Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, is running in a crowded Republican Senate primary on Tuesday. She was appointed to fill out his term after he died from a torn aorta. Now she wants to serve a full six years and has the endorsement of President Donald Trump. But some South Carolina Republicans said her lack of experience in elective office makes her a less appealing candidate. Graham in response cites her state government experience, plus the past several weeks she’s had serving as an interim senator doing work in Washington.

The Senate has passed a short-term measure to keep federal agencies funded into early December and avoid a government shutdown during campaign season. The Senate's passage of the bill in an overnight vote Saturday shows lawmakers are still smarting from the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year. The bill generally funds the federal government at current levels though Dec. 11, but includes a variety of funding exceptions that senators negotiated with the White House. The bill will still need to clear the House before it can go to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

States are debating whether to crack down on social media influencers making political advertisements without disclosing that they were paid. It comes as paying influencers to boost candidates has become the new normal for U.S. political campaigns. Texas passed a rule requiring content creators to include compensation disclaimers on their posts. Lawmakers in New York are considering a similar requirement. California already requires influencers to disclose if they were paid by political committees. But a bill in the state Legislature would penalize them if they don't comply. The measures are a sign of the changing landscape of modern campaigns.

Michigan Democrats are showing unity behind their statewide candidates. This comes three days after a heated U.S. Senate primary highlighted divisions between the party's progressive and moderate wings. Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health official who narrowly beat Rep. Haley Stevens for an open Senate seat, attended. El-Sayed’s victory is seen as a win for progressives and a sign of discontent with establishment politicians. With less than three months before the general election, Democrats are under pressure to close ranks in a race that will help determine control of the Senate.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy says he’ll back Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, likely paving the way for Blanche to be confirmed to lead President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. Blanche’s prospective confirmation appeared threatened earlier Friday, when Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski announced her opposition. Murkowski cited concern that the administration could proceed with a $1.8 billion fund to compensate Trump allies, despite Blanche formally terminating it. Also, an appeals court has ruled Trump must seek approval from Congress to build his proposed White House ballroom, saying construction must stop. The U.S. Court of Appeals sided with historic preservationists who sued to stop construction.

Former Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher has defeated Congressman Andy Ogles in a Republican primary. Ogles' defeat marks a rare rejection of a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump. Voters also chose two Memphis area lawmakers — Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor and Democratic state Rep. Justin Pearson — to face off in a reconfigured district. The primaries test a new U.S. House map redrawn by Republican state lawmakers. Republicans are aiming for a clean sweep of Tennessee's congressional seats in November. The redistricting has sparked controversy, with some voters expressing concerns about diluted representation.

A Senate committee has voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress and refer him to the Justice Department for potential prosecution over his refusal to answer questions at a hearing last week on his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fauci invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than 100 times at the hearing. Also, Iran said Wednesday it’s in the “final stage” of drafting an agreement with Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, and U.S. President Donald Trump has said a deal could be announced this week. The agreement is likely to be contingent on the U.S. lifting its blockade on Iran’s ports.

Republican Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio is calling on Rep. Max Miller to resign his House seat and abandon his fall reelection bid. Husted's comments on X Thursday add pressure after Ohio's senior senator, Republican Bernie Moreno, said Miller is unfit to serve. Moreno is Miller’s former father-in-law. Miller has vigorously defended himself against ex-wife Emily Moreno's allegations of domestic abuse, leveled in a custody fight over their 2-year-old daughter. Husted said stepping aside as a candidate and legislator is in the best interest of Miller's daughter. Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wisconsin is the latest state where the battle over the direction of the Democratic Party will play out. The state's primary for governor to be decided on Tuesday features a democratic socialist against a candidate endorsed by Gov. Tony Evers. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is trying to ride the Evers endorsement to a win in a year when voters upset with mainstream Democrats have propelled outsiders to victory. Francesca Hong is tapping into that anger in her candidacy to move Wisconsin to the left. It's been a chaotic primary with Crowley rejoining the race last month after another top candidate dropped out.

Abdul El-Sayed has won Michigan’s Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in a victory for the party’s progressive wing in a battleground state. El-Sayed narrowly defeated U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and will face Republican Mike Rogers in November. The seat is pivotal to Democrats’ chances of flipping the Senate. El-Sayed will face the challenge of uniting a divided Democratic base after a bruising primary. El-Sayed, a former health official, campaigned on “Medicare for All,” halting military aid to Israel and campaign finance reform. He had support from progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.