© AP

Republicans vying for their party’s presidential nomination have taken to insisting that the dynamics in the primary will shift in the coming months, even though former President Trump has held a firm polling lead, despite his mounting legal problems.

The Hill’s Brett Samuels has this update on how the GOP race is shaping up and why so many candidates are sticking in the race:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have in recent days separately argued that it’s too soon to anoint Trump as the party’s 2024 nominee, more than one year before such a nominee becomes official. Candidates and some strategists have noted that the first debate has yet to happen, and that in past presidential cycles, the eventual nominee was often not leading in the polls at this point in the process.“

DeSantis has argued that any indication his campaign is losing steam is one built by a media narrative, and that he will pick up momentum as voters get more familiar with him.

Allies of former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott have also argued those candidates will see a polling bump when more voters get to know them.

Haley has similarly struggled to gain much of a foothold, despite being one of the first GOP candidates in the race and getting a head start on campaigning in early voting states. She’s been adamant that after Labor Day, numbers will reflect an increase in voter engagement and attention. More from Samuels here.

• Republicans are split over Trump’s threat to skip first debate in August. (The Hill)
  
  
• Chris Christie says Trump goes to bed at night ‘thinking about the sound of the jail cell door closing’ (The Hill)
  
  
• Trump’s lawyers want his Mar-a-Lago documents trial delayed until after next year’s election. (The Hill)

It’s Tuesday, July 11. I’m Elizabeth Crisp with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

©  Greg Nash/The Hill

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) says he thinks the idea that white nationalists are inherently racist is a matter of “opinion” and doubled down on his claim from earlier this year that people who espouse white supremacy are merely “Americans.”

“My opinion of a white nationalist, if somebody wants to call them a white nationalist, to me, is an American,” he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during an interview Monday night. “It’s an American. Now, if that white nationalist is a racist, I’m totally against anything that they want to do because I am 110 percent against racism.”

When Collins interrupted to point out that “a white nationalist is racist,” Tuberville told her, “Well, that’s your opinion.”

The Merriam-Webster definition of “white nationalist” directly links the phrase to white supremacy and racism. (The Hill)

New York Democrats are gearing up for what’s sure to be a slugfest in a key swing district’s House primary race: Former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) versus Liz Gereghty, a small business owner and sister to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).

Jones was first elected to Congress in 2020 to represent New York’s 17th District. After redistricting, he ran in New York’s 10th District but was defeated in the primary.

Republican Mike Lawler won election to the 17th District in November, a major pickup for Republicans. Lawler is seeking reelection. (The Hill)

Former Rep. Mayra Flores (R-Texas) is also trying to reclaim her seat in the House, setting up a rematch against Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas). (The Hill)

This summer is turning out to be an especially hot one across the country.

So hot, in fact, that the White House has announced it will put $5 million toward managing extreme heat.

The money’s coming from the Inflation Reduction Act that President Biden signed into law in August.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will establish two virtual research centers with the money to “provide technical assistance and actionable, locally tailored information that historically marginalized and underserved communities can use to better prepare for extreme heat,” a White House fact sheet said.

Also, according to the White House, a working group on extreme heat will develop a national heat strategy with a focus on equity and environmental justice. (The Hill)

President Biden and NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg huddled at an ongoing summit in Lithuania today to discuss Ukraine’s potential path to membership, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed the alliance for not setting a clear timeline for his war-torn country and not bringing Ukrainian leaders in on the talks.

Zelensky is expected to address the NATO leaders later today, and he’ll meet one-on-one with Biden on Wednesday. (The Hill)

Three Georgia teenagers are facing murder charges after their plan to egg a house took a deadly turn.

According to the Spalding County, Ga., Sheriff’s Office, the victim, Johnathan Gilbert, was found fatally shot in the middle of the road near his house.

Sheriff Darrell Dix said in a statement that three teenagers — Sydney Maughon, 18, Jeremy Munson, 18, and McKenzie Davenport, 19 — were about to egg Gilbert’s house when the man spotted them and went outside.

“When Gilbert saw what they were doing to his residence, he came out of the house unarmed to confront them,” the sheriff’s office said. “The suspects ran back to the car, and as Gilbert approached them, Sydney Maughon, a backseat passenger in the car, produced a firearm and shot him multiple times. The suspects then drove away leaving Gilbert dead in the middle of Dobbins Mill Road.”

Medium Buying, which tracks ads and events, tweeted about the LIV Golf League’s plans to host its season-ending championship at Trump National Doral Miami.

“Trump-owned golf clubs will have hosted three of the 13 LIV golf events this year (Trump National DC in May, Trump National Bedminster in August),” the firm noted.

Since the Supreme Court shot down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, Democratic lawmakers and others have urged the White House to look for a work-around. “[The president] should fulfill his promise to millions of student loan borrowers and use his authority to extend the pause on repayment until the loans are forgiven.

We can’t abandon Americans who are relying on this relief,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) tweeted.

The House convenes at noon, and the Senate came in at 10 a.m. President Biden is in Lithuania for a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, and Vice President Harris is in D.C.

• 10 a.m.: Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on the PGA-LIV merger deal, focusing on implications for the future of golf and Saudi Arabia’s influence in the United States.
• 10 a.m.: House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic began a hearing on “Investigating the Proximal Origin of a Cover Up.”
• Noon: House Rules Committee began its hearing on the National Defense Authorization Act — a key step before the $886 billion military spending bill can head to the floor.
• 1:30 p.m.: The Senate Intelligence Committee will have a closed briefing on artificial intelligence and other classified intel matters.

Here’s the full list of today’s committee meetings.

All times Eastern.

• 10 a.m.: Senate Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on the PGA-LIV merger deal, focusing on implications for the future of golf and Saudi Arabia’s influence in the United States. (Watch the replay here)
• 10 a.m.: House Oversight and Accountability Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic began a hearing on “Investigating the Proximal Origin of a Cover Up.” (Watch the replay here)
• Noon: House Rules Committee began its hearing on the National Defense Authorization Act — a key step before the $886 billion military spending bill can head to the floor. (Tune in here)
• 1 p.m.: Vice President Harris will meet with disability rights leaders to discuss transportation accessibility. (Tune in here) 
• 2 p.m.: House Ways and Means subcommittee holds a hearing titled “Where is all the Welfare Money Going? Reclaiming TANF Non-Assistance Dollars to Lift Americans Out of Poverty.” (Tune in here)

Today is Free Slurpee Day! It’s been 21 years since 7-Eleven started the tradition of enjoying a free small Slurpee on July 11, and we’re all a little cooler for it, especially given the last week of record heat.

And because you made it this far, check out this video of a panda just lounging in a tree…

Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to ecrisp@digital-release.thehill.com. A friend forward this to you? Subscribe here.

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