Subject: POLITICO Huddle, presented by the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice: GOP SNAGS AZ SPECIAL ELECTION -- VA nominee fights on -- CBC WANTS MORE SPOTS IN DEM LEADERSHIP -- WV Senate candidate lives much farther west
From: "POLITICO Huddle" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2018 06:03:26 -0600
List-Id: <1376319.xt.local>

04/25/2018 08:00 AM EDT

By Nolan D. McCaskill ([email-masked] or @NolanDMcCaskill) 
 
REPUBLICANS HOLD ON TO ARIZONA SEAT -- Republican Debbie Lesko won Tuesday's special congressional election in Arizona, successfully fending off Democrat Hiral Tipirneni in a district President Donald Trump won by 21 points in 2016. National Republicans had poured more than $1 million into the race, hoping to avoid a repeat after losing a conservative Pennsylvania House and Alabama Senate seat in recent special elections. "But Lesko's single-digit margin is the latest evidence that Republicans face a punishing midterm environment, even in Trump-friendly territory," Elena Schneider reports. Lesko led 53 percent to Tipirneni's 47 percent when The Associated Press called the race.
 
Lesko will replace former Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), who resigned in December following sexual misconduct allegations. "GOP outside groups -- including the [RNC], the [NRCC] and the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with House Speaker Paul Ryan -- dumped resources on the district to boost early turnout and cement the party's latent advantage in the district," she adds. "National Democrats, meanwhile, largely stayed on the sidelines. The [DCCC] didn't spend on TV ads in the race, though the [DNC] invested $175,000 in the district through online fundraising, get-out-the-vote efforts and other infrastructure. The independent-expenditure unit of the Working Families Party
 also spent $100,000 to help Tipirneni." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae398196925127712c8af5beb00768ff22663a4c322ce4043e276cc194da2c258329244d2fa89f3e64bec472d 
 
TWEET DU JOUR: Cook Political Report's Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict): "There are 147 GOP-held House seats less Republican than #AZ08. It's time to start rethinking how many of those are truly safe in November."
 
Related: "Republicans Lost Support in Every Special Election Since Trump Became President," by The New York Times' Alexander Burns and Denise Lu: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4da1a8d5bc0d7999130b7a09c32650f5cc9ddc92a8484de68150d36ca3284060e5f17396a344658cfae12591e7455c6 and "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott schedules June 30 special election to fill U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold's seat," from the Texas Tribune's Patrick Svitek: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969e473cd16ed9dc825477c809803424ecf195a3becfd92f41eee0897eadaaa6b675cb7191cc20cd880 
 
BESIEGED VA NOMINEE PRESSES ON -- VA secretary nominee Ronny Jackson was supposed to testify before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee today. Instead, the hearing is indefinitely delayed as the White House physician fights to overcome unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct, such as drinking on the job and over-prescribing pills. "The episode offers a window into how the president's impulsive decision-making has created problems for GOP senators as well as his own aides," Burgess, Eliana Johnson and Elana report. Trump quickly announced his intent to nominate Jackson -- without fully vetting him -- after firing David Shulkin. He sent mixed signals Tuesday about whether Jackson should
 withdraw.
 
"In a private meeting with Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Jackson said the allegations are false and that he wants a hearing to make his case," they write. "At the same time, Trump was telling reporters that he 'personally' didn't think Jackson should fight on but it was 'totally' Jackson's decision." Inside the White House, aides have been leaking negative information about advisers, Cabinet members and Cabinet nominees, hoping to "shape the president's personnel decisions -- or torpedo them entirely -- through the news media. A handful of White House insiders speculated that such a leaking campaign was afoot against Jackson, whose nomination rattled West Wing advisers and was opposed by
 nearly every senior White House staffer." Why the nomination was practically doomed from the start: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819696913b07b516328a76dd65547e850053c055249258e904439ba71c13cb72968c0d8a9858efe3b4575 
 
Related reads: "The White House mounts full defense of Ronny Jackson, Trump's VA nominee," by Andrew Restuccia, Matthew Nussbaum and Burgess: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4da1a8d5bc0d7990287ad316a5c0ce167caa4196c7f30cd6d0fce23567bd9990f9d3ea8a9f359e97ca71a64d0e15ce6 "VA nominee drunkenly banged on female employee's door during overseas trip, sources say," from CNN's Juana Summers and Manu Raju: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4da1a8d5bc0d799095ea032de2195943c79c933e5a1cd6cf3f388720f9fa640d0f1abec11a0f4040ee772765422f3a1 and "VA Nominee Accused Of Drinking On Duty, Improper Prescriptions, Sen. Tester Says," via NPR's Kelsey Snell, Susan Davis and Scott Neuman: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969b2a66a8be61ae579dcb5507efd14708764852d1a21bdad07190f27d0f5c74846be9f39d94a433f1a 
 
BLACK CAUCUS WANTS MORE BLACK LEADERS IN NEXT CONGRESS -- With only one African-American lawmaker in the Democratic Caucus' top six leadership positions, members of the Congressional Black Caucus are eyeing more representation in the next Congress. "Many [CBC members] said they see a Democratic takeover of the House, which looks increasingly likely, as their best chance to make it happen," Heather and I report. "The behind-the-scenes jockeying is part of widespread shadowboxing in the Democratic Caucus as members -- long frustrated by the lack of opportunities for advancement because of the leadership blockade -- look for ways to grow their influence after the election."
 
Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.) is said to be considering a run for majority leader if Democrats win back the House, a move black lawmakers hope would open up a spot for another CBC member to join the top tier of leadership. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) both want the speakership if Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) retires. Many black lawmakers say privately that Clyburn could exit with Pelosi if it's assured a CBC member will succeed him.
 
CBC Chairman Cedric Richmond (D-La.) is also considering a run for majority leader, in the off chance that the party regains the House but the top three leaders are forced out due to a desire for generational change in leadership. Several black lawmakers are anxious to move up but have nowhere to go. "In many ways, the frustration over stifled ambition within the CBC is a microcosm of the deep-seated issues that have long plagued the Democratic Caucus," we write. "The bottleneck at the top has created a raft of younger members with few opportunities to move up." Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969f2ef11eaab8a1b8a04d65924956a15905b65ed4d630e81c28a03c7e5e04f0976d4a67ed9cb249505 
 
** A message from the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice: The Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice urges Congress to support the FTC's update to the Contact Lens Rule and protect the rights of America's 41 million contacts wearers. Optometrists too often fail to provide prescriptions following eye exams, denying consumers the ability to shop around for their contact lenses. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4da1a8d5bc0d799d1f836f6a4b7a17e44bc9f494867cf9d5acbc0af68c08b26b0ef7fadd1b40aeb2640c15d9e03db45 **
 
HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this April 25. 
 
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TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: CBS News' report detailing allegations against VA secretary nominee Ronny Jackson was the winner.
 
GRASSLEY PITCHES AMENDMENT TO MUELLER-PROTECTION BILL -- Under a draft amendment from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to a bipartisan bill to protect special counsel Robert Mueller from termination, DOJ would have to report to Congress "any change made to the specific nature or scope" of the Mueller probe. "Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee are in talks on the draft amendment, [which] could change before the panel's vote Thursday on the special counsel legislation," Elana reports. "But residual tension between Grassley and the committee's top Democrat, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, remains a risk heading into Thursday's vote." 
 
"Feinstein has warned against any attempt to dilute the bill or constrain Mueller, and support from the minority party will be critical to getting the legislation to the Senate floor," she continues. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), however, has said the bill won't see the floor. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819697ca363c93969c6c6ab8a5b0589cf6ad56661429bb4edd83f4d4f72cc07504d1ddd1d66830259ab98 
 
Related Russia read: "U.S. senators push banks for information on Russian 'oligarchs,'" by Reuters' Patricia Zengerle: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819699bbd3ca1e6a4336cfd18cbd2081fd6da6e95d0f556d1f9a7a35cb43e5688fc1f07d23143e6e57f96 
 
LAWMAKERS NEAR DEAL ON PRISON REFORM PLAN -- The House Judiciary Committee is nearing an agreement on a bipartisan prison reform bill that could be approved as soon as today and reach the floor early next month. "The legislation, which would establish training programs aimed at reducing recidivism rates, is the product of months of negotiation between Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and Attorney General Jeff Sessions," Heather reports. While negotiators are still haggling over the final language, Jeffries said so-called "poison pills" have been removed. "The legislation could face stiff winds in the Senate,
 however, where Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has pushed a broader criminal justice bill that includes both prison and sentencing reform." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819691a58ce7bd2d352a0755c7dca6d493eeb320a9451f644e7ba81b378f1546e45aebc5f5bdee5bdea00 
 
SENATE CONFIRMS NSA, CYBER COMMAND CHIEF -- The Senate quietly confirmed Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone as the leader of the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command. He was unanimously confirmed via voice vote. "Nakasone, who possesses a deep background in digital warfare, will also receive a fourth star, a new requirement to lead Cyber Command after [the] Trump administration decided last year to place the unit on par with long-standing military outfits like Central Command," Martin Matishak reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969cbf2dd70df700b14a1761a0d4bc156c0e86daa994b76c487049d4f5283945772499b0b54d60d8afa 
 
REPUBLICANS PLAY BALL -- GOP lawmakers are holding their first practice this morning for this year's congressional baseball game. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and others were shot at a practice last summer, but Capitol Police have beefed up security for this year's practices and game. "That's a departure from previous years, where often the only security presence at the lawmakers' early morning practices consisted of leadership members' Capitol Police security details," Roll Call's Griffin Connolly reports. "If no party leaders showed up, that meant no armed protection for the rest of the team during practice." Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969cdf0721cb3357f81a82fdef9e473f8f2eef33b564bab4d46bdfca1ee7ea2ad30638057209b5a2933 
 
Related: "Steve Scalise will deliver LSU, LSU Law commencement addresses," via The Times-Picayune's Wilborn P. Nobles III: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819699874d1ceee387031351bf31b02b80e03c96b3693fbeb48cf7e3fe1a4a37b054e199989d63166ff5c 
 
WEST VIRGINIA SENATE CANDIDATE LIVES IN NEVADA -- What happens near Vegas doesn't stay near Vegas when you're running for Senate in West Virginia. Republican Don Blankenship's "primary residence is a $2.4 million villa with palm trees and an infinity pool near Las Vegas," The New York Times' Trip Gabriel and Stephanie Saul report. Blankenship also owns a residence in West Virginia and has expressed interest in gaining Chinese citizenship despite running an America-first-style campaign. 
 
"No Republican candidate in the 2018 midterms embodies so many contradictions as pointedly as Mr. Blankenship, who was found guilty of conspiracy to violate mine safety standards in federal court and yet has plenty of supporters in coal country," they write. "He is one of three leading Republican contenders heading into the May 8 West Virginia primary, even though he is lugging around enough political baggage to disqualify a candidate most anywhere else." Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae39819691e6843562101f7bc18d2c80e90aa6caca037705b58eeabc246ec6da1ecf2fbf73e4b326e56f4dcf2 
 
IRREPARABLY DAMAGED? -- Former Senate leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says the Senate is "irreparably damaged" and predicts the chamber will deteriorate into the less bipartisan House. He declined to attack Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) directly but called Republicans the "limpest waffle you've ever seen," adding that they've done "everything they can" to hurt the judiciary and legislative branches of government. "With the Republicans, I'm not mad, I'm just terribly disappointed in what they've done to the institution," he said. "I believe the federal government has been so harmed, the legislative branch has been decimated, judicial decimated, checks and balances sliding out the
 door. Our democracy will survive but it's going to be tough." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a6489b1ae3981969d0bca6479f8d0a14aa7d75ed8df03083904e339aaf982ee0c349ef7e952b46d0814b48419f497a0b 
 
TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 9 a.m. but will recess immediately and reconvene around 10:30 a.m. for French President Emmanuel Macron's address to a joint session of Congress. First votes are expected between 1:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., and last votes are expected between 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=c4da1a8d5bc0d799c07d64b27f21c9e5f36dd29d46968b63804c6c212dc2a21a067248a1a73c8fdc365e1e3c882feda7 The Senate meets at noon to resume consideration of secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo.
 
AROUND THE HILL -- Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) and others will hold an Enough is Enough Summit to discuss strategies and craft initiatives to combat sexual violence at 9 a.m. in the CVC-Auditorium.
 
French President Emmanuel Macron will deliver an address to a joint session of Congress at 10:30 a.m. in the House Chamber.
 
Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) will host the eighth annual Minnesota Congressional Delegation Hotdish Competition with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Rick Nolan (D-Minn.), Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.), Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) and others at 11:30 a.m. in 430 Dirksen.
 
Reps. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.) and John Delaney (D-Md.) will hold a roundtable with impact investors at 12 p.m. in 1732 Longworth.
 
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will hold his weekly pen and pad briefing at 1 p.m. in H-144.
 
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Vice Chairwoman Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) will hold their weekly media availability at 2 p.m. in HVC-Studio A.
 
Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) will hold a news conference with Flint residents, activists and artists to mark the fourth anniversary of the Flint water crisis at 2 p.m. in 421 Cannon. 
 
Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) will hold a discussion on the security of public transit systems with representatives from the TSA surface transportation division, WMATA and Chicago Metra transit police departments, and transportation sector of the E.U. delegation to the U.S. at 2 p.m. in CVC-Meeting Room South.
 
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and others will hold a conference call briefing on legislation requiring the State Department to monitor and report on whether countries are meeting commitments to help Holocaust survivors identify and reclaim their rightful property beginning at 2 p.m. The call-in number is 888-419-5570 (the international call-in number is 617-896-9871), and the passcode is 347 119 97.
 
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) will hold a conference call briefing to announce the introduction of two bills to provide aid and relief to Connecticut homeowners with crumbling foundations beginning at 2:15 p.m. RSVP to [email-masked] for call-in information.
 
Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Tom Garrett (R-Va.) and Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) and others will hold a briefing on the impact on groups facing religious persecution at 2:30 p.m. in 2168 Rayburn.
 
Reps. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and Al Green (D-Texas) will hold a news conference with Planned Parenthood to discuss efforts for health care programs at 3 p.m. in the House Triangle.
 
Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Vishal Amin will hold a briefing on challenges and trends in the sports industry at 4 p.m. in 902 Hart.
 
TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- No one correctly guessed two married couples who ran for Congress in the same state in the same year. Bill Paxon and Susan Molinari both ran successful campaigns and represented New York districts in Congress in the 1990s; Caroll and Carol Hubbard both lost their 1992 campaigns in Kentucky.
 
TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Patricia Bieze: This Democrat interned for a Republican senator whose seat he now holds. Who are the two senators, and what state do they represent? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: [email-masked].
 
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