Welcome back to The Daily Courant, your afternoon compendium of Puck’s best new reporting.

Today, we lead with Leigh Ann Caldwell’s insider’s guide to the 2026 Senate midterms, where Trump’s mercurial endorsement strategy has already scrambled the field, complicating G.O.P. recruitment and sidelining would-be contenders. Democrats, meanwhile, are working valiantly to persuade high-profile candidates to run. Indeed, this is shaping up to be the most chaotic and consequential Senate map in years…

Plus, below the fold: Dylan Byers digs into Apple’s $150 million bid for the U.S. rights to Formula 1. Bill Cohan chronicles the financial sleight of hand behind Saks Global’s $2.2 billion debt exchange—and why S&P Global excoriated the deal. And Marion Maneker tours Manhattan’s summertime gallery circuit, from the refreshing René Magritte show at Luxembourg + Co. to Arne Glimcher’s curious Gottlieb/Rothko pairing at 125 Newbury.

Meanwhile, on the pods: On The Varsity, John Ourand rings up NBC Sports’s Matthew Berry to detail the remarkable growth story behind his fantasy sports startup. On The Town, Matt Belloni and CNBC’s Julia Boorstin chat about the most pressing business news in Sun Valley. On Impolitic, John Heilemann and New York’s Will Leitch examine the Trump factor hanging over next year’s FIFA World Cup in the U.S. And on The Powers That Be, Julia Alexander and Jon Kelly reunite to assess what Linda Yaccarino’s exit from X signals about the company’s Musk-era dysfunction and long-term viability.

As the ’26 cycle ramps up, both Republican and Democratic Senate recruiting efforts have been slowed by uncertainty over Trump’s endorsement strategy, who is running, and whether the job is still worth the headache.

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With ESPN unwilling to match Tim Cook and Eddy Cue’s offer, the U.S. rights to Formula One are almost certainly headed to Apple’s streamer, trading cable TV’s reach for Big Tech revenue. Here’s hoping Cupertino will be a better, more creative, partner to F1 than it was to MLS.

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Travis fell in love with the perfect woman. But she wasn't human.

Listen to the podcast Flesh and Code.

News and notes on the latest creditor-on-creditor violence taking place at Marc Metrick’s debt-stacked baby, Saks Global—including a new twist in the form of a potential big short.

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The art world may have decamped to the Greek Isles or the South of France, but there’s still plenty of exceptional work to enjoy in Manhattan’s galleries. Herewith, a survey of a few gems you might have overlooked…

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NBC Sports’s Matthew Berry returns to the pod to share the growth story behind his fantasy sports startup, Fantasy Life. He explains how he attracted heavyweight investors like LeBron James, Maverick Carter, and Jeff Shell, and how the company has carved out a niche in an oversaturated space—boasting 1.5 million daily users and a 73 percent jump in revenue since last year.

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What makes a connection real?

Listen to Flesh and Code wherever you get your podcasts.

Matt is joined by CNBC senior media and tech correspondent Julia Boorstin live from Sun Valley 2025 to discuss what we can expect from this year's summer camp for billionaires. Julia gives us the latest buzz on potential mergers, behind-the-scenes conversations about A.I., the NFL’s global plans, Linda Yaccarino leaving X, and more.

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John welcomes Will Leitch—New York magazine columnist, MLB.com national correspondent, and author of the acclaimed new novel Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride—back to the show to discuss the mix of sports, culture, and politics that mingle on his journalistic playground. A year out from the next World Cup, Leitch weighs in on the Trump administration’s capacity to play host to players and fans from countless countries it regularly condemns; what the Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals says about the future of pro hoops; and why Sinners is the movie of the year so far and Ryan Coogler is a flat-out genius.

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Jon Kelly joins guest host Julia Alexander to assess Apple’s reported $150 million-a-year offer for F1’s U.S. media rights—nearly twice what ESPN currently pays. With ESPN tightening its belt and prioritizing strategic clarity, Apple may have the inside lane. Then they pivot to Linda Yaccarino’s exit from X, and discuss what her retreat signals about the company’s Musk-era dysfunction and long-term viability.

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