Rand Paul

The list of Republicans weighing 2028 presidential bids is growing as President Trump's approval ratings decline and Democrats appear favored for a strong showing in the November midterms. Sen. John Kennedy recently joined a field that already includes former Gov. Chris Christie, Sen. Rand Paul, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Ted Cruz, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and possibly Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Some hopefuls are positioning themselves to inherit the MAGA base, including Donald Trump Jr., who denies interest but polls strongly among hypothetical candidates. Others, like Christie, are distancing themselves from Trump's legacy, arguing Vice President J.D. Vance would be hurt by association with an unpopular administration.

Polling shows Vance still leads the GOP field but has lost ground, with Trump Jr. gaining support. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also draw notable backing, while Nikki Haley says she won't run. Cruz and Vance have publicly sparred, with most contenders waiting on midterm results before deciding.

Ohio legislative leaders are working to bring the House and Senate back into session next week, an unusual move that would come about a week before early voting begins for the Nov. 3 general election. The push follows a gas-tax proposal from Vivek Ramaswamy, unveiled shortly after a less detailed plan from Democratic rival Amy Acton, and would mark a rare instance of state lawmakers intervening directly in a competitive gubernatorial race so close to Election Day. Statehouse veterans say the maneuver lacks recent precedent in Ohio politics.

Separately, Ohio lawmakers have introduced four competing bills to regulate Flock license plate reader cameras after voters raised privacy concerns, with proposals ranging from penalizing officer misuse to largely shutting down camera networks. In federal court, a judge declined to grant the Ohio Democratic Party an injunction that would have let it spend unlimited funds on statewide candidates from its general political fund while a state contribution-limit law is challenged. Nationally, Vice President JD Vance announced the removal of roughly 750,000 people believed fraudulently enrolled in ACA plans, while potential 2028 GOP rivals begin positioning against him.

Former CBP sector chief Greg Bovino, who led aggressive federal immigration operations in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Minneapolis last year, defended the Twin Cities operation at a New York Young Republicans event in Manhattan, claiming CBP had used a "light touch" that allowed "lawlessness" to fester. Minneapolis' Operation Metro Surge ended after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good and CBP officers killed Alex Pretti. Bovino now says the Minneapolis operation was "an ICE mission, not Border Patrol," despite DHS and Minnesota's Attorney General previously identifying him as commanding operations there.

Bovino was removed from Minneapolis after backlash, including from Sen. Rand Paul, over his refusal to investigate the shootings. He has continued espousing far-right rhetoric, including calls for "remigration" and deportation of "100 million" people, and has courted ties to European far-right parties. His tactics — including federalizing the California National Guard and using tear gas despite court restrictions — drew Supreme Court scrutiny and widespread protest, though his high-profile urban operations have since ended.