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.

Jeffries oversees $33M in fundraising for first-quarter stint as House Democratic leader

Brady Knox

April 13, 04:29 PM April 13, 04:29 PM

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has raised more than $33 million in fundraising during his first quarter as House minority leader.

Jeffries took over the mantle from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) once she stepped down from the position after 20 years following the 2022 midterm elections. Jeffries credited the fundraising success with holding "extreme MAGA Republicans accountable."

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“Our historic grassroots support is a testament to the faith and trust Americans have in Democrats to hold extreme MAGA Republicans accountable, take back the House in 2024 and continue our work delivering For The People by lowering costs, creating better-paying jobs and making our communities safe,” he told NBC News.

While Jeffries credits the fundraising as coming from grassroots support, the outlet reported that a fair chunk came from a network of donors he has cultivated while in his position. He has spent nearly a third of his first 100 days traveling from state to state, largely to court donors. So far, he has clocked 20,000 miles across nine states.

Jeffries's statement about the large fundraising total being due to his party combating "MAGA extremism" has become a theme of his tenure as House minority leader. Last month, he said that the Republican Party had become extremist.

"The American people rejected political street extremism all throughout the country in the most recent midterm elections in 2022," the New York Democrat said. "And it's my expectation that they will continue to do so moving forward. It is unfortunate that the extreme has become mainstream for this version of the Republican Party."

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The House minority leader's fundraising total isn't unprecedented, as his predecessor reportedly raised over $32 million in the first quarter of 2021 alone.

Jeffries was bested by his Republican counterpart, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who raised $38 million, setting a record, according to Axios.

Jerry Brown cautions Biden 2024 is not a 'slam dunk'

Ryan King

April 06, 01:33 PM April 06, 01:33 PM

A prominent California Democrat doesn't think that President Joe Biden will be a shoo-in for the 2024 election.

Former Gov. Jerry Brown (D-CA) said Biden was the most formidable Democratic presidential contender but cautioned that challengers to Biden could run a tight race.

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"Well, you know, it depends on what the alternatives are," Brown told Politico. "I’d say this it’s not a slam dunk any way you look at it."

“There’s no doubt Biden is the strongest,” Brown insisted, referring to the 2024 field.

Biden is widely considered the Democratic front-runner. Top Democrats have left a clear field for him, with some lower-tier challengers such as bestselling spiritual author Marianne Williamson and recently anti-vaxxer and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mounting a challenge against him.

The president has not yet declared his reelection bid, with rumors circulating that an announcement could come as late as the fall. Brown, 84, mused that he could handle the duties of commander in chief but lamented that age might not bode well for him politically.

“I can handle the job but I don’t think the politics can handle my age,” he continued. “We’re not like the old Soviet Union, where they had all those men in the Politburo, people want some fresher faces.”

Brown dipped his toes in presidential races unsuccessfully in 1976, 1980, and 1992. Biden, who similarly lost multiple presidential races in the past, is the oldest president at 80 and would be 82 at the start of a hypothetical second term in office and 86 by the end of it.

Given whispers of consternation about Biden's age, there has been heightened scrutiny of his partner, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I don’t think vice presidents are ever ready,” Brown said, before noting he had a "good relationship" with the fellow Californian. “People thought John Kennedy was kind of a lightweight but he rose to the occasion.”

Biden has consistently said that he intends to seek reelection. Meanwhile, Republicans are poised for an all-out primary brawl over who will be their standard bearer to face him.

Brown governed the Golden State for roughly 16 years.

Trump's biggest loss this week was in Wisconsin, not New York

Christian Datoc

April 06, 05:15 AM April 06, 05:15 AM

Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in New York on Tuesday on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, but the largest blow to his hopes of reclaiming the White House might have occurred nearly 1,000 miles away in Wisconsin, where liberals secured a majority on the state's Supreme Court for the first time in 15 years.

Hours after Trump became the first American president to face felony charges, Judge Janet Protasiewicz claimed victory over former Justice Dan Kelly, a major Trump supporter and one of the Wisconsin Republicans central to the former president's attempts to throw out the results of the 2020 general election.

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Kelly, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by former Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker in 2016 to replace retiring Justice David Prosser, announced in 2019 his intent to run for a full 10-year term but eventually lost in the April 2020 Supreme Court general election. Following that defeat, Kelly joined the Institute for Reforming Government, a conservative nonprofit group, and served as legal counsel to Wisconsin Republicans' efforts to aid Trump in decertifying President Joe Biden's general election victory.

Wisconsin represented one of the seven states where the Trump legal team and allies launched legal efforts to block the certification of Biden's win, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which at the time was controlled by conservatives, eventually voted 4-3 in December of 2020 to deny Trump's challenge. Conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn sided with the liberals on the court to cast the deciding vote.

This election, Protasiewicz and Democratic allies spent more than $23 million tying Kelly to Trump's failed attempts to overturn the 2020 results. Democratic officials told the Washington Examiner that it's "critical" for the party to win down-ballot elections "so that ultra-MAGA local politicians can't move to pull a 2020 in 2024."

As of Wednesday morning, Kelly trailed Protasiewicz by 10 points with 95% of all votes counted, and he lashed out at his opponent in a Trumpian concession speech Tuesday night.

"I wish that in a circumstance like this, I would be able to concede to a worthy opponent, but I do not have a worthy opponent to which I can concede," he said. "This was the most deeply deceitful, dishonorable, despicable campaign that I have ever seen run for the courts."

Still, there is a chance that Protasiewicz could be impeached and removed from the court by the Republican supermajority in the state senate, which was also solidified Tuesday night after former state GOP Rep. Dan Knodl defeated attorney Jodi Habush Sinykin in the special election to fill the 8th District seat.

Knodl previously hinted at plans to bring an impeachment vote to the floor should Protasiewicz best Kelly, but If Protasiewicz is removed from the bench, Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, would then appoint someone to fill the hole.

Though Trumpworld officials have argued that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's "witch hunt" case would help secure him the 2024 Republican nomination, Wisconsin politicos doubted the impact the indictment would have on the Supreme Court election.

"While this [indictment] may get the juice flowing with some of his supporters, some may have a head shake and shoulder shrug," former state GOP leader Brandon Scholz suggested before Tuesday's race was called. "This indictment thing isn’t really tied into this race. It is a Trump issue."

"We’re focused on winning a critical election in four days that will have long-term consequences for millions of Wisconsinites when it comes to issues like reproductive rights and the strength of our democracy," he said in a statement. "We know voters are focused on this race because it’s an opportunity to return fairness and impartiality to the Wisconsin Supreme Court."

Protasiewicz campaign spokesman Sam Roecker also predicted that voters wouldn't "be distracted by what’s happening in New York."

Trump himself criticized Kelly on Wednesday, claiming on his social media site, Truth Social, that the former justice would have won had he sought an endorsement from the former president.

"Daniel Kelly of Wisconsin just lost his Supreme Court Election. He bragged that he won’t seek Trump’s Endorsement, so I didn’t give it—which guaranteed his loss," he wrote. "How foolish is a man that doesn’t seek an Endorsement that would have won him the Election?"

Trump did endorse Kelly during the 2020 Supreme Court election, which saw him falling to Justice Jill Karofsky by more than 10 points.

The turnout from Tuesday's contest also portends a poor showing for Trump in the state should he be the GOP nominee in 2024.

On Tuesday, 1.84 million Wisconsin voters took part in the Supreme Court election, roughly 800,000 fewer participants than the 2022 midterm election but still the highest mark for a Supreme Court election in a nonpresidential election year since 2008. The liberal-leaning Milwaukee and Madison metropolitan areas accounted for 26% of all votes cast Tuesday, up 4 points from the November 2022 midterm elections, which saw Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) hold off progressive challenger Mandela Barnes.

Three Trump associates admitted to the Washington Examiner that Tuesday's results make Trump's path back to the White House more difficult.

"Wisconsin is a critical swing state," one person said. "If the turnout is similar in November 2024, I don't think any Republican could win there."

Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by roughly 20,000 votes after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton failed to hold a single campaign event in the state, but he lost the state in 2020 by a similar margin.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre chalked up Tuesday's results to Wisconsin voters prioritizing reproductive rights, with the court expected to hear an abortion case this spring. The new liberal majority all but guarantees the court will overturn a 19th-century abortion ban that was reinstated following 2022's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling.

"Time and time again, the American people have shown their resolute support for reproductive freedom in our democracy, and last night was no different," Jean-Pierre told reporters at Wednesday's White House briefing. "The message from voters has been clear. Americans want the freedom to make reproductive healthcare decisions without government interference. They have been very clear about that."

"We believe that it is important for Americans to have their freedom, including their right to make a decision, and women to have the right to make a decision on their own on their own healthcare, and so the this is the this is an administration that's going to continue to fight for a fight for those freedoms," she concluded.

Centrist Democrats plotting fallback plan if Biden fails to strike debt deal

Ryan King

April 03, 08:36 AM April 03, 08:36 AM

A cohort of centrist House Democrats is reportedly in the early stages of hatching a contingency plan to muffle fallout from a debt ceiling negotiation breakdown.

For weeks, the band of Democrats has been molding plans for a deal with centrist House Republicans in the event that the country winds up on the precipice of default, riling both their progressive peers and the White House, which has sought a united front against the GOP, Politico reported.

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“You’ve got party leaders in both houses that don’t want us to talk to one another," one centrist Democrat said.

Specific details of the plan remain sparse, as it is still in its infancy, but the group of Democrats has met with centrist Republicans since February, per the report. They fear that the possible ramifications of blowing past the deadline to resolve the debt ceiling impasse could be dire.

Democratic leadership has sought a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling without making any concessions to Republicans and believes they have the advantage. Earlier this year, the White House was adamant there would be no negotiations with Republicans on the nation's borrowing authority, though President Joe Biden later met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

In January, the United States hit its $31.4 trillion debt limit, meaning it can no longer borrow additional money. However, Congress approved a budgeting package last year that relies on massive deficit spending. At the moment, the Treasury has been undertaking "extraordinary" measures to keep national payments going by moving money around for various accounts.

But those measures are projected to run out by June, according to the Treasury. The Congressional Budget Office is more optimistic and projects the Treasury will run dry on cash between July and September.

Members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers that seeks to find common ground, have long signaled plans to try to concoct a solution to the stalemate. Further complicating these efforts is the fact that Congress has adjourned until April 17.

Biden unveiled a $6.9 trillion budget proposal last month seeking to increase pressure on Republicans. GOP leadership has so far been unable to produce a counterproposal, though members of the Freedom Caucus have outlined demands that the White House has dubbed a "five-alarm fire."

McCarthy, who wrote a letter to Biden last week demanding he step up, has insisted that a GOP budgeting plan is not needed to resolve the debt ceiling impasse. But Democrats see GOP complacency as an advantage.

“We’re gaining ground because of [House Republicans’] inability to put together a plan,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. “I’m certainly willing to entertain a mix of things on the budget. Not on the debt ceiling.”

In addition to sensing an advantage, Democratic leadership views granting concessions to McCarthy as emboldening him to strong-arm them with the debt ceiling in the future. They want the debt limit off the table.

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Should the two sides fail to broker an agreement, the U.S. runs the risk of default, which economists argue would ravage the economy.

Some solutions that have floated around include prioritizing spending so that the interest payment is always met regardless of whether the extraordinary measures run out. However, some Treasury Department officials have cast doubt on the ability to move money that way.

Democratic malcontents eye Biden-Harris alternatives, but few names emerge

Katherine Doyle

March 26, 07:00 AM March 26, 07:00 AM

As President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris prepare for a 2024 White House run, some Democrats are eyeing the field of alternatives, wary of a reelection fight that offers new obstacles.

And while some Democratic donors privately say alternatives to a Biden-Harris ticket in 2024 exist and they have options, they are reluctant to out their purported targets.

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The dynamic hints at the scramble among some party malcontents to shore up potential alternatives in the event Biden chooses to step aside. The president is expected to run for reelection with Harris by his side, but pending a formal announcement, there remains speculation over who could step into the breach if the need arises.

“They say we need somebody new who can walk upstairs and can complete a sentence,” one campaign strategist said, referencing Biden’s occasional foibles and that the prospect of a Biden reelection bid draws sighs.

Asked how these Democratic donors feel about Harris, this person responded, “They just stare at me.”

Nor is Biden’s transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, a deft communicator whose performance in the 2020 Democratic primaries vaulted him to national attention, immune from donor skepticism.

“It won’t be him,” the strategist said. “Just wait and see.”

Still, a senior Democratic aide downplayed the chatter as “delusional.”

“It’s bracket season,” this person added, dismissing the notion that Biden would step aside.

Some Democrats nevertheless worry about 2024. The race would likely pit an octogenarian president and his low-polling vice president against a Republican field likely to include a GOP governor who notched record electoral margins in a battleground state last year, including in Democratic Miami-Dade County.

As the front-runner for his party, former President Donald Trump also maintains a unique edge: a clear lead among Republican primary voters of color, according to recent polls.

It makes certain Democrats pine for other choices.

Already the oldest sitting U.S. president, Biden would be 86 at the end of a second term. The president’s traction with swing voters has collapsed. Yet reports suggest Biden is not persuaded that Harris or any other Democrat could beat Trump in a head-to-head race.

And while the two running mates are understood to have a good working relationship, sticking points remain, with one former White House official describing the struggle “as a question of consistently rising to the occasion,” according to Reuters.

“I think his running for reelection is less about her and more about him, but I do think that she and the Democratic bench [are] a factor,” this person said.

“A point of tension in their relationship is that I don’t think that the president sees her as somebody who takes anything off of his plate [due to] a fear of messing up,” another former White House official told the outlet.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has also seized on these concerns, charging on the campaign trail last year that Harris was Biden’s “insurance” policy against being removed from office.

Democrats have also questioned Harris’s political acumen, appearing to doubt the mettle of the woman poised to succeed Biden.

Harris defenders argue that while people may not like her, she is no longer a rookie. Regardless, a vice president won’t be a determinate factor for voters come Election Day, they add.

In a March op-ed, Donna Brazile, a longtime Democratic strategist and Harris defender, said critics are holding the vice president to unreasonable standards. Brazile also spoke to the prospect of Harris as Biden’s successor, saying, “Questions have been raised about the fitness of just about every vice president to move into the Oval Office should the president die or is unable to continue serving for another reason."

Moreover, the window for alternatives is closing. During the 2020 presidential nominating contest, Democrats held their first primary debate in June 2019. And few see a scenario in which Harris would be handed a place at the top of the ticket without challengers.

It’s not just donors and party faithful who harbor reservations over a Biden-Harris reelection bid.

A focus group of Michigan swing voters who backed Biden unanimously in 2020 said they would like to see the president challenged for the Democratic nomination in 2024.

But while the focus group referenced Biden’s age and questioned his fitness for office, participants struggled to name alternatives.

Several participants voiced concerns about Harris stepping into Biden’s role if the need ever arose, even as one stressed that he “would love the idea of having a person of color be our president, especially a woman,” just not Harris. That voter groaned, then voiced agreement when asked whether Biden should choose another running mate.

Several voters said they would be more comfortable with Biden seeking reelection with another vice president in Harris’s place.

Biden’s aides have dismissed concerns over Biden’s health, with the president’s physician declaring him “healthy, vigorous,” and “fit for duty.”

Speaking to Politico, one House Democrat “demanded to know who else was out there and said Harris wasn’t an option” after instructing the reporter to turn off their phone.

In a move that appears intended to neuter any potential competitors, the White House is preparing to assemble an “advisory” cabinet of influential surrogates, many presumed to harbor their own presidential aspirations.

If Biden’s health falters, prominent Democrats may sense an opening, a Democratic operative from a rival 2020 campaign said.

“I can see no lack of enthusiasm for a Biden challenge if there are any health issues,” said a Democratic operative from a rival 2020 campaign. “No one expects a Harris coronation if Biden decides not to run again.”

House Democrat says he’s considering Mayorkas impeachment over border wall construction

Cami Mondeaux

March 18, 02:48 PM March 18, 02:48 PM

A House Democrat said he would consider voting in favor of impeaching Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, offering GOP lawmakers a possible path to charging the Biden administration official.

Rep. Juan Vargas (D-CA) expressed interest in joining his Republican colleagues to impeach Mayorkas, although for different reasons than what GOP lawmakers are currently trying to pursue. Vargas said he would consider voting to impeach the DHS secretary over the construction of a pair of border walls in San Diego that Mayorkas previously vowed to halt.

MAYORKAS HAS NO PLANS TO RESIGN AFTER REPUBLICANS WORK TO IMPEACH HIM

“[Mayorkas] told us that he would help us, and he hasn’t done it,” Vargas told reporters on Friday. “He betrayed us.”

Vargas is referring to a border wall project underway at Friendship Park, located between San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico. Friendship Park has long served as a place for families to meet along the border with a gate in between them, but the area has been closed off by gates for several years.

Now, Border Patrol agents say the gates are deteriorating and should be replaced with new walls — a decision Vargas and other local Democratic officials have pushed back against. Construction on the new border walls reportedly began several weeks ago and is scheduled to be completed in six months.

Vargas accused Mayorkas of ending public access to the area, noting the Homeland secretary had once promised the construction would be stopped.

House Republicans have been adamant to impeach Mayorkas since taking control of the lower chamber in January. GOP leaders such as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) have long vowed to open impeachment inquiries into the DHS secretary if he doesn’t step down from office, targeting him for his handling of the southern border.

Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) introduced three articles of impeachment against Mayoraks in January, accusing Mayorkas of allegedly undermining law enforcement activities at the southern border. Fallon’s impeachment inquiry introduces three articles against Mayorkas, including charges of engaging in a pattern of conduct “incompatible with his duties," providing false and misleading testimony to Congress, and “knowingly” slandering Border Patrol agents.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced his own articles of impeachment against Mayorkas for “the systematic destruction of the geographical integrity of the United States of America.”

The articles of impeachment have been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, and it’s unclear if or when they will be considered by the entire House. If Republicans impeach Mayorkas, it’s unlikely he would be convicted in the Democratic-led Senate.

Meanwhile, the DHS said Mayorkas has no plans to resign from his post, noting the accusations being used to file the impeachment inquiry do not meet the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.

“Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve the American people," a DHS spokesperson told the Washington Examiner in January. "The Department will continue our work to enforce our laws and secure our border, while building a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system. Members of Congress can do better than point the finger at someone else; they should come to the table and work on solutions for our broken system and outdated laws, which they have not updated in over 40 years.”

First major Democrat enters Louisiana governor's race

Ryan King

March 06, 12:55 PM March 06, 12:55 PM

Former Louisiana Transportation Secretary Shawn Wilson became the first major Democrat to jump into Louisiana's 2023 gubernatorial race, which has so far been dominated by Republican hopefuls.

Wilson helmed the state Department of Transportation and Development for seven years until stepping down last week ahead of his campaign debut. Incumbent Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) is term-limited and therefore cannot vie for another term.

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“Louisiana needs a governor who will build bridges, not burn them," Wilson declared in an announcement video. "I’m Shawn Wilson, that’s the kind of leader that I’ve been, and that is exactly the kind of governor that I promise to be.”

Former President Donald Trump handily won the Bayou State in the 2020 election, illustrating how it is an uphill battle for Democrats in statewide elections, especially with Edwards blocked from running again.

The other Democrat in the field is pastor and special educator Daniel “Danny” Cole. Other Democrats who were speculated to mount a run, such as East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III and Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Katie Bernhardt, opted not to.

Meanwhile, the Republican side features Attorney General Jeff Landry, state Treasurer John Schroder, state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, and state Rep. Richard Nelson. The deadline for submitting papers to qualify for the race is between Aug. 8 and Aug. 10.

Under Louisiana law, all candidates run against each other on Oct. 14 in a "jungle" primary. Should all candidates fail to top 50%, then the top two will advance to a runoff on Nov. 18.

Of all the candidates, Landry has the largest war chest, with over $5 million, according to campaign finance documents. He has gained national attention for his lawsuit over alleged Biden administration collusion "to suppress freedom of speech" with major tech companies that targeted former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci.

Biden tries to rebrand Democrats on crime, but urban liberals don't cooperate

Naomi Lim

March 03, 04:00 AM March 03, 04:00 AM

President Joe Biden and Democrats are fending off accusations they are "soft on crime" amid congressional Republican-led efforts to overturn a Washington, D.C., crime bill and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's ouster from office, perceived as a rebuke of her handling of public safety.

The resurgence of the issue, a weakness for Democrats in 2020, coincides with Biden's preparations for his 2024 campaign in an election cycle poised to be difficult for his party's Senate candidates.

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Chicago voters "soundly" rejected Lightfoot’s "pro-crime agenda," which has contributed to "deep heartbreak" for families across the city, according to the Republican National Committee.

"Joe Biden and Democrats can try to twist their record all they want, but voters will not forget their abject failure on keeping families safe," RNC spokeswoman Rachel Lee told the Washington Examiner.

But former Maryland Democratic Attorney General Douglas Gansler remains adamant only a "handful" of "fringe" Democrats embrace the idea of, for example, "defunding the police."

"Most Democrats support the police and would like to see meaningful reform," he said. "Crime in cities like Chicago is a very real problem, and until Democrats recognize that supporting police and significantly reducing crime are two sides of the same coin, mayors like Lori Lightfoot will continue to be ousted at the ballot box."

Democratic strategist Stefan Hankin agreed the "defund the police" slogan is "not a great phrase from a marketing perspective" but contended, "We need to rethink how we're allocating funding to our police systems and changing the way that communities are being dealt with when it comes to law enforcement." Hankin also argued Republicans underscoring crime is an overture to white suburban voters before 2024.

"That's not to diminish people wanting to feel safe," he said. "Some crime numbers are up, to be sure. But this is a bigger societal problem than just should we give the police more money or should we not."

Biden will collaborate with whomever Chicago voters choose to represent them, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who referenced Biden's "safer communities plan," a diluted iteration of which cleared Congress last summer, in addition to a criminal justice reform-focused executive order. She, too, repeated that the president had "[inherited] a rise of crime" and that Republicans themselves have advocated "defunding the FBI" after the raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago private resort.

"Let's not forget, in that plan, he calls for more than 100,000 police officers to go into the community, to work with communities, and make sure that communities feel safe, families feel safe," Jean-Pierre told reporters this week. "And you'll see his commitment to [fighting] crime in his budget next week."

Simultaneously, congressional Republicans have been pushing Biden and Democrats on the issue of crime as they try to repeal reforms to Washington, D.C.'s criminal code. After Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) endorsed the GOP proposal, Biden backed the measure. Washington Mayor Muriel Bower had previously voiced her opposition to the reforms, but her veto was overruled by the D.C. Council.

"I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule — but I don’t support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the mayor’s objections — such as lowering penalties for carjackings," Biden tweeted.

Lightfoot, the first openly lesbian black woman to serve as mayor of a major U.S. city, lost her reelection bid in the first round of voting. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, a centrist white candidate who would add another 2,000 police officers to the force, is the leading candidate after the first round. The second candidate is Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, a black grassroots organizer and onetime educator who would replace select officers with social workers. Past mayoral races in New York City, Atlanta, and San Francisco have resulted in more centrists Democrats outperforming progressive activists because of public safety concerns.

During his State of the Union address, to which he invited the parents of Tyre Nichols, the black man beaten to death by former black Memphis, Tennessee, police officers, Biden did not reiterate how he prioritizes "funding the police." Instead, he insisted the country had "to do better" and assist police "to succeed" in keeping the community safe, acknowledging that "we ask much too much of [officers]" while asserting they should be held "to higher standards."

"We also need more first responders and professionals to address the growing mental health, substance abuse challenges," he said, "more resources to reduce violent crime and gun crime, more community intervention programs, more investments in housing, education, and job training. All this can help prevent violence in the first place."

At the same time, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) has criticized Biden for his lack of criminal justice reform, saying the president has not been a leader on the issue.

"We need him to provide historic leadership in this moment. And when I say 'historic,' I'm talking Roosevelt- and Lincoln-type historic leadership on this issue and so many others," Bowman said this month.

"You want to make us safer?" he asked. "Invest in... ending poverty. Invest in housing. Invest in climate. Invest in education... What we're doing is adding more police and feeding the prison industrial complex, and that has to stop."

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.

DC ATTORNEY GENERAL URGES SENATE NOT TO OVERTURN DISTRICT’S CRIMINAL CODE

“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.

Biden’s border visit leads to blowback from Left

Haisten Willis

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

President Joe Biden satisfied long-standing calls from conservatives by deciding to visit the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, over the weekend.

The visit comes alongside a host of new immigration measures designed to stem the record flow of illegal crossings. While border hawks remain skeptical, the move also comes with the risk of alienating Biden's more progressive supporters.

BIDEN TO MAKE LONG-AWAITED BORDER VISIT AFTER IMMIGRATION STRATEGY REBOOT

Heritage Foundation border specialist Lora Ries told the Washington Examiner last August that Biden had "made the political calculation that he’d rather be beat up by the Right than by the Left" on the border issue, fearing he'd be labeled the deporter in chief in the way former President Barack Obama was in 2014 if he embraced enforcement.

Sure enough, Democratic resistance emerged soon after Biden's announcement.

A quartet of senators released a statement slamming the president's revitalized southern border strategy, pinning some of the blame on Republican "obstruction."

"While we understand the challenges the nation is facing at the Southern border exacerbated by Republican obstruction to modernizing our immigration system, we are deeply disappointed by the Biden Administration’s decision to expand the use of Title 42,” the senators wrote.

They described Title 42 as a "failed and inhumane Trump-era policy" that will exclude thousands of immigrants fleeing violence and persecution.

Polling shows a sharp partisan divide on the issue of immigration, which helps explain the delicate balance Biden seeks to strike. A Pew Research Center survey from September found that 73% of all respondents said increasing border security should be a goal, with 91% of Republicans and 59% of Democrats agreeing.

But while 79% of Republicans wanted to see an increase in deportations, just 39% of Democrats agreed. Meanwhile, 80% of Democrats favored establishing a way for most illegal immigrants to stay legally, compared to just 37% of Republicans.

After ignoring the issue for most of his presidency, the record-smashing number of people crossing the border as 2022 drew to a close may have made the issue too big for Biden to ignore.

Between 2,378,944 Border Patrol encounters and an estimated 600,000 illegal crossers who slipped through without any contact, nearly 3 million people crossed the border in fiscal 2022. That's up from 2.1 million in 2021, which itself was a record high. The figure was just 300,000 as recently as 2017 and 2020.

Border state Democrats, such as the mayor of El Paso and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), began calling out the president in the final weeks of the year.

Biden himself tried to carve out a nuanced view of the issue this week, acknowledging the need for a balance between asylum and order.

“We should all recognize that as long as America is the land of freedom and opportunity, people are going to try to come here. And that’s what many of our ancestors did, and it’s no surprise that it’s happening again today," he said. "We can’t stop people from making the journey, but we can require that they come here in an orderly way under U.S. law.”

Asked if he agreed with activists that migration is a human right, Biden said it is for families who are being persecuted but then acknowledged that people already in the United States have a right to be assured that those who are coming are not criminals and have passed background checks.

Andrew Arthur, a fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies, agreed with Ries that any level of border enforcement is bound to upset some on the Left.

"They like the nearly unlimited migration which exists right now," he said. "So anything that impinges on that is going to be something they will complain about."

Border hawks aren't necessarily thrilled with Biden's moves either, with some calling it too little, too late.

Arthur disagrees strongly with the administration's plan to admit up to 30,000 Venezuelan, Cuban, Haitian, and Nicaraguan nationals with a U.S. sponsor into the country per month, calling Biden's moves ill-advised and illegal.

The move may have been necessitated by a record number of illegal crossings last year, but it still carries political risk for Biden among progressives, who are likening Biden to his hated predecessor.

"The plan [Biden] announced further ties his administration to the poisonous anti-immigrant policies of the Trump era," reads a statement from the American Civil Liberties Union, "instead of restoring fair access to asylum protections.”

Four Democrats who could replace Nancy Pelosi

Ryan King

November 17, 11:32 AM November 17, 11:32 AM

House Democrats have been in stasis waiting for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) announcement about her political future after Republicans clinched a threadbare majority in the House.

Whether or not she bows out of the running to remain the No. 1 House Democrat, a perch she held for nearly 20 years, a handful of Democrats have been positioning themselves either to replace her or climb the ladder to higher leadership roles within the caucus.

Many Democrats, such as President Joe Biden, have prodded her to stick around, particularly given that she led her party to an unexpectedly strong performance in the midterm elections. But she reportedly cut a deal with progressives back in 2018 that she would not stay in the role beyond four years.

Pelosi's decision comes weeks after her husband, Paul Pelosi, was brutally beaten in his home by someone hunting for the speaker.

Leadership elections are slated for Nov. 30. Here are four Democrats who have been speculated to vie for her role pending her decision.

REPUBLICANS FINALLY CLINCH HOUSE MAJORITY AFTER MIDTERM FLOP

Hakeem Jeffries

The chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, which makes him the fifth-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is seen as a rising star among House Democrats and is one of the younger members in leadership. He is also seen as a front-runner to be the minority leader, particularly given that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) has bowed out.

Over the summer, he met with House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) to mull over plans to replace Pelosi, according to Politico. Clyburn, 82, hinted that he would not stand in Jeffries's way, saying there was "nothing I would ever do to impede the progress of our up-and-coming young Democrats."

Jeffries had also reportedly put out feelers among his colleagues to gauge whether there would be support to catapult him to a higher leadership position. Shortly before Pelosi's announcement, he told reporters he was eager to hear it.

Katherine Clark

Serving as assistant speaker, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) has effectively been in training for a higher leadership role for some time. She has been speculated as a contender either to rise to minority leader or another top-ranking slot in Democratic leadership.

Should she go for the No. 1 slot, she would likely face stiff competition from Jeffries, who was considered the top pick among many Democrats, according to Axios. At 59, she is considerably younger than the octogenarians in Democratic leadership.

Pete Aguilar

In addition to Clark, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) has been floated as a contender to replace Pelosi. He serves as the vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. Competition for his current post is already beginning to manifest, with at least four Democrats in the running, the Washington Post reported.

It's not clear that Aguilar would be keen on challenging Jeffries.

Steny Hoyer

Oftentimes, the No. 2 member gets elevated to the No. 1 post once it gets vacated. In this case, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is second in command. Hoyer, 83, has been tight-lipped about his plans, holding out for Pelosi's announcement.

“I’m not going to make any comments until the speaker does whatever she’s going to do," he told reporters.

He has long served as Pelosi's deputy and began working the phone lines to congratulate colleagues on their victories after the midterm elections while refraining from asking for their support for a leadership bid, per Axios.

Schiff had also been another favorite to succeed Pelosi, but he has withdrawn from consideration. Meanwhile, Clyburn appears keen on hanging on to a leadership post, but he has seemingly ruled out a bid to be the No. 1. Democrat.

"No, it won’t be for that," he told WHD News Digital.

On the Republican side, the race for their No. 1 slot is appearing to be a slugfest. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) secured the nomination to be speaker as the party cemented lower-level leadership posts this week, but he was dramatically short of the votes he'd need to clinch the gavel come January.

Given the GOP's slim margins in the House, he can afford few defections to clinch 218 votes during the full-floor vote for speaker in the new Congress.

Schiff bows out of running to be next leader of House Democrats

Asher Notheis

November 16, 06:55 PM November 16, 06:55 PM

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) has opted not to seek the position of leader of the House Democrats in the next Congress, according to people familiar with his decision.

The Democratic representative has made a name for himself for his criticism of former President Donald Trump and is also one of nine House members on the Jan. 6 committee. Schiff had considered throwing his hat into the ring for the top position for the House Democrats but is instead looking toward a Senate run, according to Politico.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is expected to not seek another term as senator, giving Schiff the opportunity to run for the position in 2024 when her term ends. However, in the event that Feinstein retires her role as senator early, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has promised to name a black woman to her seat.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS CONSIDER FIRST SET OF CONFERENCE RULES CHANGES

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is the current front-runner to lead House Democrats in the next Congress should House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) retire from her position.

Pelosi has not given a definitive answer on if she will continue to serve as the House leader for the Democrats, with Republicans sealing their House majority Wednesday, and her husband recently suffered an attack from a home intruder that left him hospitalized. President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) are among the Democrats calling for Pelosi to stay on as leader.

Republicans won the House majority, albeit a slim one, Wednesday evening. The party had also aimed for a majority in the Senate in the midterm elections but came up short, securing at most 49 seats in the upper chambers of Congress, with the Georgia Senate race between Trump-backed Herschel Walker (R) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) heading to a runoff.

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 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.

Biden and Democrats face reappraisal of COVID-19 policies ahead of midterm elections

Haisten Willis

November 03, 04:00 AM November 03, 04:01 AM

President Joe Biden had an enormous edge in 2020 with voters whose biggest concern was the coronavirus. But with some pandemic policies not aging well and the issue generally slipping down the list of voter worries, COVID-19 could become a drag for Democrats in the midterm elections.

Recently released data showed huge losses in reading and math scores during the years when many schools were closed, and a piece in the Atlantic calling for "pandemic amnesty" drew swift blowback from conservatives.

SEE IT: WHITE HOUSE DELETES TWEET AFTER BEING FACT-CHECKED BY TWITTER

"The Democrats own the COVID response, and most voters feel betrayed by how the government overreacted to a virus that 99.9 percent of the people capably survive," said Republican strategist John Feehery. "This issue particularly energizes Republican base voters who care about liberty and swing voters who have been horrified at what our schools have done to children."

Biden promised two years ago to "shut down the virus" upon taking office and won voters whose top issue was COVID-19 by 66 points. But the virus persisted after he entered the White House, and it didn't prove a winning issue 12 months later. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) won an upset over Democrat Terry McAuliffe in 2021 largely over education issues, including school closures and mask mandates.

Similarly, suburban women largely backed Biden's White House bid but have shifted hard toward the GOP. Since August, Wall Street Journal polling found a 26 percentage point shift among suburban white women toward Republicans.

The disastrous results of school closures are acknowledged in the Atlantic piece calling for amnesty.

"There is an emerging (if not universal) consensus that schools in the U.S. were closed for too long," wrote author Emily Oster. "The health risks of in-school spread were relatively low, whereas the costs to students’ well-being and educational progress were high.”

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, tweeted out the story along with the comment "I agree." Many conservatives blame Weingarten in particular for extended school closures and are using the issue in campaigns.

"Parents are the primary stakeholders in their child’s education — not the failed teachers unions or the federal government," reads a tweet from House GOPers. "House Republicans will demand accountability from the Biden admin for labeling concerned parents as domestic terrorists."

The White House is trying to distance itself from school closures, pointing the finger back at Republicans for not supporting the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that Democrats say was necessary to get students back into classrooms.

Democratic strategist Tom Cochran said the strategy is wise.

"Pandemic fatigue is unfortunately a real thing, and we've seen COVID understandably drop behind inflation, reproductive rights, and Ukraine as a priority for Americans," said Cochran, a partner at 720 Strategies. "There's a real risk of pushing undecided voters into the GOP camp with a continuation or increase in strict pandemic policies."

There are still a lot of voters who say they're concerned about the pandemic. A NewsNation poll released this week found that 60% of respondents said they're either very or somewhat concerned about the virus. But few still identify it as their top priority, and those who do may worry about government overreach more than the disease itself.

A CBS News poll found that 72% of parents with school-age children worry about student learning declines and are split on whether Biden deserves credit or blame for his handling of the virus.

Biden has taken an evolving and sometimes contradictory stance on the pandemic in recent months. He announced a $500 billion student debt transfer that was based on the pandemic being an emergency. Just weeks later, he said on 60 Minutes that "the pandemic is over." In October, Biden received his fifth COVID-19 shot and declared the disease a "global health emergency."

The pandemic is likely to keep playing out politically into the next election. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was launched into the national presidential conversation largely due to his aggressive COVID-19 stance. Florida reopened schools in August 2020, whereas some big-city school systems didn't reopen until a full year later.

DeSantis reminded voters of that during a debate with his Democratic challenger, Charlie Crist.

“I made sure you can earn a living," he said. "I made sure you could operate your businesses. And I worked like heck to make sure we had all our kids in school in person five days a week."