"A really big deal for our Country!" President Trump weighs in as GOP is likely to win US House seat in California.

"'This is going to be an important race,' Rove noted. 'The last time the Republicans took a Democratic congressional held seat in California was 1998, 22 years ago, and Mike Garcia right now, at least until the last couple of days, looked like he was building up a pretty good lead in the mail-in ballots.'" [Read the full story from Fox News.]

President Trump used Twitter to encourage voters to turn out for Mike Garcia, the Republican candidate in today's special election in California's 25th district (CA-25), calling it "a really big deal" for America.

Some Republicans, including the President, have complained about a "rigged election" after Democrats up-ended the voting process in the final days of the race.

Republicans on the U.S. House Committee on House Administration took the somewhat unusual step of laying out the case on Twitter last night, in a three-part tweet that highlighted how voting will be voting by mail "without correcting inaccuracies on the registered voters' list" as well as a single physical polling location "in a Democratic stronghold."

Nevertheless, the race is expected to be a GOP win -- the first of a Democratically held congressional seat in California in more than 20 years. That bodes well for President Trump and the Republican Party in the election year ahead. 

"What did Obama and Biden know and when did they know it?" The US Senate wants answers from the Obama Administration -- and that may include Joe Biden.

"Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley demanded answers from former President Barack Obama on the Senate floor Monday amid new revelations in recent weeks further exposing the Russiagate conspiracy claims as a deep-state coup attempt orchestrated by top officials in the previous administration." [Read the full story from The Federalist.]

The updates in the General Flynn case have led to new questions for the Obama Administration. Those questions increasingly center on a January 5, 2017 Oval Office meeting with President Obama, as The Federalist thoroughly documented in this timeline.

The Senate Judiciary Committee -- under the current GOP majority -- may ask Obama Administration officials to testify. The list may include major names like James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence, and John Brennan, former CIA Director. (Daily Wire)

Joe Biden initially said he knew "nothing" about the Flynn investigation. But he had to backtrack in a TV interview when the January 5, 2017 meeting was referenced ... because Biden had been in the room. (National Review)

Allegations about Russia have persisted since the 2016 election and were likely to become part of Democrats' attacks on President Trump in 2020.

But these surprise updates in key elements of those claims could undercut attacks against President Trump -- and may open new lines of attack against Biden.

Trump campaign and Republican National Committee post record fundraising numbers, staying ahead of Biden and the Democratic National Committee.

"The Trump Campaign and the Republican National Committee raised a record amount in April.The joint fundraising committees brought in $61.7 million, a record for the month, according to a campaign statement. The to date total comes to over $742 million, $288 million more than the Obama re-election effort had at this same point." [Read the full story from Fox Business.]

The Trump campaign and RNC lead Biden and the DNC by just over $1 million in fundraising in April. But it's a wider gap when you look at the overall amounts: the Trump campaign was ahead of the Biden campaign by more than $180 million in March. (POLITICO)

That's a good sign for the Trump campaign and Republicans ahead of this fall. Even though COVID-19 has reduced costs for travel and events, both major parties are investing in digital tools to connect with and mobilize volunteers and voters.

Will we see the first virtual party conventions this summer?

"Democrats are now acknowledging that the coronavirus may make it impossible to conduct the in-person convention in August that they'd envisioned, and they're taking steps to allow virtual or socially distanced elements." [Read the full story from POLITICO.]

The Democratic National Committee will meet today to discuss the possibility of a virtual convention. It's not an executive decision; it will require a committee resolution and vote. This comes just a few weeks after Democrats moved their convention from July to August due to COVID-19 concerns. (Axios)

The Republican National Committee has not announced plans for a virtual convention. But in a curious twist of fate, the Republican convention may depend on the approval a Democratic governor.

The GOP convention is scheduled in August in North Carolina; the state's governor is a first-term Democrat, and if he refuses to re-open the state by then, the convention may have to go online. (POLITICO)

All convention talk is speculation for now, but political insiders will keep a close eye on the updates -- and we'll keep you informed.

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And, on a final note: as always, we wish for the health and safety of you, your family, and your community at this uncertain time. Stay safe and see you tomorrow!