By temperament and manner, Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell are decidedly mismatched. But with the days of politically divided government under Biden underway, their long relationship will become even more important. The Senate Republican leader's experience in cutting deals and the political capital he retains among his members could leave him much freer to negotiate thorny matters with the White House. Both men also see political imperatives in strategically cooperating. When asked about his relationship with McConnell earlier this month, Biden said: "We've always been able to work together."
Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California says she'll seek the U.S. Senate seat held by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a fellow Democrat and the oldest member of the chamber. Porter said Tuesday in a video posted on Twitter that "California needs a warrior in Washington." Porter says that's exactly why she's announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2024. Porter is 49 years old and was first elected to Congress in 2018. Feinstein is 89 and has faced questions about her age, her memory and whether she'll seek another term. Feinstein is widely expected to retire but says she'll make an announcement about her plans "at the appropriate time."
The drawn-out saga of Title 42 has been chaotic at the U.S.-Mexico border. In Washington, it hasn't been much better. The Supreme Court is weighing whether to keep in place the emergency powers that have allowed border officials to quickly expel migrants on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19. It follows months of legal battles brought on by Republican-led states that wanted to keep the restrictions in place after the Biden administration ended them in the spring. And a bipartisan immigration bill in Congress has been buried just as the lame-duck session finishes and a Republican House is set to take over.
