Early Morning Political News: 4‑Minute Read
Brought to You by the Center Voter |“We Report Only the Facts”
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Federal Level
Letlow Wins Louisiana GOP Senate Runoff, Completing Cassidy Ouster
Rep. Julia Letlow defeated former state Treasurer John Fleming on Saturday, June 27, in Louisiana’s Republican Senate runoff, winning with about 55% of the vote as the AP projected. Backed by President Trump, Governor Jeff Landry, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Letlow is expected to win the deep-red state’s Senate seat in November, completing Trump’s mission to remove Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict him after January 6.¹ ²
Trump Unveils America 250 “Patriot Passport” with His Image
President Trump on Saturday, June 27, revealed the final design for a limited-edition U.S. passport featuring his likeness on the cover alongside a depiction of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The “Patriot Passport” will be available starting July 6 only at the Washington Passport Agency, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. Standard passports at other locations will remain unchanged, and Democrats have criticized placing a sitting president’s image on an official government document.³ ⁴
America 250 Fair Opens to Sparse Crowds and Confederate Flag Row
The Trump-backed Great American State Fair opened on the National Mall this week, but drew sparse crowds and was immediately hit with controversy when a Confederate flag appeared on a video display inside the North Carolina pavilion on Friday, June 27. Organizers removed the flag after Governor Josh Stein’s office publicly demanded action. At least 11 states, most led by Democrats, declined to participate, and several originally announced musicians had withdrawn before the event opened.⁵ ⁶
Miller Declares “America’s Doors Are Closed” as Birthright Ruling Looms
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller declared on Thursday, June 26, that “America’s doors are closed fully to asylum seekers,” following last week’s Supreme Court rulings granting the Trump administration broad new immigration authority. Miller also called publicly for a unanimous Supreme Court ruling against birthright citizenship, as the justices are expected to issue a decision in Barbara v. Trump as early as this week. Legal analysts say the ruling could affect tens of thousands of U.S.-born children.⁷ ⁸
Congress Returns Monday With Hard-Liners Still Blocking House Agenda
Congress returns to Washington tomorrow, Monday, June 29, with Speaker Johnson facing a difficult week: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is demanding the SAVE Act be attached to the annual defense authorization bill as the price of her cooperation, a demand Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said would kill the must-pass legislation. The standoff threatens to delay fiscal year 2027 spending bills and other priorities the House has been unable to advance since hard-liners blocked floor votes.⁹
State Level
California Reaches $351.7B Budget Deal, Erasing Projected Deficit
Governor Gavin Newsom and California legislative leaders announced a $351.7 billion state budget agreement on Friday, June 27, eliminating the projected deficit for both the current year and next. The deal raises taxes on large corporations and software sales, increases investments in public schools and affordable housing, and tucks away $6.4 billion in reserves. Republicans criticized the plan for doing nothing to address the state’s $22 billion unemployment insurance debt.¹⁰
Colorado Redistricting Effort Imperiled by State Court Delay
Democratic-backed organizers in Colorado warned on Friday, June 27, that the state Supreme Court’s silence for more than 50 days on whether their redistricting ballot measures are legally valid is putting the entire effort at risk. The two measures need roughly 125,000 signatures each by an August 3 deadline, but with only about 43,000 gathered so far, organizers say the court’s inaction is discouraging volunteers and donors. The measures would allow Colorado to redraw its congressional maps ahead of the 2028 elections.¹¹ ¹²
Alaska Judge Rules: Two Dan Sullivans Can Appear on Senate Ballot
An Alaska Superior Court judge ruled on Friday, June 27, that a Petersburg retiree named Dan J. Sullivan can remain on the Republican primary ballot alongside incumbent U.S. Senator Dan S. Sullivan, overturning a June 15 decision by the state’s Division of Elections that had disqualified him. Judge Thomas Matthews found the agency had relied on a “good faith” standard not supported by Alaska law or the U.S. Constitution. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court before Tuesday’s ballot-printing deadline.¹³
◆
THIS POLITICAL NEWS REPORT IS FREE TO EVERYONE
WOULD YOU KINDLY SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND?
Article Sources
1. Politico, “Trump-backed Letlow wins GOP primary for Sen. Bill Cassidy’s seat,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/27/letlow-wins-louisiana-senate-primary-trump-00979200
2. ABC News, “Trump-endorsed Louisiana Rep. Letlow defeats Fleming in competitive GOP Senate runoff, AP projects,” June 27, 2026.
3. UPI, “Trump unveils new-look passport design with his name, image,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/06/27/trump-new-passport-design-released/2791782593143/
4. The New York Times, “White House Releases Images of the Trump ‘Patriot Passport’,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/27/us/politics/trump-passport-design-america-250.html
5. AP News, “The Great American State Fair comes to the National Mall,” June 27, 2026.
6. WRAL News, “Confederate flag in N.C. exhibit at Great American State Fair removed,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.wral.com/video/confederate-flag-removed-nc-exhibit-great-american-state-fair-june-2026/
7. NPR, “Supreme Court immigration rulings could speed U.S. population drop,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.npr.org/2026/06/27/nx-s1-5871338/tps-population-scotus-immigration-trump
8. Yahoo News / Rolling Stone, “Stephen Miller Calls for Unanimous Supreme Court Ruling Against Birthright Citizenship,” June 25, 2026.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/stephen-miller-calls-unamimous-supreme-011429275.html
9. Politico, “Capitol agenda: House GOP agenda gets tenuous Trump lifeline,” June 26, 2026.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/06/26/congress/gop-agenda-trump-tenuous-00977716
10. Los Angeles Times, “Newsom, California Legislature reach $351.7-billion budget deal,” June 26, 2026.
11. The New York Times, “Colorado Supreme Court Delay Threatens Democratic Redistricting Effort,” June 27, 2026.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/27/us/politics/democrats-colorado-redistricting-state-court.html
12. redistrictingonline.org, “The Battle Over Colorado’s Congressional Map Will Be Decided by Voters,” June 12, 2026.
13. Election Law Blog / Alaska Public Media, “Judge puts 2nd Dan Sullivan back on ballot in Alaska’s U.S. Senate race,” June 27, 2026.
https://electionlawblog.org/?p=156954