Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell can claim at least one key election victory.

The lead starts right now.

A secret vote and Mitch McConnell beats back a challenge defeating Florida Senator Rick

Scott to keep his seat as Republican leader in the Senate.

Plus, top Pentagon leaders weigh in on that strike in Poland that killed two people, saying

the missile likely did not come from Russia, but they're still pointing the finger at Putin

for blame.

And Donald Trump launching his third White House bid with a cloud of investigations

over his prior time in office, including the ones over his attempt to steal the 2020

election and incite the deadly capital insurrection.

Welcome to the lead-up, Jake Tapper, and we begin today in our politics lead in the

race to 218.

That is the number of House seats needed to control Congress, and right now Republicans

are on the cusp of snatching the House of Representatives from Democratic control.

Republicans need to win just one more uncalled House seat to gain a majority for the first

time in four years.

Eleven House seats currently remain uncalled.

Fresh off securing the vote to be the Republican nominee running for House Speaker, Kevin

McCarthy is facing another key vote on a host of rule changes pushed by the mega-wing

of his party meant to curb the power of his own leadership.

As McCarthy works to secure the Speaker's gavel.

While in the Senate, the finger pointing continues over Republicans' disappointing performance

...