Discussions among a group of lawyers with allegiance to the president were closely held. Some senior White House officials were said to have felt blindsided as the agreement took shape.

Two candidates with the same name will be on the ballot seeking the same seat in the state’s primary. “It’s going to be confusing,” one Republican said.

Clifford E. Stanley, a retired broker, explains his unusual mission, which caught a lot of people by surprise.

Eleven lessons America must learn