Vice President JD Vance’s careful refusal to say whether he plans to run for president in 2028 has taken on new significance as the Supreme Court weighs a major challenge to long-standing campaign finance limits. The case, which is being argued today, could reshape how much political parties are allowed to spend in coordination with individual candidates — and Vance’s own political future now looms over the debate.
At the heart of the dispute is whether the challenge still holds legal weight. One of the attorneys is expected to tell the justices that Vance’s uncertainty about his future ambitions undermines his standing in the case. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has historically been skeptical of campaign finance rules, often viewing them as restrictions on free speech, and Republican-led challenges have frequently pushed those boundaries.
Vance initially joined the lawsuit when he was running for the Senate. But Roman Martinez, the attorney appointed by the court to defend the existing restrictions, argues that circumstances have changed. In court filings, Martinez said Vance no longer has a direct stake because he is not currently a candidate and has not declared plans to seek office in the future. In an email, Martinez said Vance’s claim is now moot, noting that the vice president has repeatedly said he has no concrete plan to run for any office in 2028.
That ambiguity reflects the political tightrope Vance is walking. As vice president, he is widely seen as a potential successor to President Donald Trump, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term. Yet in a recent NBC News interview, when asked what might stop him from running in 2028, Vance declined to offer a definitive answer, leaving allies and critics alike reading between the lines.
An Investigation Into a Troubling Legacy
Beyond Washington, a sweeping investigation has cast a harsh light on the Royal Rangers, a youth program tied to the Assemblies of God, the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination. For decades, the program has been promoted as a wholesome rite of passage, drawing in boys as young as kindergarten age with promises of outdoor adventure and faith-based guidance.
But an NBC News investigation found a darker reality behind that image. Reporters spent a year reviewing lawsuits, police records, and survivor accounts, uncovering allegations that at least 29 Royal Rangers leaders sexually abused boys over the past 50 years. Many of the accused were trusted community figures — pastors’ sons, aspiring preachers, even a Pennsylvania judge who pleaded guilty in 2021 to corruption of minors.
Despite repeated warnings, lawsuits, and survivor pleas, national leaders within the Assemblies of God have resisted making mandatory child safety policies across their 13,000 U.S. churches. The findings suggest that while the program shaped many childhoods for the better, it also exposed vulnerable children to years of harm that leadership allegedly knew about and failed to adequately address.
Paramount Takes Aim at Warner Bros. Discovery
In Hollywood, a blockbuster corporate battle is unfolding. Paramount has launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after losing out to Netflix in a competitive bidding war. The move sets the stage for a public, high-stakes fight worthy of the industry it represents.
Paramount announced an offer of $30 per share for Warner Bros. Discovery, whose assets include the Warner Bros. film studio, HBO, HBO Max, and a wide range of cable networks. According to federal filings, the bid would be backed in part by funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, along with Affinity Partners, the investment firm founded by Jared Kushner.
The offer could ignite a contentious takeover process that has already drawn political attention. President Trump has said he intends to play a role in any potential merger, adding another layer of intrigue to an already dramatic corporate showdown.
Miami’s Mayoral Race at a Turning Point
Voters in Miami are also heading to the polls today in a runoff that could signal broader political shifts. The city hasn’t elected a Democratic mayor since the late 1990s, as Republicans have made major gains among Hispanic voters in South Florida over the years.
Still, Democrats see an opening. Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly won Miami last year, even as she lost Miami-Dade County overall. That performance has fueled optimism for Democrat Eileen Higgins, a former county commissioner, who is facing Republican Emilio T. González, a businessman and former city manager endorsed by Trump.
The race comes as Democrats are riding recent gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia, along with notable wins in states like Pennsylvania and Georgia. Those results showed Democrats making gains in heavily Latino communities, raising questions about whether Republican advances with those voters will hold long term.
Staff Pick: Creativity in the Dark
As Ukraine continues to face rolling power outages since early October, small businesses are being forced to innovate to survive. With scheduled blackouts lasting eight to 16 hours a day, many shops and restaurants cannot afford expensive generators or alternative energy systems.
Some entrepreneurs have responded with creativity instead of capital. From “black menus” designed for candlelit dining to a boom in escape rooms that turn darkness into an experience, Ukrainian small businesses are finding inventive ways to keep customers coming through the door despite the challenges.
NBC Select: Online Shopping Made Easier
Looking ahead to the holiday season, the NBC Select team has pulled together practical shopping tips to help cut through the chaos. Their guides include smart holiday hacks, top-rated walking shoes from Amazon for long travel days, and festive accessories that add personality to every night of Hanukkah.
From the Supreme Court to Hollywood boardrooms, and from local elections to global resilience, today’s Morning Rundown highlights how power, politics, and creativity continue to collide in unexpected ways.
