Welcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.

In today’s edition, Kristen Welker looks ahead to November in swing state Michigan after this week’s primary battles. Plus, our Capitol Hill team reports on Sen. Bill Cassidy providing pivotal support for Todd Blanche.

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— Adam Wollner

Fault lines for both parties emerge after Michigan’s primaries

Analysis by Kristen Welker

This week’s Michigan primaries underscored some major challenges both parties will face in the general election in the perennial battleground state.

Democrats are scrambling to come together after divisive contests, most notably in the Senate race, where progressive Abdul El-Sayed defeated moderate Rep. Haley Stevens. That work continues today as Michigan Democrats gather for a unity rally featuring former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. But it remains to be seen what other tangible steps Democrats will take to ensure their fractured party can maximize turnout in the fall.

And as progressives like El-Sayed shift to the general election, Democrats will also be forced to contend with attacks from Republicans who are eager to tie candidates to the party’s ascendant democratic socialist wing (El-Sayed has stressed that he is not a socialist).

Republicans, meanwhile, are navigating President Donald Trump’s sagging approval ratings as voters continue to give him low marks on his handling of the economy and the Iran war.

Those dynamics are unfolding in real time in one of the most competitive House races in the country: Michigan’s 7th District, which includes Lansing and is represented by GOP Rep. Tom Barrett. Trump carried this district by just 1 point in 2024.

Progressive activist William Lawrence won the hotly contested Democratic primary there this week, and I asked him about those challenges facing the party on “Meet the Press NOW.”

Lawrence, who recently let his membership in the Democratic Socialists of America lapse, said he plans to counter attacks from Republicans by staying “focused on issues here in the district that are appealing to people across the political spectrum,” including opposing data centers and the Iran war.

Lawrence also said he would work with Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who used to represent the 7th District, even though he called Slotkin a “warmonger” and she endorsed one of his primary opponents. Lawrence said they “have a lot of common ground in our approach to politics.”

I also spoke to Barrett on “Meet the Press NOW,” and he previewed how he plans to respond to Democrats’ attempts to tie him to Trump.

Barrett stressed that he was one of the few Republicans who supported a war powers resolution amid the Iran war, and he acknowledged the conflict had led to higher gas prices. He also welcomed Trump’s endorsement, noting the president had recently visited the district.

But Barrett declined to grade Trump’s economic performance, saying, “I wouldn’t say that we have made serious improvement to our economy. We took over in a very, very challenging time, but look, I’m not going to pretend that the work is done.”

We’ll dive further into the battle ahead in Michigan on “Meet the Press” this Sunday, when I’ll interview El-Sayed. Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., will also join us.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, a critical Republican holdout, backs Todd Blanche for attorney general

By Sahil Kapur, Rebecca Shabad and Brennan Leach

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced this morning that he will vote for President Donald Trump’s pick of Todd Blanche for attorney general, likely assuring his confirmation.

“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche. I’ll be criticized for this vote. What’s new?” Cassidy said in a floor speech. While he’s “concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare,” Cassidy said, “even critics admit that Mr. Blanche knows the law and is a hands-on administrator.”

Blanche needs support from 50 of the 53 Republican senators to be confirmed, assuming all Democrats oppose him. Earlier in the day, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined fellow centrist Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in opposition of Blanche. With Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., out indefinitely, a third GOP opponent would have blocked the nomination.

Murkowski warned of the “politicization” and “even weaponization” of the Justice Department, which she said has accelerated under the Trump administration.

“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case,” she said.

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That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. Today’s newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner.

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