Are the U.S. and Iran negotiating? President Trump says talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are happening right now, but Tehran flatly denies it. The diplomatic confusion comes as another cargo ship is attacked, sending oil prices higher.
The five GOP candidates that appeared in South Carolina’s U.S.Senate debate on Monday evening touched on several key issues of national importance as they made their case to fill the seat of the late Sen.
Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who died while in office last month.Although candidates remained united on broad issues of party consensus, the debate exposed a fraying of opinion on topics like the war in Iran, U.S.government spending, the filibuster and datacenter expansion, highlighting the influence of even just one Senate seat.The candidates include Sen.
Darlene Graham Nordone, R-S.C., Rep.Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Rep.
Russel Fry, R-S.C., businessman Mark Lynch, and former South Carolina Gov.Mark Sanford.REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP, JUMP INTO SOUTH CAROLINA SENATE RACE DESPITE HIS HANDPICKED SUCCESSORSenator Darline Graham Nordone, a Republican from South Carolina, at the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday, July 20, 2026.Senate efforts to pass a landmark cryptocurrency bill hit a snag last week as Democratic negotiators indicated they don't yet support the latest GOP framework and some members balked at their narrowing window to act.
(Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)The biggest clash of the night came from Graham’s own sister, the appointee currently filling his seat.Nordone, who received President Donald Trump’s endorsement, announced she would vote to end the filibuster — a procedural hurdle that prevents the chamber from passing most legislation without 60 votes.Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the chamber."And I am all for — this is where I differ from my brother — getting rid of the filibuster to get this done because eventually the Democrats are going to get rid of it anyway," Nordone said, noting the major break with her late brother.While supporters of the filibuster argue it prevents parties from strongarming their views into law without bipartisan input, acting as one of the country's last bastions of moderation, the rule has...