War, Setting Your Clock, and Remembering a Senator - “The Sunday Political Brunch” - July 19, 2026

It is just over three months until election day. There is a lot of uncertainty about the prospects for peace, and much of the nation mourns the unexpected death of a leader. Plus, there is some unusual maneuvering on Capitol Hill. Let’s “brunch” on all of that this week.

“U.S. – Iran Fighting Intensifies” -- The U.S. and Iran traded missile and drone strikes all week, in an effort to control the Strait of Hormuz. The prospect of a peace deal has all but vanished. Iran says dozens of people have been killed in renewed fighting and the U.S. says at least eight allies were killed. On July 2, oil was $67.18 a barrel, but on July 17, it rose to $88.26. Here in Florida, many gas stations were back up to $3.99 for a gallon of gas. U.S. financial markets dipped slightly. Some of that is because inflation cooled to an annual rate of 3.5 percent, down from 4.2 percent at the end of May. People will vote with their “pockets” in November.

“Air Force One Switch-Up” – It’s no national secret that on most presidential trips, especially overseas, they actually fly two versions of “Air Force One.” One has the president on board, while the other serves as a decoy to keep the enemy guessing. On the advice of the FBI and Secret Service, they switched planes on the president’s recent trip home from Ankara, Turkey. Instead of riding home on the newly refurbished Air Force One from the government of Qatar, President Trump flew home on the decoy jet. No reason was given publicly, and an angry White House is subpoenaing the New York Times reporters who got the leak and broke the story. Trump has said Iran has made repeated threats “to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate” him. It’s not really enforceable, but Trump says Vice President JD Vance has standing orders to retaliate if Trump is killed. Trump said on Truth Social, that the U.S. has 1,000 “missiles are locked and loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat.”

“The Sudden Death of Senator Graham.” – It’s always a shock when someone who has not been ill dies unexpectedly. Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sen. John McCain had long battles with brain cancer, but you knew in the end that cancer would win. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) South Carolina had just returned from a mission to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. He even had time to call his nemesis-turned friend, President Donald Trump. Then, there was a sudden cardiac arrest, a 911 call, and a CPR effort that did not succeed. Graham was gone at age 71. His younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone, will serve the final five months of his term. She still could run to fill his seat. Graham could be very polarizing, and so was the reaction to his death. President Trump said, “He was always working, and was a true American Patriot." But Saint Bonaventure University Professor Ibrahim Zabad posted on social media, “Rest in Hell.” The post was later removed, but the vitriol on Facebook and X was as bad as I’ve ever seen it.

“Lindsey Graham Remembered” – I got to cover and interview the late Sen. Lindsey Graham many times. At the New Hampshire Primary in 2008, he happened to sit down at an adjoining table next to where I was having lunch. I asked if we could do a quick interview before the food arrived, and he agreed to few photos and questions. I asked him why he was so ardently backing Sen. John McCain for president. Sen. Graham told me, “He’s just the right person, at the right time, with the right qualities for this country.” Both McCain and Graham were military veterans, and Graham felt the nation needed that background in the middle of the war on terrorism. The last time I covered Graham was at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia in April 2023. He was there to endorse the run of Gov. Jim Justice (R) West Virginia, who announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate that night. Justice won the Senate race. He reflected on Graham’s passing, saying, “I’m thankful I had the chance to serve alongside him in the United States Senate. We’ve lost a good one, and our conference will deeply miss him.”

“Election Fraud?” – President Trump addressed the nation Thursday night with a speech focused on concerns over election fraud. He restated many unproven claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and worried it would carry over into the 2026 midterms. Trump said, “America is back and doing really well, but we still have a major challenge that must be urgently addressed, because no country can be great without fair and honest elections.” ABC and NBC chose the rare move not to carry the president’s address, citing his long unproven claims about 2020.

“Dan Sullivan x 2 in Alaska” – Here’s the year’s weirdest political story. Sen. Daniel S. Sullivan (R), Alaska, is seeking a third term, but he’s being challenged in the Republican primary by a man named Daniel J. Sullivan. The Alaska primary is August 18, but 16 candidates from all parties and independents will run in just one primary. The top four vote-getters advance to a ranked-choice election in November. In short, name confusion could become a key factor. I remember in 1970, as a kid in Wisconsin, Republican Secretary of State Robert C. Zimmerman was challenged by a Democrat by the name of Robert A. Zimmerman. Yes, there was confusion, but ultimately the incumbent Republican won. We’ll be watching the Alaska result with interest.

“Time of Our Lives” – The U.S. House passed a bill that would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. The old “Spring Forward, Fall Back” practice would go away. The vote was 308 to 117, but opinions were sharply divided. Speaking in favor was Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R) Florida, who said, “In my home state of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses, and visitors alike.” Critics called it a dangerous idea. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D) Pennsylvania said, “Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days.” In some ways, the debate on social media was even harsher than the one over the Lindsey Graham story. Critic Brad Lovett said on Facebook, “There isn't enough coffee in the world for a 9 am sunrise.” Also on Facebook, among thousands of comments was Marta Wright, who diplomatically said, “Move it a half hour to appease each side and leave it alone.” Many said Congress has more important issues to address. The bill now goes to the Senate.

“More Epstein Files Fallout” – So far, the late Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell are the only two people charged in the sex abuse scandal. But there is collateral damage to others in the saga. Over the years, billionaire investor Warren Buffett has given billions of dollars to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which supports charitable work around the world. This past week, Buffett said $6 billion would be given to four charities, but the Gates Foundation was left off the list. Earlier this year, the release of the Epstein files revealed a business relationship and numerous meetings between Epstein and Gates, and that Epstein was aware of affairs Gates had with two Russian women. It should be clear: the files did not implicate Gates with any underage women employed by Epstein. Without mentioning this year’s slight, the Gates Foundation issued a statement, saying in part, “The Gates Foundation is grateful to Warren Buffett for his decades of support for our work. His gifts, totaling more than $47 billion, have helped us expand and deliver on the foundation’s mission to improve health and opportunity for people around the world.” In an unrelated matter, Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche finally met with some of Epstein’s victims. This came after a key Republican senator said he would block Blanche’s confirmation vote if he did not meet with the victims.

Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is a South Florida-based political writer and analyst who has covered news and politics nationwide for the past 49 years. He is a multiple award winner, including two prestigious Edward R. Murrow Awards. Most recently, he served as the Chief Political Reporter for the 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 can be heard 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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