On paper, Michael Steele should be a shoo-in for reelection as chairman of the Republican National Committee. He presided over the Party’s return from political Siberia as President Obama entered the White House in early 2009 to massive victories in the 2010 midterm elections. Under Steele, the GOP first won gubernatorial victories in …
State Governments
Morning Must Reads: Coup
(White House/Pete Souza)
–Obama’s tax cut deal is poised to sail through the Senate today.
–What you missed Sunday: House Dems want to excise the estate tax concession. Rep. Van Hollen says they’re “not going to hold this thing up at the end of the day.” The White House doesn’t want to change anything.
–Treasury kicks the …
Midterm Loose Ends
The last governor’s race: Democrat Mark Dayton is now Minnesota’s governor-elect. Tom Emmer conceded and called off the recount this morning. That puts the total number of governorships Republicans will control in the coming crucial redistricting year at 29 (Democrats plus independent Lincoln Chaffee will have the rest), and means …
Morning Must Reads: Pendulum
President Obama talks to Istiqlal Mosque’s Grand Imam Ali Mustafa Yaqub during a visit to the mosque in Jakarta November 10, 2010. (Reuters)
–Chris Cillizza surveys the field of candidates to take over the DSCC for what looks like a challenging 2012 cycle for Senate Dems.
–Jon Ralston says Senator Ensign is “a walking …
Morning Must Reads: Mr. Speaker
—A lot of good stuff in this week’s newsstand issue of TIME. That cover says a lot all on its own.
–Mitch McConnell will restate his priority of making Obama a one-term president today. It looks like a bad cop routine to compliment Boehner’s good cop one.
–Jim DeMint settles into his role and
About Last Night
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid celebrates his victory at his election night party in Las Vegas on November 2. (REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus)
–Our colleague David Von Drehle wraps up Tuesday’s contests and spins things forward.
If you take the President’s 2008 victory map and subtract the states where his fellow
…
The Rebirth of the New England GOP (Or Something Approximating It)
In 2006 and 2008 Democrats wiped out every New England House Republican and with the departure (from the Party and then the Senate) of Vermont’s Jim Jeffords, and John Sununu and Lincoln Chafee’s losses at the polls, GOP senators looked endangered as well. Pundits talked about how New England was turning permanently blue and how it …
The End of Civility?
In the 1940’s and 50’s when Sam Rayburn ruled the House his famous motto was: “You’ve got to go along to get along.” Rayburn governed during such a volatile period of war (World War 2, Korean, the beginning of Vietnam) and economic upheaval that the House flipped six times in 21 years. He got along so well with his GOP …
Morning Must Reads: Election Day
Delaware Republican Christine O’Donnell smiles after casting her ballot in Wilmington, Delaware on November 2. (REUTERS/Tim Shaffer)
–Walking up the big vote, our own Michael Duffy writes about the crucial yet fickle independents who are poised to deliver major gains to Republicans. A taste:
But in this pendulum-driven
…
The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear
Jim Poniewozik’s take on yesterday’s Stewart/Colbert rally on the National Mall.
Morning Must Reads: Meek
Reuters/Hans Deryk
–Remember when Scherer wrote that Florida had the best Senate race in America? It still manages to be fascinating despite Marco Rubio’s robust lead. The drama unfolding there is, well, dramatic. I would (re)direct you to our Miami bureau chief Tim Padgett. Reading between the lines: With Charlie Crist cajoling …
Morning Must Reads: Last Stand
Meg Whitman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jerry Brown appear at the Women’s Conference 2010 in Long Beach, California on October 26. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)
–At the nifty new National Journal, Jeremy Jacobs reports the DCCC is making its last stand for the House, dumping $21.6 million on airtime in 66 districts. That includes a …
Morning Must Reads: Outside
–Last night’s Senate debate in Kentucky was a much more staid affair than the last go-around, but things got nasty between supporters outside:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhjg2W7vlMc]
–The final Florida gubernatorial debate got overshadowed by foul play.
–Sharron Angle’s closing ad features unambiguous references …