Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
NPR's senior political editor/correspondent Domenico Montanaro joins the newsletter today to break down the 2025 off-year elections.
Up and down the ballot, Democrats did well, from the marquee gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey to a key redistricting ballot initiative in California and even state Supreme Court races in Pennsylvania. Here are five takeaways from the 2025 off-year elections:
- It's still the cost of living, stupid. Prices, prices, prices. Affordability was a through line in most of the races Tuesday. President Trump's lack of focus on it likely hurt his party, as voters overwhelmingly sided with Democrats on the economy.
- Republicans still have a Trump problem — in two different ways. Republican candidates are in a quandary — Trump is unpopular and a drag with independents, but without him on the ballot, they continue to have problems turning out base voters.
- The Trump slump with Latinos appears to be real. Trump made inroads with Latinos in 2024, but that has slid backward. Latinos chose Democrats in the governors' races by 2-to-1 margins.
- The redistricting arms race is on, and Democrats got a boost Tuesday on that front. Yes on Prop 50 won big, giving Democrats a chance to counterbalance GOP efforts to squeeze out more Republican House seats. It was a big win for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, too.
- The Democratic Party will have to wrestle with its identity over the next year. From Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York to Abigail Spanberger for Virginia governor, there's going to be a real debate on how best for Democrats to present themselves to win in next year's midterm elections.
Stay informed with more news and analysis by subscribing to the NPR Politics newsletter and listening to the NPR Politics podcast.
Today marks day 36 of the ongoing government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history. It takes the title from the most recent shutdown, which stretched from December 2018 to January 2019 during President Trump's first term in office. With no end in sight, Americans are feeling the worsening impacts every day, from disruptions at airports across the U.S. to federal workers going without a paycheck. Here's how this shutdown compares to previous ones.
The Supreme Court hears arguments today on whether Trump can unilaterally set tariff rates under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Lower courts say he has exceeded his authority, while Trump argues that the measure allows him to impose tariffs to address trade imbalances and fentanyl imports. Tariffs are generating billions of dollars for the federal government, but they are also raising the costs of goods for consumers and frustrating businesses. Listen to the oral arguments in the case here.
Israeli authorities have arrested and detained the military's top lawyer after she admitted leaking footage of Israeli soldiers sexually abusing a Palestinian detainee at a facility where Israel has held Palestinian prisoners throughout the war in Gaza. The military advocate general, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, stated in her resignation letter that she authorized the video's release to defuse attacks on investigators handling the case. Tomer-Yerushalmi has now been arrested for leaking the footage. Listen to NPR's Daniel Estrin discuss the significance of the case with Morning Edition or read the transcript here.
Today's listen
From daily stress to nonstop news, we all might need a moment to calm our nerves from time to time. NPR's All Songs Considered has released its fourth installment of music to calm you down. It features new releases showcasing ambient sounds from Ozbolt and Klein alongside the hope and good company found in the music of Samia, Hand Habits, KeiyaA, and more. Listen to snippets of the songs. You can also immerse yourself in the playlist here.
Living Better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Scientists say returning to "standard time" is beneficial for our health, but the adjustment can be disruptive. When our body's circadian rhythm is out of sync, risks for diabetes and heart disease can rise. Here are some ways to realign your habits:
- ⏰ Eat within a 10-hour window. Also, drop the late-night snack.
- ⏰ Keep a consistent sleep schedule so your body can stay in rhythm.
- ⏰Exercise when you feel most alert to help cue your body to be awake.
The time change presents a great opportunity to reset your sleep schedule. Read more about the adolescent biology of sleep patterns.
3 things to know before you go
- Teen Vogue staffers announced that they've been laid off as the outlet moves under Vogue.com. The outlet covered fashion, celebrity, politics and social justice issues.
- Last night, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said that there were at least seven confirmed deaths and 11 injuries from a United Parcel Service cargo plane crash near the Louisville airport. (via LPM)
- Math teachers at an Arizona high school are facing death threats after a Turning Point USA employee falsely accused them of wearing Halloween costumes that mocked the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The educators say it was just a joke about solving math problems. (via KJZZ)
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
Copyright 2025 NPR