Ballot Box

Did Republicans Accidentally Checkmate Themselves?

What’s going on: In the game of political strategy, the Democrats might come out ahead — at least for now. Last year, President Donald Trump and the Republicans lit a powder keg when they made the highly unusual move to redraw Texas’s congressional map mid-decade. Sure, they added five House Republican seats. But Democrats took notes and started playing the same game. A new map in California effectively canceled out the GOP’s win in Texas. Earlier this week, Virginia voters approved new district lines… and the Dems are projected to win 10 of those 11 new seats. Now, some Republicans have regrets. Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former California Republican turned independent, said, “I wish none of this had happened.”

What about the midterms?: Currently, there are seven new House maps, with under seven months before Americans head to the polls. Whether or not those maps will be used in this year’s election? That’ll be up to the courts. Most, if not all, of these maps are expected to face legal challenges. Some are already in legal limbo, including Virginia’s. And it’s far from over. Next up: Florida, where voters will be asked if they want to tweak their map and help Republicans catch up. Analysts say the Sunshine State might be the GOP’s final hope. Regardless of what happens, we won’t know who won this round until November 3. At least future high school history tests won’t run out of material.

Related: No Matter How Many Redistricting Wins the Dems Score, They Still Have an Age Problem (Axios)

The News in 5

🗞️ Police arrested a man accused of plotting a mass shooting at a New Orleans festival with hundreds of rounds of ammunition on him.

🗞️ A new report shows one in five Americans may be exposed to this toxin in their tap water. But there are ways to reduce your risk.

🗞️ Somebody involved in Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s capture did bet on it (and made a cool $400,000). He's now been arrested.

🗞️ Scientists discovered a new planet, and you don’t want to know what it probably smells like there. Febreze can’t fix this.

🗞️ Kalshi traders have spoken on when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Modern-day oracles.

Health

The Postpartum GLP-1 Push

What’s going on: If new parents know two things, it’s diapers and targeted social media ads. Advertisers tend to pick up on major life changes faster than even your closest friends, and use the moment to sell you Montessori rattles, vitamins, and now… GLP-1s. Postpartum people told The 19th they faced a wave of ads for weight-loss drugs after giving birth. But doctors are bringing them up too, saying GLP-1s may help with postpartum health conditions and weight changes, especially for patients with high blood pressure or diabetes. So it's not surprising that large studies in Denmark and the US show more postpartum women are using the drugs.

The “bounce back” prescription: For many new moms, the months after giving birth are a complicated and emotional time. And that’s before “bounce back” culture cruelly enforces the idea that it’s “normal” to return to your pre-pregnancy body within weeks or months (yeah, right). For some patients, these medications offer real benefits. For others, they risk adding another layer of expectation. Plus, GLP-1s can be expensive, and doctors don’t recommend them during pregnancy or breastfeeding due to limited safety data. In other words, society now asks new parents to balance health, body image, breastfeeding guidance, cost, and more — at the exact moment they have the least bandwidth to do so. 

Related: When Your Partner Doesn’t Know About Your GLP-1s (SELF)

Sports 

A Photo Worth a Thousand Words

What’s going on: White House photo ops are rarely subtle, but this one really didn’t try. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump welcomed the University of Georgia’s women’s tennis team to the White House to celebrate their championship win. Trump’s team posted a photo of the meet-up, and the internet (and a sports legend) took notice of who was front and center. Notably, the women athletes were nearly obscured by a group of men, including Trump. The arrangement may just be an uncomfortable coincidence: There are other photos of NCAA championship winners from the same day with women in front of him, and the Georgia team thanked the president on social. At least they didn't have to hold these.

Sound familiar?: It’s not the first time Trump has centered himself in a narrative about women — remember this 2017 photo of Trump signing an anti-abortion bill? And back in February, both US Olympic hockey teams won gold. Trump called the men to invite them to the White House — and joked he’d be "impeached" if he didn’t also invite the women (who didn’t go, but snagged a special invite of their own). This isn’t new territory for Trump-era White House visits with athletes, many of whom cite “scheduling conflicts” when bowing out. This comes as women’s sports are booming, the audience is bigger, and the scrutiny is louder. Trump's made the pitch that he's someone “protecting women's sports.” Maybe he could start by letting them get the front row glory.

Related: In Case You Were Counting, Trump’s Cabinet Lost Three Women in Two Months (The 19th)

Quick Hits

✈️ Would you be willing to take on the last row of a plane if it looked like this? Imagine actually sleeping on a flight.

🍞 Panera employees are calling this new menu item “incredibly wasteful.” This is why we’re forever loyal to the bread bowl.

🌴 HuffPost just dropped a list of 10 dreamy travel destinations hosting women’s sporting events in 2026. Ready to cross the ocean for number six.

✂️ Almost 30 years later, the "Anastasia" haircut is going viral. It's like the Hannah Montana of haircuts.

🎤 Our favorite awkward podcaster is joining a Secret Lives of Mormon Wives spinoff. Pass the dirty soda.

🎀 Your grandma's favorite piece of home decor is cool again. Why did we ditch it, and can we use it to hide clutter?

On Our Calendar

Things to jot down today…

🗓️ Victoria Beckham’s new collab with Gap drops — and we would like a word.

🗓️ On National Arbor Day, plant a tree or try one of these other 149 ideas.

🗓️ Charlize Theron’s new thriller, Apex, drops on Netflix. It’s like hide-and-seek but with brutal and extreme danger.

🗓️ Two NWSL games to watch: Racing Louisville v. the Orlando Pride at 5:30 pm ET on Victory+ and Washington Spirit v. Kansas City Current at 8 pm ET on Prime Video.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Mother’s Day Gifts

Getting something for your mom or the mother figure in your life is seemingly easy until you begin to overthink what’s actually useful to her. Flowers are an easy bet, if they don’t arrive wilted. We’ve taken the guesswork out of the experience and rounded up items she’ll hold up for all to see:

• Decor items so cute they’ll become future heirlooms*

• Gifts if she's particularly hard to please

• A body-care set she can add to her nighttime routine

Know It All

Which surprising drink delivers up to 59% of your daily need for vitamin B6?

Skimm'd by: Rashaan Ayesh, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Molly Longman, Mallory Simon, and Marina Carver. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.