MAINE EVENT: Graham Platner easily coasted to win the nomination for a key Senate seat in Maine despite a series of controversies surrounding his candidacy.
While Platner’s main opposition, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D), had dropped out following poor polling and fundraising numbers weeks ago, she remained on the ballot. Some Democrats have expressed increasing concern about Platner’s viability to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), fueling speculation that some Mainers could cast protest votes against the oyster farmer.
But Platner cruised to the nomination with 72 percent of the vote as of early Wednesday morning. Mills won just under 20 percent, while Democrat David Costello won about 8 percent.
Democrats quickly rallied behind Platner following his victory.
“While Susan Collins cuts healthcare, increases everyday costs, undercuts workers, and rubberstamps Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, Graham will focus on making life more affordable and delivering for communities across Maine,” Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said in a statement.
“He understands that he needs to do work, and he understands that they’re giving him a chance at redemption,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who has been a staunch supporter of Platner, said on CNN.
Platner’s win comes days after reports indicated he had sent sexual messages to multiple women while married a few years ago and had displayed “toxic” behavior in past relationships. Platner’s campaign disputed allegations of physical intimidation and altercations.
Eyes will now turn to the general election, with Collins’s seat key to Democrats’ hopes of winning back a majority in the Senate in November.
SOUTH CAROLINA: In other notable primary news, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) fended off multiple primary challengers to avoid a runoff and clinch the GOP nomination. His most significant challenger, businessman Mark Lynch, had sought to attack Graham from the right over his support for the Iran war.
The power of Trump’s endorsement was again on display Tuesday, as his endorsed candidate in South Carolina’s gubernatorial race, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette (R), advanced to a runoff against state Attorney General Alan Wilson (R). The GOP primary featured several high-profile names, including South Carolina Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, who both failed to advance.
▪ The Hill: Five takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries.
▪ The Hill: Tom Steyer endorses Xavier Becerra after losing primary.
NEXT STOP TRUMP: The GOP’s nearly $70 billion budget reconciliation bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies is on the verge of becoming law after the House narrowly passed the legislation entirely along party lines Tuesday.
The lower chamber passed the bill, which will fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol through fiscal 2029, in a 214-212 vote. Rep. Kevin Kiley (Calif.), an independent who caucuses with Republicans, joined all Democrats in voting against the bill, while all Republicans voted in favor.
Kiley had told reporters he would vote against the bill because it didn’t include changes to interior immigration enforcement.
With approval from the House, the reconciliation bill is heading to Trump’s desk for his signature.
The GOP turned to the reconciliation process, which allowed them to pass the bill by a simple majority, earlier this year after negotiations with Democrats on reforms to immigration enforcement failed. It’s the second bill that Republicans have used reconciliation for during Trump’s second term, following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year.
The legislation may be the last major legislative achievement for Congress during this session. Some Republicans have floated a possible third reconciliation bill to address affordability concerns and crack down on fraud in social programs.
But Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday they believe Congress is unlikely to pass a third such bill.
▪ The Hill: Trump puts MAGA’s pressure on John Thune.
▪ The Hill: Republicans fume at discharge petitions.
▪ Axios: How Israel, Iran nearly pulled Trump back to war.
SPY POWERS STANDOFF: Top Republican congressional leaders are looking for a path ahead on reauthorizing the country’s foreign warrantless surveillance powers amid backlash to the president’s pick of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tuesday that the White House is “weighing seriously” a long-term nominee to replace Tulsi Gabbard, who is set to step down at the end of the month, instead of the controversial Pulte, who leads the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
The pressure has significantly escalated as Democrats have vowed to oppose a renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, currently set to expire Friday, if Pulte remains on track to lead the country’s intelligence agencies.
Trump appeared to double down on Pulte in a post on Truth Social later on Tuesday, saying he would take over as acting intelligence chief on June 19, sooner than originally anticipated.
Johnson met with Trump on Tuesday morning to discuss the hurdle toward renewing FISA and Trump’s selection of Pulte.
▪ The Hill: Trump faces tough choice.
▪ The Hill: Todd Blanche’s nomination collides with GOP anger.
SYSTEMS GO: NASA has unveiled the Artemis III crew that will take the next trip into outer space as soon as next year, following up on the successful Artemis II mission this year.
The four-member crew will feature pilot Luca Parmitano, Commander Randy Bresnik and mission specialists Andre Douglas and Col. Frank Rubio. There will be one backup crew member, Bob Hines, who will train along with the four others.
The Artemis mission is designed to eventually return Americans to the lunar surface. Artemis II saw the team of astronauts orbit the moon and travel to a point further than any human has ever traveled.
Artemis III, which is expected to last around two weeks potentially in late 2027, will test one or both lunar landers in Earth’s orbit. Rendezvous and docking operations will be evaluated.
If the mission is successful, it would clear the way for Artemis IV, which is set to be the first crewed lunar landing of the program as soon as 2028.
▪ BBC: What is Artemis III’s mission?
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