If life imitates art, then the Congressional Baseball Game imitates Capitol Hill.

On the field, as in the Capitol, the sides are divided. In the House and Senate chambers, the Republicans sit on one side, Democrats on the other. At the Congressional Baseball Game, Republicans occupy the first base dugout. Democrats take up residence in the third base dugout.

The teams play hard. For keeps even. They challenge their opponent across the aisle — or diamond. They try to score political points. In this case, runs.

The annual, bipartisan baseball tilt at Nats Park is emblematic of what unfolds daily under the Capitol Dome up the street. It’s just that, for one night a year, lawmakers take it outside, under the lights. They wear cleats. They don New York Mets and University of Texas at San Antonio jerseys. Lawmakers even encounter protesters like they do in the halls of Congress.

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Only these demonstrators don’t surface in the Cannon Rotunda. They vault a fence near the left field foul pole only to be tackled in the grass by U.S. Capitol Police. Similar to what sometimes goes down in Congress.

Minus the left field foul pole.

Congress is often criticized for doing a lot of running around without accomplishing much.

A single play encapsulated this on the field Wednesday night.

Republicans were pounding the Democrats, 21-6, in the bottom of the sixth inning of a seven-inning game. But the Democrats had the bases loaded and were threatening to tighten the score.

Unlike in a Major League Baseball game, there are a lot more wild pitches and passed balls.

Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., went deep into the game for Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, the Republican skipper and former Atlanta Braves farmhand. But Williams switched pitchers later, bringing in Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, in relief.

Pfluger is the GOP “fireman.” He entered the game sporting a microscopic 1.11 ERA, reminiscent of Bob Gibson’s astonishing 1.12 ERA when he won the Cy Young Award in 1968.

In the bottom of the sixth, a breaking ball from Pfluger popped off the mitt of Republican catcher Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, for a passed ball. The runners didn’t advance as Pfluger charged in to cover the plate.

But baserunning — and congressional hijinks — ensued a couple of pitches later.

Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y. was at bat. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-N.Y., was on first. Rep. Tim Kennedy, D-N.Y., was on second. Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-Calif., occupied third.

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And then Pfluger uncorked a wild pitch that went all the way to brick backstop. The ball caromed across the grass in foul territory toward Lutrell.

Barragan creeped down the line halfway as Goldman wildly gyrated his arms, waving Barragan home.

However, Lutrell recovered the ball cleanly as Pfluger raced to cover the plate. Lutrell tossed it to Pfluger. It would be a no-no for Nanette to score on this one. The California Democrat retreated to the third base bag.

But that’s where trouble started.

Kennedy is not only a freshman but a rookie. In both Capitol Hill and congressional terms. Just called up to the big club from Buffalo. Not the Buffalo Bisons, the Toronto Blue Jays’ AAA affiliate. But Congress. He’s only represented Buffalo since early May, after winning a special election to succeed former Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y.

It’s customary for junior lawmakers not to upstage more senior lawmakers. But, at this stage, Kennedy was bearing down on third as Barragan tried to hustle back to safety. There were about to be two runners on third base. A conference committee. So, Kennedy reversed course, faster than a member halfway to Reagan National Airport on a congressional getaway day when the House calls an unexpected vote. Pfluger fired down to second, getting Kennedy in a rundown and the most press he’s ever garnered in his young congressional career. Now, Kennedy is trapped. He can’t head back to second because Pat Ryan, the runner on first, was legging it toward second.

Members of the Republican team stand during the singing of the national anthem during the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park June 12, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

So, to help Kennedy, Ryan makes a motion to recommit to first base just as the Republicans throw the ball away. The GOP had Kennedy in a true pickle. But he escaped.

And just like on Capitol Hill, you sometimes get a second chance.

Kennedy’s baseline filibuster allowed Barragan to score. Kennedy advanced safely to third.

This turn of events for both clubs made the Bad News Bears look like the ’75 Cincinnati Reds.

But after the errant throw in the Kennedy rundown, Ryan was now running again toward second base.

Most strange things in Congress seem to emerge “from left field.”

But, on this night, it came from right field.

Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, likely deserves the most alert play of the game.

Ellzey crept all the way in from right field to back up the rundown of Kennedy between second and third. Ellzey then fielded the wayward throw and bolted in an utter sprint, running directly at Ryan.

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The New York Democrat was hung up between first and second, the third rundown in this bizarro sequence of events. Ellzey clenched the ball in his right hand, stretching toward Ryan and tagged him directly with the ball.

Ryan was out.

Ellzey is a graduate of the Naval Academy and flew missions as a fighter pilot. Ryan is a graduate of West Point and wore a Golden Knights jersey for the game.

Ellzey catching Ryan in the footrace was a true “Go Navy, beat Army” moment.

So, only one run scored amid all of that. And one out.

But like what often happens often in Congress, there are errors on both sides. And a lot of running around without much to show for it, even though Democrats eked out a run.

The play ended the bottom of the sixth inning in the seven-ining affair.

Members of the Democratic and Republican teams shake hands after the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at National’s Park June 12, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Republicans then went on to drop a ten spot on the Democrats in the top of the seventh and cruised to a staggering 31-11 victory.

“Biggest margin of victory since 1909,” gloated House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “I think it’s an omen about the election cycle. We’re looking for more of that in November.”

As for the Democrats, they need to dig into their farm system for some pitching.

“We have some opportunities that are out there in terms of additional talent,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. “We made it competitive during the early part of the game and laid a foundation for the great Democratic comeback in 2025.

Just like daily politics on the Hill. Republicans banking on big victories this fall.

Democrats looking to reclaim control of the House.

No different under the Dome. Or on the diamond.

CNN’s deal to produce the first debate of the 2024 presidential election cycle is a major coup for the news network. It won’t let viewers forget it.

The scheduled June 27 showdown between the presumptive nominees, President Biden and former President Trump, is the first time in history that a single TV network has landed exclusive rights to present a general election debate.

The first presidential debate in 2020 between the same two candidates attracted an audience of 73 million viewers, making it one of the last mass audience experiences left in a highly fragmented TV landscape. It’s a much-needed win for the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned news network that has been racked by executive shakeups, budget cuts and declining ratings in recent years.

And CNN isn’t going to let such a stature-building opportunity go to waste. Instead of the blue background showing the constitution, as seen in previous presidential debates, viewers will see the red CNN logo. The event will provide a major platform for CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who will serve as moderators at the network’s studio in Atlanta.

But the potential for blockbuster ratings on CNN will be mitigated by the network’s decision to provide a feed of its production to other networks and digital outlets. CNN is making the offer as a public service. Every presidential debate held since 1960 has aired commercial free across the major broadcast networks and, in later years, on cable news outlets.

So, in order to maximize the opportunity the debate offers, CNN is putting restrictions on the use of the simulcast, right down to what it should be called. A list of conditions has gone out to outlets interested in carrying the event, according to several executives who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The CNN’s on-screen logo — or “bug,” as its often called — must appear throughout the simulcast, according to the network’s conditions. Other networks can put their bugs on the screen as well, but they can’t obscure CNN’s graphic.

CNN is also requiring other outlets to refer to the event as the “CNN Presidential Debate.” If a network runs any on-air promotions or advertising for the telecast, it must be referred to as the “CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast” and use artwork provided by CNN. In program guides and TV listings, it must be called “Simulcast: CNN Presidential Debate.”

In a break with the tradition of having general presidential debates proceed ad-free, there will be two commercial breaks in the 90-minute showdown, each running 3 1/2 minutes. Outlets running the simulcast can put their own commercials and promos in the breaks or run the spots sold by CNN.

However, other networks cannot insert their own anchors and commentators during the breaks or any other portion of the telecast — only before and after the event. Squeezing back the image of the debate stage onscreen so a pundit or rival anchor can chime in will be forbidden. Outlets that violate the terms will lose the right to carry the feed.

As of Friday, rival network executives said they were pushing back on some of CNN’s requirements. Some networks may choose not to promote the simulcast on their air if they are forced to mention CNN every time.

A CNN representative confirmed the network’s requirements for the rights to the simulcast, noting that they are being requested in return for covering the full cost of the production.

“CNN is unilaterally producing this debate, and that requires transparency with viewers and a substantial investment of resources,” the representative said. “CNN will provide the debate for free on CNN.com and make it available across a wide variety of news sources in order to reach as many Americans as possible.”

While no formal announcements have been made, all of the major networks and news channels are expected to carry the debate, according to several executives at CNN’s competitors. The networks need to commit several days before the event so it can be listed in electronic programming guides and TV listings.

Mark Lukasiewicz, a former NBC News executive who is now dean of the journalism school at Hofstra University, said he believes the CNN requirements are a reasonable trade-off for a simulcast that other networks can run with their own commercials.

“I think this is a very fair arrangement,” said Lukasiewicz, who worked on several debates while at NBC. “It’s a good model if this how the networks do the debates going forward. I hope they take CNN up on this offer so the debate is seen as widely as possible.”

CNN raised its hand after the Biden and Trump campaigns decided not to go through the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonpartisan group that has overseen the events since 1988, setting the rules and choosing the venues and moderators. One of the major networks would provide cameras and other technical assistance but had no influence on the production.

The Biden and Trump campaigns agreed to two head-to-head match-ups, one on CNN and the other on Walt Disney Co.’s ABC on Sept. 10, which will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. Vice President Kamala Harris has agreed to a debate Trump’s still-to-be-determined running mate on CBS.

Former NYPD Inspector Alison Esposito slammed her congressional opponent at an event for GOP women candidates, claiming his move from the military to Congress led to a change in his tact toward public service.

In response, Rep. Patrick Ryan, D-N.Y., an Iraq War veteran, highlighted a recent trip to the southern border and bipartisan support from Hudson Valley law enforcement officials.

Esposito, a 2024 recruit by Rep. Elise Stefanik’s Republican women’s candidate group, E-PAC, said she is a cop, not a politician.

“That is what I am. That is what I always will be,” she said, adding she was in the thick of the George Floyd riots and recounting being hit in the head by a cabinet tossed out a window by protesters. She compared it to a scene in “Braveheart.”

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She claimed Ryan portrays himself as a moderate on such rule-of-law issues, while acting otherwise. Ryan later pushed back.

“He wants to play the moderate game, but then, at the same time, it’s important to remember when he was the Ulster County executive, he made Ulster a sanctuary county,” Esposito said.

“Now, I thank him very much for the service, and I respect it immensely. But I would submit that the second he took off that uniform, he stopped serving the American people.”

In 2019, Ryan enacted an order adjusting procedures involving cooperation with immigration authorities, and he noted Thursday that Ulster strenuously avoided “sanctuary city” terminology.

Ryan said he was one of 15 Democrats to demand President Biden seal the border by executive order, adding, “The No. 1 thing I learned as an Army officer: When in charge, take charge. We are in a crisis; the president is in charge.”

Esposito highlighted how her area had seen migrants being sent upriver to be housed as New York City became overrun. 

Migrants had been sent to suburbs like Orangeburg, Middletown and Newburgh, and Esposito said New York Democrats who supported sanctuary state policies finally realized what they had agreed to.

“It was only a matter of time. … They were fine with the influx at the southern border as long as [migrants] stayed in the south. When the [border-state] governors were dealing with thousands a day, they would send a couple hundred up. And now you have the same sanctuary politicians screaming, ‘Oh no, wait, this is unsustainable’,” she said.

Both candidates said rule of law and border security are top election issues, and Esposito illustrated her own recent visit to Orange County, where the issues remain front and center.

“You had an individual that was on the deportation list that was awaiting trial who [allegedly] killed two people,” she said. “You come out of ShopRite in Middletown, and you have the migrants and the illegal immigrants holding their babies, selling water, selling roses,” Esposito said.

Stefanik said Esposito and five other endorsed women she introduced at her E-PAC event could be the difference in November.

“With the help of these rising stars, House Republicans are going to … help save our country from the disastrous policies of far-left Democrats.”