Latest News and Analysis from the NBC News Politics Team: Trump Trial Jury Deliberates and Congressional Primaries Heat Up

The trial of former President Donald Trump in New York is heating up as jurors are now tasked with deciding if prosecutors have left any room for doubt in the “mountain” of evidence presented against him. The burden of reasonable doubt hangs heavy over the jurors as they sift through testimonies and documents to determine Trump’s criminal culpability.

Prosecutors allege that Trump paid off a porn star to protect his 2016 campaign and then attempted to cover it up with phony payment records. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, testified that he was the tool used by Trump in this scheme. However, the jurors must evaluate if there is any reasonable doubt in the evidence presented by the prosecution.

Trump’s lawyers argue that the records are accurate and that Cohen went rogue in negotiating the deal with the porn star. They claim that Trump had no knowledge of the payments and that his signature on checks does not prove his involvement. Despite this, Trump himself tweeted in 2018 that he had reimbursed Cohen for the hush money payment, adding to the complexity of the case.

In a separate story, the pressure on members of Congress in primary elections is highlighted as incumbents face more competitive races than in the past. The recent win by GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales in West Texas against a right-wing challenger illustrates the growing pressure on rank-and-file House members to secure their seats. The rise of anti-incumbent challengers has forced members to be more cautious in their legislative actions to avoid angering the primary-voting base.

Overall, the political landscape is shifting as trials and primary elections bring to light the challenges faced by both former and current political figures. Stay tuned for more updates from the NBC News Politics team as they continue to cover the latest developments from the campaign trail, the White House, and Capitol Hill.