Time and again, Speaker Mike Johnson has relied on an unexpected sourceto propel legislation to success: House Democrats. We’ve already seenDems help Johnson pass a $78 billion tax bill, the proposed de facto banon TikTok and multiple stopgap spending proposals. (Up next: anotherfederal funding deal!) But is the approach an unexpected stroke ofbipartisan unity, or a risky tactic that will blow up in the speaker’sface? Congress reporter Nick Wu joins Playbook co-author Rachael Bade todiscuss.

Plus, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell throws water on the idea ofturning Ukraine aid into a loan, and the rest of the news you need toknow today.