Hey, good morning. I'm Playbook co-author Rachel Bade. It's Thursday, April 27th. I realize it's just after 6 a.m., but despite the early hour, someone needs to find Senator Joe Manchin a stiff drink this morning. West Virginia Governor Jim Justice will be announcing a Senate campaign today, which gives Republicans a strong recruit to run against Manchin.

Manchin, as you know, is probably one of the most vulnerable Democrats of this cycle.

He hasn't announced if he's running again, probably because West Virginia is a very deep red state filled with Trump backers.

And his election will be an uphill battle.

It's definitely not a sure thing.

I find this interesting because a lot of Senate Republicans just love when Manchin bucks his party.

And we all know he does that all the time. But West Virginia is also a critical pickup opportunity for Republicans who want to flip the Senate.

So I guess you can expect any friendships with

Mansion to be sacrificed in the name of power. Oh, how cynical of me. Some news on the

culture war front this morning. The fight over transgender rights is once again reaching a

crescendo after Montana's State House voted to censure their first openly transgender legislator. Zoe Zephyr is now

going to be barred from participating in House floor activity because she urged her colleagues to vote

against gender affirming care for transgender youth. She basically was arguing that this bill

contributes to higher suicide rates and rates of depression amongst transgender youth like herself.

And it all comes as the Justice Department we learned last night is going to be suing Tennessee over a similar law.

So keep your eye on that.

I also think it's interesting to note that this highlights a trend we are starting to see in Republican state houses across the country.

A trend of silencing or trying to boot people you state houses across the country. A trend of silencing or trying

to boot people you disagree with from the chamber. Tennessee Republicans voted to expel two

black lawmakers who were protesting gun violence. Both of those lawmakers were being stated, but

nonetheless, this is something to keep your eye on. And finally, this morning, a word about Kevin McCarthy.

You know, when McCarthy won the gavel in January, there was a lot of speculation that he wouldn't last long as speaker.

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