News of the Week for Nevember 15thst, 2026
- 2026 Election
- Abortion
- Gun Rights
- Hide the Decline
- Socialized Medicine
- War & Terror
- National News
- Economy & Taxes
- International News
- Opinion
2026 Election
What Exactly Was the Republican Party Campaigning On?
Reminder: The Social Security Board of Trustees says its reserves are projected to run out in the fourth quarter of 2032, which — unless Congress legislates a solution — will mean that retirees are set to sit down in Uncle Sam’s barber’s chair for a 25 percent haircut to their benefits.
Learning and Forgetting Nothing
The full exit polling is out and revealing
How Bad Was It?
Welcome to today’s Morning Jolt. I’m John Puri, filling in for Jim Geraghty. Noah Rothman will take over tomorrow, and Jim will be back with you on Wednesday.
Georgia Republicans who stuck with Trump paid a steep price
Voters made the Nov. 3 election a referendum on the president who is deeply unpopular among most Americans.
Northern Nevada Republicans Chose Ideological Purity Over Electability and they Lost!
Turning Point Action and Washoe GOP leaders embraced a Trump-endorsed candidate while discounting warnings about his ability to win a general election and they lost.
Midterm Mayhem for the Free and Virtuous Society
The GOP will continue to suffer at the polls until it focuses on building this type of society once again.
2026 House Election Results by the Numbers
The 2026 midterms completely reshaped the House battleground. Not only do Democrats hold every single seat that Kamala Harris won in 2024 — they’re also on track to win almost every single district that voted for Trump by less than 10 points. (The two exceptions: Maine’s 2nd District and Colorado’s 3rd District). At least 53 Democrats now sit in seats that Trump carried in 2024.
‘We Need Better Candidates, Not Better Maps’
Where do Indiana Republicans who stood up to Trump’s demand for mid-decade redistricting go to get their apology?
Did Donald Trump sink Nevada Republicans? Here’s what the data says.
All of the Republicans running for top offices in Nevada lost, some more than others. What made a difference? Donald Trump.
Democrat Scott Colom Flips Mississippi Senate Seat
Colom’s win also means the Democrats have flipped eight seats. EIGHT seats.
Rosés Are Red, Ballots are Blue
I feel quite honored that my piece on the Rosé States inaugurated the wonderful NRO site relaunch yesterday. In it, I argued that Republicans face a unique problem and a unique opportunity in the (largely Sun Belt) states that turned a normal midterm loss into a generational disaster last week.
How bad was it?
Yesterday afternoon I wrote that the midterm elections represented a near extinction-level event for the Republican Party. In short order the Mississippi Senate race was called for Scott Colum. The AP story reporting the outcome is here.
Republican Turner says Ramaswamy ad sunk his reelection in Ohio
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said he believes a controversial ad from Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy may have cost him his reelection bid in the end, suggesting he did not expect losing his House seat.
How Things Went from Bad to Worse for North Carolina Republicans
Republican redistricting backfired, exposing supposedly safe seats when turnout collapsed. Democratic control in Raleigh raises the stakes for conservatives’ 2028 comeback.
Conservative Ideas Outlast Trump’s Unpopularity
Statewide ballot initiatives show that conservative policies still resonate, even as voters reject the Trump administration.
After Last Tuesday’s Bloodbath, The Republican Party Is At A Crossroads. It’s Time To Choose Ideas Over Personalities.
Tuesday’s historic defeat exposed the weakness of a party built around one man, which never was and never is a good idea. The road back begins with rediscovering what Republicans believe.
Did Donald Trump sink Nevada Republicans? Here’s what the data says.
All of the Republicans running for top offices in Nevada lost, some more than others. What made a difference? Donald Trump.
Republicans acknowledge voters rejected them but show little appetite for breaking with Trump
Rep. Richard Hudson wanted a triumphant return to Capitol Hill this week after steering Republicans to another majority. Instead, the North Carolina Republican is facing the reality that he and dozens of colleagues will soon clear out their offices.
‘The worst I’ve heard’: Why some Nevada voters waited five hours to vote — and what comes next
Clark County gave mixed messages. The secretary of state says there will be discussions on whether results should come out before all votes are cast.
Russia Revives Demand That NATO Retrench to Secure Ukraine Deal
The hard-line position of Russian officials in closed-door negotiations about ending the war thrusts European security into the heart of the talks.
Abortion
Court Cases & Legislation
Texas Democrats file bills to roll back abortion restrictions ahead of 2027 session
Texas Democrats have filed multiple bills proposing to reverse, undo or loosen Republican legislation that effectively banned abortion in Texas.
Gun Rights
Gun users battle Ottawa’s firearms ban at Supreme Court
The federal government will defend its 2020 ban on assault-style firearms at the Supreme Court of Canada on Monday, taking on an array of challengers that argue Ottawa exceeded its legal authority.
Second Amendment Roundup: Viramontes Is Not Moot
Cook County includes AK-47 rifles to be among “AR-15 platform weapons”
The Peaceful Second Amendment Revolution
How the right was restored from its nadir half a century ago
Hide the Decline
Environment &“Green Energy”
Climate Hysterics Sense a Betrayal Coming
The New York Times editorial board is sold. “Democrats,” its headline advised, “take the deal.”
Natural gas Is “cleaner” – But only when Maura Healey says so
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has apparently made an important discovery: natural gas is good after all. After spending years opposing natural gas pipelines and pursuing legal action against energy companies, Healey now says the Commonwealth needs more of the very fuel she worked so hard to keep out.
The Coming ‘Nature Rights’ Tar-Pit Bureaucratic Nightmare
The “nature rights” movement would grant personhood and the “rights to exist, persist, maintain and regenerate its vital cycles, structure, functions and its processes in evolution” to geological features, ecological systems, flora and fauna, and indeed all that is.
Socialized Medicine
Government in Healthcare
US loses measles elimination status amid surge in cases: report
The U.S.’s measles elimination status has been revoked after 26 years as the highly contagious disease continues to spread across the country, marking a major setback for public health officials amid declining vaccination rates.
A ‘kind offer’ of death sent this couple running from universal healthcare
Kristin Logan and Donovan James returned to America three times for emergency care amid Canada’s high wait times
War & Terror
Video shows soldier reprimanding Hegseth and advisers at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
A US Army sentinel guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a group of his senior advisers Wednesday after some in the group laughed and talked near the solemn memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony.
The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month
The moment the hands of the clock registered eleven in the morning on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, the guns of August fell silent and World War I ended. The war would not officially conclude until the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919.
Of Course Vance Can’t Execute an Iran Policy He Publicly Scorns
Donald Trump has removed JD Vance from negotiations with Iran, announcing on Truth Social, “I have asked Vice President Vance to focus his complete and total attention on the Massive Corruption and Crime taking place in Democrat run Cities and States throughout the U.S.” Trump is currently saying that he doesn’t need to negotiate with Iran: “We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed. . . . We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!”
The Blockade Squeezes Iran, JD Vance
On Wednesday afternoon, the Wall Street Journal caught wind of JD Vance’s latest contribution to Donald Trump’s mounting headaches. Convinced, as he claims to be, that the conflict with Iran is the beginning and end of the GOP’s troubles, the vice president is reportedly open to a face-to-face meeting with Mohsen Rezaei, a former IRGC commander and secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Trump Boots Vance From Iran War
Last week, J.D. Vance made waves by declaring that the Iran War and Israel cost Republicans control of Congress. Today, Vance finds himself removed from both – by executive order.
Lutnick stalled Trump’s Nvidia–China chip curbs after Oval talks
President Trump on Thursday authorized a crack down on companies suspected of diverting Nvidia’s advanced AI chips to China for the third time this year — even consulting Elon Musk before giving the go-ahead.
The American Surrender to Russia Continues
On the menu today: Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting with Vladimir Putin again, as Russia wrapped up the most recent round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi by attacking power plants, and cargo ships carrying grain, with their head negotiator declaring, “Every inch of our land will be returned” and describing Ukraine as “an abscess that burst.” Going great, fellas. Meanwhile, the Trump administration apparently believes that offering Putin a veto over which countries are allowed into NATO will calm things down, and the president reportedly believes that the memorandum of understanding with Iran he signed in June was a costly mistake. Who could have imagined that a treaty signed in Versailles wouldn’t work out well in the end? Read on.
Vance Lost His Iran Talks Because He Became a Figure of Ridicule in Tehran
The big Iran-related story today is Vice President JD Vance’s demotion by President Trump from “Iran guy” to “Anything but Iran guy.”
China’s Military Purges Accelerate
Chris Buckley, the New York Times’ chief China correspondent, published an extremely interesting report today on Xi Jinping’s ongoing purge of the highest ranks of the People’s Liberation Army.
US has floated Ukraine ceding Donbas for Nato membership, Zelensky says
US negotiators have touted the idea of Ukraine withdrawing its remaining forces from the eastern Donbas region in exchange for Nato membership, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.
National
Hegseth Impeachment Vote Imminent
There is a significant chance that one or more articles will be approved.
How Erick Erickson Is Handling the Democratic Midterm Landslide on Talk Radio
“You don’t want to burn out the audience. My general rule, though, is if I’m tired of talking about a topic, they must be. But also, my show is always guided by what is the big news of the day.”
Las Vegas state senator selected as majority leader
Democratic State Sen. Edgar Flores was selected as the next Senate Majority Leader, the Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus announced Thursday.
A Much Shallower Pool in 2033
The crushing defeats that Republicans suffered in the midterm Senate elections mean that the pool of attractive Supreme Court candidates will be dramatically shallower when a Republican president next has a good opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice
‘Time to Clean Up!’ Victor Davis Hanson Calls on Trump to Stop ‘Obvious Corruption’
Veteran conservative pundit and author Victor Davis Hanson is calling on President Donald Trump to “clean up” corruption in government, including within his own administration.
California university to host ‘Decolonizing Your Food’ event
A university in California is planning to host a ‘Decolonizing Your Food’ workshop later this month. Four university centers and departments are collaborating to host the workshop.
Police Probe ‘Suspicious’ Illness After 27 Runners Fall Sick at California Race
The symptom accounts of the runners are disturbing, and included hallucinations and forgetting long stretches of the run.
Short Circuit: An inexhaustive weekly compendium of rulings from the federal courts of appeal
Tear gas in your home! Pepper balls in your face! But no carte blanche for your LinkedIn.
Schumer allies voice confidence, argue Van Hollen challenge about ending ‘filibuster’
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s (N.Y.) allies are predicting he will get more than 40 votes in his leadership contest against Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) while slamming the challenge as a “distraction.”
Economy & Taxes
Tax Carve-Outs Didn’t Buy Republicans the Midterms
Republicans repeatedly tried to buy votes this election cycle. It doesn’t seem to have worked. But the wide margins for Democrats in the House and Senate also didn’t come with strong support for new and significantly higher taxes. If anything, the lesson is the opposite.
Inflation: Now Pushing 4 Percent
Inflation data for October are out, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and they are once again not good. Average prices rose by 0.4 percent in a single month — which would be 4.9 percent if annualized for a yearly pace — and by 3.8 percent over the past eleven months.
US existing home sales slump to more than 16-year low in October
US existing home sales fell to the lowest level in more than 16 years in October as rising mortgage rates and still-elevated house prices ?pushed potential buyers to the sidelines.
Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Abolish Credit Cards
Warren’s 10 percent interest cap could cut off credit for the very borrowers she promises to protect. Restricting legitimate credit could push vulnerable Americans toward pawnshops and loan sharks.
Wholesale inflation rose in October to highest annual rate in nearly four years
High energy prices continue to ripple through US supply chains, raising the costs for businesses and setting the stage for further increases in the coming months for American consumers.
Read My Lips: Tax Hikes Kill Trust in Republicans
We may be reaching the point of diminishing returns in my now-lengthy argument with Michael Brendan Dougherty on the relative contribution of the tariffs, the Iran war, and other factors to Republican losses in 2026. But Michael’s lengthy latest reply, under the title “What Caused the Blowout? The War” deserves a few further comments for its renewed effort to claim that Republicans would have lost nearly nothing of any consequence on Election Day without the war. If this is by now deep in the weeds, it is also, in my view, exactly the sort of debate for which National Review exists.
Software company with thousands of Fortune 500 clients joins Microsoft in experiencing major outage
Walmart, Target, Netflix and government agencies among 11,500 clients affected by the Workday service disruption
International
The two East German officials who accidentally brought down the Berlin Wall
The Cold War barrier was opened by a misinformed spokesman and a Stasi officer who wished to avoid bloodshed.
Nigeria: Axe-wielding men attack opposition campaign rally in Lagos
A group of men armed with axes, clubs and machetes have reportedly attacked an opposition rally in the run-up to presidential elections. Journalists were also attacked as victims pointed fingers at the ruling APC party.
Opinion
The Young Right’s Nauseating New Battle Cry
After Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts scolded the “venomous coalition” of conservatives who recoiled from Tucker Carlson and the cavalcade of bigots he so often features, but before Roberts’s organization melted down like a Soviet reactor, Heritage’s president tried to mollify his critics with an act of human sacrifice.
Stephen Miller: Heritage American
Trumpism has always been a grift, and it will keep being a grift.
The strange, sordid case of Trump, China and the AI chips
Democrats, you will soon be in charge of Congress. Rein in this national security mess.
A Debate over the Future of the Young Right
Yesterday, a line from one of the principals at a new outfit dedicated to cultivating “a younger crop of America First-aligned lawmakers” set me off: “Old ideas are for old people,” American Ascent’s Vice President Jackson Hines said.
Democrats’ Cold Peace
The Democratic Party’s sizable victories have papered over the simmering internecine conflicts that roiled from within during the primaries. For now, the mood in the party is jubilant, turning down the volume on the party’s discontents. But the Democrats’ restless revolutionaries won’t stay sidelined forever.
The Don Jr. Wedding May Be the Emblem of a Corrupt Age
‘Hogs get slaughtered,’ as the old saying goes — people will tolerate graft only up to a point.
When Were Conservatives Wrong About the ‘Slippery Slope’?
I’ve been thinking about other examples where conservatives were dismissed for “slippery slope” arguments — but time has since proved that their assessments were correct: Abortion, euthanasia, affirmative action, the sexual revolution (particularly the birth-control pill), gender ideology, mass immigration, and gun regulation all come to mind as policy areas or cultural phenomenons where we’ve seen the exact outcomes that progressives insisted would never happen. I dunno . . . maybe we should consider removing “slippery slope” from the list of logical fallacies?
Does Anyone Remember Who Our Enemies Are?
This shouldn’t be difficult.
President Trump Doesn’t Want a Post-Trump GOP
On the menu today: Today is Veterans Day; thank you, veterans. It is also the first day of the newly redesigned NationalReview.com, and our CEO Chuck DeFeo gives you a tour here. In addition to all kinds of bells and whistles — including a search engine that works! — the new site features 71 years of magazine archives now fully available in digital form to paid subscribers. If you haven’t checked it out already, you’re going to want to do so at the earliest opportunity.
John Thune and Houses
The House Republicans shook up their leadership yesterday, replacing Steve Scalise of Louisiana with Jim Jordan of Ohio. Senate Republicans stuck with John Thune, who had no one opposing him, only requests to delay the vote.
Start With Lutnick
In the SSRS Voter Poll conducted during early voting and on Election Day, with the voters who actually voted, ninety percent of voters said corruption was a crucial or major problem. Seventy percent of those voters voted for the Democrats. Having lost the House and the Senate, Republicans can spend the next two years arguing about why, or they can show voters they were listening. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick gives them the easiest place to start.
The Cancer of Character
The Republican Party has a cancer of character, and the election just showed us how far it has spread.
The Repudiation of Donald Trump’s GOP
Elections have delivered devastating results to one party before. We saw it happen 10 years ago, in fact. What is the difference between the devastating blow delivered to the Republican Party on November 3, 2026, and the pummeling of the Democrats in 2016? The latter was the climax of a process that took years to reach its apogee, culminating in Donald Trump’s surprise defeat of Hillary Clinton.
We Must Honor Military Ritual
A sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier reprimanded the crowd after laughter was heard from a group that included Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. On today’s episode of The Editors, Rich asks MBD about the importance of respecting military rituals.
Why Did JD Vance Post?
I don’t know what to make of the Kremlinology around Vance’s ouster from the Iran account. Maybe everything is fine between him and Trump; maybe if it’s not fine, it will blow over. But there’s no doubt that Trump has been very passive-aggressive in everything he’s said about what Vance posted on X after the election.
