Rod Blagojevich opted not to testify Tuesday at his corruption trial in Chicago.

Blagojevich's legal team told the judge that the former Illinois governor will not testify in his own defense, sources told the Chicago Tribune. The Democrat was widely expected to take the stand to bolster his defense against charges related to his appointment of a successor to President Obama's old Senate seat.

The situation, however, could change. U.S. District Judge James Zagel told the defense team to mull the decision overnight, the Tribune reported. Zagel subsequently adjourned the trial for the day.

The Senate campaign of Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is featuring President Obama’s recent fundraising trip to Missouri in a new attack ad. 

The 30-second spot released Tuesday slams Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) as a “rubber stamp” for the “Pelosi-Reid-Obama liberal agenda.”

The spot uses images of Obama and Carnahan on stage together at a July 8 fundraiser in Kansas City, Mo. It ends with the voiceover saying Blunt will “work for Missouri, not Barack Obama.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee hit back in a statement accusing Blunt of “adopting the Republican establishment playbook trying to nationalize the election.” 

Republicans are anxious to tie Carnahan to the president, and earlier this month signaled it would be a key part of their strategy. Obama’s approval rating in the state is less than 50 percent, and key parts of his legislative agenda are deeply unpopular there. He lost the state to Republican John McCain in 2008 by less than a point. 

The National Republican Congressional Committee raised $9 million in June and now has $17 million cash on hand — a net gain of $5 million for the month.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also raised $9 million for the month.

Officials at the NRCC said June was its best monthly fundraising performance in four years and touted it as a sign of things to come.

The committee is now going into "fundraising mode," Pete Sessions, NRCC chairman, told reporters Tuesday. "The NRCC has raised more in January to June of this year than we did all of 2009."

The NRCC edged the DCCC by about $2 million in the second quarter, bringing in a total of $21.2 million since April 1.

Sessions said its numbers are "supportive and indicative" of a backlash against the Democrats' agenda.

"This is a referendum on the success of President Obama and Nancy Pelosi," he said.

Still, Sessions said he expected to be outraised by the DCCC, which has $33.7 million banked for the general. "We learned in '06 money isn't everything," he added, noting the GOP significantly outraised the Democrats that cycle but still lost control of the House.

[The NRCC had a cash-on-hand advantage of $2 million going into the final two weeks of the 2010 midterms. But it was outraised the DCCC by some $12 million in 2006, when both committees brought in close to $100 million by Election Day.]

Sessions's deputy, Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), said the GOP is now "getting traction" in races from Arkansas to Oregon.

"Remember, 18 months ago we Republicans were treated like mold, not really alive but you couldn't kill us either," Walden said. "A lot's changed in 18 months."

--Updated at 5:38 p.m.

Rep. Pete Sessions (Texas), head of Republican House efforts, is the second member of the GOP leadership to join.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) continues to lead GOP rival Sharron Angle in polling on their Senate race.

It's a nice change for the majority leader, who trailed his various GOP challengers by double digits earlier this year.

Reid leads Angle by a mere two points in the latest Public Policy Polling numbers, 48-46, but analyst Tom Jensen points out "when PPP last looked at the state in January Reid trailed Sue Lowden by ten points." Lowden lost the GOP nomination to Angle last month.

One potential problem for the majority leader — he's still struggling for voters' approval. The poll found 44 percent like the job he's doing while 53 percent disapprove. Those numbers are an improvement for Reid, but it's tough for an incumbent to be below 50 percent at this point in the cycle.

Angle's numbers aren't much better. The poll found that 36 percent have a favorable opinion of her while 52 percent see her negatively.

A Friday Las Vegas Review-Journal/Mason-Dixon poll found Reid had a 7-point lead over Angle.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign has turned to DVDs to help retire its 2008 debt.

Three Georgia Democrats are facing primary challenges Tuesday — one for voting against healthcare reform and another who questioned whether Guam could tip over.

Rep. John Barrow (D-Ga.) infuriated his fellow Democrats on Capitol Hill by voting against the healthcare legislation in March. Only 10 members gave to his campaign in 2010, down from 22 in the 2008 cycle. 

Former state Sen. Regina Thomas (D) hoped to capitalize on Barrow’s controversial vote and her demographic advantage in the primary for the heavily African-American district. But she failed to raise enough money to be competitive. Morever, this is her second crack at Barrow, having lost to him by more than 50 points in 2008. Democratic strategists expect Barrow to survive Tuesday’s vote.  

Meanwhile, Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) — who questioned whether Guam could “tip over and capsize” — is up against former DeKalb County chief Vernon Jones and DeKalb County Commissioner Connie Stokes. 

Johnson has the backing of President Obama and has raised and spent significantly more than his opponents. He even released a catchy campaign song, although it was later taken down from his website for unknown reasons.  

Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) also faces a primary challenge from Democrats Mike Murphy and Michael Frisbee, but he too is expected to retain the nomination. 

Gov. Joe Manchin (D) announces run for the late Sen. Byrd’s seat. Filing for the November special election began Tuesday.

Rod Blagojevich will take the stand Tuesday in a Chicago courtroom. The former Illinois governor will testify in his own defense in his ongoing corruption trial. It's unclear what political damage his testimony could do to the White House.

The Obama administration, up to now, has largely been able to avoid becoming entangled in the judicial spectacle that grew from Blagojevich's alleged attempt to sell President Obama's Senate seat to the highest bidder. Observers expected a parade of administration officials — and possibly the president himself — would be called to testify. That hasn't happened.

Even White House adviser Valerie Jarrett — one of Obama's potential replacements — is now "highly unlikely" to testify in the case. But a lawyer for Blagojevich said White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is still slated to take the stand, although not this week.