Despite rumors that it wouldn’t be published this year, the Almanac of American Politics 2016 is now available for pre-order.
Trump Strongly Suggests He’ll Run
Donald Trump “all but confirmed he’ll run for the Republican presidential nomination” during a visit to North Carolina, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.
Trump says he’ll make his formal announcement on June 16: “I think a lot of people are going to be very happy… They’re tired of watching America go down. … It’s about making America great again. I can do it, and nobody else can do it.”
He made a point of using the phrase “if I run” in his speech but voiced frustration with a disclaimer: “June 16, will you come, please, fast – I’m so tired of saying that.”
Santorum Calls Sparse Crowds a Success
“When just one Iowan showed up to Rick Santorum’s 2 p.m. campaign stop at a restaurant here Monday, the winner of the 2012 Iowa caucuses made a quick decision: Might as well order lunch,” the Des Moines Register reports.
In a previous stop he drew just 10 people.
Said Santorum: “It’s not glamorous, and you’re not out there raising money, but you’re doing what the money is ultimately supposed to do — getting votes. This is a lot more fun than being on the phone raising money.”
Obama Says Court Will Uphold Obamacare Subsidies
President Obama “expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold subsidies millions of consumers use to buy health insurance, and at the same time warned of possible dire consequences if that doesn’t happen,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Meanwhile, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) warned that Congress would not implement a quick fix: “Let’s be clear: if the Supreme Court rules against the administration, Congress will not pass a so called ‘one-sentence’ fake fix.”
Wonk Wire: States look for alternative Obamacare rescue plans
Hastert to Answer Hush Money Charges
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), “who has been publicly silent and out of sight since he was indicted late last month, is to appear in court here on Tuesday afternoon for his arraignment,” the New York Times reports.
Politico: “A reassessment of Hastert’s leadership began in earnest following his indictment two weeks ago. In hindsight, it now seems clear his avuncular persona — even political enemies couldn’t work up much animus against the former teacher and wrestling instructor known as ‘The Coach’ — served to deter broader scrutiny of congressional misdeeds, including an Illinois land deal of his own that netted him millions.”
“A man hiding secrets like Hastert’s had a natural incentive to avoid calling out others, a lesson the speaker could have learned from his predecessor Newt Gingrich, whose efforts to take down Democrats from Jim Wright to Bill Clinton inspired his enemies to dig for — and uncover — scandals of his own.”
Rubio’s Financial Management Called Into Question
New York Times: “Among the serious contenders for the presidency, Mr. Rubio stands out for his youth, his meteoric political rise — and for the persistent doubts about his financial management, to the point that Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign flagged the issue when vetting Mr. Rubio as a possible running mate in 2012, interviews show.”
“Many of those troubles have played out in an unusually public way, leading even some of his supporters to worry. As he rose in politics, he sometimes intermingled personal and political money — using a state Republican Party credit card years ago to pay for a paving project at his home and for travel to a family reunion, and putting his relatives on campaign payrolls.”
Cruz Wins the Far Right
National Journal has an inside look at Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-TX) courting of the Council for National Policy — “a shadowy nonprofit populated by the Hill staffers, think-tankers, consultants, donors, and ideological mercenaries who call themselves ‘movement conservatives.’ They meet several times each year around the country to discuss legislative initiatives and political strategy, always in secret and always off the record.”
Bush Heads to Europe
Jeb Bush “is embarking on a five-day tour of Germany, Poland and Estonia, beginning Tuesday,” NBC News reports.
“Bush’s trip comes as polls show that foreign policy is increasingly a priority for voters, especially among Republican voters. It ranks as a top priority for Republicans just behind the economy in national polls.”
“Bush arguably is one with the most experience among the Republican field in foreign policy, having made 22 visits to 89 countries according to his staff, and he governed a state that relied heavily on international trade – 40 percent of U.S. exports to Latin America pass through Florida. This will be Bush’s first trip to Estonia and Poland and an opportunity for him to look presidential and capable.”
Non-Profits Play Bigger Role in 2016 Campaign
“Several presidential hopefuls are getting help from allied tax-exempt nonprofit groups that have anonymous donors, a trend that experts say could pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the 2016 campaign,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Already, the tax-exempt entities are doing work on policy development and voter research, as well as hiring and deploying staff, for a half-dozen closely aligned campaigns. Some of the groups are expected to spend large sums on advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts to help their favored candidates.”
Gary Hart’s Team Is Back Together
Washington Post: “Some three decades later, more than a dozen Hart campaign veterans have latched onto another long-shot candidate. This time, it’s one of their own: Martin O’Malley, who joined Hart as a volunteer shortly before his 20th birthday and later ditched college for a semester to work for the Colorado Democrat’s campaign.”
“While it includes no real political heavyweights, the network is vital to O’Malley’s effort to topple Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is backed by much of the Democratic establishment and is expected to raise and spend vastly more money than other Democratic hopefuls.”
Akron Mayor Resigns After ‘Inappropriate Encounter’
Akron, OH Mayor Garry Moneypenny announced his resignation, eight days after taking office from longtime Mayor Don Plusquellic, over an inappropriate encounter with a city employee, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Moneypenny lightly described the encounter with a city council office employee, who he said came into his office to congratulate him. A congratulatory hug then turned into what Moneypenny described as a “too personal encounter.”
He becomes the second mayor to resign in less than two weeks.
Shumlin Says He Won’t Seek Re-Election
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) told New England Cable News that he will not seek reelection in 2016.
Said Shumlin: “I’ve never seen politics as a life-long career. I decided to make this decision now because I want these next 18 months to be about the work that we still have to do. We have a lot to do.”
Bush Taps Campaign Manager in Shake Up
“Danny Diaz, a 39-year-old Washington, D.C., native who has worked for the past three Republican presidential nominees, will serve as campaign manager of Jeb Bush’s anticipated presidential campaign,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The job of running day-to-day campaign operations had been expected to go to David Kochel, who will instead serve as chief strategist in early-nominating states, including Iowa, and across the country. Mr. Kochel ran 2012 nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign in Iowa and was recruited by Mr. Bush in January when Mr. Romney was considering getting into the race.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“Anytime you hear a scientist say, ‘the science is settled,’ that’s political science and not real science. No scientist in his right mind would ever say the science is settled.”
— Rick Santorum, quoted by The Hill, on climate change.
The Latest on Wonk Wire
Here’s what’s trending on Wonk Wire today:
- Does Fracking Contaminate Drinking Water?
- Public to SCOTUS: Don’t Demolish Obamacare
- Both Parties Face Pressure to Raise Taxes
- Is Radical Innovation the Key to Lowering Health Care Costs?
- Pennsylvania Governor Eyes Launching State Exchange
- Employed, But Where’s the Raise?
- More Jobs Doesn’t Mean More Job Security
- How to Fight Climate Change
Strickland Promises Celebration at Portman’s Restaurant
Ted Strickland (D) vows if he defeats Sen. Rob Portman (R) for the U.S. Senate next year, “he and other Democrats will celebrate at Lebanon’s Golden Lamb — a restaurant owned by Portman’s family,” the Hamilton Journal-News reports.
Poll Gives Sestak the Edge in Pennsylvania
A new Robert Morris University poll in Pennsylvania shows Joe Sestak (D) leading Sen. Pat Toomey (R), 34% to 28%, but with an even larger percentage of undecided voters.
Said pollster Philip Harold: “People are just disengaged. It’s like asking someone what they’re going to have for breakfast 100 days from now.”
Liberals Make Big Comeback
A new analysis of Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll data finds a marked increase in the share of registered voters identifying themselves as liberals, and an even bigger drop in the share saying they are conservatives.
