Washington heads into this fall with the immediate threat of a government shutdown removed, after President Trump signed a temporary funding measure on September 2 that keeps federal agencies operating through December 11.
The measure passed the House by a wide, bipartisan margin of 370 to 48 after clearing the Senate, a sign that lawmakers in both parties wanted to avoid disrupting government operations heading into the fall. It is a continuing resolution, a type of stopgap bill that keeps agencies funded at existing levels while Congress works to pass the twelve individual appropriations bills that fund the government for a full year. Those full-year bills remain unfinished, meaning lawmakers will likely face another round of funding negotiations before the December deadline, with familiar disagreements over spending levels and priorities still unresolved.
Meanwhile, the 2026 midterm election cycle is fully underway. New Hampshire holds its primary elections today, choosing party nominees for the state's House seats and for the open Senate seat being vacated by longtime Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who chose not to seek a fourth term. New Hampshire is considered a swing state that has voted for both parties in recent cycles, making its primary a closely watched early signal for November's general election.
Republicans are also using this week to rally ahead of the fall campaign. President Trump is set to headline a party gathering described as a midterm convention in Dallas alongside top House and Senate Republicans and several of the party's key candidates, part of a broader effort to coordinate strategy and fundraising before voters head to the polls nationwide in November.
Watch for New Hampshire's primary results tonight, and for how the Dallas gathering shapes Republican messaging heading into the fall campaign.
Is the shutdown risk gone for good?
Not entirely. This is a temporary funding patch through December 11, so Congress still needs to pass full-year spending bills or another stopgap before then.
Why does New Hampshire's primary matter?
It is a competitive swing state choosing nominees for an open Senate seat and House races, making it an early read on how the parties are positioned for November.