Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski (D) suspended his campaign for the U.S. Senate, four days after FBI agents executed search warrants at Allentown City Hall, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
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New Jersey Lawmakers Try to Force Christie Resignation
“Democratic state lawmakers will soon introduce legislation that would force Gov. Chris Christie to resign from office because he is running for president,” the Newark Star Ledger reports.
“State Sens. Raymond Lesniak (D) and Loretta Weinberg (D), who are expected to co-sponsor the bill, said they are fed up with Christie’s frequent absences from New Jersey this year in the run-up to last week’s announcement that he’s running for the White House. The bill would require Christie and any future governor to resign in order to run for president.”
Who Will Make the First GOP Debate?
First Read crunched the numbers from the last five national polls — two from Fox, one CNN, one NBC/WSJ, and one from Monmouth — and below are the polling averages. The first debate on August 6 is restricted to the top 10:
1. Jeb Bush – 15.4 %
2. Scott Walker – 10.8%
3. Ben Carson – 10%
4. Marco Rubio – 8.8%
5. Rand Paul – 7.6%
6. Mike Huckabee – 7.4%
7. Donald Trump – 6%
8. Ted Cruz – 4.8%
9. Rick Perry – 3.8%
10. Chris Christie – 3.6%
11. Rick Santorum – 2.2%
12. Carly Fiorina – 2%
13. John Kasich – 1.6%
14. Lindsey Graham – 1.4%
15. Bobby Jindal – 1.2%
Bonus Quote of the Day
“I find it ironic that Ted Cruz is giving lectures on Republican-on-Republican violence. I mean with all due respect, I don’t need to be lectured by Ted Cruz.”
— Gov. Chris Christie (R), quoted by the Dallas Morning News, calling Cruz “hypocritical” for saying he refuses to attack Republicans even though he worked to support primary challengers to incumbent Republicans in 2014.
GOP Donor Wants to Block Trump from Debates
Worried about “Republican-on-Republican violence,” top party donors are taking action with one seeking to block businessman Donald Trump from the debate stage, the AP reports.
Said Republican donor John Jordan: “Someone in the party ought to start some sort of petition saying, ‘If Trump’s going to be on the stage, I’m not going to be on there with him.’ I’m toying with the idea of it.”
IRS Won’t Challenge Role of Nonprofits in Campaigns
“As presidential candidates find new ways to exploit secret donations from tax-exempt groups, hobbled regulators at the Internal Revenue Service appear certain to delay trying to curb widespread abuses at nonprofits until after the 2016 election,” the New York Times reports.
“In a shift from past elections, at least eight Republican presidential candidates, including leading contenders like Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, have aligned with nonprofit groups set up to raise hundreds of millions of dollars. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s supporters are considering a similar tactic.”
Sanders Draws Another Huge Crowd
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) drew another large crowd to a presidential campaign stop in Portland, Maine, on Monday evening, this one topping 7,500, The Hill reports.
Bangor Daily News: “What was scheduled as a town hall forum had become a full-blown rally by Monday night. Sanders’ speech was delayed by 20 minutes as organizers let in the throngs of people still awaiting entry. Estimates pegged the crowd at 8,000 to 9,000 people.”
Jon Stewart Thanks Donald Trump
“I wanna talk about one person who’s been there for me. His name is Donald.”
Paul Says He Favors Some Government
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he believes that “you have to give up some of your liberty to have government,” saying he was “for some government,” BuzzFeed reports.
Said Paul: “I’m for paying some taxes. But if we tax you at 100% then you’ve got zero percent liberty. If we tax you at 50% you are half slave, half free.”
Kasich Forms Steering Committee for 2016 Bid
Ohio Gov. John Kasich “flies into Washington Tuesday to meet with a group of heavy hitters – including some of his former congressional colleagues – who have lent their names and support to the governor’s nascent bid for president,” the Columbus Dispatch reports.
Quote of the Day
“When I hear Bernie talk I’m almost inclined to accuse him of plagiarizing me.”
— Ralph Nader, quoted by Politico, on Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Rudy Giuliani Defends Donald Trump
Rudy Giuliani told MSNBC that Donald Trump was “a very good man” and “an unbiased, unprejudiced man” despite his recent comments about Mexicans crossing the border.
Said Giuliani: “I would have said it differently. And I certainly think that it doesn’t reflect on Donald Trump as a man who is a very charitable and a good man. I’m sure if he really had a chance to say it he’d reverse it.”
Boustany Eyes Senate Bid from Louisiana
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) “told supporters at a June fundraiser that he plans to run for the Senate in 2016 if Sen. David Vitter’s 2015 gubernatorial run is successful, a donor told National Journal, and Boustany has hired an experienced Senate campaign manager to helm his political operation.”
Pataki Challenges Trump to Debate on Immigration
Former New York Gov. George Pataki challenged Donald Trump to a one-on-one debate on immigration, saying he wants to hear a real plan for reform from Trump, not “name calling” and “insults,” CNN reports.
The Scott Walker Call That Never Happened
New York Times: “Last Wednesday, Stephen Moore, a scholar at the Heritage Foundation who is an outspoken supporter of an immigration overhaul, described a recent telephone call with Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, in which he said Mr. Walker had assured him he had not completely renounced his earlier support for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.”
“On Sunday, after three days of pressure from Mr. Walker’s aides, Mr. Moore said that he had ‘misspoken’ when recounting his call with Mr. Walker — and that the call had never actually taken place.”
Trump Says Diseased Mexicans Crossing Border
Donald Trump doubled down on his recent remarks about Mexican immigrants being “rapists” and criminals, making the additional claim that “tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border,” TPM reports.
“Accusing his critics of distorting his words, Trump’s statement did nothing to appease them after a days-long mass exodus of business partners and fellow Republicans trying to distance themselves from his comments.”
Heck Will Run for Senate in Nevada
Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV) “became the leading GOP candidate in the 2016 race to succeed retiring Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), the Las Vegas Review Journal reports.
“And while Reid won’t be on the ballot, Heck’s official announcement made it clear the former majority leader of the U.S. Senate and a force in Nevada politics for decades is still the man to beat.”
Morning Consult: “In Nevada, where Senate races and presidential contests are routinely decided by razor-thin margins, both parties got the candidates they wanted. Heck, who has a proven track record of raising money and winning in a swing district, is likely to face former Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, who would be the first Hispanic woman elected to the U.S. Senate.”
Democrats Have Narrow Path to Senate Control
“Democrats can take back the Senate in 2016 after a stinging, nine-seat defeat last year — but their path is narrow, and any gains could be fleeting,” Politico reports.
“The party needs to capture four or five seats — depending on the results of the presidential election — next November. While the 2016 map is favorable, flipping control of the Senate would require winning most of the toss-up races and defeating several well-funded GOP incumbents in pricey swing states that will also be crucial in the race for the White House.”
