Political Wire

Republicans Bet Big On Unpopular Trump

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“Republicans are putting an unpopular president at the center of their campaign to keep control of Congress,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“During the GOP’s two-day convention here this week, President Trump—term-limited and facing backlash from voters—will be everywhere. Dozens of Republicans will take the stage to defend his record. The president will deliver a prime time keynote address during an event that organizers have compared to one of Trump’s raucous rallies.”

“The strategy comes with political risks. Trump’s approval ratings have steadily declined in his second term, including among the independent voters that Republicans need if they are going to retain their majorities in the House and Senate. In polls, voters have signaled skepticism of Trump’s policies, opposing the war in Iran and expressing frustration with high gasoline and food prices.”

Trump Gave $45,000 Cash Gift to Natalie Harp

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“President Donald Trump gave $45,000 cash gifts to his executive assistant Natalie Harp and two of his other young, loyal White House employees, according to financial disclosures released by the administration,” the Washington Post reports.

”On their disclosure forms, which were released publicly late last week, the three women described the payments as ‘Cash Gift for Holidays.’ The gifts amount to about one-third of the $150,000 salaries they each earn from their White House positions, according to an annual report to Congress.”

Trump Tests Voter Appeal with Midterm Push

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“President Trump is poised to become far more visible outside of the White House than he has been for most of his term, starting with a Republican midterms convention in Texas and continuing with travel to boost candidates, according to his aides,” the New York Times reports.

“If the president expands his domestic travel after the two-day mini-convention in Dallas that begins on Wednesday, it will be a test of whether he still has the ability to connect to the concerns of voters, something that helped him win the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections.”

Tonight’s Primary Results

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“A dramatic season of closely watched political primaries is nearing its end. Tuesday night’s contests in New Hampshire — one of the final stops of the cycle — will set up key battles in the fight for control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate,” the New York Times reports.

Most polls close at 7 p.m. ET.

Leave your reactions in the comments as results come in.

Trump Heads to Dallas Ahead of Promised Campaign Blitz

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“President Donald Trump on Wednesday will head to a Republican midterm convention that will offer clues about the message he intends to deliver when he hits the campaign trail for a 30-day October blitz before Election Day,” Roll Call reports.

“The GOP leader is set to address the party faithful Wednesday and Thursday nights, including prime-time remarks on the second evening from the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The midterm convention begins this election cycle’s homestretch, which will kick into high gear when Congress adjourns later this month for its pre-election recess.”

“While several vulnerable Republican lawmakers are staying home to campaign, Trump and his team are hopeful that the Dallas gathering, which will feature over 100 speakers, will help break what polls show is some momentum for Democratic candidates. The president could also signal how active he will be in the cycle’s final weeks — and just where he intends to campaign.”

Politico: Republicans hope Trump won’t dominate Dallas.

Brett Kavanaugh Won’t Allow Missouri to Use GOP Map

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“Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday refused to lift a block on Missouri’s new congressional map, which was poised to give Republicans a pickup opportunity in November,” The Hill reports.

“Missouri officials held their primaries using Republicans’ new 7-1 House map, but the decision means the Show Me State must revert to its existing GOP-favored 6-2 House map for the November election.”

“The dueling use of maps raises questions around how the state will pick primary winners ahead of November with less than 60 days before the election.”

House Republicans Abandon Key New York Swing Seat

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“House Republicans are effectively abandoning what was supposed to be a key battleground district in New York over concerns that their candidate, state Sen. Peter Oberacker, is too flawed to seriously compete,” Axios reports.

“Expect to see more of this cold calculus as the general election heats up, with both parties determining where their money will actually make enough of a difference to be worth spending.”

U.S. Strikes Iranian Tankers

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“The U.S. on Tuesday struck multiple Iranian tankers in response to more attempted missile attacks on a Navy warship,” the Associated Press reports.

“It marks the latest tit-for-tat strikes as Washington and Tehran lurch back toward fighting during more than six months of war.”

Trump’s Bizarre History with 9/11

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Rolling Stone: “September 11th is the most solemn day on the U.S. calendar. The terrorist attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead 25 years ago are still fresh in the minds of many, and no occasion calls for a greater show of reverence and respect, especially from the nation’s commander-in-chief.”

“Unfortunately, America’s current commander-in-chief, Donald Trump, has a tough time showing reverence and respect for anything other than himself. It’s been especially true with regard to 9/11, as the president reminded everyone on Tuesday during an event intended to honor first responders and victims of the attacks.”

Mediaite: Trump makes wild new claim in rambling remarks about visiting 9/11 rubble.

Iran Launched Undisclosed Second Wave of Attacks

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“Iran launched an attack against U.S. Navy ships on Monday that the U.S. military has yet to acknowledge, after firing ballistic missiles at an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile destroyer over the weekend,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“No American ships were struck in the attacks, but Iran’s recent attempts to hit American naval assets are raising alarm that its military is using more sophisticated weapons and could be getting assistance from China or Russia.”

Supreme Court Rejects School Vaccine Exemption

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“The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a New York woman’s bid to send her son to kindergarten without receiving state-required vaccines, in a case that highlights the limits of the court’s push to expand religious rights,” the Washington Post reports.

“In a one-line order, the high court effectively sided with state and local officials, who argued that a religious exemption would undermine their attempts to prevent the spread of disease among children and the general public.”

About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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