eNewspaper | Crosswords | Horoscopes

On Politics

Mon Aug 17 2026

Jay Stahl | Senior Reporter

Hello, readers. Welcome back to On Politics. Jay Stahl here , a senior politics reporter at USA TODAY. It's Monday, and tomorrow is Election Day in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming. Read on for the latest coverage on President Donald Trump's legal battles, a key challenge for Zohran Mamdani and a pivotal contest in Alaska.

Another no from SCOTUS on Trump's E. Jean Carroll payout

The Supreme Court once again rejected an attempt by President Donald Trump's legal team to recoup his payment to writer E. Jean Carroll for sexually abusing and defaming her.

The court on Aug. 17 declined for a second time to reconsider Trump's appeal of a 2023 jury verdict in a civil suit brought by Carroll. Trump was forced to pay $5 million plus interest to Carroll after the court rejected his first appeal attempt on June 29.

r E. Jean Carroll leaves the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Sept. 6, 2024.

Adam Gray, Reuters

The long-running back-and-forth began in 2019 when Carroll claimed that the former New York businessman sexually assaulted her at a department store in 1996. In response, Trump said Carroll hatched the allegations to help sell her book.

A politics rundown

•	Trump's new AG Todd Blanche sidesteps pledge for DOJ independence
•	Trump threatens to bomb US ally
•	Progressives could face a major roadblock in Florida

Daily photo gallery: See moments from Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral campaign

Can a Democrat flip Sarah Palin's Alaska?

Former Rep. Mary Peltola could make history by flipping Alaska – a state Trump won three times in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

The ex-congresswoman is now locked in a bitter race to unseat GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Mary Peltola launches her campaign as a Democratic candidate for Senate in Anchorage, Alaska on Jan. 17, 2026. Reuters

Kerry Tasker, Reuters

An Aug. 11 Alaska Survey Research poll found that Peltola held a 1.6 percentage point edge over Sullivan. A New York Times/Siena poll in late June has Sullivan 2 points ahead, and an Alaska Survey Research poll in April shows Peltola with a 7-point lead.

Senate Democrats and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are hedging their bets on victories in red states – Iowa, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio and yes, Alaska – to help flip the upper chamber and hand back control to the party.

Mamdani's popularity surges in NYC but mayor faces one key struggle

Mayor Zohran Mamdani's popularity is strong in New York City, according to a recent Siena University poll, but he has work to do throughout the state.

The poll, conducted earlier this month, asked 811 potential New York voters about how they view Mamdani.

Mamdani yielded positive responses from those polled in New York City, where 69% of respondents saw Mamdani favorably, while 24% of respondents viewed him unfavorably. About 8% did not know or did not have an opinion. In New York State, about 47% viewed the mayor in a favorable light, while 44% saw him as unfavorable.

In New York State, the responses were starkly different. About 47% viewed the mayor in a favorable light, while 44% saw him as unfavorable.

Read more about what New York residents think about the mayor.

Enjoying On Politics? Subscribe here