The Hill’s 12:30 Report — New GOP headache in the final midterm sprint

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–> A midday take on what’s happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.* 

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha–breaks down crying hysterically. 

TALK OF THE MORNING 

If you listen reaaaally closely, you can hear Republicans angrily whispering for Lindsey Graham to be quiet: 

Less than two months out from a midterm election that once strongly favored Republicans’ chances of regaining control over both chambers of Congress, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) added to Republicans’ headaches. 

How?: Graham pledged on Tuesday that Republicans will vote on a 15-week abortion ban if they win control of the Senate in November. 

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) won’t go near that proposal with a 10-foot pole: “With regard to his bill, you’ll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference prefer this be dealt with at the state level,” McConnell told reporters when asked about the bill. 

And same with Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.): “No,” Thune said when asked if Graham’s bill is endorsed by leadership. 

Graham basically sent a gift to Democrats on an otherwise bad day for them: “Graham’s bold proclamation was a lifeline to Senate Democrats having a bad day: The Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday reported that inflation reached 8.3 percent in August compared to a year ago, with prices rising 0.1 percent last month despite a drop in gas prices.”  

Why: The issue of abortion rights has energized Democratic voters and stoked the fears of many Americans. 

How this could play out on Capitol Hill — and on the campaign trail, via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton 

MEANWHILE, THE GAY MARRIAGE PROTECTION BILL ISN’T IN GREAT SHAPE: 
Politico’s Burgess Everett tweeted, “Growing doubt about same-sex marriage bill getting 10 Republican votes in Senate, per sources. GOP whip Thune on prospects of getting 10 in immediate future: ‘I’m not seeing it.’”  

BUT IT ISN’T ALL BUTTERFLIES AND ROSES FOR DEMOCRATS, EITHER: 
The New York Times’s Jim Tankersley writes that a “sobering inflation report dampens Biden’s claims of economic progress.” How so? 

It’s Wednesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. 

👑 Across the pond 

The Queen has returned to London:

AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin flew from Balmoral to London on Tuesday, arriving at Buckingham Palace in the evening. 

Beginning today: The late queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall until her funeral on Monday. Details from The Associated Press 

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: 

Watch her coffin being carried from Buckingham Palace to Westminster: “The Queen’s coffin has left Buckingham Palace for the Palace of Westminster, carried on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. The Princess Royal, Prince Harry and King Charles are among the royal family members walking behind the coffin.” Video from ITV News 

The plane carrying the coffin set a flight-tracking record: Roughly 5 million people followed the flight tracker of the coffin’s trip to London on Tuesday. What was the previous record?: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) controversial trip to Taiwan last month — roughly 3 million watched that flight. Details from CNN 

Crowds gathered at Hyde Park to watch the coffin process: Video 

The gang had dinner together last night: CNN’s Max Foster reports that the Royal family had dinner together after receiving the late queen’s coffin at Buckingham Palace.  

A lighter tidbit — this is extremely relatable, King Charles III: CBS News tweeted video of King Charles III getting frustrated about a pen that isn’t working. “Oh God, I hate this … I can’t bear this bloody thing!” Watch — it has more than 14.3 million views already  

BTW, JOE BIDEN CALLED KING CHARLES III EARLIER TODAY: 
President Biden called King Charles III to offer his condolences on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

🍊In Mar-a-Lago 

The list of problems is getting closer to 99: 

Via The Hill’s Brett Samuels, “Former President Trump is facing a new political quagmire as Senate Democrats open an investigation into allegations he pressured the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate his political opponents.”  

How so?: “Former U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman wrote in a new book that the Justice Department under Trump pushed his office to pursue criminal cases against former Secretary of State John Kerry and others viewed as political opponents of Trump.” 

Are Democrats looking into the allegations?: Yes, according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) 

What we know

🗳 On the campaign trail 

It’s looking like Sen. Maggie Hassan will be running against a 2020 election denier: 

The Associated Press called the New Hampshire Republican Senatorial primary for retired Army general Don Bolduc on Wednesday. His opponent, Chuck Morse, had conceded.

Keep in mind about Bolduc: Bolduc believes former President Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. The state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu, would not endorse Bolduc’s primary bid and said it could hurt the GOP’s chances of winning that race if Bolduc takes the nomination. “He’s kind of a conspiracy theorist-type candidate,” Bolduc told WGIR radio in August.  

^ Yes, but: Sununu told reporters over the weekend that he would ultimately endorse the eventual nominee. More from The Washington Examiner’s David M. Drucker 

WHY THIS IS WELCOMED NEWS FOR SENATE DEMOCRATS: 
CNN’s Chris Cillizza writes that “Tuesday was another bad day for Senate Republicans’ 2022 chances.” How Bolduc is creating a headache for the GOP 

FULL PRIMARY RESULTS: 
From WMUR 

OK, SO THE PRIMARY SEASON IS OVER. HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DID TRUMP ACTUALLY HAVE?:  

Former President Trump had success in backing many primary winners, but it’s now unclear how many of those candidates could win a general election. Five takeaways from The Hill’s Niall Stanage 

I repeat. Secretary Mayor Pete can have many more jobs, but he will always be Mayor Pete to me:  

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is already fueling 2024 chatter with his cryptic answer about whether he would run for president again. 

Buttigieg told Vox Media’s Code Conference last week: “You don’t run for an office — well, maybe some people do — because you always wanted to,” he said. “But I think you run for an office because you notice something about the office, and something about yourself, and something about the moment that adds up … So who knows what the future is going to call me.”  

Buttigieg’s play: “For now, Buttigieg is keeping his cards close to his chest. But the former South Bend mayor has remained visible since first angling for the nomination in 2020, and fellow Democrats have taken note. Buttigieg has been the public face of the bipartisan infrastructure bill President Biden signed into law in November, one of his earliest political wins that carried limping Democrats through tough times when other legislation was crumbling on Capitol Hill.” 

And Buttigieg hasn’t been avoiding the early nominating states.  

What Democratic insiders are saying about Buttigieg’s political future, via The Hill’s Hanna Trudo

🦠 Latest with COVID 

➤ THE COVID-19 NUMBERS 

Cases to date: 95.1 million 

Death toll: 1,045,559 

Current hospitalizations: 26,223 

Shots administered: 610 million 

Fully vaccinated: 67.6 percent of Americans 

CDC data here.

🐥Notable tweets 

IYKYK: 

“30 Rock” tweeted, “What a week, huh?” It’s not an unusual tweet from the NBC account referring to the famous quote, but sometimes, it just hits differently. 😉 

⏱On tap 

The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Detroit. Vice President Harris is in Buffalo, N.Y. 

• 8:30 a.m.: Biden received his daily briefing. 
• 8:45 a.m.: Biden left for Detroit. 
• 10:25 a.m.: Harris left for Buffalo, N.Y. 
• 11:15 a.m.: Biden toured the Detroit Auto Show. 
• 11:30 a.m.: A Senate judicial confirmation vote and a cloture vote on a second judicial nomination. Wednesday’s Senate agenda 
• 12:15 p.m.: Harris participates in a clean energy and sustainability tour at the GROW Clean Energy Center at The State University of New York at Buffalo. 
• 1:45 – 3:30 p.m.: First and last House votes. Wednesday’s House agenda 
• 3:10 p.m.: Harris participates in a Democratic National Committee reception. 
• 4:30 p.m.: Harris leaves for Washington, D.C. 
• 5:40 p.m.: Biden returns to the White House. 

All times Eastern. 

📺What to watch 

• This morning: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) held her weekly press conference. Video 
• 1:45 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks highlighting the electric vehicle manufacturing boom in America. Livestream 
• 2 p.m.: Harris delivers remarks an Inflation Reduction Act Climate Event in Buffalo. Livestream 

🍩 In lighter news 

Today is National Cream-Filled Doughnut Day. 

And to leave you with a smile, here’s a puppy who is sorting out the kinks of a mirror.