“For a while, Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell were untouchable,” Politico reports.

“The first major Republicans elected after the 2008 Obama landslide, the tough-as-nails Garden Stater and the straight-edged Virginian heralded the conservative resurgence in 2010 and pointed the way toward sweeping victories for small-government candidates on the state level. A year ago, both seemed like plausible and even probable 2016 presidential candidates, two representatives of a fresher GOP, anchored in fiscal discipline, support for states’ rights and opposition to public labor.”

“Now, clouds hang over both the GOP golden boys of 2009.”

Two new polls show David Jolly (R) leading his GOP rivals in Tuesday’s primary to replace the late Rep. Bill Young (R).

A Gravis Marketing survey finds Jolly with a 6-point lead over Kathleen Peters (R), 34% to 28%.

A St. Pete Polls survey finds Jolly with an 11-point lead over Peters, 39% to 28%.

“Jim Messina, former campaign manager to President Obama, will soon have company at the helm of Priorities USA Action, the big-money super PAC set to support Hillary Clinton should she run for president in 2016,” Ruby Cramer reports.

“Jennifer Granholm, the former two-term governor of Michigan and one of the Democratic Party’s most spirited principals, is well into talks to join Messina as co-chair of the group’s board of directors.”

Charlie Cook: “In the last election, when people
were asked to choose which quality mattered the most in deciding how
they voted for president, the top choice was ‘has a vision for the
future’ at 29 percent, followed by ‘shares my values’ at 27 percent.
Coming in third was ‘cares about people like me’ at 21 percent, and, in
fourth place, ‘is a strong leader’ at 18 percent. Romney scored higher
on three out of four of these qualities. Those choosing ‘shares my
values’ voted 55 percent for Romney and 42 percent for Obama. Those who
picked ‘is a strong leader’ as a key quality in their president sided
for Romney, 61 percent to 38 percent. Those who said ‘has a vision for
the future’ went 54 percent for Romney, 45 percent for Obama.”

“Looking at
these numbers, one might assume Romney won the election. However, among
the one in five voters for whom ‘cares about people like me’ was most
important, Obama won 81 percent to 18 percent. That is a jaw-dropping
finding as Republicans search for the answer to the question, ‘Why did
we lose?’ Republicans need to think about these results as they decide
how to position their party for 2014 and 2016, lest they watch this
empathy gap cost them another winnable election.”

“It seems to me that this whole bridge thing reinforces a narrative that’s troublesome about the guy, he’s kind of a bully.”

— Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by NBC News, commenting on the scandal enveloping Gov. Chris Christie (R).

First Read: “Christie faces a serious problem that goes well beyond whether anyone contradicts the story and timeline he laid out on Thursday: He has enemies, both Democratic and Republican ones, who are sharpening their knives. On the Democratic side, state lawmakers are holding hearings and investigations on the issue (example: Christie aide David Wildstein pleading the 5th yesterday), and that won’t stop anytime soon. Just as Darrell Issa and House Republicans hounded the Obama administration last year with subpoenas, leaks, and numerous hearings, New Jersey Democrats have the ability to make life miserable for Christie in 2014. But it’s not only Democrats. Some Republicans — potential 2016 rivals, conservatives upset by his embrace of President Obama in 2012, or any other enemies he’s made along the way – have the ability to score points with this scandal.”

The Week: Who would replace Christie as the GOP establishment 2016 frontrunner?

Chicago Sun Times: “First, Bruce Rauner (R) seemed to say he favored cutting the state’s $8.25-an-hour minimum wage. Then, he retreated from those ‘flippant’ remarks made in December and said this week he favors increasing pay for Illinois’ poorest workers to as much as $10 an hour.”

“On Thursday came yet another twist in the Republican gubernatorial candidate’s confusing and evolving stance on a vital issue affecting 1.1 million Illinois workers: a September video in which Rauner said he ‘adamantly, adamantly’ opposes raising the minimum wage.”

[Read more…]