Election highlights: Midterm matchups take shape with primaries in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina
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In California, Republican Steve Hilton will advance to face Democrat Xavier Becerra in November, NBC News projected this evening. The state’s primaries were held June 2.
What to know today
- PRIMARY DAY: Voters cast ballots today for primary elections in Maine, Nevada, North Dakota and South Carolina. The governor’s races in Maine and South Carolina are the most competitive on the ballot, while Maine's Senate race with Graham Platner has captured national attention. Track live results from the Decision Desk.
- CALIFORNIA ELECTION UPDATE: Former Fox News host Steve Hilton has advanced to the general election in the California governor’s race, NBC News projects. He will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, who was secretary of health and human services during the Biden administration.
- ICE AND BORDER PATROL FUNDS: The House this afternoon approved the Senate-passed $70 billion bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol through the end of President Donald Trump’s term. The measure now heads to the White House for Trump's expected signature.
Coverage of this live blog has ended. For the latest news, click here.
Aaron Ford wins the Democratic primary for Nevada governor, NBC News projects
Aaron Ford wins the Democratic primary for Nevada governor, NBC News projects.
Both of Maine's gubernatorial primaries head to ranked choice tabulations
No candidates will get majority support in the Democratic and Republican primaries for Maine governor, meaning the state will conduct ranked choice tabulations of votes in those contests to determine the winner.
Platner addressed supporters after his projected win in the Maine Democratic Senate primary.
To those who feel let down or disappointed, he said, “it is my job to earn your trust,” adding that, if he is elected, he would be a “senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.”
Rep. Sarah McBride pokes fun at Nancy Mace failing to advance in South Carolina governor's race
Rep. Nancy Mace's gubernatorial run in South Carolina is over, and Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., wasted no time highlighting her lackluster performance in the Republican primary.
McBride, the first out transgender person elected to Congress, reposted a split image of Mace and Riley Gaines, the former collegiate swimmer who gained notoriety after she condemned a transgender athlete who tied with her for 5th place in an NCAA finals race, that was captioned, "Conservative woman who placed 5th." McBride reposted the image with her own caption of, "thoughts and prayers."
With 81% of the expected vote in, Mace is in fifth place in the crowded Republican primary for governor of South Carolina. Trump-endorsed South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and state Attorney General Alan Wilson are advancing to a runoff, NBC News projects.
Mace openly targeted McBride in late 2024, just before the Democrat took office, telling reporters that her proposed bill aimed at banning transgender women from using female bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol was specifically in response to McBride.
“I’m absolutely 100% gonna stand in the way of any man who wants to be in a women’s restroom, in our locker rooms, in our changing rooms," Mace said at the time. "I will be there fighting you every step of the way.”
The South Carolina congresswoman suggested in a post tonight that she lost the gubernatorial Republican primary because she's spoken out against the "rich and powerful in both parties."
"As a survivor, I chose to stand on principle and stand against the Epstein cover-up. I chose to expose the names hidden in the sexual harassment slush fund. I chose to expose DEI judges. I chose to expose the abusers of children," Mace wrote in a post on X.
"And apparently, I chose wrong if the goal was winning an election," Mace continued. "I'm at peace with that. Because when a candidate is OK with corruption and cover-ups - something is broken."
Gov. Joe Lombardo wins the Republican primary for Nevada governor, NBC News projects
Gov. Joe Lombardo wins the Republican primary for Nevada governor, NBC News projects.
DOJ responds to lawsuit against UFC fights: 'No one is holding Plaintiffs in a jiu jitsu lock'
The Trump administration today forcefully responded to a lawsuit seeking to block the upcoming UFC fights on the White House grounds.
“No one is holding Plaintiffs in a jiu jitsu lock, forcing them to watch UFC Freedom 250 against their will,” Justice Department attorney Eitan Sirkovich wrote in a memo opposing the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order, arguing they are seeking to “impose their idiosyncratic preferences on the rest of the country and ruin an event designed to celebrate the United States of America.”
The Public Integrity Project, a watchdog group, filed the lawsuit on behalf of two plaintiffs who argue that they are suffering “aesthetic” and “procedural harms” because of the event, saying it violates both National Park Service regulations and federal law. It also argues that the event Sunday is being “planned, organized and executed with all the hallmarks of a private, for-profit sporting event.”
The Justice Department downplayed concerns that the administration had run afoul of National Park Service rules and regulations, citing several events held on the White House South Lawn in recent years, including the installation of an ice-skating rink during the Biden administration and concerts during the Obama administration.
The Justice Department also argued that there would be significant harm to the administration and affiliated organizations if the event were canceled.
According to the Justice Department, 200,000 ticket requests to the Fan Fest have been received, $60 million has been spent in preparations, nearly 1,000 workers have spent nearly four weeks setting up, and seven government agencies have been involved in coordination.
One dynamic to watch in Maine Democrats’ crowded gubernatorial primary
One of the most unusual dynamics in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary is a three-way alliance among Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows and Hannah Pingree.
The three candidates announced before Election Day that they would rank one another on their ballots and encouraged supporters to do the same. They have worked together for many years in Maine politics and said their alliance reflects their shared priorities.
The strategy is designed to take advantage of Maine’s ranked choice voting system.
If no candidate gets a majority of the first-choice votes, lower-performing candidates are eliminated, and their supporters’ choices are redistributed until a candidate surpasses 50%.
Observers will have to watch and see whether this alliance helps the trio consolidate support against other leading candidates, like Nirav Shah and Angus King III. Second-choice votes and beyond will be tabulated later.
With about 8% of the expected vote counted, Shah is in first place — but about 60% of primary voters are choosing one of the three candidates in the cross-endorsement alliance.
Graham Platner wins the Democratic Senate primary in Maine, NBC News projects.
Graham Platner wins the Democratic Senate primary in Maine, NBC News projects.
20 Republicans join Democrats to pass labor contracts bill opposed by GOP leadership
The House tonight passed another Democrat-led bill that made its way to the floor after a group of Republicans bucked their party’s leadership and joined Democrats in forcing a vote.
The Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would force employers to start negotiating with a newly certified union within 10 days of receiving the request, passed with the support of 20 Republicans and all Democrats.
The legislation, first introduced by Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., now heads to the Senate.
Democrats and the group of Republicans forced the vote by using a procedural tool known as a discharge petition, which has become more common this Congress since only a small number of Republicans are needed to join Democrats to advance a bill over the objections of GOP leaders in the narrowly divided House. A successful petition requires a majority of lawmakers to force a floor vote.
“I don’t support that process,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said today. “I mean, look, we have committees, and the committees do hard work.”
Scalise said he encourages members to work with committee chairs to get their bills advanced to the House floor.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., who has signed many discharge petitions, said today on X: “If the House Floor was managed properly, discharge petitions would never be needed. A successful discharge petition is clear and direct evidence of a poorly managed House Floor—because it demonstrates that the will of the majority of the People is being thwarted by the privileged few.”
Asked yesterday about a different discharge petition, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he does “not want any discharge petition to succeed.”
Polls close in North Dakota
Polls closed at 9 p.m. ET in North Dakota, where the offices on the ballot include secretary of state, attorney general and the state’s at-large U.S. House seat.
North Dakota’s single congressional district encompasses all of the state. Rep. Julie Fedorchak is running for re-election after having been North Dakota’s public service commissioner before she ran for Congress in 2024.
Her competitor, Alex Balazs, is a veteran and former State Department official who was among the Republicans Fedorchak defeated in the 2024 primary.
Balazs won the state Republican Party’s endorsement, just as he did two years ago.
Incumbent Lindsey Graham wins the Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, NBC News projects
Incumbent Lindsey Graham wins the Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, NBC News projects.
More than $200 million later, Tom Steyer’s second bid for elected office is done
Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer’s bid for governor of California is the second time he has spent more than nine figures in an unsuccessful attempt to win public office.
NBC News projected tonight that former conservative commentator Steve Hilton advanced to the general election for governor, joining former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. That meant Steyer is out, unable to push into the top two spots in the all-party primary.
Steyer spent more than $215 million of his own money on his campaign, according to the latest campaign finance reports published by the state. The money has helped Steyer flood the airwaves with a staggering $209 million in ad spending, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
To put that in context, that’s about two-thirds of all ad spending in the entire governor’s race, including dozens of candidates and outside groups. Becerra, the candidate who has spent the second most on ads, spent $11.7 million, per AdImpact.
Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim advance in brutal California Republican member-on-member election
GOP Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim will move on to the general election in the Riverside-area 40th Congressional District, NBC News projects, extending a brutal member-on-member clash brought about by redistricting.
Annie Andrews wins the Democratic Senate primary in South Carolina, NBC News projects
Graham battling his challenger in a pro-Trump county
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is battling wealthy businessman Mark Lynch in the GOP primary in Greenville County, which gave Trump more votes than any other county in the state in 2024.
Trump has endorsed Graham, and there are still plenty of votes to be counted. With about a quarter of the expected vote in so far, Graham is at 45% in the county, while Lynch is at 42%, with almost all of the returns coming from ballots cast early in person or by mail.
Greenville delivered the most votes for Trump in both the 2024 general election and the 2024 primary. Trump defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in Greenville by 15 points as he went on to easily carry the state in the 2024 nominating contest.
Overall, Graham is at 59% statewide to 27% for Lynch, with about 30% of the expected vote counted.
Newly independent Rep. Kevin Kiley to face Democrat Richard Pan for congressional seat in California
Newly independent Rep. Kevin Kiley of California, who spent his career as a Republican before he left the party this year, will face state Rep. Richard Pan, a doctor and public health advocate, in the suburban Sacramento 6th District, NBC News projects.
Kiley faces an uphill general election battle (as a result of redistricting) in a district Vice President Kamala Harris won by almost 9 percentage points in 2024. Pan has been backed by key labor leaders, 314 Action Fund and a handful of lawmakers in Congress.
GOP race for governor of South Carolina heads for a runoff, with candidates unclear
The Republican gubernatorial primary in South Carolina will go to a runoff, NBC News projects, but it's still unclear which candidates will compete in the June 23 contest.
The top two finishers in South Carolina primaries advance to a runoff when no candidate gets majority support.
Incumbent Susan Collins wins the Republican Senate primary in Maine, NBC News projects
Sen. Susan Collins was unopposed in her Republican Senate primary in Maine.
Polls close in Maine
Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET in Maine, where voters are choosing nominees for governor, the Senate and the House in a primary that has gotten significant national attention.
Maine uses ranked choice voting, which means some winners may not be known until the state tabulates second-choice votes and more after Election Day.
A polling station in Belfast, Maine, today. CJ Gunther / Getty Images
All eyes are on the Democratic Senate primary, in which oyster farmer and military veteran Graham Platner enters primary day as the Democratic front-runner despite a series of controversies and heavy scrutiny. The winner will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.
Term limits have created an open race for governor, with crowded primaries for both of the parties. And an open congressional district in northern Maine is among the most important on the ballot, too.
Nancy Mace off to a slow start on her home turf
Early returns in Charleston and Berkeley counties — right in the heart of Rep. Nancy Mace's congressional district — show her in a distant fourth place in the South Carolina GOP primary for governor.
With more than 30% of the expected vote posted in Charleston County and more than 24% of the expected vote counted in Berkeley, both in the 1st Congressional District, Mace trails Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, state Attorney General Alan Wilson and businessman Rom Reddy.
Republican Steve Hilton to face Democrat Xavier Becerra in California governor’s race
Steve Hilton; Xavier Becerra. Getty Images
Former Fox News host Steve Hilton has advanced to the general election in the California governor’s race, NBC News projects, and will face former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Hilton, a Republican, emerged from a crowded primary in which candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot and the top two-vote getters move on. NBC News projected Friday that Becerra, a Democrat, would advance.
With 88% of the expected vote tallied one week after polls closed, Becerra had about 28% support, compared with 25% for Hilton. Billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer was in third, with roughly 23%, while Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was the only other candidate in double digits, with 10%.
Democratic challenger to face Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui in California general election
The general election matchup is set in California's 7th Congressional District, with NBC News projecting Rep. Doris Matsui will face off against Sacramento City Council member Mai Vang.
Vang, who is in her early 40s and backed by progressive groups like Justice Democrats, is running a generational challenge against Matsui, 81, who is endorsed by numerous powerful state Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Matsui's campaign website had been asking super PACs to spend to boost a Republican candidate in the blue district in hope of warding off the challenge to her left by locking Vang out of the general election.
Former Epstein assistant says she arranged calls with Trump but never witnessed wrongdoing
Lesley Groff, a longtime assistant to Jeffrey Epstein, told a House committee today that during her nearly two decades working for the late sex offender, she set up meetings “with various business leaders, public officials” and “notable figures,” including Donald Trump, but never witnessed any wrongdoing, lawmakers said.
Groff, who worked for Epstein for 18 years, testified behind closed doors to members of the House Oversight Committee, which is conducting its own probe of the late sex offender.
Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., told reporters that Groff testified that “she did arrange for multiple phone calls” between Epstein and Trump but that she did not give any information about the timing of those calls, except that it was before Trump was elected president.
Trump has said he had a falling-out with Epstein in the early 2000s. He has denied any wrongdoing involving Epstein and has not been accused by authorities of any criminal activity.
"She says she witnessed no, no sexual behavior, explicit sexual behavior" working for Epstein, Lynch said, adding that he thought she was "believable" but that he had issues with other parts of her testimony.
"So it is highly inconsistent what she’s maintaining, that she really didn’t, really, didn’t know Jeffrey Epstein, even though she worked for him for 18 years" and would arrange massages for him, Lynch said.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., told MS Now that Groff said that “she scheduled meetings with Trump and connected their calls, but she also noted she did the same for Prince Andrew” and other “notable figures.”
Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., said that Groff had "been very forthcoming" but that "there are some things that she said that probably aren’t along the same lines as what some of the victims have said, so we’re going to have to review that."
Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the panel, said Groff was being asked "some very tough questions" and gave the committee “a lot of names of staff, employees, folks that worked in the Epstein orbit."
In her interview with MS Now, Stansbury said Groff, who was never charged with any wrongdoing and told the panel that she had cooperated with prosecutors in Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell’s case, said her legal fees associated with today’s testimony were being paid through Epstein’s estate.
"Even after his death, he’s still paying her legal fees," Stansbury said. "Everything about this case is strange."
Groff left Capitol Hill just after 6 p.m. ET. She did not respond to questions from reporters.
Bill Pulte to take over as acting director of national intelligence June 19, Trump says
Trump's pick to temporarily take over as head of national intelligence will formally assume the post next week, he said tonight on Truth Social.
"William Pulte, who is working closely with Tulsi Gabbard, will be taking over as Acting Director of National Intelligence on Friday, June 19th," Trump wrote.
He added that Pulte will also remain as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, as well as maintain his role as chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, when he starts his new job.
Trump previously announced that he would appoint Pulte, an ally who has played a critical role in launching investigations into his perceived political foes, but he hadn't specified a start date.
A number of congressional Democrats have denounced Pulte's appointment, citing his lack of experience in national security.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told reporters yesterday that Pulte's "only relevant experience is as a lapdog of the president."
Some Republicans have also cited concerns, especially as Congress is poised to vote to renew critical spy powers legislation.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said last week that Pulte was "not fit to be DNI," adding that the timing of his appointment "couldn't have been worse."
Wes Climer wins the Republican primary for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, NBC News projects
Wes Climer wins the Republican primary for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, NBC News projects. Climer ran unopposed after Rep. Ralph Norman left the seat open to run for governor.
Polls close in South Carolina
Polls closed at 7 p.m. ET in South Carolina, where voters are choosing nominees for governor, the Senate and several House seats in another test of Trump’s endorsement power in the 2026 midterm cycle.
Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the crowded Republican race for governor in May. She and state Attorney General Alan Wilson, Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman, and businessman Rom Redd are all competing to succeed term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster in the state’s first open race for governor in 15 years.
Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham faces a primary challenge from self-funding businessman Mark Lynch. And several Republican House seats are open after those incumbents ran for governor.
Trump's elevating Bill Pulte as intelligence chief could mean FISA spy power expires
Bill Pulte. Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg via Getty Images file
A powerful surveillance tool backed by national security hawks faces a risk of expiring this week after Trump moved to put it in the hands of an ally without a national security background.
Last week, Trump tapped housing official Bill Pulte to replace Tulsi Gabbard on an acting basis as director of national intelligence. Pulte is known for pushing criminal investigations into Trump’s adversaries for mortgage fraud, which Democrats and the targets of those probes say are selective and politically motivated.
The DNI oversees Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, which gives the administration powers to spy on foreign nationals living abroad without obtaining warrants. The program has long faced criticism from privacy hawks on the left and the right who say that it enables the government to sweep up data about Americans and that the program is ripe for abuse.
The push to renew Section 702 was already hitting roadblocks and divisions. Democrats and some Republicans want changes to the program to protect Americans’ privacy.
Republicans pass bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the end of Trump’s term
After weeks of setbacks and delays, the Republican-controlled House today narrowly passed a roughly $70 billion package to fund ICE and Border Patrol through the end of Trump’s term.
The vote was 214-212. The package, dubbed the Secure America Act, cleared the Senate last week and now heads to the president’s desk for his expected signature.
The successful House vote ends months of drama and partisan bickering over immigration enforcement funding. In February, Senate Democrats voted to shut down the Department of Homeland Security after the fatal shootings of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during immigration operations in Minneapolis the previous month.
California’s slow vote count and Trump’s unfounded fraud claims offer preview of November’s midterms
A perfect storm of conditions in California has led to an increasingly loud chorus of unfounded voter fraud claims over the past week from Trump and his allies, alarming election experts who warn it could be a preview of what’s to come in this fall’s midterms.
Spencer Pratt. Andy Kropa / Invision / AP
One week after polls closed in California’s June 2 primaries, many of the state’s counties have yet to report their full results. In the crowded governor’s race, voters are still awaiting word on who will be Democrat Xavier Becerra’s general election opponent.
Maine voters voice support for Graham Platner in Senate primary despite allegations
Several Maine voters who cast ballots in the state's Democratic primary for Senate today told NBC News that they support candidate Graham Platner despite several controversies and allegations surrounding him.
"I am extremely conflicted," said Judy Sides, who was undecided heading into her polling place in Scarborough, several miles south of Portland. "If I really thought [Gov. Janet] Mills had a chance, I may vote for her just to give Platner a message that he’s — not everybody is really for him.”
After she voted, Sides said that she cast a ballot for Platner to send a message to the Democratic establishment that Mainers support him. Mills, a Democrat, suspended her Senate campaign in April but remains on the ballot.
Green Party voter Lynn Thurston said she was torn but planned to vote for Platner: “I know the Republicans are spending a lot of money to put him down. You don’t know what to believe, but we need some fresh voices, somebody who will stand up to those jerks down there.”
Ryan Saucier suggested to NBC News that Platner was "the lesser of two evils."
“I mean, we all go through stuff in our lives, and you know, the person who throws the stone in the glass house, right? I mean, you know, to judge him for stuff that he’s apologized for, he’s owned it, you know,” Saucier said.
Irena McQuarrie confirmed that allegations against Platner "give me pause," but said there's no perfect candidate.
"We have limited choices, and from the choices that I’ve been given, I feel like that’s the best choice," she said about Platner.
House advances legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol
The House approved a rule on a party-line vote to advance legislation to fund ICE and Border Patrol. This legislation was passed by the Senate last week.
The vote was kept open as several Republicans were initially withholding their votes. The tally ended up being 213-211.
Final passage of the reconciliation package is expected in the 4:30 p.m. vote series.
Some Republicans say Trump should close the door on paying out Jan. 6 rioters
Trump drew sharp rebukes from both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill after he left the door open to taxpayer payouts for rioters who assaulted police officers during the Jan. 6 attack in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” over the weekend.
Trump’s planned “anti-weaponization” fund, which appears to be on pause amid bipartisan backlash, “should be for people who have had their constitutional rights violated, not who violated other people’s constitutional rights,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said yesterday. “If you’ve been convicted of assault on a cop ... doesn’t seem to me like people who are victims.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a member of the Judiciary Committee, told NBC News he plans to introduce legislation this week to bar anyone convicted of offenses related to the attack on Jan. 6, 2021, or interfering in recent presidential elections from receiving taxpayer-funded federal payouts related to the Capitol riot.
“The attorney general claims that he is not going to go forward with a slush fund for the Jan. 6 criminals, but the president still wants to see them receive money,” Schiff said in an interview in the Capitol. “I want to make sure they can’t use some other mechanism to pay these people off, so that is the necessity of the bill.”
Trump says U.S. helicopter was 'shot down' by Iran, vows U.S. response
Trump announced in a Truth Social post that the U.S. helicopter that went down near the Strait of Hormuz had been shot down by Iran, adding that the U.S. would respond.
"I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said in the post. "There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack."
A U.S. official confirmed that the Apache helicopter appeared to have been downed by an Iranian drone.
U.S. Central Command said earlier today that the cause of the incident was under investigation.
Thune calls on Democrats not to hold up FISA reauthorization over Pulte appointment
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., called on Democrats to agree to reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act despite concerns over Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence.
Section 702, which allows the warrantless surveillance of foreign targets outside the United States, will expire Friday without action from Congress.
On the Senate floor this morning, Thune said Section 702 is a necessary intelligence gathering tool for the U.S. intelligence community. He said the surveillance authority had helped thwart a planned terrorist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Austria, disrupt ransomware attempts from North Korea and capture an Al Qaeda leader.
The majority leader said Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee agree that Section 702 is important, but are holding it up because of their opposition to Trump’s appointment of Pulte to the intelligence role. Pulte, who was a top Trump administration housing official before his latest appointment, had pursued investigations into several of the president's perceived political enemies while in his former role.
“I hope my Democrat colleagues will rethink their decision to hold the 702 program hostage before we all have cause to regret the consequences,” Thune said.
House Oversight Committee to interview former Epstein assistant
The House Oversight Committee is holding a closed-door, transcribed interview with former Jeffery Epstein assistant Lesley Groff as part of its investigation into the late convicted sex offender and his associates.
"Really important for us to talk to someone that did Epstein’s schedule, that was really focused on making sure that he knew where he was going," said Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the committee’s ranking member.
Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters ahead of the interview that "we believe she possesses information that is very valuable to our investigation."
Earlier this year, the Justice Department released the names of several people whom the FBI once called Epstein's co-conspirators. Groff was among them.
Groff, who was Epstein's assistant for almost 20 years, has denied knowing about his criminal activities. Her attorney, Michael Bachner, said in a statement that Groff had never seen the FBI document and “was unaware of it."
"In fact, neither Lesley nor her counsel were ever notified by law enforcement that she was considered an Epstein co-conspirator," the statement continued. "On the contrary, after Lesley voluntarily spoke with prosecutors, and answered each and every question asked of her, she was told that she was not being prosecuted.”
AIPAC's super PAC boosts Haley Stevens in Michigan Senate primary
United Democracy Project, a super PAC tied to the pro-Israel lobbying group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), launched a new ad this morning boosting Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens in the contested Michigan Senate primary.
The 30-second spot casts Stevens as "a proven fighter for Michigan, and features footage of former President Barack Obama praising Stevens, saying she "was a critical part of my team that helped the American auto industry." Stevens served as the chief of staff on the U.S. Auto Rescue Task Force.
So far, the United Democracy Project has spent $2.3 million on ads in the race, according to AdImpact.
Stevens, who was first elected in 2018, is locked in a competitive primary against state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters.
Support for Israel has emerged as a dividing line in the race. Stevens described herself as a "proud pro-Israel Democrat" as she earned an endorsement from the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC. In a recent debate, Stevens was asked about AIPAC's support and "what it buys," and Stevens responded by calling for broader campaign finance overhauls.
"You’re also just not answering the question,” El-Sayed, a vocal critic of Israel, shot back. "At the end of the day, it also buys $3.5 million being sent to a foreign military that could be used here."
McMorrow, who, like El-Sayed, has accused Israel of perpetrating a genocide in the Gaza Strip in its war against Hamas, noted in the debate that she has "not taken a dime" of AIPAC contributions in this race.
House to vote on Senate-passed ICE and Border Patrol funding
The House is planning to vote today on the Senate-passed reconciliation bill to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol, according to the vote schedule sent to members.
The Rules Committee met last night to approve the measure for floor action. The House first will have to adopt a procedural rule for consideration of the bill during a series of votes starting at 1:30 p.m.
If that rule is adopted, final passage of the ICE and Border Patrol funding would take place at a 4:30 p.m. vote series.
The Senate passed the $70 billion legislation Friday in a 52-47 vote. After being held up for weeks, the bill was nearly derailed during last week's votes by bipartisan opposition to the Trump administration's proposed "anti-weaponization" fund, which would make payments to people who claim they were targeted by federal agencies for political reasons.
Graham Platner faces key test in Maine primary
All eyes are on a key U.S. Senate race in Maine, where Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner, who has faced a series of scandals, is likely to win a chance to unseat longtime Maine Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. NBC’s Ryan Nobles reports for "TODAY."
Israel launches new Lebanon strikes even as Trump insists Iran deal coming soon
Trump insisted again today that a deal to end the war with Iran could be just days away.
Hours after the president’s latest optimistic assessment, Israel renewed its military assault in Lebanon, striking the southern city of Tyre and issuing an evacuation warning that for the first time included the port’s Christian quarter.
Vance refers Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota attorney general to DOJ for fraud investigation
Vice President JD Vance announced yesterday that he is referring Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and state Attorney General Keith Ellison — both Democrats — to the Justice Department for a criminal fraud investigation involving social services programs.
“Minnesota state officials are not above the law, and if they facilitated fraud, lied under oath about what they knew, or harassed and intimated whistleblowers, they must face justice,” Vance wrote on X, adding that his referral was prompted by a letter and a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee.
2 crew members rescued after military helicopter goes down near Strait of Hormuz, U.S. says
Two crew members from a U.S. military helicopter that went down near the coast of Oman were rescued by American forces, U.S. Central Command said today.
The soldiers “were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition,” CENTCOM said in a statement on X. It said their U.S. Army AH-64 Apache was patrolling regional waters and that the cause of the incident was under investigation.
Trump booed at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of NBA Finals
President Donald Trump attended Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals yesterday to cheer on his hometown team — but many of his fellow fans didn’t appear thrilled to have him there.
As Trump was shown on the jumbotron during the national anthem, the crowd erupted in loud booing. Trump smiled as he saluted through the song.
Nithya Raman advances over Spencer Pratt to face L.A. Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will face City Council member Nithya Raman in a runoff election for Bass’ job in November, NBC News projects, teeing up a one-on-one matchup between two Democrats.
Bass and Raman, who is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, emerged from a crowded all-party primary field that included former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, a registered Republican who ran an insurgent campaign focused on criticizing Bass for her response to the Los Angeles wildfires last year.
Graham Platner and big races for governor: What to watch in Tuesday’s primaries
Two free-for-all primaries for governor in Maine and South Carolina are the most competitive races on the ballot in today’s primaries, while Maine’s Senate race has captured national attention as voters head to the polls in those states, Nevada and North Dakota.
Maine Democrat Graham Platner isn’t facing much of a challenge on the Senate ballot, but how he weathers a slew of controversies looms over one of the most competitive races in the battle for the Senate. While Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is still on the ballot, she suspended her bid weeks ago after she struggled to gain traction and ran out of money, and Platner is expected to prevail.
Meanwhile, open races for governor are on tap in South Carolina and Maine, and both parties will choose nominees in a handful of key battleground House districts and safe seats where today's contests will cement the winners in the fall.
