Author: Ellen Morrissey
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Federal government shutdown now longest in U.S. history
At the end of the day on Nov. 4, the federal government shutdown became the longest shutdown in U.S. history. At 35 full days long, it has outlasted the shutdown that ran from Dec. 2018 to Jan. 2019, which lasted 34 full days. In addition to being the longest shutdown, this is also the first-ever…
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October saw President Donald Trump’s (R) lowest monthly executive order total thus far
President Donald Trump (R) issued one executive order in Oct., bringing his total to 210 in his second term. This was the lowest monthly total of his second term thus far. Trump issued one order on Oct. 15 titled, Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring. Trump issued ten fewer orders this month than he did…
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Republican party committees maintain fundraising lead over Democratic party committees in September
As of Sept. 30, 2025, the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $251 million and spent $234 million in the 2026 election cycle, while the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $291 million and spent…
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Federal government shutdown now tied for third-longest in U.S. history
On Oct. 16, the federal government shutdown became tied for the third-longest shutdown in U.S. history. At 16 full days long, it is tied with the 2013 government shutdown over an attempt to alter the Affordable Care Act (ACA). If the shutdown lasts through Oct. 22, it will become the second-longest shutdown, and if it…
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U.S. Supreme Court has granted 83% of the Trump administration’s requests on the emergency docket
As of Oct. 1, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court had fully granted 19 of the Donald Trump (R) administration’s emergency applications for intervention in lower court cases, 83% of the decided emergency applications that the administration filed. The court granted in part and denied in part two applications, denied one application, and denied one other…
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September saw President Donald Trump’s (R) second-lowest monthly executive order total
President Donald Trump (R) issued 11 executive orders in September, bringing his second-term total to 209. This is the second-fewest executive orders he has issued in any month of this term. To view each order he issued in September, click here. So far this term, Trump issued the fewest executive orders in June 2025 with…
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President Donald Trump (R) hit 43% approval in September, lowest rating of his second term
At the end of September, approval polling averages showed President Donald Trump (R) at 44% approval. Fifty-four percent of voters disapproved of his performance. In early September, Trump received a 43% approval rating, the lowest of his second term. The highest approval rating Trump has received this term is 54%, last seen on Jan. 22,…
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DCCC raised almost twice as much as NRCC in August
As of Aug. 31, 2025, the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $221 million and spent $210 million in the 2026 election cycle, while the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $259 million and spent…
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Michael Waltz confirmed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Michael Waltz as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Sept. 19, 2025. The Senate voted 47-43 in favor of his nomination, with 44 Republicans and three Democrats, Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), voting in favor. There were 41 Democrats who voted against…
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Senate Republicans invoke nuclear option to change nomination rules
On September 11, 2025, Senate Republicans voted to change chamber rules governing the nomination process for certain types of presidential nominees. The vote was 53-45, along party lines. This procedure, where a majority party changes a Senate rule or precedent through a simple majority vote, is often referred to as the nuclear option or constitutional…