Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
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RNC in Fight with Koch Brothers Over Voter Data
“The Republican National Committee is currently in a heated dispute with the Koch brothers-backed Freedom Partners over data — not just any data, mind you, but voter data, the lifeblood of political campaigns. Election cycle after election cycle, political organizations prune and bolster and flesh out a massive database of information about who voted and which campaigns talked to them and any other information they have at hand about campaign contributions and campaign store sales and data from external vendors that includes an array of other details,” the Washington Post reports.
“In 2014, Freedom Partners worked with the the party to share data. That deal has expired. And since the Kochs’ data system seems to be easier to use than the RNC’s, campaigns are more willing to use it. This means that all of that pruning and bolstering and fleshing out is being done to Freedom Partners’ data, not the RNC’s. Meaning that the RNC’s data is not as good as it could be.”
North Carolina Overrides Veto of Same-Sex Marriage Bill
North Carolina’s House “overrode the governor’s veto of the same-sex marriage bill that allows magistrates to decline to perform marriages,” the Raleigh News and Observer reports.
“The Senate overrode the veto earlier this month, and now it is law. As a result, magistrates and employees of registers of deeds can opt out of performing marriage duties if they cite a religious objection. County offices in North Carolina must have established hours for performing weddings, as well.”
Huckabee Co-Author Accused of Child Molestation
John Perry, a prolific conservative author who co-wrote two books with Mike Huckabee and co-wrote one with Alabama Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore, was accused of child molestation in two separate lawsuits, BuzzFeed News has found.
“A 2012 police investigation of Perry’s alleged offenses found that ‘the allegations of sexual battery were sustained’ but that the statute of limitations had expired.”
Ohio, New Mexico Lead as Presidential Bellwethers
Kyle Kondik: “The Buckeye State, long recognized as perhaps the nation’s premier presidential swing state, deserves its status. In the 30 presidential elections since 1896, Ohio has correctly picked the winner 28 times.”
“Ohio has company at the top though — it beats out another top presidential swing state, New Mexico, by only a hair. Like Ohio, the Land of Enchantment has also only been incorrect twice, but because statehood arrived in 1912, its record is just 24-2, and thus it has a slightly lower batting average (92%) than Ohio (93%).”
Why It Might Be Good to Get Shut Out of GOP Debates
Matt Bai: “Because if you’re a conservative challenger who hasn’t yet managed to elbow your way into the conversation, I’d argue that getting shut out of the first few debates might actually be the first good thing to happen to you… What exactly do you think you’re likely to accomplish with that five minutes? Here’s an exercise for you: Name the last primary candidate whose campaign was transformed by some brilliant debate moment. Right.”
“On the flip side, consider the potential advantage of not being allowed to debate. The most powerful case one can make in modern politics – and especially in a Republican primary – is that you’re taking on the establishment in Washington, whatever that actually means. And nothing screams ‘threat to the system’ like being silenced by the media and the party elite.”
Iowa Straw Poll May Die This Week
“Friday could be the day the Iowa Straw Poll dies. The governing board for the Republican Party of Iowa will revisit going forward with the event during a conference call Friday morning, as some party officials resign themselves to the view that the much-criticized party fundraiser could potentially damage Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses,” GOP insiders told the Des Moines Register.
Mitt Romney Holds Retreat for GOP Candidates
The Hill: “The site for the gathering is Park City, Utah. The Republican hopefuls scheduled to attend are Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Scott Walker, Gov. John Kasich, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Gov. Chris Christie and businesswoman Carly Fiorina. According to multiple media reports, Jeb Bush was invited but could not attend because of a trip to Europe.”
“One of the prime attractions of the event will be the ability to connect to Romney’s formidable donor network. For all his much-discussed missteps as a candidate, Romney remained financially competitive with President Obama in 2012.”
Secret Recordings Topple Polish Leaders
“It began with something so small: a tiny microphone hidden near a dining table in a fancy Warsaw restaurant,” the Washington Post reports.
“But after the bug caught Polish government ministers discussing private deals, Cuban cigars and off-color jokes — including a comparison of U.S.-Poland relations to oral sex — over expensive meals, a scandal that began as small-talk quickly spread. There were arrests, accusations of international spying and sealed documents leaked on social media. On Wednesday, almost exactly a year after they first emerged, the secret recordings claimed their biggest scalp yet when four Polish government ministers and the speaker of parliament abruptly resigned.”
Warren Takes on Student Loans
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) “took the Department of Education to task on Wednesday for what she called a lack of transparency and failure to protect students from dangerous student loan servicers and for-profit colleges,” the New York Times reports.
“Warren called for external checks to be placed on the department, including moving the student loan complaint system from the department to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and granting borrowers the right to take legal action against loan contractors.”
Biden Back at Work After Son’s Death
“Joe Biden began a process on Wednesday that’s all too familiar for him: working through his grief by getting back to work,” Politico reports.
“The vice president returned to a White House full of affection for him, thinking about him, talking about him. The outpouring of sympathy has been a reminder of the sometimes amorphous but integral role he plays in the West Wing: the emotional center and gut check, the manager of significant parts of the foreign policy portfolio, and a truly loved and trusted friend of President Barack Obama.”
Republicans Attach Conditions to Trade Bill
“With a final House showdown coming on Friday on President Obama’s push for accelerated power to pursue a sweeping trade agreement, the vote brokering has begun — and it is all tilting to the right,” the New York Times reports.
“The legislative changes clearly show the fate of the president’s expanded trade-negotiating power rests with Republicans, not Democrats, even more so because Republicans have blocked provisions favored by pro-trade Democrats.”
Another Bonus Quote of the Day
“My party, quite frankly, has been guilty of speaking in a way that doesn’t sound very welcoming to new members.”
— Gov. Chris Christie (R), quoted by NBC News.
Republicans Still Playing Catch Up on Digital Campaigning
New York Times: “The criticism after the 2012 presidential election was swift and harsh: Democrats were light-years ahead of Republicans when it came to digital strategy and tactics, and Republicans had serious work to do on the technology front if they ever hoped to win back the White House.”
“Now, with the 2016 campaign already underway, Republicans are eager to show they have learned the lessons of past cycles and are placing a premium on hiring top digital talent to build the tools they deem necessary to compete. But their immediate problem is slightly more low-tech: the basics of supply and demand.”
How the Bush Campaign Went Off Track
Washington Post: “In interviews this week, dozens of Bush backers and informed Republicans — most of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to comment candidly — described an overly optimistic, even haughty exploratory operation. Strategic errors were exacerbated by unexpected stumbles by the would-be candidate and internal strife within his team, culminating in a staff shake-up this week.”
“The original premise of Bush’s candidacy — that a bold, fast start would scare off potential rivals and help him overcome the burden of his last name — has proved to be misguided.”
Politico: “Though Jeb Bush’s campaign for president had a shakeup before it even officially became a campaign, one aspect of Jeb World remains as clear as ever: Sally Bradshaw is running the show. To the extent there was a shakeup of Bush’s political team this week, it’s Bradshaw who did the shaking, the shot-calling and the tough decision-making.”
Bill Clinton Will Stop Paid Speeches If Hillary Wins
Bill Clinton told Bloomberg he will likely not continue to give paid speeches if his wife Hillary were elected president.
Said Clinton: “No. I don’t think so. I don’t think that — because once you get to be president then you’re just making a daily story. I will still give speeches though on the subjects I’m interested in, and I’ve really enjoy those things.”
Isakson Says He Has Parkinson’s Disease
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) said that “he has been receiving treatment for Parkinson’s disease, but added that the illness will not prevent him from seeking re-election next year,” the New York Times reports.
“Disclosures about health problems are challenging for politicians, and Mr. Isakson said that he wrestled with whether to go public with his illness. However, he said that his family decided that transparency was the best route.”
Rubio Catches Bush in Florida
A new Saint Leo University survey in Florida shows Sen. Marco Rubio (R) has pulled even with former Gov. Jeb Bush (R) as the top choice of Florida Republicans for president of the United States.
“By several measures, support for Rubio has surged since he officially declared his presidential candidacy earlier this spring, while Bush’s support has plateaued. Presented with a long list of candidates, Bush remains the top choice of Florida Republicans. However, Rubio’s support rose by eight points since a March survey by Saint Leo University, while Bush’s support stayed flat. Rubio also saw an eight-point increase in the number of voters naming him as their second choice. Combining the first and second place votes, Rubio has overtaken Bush. Rubio combines for 53 percent first- and second-choice votes, whereas Bush receives 42 percent.”
