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Court Says States Can’t Seek Voter Proof of Citizenship

June 29, 2015 at 9:57 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 23 Comments

The U.S. Supreme Court “refused to consider letting states require evidence of citizenship when people register to vote for federal elections, rejecting an appeal from Arizona and Kansas,” Bloomberg reports.

“The rebuff is a victory for the Obama administration and voting- and minority-rights groups that battled the two states in court. It leaves intact a decision by a U.S. agency that blocked the states from requiring proof of citizenship for voters in federal elections.”

Rick Hasen: “This is a huge win for those who want to see a greater federal role and uniformity in elections.”

The End of Obamacare

June 29, 2015 at 9:56 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

John Oliver compiles five years of wrong predictions about the Affordable Care Act.

Wonk Wire: The Obamacare fight continues

Gay Marriage Threatens to Divide Republicans Further

June 29, 2015 at 9:46 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 22 Comments

Rick Klein: “If you’re going to start over, it helps to agree on a new place to begin. There’s a hope among some Republicans that the end of the nation’s gay-marriage debate wipes the slate clean on social issues, after a first half of the year where liberals seemed to be running up the score. The responses from GOP contenders on gay marriage are varied, though they don’t run the full gamut: All of the 16 major candidates continue to oppose something that, as of Friday, is a constitutional right.”

“From there, there’s Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Marco Rubio suggesting that the Supreme Court has effectively settled the argument, with their focus now turning to protecting religious liberty ins this context. You have Scott Walker among those backing a constitutional amendment, Ted Cruz wanting a new process to oust justices, and Bobby Jindal suggesting we should shut the Supreme Court down altogether. Then there’s Mike Huckabee, who said on ABC’s This Week that ‘I’m not sure that every governor and every attorney general’ should simply comply with the court’s edict.

“These are more than different shadings; these are conflicting takes on a matter of major social policy where the Supreme Court has ruled – and a majority of Americans agree. Is there any scenario where this doesn’t get ugly inside a free-wheeling Republican primary – to say nothing of what that might do to the eventual nominee for the general election?”

Ben Carson Builds Grassroots Support

June 29, 2015 at 9:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 6 Comments

Reuters: “In polls, Carson outperforms most of his fellow candidates, who often have much bigger media profiles, much more political experience and in many cases have track records as governors or senators. While the spotlight has been on opponents like former Florida governor Jeb Bush and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Carson has been quietly building a grassroots following. His surprising popularity in the polls has translated into a high number of individual donations that has not been previously reported. Interviews with supporters and conservative activists suggest he is benefiting from a weariness among some Republicans with establishment politicians.”

Kasich Sets Date to Launch White House Bid

June 29, 2015 at 7:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 32 Comments

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) “plans to launch his presidential bid on July 21 in Columbus, hoping his strength in the quintessential swing state will help him win over Republican voters who aim to take back the White House in 2016,” the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

“The idea of Kasich’s candidacy has excited some voters and intrigued national reporters, who praise his candor and pragmatism. He’s making regular trips to early-primary states New Hampshire and South Carolina, and he first visited Iowa last week.”

Texas Attorney General Bucks Gay Marriage Ruling

June 29, 2015 at 7:17 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 59 Comments

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a written opinion that county clerks in Texas “who have religious objections to same-sex marriage can opt out of issuing such licenses — but they should be prepared to face fines or legal challenges,” the Texas Tribune reports.

“In the opinion, which is meant to serve as guidance for clerks and public officials now that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states, Paxton said that pro bono lawyers are ready to help such gay marriage opponents defend their decisions.”

Biden’s Sons Urged Him to Run for President

June 29, 2015 at 7:08 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 5 Comments

Wall Street Journal: “When deciding whether to run for office, Vice President Joe Biden has made it a practice to seek his family’s counsel. That advice has included at least two members of his immediate family—his sons—urging him to run for president in 2016, Biden friends and advisers say.”

“The Biden family’s wishes add an intriguing wrinkle to a Democratic presidential race that has unfolded in unpredictable ways. But a White House official said speculation about the vice president’s political future was premature during this tough time for the family.”

Puerto Rico’s Governor Says Debts Are ‘Not Payable’

June 29, 2015 at 7:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 1 Comment

Puerto Rico’s governor, saying he needs to pull the island out of a “death spiral,” has concluded that the commonwealth cannot pay its roughly $72 billion in debts, an admission that will probably have wide-reaching financial repercussions, the New York Times reports.

Cruz and Rove in Dispute Over Bush Donation

June 29, 2015 at 7:00 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 3 Comments

“The spat between Sen. Ted Cruz and GOP strategist Karl Rove escalated late Sunday, with Cruz dusting off an email exchange from 2009 to refute Rove’s denial of claims in his forthcoming book,” the Dallas Morning News reports.

“Cruz asserted in his book that Rove was angry that he’d secured a donation and endorsement from former President George H.W. Bush, and that Rove said Bush’s advanced age made his judgment unreliable. The emails Cruz released don’t support the ageism allegation. But they do show Rove explicitly saying the endorsement would anger Bush library donors and supporters of state Rep. Dan Branch, who was also angling to replace Abbott, something Rove denied earlier today.”

Virginia Republicans Choose Primary Over Convention

June 29, 2015 at 6:29 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 7 Comments

“The Republican Party of Virginia will choose a presidential candidate in a statewide primary open to all voters on March 1, 2016, also known as Super Tuesday,” the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.

Christie’s Nothing-Left-to-Lose Campaign

June 29, 2015 at 6:17 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 10 Comments

“When Chris Christie launches his presidential campaign Tuesday, it won’t look anything like the one he once envisioned,” Politico reports.

“Gone is the idea of an expansive, state-by-state primary election strategy. Iowa, despite the early visits and Christie’s cultivation of a relationship with Gov. Terry Branstad, is probably out the window, too. And forget about the prospect of a cash-flush campaign: the New Jersey governor is now expected to raise just a fraction of what his top opponents will rake in.”

“In a sign of how far Christie’s fortunes have fallen, he spent part of this weekend personally calling around to home state Republican legislators to nail down their support for his now long-shot presidential bid.”

Jeb Bush’s Business Dealings Raise Questions

June 29, 2015 at 6:15 am EDT By Taegan Goddard 6 Comments

Washington Post: “Today, as he works toward his run at the White House, Bush touts his business experience as a strength that gives him the skills and savvy to serve as the nation’s chief executive. He has said he “worked my tail off” to succeed. As an announced candidate, Bush soon will be making financial disclosures that will reveal recent business successes and show a substantial increase in his wealth since he left office as Florida governor in 2007.”

“But records, lawsuits, interviews and newspaper accounts stretching back more than three decades present a picture of a man who, before he was elected Florida governor in 1998, often benefited from his family connections and repeatedly put himself in situations that raised questions about his judgment and exposed him to reputational risk.”

Christie Enters Presidential Race as Underdog

June 28, 2015 at 3:33 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 58 Comments

When Gov. Chris Christie enters the race for president this week, he’ll do so as an underdog, the AP reports.

“The launch of the Republican governor’s White House campaign is the culmination of years of groundwork that began even before his landslide re-election to a second term as governor in 2013, but one nearly felled by scandal and a descent from his standing as one of the nation’s most popular state leaders to a politician whose approval ratings have reached record lows at home. It’s a reality Christie and his supporters are ready to embrace, not that they have a choice.”

Trump Admits His Marriages Might Not Be Traditional

June 28, 2015 at 2:24 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 24 Comments

Donald Trump says that he supports “traditional marriage” but that gay people who might question whether his three marriages qualify as traditional “have a very good point,” Bloomberg reports.

Said Trump: “But, you know, I’ve been a very hardworking person. I’ve had—actually, I have a great marriage, I have a great wife now. My two wives were very good, and I don’t blame them. But I was working maybe, like you, 22 hours a day.”

Asked again what he would say to a married gay person questioning him on the issue, Trump said, “I really don’t say anything. I’m just, I’m just, I’m for traditional marriage.”

Rubio Already Buying Airtime for Primary Ads

June 28, 2015 at 2:20 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 7 Comments

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) “has started reserving television airtime in the first four nominating states, seven months before a vote is cast,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The Florida senator has reserved airtime in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada that is set to run from November through February.”

Trump Says Bush Takes Him Seriously

June 28, 2015 at 1:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 32 Comments

Donald Trump says that Jeb Bush, the front runner for the GOP presidential nomination in recent polls, views him as a serious political threat, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Trump: “Trust me, he takes me seriously.”

He added: “I actually felt bad because I hit him very hard one day. I really think he’s a nice man… I don’t know if I want him negotiating with ISIS. I think Trump will do a lot better.”

Huckabee Wouldn’t Enforce Gay Marriage Decision

June 28, 2015 at 1:28 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 43 Comments

Mike Huckabee suggested that if he were elected president in 2016, he would decline to enforce the Supreme Court decision finding a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Said Hcukabee: “I would say, when the Congress provides enabling legislation and the people’s representatives vote and it gets to my desk, then we’ll consider it. This was done through a court edict of five unelected lawyers, a part of a committee, who decided that they knew better than the legislators.”

Jindal Says Gay Marriage Is a Religious Liberty Issue

June 28, 2015 at 1:19 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard 38 Comments

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) said that his state will comply with the Supreme Court’s order legalizing same-sex marriage, Politico reports.

Said Jindal: “We don’t have a choice. Our agencies will comply with the court order.”

But he added: “I think it is wrong for the federal government to force Christian individuals, businesses, pastors, churches, to participate in wedding ceremonies that violate our sincerely held religious beliefs. We have to stand up and fight for religious liberty. That’s where this fight is going.”