The 2014 Campaign Begins

First Read: “Indeed, call this week the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Midterm Olympics! Consider: Texans are currently voting for next week’s primaries in the Lone Star State; Floridians are already casting absentee ballots in the March 11 special congressional election there; Illinois holds its primary the week after that (March 18); and former President Bill Clinton campaigns tomorrow for Alison Grimes in Kentucky’s competitive Senate race. Oh, and the shadow of the 2016 presidential race — at least on the GOP side — creeps into the picture with the upcoming CPAC political conference in DC area taking place March 6-8.”

“Folks, campaign season is now in full gear. And that’s with even a Congress that’s back at work (after its Presidents Day recess) and a President Obama back in D.C. (after his brief trip to Mexico last week), because both entities also are essentially in campaign mode for the next eight months, as we wrote last week. Congressional Republicans and the White House are punting anything political tough for their own political bases (immigration and Social Security) in order to avoid problems in this campaign year.”