Political Wire

New Jersey Lt. Governor Will Resign

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New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell (D) “will resign after a damning internal investigation substantiated allegations that he sexually harassed a female staffer and repeatedly violated state ethics rules, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed,” New Jersey Globe reports.

“Caldwell’s decision comes one day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) called for his resignation and gave him until Friday to step down. His departure averts an unprecedented constitutional confrontation over how to remove a sitting lieutenant governor, an independently elected official whom the governor cannot simply fire.”

Saudis Have Not Ruled Out Developing Nuclear Weapons

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“Classified documents provided to Congress include an assessment by the U.S. intelligence community that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out the option of developing a nuclear weapons program,” the Washington Post reports.

“The sobering intelligence outlook has compounded concerns from some U.S. lawmakers about President Donald Trump‘s agreement to assist Saudi Arabia with establishing a civilian nuclear program, which they fear could enable the development of a nuclear weapon and spark an arms race in the volatile Middle East.”

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Another Bonus Quote of the Day

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“Since the epicenter of ‘power’ is not Washington, D.C. but Heaven, every morning I listen to a few chapters of the Bible on audiobook, and pray for God’s wisdom and strength in whatever situations may arise.”

— White House aide Natalie Harp, in an interview with the Washingtonian, on what she does on her own time.

Congressional Approval at Just 17%

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A new Unite America/RealClear Opinion Research poll finds U.S. Congress’ approval at 17%, while 59% disapprove.

Congress Approval
Approve 17%
 
Disapprove 59%
 
Unite America/RealClear Opinion Research poll · registered voters
Trump Approval
Approve 34%
 
Disapprove 54%
 
Unite America/RealClear Opinion Research poll · registered voters

Three Big Questions as GOP Nears Moment of Truth

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“With midterms 39 days away and the outlook for President Trump’s party looking increasingly bleak, top Republicans say they’re focused on three big questions for the final stretch,” Axios reports.

  • “Are their attack ads working? Republicans expect a wave of private polling in early October to reveal whether their massive financial advantage is cutting into Democrats’ leads.”
  • “Who gets cut loose? Republicans concede they’ll have to make painful spending decisions by early October.”
  • “What does Trump do? The president and his political team remain one of the midterms’ biggest question marks. Trump’s team said early this year that he’d campaign weekly for GOP candidates. That didn’t happen.”

New Poll Shows Democrats in Key States Feel Unified

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“In the two battleground states with the most bitter and complicated Senate primaries, Maine and Michigan, Democrats emerged feeling stronger and more unified,” according to new polls from The New York Times and Siena University.

“More than 60 percent of Democrats or independents who said they lean toward the Democratic Party in each state said they thought the primary process strengthened the party through vigorous debate. Only about one-quarter said they thought the process exposed divisions and made Democrats weaker.”

“Beyond the primary battles, the polls hinted at signs of unity emerging around the party’s direction and ideology among Democratic voters nationally and in the battleground states.”

Republicans in Congress Try a Pre-Election Pivot

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“With less than 40 days until the midterm elections, Republicans in Congress are distancing themselves from President Trump and scrambling to show they are working to address the high cost of living, concerned that their failure to do either so far may cost them their majorities in November,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Trump’s approval ratings are sagging as Americans face higher energy costs and general economic uncertainty because of the war in Iran, giving Democrats a clear advantage in national polls. But the Senate has spent some of its final days in session ahead of the election defeating a bid to halt the war and working on a sweeping new regulatory framework for collegiate sports.”

ICE Wasted Millions On Detention Without a Plan

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“ICE has received more than $75 billion to expand operations since President Trump returned to office — and wasted millions on scaled-back and mismanaged projects, a new GAO report found,” Axios reports.

“In rushing to execute Trump’s mass deportation agenda, the agency failed to properly develop a strategic plan.”

Supreme Court Allows States to Purge Voters

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“The Supreme Court on Friday cleared the way for states to use the federal government’s overhauled immigration database to purge noncitizens from voter rolls ahead of the midterms,” the Washington Sun reports.

“The unsigned decision sided with the Department of Homeland Security, which sought to revive the modified system — which contained Social Security information and other individual data — after U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan ordered it shut down in June. Three justices dissented from the decision.”

New York Times: Supreme Court allows federal voter identification tool ahead of midterms.

America First?

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President Trump’s lavish welcome for Chinese President Xi Jinping drew criticism from both the left as well as some prominent Republicans.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called it a “WTF moment.” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) questioned the decision to honor Xi with a state visit. Even some Republicans who defended the summit acknowledged the awkward optics.

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White House TV Pool Is Operating Again

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“The U.S. network video pool for the White House was back in operation Friday, for the first time since President Donald Trump banned three news outlets in a high-profile showdown over media access,” the Washington Sun reports.

MS NOW: White House allows CNN back into TV pool after blocking some journalists hours earlier.

Another Bonus Quote of the Day

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“My Trump sources say the president’s worst nightmare imaginable has arrived… panicked texts and emails from GOP insiders are blowing up my phone. They’re all saying the same thing.”

— Mark Halperin, writing in the Daily Mail.

Elon Musk’s PAC Spends $20 Million

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“Elon Musk’s super PAC is ramping up spending on key races in the midterm elections after a slow start, Federal Election Commission filings show, a blitz Democrats are seeking to offset with appeals to their supporters to counter the billionaire’s money,” Bloomberg reports.

“Musk’s America PAC has spent $16.6 million to boost Republicans in U.S. Senate contests, including in high-profile races in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Maine. It’s also spread $3.1 million across more than 30 competitive House districts, joining GOP eff.”

Weekly News Quiz

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Another Bonus Quote of the Day

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“When I was 25, I had a really bad boss. He made me run across an open fucking field of raking machine gun fire to breach a door. So, yeah, life’s tough sometimes.”

— Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), quoted by Semafor, when asked about the New York Times story on former Rep. Mary Peltola’s (D-AK) mistreatment of staff.

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire -- which for more than two decades has been one of the nation's most influential political news sites.

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