“My wife says if I thought about a fourth term, she’d slit my throat.”
— Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), USA Today, while hinting he may run for a third term.
Rubio’s Tax Plan Doesn’t Add Up
Jonathan Chait notes that Marco Rubio’s tax plan “would reduce federal revenue by $11.8 trillion over the next decade. The entire Bush tax cuts cost about $3.4 trillion over a decade, making the Rubio tax cuts more than three times as costly.”
“Among the Republican presidential candidates, Rubio is widely considered to be a moderate on fiscal issues. The clarity with which we can now examine Rubio’s plan, juxtaposed against recent events, provides a sense of the ongoing relationship between the Republican Party and economic reality. It remains deeply hostile.”
LePage Mulling Senate Bid
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) told a radio show that he may challenge Sen. Angus King (I) for the U.S. Senate in 2018, the Bangor Daily News reports.
Said LePage: “I’m thinking about it very strongly.”
Villaraigosa Laying Groundwork for Governor’s Race
Los Angeles Times: “Antonio Villaraigosa has kept out of the news in the six months since he opted to skip the race for U.S. Senate. But a reception at his Hollywood Hills home on Monday to raise money for Hillary Clinton was the latest of many signs the former Los Angeles mayor is preparing quietly to run for governor of California in 2018.”
Newsom Builds War Chest for 2018
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) “reports that he has already banked nearly $5.5 million for a possible run for governor that’s still more than three years away,” the AP reports.
Cuomo Suggests He’ll Run for Third Term
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) “signaled that he intends to run for a third term in 2018,” Bloomberg reports.
Said Cuomo: “We are in the midst of a phenomenal transformation in the state of New York. There’s nothing else that I would rather do than what I’m doing. I plan to stay as long as the people will have me.”
Newsom Launches 2018 Campaign for California Governor
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced that he has opened a fundraising account to run for governor in 2018, the Los Angeles Times reports.
“Newsom has long wanted to be governor, and the move – more than three years before the election – is an early shot across the bow at other potential Democratic candidates. By forming a committee, Newsom can raise up to $28,200 per supporter for both the primary and general elections, meaning he can collect $56,400 per donor.”
LePage Suggests He Might Run for Senate
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) said that he is considering running against Sen. Angus King (I-ME) in 2018, the Portland Press Herald reports.
Rick Scott for President?
Insiders say Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) wants to become president, the Miami Herald reports.
“It’s anyone’s guess how a politician with such low favorability ratings who has never captured 50 percent of the vote in Florida can win nationwide (or in Florida in a presidential election year, when the electorate is more liberal-leaning).”
“There’s a small possibility he could run in 2018 for U.S. Senate against Nelson. Independently wealthy and a great fundraiser, Scott would be a force to be reckoned with in a federal race, where there are strict limits on raising outside campaign money.”
Bush Campaign Ready to Launch
“Jeb Bush’s fundraising operation is about to get serious,” Politico reports.
“Allies of the former Florida governor are planning to roll out both a leadership PAC and a super PAC in the coming days in an effort to lock up major donors and give pause to potential rivals for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination… The plan is a bold one that in some ways echoes — and updates — the aggressive pre-campaign fundraising approach taken by Mitt Romney ahead of his 2008 and 2012 runs.”
Carter May Run Again in Georgia
Jason Carter (D) told the Atlanta Journal Constitution he could run again for Georgia governor.
Said Carter: “I’m not ruling it out. And I’ll certainly commit to having a role in this debate that we’ve started, and the future of politics in this state. And whether that puts me on the ballot again is a question that has to be answered later. I’m not going anywhere.”
[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]Carter’s grandfather lost his first run for Georgia governor in 1966 and came back to win in 1970. Six years later he was elected President of the United States. [/speech_bubble]
