House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has privately floated embracing the wholesale elimination of the debt limit next year rather than simply raising it, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: President-elect Trump will almost certainly need Democratic votes when the debt limit's "X-date" is reached — which experts say could be as soon as mid-June.

• Republicans have a significant bloc of debt and deficit hawks who will likely vote against raising the debt ceiling under any circumstances.
• That gives the Democratic leader considerable leverage to use the debt limit to force concessions.

State of play: House Democrats ruled out touching the debt ceiling as part of the government funding negotiations.

• When the funding fight is wrapped up, Jeffries has said, his party may engage with Trump's demand that the debt ceiling be done away with, according to a senior Democratic lawmaker and two other sources familiar with the matter.

Zoom out: Trump stunned Capitol Hill on Thursday by vowing to "lead the charge" to abolish the debt ceiling as part of a government funding bill.

• Democrats opted for formal opposition to the idea — with many arguing it would simply be a blank check for Trump's tax cuts.
• But scrapping the debt ceiling is a proposal many in the party have long embraced — and some Democrats like Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) couldn't help but endorse Trump's stipulation.

What we're hearing: Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), Jeffries' leader on the House Budget Committee, has been telling colleagues "all week" that they should push for the elimination of the debt limit, a House Democrat told Axios.

• Boyle introduced a bill with dozens of his House Democratic colleagues last year to allow the Treasury Department to keep paying down the federal debt unless a veto-proof majority of Congress votes to stop them.
• He told Axios: "I believe 2025 is the time to permanently end the perennial debt ceiling dysfunction. I have been advocating for my Debt Ceiling Reform Act, which would end the debt ceiling as we know it."

Zoom in: Eliminating the debt limit has also been discussed amongst Senate Democrats, with Warren raising the issue in private caucus meetings this week, per sources.

• Warren will become the top Democrat on the influential Senate Banking Committee next year, shaping the caucus' messaging on fiscal fights next year.

Yes, but: Trump would likely have trouble with his own side and face pressure to back off eliminating the debt ceiling if he pursues it.

• Nearly 40 Republicans voted with Democrats against a government funding bill on Thursday that included a two-year debt limit extension.
• That vote came even after Trump's potent threat of primary challenges against Republicans who defy him.

The bottom line: One senior Democratic aide told Axios that Elon Musk's involvement in spending negotiations had poisoned the well and that the party was focused on averting a government shutdown.

• If that is done, the aide said, the party would engage in discussions about how to address the debt limit.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) confirmed his 235th federal judge on Friday, breaking the record set by Republicans under the first Trump administration.

Why it matters: It's the most confirmations in a single term since the Carter administration and the end of the line for Democratic judicial nominees for at least four years.

• Schumer confirmed 22 federal judges in the Senate's lame-duck session. It was his top priority before leaving power.
• Schumer and Democrats beat the GOP record from the first Trump administration by just one judge.

The big picture: The 235 confirmations set a new benchmark that President-elect Trump and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) will undoubtedly try to best.

• Schumer confirmed many of the judges with a bipartisan coalition of votes. He had just a one-seat majority for the last two years of the Biden administration.
• Thune will have more wiggle room in his first two years as leader, with a majority of three seats.

A small, bipartisan group of senators have been quietly sketching out a possible new border deal for early 2025, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Border and immigration reform is the white whale of Congress. It's also President-elect Trump's No. 1 priority.

• Top Senate Republicans plan to move quickly on a border package, using the budget reconciliation process to get it done.
• But the idea of a bipartisan border deal that could get 60 votes has popped up as GOP infighting drags on over the best path forward in Trump's first 100 days.

Zoom in: At least two Trump-state Democrats have been involved in the conversations, which Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) described as "very" serious and the details "very secret."

• "If we can do border separately — without reconciliation — then [Trump's] okay with" one reconciliation package, Mullin, who's been a key link between Trump, the Senate and the House, told Axios.
• Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is one of those Democrats.: "If there's willingness to work in a bipartisan way to do some stuff, not only on border security, but on immigration reform, I think it would be great."
• Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who is up for reelection next cycle, told Axios of the bipartisan border talks: "We're gonna be certainly engaged in efforts to make that happen."
• "There are all kinds of conversations — and I hope to be a part of them as they continue — aiming at comprehensive immigration reform," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said.

Between the lines: Politics have shifted on the border, with many Democrats — especially in states Trump won — moving to the right and embracing stricter enforcement measures to stem illegal border crossings and drug smuggling.

• Trump may have further made an opening by suggesting he would be willing to provide protections for DACA recipients —people who illegally entered the country as children.
• "We have to do something about the Dreamers because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age," Trump said in an interview earlier this month.
• That has long been the top immigration priority for Democrats.

Flashback: It was just last year that another bipartisan border deal was being hashed out by Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

• Despite serious concessions from both sides, the bill failed on the floor — in part because Trump wanted to campaign on the issue and didn't want to give Biden a win.
• Reconciliation could allow Senate Republicans to pass budget-related border measures with just 50 votes, rather than having to meet the 60-vote filibuster threshold. But there are limits on what they could do.

What to watch: There seems to be even more Democrats who would be willing to join conversations about a bipartisan border package.

• Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who — along with Trump — won in her state this year, told us she'd "like to be part of those conversations."
• Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) said conversations about a bipartisan border deal wouldn't surprise him, saying "we've been clear as Democrats in the Senate that we're willing to work with our Republican colleagues to solve this problem."
• Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) also said he would support such a move. "I've been very clear that we need a secure border, absolutely... but also, I read that the President-elect even discussed protecting through DACA."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will unveil on Wednesday his list of Senate Democrats who get top committee positions, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: These Senate Democrats will Schumer's top lieutenants to fight against Republican nominees and legislative priorities starting next year.

• Ranking members are the top member of the minority party on each committee, giving them a prominent voice in the resistance against the majority's platform.
• There are new faces for Schumer on prestigious panels like Banking, Foreign Relations and Energy.

The assignments:

• Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Agriculture
• Sen. Patty Murray, Appropriations
• Sen. Jack Reed, Armed Services
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Banking
• Sen. Maria Cantwell, Commerce
• Sen. Martin Heinrich, Energy
• Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Environments and Public Works
• Sen. Ron Wyden, Finance
• Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Foreign Relations
• Sen. Bernie Sanders, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
• Sen. Gary Peters, Homeland Security
• Sen. Mark Warner, Intelligence
• Sen. Dick Durbin, Judiciary
• Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Aging
• Sen. Jeff Merkley, Budget
• Sen. Maggie Hassan, Joint Economic
• Sen. Alex Padilla, Rules
• Sen. Ed Markey, Small Business
• Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Veterans' Affairs
• Sen. Chris Coons, Ethics
• Sen. Brian Schatz, Indian Affairs

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has two to go to beat GOP leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) record on confirming judges.

• Schumer plans to confirm those two lifetime appointment judges this week, surpassing McConnell's 234 during the first Trump administration.

Why it matters: Schumer's final confirmations are the Democratic Party's final shot at confirming their own nominees for at least four years.

• Schumer has moved 20 judicial nominees through the Senate during the lame duck session.
• Schumer had a one-seat majority for the last two years of the Biden administration.
• Vice President Harris voted seven times to break a tie in the chamber over a judicial nominee.

Schumer cut a deal in November with top Senate Republicans to not move forward on four nominees who lacked the support to be confirmed.

• In exchange, Republicans stopped dragging out procedural votes that Schumer needs in order to confirm nominees.

Congressional leaders Tuesday unveiled legislation to keep the government funded until March 14, unleashing a mad dash to pass the bill by the end of the week.

Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) next challenge is to find a way to ram the bill through the chamber while facing heat from his right flank over his handling of the government funding negotiations.

• The bill includes around $100 billion in disaster relief, a one-year extension of the farm bill and provisions restricting U.S. investments in China.
• It also includes a provision that would allow the NFL's Washington Commanders to return to the RFK Stadium site, as well as sweeping health care reforms, the details of which we reported earlier Tuesday.
• The stopgap bill sets up a government funding fight right at the end of President-elect Trump's first 100 days in office, adding to an already-full plate awaiting lawmakers next year.

The big picture: The package includes wins for both Republicans and Democrats.

• The mid-March end date for the short-term bill gives Republicans the opportunity to control funding levels for the second half of fiscal 2025.
• The billions in disaster relief is a win for Democrats and Republicans in states affected by hurricanes this year — President Biden submitted a request for the funding last month. The package also includes $10 billion in economic aid for farmers.
• The restrictions on investments in China are a bipartisan win, and all four corners of congressional leadership wanted to see it make the funding bill. It was pulled out of the year-end defense authorization package last week.

The bottom line: Time is running short. Current funding runs through Dec. 20.

The spending stopgap bill being negotiated by Congress will fund the government until March 14, 2025, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.

Why it matters: That timeline sets up Congress for a government funding battle toward the tail end of President-elect Trump's first 100 days in office.

• Congressional leaders have settled on a final date for the funding bill but there are still outstanding issues, including what policies will be attached to the package.
• Text for the funding bill is expected to be released as soon as Friday but over the weekend at the latest.

The big picture: Congressional Republicans are setting themselves up for a breakneck first 100 days under the Trump administration, with the funding fight likely to come after other large legislative pushes.

• Conservatives want to move quickly on a border package and extend the Trump-era tax cuts. Both of those goals will take a lot of time, energy and negotiating.

Between the lines: What rides on this year-end funding bill is still unclear.

• Leaders entered negotiations with a goal of attaching a number of China related bills to the package.
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is also open to the idea of attaching a bill which would allow the NFL's Washington Commanders to return to the RFK Stadium site, Axios scooped last night. But it's unclear if it will make the cut.

Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) threw his support behind Senate Republican leadership's plan to move a border package as the party's first big legislative push at an Axios event on Thursday morning.

Why it matters: The plan from top Senate Republicans has split the party. Key House conservatives want to move one big package that also includes a major tax bill.

• Moreno, a Trump-endorsed conservative, told Axios' Stef Kight that a two-step legislative process makes "much more sense."
• Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) wants to move a border package before acting on a tax bill, which is another one of the GOP's top priorities.
• "Republicans need that little muscle memory around winning and getting things done," Moreno said.

The big picture: Thune's plan has been met with support from fellow Senate Republicans, including allies of President-elect Trump like Moreno.

• But House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), who is the top tax Republican in the House, has bristled at the plan.

Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) delivered their potentially final rebuke to outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today, surprising him with two "no" votes on a nomination that was deeply important to their old party.

Why it matters: Schumer is closing out the Biden presidency the same way he started it: Wondering if he can count on Manchin and Sinema.

• Both senators, in their own dramatic way, voted to defeat the nomination of Lauren McFarren for another term on the National Labor Relations Board.
• Sinema showed up for her first Senate vote since the Thanksgiving holiday and voted "no" on a procedural vote to kill McFarren's nomination.

With Manchin absent in the Senate, and the vote tied at 49-49, a potential tie-breaking vote from Vice President Harris was possible.

• But Manchin raced across town from a previous engagement to deliver the fatal blow, 50-49.

Zoom in: Schumer was under enormous pressure from progressive senators and labor groups to try to grandfather in Democratic control of the NLRB for the first two years of Trump's presidency.

• With Senate Republicans struggling with absenteeism, Democrats thought they had a shot.
• Leading up to the vote, it was a mystery among many Democratic senators how Manchin and Sinema would vote.

What they are saying: Manchin, who had kept all of Washington guessing on his position, claimed it wasn't even a close call.

• "This is not a surprise to anyone," he said after voting, citing McFarren's position on a new joint employer rule. "It's not personal."

In a statement shortly after the vote, Schumer didn't hide his anger.

• "It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes," Schumer said.

The other side: Republicans had nearly perfect attendance, with only Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), who had a planned orthopedic surgery, missing the vote. GOP leaders were aware of his expected absence, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Zoom out: For the last four years, Manchin and Sinema have aggravated both President Biden and the Democratic Party they used to call home.

• In the summer of 2021, Manchin took a chainsaw to Biden's $3.5 trillion Build Back Better agenda and articulated his own redlines. He knocked out key provisions — like extending the Child Tax Credit — and then ultimately killed it.
• He later revived a much smaller package. Then Sinema decided to raise her concerns.
• She fought against some of the corporate tax increases, as well as a plan to target so-called carried interest.
• The two of them also helped to sink previous Biden nominations, including Julie Sue for labor secretary and Saule Omarova for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The bottom line: Yes, they tend to vote with Schumer on judges, but Democrats they are clearly not.

• Sinema formally left the Democratic Party in late 2022. Manchin did the same in March of this year.

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is telling colleagues that negotiations to allow the Washington Commanders to return to the RFK Stadium site are making progress — and a deal could be included in the short-term spending bill, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Schumer still wants Maryland, the NFL and the Commanders to reach an agreement that satisfies all parties. It's not clear that they have done so.

• But Schumer's indication he might attach the House-passed legislation to the spending bill opens up a massive hole for the Commanders — and fans of returning football to the nation's capital — to run through this year. The team currently plays about five miles from D.C., at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.

Driving the news: The Commanders want the option of building a new stadium at RFK and have worked to reach an agreement.

• Schumer has been speaking directly with N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell, Commanders owner Josh Harris and the Maryland senators for status reports on the negotiations, according to people familiar with the matter.
• If a deal is reached, Schumer would support including it in the short-term spending bill, according to people familiar with the matter.

Zoom out: If Congress passes legislation for a redevelopment bill this year, the city and the Washington Commanders can consider a massive new sports and entertainment district, with a potential football stadium on the 190-acre site.

• The city of D.C. is broadly supportive. Mayor Muriel Bowser said last month a redevelopment would bring "affordable housing, world-class recreational facilities, green spaces and economic opportunity for District residents and visitors alike."

The bottom line: Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) had been holding up the House legislation since May, but he's indicated he's no longer opposed, according to people familiar with the matter.

• Maryland's political leaders have brought their own demands to the negotiations, according to the Washington Post.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is mounting a last-ditch fight to keep the National Labor Relations Board under Democratic control for the next two years under President-elect Trump.

Why it matters: For big labor and big business, the NLRB is crucially important.

• It has broad discretion to referee disputes between employers of workers across the economy, from Amazon to Starbucks.
• Democrats have an opportunity to lock in a 3-2 majority, but only if they can find 50 votes to extend Lauren McFerran's tenure.
• Schumer filed cloture on Monday on another five-year term for McFerran, setting up a procedural vote on Wednesday.

Schumer has two paths to win confirmation:

• He'll need GOP absences or defections, or assurances from either Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) or Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) that their concerns about the NLRB have been addressed. Those two haven't indicated how they'll vote.

Driving the news: Senate Democrats and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders —have privately pressed Schumer to ensure a Democratic majority until August 2026, when vacancies will give Republicans a shot to have their own 3-2 advantage.

• With two weeks left in session, time is running out, raising concerns in the labor movement that the vote isn't a top priority for Schumer.
• Without reconfirmation, the board will likely tip in favor of Republicans early next year when Trump starts filling open seats after his inauguration. McFerran's term expires next week.

What we're watching: No one seems to know if Manchin is still as angry with the NLRB when he voted against the last Democratic nominee in September 2023.

• But his staff isn't giving Schumer any reason to be optimistic.
• In that 2023 vote, Democrat Gwynne Wilcox relied on the votes of the two Alaska senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, to win confirmation.
• Another x-factor is Sinema's attendance. She didn't vote last week.

The bottom line: Schumer has been focusing on confirming federal judges to lifetime positions before Democrats hand over the majority to Republicans next year.

• While judges wear their robes for life, there are nearly 1,500 of them.
• There are five seats on the NLRB.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Mike Johnson are staring each other down over a bill aimed at curbing antisemitism, we have learned.

Why it matters: Schumer promised Jewish leaders earlier this year that he would try to pass the bill this Congress. Now he's shifting blame to Johnson if Congress doesn't act.

• Schumer wants the Antisemitism Awareness Act — aimed at college campuses — attached to one of the year-end packages that must pass Congress, like the National Defense Authorization Act.
• But Johnson wants Schumer to put the bill on the Senate floor by itself, according to sources.

"We are trying to get them to do it," Schumer told Axios, referring to the House.

• "I have offered several times to get it in either the NDAA or the appropriations bill," he said.
• "Republicans are clearly feeling the pressure to get this done via the NDAA, which Sen. Schumer has long said is the best and fastest way," said a Schumer spokesperson. "The Republican leadership won't take yes for an answer."

Driving the news: With his narrow majority, Johnson has indicated to allies that attaching too many unrelated items to the National Defense Authorization Act could imperil its passage.

• House Republicans are trying to make it easier for Johnson to include it by suggesting he also attach legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court, according to people familiar with the matter.
• That sanctions bill previously passed the House 247-155 with 42 pro-Israel Democrats voting in its favor.

Zoom out: The antisemitism legislation also overwhelmingly passed the House in the summer, but it has divided Democrats.

• If it isn't passed this year, Republicans are eager to act on it in 2025, when they'll have the Senate majority.
• That would force Senate Democrats to potentially take a difficult vote next year.

The bottom line: With limited time left on the calendar — and his priority set on confirming judges — Schumer is unlikely to put the antisemitism bill on the Senate floor on its own.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) late push to get landmark marijuana legislation passed this year looks doomed, sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: The next few weeks are Democrats' last chance to get the weed banking bill passed. Now it will have to find an unlikely way through a Republican-dominated Congress.

• The Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation Banking Act would protect banks that work with cannabis companies, giving the marijuana industry access to more sources of funding.
• Schumer pushed for the bill to be attached to must-pass packages before the end of this year, but sources tell us there is no path to getting it through the Senate this Congress.

The big picture: The marijuana bill has picked up bipartisan support but Republican leaders, including outgoing Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), are opposed to the legislation.

• It's proving difficult for the parties to get any bills to ride along with must-pass funding bills before the end of the year.
• Sources tell Axios the government funding package and a defense authorization bill are likely to be very narrow in focus, leaving little room for a bill like the cannabis banking one to get attached.

Yes, but: Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), an ally of GOP leadership, is a cosponsor of the bill, and it has bipartisan support.

• Schumer has long been a proponent of the legislation, and Axios is told he will continue to push for the bill's passage by the end of the year.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) remains on track to match — or break — the Trump-era record of judicial confirmations after a late-night deal with Republicans on Wednesday.

Why it matters: Schumer axed four judicial nominees in exchange for a path to passage for over a dozen judges through the end of the year.

• Schumer lacked the votes to fill the four vacancies that he will now leave open for the Trump administration, a spokesperson for the Democratic leader said.
• Republicans pulled Schumer to the negotiating table after dragging out judicial confirmation votes past midnight.
• Senate Democrats have confirmed 221 judges under the Biden administration — just 13 short of matching the GOP record from the first Trump administration.

The big picture: Schumer will hold confirmation votes on seven judicial nominees when lawmakers return to Washington in two weeks, putting him within striking distance of the first Trump administration number.

• The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday also advanced six more nominations that Schumer can now tee up for a floor vote. If all of those nominees are confirmed, he would match the 234 nominees confirmed by the GOP under Trump.
• The Senate Judiciary Committee will continue to report more nominees through the end of the year.

The bottom line: Republicans will be satisfied that in the weening days of their minority that they were able to keep four circuit court slots open for when they enter the majority next year.

• Democrats proved they are serious about jamming the nominees through the Senate, and Republicans proved that they were willing to go to the mat against Schumer's agenda.

A fight over judges is serving as incoming Senate GOP leader John Thune's (R-S.D.) first showdown against Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Why it matters: Schumer is racing to jam through dozens of President Biden's judicial confirmations before the end of the year to break Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) record during the first Trump administration.

• Thune personally presented a plan for an aggressive defense against Biden's last batches of judicial nominees during a regular leadership meeting Monday night, sources familiar told Axios.
• It's Thune's first big moment since being elected to serve as the next GOP leader.
• It's also sure to please some conservatives whose support he needed to get his leadership bid across the finish line — senators very familiar with procedural protest tactics.

Zoom in: That led to the Senate floor staying open past midnight as Republicans forced procedural votes to drag out the confirmation process.

• Republicans are mad at Schumer for prioritizing judges over other must-pass legislation like the Farm Bill, defense authorization and appropriations.
• President-elect Trump is egging on the fight, demanding Republicans prevent new judicial confirmations ahead of his inauguration.

🚪 Behind closed doors, Republican vs. Republican frustrations bubbled over Tuesday after missed votes that helped Schumer move forward on the nominations.

• Vice President-elect Vance (R-Ohio), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) were specifically called out, sources in the room told Axios.
• Vance defended himself in a since-deleted post on X by saying even if he had shown up to vote Monday night, it would not have changed the outcome.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, took point in urging colleagues not to skip inconvenient votes in case no-shows and a slim majority during the lame-duck session end up working in Democrats' favor.

🔥 Zoom out: Look for Schumer to consider repaying the favor next year when it's time to confirm Trump's nominees.

• Schumer and Democrats ground through GOP stall tactics Monday night into Tuesday and are expected to continue to do so.
• Schumer has dozens of federal judges he can tee up for floor votes over the next few weeks, and the Senate Judiciary Committee will put even more in the pipeline each Thursday.

The bottom line: Schumer has confirmed 217 federal judges under the Biden administration. He is 18 short of matching the 234 confirmed by McConnell.

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer heard a consistent, urgent alarm this week from Democrats who felt ambushed by GOP attacks on transgender people participating in women's sports, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The losses of Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) leave Democrats without a single member representing a truly red state.

• In two private postmortem meetings convened by Schumer, Democrats said the party was caught flat-footed by the attacks, even as many campaigns aired ads pushing back.
• The GOP spent over $77 million on ads about transgender issues in U.S. Senate races in 10 states dating back to July, as we reported last month from AdImpact data.

In Ohio alone, a super PAC linked to outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell spent over $32 million on anti-trans ads.

• One ad targeting Brown said he voted for "allowing trans biological men in girls' locker rooms" and "sex change surgery for kids."
• An ad from the Brown campaign called the GOP attacks a "complete lie" and asked voters to "reject the lies."

Gender-affirming care is backed as medically necessary for some people by leading health groups. That care rarely involves surgery for minors, even for older teens.

• Half of U.S. states have passed laws banning trans students from playing in sports consistent with their gender identity, including Montana and Ohio, though some are facing court challenges.

Zoom in: Battleground Democrats who both won and lost spoke in the internal Democratic meetings this week.

• In addition to Brown and Tester, speakers included Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).

Sources briefed on the meetings described them as "listening sessions" for Schumer and the rest of the Democratic caucus to hear about what went wrong — and right — on the campaign trail.

• Senate Democrats also discussed the impact the economy, specifically inflation, had on the campaigns, and how Dems message around it.

The bottom line: Several Democratic incumbents told their colleagues the support from the campaign arm of Senate Democrats and Schumer himself was the best they had received in any election year.

• 📞 Schumer has talked privately to every caucus member since the election.
• Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a top ally of President Biden, told Axios that "Schumer raised a stunning amount of money."

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.V.) suggested Thursday that he is open to voting for Democratic judicial nominees, even if they can't secure any Republican support.

Why it matters: Manchin pledged in the past he would only vote for nominees who could get at least one GOP vote. His reversal could be key to Democrats reaching a key milestone on federal judges.

• Manchin told Axios that "we're in different times right now" when asked about his previous pledge, adding that "my Republican friends are under the microscope."

Between the lines: With Republicans taking the Senate and White House in 2025, this is last call for Democrats on judges for at least four years.

• Manchin's vote is critical for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to confirm nominees in a 51-49 Senate. Judicial confirmations are the top priority for Schumer through the end of the year.
• Schumer told Senate Democrats in a private lunch Thursday that he is planning to move on more judges and told his caucus to prepare to be in town for long weeks, sources familiar with the meeting said.
• Manchin's position was first reported Thursday on "X" by Semafor's Burgess Everett.

The big picture: One judicial nomination this week got just one Republican vote — Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak.) — and Democratic sources have acknowledged they are concered that Republicans could drop all support in the lame-duck session.

• Senate Democrats confirmed three federal judges this week, bringing their total under the Biden administration to 215. They also advanced on Thursday two nominees to be considered on the floor. They are chasing the Trump record of 234 confirmations.
• Manchin said he would evaluate judges on a case by case basis, but that it was still important to work in a bipartisan manner.
• "I'm looking if there is an attempt to try to get a Republican" on each nomination, Manchin said.

Go deeper: Manchin opens door for Schumer on judicial confirmations

Democratic colleagues of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) were left in disbelief on Wednesday when President-elect Trump nominated both for high-ranking administration roles.

Why it matters: Democrats see a series of increasingly inflammatory and controversial picks coming from the incoming president, and they're using them to build an early case against his administration.

• "These are deeply unserious choices and to the surprise of no one who remembers the first Trump presidency, they signal a lot of chaos and incompetency to come," said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.).
• "I assumed that Trump's X account had been hacked ... This is insanity," said Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), adding that there is an "oppo library" on both nominees.

Driving the news: Trump said Wednesday that he is nominating Gabbard as his director of national intelligence and Gaetz as his attorney general.

• Gabbard, a Democrat-turned-Republican who served in Congress from 2013 to 2021, is a staunch anti-interventionist who has criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and defended Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
• Gaetz, who has been in Congress since 2017, was the subject of a now-closed Justice Department probe into allegations of child sex trafficking, which he has firmly denied, and is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee.

What they're saying: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Gaetz's nomination "probably ... the most questionable of any so far."

• "I think there will be very broad, deep-seated skepticism about his credibility and credentials. It seems like a highly surprising, even bizarre, choice," Blumenthal added.
• Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Gaetz would be a "disaster as the next Attorney General of the United States."

Zoom in: House Democrats also had little nice to say about either nomination.

• Kildee, a member of House Democratic leadership, told Axios that when he saw news of Gabbard's nomination – which came ahead of Gaetz's – he "thought it was the most outrageous news of the day. How quaint of me."
• Said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.), a House Judiciary Committee member: "I have no words."

Between the lines: There is no love lost between Gabbard and her onetime Democratic colleagues.

• A former Democratic National Committee vice chair who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Gabbard has broken decisively with the party in recent years and aligned closely with Trump.
• Kildee said the split "started a long time ago," and that "her full embrace of Bashar al-Assad was too much for many people to take."

Former President Trump shocked and appalled some Republican lawmakers on Wednesday by announcing plans to nominate Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for attorney general.

Why it matters: Republican reaction to even Trump's most controversial nominations has been muted so far, but placing the scandal-prone right-winger in the nation's highest law enforcement role is a step too far for many.

• "We wanted him out of the House ... this isn't what we were thinking," quipped one House Republican.

Driving the news: In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Gaetz as a "deeply gifted and tenacious attorney" who "has distinguished himself in Congress through his focus on achieving desperately needed reform at the Department of Justice."

• Gaetz followed up shortly thereafter with a post on X saying: "It will be an honor to serve as President Trump's Attorney General!"
• A graduate of William & Mary Law School, Gaetz briefly worked at a law firm before getting into politics. He was elected to Congress in 2016.
• A right-wing firebrand who led the successful charge to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Gaetz was the subject of a now-closed DOJ probe into allegations of child sex trafficking.

State of play: Gaetz will need at least 50 senators to get confirmed, meaning he can only afford to lose the votes of three Senate Republicans.

• "This shows why the advice and consent process is so important and I'm sure that there will be a lot of questions raised at his hearing," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) who added that she was "shocked" by the pick.
• Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) said Gaetz has "got his work really cut out for him" to get confirmed.

What they're saying: Many of Gaetz's own colleagues in the House GOP took the rare step of going on the record to disparage him, underscoring the depth of animosity towards him even among Republicans.

• "Gaetz has a better shot at having dinner with Queen Elizabeth II than being confirmed by the senate," said Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), referring to the British monarch who died in 2022.
• Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.), noting that Gaetz is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, said he would be "a compromised AG" and that "there are better choices."

The other side: Some Republicans said they will stand behind the choice, with Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) telling Axios, "I support the president."

• Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) told Axios in a text message that "of course" he backs Gaetz's nomination because he supports "any/all of DJT's nominations."

What we're hearing: Trump's announcement was met with audible gasps by House Republicans during a conference meeting on Wednesday afternoon, multiple sources in the room told Axios.

• One House Republican in the meeting described the conference's response as "stunned and disgusted."
• "My reaction ... was surprised," Ethics Committee Chair Michael Guest (R-Miss.) told reporters shortly after the announcement.
• "His name was not someone that I had heard and, to my knowledge, any other members of our conference had heard," Guest added.

What's next: The Ethics probe, which covers sex trafficking as well as allegations of illicit drug use, misuse of campaign funds and accepting bribes, would be closed if Gaetz resigns to become attorney general, Guest said.

• Gaetz has said he's innocent of all allegations in the probe.
• Republicans would also face an extremely narrow House majority if Gaetz is confirmed, with Trump also tapping Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) for roles in his administration.

The bottom line: Even Gaetz's allies concede he will have a tough time clinching the job.

• Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) called the nomination "wonderful" but said "it's going to be tough," because "he's got enemies in the Senate."

Go deeper: Matt Gaetz resigning from Congress "immediately," Johnson says

Editor's note: This article has been updated to add more reporting.