Today’s notice: Trump asked Indiana Republicans to be his vengeance, and they listened. A big Democratic endorsement in Michigan. A military jet-fuel leak that went unreported for months. A new administration official is on “thin ice.” The ambassador betting big on gambling stocks. Plus: A look at the Wisconsin delegation’s finances.

THE LATEST

MAGA’s big night: Republican opponents of Donald Trump’s redistricting push in Indiana were left dazed by last night’s primary results, NOTUS’ Christa Dutton reports. Almost all the incumbent state lawmakers MAGA took on lost, and pretty handily.

The Trump-skeptic GOP was planning for a different result. “It’s a tough night for the incumbents who did the right thing by standing with their constituents and opposing redistricting,” a volunteer for one of the legislators sent packing by Trump told Christa. “But in hindsight it should have been obvious that it’s hard to beat a million dollars and the endorsement of a sitting president.”

Trump can put some wind back in his sails. An Indiana Republican insider who didn’t work on any of the state Senate races told Christa that most plugged-in folks were expecting only two wins by Trump-backed challengers. So, it’s reasonable to call this a shellacking for the incumbents.

The takeaway: Republicans still can’t cross this president and get away with it, despite his flagging national poll numbers. “The Trump effect did actually matter in some of these races,” the insider said.

Cool as a cucumber at the White House: Deputy chief of staff James Blair, one of the chief architects of Trump’s mid-decade redistricting push, told NOTUS’ Kadia Goba that the president was taking pictures with dinner guests last night and not actively monitoring Indiana results — because they were the results he expected.

“When you never descend from the ivory tower to talk to voters, you sometimes don’t hear what they are saying,” Blair said. “Indiana state senators learned that lesson the hard way tonight.”

Democrats make some noise of their own: The many, many Democrats running for governor of California met for a debate last night. A Los Angeles Times columnist summed it up this way: “The Democrats were asked why voters should vote Democratic. Answers were elusive.”

In the Iowa U.S. Senate primary debate, state Sen. Zach Wahls re-upped his vow not to support Chuck Schumer for Democratic caucus leader, while state Rep. Josh Turek declined to make the same pledge, CNN reported.

Debbie Stabenow endorses in Michigan: The former senator and state Democratic legend has never endorsed in a Senate primary before, but this morning she waded into one of the most fraught in Michigan’s recent memory. In The Detroit News, she backed Rep. Haley Stevens to be the Democratic nominee — a huge vote of confidence for Stevens’ establishment-backed candidacy in the three-way primary.

Open tabs: Ex-ICE Deputy Falls Short in Republican House Primary in Ohio (NYT); The federal Oscars are having trouble finding candidates (Politico); D.C. police put 13 officers on administrative leave in internal crime statistics investigation (AP); Trump administration sues Denver over 1989 assault weapon ban (Denver Post)

From the Potomac

Exclusive: The military jet-fuel leak that went unreported for months. NOTUS’ Anna Kramer got her hands on the state of Maryland’s internal investigation documents regarding the massive jet-fuel leak at Joint Base Andrews that was made public last month. The documents show that the Defense Department failed to disclose fuel-safety issues at its facilities for months, despite strict rules requiring prompt notification of local officials. The problems ultimately led to serious environmental pollution, Anna writes.

In all, Andrews has lost about 32,000 gallons of jet fuel, according to disclosures. No one knows exactly how much of that fuel has contaminated the Piscataway Creek, which feeds into the Potomac River.

From the White House

Trump last night announced a short-term pause on a U.S. operation to protect ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the drawdown was a sign negotiators were close to a deal with Iran. He added that a blockade against the country would remain in effect until a peace agreement had been finalized.

Scoop: FDA commissioner running out of chances. “Thin ice” were the words a source used when describing Marty Makary’s current standing with the White House. NOTUS’ Kadia Goba, Paige Winfield Cunningham and Margaret Manto report that officials at the Food and Drug Administration and the White House have been frustrated with Makary for months, and a tough story about his tenure from Bloomberg did not help.

“Great guy but not the best fit” was the way one source familiar with internal deliberations about Makary described him. The source said Makary has failed to “wrangle the bureaucracy and move quickly.” A second source said there are no immediate plans for Makary’s ouster, but that could change.

From the U.S. Embassy in Rome

He likes the stock(s): U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta — a hotel-restaurant-casino magnate and the owner of the Houston Rockets — has been betting very big on gambling-industry stocks, NOTUS’ Dave Levinthal reports. The millions of dollars in transactions have come as his holding company is reportedly trying to buy Caesars Entertainment and as the gambling industry has come under increased government scrutiny.

“None of the equities purchased of the various gaming companies have any business activities in Italy and do not constitute a conflict with Ambassador Fertitta’s duties,” Steven Scheinthal, Fertitta Entertainment general counsel, told Dave.

ON NOTUS PODCAST

From your favorite podcast app: Rep. Richard Hudson, the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, says he’s not worried about high prices affecting Republican candidates at the ballot box, even as the war with Iran continues to drive up the cost of gas. “We’ve got us on the right trajectory. Because of what we’ve had to do in Iran, we’ve seen a small increase in gas prices, but I think people understand that,” Hudson told NOTUS’ Reese Gorman on today’s episode of On NOTUS. Hudson also talked about the potential effects of mid-decade redistricting and where Republicans can do a better job on messaging.

NEW ON NOTUS

How rich is the Wisconsin congressional delegation? Most members from the state have seen their personal wealth rise notably since arriving in Washington, NOTUS’ Jade Lozada and Taylor Giorno report as part of our ongoing Capitol Gains project. The wealthiest? Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, whose median net worth nearly tripled from $24 million in 2010, when he was first elected to the Senate, to $64.9 million in 2024.

More: DHS Shuts Down Its Immigration Detention Watchdog, by Torrie Herrington

NOT US

• He’s back: Biden returns to the campaign conversation, by David Weigel for Semafor
• The Antiabortion Movement Is Turning on Trump, by Philip Wegmann, Liz Essley Whyte and Jennifer Calfas for The Wall Street Journal
• Easy to Join, Easy to Leave: Politics on Speed, by William Davies for the London Review of Books

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