Good Monday morning. I'm Anna Palmer, and welcome to your Politico Playbook audio briefing, sponsored by pharma.

Remember when we said the Senate might be up for grabs? Our colleague Alex Eisenzant is reporting that Texas

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick came to Washington in late July to make the case that President Trump

needs to come to Texas to help boost turnout for

Senator Ted Cruz's campaign.

Another Republican who looks like he is in trouble?

Scott Walker in Wisconsin.

Natasha Karecki was on the ground for us in Green Bay and is reporting that Democrats

believe they have him cornered and are primed to take him out this cycle.

A heads up, the government shuts down in 21 days, and election day is in 57 days. The Wall Street Journal is reporting

that the Trump administration is going to close the Palestine Liberation Organization's offices

in Washington. National Security Advisor John Bolton is also expected to threaten sanctions

in a speech today. The Washington Post is up with a story on how Ron DeSantis, the Republican

gubernatorial candidate in Florida, spoke at racially charged events, appearing at the David

Horowitz Freedom Center conferences in 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017.

On the 2020 front, Natasha is also reporting that Michael Avenati would base his 2020

presidential campaign in St. Louis. The attorney for Stormy Daniels hasn't decided whether

to get in the race or not.

NBC News is reporting that Trump's national security team is about to crack down on North Korea

as the country is still making nuclear weapons.

And on the media front, CNN is reporting that Les Moonvez is out at CBS effective immediately

after a number of sexual misconduct allegations.

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