Major sticking points keep on being as Household and Senate reconcile protection paying bills

Mike Brest

July 28, 01:16 PM July 28, 01:16 PM

The Senate handed the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday night with wide bipartisan assistance because, as opposed to their Residence counterparts, they largely avoided partisan subject areas.

Eighty-six senators voted in favor of the once-a-year protection policy bill that authorizes $886 billion in paying on countrywide protection, which was President Joe Biden's requested sum, while only 11 voted versus it. Comparatively, the House's NDAA was a practically social gathering-line vote.

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With both chambers passing their edition of the must-move invoice, negotiators from each chamber will operate collectively to merge them into just one, which will ultimately head to the president's desk. But, those people associated will have to figure out a way ahead on two important culture war issues that had been provided in the House's model but not the Senate's: abortion obtain and transgender health care.

The House's edition incorporated an modification that finished the Pentagon's existing abortion plan — which is to reimburse service users or their dependents the travel costs incurred if they have to travel out-of-condition for health-related companies these kinds of as abortions, but also fertility treatment options. DOD executed the plan in light of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the subsequent restrictive regulations that conservative states put in put following the ruling.

A further modification the lower chamber's invoice involved would stop the department or Tricare, the military’s health care plan, from furnishing gender-relevant surgeries and hormone treatment plans for transgender company users.

Republicans have prolonged hammered the department's abortion and transgender procedures, and the amendments pushed all but four Home Democrats to vote towards the NDAA a couple of months back.

“What’s going on in the Senate is a stark contrast to the partisan race to the bottom we saw in the Residence, where Home Republicans are pushing partisan legislation that has zero prospect of passing,” reported Senate The vast majority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-NY), forward of the Senate vote.

Before this month, Countrywide Protection Council coordinator John Kirby claimed it is really "really tricky to see" Biden signing a invoice that has this kind of rollbacks.

"It is really extremely tricky to see the President supporting legislation that would make it harder for Americans to provide in uniform and to not be in a position to do so with dignity, would not be in a position to do so with the right care that they need to have equally professional medical and psychological treatment," he spelled out. "It truly is really difficult to see that the President would at any time, at any time sign legislation that would put our troops at increased danger or put our readiness at hazard."

The NDAA has been passed every single 12 months for more than 60 many years.

Even though the president usually symptoms the protection authorization monthly bill into legislation in December, the abortion difficulty will probably come to a head a lot quicker for a different reason.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has held up navy nominations for about 6 months thanks to this coverage, which he argues is overreach from the department. Tuberville's keep has blocked more than 300 nominations, while Pentagon officials have mentioned that variety could exceed 650 if his maintain extends by means of the remainder of the calendar calendar year.

The Maritime Corps is currently led by acting Commandant Gen. Eric Smith mainly because he was not confirmed into the placement prior to his predecessor was term-restricted out of the place. The heads of the Army and Navy are set to leave in the coming weeks, when the head of the Air Power will be assuming the role of Chairman of the Joint Employees, building a different opening in his wake.

Tuberville's maintain could power the Military, Navy, Air Drive, and Joint Team to have performing leaders if Biden's nominees really don't get verified, in addition to the Marine Corps that now is running that way.

The Alabama senator can't totally reduce the Senate from passing nominations. But his hold, which helps prevent the Senate from passing them in batches as is normally done, makes it a significantly extra time-consuming approach. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), the chairman of the Senate Armed Companies Committee, claimed previously this month it would get approximately 84 times to vote by just about every advertising if they did completely that for 8 several hours each and every day.

Top lawmakers voice opposition to short-term debt limit deal

Ryan King

May 07, 03:14 PM May 07, 03:14 PM

Top lawmakers are giving the prospect of a short-term debt limit deal a cold reception, while largely refraining from ruling it out entirely.

Under a short-term plan, Congress would effectively push back the debt ceiling in order to buy time from the June deadline to figure out a longer-term agreement. Many lawmakers appear skeptical that more time could solve the impasse, but are simultaneously adamant that the United States can't default on its obligations.

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"I don't think the responsible thing to do is to kick the can down the road," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) told NBC's Meet the Press. "We have to avoid default period. Full stop."

Although unhappy with a short-term arrangement, Jeffries declined to rule out backing one when asked. Some Biden administration officials are deliberating over such a proposal as an avenue out of the debt ceiling standoff, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Some analysts have suggested that punting on the debt limit, for now, would avert default, which Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen forecasted could come as soon as June 1. From there, Congress could pair the debt limit with the upcoming battle over government funding for the next fiscal year.

Both Jeffries and the White House conveyed that Democrats are open to talking about spending priorities with the GOP. They remain adamant, however, that Republicans must give them a stand-alone bill to lift the nation's borrowing authority.

"We want to do the right thing for the American people. And that means paying our bills and simultaneously having this discussion about the future and what spending can look like anchored in President Biden's budget proposal," Jeffries added.

A short-term debt limit measure could breach House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) vow to "never" move a bill that just lifts the debt limit. A handful of Republicans have already criticized a short-term deal.

“I would prefer that we get this done the first time. That always gets dicey. And, frankly, I don’t even know if there’d be the votes for that,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SC) said, per NBC. “I think there’s going to have to be a really earnest effort made to try and negotiate something that can get passed by the deadline.”

"We all work around deadlines here. If we do a short-term extension, it means we won’t get into negotiations in earnest until three or four weeks before whatever the new extension is. That’s how this place works," Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) argued, according to the outlet.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) initially signaled openness, but later clarified that he is not supportive of such a measure, according to Semafor.

Another Republican, Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC), argued that everything should be left on the table as the country stares down a potential economic crisis.

“I think everything’s on the table at this point. The key thing that has to be in this equation is addressing our fiscal house, short term, and long term,” he told CBS's Face the Nation.

The clock is ticking for lawmakers to break the deadlock. Biden is set to meet with the four congressional leaders Tuesday to discuss the standoff.

If the U.S. runs out of cash to fund its operations and defaults, unemployment could skyrocket, and inflation could accelerate dramatically, according to some estimates.

Biden re-ups calls for gun safety reforms after Alabama and Louisville shootings

Ryan King

April 16, 05:37 PM April 16, 05:37 PM

President Joe Biden once again dusted off his entreaties for gun safety reforms in the wake of the Alabama birthday and Kentucky park shootings.

"Jill and I are praying for their families, and for the many others injured and fighting for their lives in the wake of this weekend’s gun violence," Biden said in a statement. "Guns are the leading killer of children in America, and the numbers are rising – not declining. This is outrageous and unacceptable."

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On Saturday evening, four individuals were killed and roughly 15 were injured at a Sweet 16 birthday party in Dadeville, Alabama. Many of the victims are undergoing treatment for their injuries and an investigation remains ongoing, police said.

Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, two were killed and four others were injured at near Chickasaw Park after a gunman opened fire into a crowd Saturday evening. Police indicated the suspect remains at large. That shooting came on the heels of an Old National Bank shooting last week that left five dead.

"What has our nation come to when children cannot attend a birthday party without fear? When parents have to worry every time their kids walk out the door to school, to the movie theater, or to the park?" Biden asked.

Late last month, a gunman killed three children and three adults at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Following that attack, which killed a friend of his wife, Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) signed an executive order to bolster background checks. Biden made sure to praise him for taking that action.

"I commend Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for signing an Executive Order to expand background checks and calling on the Tennessee statehouse to pass a red flag law. I hope more Republican officials will follow suit and take action," Biden said.

Biden also chastised Republican leaders for standing "alongside the NRA in a race to the bottom on dangerous laws that further erode gun safety." Top Republicans attended the recent National Rifle Association conference in Indianapolis. Biden then quickly outlines some of the specific reforms he'd like Congress to take up.

"It is within Congress’ power to require safe storage of firearms, require background checks for all gun sales, eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines – and this should happen without delay," Biden said.

Five Republican House primaries to watch in 2024

Brady Knox

March 13, 06:25 AM March 13, 06:25 AM

With 2024 fast approaching, buzz has already begun to surround the Republican House primaries.

While most attention is fixated on the Republican presidential primary for 2024, many forget that all 435 House seats are up for election as well. With Republicans only holding a narrow majority currently, just a few races could decide which party controls the House. Much depends on the quality of Republican candidates, which will be decided earlier in 2024.

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Here are five different races bound to be close, according to the Cook Political Report.

1. Tony Gonzales (TX-23)

Rep. Tony Gonzales became the second congressman in Texas Republican Party history to be censured due to his support for a gun control bill, to codify same-sex marriage into law, and his rejection of a border security bill from fellow Texan Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX).

He now faces the might of the state Republican Party, with Medina County GOP Chair Julie Clark already joining the race as a primary challenger. In 2020, prior to his censure, he beat Sen. Ted Cruz-backed Air Force veteran Raul Reyes by just seven votes. Now stripped of his state's party support, which is likely to back his opponent, Gonzales faces a tough race.

2. French Hill (AR-02)

Hill, a Little Rock banker first elected in 2014, has recently cast himself as an anti-Trump Republican, going on CNN to call for a GOP presidential challenger to Trump in 2024, voting to certify the 2020 election and establish the Jan. 6 Committee, and bashing former President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud. He was already sobered in 2022 when he won against retired Michael Flynn-backed Army colonel Conrad Reynolds by 59%-41%, despite outspending him by a factor of five and a half.

Another Trump-backed challenger is all but assured to confront Hill again in 2024, although his allies hope that his conservative credentials will help him prevail.

3. Dusty Johnson (SD-At Large)

Despite South Dakota voting strongly for Trump in the past two presidential elections, its only representative, Johnson, has positioned himself as the former president's opposite; a centrist, policy-oriented representative whose personality contrasts heavily with that of Trump. He also voted with Democrats against Trump on several hot-button issues, including overriding Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border, establishing the Jan. 6 Committee, and keeping former Rep. Liz Cheney as Republican conference chair.

With his 2022 showing already underwhelming, Johnson could be in trouble in 2024 if pro-Trump elements of the party decide to put effort into unseating him.

4. Dan Newhouse (WA-04)

Newhouse is one of two remaining Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, with the other eight being defeated in 2022. He was only able to keep his seat after the pro-Trump opposition vote was split in three; he won just 26% of the vote in the primary. If the pro-Trump base can unify around a single candidate, Newhouse will be in deep trouble.

So far, he has relied on a fracturing coalition of centrist Republicans, Democrats, and independents to get by; the latter two of which will be unable to help him in an exceedingly difficult primary.

5. Dan Webster (FL-11)

Webster, 73, once an insurgent Freedom Caucus-backed candidate, now faces a daunting challenge from the right in the form of Laura Loomer, an energetic, pro-Trump firebrand endorsed by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). He defeated her by just seven points in 2022, although Loomer has yet to concede, citing election fraud.

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Loomer has cast Webster's age and seeming lack of energy as a central issue, with the incumbent being absent for a number of Congressional votes and failing to raise much money in comparison to Loomer.

With Loomer bound to challenge him again in 2024, Webster faces a difficult race.

White House confirms Biden will veto GOP-backed anti-ESG bill

Ryan King

March 01, 03:22 PM March 01, 03:22 PM

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Wednesday that President Joe Biden will veto the Republican-backed bill rolling back a Labor Department investing rule if it makes it to his desk.

House Republicans advanced a bill Tuesday to undo a Biden administration rule that permits retirement plans to consider environmental, social, and corporate governance, or ESG, in their investment decisions. The veto, which had been widely speculated, could become the first of his presidency.

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"It forces MAGA Republicans' ideology down the throats of the private sector and handcuffing investors as well. The bill would bar fiduciaries from considering significant risks like extreme climate threats and poor corporate governance when they make investment decisions," Jean-Pierre told reporters during a White House press briefing.

Centrist Democratic Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) signaled they will back the bill, which must first clear the Senate to get to Biden's desk. Supporters of the push to scrap the so-called ESG rule argue the policy is "woke capitalism" that undermines retirement accounts for workers, but Jean-Pierre contended it could hamstring investors.

"It would give investment professionals less flexibility to make prudent decisions, meaning they won't be free to maximize the retirement savings for millions of Americans. That would jeopardize the retirement and life savings for police officers, firefighters, teachers, and tens of millions [of] retirees all across the country," she said.

"This is unacceptable to the President and that is why he will veto this bill if it does come to his desk," she added. "President Biden is focused on protecting workers' hard-earned life savings and pensions. And that is what he's going to continue to do."

Under the resolution, the ESG rule “shall have no force or effect" and investment managers are expected to consider financial returns instead of other issues when making decisions. The measure cleared the lower chamber 216-204.

Biden recently announced that he will tap Julie Su to be his next labor secretary to replace Marty Walsh who is leaving to become the next executive director of the NHL Players' Association.

In boost to Republicans, Manchin says he will oppose DC crime law

Brady Knox

February 27, 11:22 PM February 27, 11:22 PM

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he would vote against a controversial Washington D.C. crime law, all but ensuring Republicans' efforts to repeal it will be successful.

The law, which overhauls the district's criminal code and drastically reduces sentences for some violent crimes, has come under bipartisan criticism for being too lax on crime. A bill to repeal the law passed in the House with 31 Democratic votes. With Manchin's announcement on CNN that he would support the bill repealing the law, it is likely to pass in the Senate too.

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“I don’t support it. I mean, I want to put people away, I don’t want to let them out,” Manchin said of the new law. “I haven’t been briefed on it, but what I know about it, I would vote to rescind it.”

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN), the bill's chief sponsor, compared the law to the "defund the police" initiative, casting it as highly unpopular and potentially fatal to the careers of Democratic moderates.

“I don’t think that’s going to be very popular in their states and this falls right in that lane,” Hagerty said.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser opposed the law and attempted to veto it, though her veto was overridden by the city council. She has since come out to say that although she opposes the law, she opposes Congress's effort to rescind it.

Five Biden administration investigations House Republicans plot to launch in 2023

Cami Mondeaux

January 02, 07:00 AM January 02, 07:00 AM

As Republicans prepare to take control of the House for the first time in four years, party leaders are already teeing up a number of investigations into several Biden administration officials regarding their conduct.

Soon after the GOP won the House majority, top Republicans such as Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) have expressed their intent to investigate President Joe Biden's White House on a variety of fronts, ranging from the southern border to Hunter Biden’s laptop.

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Here are five of the top investigations House Republicans are eyeing once they take control of the lower chamber and which officials have been put on notice:

Joe Biden and the Afghanistan withdrawal

One of the first investigations Republicans are expected to open is related to the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in September 2021, during which the country airlifted more than 12,000 people out of the country as the Taliban quickly seized control of the government. The operation has been heavily scrutinized, particularly after a suicide attack outside the Kabul airport left 13 Americans and roughly 200 Afghans dead.

Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, sent letters to a number of government agencies requesting documentation and other materials related to the troop withdrawal, accusing the Biden administration of committing obstruction. Comer has sent letters to the State Department, the National Security Council, the Department of Homeland Security, the Pentagon, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) requesting internal communications or any related information about the planning of the September 2021 troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Oversight Committee is particularly interested in investigating the decision to conduct airlifts out of the Hamid Karzai International Airport and to permit the Taliban to be responsible for the airport’s security. Lawmakers will also investigate the lack of planning to help relocate refugees who were taken out of Afghanistan.

Dr. Anthony Fauci and the COVID-19 pandemic

Near the top of Republicans’ list of priorities is investigating the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic and the U.S. response under the direction of Dr. Anthony Fauci over the last three years.

Republicans have long criticized Fauci for his response to the pandemic, particularly surrounding theories as to how the coronavirus originated and spread from Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and early 2020. GOP lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee already opened their own investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in 2019, requesting “an independent, expert investigation of the origin of COVID-19,” according to a letter they sent then-National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins.

Republicans on that committee have since called on the NIH to preserve all records and communications related to the pandemic for review early next year, criticizing the agency for failing to respond to earlier requests for information.

Hunter Biden and his laptop

Hunter Biden’s business dealings have long been of interest to the Republican Party, first taking prominence during the 2020 election as the GOP sought to determine whether then-candidate Joe Biden benefited financially from his son’s transactions, pointing to national security concerns.

Republicans on the House committee have been seeking to advance their investigation into Hunter Biden for months, particularly after obtaining a copy of his hard drive. The hard drive has been of interest due to its salacious content, although Republicans are expected to focus mostly on his family’s business dealings to determine whether President Joe Biden has knowingly benefited from his son’s financial deals.

The FBI took possession of the hardware after the owner, believed to be Hunter Biden, left it for repairs in April 2019 and never returned.

Hunter Biden's financial affairs, including business dealings tied to countries such as Ukraine, China, and Russia, are under scrutiny in a federal criminal investigation. The president’s son has never publicly denied that the laptop belonged to him but has insisted he is "100% certain" he will be cleared of wrongdoing.

Joe Biden has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and his campaign told reporters in 2020 that he “has never even considered being involved in business with his family, nor in any overseas business whatsoever.”

Alejandro Mayorkas and the southern border

Republicans are also to focus on the influx of immigrants coming into the United States from the southern border, which has significantly increased under the Biden administration.

Republicans have previously demanded DHS officials preserve documents pertaining to the border, with some GOP lawmakers considering impeaching Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas once they take control of the House.

U.S. border officials encountered more than 2 million immigrants at the southern border during fiscal 2022, an increase from 1.7 million encounters the year before.

The House Judiciary Committee has already notified Mayorkas they will be seeking his testimony early into the next Congress, as well as the testimony of 10 other DHS officials.

Merrick Garland and bias within the Department of Justice

In a letter sent to the Department of Justice, House Republicans informed Garland they would be seeking the testimony of 15 officials — the most of any of the departments that received the Nov. 18 notices.

The testimony is likely to be in reference to the department’s handling of its investigations into Donald Trump because Republicans have accused the department of being politically biased against the former president. Republicans’ investigations are expected to focus on the raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, during which the FBI and DOJ obtained several boxes of classified White House documents.

The DOJ is investigating possible violations of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice in its inquiry about the Mar-a-Lago documents, according to court documents. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

That investigation is likely to coincide with a similar inquiry into the FBI to determine whether the agency holds political bias against Trump.

Republicans enter 2023 divided from within

Cami Mondeaux

December 29, 08:22 AM December 29, 08:22 AM

As Republicans prepare to take control of the House next week and begin eyeing opportunities to retake the White House in 2024, the party may first have to deal with growing intraparty divisions that could dampen its momentum.

GOP lawmakers entered 2022 with a sense of unity and a common goal: to retake both chambers of Congress by using President Joe Biden’s unpopularity against him. However, as the midterm cycle dragged on, the party faced a series of challenges that led to a disappointing performance after Republicans failed to recapture the Senate and only gained a slight majority in the House.

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Now, Republicans are entering the new year with a seemingly fractured message as lawmakers are split on myriad issues, ranging from who to select as House speaker to who should be their 2024 presidential nominee.

Here’s a breakdown of the areas in which Republicans are entering 2023 divided from within:

McCarthy faces growing opposition in bid for House speaker

As Republicans take the House majority on Tuesday, lawmakers will first be tasked with electing their new House speaker. But that may be easier said than done.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has long positioned himself as the heir to take the speaker’s gavel in 2023, even going as far as to release the “Commitment to America” platform during the midterm cycle that he pledged to implement once he became the House leader. However, McCarthy has since faced growing opposition from within the party as some House Republicans have posed direct challenges to his nomination, with others quietly considering other contenders.

At least five GOP lawmakers have publicly said they won’t back his speakership bid. McCarthy can’t afford to lose more than four votes, or else he risks sinking his chances when the House meets to vote on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Republicans are reportedly huddling behind other members of their party for a possible leadership challenge. It’s not clear who Republicans would present as an alternative nominee to McCarthy, although Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has already announced a challenge to the minority leader’s bid.

Republicans split on how to deal with George Santos

Republicans also face scrutiny after it was revealed one of the party’s incoming freshman lawmakers embellished several details on his resume while running for Congress, prompting several Democrats, and even some GOP lawmakers, to call for an investigation.

Newly elected George Santos (R-NY) admitted to lying about several details on his campaign website while running for office earlier this year, including his alleged employment history with Wall Street firms such as Citigroup and Goldman Sachs. Additionally, Santos lied about his educational history after he claimed he graduated from New York University and Baruch College despite never earning a college degree.

The revelations have put the GOP in a tight spot as it prepares to take the House majority, as a handful of Republicans have joined Democrats to condemn Santos and call on him to resign. However, GOP leaders have remained largely silent on the issue.

GOP mulls who to back as 2024 nominee

As the 2024 presidential election looms and Republicans vie to retake the White House, the party is beginning to consider who its strongest candidate may be.

The GOP primaries will reveal much about the party’s future direction, particularly if lawmakers are content to remain centered on former President Donald Trump’s influence or if Republicans are ready to move on. For now, the party seems to be undecided.

Trump declared his intent to run for president on Nov. 15, so far making him the only Republican to do so. However, the former president is expected to face a crowded field of nominees — and he must grapple with a growing pile of controversies that threaten to sink his presidential bid before it gets properly started.

While some Republicans have already pledged to support Trump’s reelection bid, others have begun to look to other options. One such alternative could be Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not yet declared a White House bid but is considered a rising star within the party.

Other options could include former Vice President Mike Pence, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

Republicans consider new leadership after disappointing midterm elections

Outside the halls of Congress, Republicans are also considering a slew of leadership changes after their lackluster performance in the midterm elections.

Specifically, the midterm elections have led conservatives to question Ronna McDaniel’s leadership openly over the Republican National Committee. The GOP’s failure to capture the Senate has prompted some Republicans to consider challenging McDaniel for the top RNC position and others to call for new leadership.

At least two Republicans are challenging McDaniel, including lawyer and RNC committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon. McDaniel was also faced with a high-profile challenge from Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), who had a better-than-expected run for New York governor last month. Zeldin later bowed out, but he maintained his position that McDaniel should step down.

Boebert says she won't support McCarthy unless there's a check in place to remove speaker

Ryan King

December 19, 06:53 PM December 19, 07:11 PM

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) is predicating the prospect of her backing House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for speaker on the establishment of a check and balance system on the speakership.

Refraining from outright opposing him, the Republican firebrand stressed that no agreement had been reached for a mechanism to easily remove McCarthy as speaker down the line but kept her options open during an interview Monday with Real America’s Voice at a Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix.

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"We have to have accountability here, and without that, Kevin McCarthy's not speaker. There has been no agreements made on that, and how can we believe anything else moving forward? So maybe things will change on Jan. 3," she said.

Boebert made her remarks standing next to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), a fellow member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, who has been one of the most vehement House Republicans opposed to a McCarthy speakership. Gaetz reiterated his opposition, despite former President Donald Trump backing McCarthy, stressing he would back Trump in 2024 but "will not follow him" on McCarthy.

"President Trump should take a look at what is being said in the House of Representatives right now," Boebert added.

Boebert barely crossed the finish line in her reelection race against Democrat Adam Frisch during the midterm elections. Afterward, she argued the GOP needs to show more "discipline and targeted focus" on policy rather than partisan flamethrowing.

She has also previously been noncommittal about whether she would support McCarthy, who has appear to be staring down nearly half a dozen possible defections already. Traditionally, one needs to clinch 218 votes to become speaker, though that threshold can shrink if members of Congress choose to vote "present." Republicans will have 222 House seats to the Democrats' 213 in the new Congress.

At least one MAGA acolyte, who has been friendly with Gaetz, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), has backed McCarthy, warning her party not to gamble with the speakership given the GOP's razor-thin margins in the House. When asked about Greene saying McCarthy will be a "great speaker," Boebert took a shot at her colleague.

"I've been aligned with Marjorie and accused of believing a lot of the things that she believes in. I don’t believe in this just like I don’t believe in ... Jewish space lasers,” she quipped.

Greene fired back on Twitter, belittling Boebert for her anemic election performance and bashing her for fomenting "high school drama."

"I’ve supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. President Trump has supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. Kevin McCarthy has supported and donated to Lauren Boebert. She just barely came through by 500 votes," Greene tweeted. "She gladly takes our $$$ but when she’s been asked: Lauren refuses to endorse President Trump, she refuses to support Kevin McCarthy, and she childishly threw me under the bus for a cheap sound bite."

At one point, Boebert and Greene reportedly nearly got into a physical confrontation during a heated exchange over Greene attending an event hosted by far-right Nicholas Fuentes.

McCarthy has secured the House GOP votes for the nod to be speaker, but he must win a majority in a full floor vote in January in order to win the gavel.

McCarthy struggling to secure GOP votes in House speaker's race

Asher Notheis

November 26, 05:24 PM November 27, 05:55 AM

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) bid to clinch the speaker's gavel is at risk of falling apart due to insufficient support from his conference.

McCarthy launched his effort to be House speaker earlier this month in a closed-ballot vote by his conference. At the time, he only earned 188 of the 218 votes necessary to become speaker, with 31 votes going to his surprise challenger: House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ). Biggs is one of the dozens of Republicans who have refused to support McCarthy's speakership bid. That opposition, combined with a less-than-stellar turnout by Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections, is jeopardizing McCarthy's chances of securing the gavel.

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"I cannot vote for Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker," Biggs tweeted earlier this month after launching his bid for the gavel. "I do not believe he will ever get to 218 votes, and I refuse to assist him in his effort to get those votes."

Other Republicans who oppose McCarthy include Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Bob Good (R-VA). Norman argued Tuesday that McCarthy lost any chance to gain his favor when he rejected the Republican Study Committee’s seven-year plan for balancing the budget. The RSC is a highly influential group that makes up more than half of the GOP conference.

Some Republicans have been vocal about their support for McCarthy in his bid for House speaker, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Jim Jordan (R-OH).

The floor vote for House speaker will be held on Jan. 3, just ahead of the start of the new Congress. While 218 votes equal a majority in the lower chamber, McCarthy only needs to win a majority of the votes from lawmakers on the floor. House rules state that if GOP lawmakers who do not support McCarthy’s bid simply vote “present,” the final number needed to win the majority is lowered — providing him a path to victory.

McCarthy struggling to secure GOP votes in House speaker's race

Asher Notheis

November 26, 05:24 PM November 26, 06:54 PM

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) bid to clinch the speaker's gavel is at risk of falling apart due to insufficient support from his conference.

McCarthy launched his effort to be House speaker earlier this month in a closed-ballot vote by his conference. At the time, he only earned 188 of the 218 votes necessary to become speaker, with 31 votes going to his surprise challenger: House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ). Biggs is one of the dozens of Republicans who have refused to support McCarthy's speakership bid. That opposition, combined with a less-than-stellar turnout by Republicans in the 2022 midterm elections, is jeopardizing McCarthy's chances of securing the gavel.

DHS TAKES SHOT AT MCCARTHY OVER CALL FOR MAYORKAS TO RESIGN

"I cannot vote for Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker," Biggs tweeted earlier this month after launching his bid for the gavel. "I do not believe he will ever get to 218 votes, and I refuse to assist him in his effort to get those votes."

Other Republicans who oppose McCarthy include Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Bob Good (R-VA). Norman argued Tuesday that McCarthy lost any chance to gain his favor when he rejected the Republican Study Committee’s seven-year plan for balancing the budget. The RSC is a highly influential group that makes up more than half of the GOP conference.

Some Republicans have been vocal about their support for McCarthy in his bid for House speaker, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Jim Jordan (R-OH).

The floor vote for House speaker will be held on Jan. 3, just ahead of the start of the new Congress. While 218 votes equal a majority in the lower chamber, McCarthy only needs to win a majority of the votes from lawmakers on the floor. House rules state that if GOP lawmakers who do not support McCarthy’s bid simply vote “present,” the final number needed to win the majority is lowered — providing him a path to victory.

DeSantis 'vibes' could pull Florida Latinos away from Trump, GOP operatives say

Christian Datoc

November 17, 05:00 AM November 17, 05:00 AM

MIAMI — There's a significant chance that Florida Latinos will back Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) over former President Donald Trump in a possible 2024 presidential primary, multiple Latino Republican operatives tell the Washington Examiner.

The Latino vote was critical to Trump's victories in Florida in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Meanwhile, Latinos were by far the fastest-growing voter bloc over the last two years.

THIRD EDITION: TRUMP ANNOUNCES 2024 PRESIDENTIAL BID

According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 34.5 million Hispanic Americans were eligible to vote in 2022, up more than 4.7 million compared to the prior election, and accounted for 62% of all new eligible voters heading into the November midterm elections.

Republicans invested heavily in Latino outreach throughout the 2022 cycle, and though the party failed to secure a Latino-fueled national red wave, DeSantis actually won heavily Latino counties, including Miami-Dade.

One Latino GOP operative based in South Florida attributed Miami turning red to the "vibes" DeSantis exuded in his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

The operative explained to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday that the governor's stock skyrocketed among Miami's young Latino professionals after he "took a stand" and refused to shut down businesses due to COVID-19.

"As a Latino and as a Floridian, it's clear that the amount of support that has come towards the DeSantis has made it where now, if you're not supporting him, you're in the minority," that person stated. "Part of the shift has been that during the pandemic, a lot of the influencers, a lot of folks who were just kind of industry people in Miami, were very happy with the fact that DeSantis did not close the state. They were very happy that gyms opened back up, that restaurants opened back up, clubs opened back up, just everyday life down here in Miami, which is heavy on tourism, which is heavy on entertainment, was open."

"These individuals felt that that was a representation of what they wanted. It was a representation of what they thought was best for their lives. So I would go as far as saying that when the media was attacking Ron DeSantis for his decision to reopen or to keep Florida open, those individuals felt that that was a moment of pride for them in the sense that they felt that the media was not just against Ron but against them," the operative concluded flatly. "DeSantis made it cool to be conservative in Miami."

Three other Latino GOP operatives said DeSantis and Trump have nearly identical platforms and that Latino voters could swing to DeSantis amid Trump's ongoing legal problems.

"He's Trump but younger and without the baggage," one operative suggested.

Polling does show that Florida Latinos do lean significantly more conservative than Latinos in other states. Data published by BPS Research the week before the 2022 elections showed just 44% of Florida Latinos being open to voting Democrat, compared to 67% of respondents in the 10 other states with the largest Latino populations.

"Florida is the outlier," BPS Vice President Gabe Sanchez said in a statement. "At the end of the day, despite the narrative that we were going to see a huge red wave somewhat fueled by Latino movement towards the Republican Party, that simply did not materialize in this election."

Trump debuted his 2024 White House bid at his South Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday night. The former president was the first top-tier Republican to announce his candidacy, but he had already marked DeSantis as his chief rival ahead of the midterm elections.

DeSantis himself has largely avoided criticizing Trump, even as the former president attacks him at political rallies and in interviews. But DeSantis offered a thinly veiled slight at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

DeSantis, asked by reporters about Trump's attacks, claimed that one of the things he has learned as governor is to expect "incoming fire" alongside success.

"I think what you learn is all of that is just noise, and really what matters is are you leading, are you getting in front of issues, are you delivering results for people, and are you standing up for folks?" he continued. "At the end of the day, I would just tell people to go check out the scoreboard from last Tuesday night."

One more to go: GOP on verge of clinching House majority

Ryan King

November 15, 10:20 AM November 15, 10:27 AM

A week out from the midterm elections, Republicans are close to grasping power in the House — with just one seat to go.

Following incumbent California Reps. Ken Calvert's (R) and Michelle Steel's (R) projected victories, Republicans hold 217 seats, just shy of the 218-vote threshold needed to capture the lower chamber. Democrats have at least 204.

CALIFORNIA WINS MOVE GOP CLOSER TO HOUSE CONTROL

The GOP entered the midterm cycle as the clear favorite to capture the House on an anticipated red wave propelled by favorable historical headwinds, dismal approval ratings for the party in power, a bleak economic outlook, and myriad troubles for the party in power. But on election night, the prophesied red wave did not materialize.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had crowed that the GOP was likely to snatch dozens of seats in the midterm elections, but so far on net, it gained about half a dozen. Stunned by the dismal outing, some Republicans have begun pointing the blame at poor candidate quality, backlash to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, and ineffective strategy.

Others have directed their ire at former President Donald Trump, who flexed his kingmaker role in primaries and is famous for a slash-and-dash style of politics. Trump is set to make a "very big" announcement at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday evening that some have speculated could be his 2024 debut.

The slim margins Republicans are projected to attain in the House complicate McCarthy's pathway to the speaker's gavel, something that he has pursued for years. Conservative firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has vowed to vote against him and hypothesized that he lacks the votes given that McCarthy needs 218 votes to win the gavel.

House Republicans are expected to hold a vote on party leadership Tuesday, and a candidate will need to cross the 218-vote threshold during a full floor vote with the new Congress to become speaker.

About a dozen races remain uncalled, according to the New York Times. Republicans lead on the popular vote count for House races, 52.6 million to about 48 million, per the Cook Political Report, but that edge is expected to narrow as further votes get tabulated.

One projection by NBC News has the GOP on track to win 220 seats in the House. The party has already lost its chance to retake the Senate, with Democrats securing 50 seats and holding the tiebreaker vote via Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump expected to jump into 2024 race as GOP weighs dumping him for DeSantis

Christian Datoc

November 15, 06:30 AM November 15, 06:31 AM

WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Former President Donald Trump is expected to launch a 2024 bid for the White House, even as some Republicans are looking to dump him following Republicans’ underwhelming performance in the 2022 midterm elections.

Trump’s announcement will be made Tuesday evening in prime time, live from his private club in South Florida, Mar-a-Lago. However, some of his close advisers urged him in recent days to hold off until after the conclusion of Georgia’s Senate runoff election in December.

TRUMP ANNOUNCEMENT LOOMS OVER GEORGIA SENATE RUNOFF AS GOP FRACTURES

As a whole, Trump’s stock has slipped in recent weeks. His endorsed candidates suffered key losses on election night, including both the Senate and gubernatorial races in Pennsylvania, while Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has seen his star rise with likely Republican voters following a landslide, near 20-point reelection effort.

For his part, Trump has sought to elbow “DeSanctimonious” out of the race before either officially enters. He released a lengthy statement two days after the election lashing out at the “average” governor and his refusal to declare a desire to run for president.

“The Fake News asks him if he’s going to run if President Trump runs, and he says, ‘I’m only focused on the Governor’s race, I’m not looking into the future,’” Trump wrote in the statement. “Well, in terms of loyalty and class, that’s really not the right answer.” The former president and his family have even sent DeSantis thinly veiled threats in recent interviews with WHD News.

“I would tell you things about him that won’t be very flattering,” Trump said on Nov. 9 when asked about a potential DeSantis presidential bid. “DeSantis, I know more about him than anybody, other than, perhaps, his wife.”

Lara Trump, the wife of the former president’s second son, Eric, similarly suggested how it would be “nicer” for DeSantis if he didn’t run in 2024.

“Those primaries get very messy and very raw, we’ve experienced that before. So wouldn’t it be nicer for him, and I think he knows this, to wait until 2028,” she stated. “I think that Ron DeSantis is very smart. Look, he’s a young guy. There will be a lot of opportunity for him in the future, and he knows this, to run for president. I think he’s probably waiting to see what my father-in-law does.”

A growing number of GOP officials and lawmakers have also distanced themselves from Trump following the midterm elections. Senator-elect JD Vance (R-OH), a MAGA adherent and Trump endorsee, did not name Trump in a list of dozens he thanked in his election night victory speech. Vance did defend Trump in his postmortem on the midterm elections, however.

On Monday, House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is facing his own post-midterm hurdles, declined to tell reporters whether he supports Trump being the 2024 nominee.

“President Trump’s endorsed candidates won roughly 90% of the time but fell short in a number of key races,” one GOP official noted to the Washington Examiner. “He’s far from perfect, but it looks like he doesn’t have the same pull in some of these swing states that he did in 2020 or 2016. On the other hand, people look at DeSantis as a fresh start. Someone who can continue on the work the Trump administration started, without any of the baggage.”

Some Trump supporters and critics alike, however, maintain that DeSantis won’t actually challenge Trump head-on in 2024.

The Lincoln Project’s George Conway, who is married to former Trump White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, said Sunday on Meet the Press that a Trump-DeSantis primary would be “the mud fest to end all mud fests.”

“For DeSantis, I don’t see what the upside is for him to do that if he might lose,” he continued. “Even if DeSantis does succeed in knocking off Trump, he will end up with some significant percentage of the Republican base angry at him.”

“He’s 44 years old, his best play, his most rational play — and he is rational, unlike Trump — would be to basically continue raising money by leaving open the possibility of running, keep building that massive war chest that he has,” Conway concluded.

President Joe Biden, the presumed Democratic nominee following the party’s surprising midterm performance, seemed tickled at the prospect of Trump and DeSantis slugging it out for the next two years.

“It’d be fun watching them take on each other,” he told reporters in his post-midterm press conference.

The 'biggest upset' of 2022 bodes ill for Republican hopes of winning House

Daniel Chaitin

November 13, 10:52 AM November 13, 10:52 AM

A House seat flipping to the Democratic Party is being christened as a tremendous, if not the most stunning result of the midterm elections, boding ill for Republicans in their quest to take control of the lower chamber.

Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez edging out Republican Joe Kent to represent Washington's 3rd Congressional District "is the biggest upset of the 2022 election — she had only a 2% chance in our final forecast," tweeted Nathaniel Rakich, a senior elections analyst at FiveThirtyEight, after the race was called Saturday evening.

"This is a big upset: so far, it's the only race in one of [Cook Political Report's] Lean/Likely columns that has gone the other way," Dave Wasserman, U.S. House editor for the Cook Political Report, said after calling the race with his signature "I've seen enough" line.

Gluesenkamp Perez, an auto repair shop owner, focused her campaign on combating inflation, lowering the cost of living, and abortion rights. She cast Kent as an "extremist." He is an ally of former President Donald Trump who defeated incumbent Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler, one of 10 Republicans in the House to vote to impeach Trump for "incitement of insurrection" after the Capitol riot.

With 70% reporting, Gluesenkamp Perez led Kent 50.8%-49.2%, which came out to be 154,169 votes to 149,548 votes, according to the . With their weaker-than-expected performance this cycle, Republicans are in jeopardy of letting the House slip from their grasp.

Steve Kornacki, national political correspondent for MSNBC and NBC News, revised the House projection to show Republicans winning 219 seats, just one more than the 218 needed to get a lock on the chamber. He "stressed" that this new reading is within the margin of error, which was four seats.

With 20 races that remain undecided as of Sunday morning, Democrats have 204 seats, while Republicans won 211.

Compounding the news for Republicans on Saturday was the Senate race in Nevada being called for incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) over Republican challenger Adam Laxalt, ensuring Democrats will maintain control of the upper chamber, even with Georgia still to be called.

Biden to change 'nothing' after Democrats exceed midterm expectations

W. James Antle III

November 09, 05:33 PM November 09, 05:33 PM

President Joe Biden said he would change “nothing” after Democrats had a stronger-than-expected performance in the midterm elections.

Biden said Democrats had a “strong night” and lightly chastised those predicting a red wave in his first remarks after Republicans failed to recapture either house of Congress by Wednesday afternoon. He called it the best first midterm election in 40 years.

Still, Republicans remain favored to at some point have at least a small majority in the House and still have a narrow path to retaking the Senate.

MIDTERMS LIVE UPDATES

Exit polls also showed strong opposition to Biden seeking reelection in 2024 and the current direction of the country. He was asked about what impact that would have on his decision to run again, which he told reporters he still has the “intention” to do after talking it over with his family.

“It doesn’t,” Biden said. “Watch me.”

The president did say he would meet with congressional leaders in both parties to discuss inflation and the war in Ukraine. He was asked about House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) comments about a “blank check” for Ukraine. McCarthy would become speaker if Republicans do ultimately take the majority.

“Hope Kevin and I can work out a modus vivendi,” Biden said. "By the way, we haven’t given Ukraine a blank check.”

Biden said he was open to compromise but would not back down on policies, national abortion bans, or any cuts to Social Security and Medicare. He said has reached across the aisle his whole career.

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"Regardless of what the final tally of these elections show, and there's still some counting going on, I'm prepared to work with my Republican colleagues. The American people made clear, I think, that they expect Republicans be prepared to work with me as well," Biden told reporters Wednesday. "But I'm ready to compromise with the Republicans where it makes sense on many other issues, and always put the needs and interests of the American people first."

Biden pollster warns of 'paradigm shift' amid GOP gains among black and Latino voters

Katherine Doyle

November 07, 12:45 PM November 07, 12:47 PM

Republicans are faring better with black and Latino voters going into Election Day, a shift that threatens to scramble predictions of a growing Democratic majority bolstered by minority votes.

While black and Latino voters have historically backed Democrats by overwhelming margins, new polling points to a worrying trend for Democrats as the party seeks to hold on to power on Tuesday and in the years ahead.

About 17% of black voters said they intended to vote Republican on Tuesday, according to the latest Wall Street Journal poll. In 2018, just 6% backed Republican candidates, a Pew Research Center analysis showed. WHD VoteCast had former President Donald Trump at 8% in 2020, with the exit polls at 12%.

DEMOCRATS ‘DID NOT LISTEN’ TO VOTERS, WARNS PARTY STRATEGIST

With Latino voters, Democrats’ advantage has slimmed to 5 percentage points following an 11-point lead in August. The shift is most pronounced among working-class voters who favored Democrats by 6 points, compared to 26 points for Latino voters with college degrees.

In 2018, 33% of Hispanic voters backed a Republican candidate, compared to 64% who supported a Democrat, a 31-point difference, according to the -NORC VoteCast survey.

Tuesday’s results could upend years of underlying assumptions about the direction of black and Latino voters if the trend holds, John Anzalone told the Wall Street Journal.

“I think that this could be a paradigm-shift election, where Republicans are not only making inroads with the Latino vote, but they’re now making inroads with the African American vote,” said Anzalone, who conducted the survey with Republican Tony Fabrizio.

Anzalone was President Joe Biden’s lead pollster in 2020 when he won Hispanic voters by a 28-point margin over Trump.

The findings come as Democrats fight for survival in states the party sees as pivotal to their chances of holding the Senate next year, as well as winning over Latino voters in future elections.

In Nevada, a predominantly working-class state, incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) has struggled to escape voters’ economic concerns and worries about rising crime.

Her opponent, Republican Adam Laxalt, entered the final week of the race favored to win, according to a forecast by FiveThirtyEight.

Biden's approval rating with independents reaches 'all-time low' just before midterm elections

Brady Knox

November 06, 04:12 PM November 06, 04:12 PM

President Joe Biden's approval rating among independents has reached an "all-time low" in one survey just before the midterm elections.

The survey, from NBC News, did provide some good news for Democrats, finding that they had caught up in enthusiasm for midterm voting with Republican respondents. However, on the president's performance, ratings were decidedly sour, especially among men at 38%, white voters at 37%, rural voters at 29%, and, lowest of all, independents at 28%.

MANCHIN UNLOADS ON BIDEN AND CALLS HIM 'DIVORCED FROM REALITY' JUST DAYS BEFORE MIDTERMS

"Biden's job approval rating sits at 44% in this final NBC News poll. By the way, all-time low with independents. His approval rating is just 28%. And let me put this in context for you. What does a job rating mean? Some people believe it’s the single most important indicator to understand where a midterm election is going," moderator Chuck Todd said on Sunday's episode of Meet the Press.

A number of other findings played into this rating; 81% of respondents said they were "very" or "somewhat" dissatisfied with the state of the economy, while 72% thought the country was headed in the wrong direction.

Biden's low approval rating among independents is likely to be a factor in his party's midterm chances.

“President Biden and the Democrats are in for a miserable election,” said Republican pollster Bill McInturff of Public Opinion Strategies, who conducted the poll along with Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt and his team at Hart Research Associates.

“The Democrats have to run way ahead of the president to win a statewide race. I would expect to see to see a large number of losses in the House and possibly a switch in control of the Senate," he added.

The poll surveyed 1,000 registered voters from Nov. 3-5 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.