“I think you never say never in politics.”
— Former Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), quoted by Politico, when asked whether he’d run against Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in 2016.
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Clinton Isn’t Ready to Disclose Her Donors
“Clinton’s campaign finance rhetoric appears to be aimed at super PACs, the quasi-independent organizations that bolster campaigns by buying ads. But when it comes to the major funders behind her own presidential campaign, the Democratic front-runner has yet to answer questions about how transparent she’s willing to be. When Mother Jones questioned the Clinton camp about whether it will disclose the names and fundraising totals of the key supporters—known as “bundlers”—who raise vast sums of cash, a spokesperson declined to provide an answer, saying only that the campaign was still figuring out its plans.”
Huckabee Declares Himself Defender of Entitlements
Mike Huckabee “drew roaring cheers from supporters on Tuesday as the latest entrant in a sprawling field of Republican presidential candidates by declaring himself the guardian of so-called entitlement programs, warning, ‘Let them end their own congressional pensions, not your Social Security!,'” the New York Times reports.
“But his pledge to fend off any tinkering with the popular Social Security and Medicare programs put him at odds with his Republican opponents, exposing growing fault lines in the party over an issue that has long been considered a political third rail.”
Tweet of the Day
I suspect Dr. Ben Carson is about to learn that running for President of the United States is not brain surgery.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) May 4, 2015
New Jersey Voters Don’t Want Christie for President
A new Monmouth University poll finds New Jersey voters believe Jeb Bush would make a better president than Chris Christie, 42% to 27%. Similarly, more Garden State voters believe Scott Walker would make a better president than Christie, 34% to 24%.
“Just 29% of Gov. Christie’s Garden State constituents believe he has the right temperament to be president, while 67% say he does not. Large majorities of Democrats (78%) and independents (64%) – as well as a majority (54%) of Republicans – say Christie does not have the right temperament to lead the country. Just three months ago, a solid majority (66%) of Republicans believed Christie did have the proper disposition for the presidency.”
Woman Files Suit Against All Homosexuals
Jon Stewart Takes on Ted Cruz
Jon Stewart tries to narrow down the GOP presidential field.
McCain at Risk of Losing GOP Senate Nomination
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Arizona finds Sen. John McCain’s troubles with conservatives “have him in a whole lot of trouble for reelection next year.”
Key findings: “Even among Republican primary voters just 41% approve of the job he’s doing to 50% who disapprove. Only 37% of primary voters say they generally support him for renomination, compared to 51% who say they would prefer someone ‘more conservative.'”
De Blasio to Unveil a ‘Contract with America’
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D), “using his muscular perch to try to nudge the national Democratic Party to the left, next week will unveil a 13-point progressive agenda that he hopes will be the left’s answer to the ‘Contract with America,’ which helped propel Newt Gingrich and the Republican Revolution of 1994,” Politico reports.
Rolling Stone: “Bill de Blasio is trying to remake America’s biggest city — and he doesn’t plan to stop there.”
Reid’s Power Play Rankles Republicans
“Senate Republicans emerged from their weekly luncheon Tuesday with a clear directive from party leaders: Don’t let Harry Reid get away with acting like he’s still majority leader,” Politico reports.
“They reacted with frustration and amusement to the Nevada Democrat’s latest gambit to block bipartisan trade legislation that he and much of his caucus oppose unless Republicans first address his demands. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell implored his caucus to band together against Reid, sources inside the room said.”
Wonk Wire: Is Congress really that divided?
NDP Wins In Alberta After Right Splits
“It’s a massive shock that turns Canadian politics on its head: the NDP has won a majority government in Alberta,” the CBC reports.
“The NDP won just over 41% of the popular vote, the Wildrose got 24% and the PCs were at about 28% — roughly what was reported by many pollsters in the run-up to the election.”
Snyder Suggests He May Join GOP Presidential Race
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) said that he “sees an opening for a presidential candidate with his track record, though it likely will be weeks until he announces whether he’ll join the race for the GOP nomination,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
He said he was “watching the process, and I think you’ll find most of the candidates coming out by the June-July time-frame.”
Cameron Fights for His Political Life
in the final days of an unexpectedly tight contest with Labor Party leader Ed Miliband, British Prime Minister David Cameron “has been letting it rip,” the Washington Post reports.
“Whether the conspicuous display of emotion will save Cameron’s premiership remains to be seen. Polls suggest the Tories are likely to win more seats than Labor but may not have the support needed from smaller parties to form a government in a year when the British electorate has fractured as never before.”
“For Cameron, a 48-year-old Oxford graduate of royal lineage who had openly coveted the top job in British politics since his youth, that would probably mean the abrupt end of his career. It could also mark the final failure of his attempt to steer the Conservative Party toward the political center, an effort that critics say he abandoned all too easily during his first term.”
Mashable has a good voter guide explaining the key issues.
Warren Met Privately with ‘Draft Warren’ Backers
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) “says she has no intention of jumping into the 2016 race. But she recently met behind closed doors with members of the ‘Draft Warren’ movement who are urging her to run for president,” Politico reports.
“The Massachusetts senator held a private meeting April 22 with a small group of progressive leaders from across the country — including some vocal ‘Draft Warren’ supporters who continue to hold out hope that she’ll enter the presidential race.”
Walker Leads, Bush Trails Way Behind in Iowa
A new Quinnipiac poll in Iowa finds Gov. Scott Walker with a big early lead in the Republican Caucus, with a four-way scramble for second place and Gov. Jeb Bush way back in seventh place with 5%.
Walker leads with 21%, followed by Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Marco Rubio at 13%, Sen. Ted Cruz at 12%, Mike Huckabee at 11%, Ben Carson at 7% and Bush at 5%. No other candidate is above 3%.
Donovan Wins Special Election in New York
Daniel Donovan (R) has won a special election and is going to be Staten Island’s new congressman, the Staten Island Advance reports.
“Donovan was long considered the front-runner in the race, as he is a well-liked Republican in a conservative-leaning borough of Staten Island that makes up about three-quarters of the 11th Congressional District.”
Clinton Approval Survives Wave of Negative Stories
Hillary Clinton “appears to have initially weathered a barrage of news about her use of a private email account when she was secretary of state and the practices of her family’s foundation, an indication that she is starting her second presidential bid with an unusual durability among Democratic voters,” according to a New York Times/CBS News Poll.
“Americans now view Mrs. Clinton more favorably and as a stronger leader than they did earlier in the year, despite weeks of scrutiny about her ethics… And nearly nine in 10 Democrats say the nation is ready to elect a woman president.”
Senate Passes Budget Agreement
“The Senate passed a bicameral budget agreement Tuesday, following its adoption by the House last week and marking the first joint budget resolution to pass Congress since 2009,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Politico: “In a drama-free roll call, the chamber voted, 51-48, to pass the deal that gives the Pentagon a budget increase next year but keeps domestic funding below spending caps set out in a 2011 deficit reduction law. It includes language to repeal Obamacare, which of course the president will block.”
