Your top six political stories for Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

1. 1
   Primary Elections

   Key Primaries Unfold in Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming

   Voters are casting ballots today in key primary elections across Florida, Alaska, and Wyoming. In Florida, a contentious Republican primary will decide the nominee to replace term-limited Governor Ron DeSantis, while Alaska voters face a confusing Senate ballot featuring incumbent Dan Sullivan alongside a challenger with the exact same name.

2. 2
   International Trade

   Last-Minute Talks to Avert Massive U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Goods

   U.S. and Canadian officials are locked in marathon, last-minute negotiations to prevent a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian products. The sweeping tariffs, proposed by President Trump, are scheduled to take effect just after midnight on Wednesday.

3. 3
   Federal Government

   Report Finds Trump Administration Deleted Nearly 400 Federal Datasets

   A new tracker released by data policy experts reveals the Trump administration has deleted or altered at least 366 federal datasets over the past year and a half. The missing data spans environmental pollution readings, law enforcement misconduct records, and public health surveys.

4. 4
   Congressional Ethics

   House Ethics Committee Investigates Rep. Jimmy Gomez

   The House Committee on Ethics has officially launched an investigation into California Representative Jimmy Gomez. The bipartisan probe is reviewing allegations of sexual misconduct involving inappropriate contact with a congressional staffer.

5. 5
   National Security

   U.S. Casualties Rise in Iran Conflict as Trump Threatens Oman

   Ongoing hostilities in the Middle East are escalating as a quiet Pentagon database update reveals over 600 U.S. casualties related to the conflict with Iran. Simultaneously, President Trump is facing criticism for reportedly threatening to bomb Oman over interference with a U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

6. 6
   Election Integrity

   Trump Casts Mail-In Ballot While Bashing Voting Method

   President Trump reportedly cast a mail-in ballot for the Florida Republican primary last week, local voting records confirm. The move comes as he continues to publicly criticize mail-in voting as insecure and demands restrictive new voter ID legislation.