The War Rekindles as Do More Election Battles - “The Sunday Political Brunch” -- September 6, 2026

Well, the missiles and drones are launching again, and after a month of relative calm, war is back in the headlines. This, as we stretch into the final weeks of the 2026 campaign, where the war and its impact will be on the ballot. Let’s “brunch” on all that and more:

“Iran War Back On” – The fight from both sides resumed in the Iran war this past week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran will “continue to feel the squeeze” from the United States until it drops any nuclear weapons efforts. Mohsen Rezaei, who chairs Iran’s National Security Council, responded on X, saying, “You will soon see that Iran’s new strategy on the battlefield, in diplomacy, and in confronting the economic blockade will shatter your foundations.” On Saturday, the U.S. fired missiles on three Iranian oil tankers after Iran fired on U.S. Navy ships. Admiral Brad Cooper, who heads the U.S. Central Command, said, “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet.”

“The Fallout” -- Financial markets did not like the resumption of fighting, as the Dow Jones fell more than 400 points on Tuesday, but it gained much of it back midweek. The average barrel of crude oil rose sharply to $91. The average per-gallon price of gasoline is $4.15. With two months until Election Day, this issue looms large.

“Short-Term Funding” -- I am wondering if it’s “too little, too late.” The U.S. House passed a short-term spending measure that will prevent a government shutdown, just days before the November election. A shutdown could have hurt incumbents in both parties, especially with gas and grocery prices up. House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Tom Cole (R), Oklahoma, said, “It gives the nation and our constituents certainty, certainty that the government will remain open, certainty that our service members will be paid.” Democrats struck a provision that would have let cabinet members stop federal grants to state programs, which they opposed. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D), Connecticut, said, “Whether a community receives disaster relief should not depend on who they voted for in the last election.” The Senate has already passed the same bill, which the president plans to sign.

“Massachusetts Primary” – There’s an old saying, “Out with the old; In with the new!” More and more of that is happening in politics these days, but not always. 80-year-old Sen. Ed Markey (D) Massachusetts, has served in both houses of Congress for a combined 54 years. He is a liberal. He was challenged in the primary by 47-year-old Rep. Seth Moulton, who has served 12 years in the House. Moulton is a moderate Democrat and a highly decorated U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran. Moulton tried to make the argument that the party needed “new blood.” Voters didn’t buy it. Markey took 65 percent of the vote to Moulton's 35 percent.

“South Carolina Showdown” – I am always leery of internal polls in political races, because the polling firm is hired and paid by the candidate. Many skeptical pundits like me wonder if that puts a little subtle pressure on the pollster to deliver “good news.” But as I say all of this, there was one internal poll this week that really caught my eye. South Carolina Senate nominee Dr. Annie Andrews (D) released a poll this week done for her campaign by Impact Research. It has Andrews and Sen. Darline Graham (R) Carolina, in a tie, at 41 percent each. A third-party candidate has 5 percent, and 13 percent are undecided. Control of the U.S. Senate may come down to just one seat. Is South Carolina the one? Perhaps. President Trump won the state by 18 percentage points in 2024, and I bet you’ll see him campaign here again in the waning days of the campaign. He needs a Graham win.

“Hegseth in the Crosshairs” – Washington, DC is a city filled with rumors. The latest unconfirmed chatter is that President Trump will fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, or that Hegseth will resign to start his own bid for the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. Hegseth is taking a lot of heat for problems in the war with Iran. He has also presided over firings and resignations among some of the military’s top leaders. Sen. Thom Tillis (R) North Carolina, a Hegseth critic, said, “I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country.” Also, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll resigned this past week, without giving a reason. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement, “Secretary Driscoll has been highly effective in advancing President Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again at the Department of the Army by providing outstanding leadership during historic military operations, restoring an emphasis on readiness and lethality, assisting with negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, and more.”

“Best Political Meme” – On the heels of President Trump issuing an order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America, came the best political meme of the week. It depicted Trump as a cartoon and said, “Trump orders that all Canadian Geese are now, ‘Donald’s Ducks!’” I bet even the president found it funny. Now, even though the president lacks legal authority to make such a name change, at least two major tech companies are on board. Google Maps and Apple Maps have both changed the name on their mapping platforms. In a statement, Google said, “People using Maps in the U.S. will see ‘Lake America,’ those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario.’” Meanwhile, MapQuest refused to toe the White House line. It refused to change the name to Lake America, and by Wednesday, MapQuest was the number-one free download in the Apple App Store. The dispute was driven by a trade and tariffs battle between the two normally friendly allies. Ontario Premier Doug Ford even had a billboard put up that says, “Lake Ontario: Now and Always.”

“RIP Gloria Steinem” – Noted feminist Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92. She was a pioneering voice in gaining equal rights for women of all political stripes and a co-founder of Ms. Magazine. When she launched her efforts in the 1960s, very few women were in public office. Today, four of the nine U.S. Supreme Court members are women. 27 of 100 U.S. Senators are female, the highest ever. 124 members of the U.S. House, or 29 percent, are women. And 14 of the 50 state governors are now women, a record high. Is it parity, yet? No. Is it huge progress? Yes! And consider that half of most law school and medical school graduating classes are now female; it is enormous. When my dad graduated from Marquette University Medical School in 1947, there were only two women doctors, and both were Catholic nuns. As the old saying goes, “We've come a long way!” On behalf of my eight sisters, two moms, a mother-in-law, and an accomplished wife and daughter, I say “Thank you, Gloria Steinem!”

“White House Construction Resumes” – It’s another big legal win for President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court has voted 5 to 4 to allow construction of a new White House ballroom to continue. Five conservative justices supported the ruling, while conservative Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal appointees in the dissent. Critics of the East Wing destruction and new ballroom construction say Congress funds the government and should have been consulted. In the dissenting opinion, Chief Justice Roberts said, “Today’s decision is no victory for the separation of powers.” The White House has argued it’s not just a ballroom. The plan is to build a secure bunker to monitor military and national security operations better. On social media, President Trump said, “I am pleased to report that the United States Supreme Court has just ruled in favor of the Ballroom/Military Complex being built without any further contingency, doubt, or threat.”

“Naming Things Trump” – I was walking down Commercial Boulevard in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, this past week, which is our favorite beach getaway. I noticed new signs naming the busy east-west corridor in Broward County, “President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.” The Florida Legislature approved that this year. The Trump $1 gold coins are out, too, despite a law saying sitting presidents could not appear on currency! The West Palm Beach Airport is now Donald J. Trump International. And I suspect his name will be back up on the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts soon, too. Is there no end to this? In my life, there have been 14 U.S. Presidents, and no one even comes close to this much naming. Usually, it’s done after a person is out of office or dead. I invite my readers to click on the comment button and weigh in.

Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is a South Florida-based political writer and analyst who has covered news and politics nationwide for the past 50 years. He is a multiple award winner, including two prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards. For ten years, he was the Chief Political Reporter for seven Nexstar Media TV stations, covering the Washington DC media market, West Virginia, and its five neighboring states. Curtis is a former Congressional Fellow who worked in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Over the years, he has been a contributing writer and analyst at Patch.com. His commentary and analysis air every Friday at 1:45 p.m. ET on the 22-station West Virginia Metro News Radio Network. www.WVMetroNews.com.

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