FiveThirtyEight’s top politics stories this week

A [FiveThirtyEight]( email [Popular In Politics] Thursday, May 4, 2023 [1. Why Dianne Feinstein Might Actually Have To Resign]( [Sen. Dianne Feinstein]( Senate Democrats are in a bind. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is on an extended medical absence due to a case of shingles, depriving Democrats of their majority on the Judiciary Committee. There is no way of knowing when, or even if, the octogenarian will return, and recent efforts to replace her plum committee seat have failed. Of course, Feinstein could resign of her own accord, and she’d swiftly be replaced by a senator able to perform his or her duties, but she’s so far refused to bow to such pressure. That effectively robs Democrats of their ability to easily advance federal judges for confirmation — which is one of the few things the party can do without control of the House. [Read more]( [2. Trump Is Racking Up Endorsements In Florida. Should DeSantis Be Worried?]( [Florida Governor Ron DeSantis]( The first one came all the way back in November. The second was on March 20. Then there were a couple more in the first two weeks of April. [Read more]( [3. Asa Hutchinson Promises To Be A Drama-Free President. Is That What GOP Voters Want?]( [2024-TOC-ASAHUTCHINSON-4×3]( Asa Hutchinson has a vision for the future of the presidency … and he’s in it. The former governor of Arkansas kicked off his campaign for the Republican nomination for 2024 at a rally in Bentonville, Arkansas, yesterday, after months of public statements about the need for a kinder, gentler sort of commander in chief. “The Presidency is not and should not be an office of vengeance or retribution,” he said on Twitter on March 8. “Instead, it should be an office of consistent and unwavering leadership.” [Read more]( [4. The Real Reason Presidential Candidates Form Exploratory Committees]( [Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC)]( Earlier this month, Sen. Tim Scott put out a slick campaign-style video and announced that he was forming an “exploratory committee” for president. But does that mean he’s actually running? [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Weekly Listen [Play]( [Politics Podcast: The Next American Migration]( [FiveThirtyEight] [View in browser]( [ABC News]( [Unsubscribe]( Our mailing address: FiveThirtyEight, 47 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023.