A group of House Republicans rebelled against GOP leadership’s effort to block a vote on allowing proxy voting for new parents and delivering a blow to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.)
The gambit drew the ire of House Democrats, who bashed the “outrageous” move as several Republicans bucked their party’s leadership.
Nine Republicans — led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) — joined all Democrats in voting against the procedural rule, enough for it to fall short in a 206-222 vote. The rule included a provision to kill consideration of the proxy voting resolution.
And in the upper chamber, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has been speaking for over 18 hours on the Senate floor in protest of President Trump’s agenda. The New Jersey Democrat has slammed the president’s tax plans, emphasizing potential cuts to Social Security and Medicaid.
Meanwhile, special elections for a Wisconsin Supreme Court seat and two Florida House seats are seen as political barometers in races where Trump is not on the ballot.
Susan Crawford was projected to win an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, keeping the high court’s 4-3 liberal majority intact and delivering a blow to Elon Musk and Trump, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Congress also has a number of high-profile hearings on Tuesday. The Senate Armed Services Committee held a confirmation hearing for Lt. Gen. John D. Caine (Ret), Trump’s pick for chair of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Task Force on Declassification of Federal Secrets is holding a hearing on JFK files at American filmmaker Oliver Stone — whose political thriller, “JFK,” made waves more than 30 years ago — will testify.
Follow along for more on these stories and others.
Liberal candidate Susan Crawford wins open seat on Wisconsin Supreme Court
Susan Crawford was projected to win an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court race, keeping the high court’s 4-3 liberal majority intact and delivering a blow to Elon Musk and President Trump, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Crawford, the liberal judicial candidate in the race, defeated conservative candidate Brad Schimel. The two were vying for retiring liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s seat on the court.
The race is a blow to Trump and Musk, who both endorsed Schimel in the race. Musk’s super PAC also poured in millions of dollars to support the conservative candidate.
It’s also a blow to Wisconsin Republicans, who have lost the last two elections for open seats on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, both of which determined the partisan tilt of the high court.
Wisconsin voter ID ballot measure passes
Wisconsin voters were projected to pass a ballot measure that amends the state Constitution to require photo identification in order to vote, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Wisconsin law already requires photo ID in order to vote, but the ballot measure would amend the state Constitution to mandate it. Voters can still be given a provisional ballot if they don’t have appropriate photo identification ready but would need provide that photo ID later on.
Polls close in Wisconsin
The polls are now closed in Wisconsin at 8 p.m. local time as voters weighed in on several high-stakes races, including an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Officials have noted there have been ballot shortages, which they’re working to address, and have noted that voters can still cast their ballots as long as they entered the line by 8 p.m.
CBC reacts to Booker’s record-breaking floor speech
As Booker wound down his floor speech on Tuesday, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) celebrated the New Jersey Senator for breaking former Sen. Strom Thurmond’s record.
“Senator Booker understands that during a time when President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Congressional Republicans have made it their mission to dismantle the federal government and cut programs that are the difference of life and death for millions of Americans like Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and SNAP, we must challenge extremism with unconventional measures,” the Caucus said in a statement.
“As the conscience of the Congress, we are honored to stand alongside Senator Booker in centering the voices of the American people who are suffering under the cruelty of the Trump Administration. The CBC will continue fighting every day to keep our communities safe from MAGA extremists who are hellbent on inflicting harm to our communities.”
As he spoke, Booker invoked civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and the late Democratic Reps. Elijah Cummings (Md.) and John Lewis (Ga.).
In 1957, Thurmond spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes in protest of the Civil Rights Act. The CBC called Thurmond’s filibuster “a racist tirade” shortly after Booker surpassed his record.
“We are not going back!” The caucus added.
Booker acknowledged Thurmond’s speech in his own.
“I’m not here, though, because of his speech,” said Booker. “I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”
Democratic candidate calls results in Florida House race ‘a warning’
The Democrat who lost the special election race for Florida’s 6th district called the results “a warning” to Trump and his allies.
“This result is also a warning sign to Donald Trump, Randy Fine, and the unelected oligarchs taking apart the government,” Josh Weil said in a statement. “Should they continue to steal people’s hard-earned money and benefits like Social Security and Medicare, defund education, focus more on culture wars than lowering costs: the backlash is only beginning.”
Patronis wins race for Gaetz’s former congressional seat
Florida chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis was projected to win the special election to replace former Rep. Matt Gatez (R-Fla.) in the 1st Congressional District, defeating Democrat Gay Valimont, according to Decision Desk HQ.
The district is located along Florida’s western panhandle.
Patronis jumped into the race last November after Trump publicly encouraged him to run for the seat. Following Trump’s endorsement, a number of announced candidates for the seat quickly dropped out of the race and backed Patronis.
Fine to Trump: ‘I won’t let you down’
Fine gave a special shoutout to President Trump shortly after winning the special election in Florida’s 6th Congressional District.
“Because of you, Mr. President,” Fine wrote on X. “I won’t let you down.”
Trump endorsed Fine and urged Republican voters to go to the polls ahead of Tuesday’s election.
Booker wraps up record-setting floor speech after 25 hours
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has wrapped up his marathon floor speech, having held the floor for 25 hours and 5 minutes.
Booker, the No. 4 member of Democratic leadership, wrapped up at 8:05 p.m. Tuesday, having started at 7 p.m. the previous day — topping the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes held by former Sen. Strom Thurmond (S.C.).
As he neared that mark, Booker noted that there’s a room on the Senate side of the Capitol named after Thurmond, who set the original record filibustering against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
“To hate him is wrong, and maybe my ego got too caught up in if I stood here maybe, maybe — just maybe — I could break this record of the man who tried to stop the rights upon which I stand,” Booker said. “I’m not here, though, because of his speech. I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”
Milwaukee warns of ballot shortage amid high turnout
The city of Milwaukee said in an update on Tuesday that it was seeing “unprecedented high turnout” in the Wisconsin elections, according to screenshot of the note from a WISN 12 News reporter.
“Due to the unprecedented high turnout, the availability of ballots are running low,” the city said. “The [Milwaukee Election Commission] is working diligently to replenish resources.”
The city noted that voters could still cast their ballots as long as they were in line by 8 p.m. local time.
Trump celebrates Fine’s win
President Trump took to his social media platform TruthSocial to celebrate state Sen. Randy Fine’s win on Tuesday.
“RANDY FINE WINS!!!” Trump wrote on the platform.
Booker sets record for longest Senate speech in history
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Tuesday set a new record for the longest floor speech in Senate history, having held the floor for at least 24 hours and 19 minutes to decry potential GOP spending cuts in their looming tax bill and policies put in place by the Trump administration.
Booker, the No. 4 member of Democratic leadership, was still going as of 7:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday, having started at 7 p.m. the previous day — topping the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes held by former Sen. Strom Thurmond (S.C.).
Booker’s speech came as part of a broader effort by Democrats to highlight what they view as perilous actions by Republicans, which include potential spending cuts to the tune of trillions of dollars and ongoing efforts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to slash the federal workforce.
Fine wins special election for Florida’s 6th district
Florida state Sen. Randy Fine was projected to win the special election for Florida’s 6th Congressional District on Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ, defeating Democrat Josh Weil in what became a closely contested race in the deep-red district.
Fine’s win will come as a relief for Republicans, who grew increasingly worried about the race as Weil overperformed Fine in fundraising and some polling going into Election Day.
Polls close in Florida’s sixth congressional district
Polls are closed in Florida’s 6th Congressional District, where Democrats are hoping to perform better than expected in the race for national security adviser Mike Waltz’s former House seat.
Early data shows Republican state Sen. Randy Fine leading his Democratic opponent Josh Weil in turnout among Election Day voters.
GOP rep says ‘tariff is a tax’: ‘No question’
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) on Monday said a “tariff is a tax,” a day before the Trump administration’s imposition of “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs.
In Sessions’ appearance on “CNN News Central,” a Monday opinion piece from The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board was brought up by anchor John Berman.
Summer Lee knocks Trump admin over ‘sloppy and rushed’ release of JFK records
Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) knocked the Trump administration over a “sloppy and rushed” release of records related to the 1963 assassination of former President Kennedy.
“We’ve got to have transparency so that we can learn to be better, so that we can hold agencies accountable. But being reckless with this sensitive information is also not the way to do it,” Lee said.
“Unfortunately, the rollout of documents that we’ve seen so far has been sloppy and rushed. The release didn’t really give us a smoking gun, but it did produce plenty of collateral damage,” she said.
An executive order from President Trump prompted the National Archives to release thousands of files related to Kennedy’s killing. But hundreds of Social Security numbers and other personal data were made public through unredacted documents, putting some named in the records at risk.
These 9 House Republicans rebelled against GOP leadership over parental proxy voting
Nine House Republicans defied GOP leadership on Tuesday and opposed an effort to block a bill instituting proxy voting for new parents from coming to the floor, halting key legislative action in the chamber.
Bipartisan senators introduce primary, secondary Russia sanctions
Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced legislation on Tuesday seeking to impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia if it does not agree to long lasting peace with its neighboring country, Ukraine.
The group of lawmakers agreed to also support a 500 percent tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.
HELP Committee invites RFK Jr. to testify
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee invited HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to testify at an April 10 hearing on the agency’s reorganization plans.
The invite from HELP Committee chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) came on the same day the Trump administration hit health agencies with sweeping layoffs of senior officials as well as rank-and-file staff.
The agency broadly outlined a massive downsizing late last week—reducing the workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 people—but without many details. HHS projected it would lay off about 10,000 people in addition to the 10,000 who took buyouts or retirement offer.
During his confirmation process, Kennedy committed to Cassidy to appear before the committee on a quarterly basis.
“The news coverage on the HHS reorg is being set by anonymous sources and opponents are setting the perceptions,” Cassidy said in a statement. “This will be a good opportunity for [Kennedy] to set the record straight and speak to the goals, structure and benefits of the proposed reorganization.”
Boebert appears to confuse Oliver Stone with Roger Stone
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) appeared to confuse Oliver Stone, an American filmmaker and a witness before House lawmakers on Tuesday, with political strategist Roger Stone.
“You wrote a book accusing LBJ of being involved in the killing of President Kennedy. Do these most recent releases confirm or negate your initial charge?” Boebert asked, referring to the latest release of records related to the assassination.
“No, I didn’t,” Oliver Stone said.
Jefferson Morley, editor of the JFK Facts blog and another witness before the House task force, stepped in to suggest that Boebert mistook the witness.
“I think you’re confusing Mr. Oliver Stone with Mr. Roger Stone. It’s Roger Stone who implicated LBJ in the assassination of the president,” Morley corrected the lawmaker.
“I may have misinterpreted that and I apologize for that,” Boebert said before moving on.
Roger Stone authored the 2013 book “The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ.” Oliver Stone worked on the 1991 political thriller “JFK.”
Republicans dominate election day turnout in Florida
Republicans are dominating Election Day turnout in the pair of special congressional races taking place in Florida’s 1st and 6th congressional districts.
According to data from The Hill’s partners at Decision Desk HQ, Election Day turnout from Republicans in the 1st Congressional District is at R+25.9 percent while in the 6th Congressional District it is at R+18.56 percent.
The data is a promising sign for Republicans, particularly in Florida’s 6th District. Democrat Josh Weil has outperformed Republican Randy Fine in fundraising and some polls showed a tight race.
Both seats are considered safe Republican seats, with President Trump winning them by over 30 points in November.
Booker: The CBC has been “giving me spirit and strength” for a long time
As Sen. Cory Booker’s (D-N.J.) marathon floor speech approached 20 hours, he had a special message for the Congressional Black Caucus.
Booker shared that he had called and texted Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), chair of the caucus, ahead of taking the floor Monday night.
“The force of the CBC, which has been giving me spirit and strength for a long time, is really one of the best parts of my time here as a United States Senator,” Booker said on Tuesday. “The fact that they have come through constantly means a lot to me.”
Booker has been a member of the CBC since 2013. As he held the floor from Monday into Tuesday, members of the CBC expressed their support for the senator.
“He’s still going,” the CBC tweeted around midnight, about five hours after Booker first took the floor. “We’re with you the whole way @SenBooker.”
The sentiment was echoed by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who thanked Booker for “powerfully laying out the dangers of the Trump agenda for the American people.”
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) on Tuesday shared when she was heading to the floor to showcase her support for her “friend and colleague.
She added, “These are NOT normal times.”
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) also posted her support for Booker, saying “Thank you @SenBooker for holding the floor and putting your body on the line to center the people. There’s so much at stake in this moment and this is the energy we need.”
Oliver Stone speaks before House task force
Oliver Stone, the American filmmaker whose 1991 political thriller “JFK” stoked conspiracy questions about the assassination of former President Kennedy, testified on Tuesday before House lawmakers in a hearing on the so-called “JFK files” released under the Trump administration.
“I ask the committee to reopen what the Warren Commission failed miserably to complete. I ask you … to reinvestigate the assassination of this President Kennedy from the scene of the crime to the courtroom,” Stone told lawmakers in his opening statement, contending that the CIA’s “muddy footprints are all over this case.”
An executive order from President Trump triggered the release of more than 2,000 files related to Kennedy’s killing. Experts have said the latest release does not contradict the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in the assassination, but task force Chair Anna Paulia Luna (R-Fla.) has cast it as a cold case.
Jefferson Morley, editor of the JFK Facts blog, and James DiEugenio, author of books on the incident, were also on the witness list.
Trump’s joint chiefs nominee says he never wore a MAGA hat
Retired Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, President Trump’s pick to lead Joint Chiefs of Staff, insisted during a confirmation hearing on Tuesday that he never donned a red MAGA hat, contrary to reports on Trump’s version of their 2018 meeting in Iraq.
“For 34 years, I’ve upheld my oath of office and the responsibilities of my commission,” Caine said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday on his nomination. “I went back and listened to those tapes, and I think the president was actually talking about somebody else.”
Luna, Pettersen take victory lap
Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) took a victory lap after House Republican leaders failed to quash their push to allow new parents to vote by proxy.
“Never bet against a Luna,” the Florida congresswoman said on the House steps after the vote.
Pettersen, holding her infant in her arms next to Luna, said their message to the Speaker was: “Don’t f— with moms.”
“We’re changing the way that Congress works, making sure that moms and parents have a voice,” Pettersen said.
And despite Luna stressing that the proxy voting resolution is limited in nature and brushing off slippery slope arguments, Pettersen opened the door to proxy voting in more situations.
“I think that when there’s life events and medical conditions or people can’t be here physically, that we should have limited circumstances and parameters — When you look at paid family medical leave, that that we passed in Congress, actually, under Republican leadership, we should have those same parameters for people here in Congress,” Pettersen said. “I support that.”
Johnson: Failed vote ‘very disappointing’
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called the results of Tuesday’s vote “very disappointing.
“It’s a very disappointing result on the floor there, a handful of Republicans joined with all Democrats to take down a rule. That’s rarely done,” he said.
Let me just make this clear: That rule being brought down means that we can’t have any further action on the floor this week. That means we will not be voting on the SAVE Act for election integrity. We will not be voting on the rogue judges who are attacking President Trump’s agenda. We will not be taking down these terrible Biden policies with the CRA votes. All that was just wiped off the table. It’s very unfortunate. We’ll regroup and come back and we’ll have to do this again.”
Where does Booker’s marathon floor speech rank among longest in Senate history?
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) pulled an all-nighter and has delivered a marathon speech on the Senate floor looking to combat the Trump administration and its policies.
He’s well on his way to breaking the record for longest speech, if he continues to deliver his remarks through the rest of the day.
House cancels votes for remainder of week
The House has canceled votes for the remainder of the week.
That move came after nine Republicans banded together with Democrats to torpedo a rule that sought to block Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s (R-Fla.) parental proxy voting push.
In doing so, they also blocked two other GOP bills from advancing.
Boebert to introduce resolution condemning Tesla vehicle attack
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) introduced a Tuesday resolution condemning violent attacks on Tesla vehicles.
“The definition of terrorism is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. That is exactly what has been going on across the country at Tesla dealerships, and it is what innocent Americans who chose Tesla as their preferred vehicle are facing in the wake of violence from Radical Left-Wing domestic terrorists who hate President Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” Boebert said of the write-up.
‘JFK files’ hearing kicks off
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), chair of the House Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, kicked off a hearing on the so-called “JFK files” after the Trump administration moved to declassify records related to the late president’s 1963 assassination.
“We have an unprecedented opportunity to peel back the layers of the dark day and lay bare the facts for all to see,” Luna said in her opening remarks, calling the information in the recent document release “staggering” and asking observers to approach the hearing with “an open mind.”
She previously said that the task force will “Get to the bottom of the mystery” surrounding the assassination of former President Kennedy.
Oliver Stone, the American filmmaker behind the 1991 political thriller “JFK,” is set to testify as a witness.
The National Archives last month released more than 2,000 files related to the incident after an executive order from President Trump, but experts have said the latest release does not contradict the Warren Commission’s conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in the assassination.
Lawmakers bring kids to debate over parental proxy voting
Several lawmakers’ children made an appearance on the House floor Tuesday.
Rep. Brittney Pettersen (D-Colo.), who sponsored the parental proxy voting bill at the center of the GOP fight, brought her infant son to the chamber to argue for proxy voting on Tuesday, speaking on the floor with her son in her arms. She had previously flown to D.C. with him when he was just weeks old to cast votes on key bills.
Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas), meanwhile, had his toddler with him at the vote. Hunt had flown from Texas to Washington to cast his vote for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shortly after his wife gave birth, while his newborn was hospitalized. Hunt ultimately voted for the rule.