.

Adams isn’t the only Democrat who’s been putting pressure on the White House over incoming migrants.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Biden campaign surrogate, said in a letter to the administration this week that “the federal government’s lack of intervention and coordination [on] the border has created an untenable situation” in his state.  

Dealing with both Republican and some Democratic criticism could be vexing for Biden and his team during his campaign. 

“It should be recognized that no matter what President Biden does, Republicans will not recognize any productive developments, and they certainly won't recognize any solutions. They have seen blood in the water on this issue, and they're just going to continue to hammer him,” Reinish said.  

Democrats are looking to win back control of the House in 2024, and they’re eyeing a number of Republican seats in the Empire State after notable losses in last year’s midterms.

Republican New York Reps. George Santos, Mike Lawler and Anthony D’Esposito are among the members of Congress seen as endangered in next year’s elections. Democrats should keep a close eye, Reinish said, on how the migrant crisis in New York City spills over into the suburbs.

New York City is one of several Democratic-led cities that have been targeted over the last year by Republican governors of southern-border states protesting the Biden administration’s immigration policies by sending migrants north.  

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said at the end of September that the Lone Star State alone had bused more than 15,800 migrants north to New York City, bashing Biden as “to blame for this crisis.”  

The president last year torched the GOP governors for using the migrants as “props” for “political stunts” amid contention over the border.  

Immigration’s increasingly direct impact on Democrat-led areas such as New York City could make the topic more important for voters in those places when it comes time to cast their ballots.  

“Previously, I would say that voters in Democratic-rich areas like New York and Chicago were not voting on this issue. It was considered an issue that took place far away from them, or something that one could take a more values-based or philosophical issue on,” Reinish said.

“But if it's affecting you … if your mayor and your council are very stressed all of a sudden about budgets and taxpayer dollars, the issue then comes home to roost for you.” 

Meanwhile, Republicans could use critiques from Adams and other Democrats dealing with immigration to try and “drive a wedge” within the party, Seawright suggested.

“That's why you see Republican governors sending migrants to Democratic states and cities in order to create conflict among the Democratic ecosystem,” Seawright said. “They know that a united Democratic front presents long-term danger politically.”  

As Democrats head into 2024, there’s merit, Seawright said, to living “by the philosophy of yelling in the places we agree, and whispering in the places we disagree. And whispering doesn’t have to be in public. Sometimes that can be in private.”  

The party has clinched significant wins in races across the country over the past year, including with an abortion-related measure in Ohio and a New Hampshire state House race in a district former President Trump won by a slim margin in 2020.

These off-year elections, which often go under the radar but are seen as bellwethers for the current political environment, have renewed optimism within the party’s ranks as Biden looks set for a rematch against Trump.

“I think it’s a reflection of the fact that Democrats have been delivering for the American people and quite frankly, there’s not a constituency in this country who has not benefited from the Democratic way of life when it comes to our priorities, our legislative agenda, up and down the ballot,” said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. “These elections are a true reflection of that and at the end of the day, voters, in particular Black voters, demonstrate their trust when they cast their vote at the ballot box.”

As Democrats brace for a probable rematch between Biden and Trump, worries have grown over Biden’s approval numbers and his age. The president’s current approval rating is 41 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics average, while in a recent Monmouth University poll, Biden trails the former president by 1 point among registered voters. 

His allies have mostly defended the administration, pointing to everything from Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan to the resilient economy, though unease over the president still lingers among many in the party. Yet Democrats are hopeful the recent special election victories are a positive sign for their prospects going into the 2024 presidential election, especially with abortion still a huge factor on the ballot. 

“What that shows you is that, first off, the issue of like abortion isn't going away,” said Abhi Rohman, the communications director for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. “That's been kind of the centerpiece to all of this. And then secondly, what it shows you is that Democrats have way more strength really across the country than people think. There's a lot of people who were worried about the top of the ticket and President Biden and his approval numbers, of how the country views him, but Democrats who are running a center-left platform, under the Biden brand, they're winning all over the country.” 

That strength has been on full display in the most recent elections that took place in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.  

In New Hampshire, Democrat Hal Rafter flipped the GOP seat in the southern part of the state with a 12 percent victory, a significant shift considering Trump’s slim victory there in 2020. In Pennsylvania, Lindsay Powell secured the one-seat Democratic majority in the Pennsylvania House by beating the local Republican Party chairwoman Erin Autenreith. And in Tennessee, community activist Aftyn Behn captured a state House seat in East Nashville, replacing longtime Democratic Rep. Bill Beck, who passed away earlier this year.

“I will say it adds weight to the fact that we are making the right arguments that are resonating with very broad swathes of the American people,” said Democratic strategist Jon Reinish. “I think it certainly bodes well for the battle for the House, I think for certain Senate races, governor's races, state, legislative, etc. I think this also reflects the Biden team's thinking also is that this is a very good mobilizing message that creates a lot of urgency with a lot of different people as you head into a presidential race.” 

The issue of abortion, which is a lightning rod on both sides of the aisle, has propelled Democrats in special election races and in statewide ballot issues. 

In early August, an off-year ballot measure turned into an electoral brawl over abortion. Ohio voters rejected the Republican-controlled state Legislature’s attempt to make it harder to amend the state constitution ahead of a separate ballot measure in November that, if passed, will enshrine abortion rights in the state.

Still, Republicans are cautioning not to read too much into the recent results.

GOP strategist Doug Heye pointed to the 2010 midterms, in which Republicans picked up a historic 63 seats in the House to win back the majority. Republicans were also able to secure six more Senate seats. 

“I'd caution Democrats, it's not always a straight line,” Heye said. “And yes, while you'd rather win a state legislative seat in New Hampshire than lose it, it doesn't directly translate into what next November's going to be. Those races often have very local issues that don't play out necessarily in kind of the national space. And we've seen cycles before, where I think this was 2010, where Republicans took a lot of special elections on the chin, lost them, but ultimately had a very, very good year.” 

But Democrats feel buoyed by the surprisingly strong showing for the party during last year’s midterms, which came on the heels of a significant victory in Kansas over an abortion-related ballot measure.

In August 2022, Kansans voted to reject a GOP-backed ballot measure that would have given the state Legislature the right to ban abortion. The election was one of the first indications of voter anger over the Supreme Court’s decision to scrap Roe v. Wade and is now generally seen as a harbinger for the Republicans’ poor performance in the midterms several months later.  

“A lot of people — they see the national polling and they think that that bodes poorly for Democrats, but again, the biggest indicator of how things are gonna go are basically how elections have done in the past and the past few years,” Rahman said. “Democrats have won basically everything important.” 

There’s no arguing that national polling doesn’t look promising for the incumbent president. In a recent NBC News poll, three-quarters of voters expressed concern about Biden’s mental fitness and age. Additionally, fewer than 4 in 10 voters approve his handling of the economy. 

Yet even as fears over Biden’s unpopularity dog the party, Democrats are touting their record in this year's special elections. The DLCC noted in a recent analysis from its campaign arm that the party's candidates "are overperforming in state legislative special elections this year by an average of over 7 points."

“I think that voters across the board take very seriously the issue of functioning democracy,” Reinish said. “And as the Republican Party becomes more and more restrictive, more and more paranoid, more and more radicalized, more and more authoritarian really in their impulses, I think that turns off a lot of voters that they need to get and makes voters that normally would not be available to Democrats available to them.”

In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, Blinken said the U.S. is working to verify those reports. 

“Yes, we have reports that several Americans were killed,” Blinken told CNN’s Dana Bash when asked whether Americans were killed or kidnapped in Israel.

“We're working overtime to verify that. At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans, and there again, we're working to verify those reports,” Blinken said. 

Blinken’s comments come after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in decades Saturday, killing an estimated 500 Israelis, according to reports. 

Blinken reiterated American support for Israel and described the war as “a massive terrorist attack on Israeli civilians, indiscriminate firing of rockets against civilians.”

President Biden has projected a similar sentiment, saying the United States stands with Israel and supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” Biden said in a statement Saturday.

“I can assure you that, as I had stated once again before the House Oversight Committee, everything that happened at the Trump Organization happened with the direct knowledge and at the direction of, and ultimately signed off by, Donald J. Trump,” Cohen said in a CNN interview Friday. “There's no way for him to escape this.”

New York prosecutors argued that Trump and his sons committed business fraud by intentionally inflating and deflating the value of their assets in order to get more favorable loans and insurance rates.

A judge ruled that Trump did commit fraud last month, and the trial this week is set to determine damages. Prosecutors are seeking $250 million in financial penalties and to bar Trump and his children from running businesses in New York.

Cohen, who served time in prison after he testified against Trump in a separate criminal case, said he has evidence against the former president and plans to testify in court.

"So you have more examples?" CNN’s Erin Burnett asked him. "You've got the receipts?"

"Yes," Cohen replied. "And, actually, the receipts are in the hands of the attorney general."

After the ruling against Trump late last month, Cohen said it could mean that Trump will need to sell his most iconic assets in order to raise funds. Trump has appealed that ruling.

“The damages, in my estimation, with interest and penalty, will exceed $600 million,” Cohen said. “Will that put him into bankruptcy? He does not have the liquid cash in order to pay that off.”

“If you want to get to Donald, the way to do it is through his bank book,” he continued. “It’s not by saying he’s a narcissistic sociopath or that he’s definitely not 6’3” and he’s not 215 pounds. You go after the wallet. … Once you start hitting that bank book, that’s what really gets to him.”

Trump also dropped a civil suit against Cohen on Friday. Trump was scheduled to sit for a deposition next week.

In the Friday interview, Cohen theorized that the move was because Trump didn’t want to be asked questions under oath.

"He certainly was concerned that some of the information he may have to testify to — because it was an expansive testimony — that it could ultimately implicate him in crimes and that he earlier needed [attorney] Chris Kise to prevent him from implicating himself from being able to assert the Fifth Amendment,” Cohen said. “This is the craziest scenario.”

A New York appeals court declined to halt Trump’s trial on Friday after requests from his attorneys, but did pause the process of canceling his New York business licenses.