Trump-McConnell battle for the hearts and votes of the GOP

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022 Good morning, NBC News readers.     Today we take a closer look at the relationship at the heart of Republican aspirations to win back control of the Senate. In a positive development, the number of omicron cases in the U.S. appears to have peaked. Plus, we have some news-you-can-use about new ransomware tactics to look out for.    Here's what we're watching this Tuesday morning.     McConnell-Trump deep freeze promises to define the midterm elections As the all important midterm elections approach, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is waging a quiet campaign to keep his caucus from getting a whole lot Trumpier.    The power struggle between McConnell and former President Donald Trump is one of the more consequential subplots of this midterm election season, and its outcome promises to affect not only which party controls the Senate next year but also whether the Senate GOP is more or less Trump-flavored a year from now.   It occurs against the backdrop of a deep freeze between the two men, which set in when McConnell condemned the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and said Trump had "provoked" it.   Read our full story from NBC News' senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen here.  Tuesday's Top Stories Pentagon puts 8,500 troops on 'heightened alert' as U.S. weighs military action against Russia Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has placed 8,500 troops on "heightened alert" to assist with the defense of NATO allies, the Pentagon said Monday, stressing that no deployment orders have been given.  READ MORE Fauci expects most states to reach peak omicron by February. Close to half already have. The number of omicron cases peaked and is trending downward in at least two dozen states, according to an NBC News analysis of Covid case numbers tallied from state and county health departments. READ MORE Ransomware hackers' new tactic: Calling you directly Hackers have increasingly roped in everyday people whose information is stored in computers they hacked, pestering them by phone and email. READ MORE OPINION What's waiting for many joining the 'Great Resignation'? Euphoria and then a harsh reality. Thinking about quitting your job? Don't make the same mistake I did, writer Ashley Memory advises in an opinion piece. Abruptly quitting a good job solely out of frustration can lead to problems you don't see coming. READ MORE Also in the News Biden caught cursing about Fox News reporter on a hot mic  Huge ISIS jail break raises specter of reenergized extremists Chicago police follow 'strong leads' in 'unspeakable' slaying of 8-year-old on street 7 injured in fighter jet's 'landing mishap' on U.S. aircraft carrier in South China Sea Dry January not so dry? A slip isn't a fail, experts say In reversal, Peng Shuai T-shirts will be allowed at Australian Open  Taylor Swift slams claim she doesn't write her own songs as false and 'so damaging' Editor's Pick Pub culture is central to British life — and it may be what brings down Boris Johnson Reported parties at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's official residence reveal potential rule breaking at the highest echelons during Covid lockdowns — but they also highlight a culture of heavy drinking in Britain and the outsize role that alcohol often plays in society. READ MORE Select The Ember Mug works exclusively with the Ember app to control and monitor your drink's temperature. One Fun Thing  Did eating meat make us human? New research casts some doubt The debate over whether or not eating meat really did "make us human" just became more complicated.    It's understood that the frequent eating of meat separates humans from other primates, but the exact role it played in early human evolution is getting a fresh challenge from a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.    Read the full story here. Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy