Dan Merica

Anchor of the Early Brief newsletter at @WashingtonPost. Formerly at @AP, @TheMessenger and @CNN.

Email: [email protected]

[Steven Shepard @SteveShepard_]

In a @pewresearch survey last year, just 27% of Americans (and 30% of Republicans + R-leaning independents) said they like it "when politicians you agree with humiliate their political opponents."

[Dan Merica @merica]

I don't expect everyone to know this, but it is immensely funny because Iowa is home to one of the United States' most storied multi-day bike rides.

And it regularly goes through the district Mitchell is seeking to represent.

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Joe Mitchell: "Thank God you're building the ballroom. Thank God you're getting rid of those awful bike lanes. We don't ride bicycles in Iowa."

[Mini Racker @MiniRacker]

Former Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) makes a rare political statement today to support @DavidFlippoNV, blaming Amodei for "handing a Democrat her best chance in the history of this seat because he did not get his way."

https://t.co/WOjCR232Af

[Dan Merica @merica]

President Donald Trump’s brand of brash, sometimes offensive, politics has shaped the GOP for a decade.

But bipartisan outrage over Vivek Ramaswamy’s ad shows how candidates can fail when they try to embody the president’s shock-jock style.

More here: https://t.co/Ka8O7YwriL

[Alexei Koseff @akoseff]

“The question is, do you have to replicate [Pelosi] in order to be successful?”

@AnnaLissRoy on the understated Hakeem Jeffries and the test that awaits the would-be speaker: https://t.co/jWKw96R5o7

[Dan Merica @merica]

Democrats are expanding their House map.

Do they have the money to actually deliver?

Our Early Brief this AM: https://t.co/gtqFn8GpMK

[Dan Merica @merica]

I asked Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor and Vivek Ramaswamy's fiercest critic during the 2024 nomination fight, about the attack ad and Vance's defense.

"For the last decade, our party has been infected by a corrupted moral center," he said.

Full comment here:

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

WOW -- Vance *defends* Ramaswamy's reprehensible ad 👇

Q: Ramaswamy's campaign put out a controversial ad featuring his opponent's mother. Some Republicans are backing away from that. Do you think that ad was appropriate?

JD VANCE: Well, I'll be honest with you. Whether the ad was appropriate or not is not really my concern. My concern is who is gonna govern. I have to admit I'm a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans who are whining more about that ad than they are about what the Democrats want to do.

[Dan Merica @merica]

In the final weeks of the 2026 midterms, political candidates have dragged their opponents’ families into campaigns, reflecting how divisive politics has become, with few barbs, if any, off-limits.

More here: https://t.co/cpGm5Vw8NQ

[Dan Merica @merica]

Trump’s questionable election ‘goodies’ are getting more bespoke

From The Early Brief: https://t.co/Cy9y4sLjQb

[Fenit Nirappil @FenitN]

Striking how many Democrats told @merica that there’s little enthusiasm for Troy Jackson in the Maine Senate race.

But they see anger at Susan Collins as reason enough for him to win, which polling backs up https://t.co/gV0OHtOXnU

[Dan Merica @merica]

A little news here:

Troy Jackson told me that he can relate to Maine voters who feel let down by Susan Collins because he voted for her in 1996 when he was still a Republican and she was running for her first Senate term. https://t.co/JHiwNXRvPt

[Dan Merica @merica]

Troy Jackson knows he wasn’t Maine Democrats’ first choice to challenge Susan Collins.

And he knows he isn’t the most charismatic candidate to run for Senate.

But the Democrat also knows something else: It may not matter.

From Biddeford: https://t.co/JHiwNXS3F1

[Dan Merica @merica]

Troy Jackson knows he wasn’t Maine Democrats’ first choice to challenge Susan Collins.

And he knows he isn’t the most charismatic candidate to run for Senate.

But the Democrat also knows something else: It may not matter.

From Biddeford: https://t.co/JHiwNXS3F1

[Dan Merica @merica]

Camp Lejeune veterans and their families have been pleading for help for years. Their stories are heartbreaking.

I wrote about them here: https://t.co/CrLNJSa2T7

The president says here that he will only fund help for these families if his party does well in an election.

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Trump on Camp Lejeune water contamination claims: "If we win the House and Senate, I am directing the Department of Justice to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible ... if we don't win, there's no money."

[Midcoast Villager @MaineVillager]

Thank you @Sulliview and @merica! https://t.co/zCsi89G163

[Dan Merica @merica]

Bob Seale, the one-time chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against David Flippo, raising questions about his personal finances and campaign finance reports.

More here: https://t.co/jRqn85a5zh

[Alexei Koseff @akoseff]

I love this story from @AnnaLissRoy about Democrats trying to redefine themselves as manly men https://t.co/zRtZXxgD5l

[Dan Merica @merica]

This is what the cycling community has been worried about for months.

"All of us feel helpless," said a cyclist who has been using the area for over three decades.

From June: Trump’s plan for golf course threatens pillar of D.C. cycling culture - https://t.co/cNxVHcu2mk

[Jamie Dupree @jamiedupree]

Trump releases his plan to re-do the East Potomac Park golf course in DC. His graphic does not show the current road which runs around Hains Point, or the picnic and memorial areas at the end. Getting rid of those public areas would be terrible.

[Dan Merica @merica]

Troy Jackson told Susan Collins to ‘shut up’ during the final Maine Senate debate: https://t.co/72Ei36QuOV

An AFL-CIO organizer is making these buttons at his event tonight in Biddeford

[Dan Merica @merica]

Dem groups like @StatesProjectUS have raised serious money to seize control of state legislatures.

Some operatives believe Dems could be competitive in as many as 500 state legislative districts.

More here: https://t.co/c085szry40

[Dan Merica @merica]

Tell me you think your debate didn't go well without telling me you think your debate didn't go well.

[The Baltimore Banner @BaltimoreBanner]

Republican Rep. Andy Harris incorrectly told a reporter they were breaking the law as the reporter and others recorded an exchange with him last night.

Harris had just wrapped up a debate with Democratic challenger Dan Schwartz.