Republican Party Battles Government Shutdown While Eyeing 2026 Campaign Battles at CPAC and Key State Races

This is your RNC News podcast.

The Republican Party and RNC are buzzing with activity amid a partial government shutdown now in its 42nd day, centered on Department of Homeland Security funding. House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, rejected a Senate-passed bill on Friday, pushing their own plan that prioritizes border security and avoids defunding ICE operations. This standoff, highlighted in heated House Rules Committee hearings, has caused long lines at airports as TSA faces delays, with Democrats like Rep. Jim McGovern blasting GOP leadership for the impasse.

Shifting to the campaign trail, CPAC 2026 is underway in Grapevine, Texas, drawing thousands of conservatives through Saturday. Speakers including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Gov. Greg Abbott, and candidates like state Sen. Mayes Middleton are rallying support ahead of key races. Middleton is in a May runoff against Rep. Chip Roy for the Texas Attorney General nomination, while discussions touch on the Iran war, defeating communism, and midterm turnout after recent losses like the Fort Worth Senate flip.

In Michigan, the state Republican Party's endorsement convention this weekend is endorsing candidates for attorney general and secretary of state, positions they've held historically but lost in 2018. Party Chair Sen. Jim Runestad is optimistic about reclaiming them in November.

Broader party dynamics show a slim House majority at 217 Republicans to 214 Democrats plus vacancies from resignations like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's in January. Midterm warnings loom, with more GOP retirements, Democratic leads in generic ballots, and economic concerns over prices and tariffs pressuring the slim edge.

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