‘Not in Texas’

Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for Aug. 18, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

Democrats are almost in an “open civil war,” Mike Johnson said while campaigning for Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan today, calling the representative’s race one of the “top five” America is watching. The House speaker remained confident in Republicans’ ability to buck history and pick up House seats for the sitting president’s party.

• “I’m sad to say, this is not our father’s Democratic Party,” Johnson said, bashing Democrat William Lawrence.

Scoop: Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia) has emerged as a candidate for the next FDA commissioner, Paige Winfield Cunningham and Taylor Giorno report. The licensed pharmacist lost his GOP Senate primary in May.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The USDA plans to rescind the “Roadless Rule,” a 25-year-old policy that prohibits building new roads through the nation’s remaining untouched forests.

The DOJ plans to deploy a “historic number” of midterm election monitors. The agency also announced it will conduct election oversight during Florida and Wyoming’s primaries tonight.

THE HILL

Rep. Ralph Norman says Trump has erred in endorsing Sen. Darline Graham to hold South Carolina’s Senate seat. The pair will debate tonight at 7 p.m. before early voting kicks off tomorrow.

• The GOP representative dropped a new TV ad today saying “the establishment has already picked their candidate. Same old playbook, same old insiders.”

Rep. Seth Moulton’s Wikipedia page has gone through a series of revisions today, with users seemingly scrubbing (and unscrubbing) the Democrat’s past comments on trans issues ahead of the Massachusetts Senate primary on Sept. 1.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) responded to criticism generated by NOTUS’ scoop that a former staffer went to work for Democrat James Talarico. “Only in authoritarian countries does someone else get to decide where you work,” he posted on X. “Not in Texas.”

THE STATES

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed new restrictions on AI data center development in Pennsylvania today — part of a string of governors (and hopefuls) hoping to build a lane on the issue.

• Texas gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa released an attack ad against Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on the issue today.

THE COURTS

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison sued Abbott to force the extradition of an ICE agent charged with assault in connection with the government’s immigration operations earlier this year.

• The agent was arrested in Texas in May but has not faced charges in Minnesota despite repeated attempts from state officials.

ABC filed a suit against the FCC today, accusing the agency of punishing TV stations over content the president dislikes.

A federal judge lifted the last judicial block preventing DHS from ending Ethiopia’s TPS status, affecting more than 5,000 immigrants.

‘WE JUST GOT A LETTER’

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