Welcome to the online version of Of the policy desktopA night bulletin that provides the latest report and analysis of the NBC News Politics team from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign.
With another Senate Democrat who announces retirement plans, we explore the wave of younger candidates seeking to replace them. In addition, Andrea Mitchell immerses himself in the collapse of high-level conversations to end the Russian-Ukraine war.
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Senate’s democratic retirements clear the way for a new generation
An increasing number of Democrats in the Senate is moving away and is clearing the way for the next generation of leaders as the party debates its way forward in the era of Trump 2.0.
The last example occurred on Wednesday, when Senator Dick Durbin, from Illinois, the second camera rank democrat, announced that he will not seek re -election in 2026 after having served in Congress for more than four decades, Sahil Kapur, Ben Kamisar and Bridget Bowman. The decision will trigger a struggle for its leadership positions in the Senate (he is the minority whip and the classification member of the Judicial Committee, as well as his seat in Illinois solidly blue.
Already, a group of prominent democrats in the state has indicated their interest in replacing Durbin, 80. Reps. Lauren Underwood (38 years old), Raja Krishnamorthi (51) and Robin Kelly (68) and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (59) are considering offers, according to sources familiar with their thinking. The winner of the Democratic primaries would be a great favorite in the general elections.
Durbin is the fourth Democrat of the Senate to announce retirement plans before the middle of the period of the next year, along with Gary Peters of Michigan, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Tina Smith of Minnesota, who has similarly seen a wave of younger candidates jump to races to succeed them.
Michigan: The Democratic Primary for the Seat held by Peters (66) has been filled rapidly. The representative Haley Stevens (41) is the last candidate to jump, joining the state senator Mallory McMorroow (38) and the former Health Director of Wayne County, Abdul El-Sayed (40).
It is expected to be one of the most competitive democratic primaries in the country next year. And it is likely that he also leads to one of the most competitive general elections confrontations, with the former representative of the Republican Party Mike Rogers (61) to run again after having lost the Senate race in the state last year.
New Hampshire: The representative Chris Papas (44) is the early democratic favorite in the primary to replace Shaheen (78).
Minnesota: After Smith (67) announced her retirement, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan (45) and former Democratic leader of the state Senate Melisa López Franzen (44) launched her main campaigns, while representative Angie Craig (53) is considering an offer.
These states will be more competitive in a general choice than Illinois, so ensuring the Democratic nomination will not provide a sliding path to the Senate. But the primary of the open seats could pave the way for the type of youth movement that some Democrats have argued that it is necessary to revitalize the party before the 2026 and 2028 elections.
Margin Note: The Democrats will also aim to defend the youngest member of the Senate next year: Jon Ossoff of Georgia, 38, is the main objective of the Republicans on the map.
The United States Peace Plan leaves Ukraine to the limit
By Andrea Mitchell
The peace conversations of the United States to end the war in Ukraine seem to be close to the collapse, with President Donald Trump attacking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for not accepting an American proposal that is considered widely as a favorite of Russia.
The US plan would allow Russia to keep Crimea, Ukrainian territory that Russia occupied in 2014, and would prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. In a unique punch, vice president JD Vance, who travels through India, threatened that the United States would move away from conversations if the two parties did not accept the terms of the United States, which would be a territorial and military victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Zelenskyy told the Wall Street Journal that giving up Crimea would violate the constitution of Ukraine. And he asked what concessions Russia would do if Ukraine gave the hope of becoming a NATO member. While Zelenskyy has accepted a high 30 -day fire, Russia no.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the special envoy Steve Witkoff would make conversations on Wednesday with Ukraine, England, Germany and France in London, but Rubio and Witkoff canceled at the last minute. That led the European foreign ministers to leave also, degrading conversations with a meeting of technical experts.
“If at any time we determine that if we are too separate and not enough movement is happening, we may need to move on to other priorities, because there are many important things that happen in the world,” said Rubio. “This is not our war. We don’t start this war.”
Trying to soften the impasse, Zelenskyy later said in a statement: “Emotions have become high today. But it is good that 5 countries gathered to bring peace closer … the US side shared their vision. Ukraine and other Europeans presented their contributions. And we hope that it is exactly that joint work that leads to lasting peace.”
The White House says Witkoff will go to Moscow this week for its fourth meeting with Putin. Trump had promised that the war would end within 24 hours of assuming the position.
🗞️ Today’s main stories
- 📈 Market watch: The US shares ended the highest day, but saw that the previous profits evaporated as investors measured the softening rate and the commercial position of the White House officials against the hard -line positions that other countries continued to point out. Read more →
- 🗣️ Biden in the brain: Trump has continued to set his former electoral opponent, mentioning former President Joe Biden, his family or his administration at least 580 times in comments and on social networks since he assumed the position. Read more →
- 📺 Friendly Council: Senator Kevin Cramer, RN.D., a member of the Armed Services Committee, told CNN that he continues to trust Pete Hegseth will be a “great” secretary of defense, but “he will need some help around him.” Read more →
- ➡️ Deportation Fallout: The governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, announced that he will direct several state agencies to review their ties with El Salvador following what his office called “help the illegal and unconstitutional actions of the Trump administration.” Read more →
- 📳 incoming call: The Democratic Governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, said Trump called him during the weekend to discuss the recent fire attack against the governor’s house. Read more →
- 🐾 Doge days: Texas became the last state to launch its own version of Doge, with the governor of the Republican Party Greg Abbott signing a bill to create a permanent state agency, called Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, dedicated to rationalizing the government. Read more →
- 👀 Conspiracy corner: Senator Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, said he wants to celebrate Congress audiences on a discredited conspiracy theory on September 11, saying that there are “a lot of questions” about the most fatal terrorist attack in the history of the United States. Read more →
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That’s all of the politics desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Bridget Bowman.
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