Afternoon Sun: Achilles’ Tar Heel

Good afternoon. This is the Afternoon Sun newsletter for Oct. 6, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!

THE LATEST

The Cook Political Report shifted three Senate seats leftward today: Kansas became a “toss up,” North Carolina became “likely D” and New Hampshire became “lean D.”

• A top Senate Democratic super PAC removed about $1.1 million in broadcast ad reservations in North Carolina after Republicans retreated last week.

Scoop: Donald Trump’s meme coin firm wants you to buy. Insiders are preparing to sell.

THE ADMINISTRATION

The White House confirmed that Trump doesn’t plan to reimburse the federal government for the taxpayer money already spent on what he’s called “Patriotic Ads,” despite the fact that he pledged on Truth Social to “pay for them myself.”

A former FBI supervisor alleged that Trump pushed the bureau to investigate anti-ICE protesters in Los Angeles after agents found no evidence they had committed a crime.

The DOJ is recruiting criminal prosecutors as part of its expanded election-monitoring effort for November, breaking with a long-standing practice of using only civil attorneys and non-attorney staffers.

The Russian oligarch who helped bankroll Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration says the president’s eldest son has paid him back.

THE STATES

Republican Paul LePage, who is running for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, violated federal ethics law by failing to properly disclose details about his personal finances.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said he pulled out of Trump’s event to announce plans for a new shipyard in Baltimore today after being told he wouldn’t be allowed to speak.

THE COURTS

A federal judge denied Stars and Stripes ombudsman Jacqueline Smith’s request to be reinstated — but did not outright dismiss her case, which alleges her firing violated her First Amendment rights.

Former Olympian David Hearn’s lawyers demanded watchdogs at the Justice and Interior departments examine what led to “the government’s ‘extraordinary’ abuses” after their client was charged with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

• Trump continues to say the water feature was vandalized: “Only sick people do that, and we have their pictures,” he told reporters at the White House today.

A former senior CIA official pleaded guilty to a charge that he abused his position and government funds to enrich himself by acquiring Florida real estate and hundreds of gold bars worth tens of millions of dollars, according to court records.

NOT US, THOUGH

Thank you for reading! Today’s newsletter was produced by Kelly Poe and Erik Schutz. If you liked it, please forward it to a friend. If someone shared it with you, please sign up — it’s free! Got a tip or comments to share? Email us at newsletters@washsun.com.