Michigan U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin — a potential Democratic 2028 presidential contender — has been picking the brains of President Donald Trump’s voters, conversations that provide a way for the Midwestern Democrat to hear what it might take for the party to win back parts of the country like Iowa, which swung from backing President Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 to Trump in the last three elections. Plus, Democrats' big tent moves in Michigan's Senate race, Tuesday's special election results and weekly picks from the bureau chief. |
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Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., speaks to voters in Indianola, Iowa, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/ Hannah Fingerhut) |
Sen. Elissa Slotkin meets with Trump voters in Iowa — By Hannah Fingerhut
Slotkin peppered five Iowa voters with questions about divisiveness in U.S. politics and issues affecting their communities. She also wanted to know what the voters would look for if they could “build a candidate in a test tube" and why they chose Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
“What would have gotten you to actually consider a Democrat?” Slotkin asked as the discussion winded down. She hadn’t told them yet she was one. Slotkin on Tuesday described a Democratic Party that has forgotten about the middle of the country, has spent too much time rehashing old fights and lacks coordination in delivering a strong counter to Trump.
“I’m pretty clear-eyed about the problems,” Slotkin told The Associated Press in an interview. “I’m interested in being a part of the next generation who’s going to rehab the Democratic brand.”
Read more of Fingerhut's reporting from Iowa on Slotkin's tactics. |
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President Donald Trump pretends to aim a sniper gun while speaking with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, April 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) |
How Trump went from threatening Iran’s annihilation to agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with Tehran — By Aamer Madhani, Will Weissert & Josh Boak — Aamer, Will and Josh's story that moved just hours after Trump announced the ceasefire gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the president went from threatening Iran's annihilation to agreeing to a halt in attacks.
Photos of Trump’s Monday, talking Iran at Easter Egg Roll and mimicking a sniper in the press room — By Alex Brandon, Julia Demaree Nikhinson & Mark Schiefelbein
— From the annual Easter Egg Roll, to Trump talking about the Iran war in the White House Briefing Room, Alex, Julia and Mark's photographs truly captured the day.
Mullin pledges progress on disaster relief during his first official trip as DHS secretary — By Rebecca Santana & Gabriela Aoun Angueira
— Rebecca traveled to North Carolina to report on newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin as he toured areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024. She and Gabriela explained how Mullin is signaling a different approach to FEMA. |
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AP Elections Spotlight: GOP candidate wins MTG's former seat |
Republican candidate Clay Fuller smiles as election results roll in during an election night watch party, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Ringgold, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) |
The big picture: Republican Clay Fuller on Tuesday won Marjorie Taylor Greene’s former U.S. House seat in Georgia, turning back a Democratic challenge with the help of Trump’s endorsement despite uneasiness over the war in Iran.
The numbers: In a deep red district that Greene won by 29 points and Trump carried by almost 37 points two years ago, Fuller was on track to prevail by about 12 points with almost all votes counted. The result added to a string of special elections where Democrats performed better than expected, a track record that the party hopes will create momentum toward November's midterm elections when control of Congress hangs in the balance.
And in Wisconsin: In another election held Tuesday, a Democratic-backed candidate for the state Supreme Court won by double-digit margins, growing the liberal majority there. Read more from Jeff Amy on this week's special election results. |
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AP is there: Testing Democrats' big tent in Michigan |
Hasan Piker, left, listens as Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Michigan, speaks in a green room before a campaign rally, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) |
Handing it over to JOEY CAPPELLETTI, our politics reporter on the ground in Michigan this week:
"Online streamer Hasan Piker has become a flashpoint inside the Democratic Party, with critics accusing the controversial 34-year-old of using hateful and antisemitic rhetoric and questioning whether candidates should align with him. But outside packed university venues in Michigan, long lines told a different story, with students waiting to see him appear alongside progressive Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed. Some acknowledged they disagreed with Piker’s past comments — but said they valued his willingness to take on the Trump administration."
Read more of Cappelletti's reporting on the Michigan Senate race. |
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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance gesture at the end of a pre-election rally in Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos) |
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