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If its WEDNESDAY Federal Reserveis expectedto raise interest rates Authoritiesarrestman suspected of killing five neighbors with AR-15 rifle in Texas Donald Trumpmight skipfirst two GOP presidential debates, NBC News confirms Prominent election denierjumpsinto NV-SEN race And Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas,launchesTX-SEN bid to take on GOP Sen. Ted Cruz.

ButFIRST... Few episodes better explain how American politics has changed and how Americas political system has been unable to respond to challenges and crises than immigration.

It was 10 years ago, in April 2013, that the Gang of Eight Democrats and Republicansunveiledtheir comprehensive immigration reform legislation, which would go on to pass the Senate with68 votesbut never become law after the GOP-controlled House refused to consider the bill.

This week, in May 2023, welearnedthat a Democratic president is set to send more than 1,000 active-duty U.S. troops to the border ahead of an expected surge in migration.

And in between, weve witnessed two political parties moving further and further away from what was always the compromise more border enforcement, a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and a capacity to respond to future challenges (such as the asylum-seekers from Central America).

In the 2020 Democratic primaries, we saw that party move away from border enforcement.

More significantly, weve seen a Republican Party essentially close the door on a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and even what to do about the DREAMers.

(Remember thepossible dealof protections for DREAMers in exchange for money for Trumps border wall? Well, that fizzled.)

Add it all up, and our politics and political system are stuck.

We have more than two million cases in an immigration backlog that has been building year over year over year. What a powerful example of a completely broken immigration system. We have got to fix it. We need legislative reform, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said onMeet the Press last weekend.

That was the level ofvoter turnout for the 2022 midterms, per new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It was the second highest in a midterm year since 2000, just behind the 2018 elections.

The Current Population Survey also found the highest voter registration rate since 2000, with 69% of the voting-age population registered to vote.

Nearly one-third of voters 32% cast mail ballots in the 2022 midterms, up from 23% who did so in 2018. And 47% cast ballots before Election Day, a 9-point jump from the 2018 elections.

The Washington Post also reports that the new census data founda nearly 10-point drop in Black voter turnoutcompared to 2018.

Other numbers you need to know today

1,500: The number of active-duty troops the Biden administrationplans to send to the borderahead of an expected migration surge.

800,000: The number of peoplewho could be forced to flee Sudandue to the conflict there, the U.N. said this week.

At least 10: The number of GOP public figureswho could still announcetheir campaigns for president.

$31 trillion: Thesize of the national debt, the Washington Post reports, as negotiations between Democrats and Republicans are set to begin over raising the debt ceiling.

4: The number of defendantsfound guilty in Chicagoin a trial over whether utility executives and lobbyists engaged in a years-long bribery scheme of then-Speaker of the Illinois House Mike Madigan (who also faces related charges).

12: The number of countsa man has been charged withfor allegedly setting off an explosive device in a Capitol building tunnel on Jan. 6.

13: The number of years a man who was arrested this week in connection with his actions at the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitolworked at the FBI.

3,000: The number ofplanned layoffs at Morgan Stanleyas big banks make cuts.

100: The number of peoplearrested in Europe on Wednesdayin raids against a notorious Italian organized crime group.

40%: The portion of eighth graderswho received below basic scoresin standardized U.S. History tests last year, the New York Times reports.

After an election cycle where Republicans who echoed former President Donald Trumps lies about the 2020 electionunderperformed in key racesaround the country, Nevada Republicans are going to be faced with the choice of whether to elevate one of those candidates again in 2024.

Nevada RepublicanJim Marchant is jumping into his states Senate race, he announced Tuesday, in the hopes of winning the right to face off against Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.

Marchant won his partys nomination for secretary of state last year, one of a handful of nominees for the post around the country who cast doubt on the results of the 2020 election. In Marchants case, hetold NBC News last yearthat Bidens 2020 victory was almost statistically impossible and that he wouldnt have certified the election.

Republicans fought last years top elections in Nevada to a split decision winning the governors race and losing the Senate race,both by razor-thin margins. (Marchant lost his race for secretary of state by a larger share, a bit more than 2% of the vote.)

Both Republican nominees for governor and Senate were endorsed by Trump in 2022. But while future Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo tried to (uncomfortably, at times) create some distance between him and Trump on the question of the 2020 election, former state Attorney General and Senate nominee Adam Laxalts role in helping tochallenge Trumps loss in Nevadabecame a central piece of the Democratic attack against him.

Marchants bid will yet again ask Republicans what kind of candidate they want to elevate in the hopes of winning back the Senate seat Rosen flipped in 2018, and with the balance of power in the Senate on a knifes edge.

In other campaign news

Debate? Thats debatable:Trump is considering skipping the first GOP primary debate, NBC News Vaughn Hillyard, Jonathan Allen and Olympia Sonnier report, as the Republican National Committee isreportedly putting out feelersabout whether media would carry a general election debate that isnt sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Trumps civil rape and defamation trial continues:A friend of the author accusing Trump of rape and defamation in a civil trialtestified Tuesdaythat she was told about the alleged attack minutes later.

Trump policy:As part of Trumps effort to releasepolicy-oriented videos, Trumps latest video detailshis plan for college education, saying its time to reclaim our once great educational institutions from the radical left, per Politico. His proposals include dismantling accrediting organizations, and removing diversity, equity and inclusion administrators.

Still a two-man race:A new CBS/YouGov poll echoes other recent surveys and finds Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (who is expected to jump in the race soon) leading the GOP primary field asthe only contenders with double-digit levels of support.

Jet setting:Politico delves into DeSantis recent travels, including his trip overseas, notingits not clear who paid for his flights, but DeSantis office says no taxpayer money was used for his travel.

Hes running:Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, announced Wednesday that he is running for Senate against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Hisannouncement videobegins with his experience during the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol, saying he was ready to take on anyone who came through that door, while Cruz cheered on the mob and hid in a supply closet.Allred also adds, We dont have to be embarrassed by our senator. We can get a new one.

Maryland primary talk:One day after Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., announced his retirement, Montgomery County Councilman Will Jawando, a Democrat, announced he is jumping into the Senate race. Marylands other Democratic senator, Chris Van Hollen, declined to say if hell take sides in the primary, telling NBC News Scott Wong, Right now Im focused on thankingSen. Cardin for his great service. Therell be plenty of time to talk about a primary.

Still not interested:Former Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan told NewsNation hes getting a lot of calls and encouragement to run for Senate (including from his wife), buthe still isnt interested.

Kind of interested:Former GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin said Mondayhe will keep an eye on the New York Senate race,saying during a visit to the state Capitol on Monday,If we did run, it would be an extremely competitive race, per Politico.

Senate script:Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who is running for Senate and represents Hollywood in Congress, on Tuesdayvoiced support for the Hollywood writers strike, as did his primary Senate rivals, Reps.Katie PorterandBarbara Lee.

Tar Heel Republicans put abortion rights into spotlight:Republican state lawmakers in North Carolina are rolling out anew 12-week abortion banwith varying exceptions for rape, incest, some fetal abnormalities and the life of the mother. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper (who cannot seek re-election due to term limits)blasted the proposal in a statement, but the GOP has a veto-proof majority in the General Assembly.

A number of Senate Republicans arepushing back on the notionthat the two parties could reach a deal to temporarily deal with the debt limit, after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the deadline to prevent a default is June 1.

A Tennessee district attorney announced Wednesday thatno charges would be filedagainst an officer who was involved in the fatal traffic stop of Tyre Nichols in Memphis in January.

At a hearing about judicial ethics on Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Committee memberssparred over the need for reform.

Chuck Todd is moderator of "Meet The Press" and NBC News' political director.

Mark Murray is a senior political editor at NBC News.

Ben Kamisar is a deputy political editor in NBC's Political Unit.

Bridget Bowman is a deputy editor for NBC's Political Unit.

Alexandra Marquez is a researcher for the political unit.

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In 10 years, Democrats and Republicans have moved further apart on immigration - NBC News