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08/01/2016 07:32 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

THE CANDIDATE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED-Donald Trump faced a barrage of criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike over the weekend for his ongoing fight with the parents of a Muslim-American soldier killed in Iraq. But for GOP lawmakers, once again being forced to walk the tightrope of distancing themselves from the party's nominee while not outright condemning him has been tricky.

While both House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell issued statements Sunday condemning the kind of comments Trump was making toward Khizr Khan and his wife Ghazala and reiterating their opposition to a ban on Muslims entering the U.S., neither statement rebuked the GOP nominee himself or even mentioned Trump's name.

From McConnell: "And as I have long made clear, I agree with the Khans and families across the country that a travel ban on all members of a religion is simply contrary to American values."

And Ryan: "As I have said on numerous occasions, a religious test for entering our country is not reflective of these fundamental values. I reject it."

Not off the hook: "Democrats made it clear the tepid repudiations weren't enough. In a blistering statement Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid ripped the two Republican leaders, calling anything short of withdrawing their endorsements of Trump 'cowardice,'" writes Seung Min Kim.

"'This shouldn't be hard,' Reid said. 'Donald Trump is a sexist and racist man who insults Gold Star parents, stokes fear of Muslims and sows hatred of Latinos. He should not be president and Republican leaders have a moral responsibility to say so.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef49b734bebebc1451f4f85c2b4e0413615e3b79da478cd3235

SAY MY NAME, SAY MY NAME: While McConnell and Ryan's statements were both devoid of any Trump mention, some GOP lawmakers weren't afraid to take Trump's remarks head on. From the New York Times: "Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who is seeking re-election, said the Khans deserved the utmost respect: 'I am appalled that Donald Trump would disparage them and that he had the gall to compare his own sacrifices to those of a Gold Star family.'"

And Sen. Lindsey Graham: "'This is going to a place where we've never gone before, to push back against the families of the fallen,' he said. He added: 'The problem is, "unacceptable" doesn't even begin to describe it.'" More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef474b1f15b9a7d9233f75b8a022e0d099270af6c7546ae0363

NEW THIS A.M.: A TALE OF TWO SENATORS-Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders both left their marks on the presidential election and used the campaign to increase their clout to varying degrees. But heading into the fall and beyond, what's next for the two lawmakers at the helm of the progressive movement?

Gabriel Debenedetti: "Sanders and Warren are legislative allies, but they aren't particularly close friends. And the progressive movement's ability to carry out big goals like raising the minimum wage and breaking up the big banks will largely depend on how they can work together given Warren's new stature and Sanders' new fame."

On Warren: She "'has a better political sense and has done a good job of building up allies,' said Barney Frank, the longtime liberal Massachusetts congressman and Sanders skeptic who retired in 2013."

On Sanders: "Far from using the past six months to consolidate his position as a power broker by gathering Senate allies, Sanders and his closest advisers are just now struggling to carve out his future role."

"Party leaders are actively working to bring Sanders into the fold...But Sanders is resisting turning into anything like a cog in the party machine, agreeing only reluctantly to raise money - once - for Wisconsin's Russ Feingold and still declining to lift a finger for other candidates who didn't endorse him." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef45b30fad2c5c3c4962563b3361908fd20fb0269ce4265283c

FLAKE TRAPPED IN TRUMPIAN NO-MANS LAND- GOP Sen. Jeff Flake has been, and remains, one of the most outspoken Trump critics. But he's promised that he won't be supporting Hillary Clinton at the ballot box in November either. So what's a guy to do? "Flake wants Trump to stop being so Trumpian. 'I want our Republican nominee to succeed,' Flake said. But 'not with the positions he has taken,'" report Burgess Everett and Seung Min. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef4ae402e8b313a709f55d94aa6ce98d3e1e0d5b0267544bc8d

NEW MONTH, NEW YOU. Welcome to Monday, August 1. You're reading POLITICO's Huddle, your play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. We're happy to guide you through recess and beyond. Know any good gossip, scoops or transitions? Drop me a line: hcaygle@politico.com

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- All's quiet today so we're taking it way back: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef4317f8ad82aac96002bc9a8473c1b11c8967539c60a64c0f0

AROUND THE HILL- An ambitious House staffer making a shareable spreadsheet of all the August happy hour specials within walking distance.

DWS FACES TOUGH ROAD AHEAD - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz may be breathing a sigh of relief now that the Democratic convention is over but she's not out of the woods yet. The Florida Democrat is facing the fight of her life in a primary challenge back home. The Hill: "Her House seat is on the line in a primary race against well-funded challenger Tim Canova, and the battle is heating up amid the fallout from her resignation following the leak of hacked emails that showed DNC officials plotting to undermine Sen. Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign in the Democratic primary."

Money, money, money: Canova has "already raised an eye-popping $2.3 million since entering the race in January, and his alignment with Sanders has won him attention and an endorsement from the senator himself." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef4f9b3ab0db26d4cd3cd412e9eb6f71367962b9d2bdc48726d

TPP HOPES STILL ALIVE- Despite opposition from both presidential candidates and key lawmakers, supporters of President Obama's Pacific Rim trade deal have "launched a well-funded, national effort to lobby their way to TPP approval," reports Megan Cassella.

"Lobbying groups are quick to talk up all the ways they plan to connect with lawmakers, a seemingly endless to-do list of penning op-eds, attending town halls and flooding congressional offices with handwritten letters from company employees." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef4ff20fb2f7cae52e21cf3766b99701ef4c3edeead289f560b

MENENDEZ APPEAL DENIED- "In a long-awaited decision, Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez failed in a bid to have the bribery and corruption case against him thrown out. A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has let stand the charges against him, rejecting his claims that his constitutional protections as a senator were violated," report John Bresnahan and Josh Gerstein.

"The ruling is a serious blow to Menendez, who was hoping to have all or most of the case against him thrown out. Menendez will now ask for the full Third Circuit to consider his case, with an eye toward a possible attempt to take the issue to the Supreme Court." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef4b997cd36832082b51b8062a42db3488b7ba61d679f020f89

HUELSKAMP PRIMARY TOMORROW- "In Kansas, third-term GOP Rep. Tim Huelskamp faces a rare serious challenge not from a more conservative rival, but from a more centrist one. Roger Marshall, an obstetrician-gynecologist, could benefit from local frustration with Mr. Huelskamp, whose dust-ups with GOP congressional leaders have given him a reputation as an obstructionist," write the Wall Street Journal's Kristina Peterson.

And on tap for Thursday: "In Tennessee, third-term GOP Rep. Scott DesJarlais's Aug. 4 primary could also be a nail-biter reminiscent of his victory by less than 40 votes two years ago. ... Mr. DesJarlais hopes to have gotten past a controversy in 2012 when the public became aware of court transcripts from his divorce proceedings that showed that he had extramarital affairs and that his ex-wife had two abortions. Mr. DesJarlais opposes abortion rights." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a99170f5afbc2ef418b4f679683a965c6f60b90761d89815c91216250811735c

BONJOURNO! House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is leading a gaggle of Democrats to Italy over the break to talk NATO, migration and international engagement, according to her office. The group arrived in Italy Sunday. Traveling members include Reps. Eliot Engel, Terri Sewell, Steve Israel, Rosa DeLauro, Dutch Ruppersberger, Anna Eshoo and André Carson.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was the winner, correctly guessing that Daniel Inouye was Hawaii's at-large member elected to the House after the island became a state.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Leader McConnell with today's question: Andrew Jackson lived to see his protégé James K. Polk elected POTUS. What other elected positions did Polk hold prior to that and how many times did he lose? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in tomorrow's Huddle. Email me: hcaygle@politico.com

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