Category Archives: Republican

Former Gov. Sarah Palin speaks at a rally Sunday at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

In Alaskas U.S. House race, the two Republican candidates are urging their supporters to rank the red even as they continue to attack each other, in an effort to unseat newly elected Democrat U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola.

At an Anchorage event hosted by a political action committee on Sunday, former Gov. Sarah Palin railed against her opponent, Nick Begich III, and the new ranked choice voting system. After a forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Begich returned fire against Palin. But both said that their supporters should rank the other Republican in the race to ensure Peltola doesnt hold the seat for a full term.

Under Alaskas new voting system, Begich and Palin who spent weeks attacking each other in ads and at in-person events split the Republican share of the vote in an August special election, allowing Peltola to come away with the victory to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Don Young. Now, all three candidates along with Libertarian Chris Bye are running for the full two-year House term that begins in January.

[Alaskas 2022 election: Compare the candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House]

Peltola, the first Alaska Native to serve in Congress, has campaigned on a message of bipartisanship and carrying on the legacy of her Republican predecessor. Meanwhile, the criticism Begich and Palin have toward one another has continued largely unabated, even as political observers have noted that the biggest beneficiary of their criticism is Peltola.

U.S. House candidates Chris Bye, left, and Nick Begich answer yes-or-no questions in a forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce at the Denaina Convention Center on October 10, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Rep. Mary Peltola appears by video at the U.S. House candidates forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce at the Denaina Convention Center on October 10, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Since announcing her U.S. House bid in April, Palin has held a limited number of campaign events in Alaska. Aside from an appearance at an Anchorage rally with former President Donald Trump that drew thousands, Palins campaign strategy has appeared to include primarily appearances on national right-wing media outlets and social media posts.

But last week she announced she would attend a rally organized by a newly formed political action committee, Patriot Freedom PAC, led and funded by Trump allies who said they intended to spend $400,000 in Alaska in support of Palin and Trump-endorsed U.S. Senate candidate Kelly Tshibaka.

[Watch: Alaska U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidate forums]

Palin, whose official campaign is barred from coordinating with super PACs, hosted a fundraiser at the Denaina Center prior to taking the rally stage for around 15 minutes in front of a crowd of less than 100 that gathered Sunday afternoon in a room that can hold thousands.

The event included appearances by singer Tony Wilson, a Chicago performer who goes by the stage name Young James Brown, and David Clarke, a Trump surrogate and former sheriff from Wisconsin. There was also a mechanical bull and bounce house that didnt appear to get any use.

At the event, Palin stuck to a familiar message. She derided Alaskas new ranked choice voting system, a prominent part of her campaign since Trump attacked the new voting rules at his Anchorage rally. On Sunday, Palin called ranked choice voting convoluted and complicated and no good for Alaska.

A James Brown tribute performer leads people around the room during musical entertainment at Patriot Freedom PAC rally for U.S. House candidate Sarah Palin at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Before the August special election, Palin told voters that she only ranked herself. Her message, she said, was dont comply. But since her loss in the special election, Palin has adapted her message to her supporters to include that while she continues to view ranked choice voting negatively, she must operate with the cards that we have been dealt.

In principle, I was so opposed to this screwy system that was put in place for nefarious reasons, but until things are changed legally when it comes to how we elect our officials now in Alaska, we have to rank the red. Because Alaska cannot afford to have that Democrat in office, Palin told the crowd at the Denaina Center.

[Alaska campaign roundup: Pierce resurfaces, Al Gross returns to the political scene, and Outside group holds rally for Palin and Tshibaka]

Still, when asked about her Republican opponent Begich the same candidate she was telling her voters to rank second on their ballots she criticized him for campaigning negatively against her. Ive taken the high road from day one, Palin said. But Begich, she added, drew first blood.

In a series of campaign ads released before the special election, Begich accused Palin of being a quitter and a self-absorbed celebrity.

Former Gov. Sarah Palin, center, speaks before the start of a rally at the Denaina Convention Center on October 9, 2022. She was joined by former Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Sheriff David Clarke, second of right, and former Alaska lawmaker Jerry Ward, right. (Marc Lester / ADN)

Palins U.S. House race is her first run for elected office since stepping down from the governors office partway through her first term in 2009 after her unsuccessful vice presidential bid put her in the national spotlight. Begich, a businessman who has never held statewide elected office, has earned millions from a business that offshores information technology jobs to other countries.

Nick Begich, my fellow Republican, has planted a seed in peoples minds that I dont live here, Palin said on Sunday. Palin says she has traveled the world promoting Alaska.

[In her few days in Congress before the election, Peltola enjoyed Democratic support even as she straddled party lines]

Jerry Ward, a former state lawmaker who ran Trumps Alaska campaigns and is now involved in Palins campaign, said Sunday that he recently met with Begichs campaign manager, Truman Reed, and Trumans father Ashley Reed, a registered state lobbyist, to ask them to stop running negative ads attacking Palin.

I had Ashley Reed and his son Truman sitting in the campaign headquarters and we had a discussion, Ward said. Weve asked them not to run negative ads against a fellow Republican.

Ward said that Begichs campaign manager said that they will consider doing that.

Asked Monday about the meeting, Truman initially denied it had occurred, saying he had only ever communicated with Ward in passing.

I dont know what Jerry Wards talking about, Truman said, but moments later he corrected himself, acknowledged that he and Ashley Reed had met Ward while they were at Judys Cafe, an Anchorage establishment that shares a parking lot with Palins campaign headquarters, located in a building owned by Ward. According to Truman, Ward then invited Truman and Ashley to Palins campaign headquarters but it was very casual.

Ashley Reed, a longtime influential Alaska lobbyist, is earning more than $191,000 this year to lobby for several companies including in the oil and gas sector, according to state disclosures. He has made frequent appearances at Begich fundraisers but has not publicly been involved with Begichs campaign. Truman said his father doesnt have any official role in Begichs campaign, but that he helps out whenever he can, as any dad would.

Ashley Reed has in the past participated in fundraising for state candidates while working as a Juneau lobbyist, which is not allowed under state law.

Asked about the request from Palins campaign to tone down the negative ads, Begich said Monday he had not been in touch with Ward.

Im sure other campaigns would like folks to stop talking about records and start talking about something else, but thats part of the campaign process, Begich said.

After a candidate forum on Monday, Begich responded to criticism from Palins campaign regarding his negative campaigning, saying it was about sharing his opponents record.

Were going to talk about records, Begich said. Thats part of campaigning.

Palin was absent from the candidate forum hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce on Monday. Her campaign manager Kris Perry did not provide an explanation for Palins absence when asked. Peltola, who was in Sitka for a celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day, participated in the forum by Zoom.

Begich, who came in third in the special election, says he is still in position to emerge victorious from the U.S. House race by convincing some Palin voters to switch and by appealing to voters who did not vote in the special election but intend to vote in the regularly scheduled November election. Results of the special election indicated that in a head-to-head race, Begich would have beaten Peltola where Palin had lost.

For most people that I speak with, theyre looking for someone whos serious about the state of Alaska. Not somebody whos going to bring a James Brown impersonator from Chicago and do backflips on stage. People who are actually going to work hard to solve the problems of Alaskans, Begich said.

We have to stop thinking about politics like political entertainment. This is one of the big problems that weve experienced as a nation for the last decade, that politics have become entertainment. That degrades our opportunity to govern properly, to represent our people properly. It takes the arguments that are cogent and throws them out the window for dancers and singers and entertainers. Thats not going to fix the problems that we have as a country.

When it comes to the Democrat in the race, Palin and Begich have both taken the strategy of tying her to some of the Democratic Partys national messages, even as Peltola herself has campaigned on a message of bipartisanship.

Mary Peltola I love her. Shes adorable. Shes wonderful. Were friends, Palin said on Sunday. I really love her. But Alaska cannot afford to have the Democrat in office. Were a deep red state.

In a series of videos posted recently on social media, Begich attached Peltolas name to national Democratic leaders and to the Inflation Reduction Act, a bill that passed Congress before Peltola was elected but one she said she would have supported.

It seems like everything is going in the wrong direction. This is what happens when you put Democrats in charge, Begich said in one of the videos. Unfortunately for Alaska, weve got a Democrat representing us in the House. Thats got to stop, thats got to change.

Read more:

Republican U.S. House candidates in Alaska continue to attack each other while urging voters to 'rank the red' - Anchorage Daily News

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib is likely looking at a third term in Congress as the days tick down to Nov. 8, where she will be squaring up against Republican candidate Steven Elliott to defend the 12th U.S. House district seat.

Tlaib, D-Detroit, is fighting in a slightly different seat than the one she currently represents which made up much of the Motor City in addition to other areas like Westland, Romulus and Dearborn Heights.

The new 12th U.S. House district will still contain parts of Detroit, but will also take on parts of Oakland County including Southfield. Cities such as Inkster, Dearborn, Westland, Livonia and Redford Charter Township also fall under this U.S. House districts jurisdiction.

Outfits like the non-partisan Cook Political Report puts the district as leaning strongly democratic, with Tlaib favored with a 23-point advantage.

MLive has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide the Vote411.org voter guide with information about candidates. While Tlaib provided her questionnaire responses discussing issues such as education, economic security, elections, the environment, energy, social justice and guns Elliott had not as of time of publication.

Efforts to reach Elliott were also unsuccessful, so responses for his positions on like topics have been sourced to his campaign website.

A former U.S. Marine who was stationed for four years in California, Elliott has held a series of odd jobs throughout his including personal trainer and car salesman. He is currently self-employed as the owner of American Pride Tattoo Studio, which has six locations throughout the Detroit area.

His platform is based on commonly held Republican beliefs including lowering taxes, cracking down on violent crime and growing job opportunities in Michigan.

Though Elliotts website lacks details on how these tenants could be accomplished, he does indicate a belief in Congress needing to eliminate burdensome regulations, bureaucratic delays, and reduce the tax burden so that businesses can continue to compete in a global marketplace.

He also calls for an end to the catch and release border security mindset while also advocating for greatly reducing funding to the U.S. Department of Education. To the latter concept, Elliott instead believes in sending those divested dollars directly to states and local school districts where the needs of students can be met more effectively.

Elliott is entering the midterm election with roughly $2,155 on hand according to pre-primary federal campaign finance filings, having raised a cumulative $20,136 since the start of the election cycle. That total also factors in a $10,000 personal loan Elliott gave to his own campaign on Feb. 25.

In terms of finances, hes been handily outraised by Tlaib who is heading into the general matchup with $937,310 still on hand. To date, shes raised a roughly $2.9 million war chest and successfully fend off three primary challengers including one who boasted $1 million in aid from outside groups solely devoted to unseating Tlaib.

Among her core beliefs are a wish to move the country toward a single-payer health care system and Medicare for All, saying that no one should have to worry about whether or not they can afford a doctors visit or the prescription drug that they need.

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated public health issues that were already affecting everyday people, Tlaib said. My concern is now that as less attention is focused on the pandemic, the same will happen to these issues. I will continue to support the work of my colleagues, and legislation that keeps attention on these issues.

She was also vocal on the need for congress to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and Democracy for All Act measures which would restore and strengthen parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and restore checks and balances, accountability and transparency in government, respectively as well as for the body to take swift and decisive action on the topic of climate change.

Tlaib, similarly, believes in action at all levels of government to decriminalize immigration while crating a pathway to citizenship for both undocumented adults and children brought across the border by parents or other relatives.

On the topic of immigration, she did not mince words, saying: Our immigration system is broken and we must fix it immediately.

I have been hyper-vigilant on how the Department of Homeland security strips people of their basic human rights so I have tried to hold them accountable by introducing legislation like the Family Unity Act which aims to protect immigrant families, she said. I also called on the UN for independent investigations into the Department of Homeland Securitys inhumane treatment of immigrants and refugees.

Voters already have the chance to choose between Tlaib and Elliot, along side third-party candidate Gary Walkowicz, in this years midterms as absentee ballots have already been sent to those who have requested one.

All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected.

Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties.

Information on other state, county and local primary races can be found at Vote411.org.

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Tlaib reelection likely in MI-12 match up against Republican tattoo shop owner - MLive.com

EXCLUSIVE A Republican Latina aiming to squeeze the Democratic Party out of a seat it has held for more than a century pulled in more than $1 million in donations in the final quarter before the midterm election.

Monica De La Cruz reeled in seven figures between July and September, putting her total fundraising for this cycle just below $4 million, according to a spokesman for her campaign. The insurance agent has aligned herself with former President Donald Trump on issues including border security, the economy, and foreign policy.

South Texans are excited about our campaign because were talking about the issues people care about: lowering prices, strengthening our economy, and securing the border, De La Cruz said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. With their support, this November, were going to make history. I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work for our community.

De La Cruz is making a second run for the 15th Congressional District in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas after losing in 2020 to Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat who is running for the neighboring 34th District this year.

VICENTE GONZALEZ CLAIMS MAYRA FLORES TOO 'EXTREME' FOR SOUTH TEXAS TOSS-UP DISTRICT

Federal Election Commission data on the third quarter are due at the end of the week. De La Cruzs haul this time around is more than 10 times greater than the $93,529 she raised in the same period two years earlier.

Her opponent, Democrat Michelle Vallejo, did not respond to a request for comment about third-quarter fundraising numbers. Through June, Vallejo had pulled in just under $700,000, FEC records show.

De La Cruzs fundraising haul this cycle has outpaced the other two Republican women running for House seats in South Texas.

Cassy Garcia, the Republican challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in an adjacent district, reported $695,000 halfway through the year.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

To the east of De La Cruzs district, Republican Rep. Mayra Flores has raised more than $1.7 million through June, and Gonzalez brought in nearly $2 million in the same period.

See the rest here:

EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Trump Republican on Texas border pulls in $1 million ahead of election - Washington Examiner

Oct. 10Republicans have controlled the Spokane County Commission since the 21st century began.

Winning commissioner races has given conservatives power over county government. It's allowed them to write Spokane County's laws, decide how to spend taxpayer dollars and set the county's more than $650 million budget.

But if Democrat Maggie Yates unseats Republican Al French in the race for Spokane County Commission District 5 during next month's election, the balance of power in Spokane County could shift in an instant.

French, 71, has been a fixture in Spokane politics for 20 years. An architect by trade, he spent eight years on the Spokane City Council in the 2000s before winning election to the county commission in 2010. Economic development has been one of French's priorities while in office, and he has hefty financial backing from contractors and home builders.

Yates, 34, is a Lewis and Clark High School graduate and longtime criminal justice reform advocate. She's worked for the Southern Poverty Law Center, the MacArthur Justice Center and a legal aid office in Virginia.

The Spokane County commissioners in 2018 hired Yates as the county's regional law and justice administrator. She spent more than three years in that role, overseeing the implementation of numerous reforms, before resigning in January. While Yates has declined to elaborate on why she left, she departed after county officials had resisted several of her reform proposals.

Yates has endorsements from a slew of prominent Democrats and even a few Republicans. She says that bipartisan support demonstrates a "hunger for new leadership" at the county and shows she's a pragmatist willing to work across the aisle.

Whoever wins in November will represent a politically diverse district.

District 5 includes the West Plains as well as northwest Spokane and the South Hill above 29th Avenue. It's one of five districts drawn during last year's redistricting process.

Story continues

Spokane County had to switch from three to five commissioners to comply with a law the Washington Legislature passed in 2018. The change will fundamentally alter the county commission.

Under the new setup, each commissioner will represent one district, not the entire county. The end of the countywide general election may also allow Democrats to win at least one commission seat for the first time since 2006.

Based on past election results, French should be the favorite. In recent years, District 5 voters have preferred Republicans by a handful of percentage points.

But Yates has mounted an unusually strong campaign for a political rookie who lacks name recognition.

She led the field during the August primary election with 44.5% of the vote. French was right on her heels with 41.1%.

On election night, French said he felt good about those numbers and with good reason. Fellow Republican Don Harmon, a former Airway Heights mayor, had taken 11.4% of the vote.

It wasn't unreasonable to think Harmon's supporters would swing French's way in the general election and carry him to victory.

But Harmon has endorsed Yates. His 3,500 voters from the primary could decide who wins District 5.

They could also decide which political party ends up winning a majority on the county commission.

Based on primary results, Democrats are favored to win districts 1 and 2, which cover most of Spokane. Republicans likely will take districts 3 and 4, which include Spokane Valley and large portions of the county's rural areas (no Democrat is even on the ballot in those districts). District 5 appears likely to be the closest of the commissioner contests.

That gives District 5 outsized significance. The stakes are high, and campaign donors seem to realize it.

Yates has collected $177,000 from more than 800 donations, putting her on pace to raise more money than any candidate for county office in more than a decade.

French, one of the strongest fundraisers among recent local politicians, has $140,000 in his war chest from about 250 donations, although more than $20,000 of that comes from in-kind donations he's given himself.

Where they stand

French and Yates have criticized each other on the campaign trail.

Yates says French has been in office far too long. French says Yates is unqualified to be a commissioner.

While the two don't agree on much, their views overlap in a couple of ways.

Both say Spokane County needs more housing, and they've both pledged not to raise property taxes. Yates also wants to spend some of the county's $101 million in American Rescue Plan funding on a pilot program that would expand eligibility for the senior citizen property tax exemption.

Overall, French and Yates are making significantly different pitches to voters.

French is highlighting his experience and track record of job creation. He takes credit for the formation of the West Plains public development area and the new Amazon facility near Airway Heights Amazon has donated to his campaign.

"I deliver creative results, solutions that nobody else in the state of Washington has been able to implement," he said. "I'm not going to offer you rainbows and unicorns, I can't deliver on that. What I tell you I can do, I have done."

Yates is telling voters that child care will be one of her top priorities. She's said she wants to use American Rescue Plan dollars to make child care more accessible and affordable.

The Democrat is also accusing French of prioritizing development to the detriment of taxpayers. She's blamed the Republican for traffic congestion in the Latah Valley. Proper planning and infrastructure investment could have prevented the problem, Yates says.

French pointed out that the Latah Valley is largely within the city limits and outside of the county's jurisdiction. He said any infrastructure shortcomings in the area are the fault of those who succeeded him on the Spokane City Council.

Homelessness is another topic on which French and Yates disagree.

Spokane County's homeless population has risen 13% in the last two years according to the point-in-time count, an annual homelessness survey. The unsheltered population those who don't have a roof over their heads has risen 52%.

French said the county does its part to address homelessness by sending Spokane the money it receives through the state and federal government. The city uses those dollars to support shelter operations.

Yates said passing money along to Spokane isn't enough.

"I think the status quo in terms of the county's position and approach to homelessness is an abdication of their responsibility," Yates said. "I would prioritize a regional approach to homelessness."

During a Tuesday commissioner meeting, French voted to sue the Washington State Department of Transportation in an effort to disband Camp Hope, a homeless encampment along Interstate 90 in east Spokane.

Public safety

Both candidates say public safety is their No. 1 priority, but they approach the issue from dramatically different perspectives.

French is presenting himself as the tough-on-crime candidate. He said he's proud to be endorsed by Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and committed to fully funding the sheriff's office.

He's also in favor of building a new jail.

The Spokane County Jail has been politically divisive for years. Inmate deaths and suicides have long plagued the facility. Elected officials across the political spectrum agree the jail is overcrowded and dangerous, but they can't agree on a solution.

Many Republicans, including French, say a new jail with more cells would be safer for inmates, reduce operational costs and help keep dangerous criminals off the streets.

Many Democrats, including Yates, say a new jail would cost taxpayers millions and wouldn't improve public safety. They say the county should instead invest in community-based resources that create economic opportunities, as well as mental health and addiction treatment to combat recidivism.

Yates said rising crime rates are a major concern, but believes the county's current public safety approach is flawed.

She notes that the county spends more than $150 million a year on law enforcement and public safety, but 60% to 70% of offenders return to jail.

"That is a clear sign that what we're doing right now is not working effectively to disrupt the cycle of arrest and actually increase safety and stability in the community," she said in June. "And it's failing at a significant cost to taxpayers."

French says he too supports mental health and addiction treatment investments. He points to the new Spokane Regional Stabilization Center as a sign of progress. That 50-bed facility, funded by the county, city and state, serves as a detox and mental health site for people who would otherwise be sitting in jail.

The candidates have different philosophies on how to reduce racial disparities in Spokane County's criminal justice system.

While 2% of county residents are Black, Black inmates as of Aug. 31 make up 14% of the county jail population.

French says there's little the county commissioners can do about those disparities. The commissioners only control court budgets, he says.

"I'm the landlord in the jail," French said in June. "I don't sentence people to jail. It comes from our courts."

Yates says commissioners do have the ability to address racial disparities. She said the reforms she helped implement while serving as regional law and justice administrator, such as a program that gives defendants court date reminders and another that provides people with transportation to court, are part of the solution.

French and Yates also disagree on whether Spokane County should add a 13th Superior Court judge.

The Legislature in 1997 authorized Spokane County to add a 12th and 13th Superior Court judge. The state pays half of the judge's salary while the county pays the rest and the salaries of judicial staff.

In the past 25 years, Spokane County has gained an additional 140,000 residents, but the number of judges on the bench hasn't changed.

Yates supports adding a 13th judge. She said it would save taxpayer dollars by decreasing the number of people who sit in jail awaiting trial.

"I think it's an incredibly effective investment," she said. "Adding another judge will improve case processing times, which currently lag behind state standards."

French won't commit to funding a 13th Superior Court judge.

He said adding the position would cost about $900,000 annually. On top of that, he said court cases have decreased since 2021 when a state Supreme Court ruling made it harder for prosecutors to charge people for drug possession. He also stressed that Superior Court has multiple court commissioners who have powers of a judge and pick up the slack.

The county doesn't have physical space for another judge either, French said.

"Even if I had a 13th judge," he said, "I don't have a courtroom to put them in."

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Democrat Yates looks to unseat Republican French in race that could shift balance of power on the Spokane County Commission - Yahoo News

MESAOn Sunday, several thousand people showed up for a Republican party rally in Mesa.

There were plenty of candidates in attendance but the crowd was there for one reason: to see and hear from former President Donald Trump.

It was a rally for Arizona Republicans, but that didn't stop people from as far away as Illinois, Southern California, and Nevada from coming to Mesa.

For the first part of his speech, Trump stuck to the script. He spoke on Democats' impact on the economy, inflation, and the border.

"We don't want crime, we want a strong military, no taxes. We want great education and we're going to eliminate the crazy Nancy Pelosi's political career once and for all," Trump said.

But as he has done in previous appearances, Trump talked about the 'stolen election.' He criticized the FBI raid on his Florida home and the ongoing federal, state and Congressional investigations.

"You don't hear about greatness anymore, all you hear about is investigations. I've been investigated now seven years I think," he said.

The races for Arizona Senator, Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General are tight. Trump says independent voters will make the difference.

Read more:

Thousands attend Republican rally to hear from Donald Trump - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks at an Amazon Labor Union rally on April 24, 2022 in New York City. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) traveled to Staten Island to meet with workers who successfully organized the first union at an Amazon facility in the United States.David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

With midterms looming, Bernie Sanders has a message for the Democrats: Focus on the economy.

In a new opinion piece, Sanders said Democrats should "expose the Republicans for the phonies that they are."

He said it's time to do things like making healthcare more affordable and reinstating the child tax credit.

With the midterm elections looming and Democrats' current razor-thin majority in peril Bernie Sanders has some advice: Fix the economy.

In an opinion piece for the Guardian, Sanders writes that the country has been plagued for decades with "structural economic crises." He said it's time for Democrats to confront Republicans about them "and expose their anti-worker views on the most important issues facing ordinary Americans."

That means pushing for things like extending the $300 child tax credit, beefing up social security benefits, enacting paid leave, increasing the minimum wage, higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy, and making healthcare more affordable. By supporting policies addressing inequities and giving Americans more economic support, "the Democrats must stand with the working class of this country and expose the Republicans for the phonies that they are."

Many of those measures have made it into proposed legislation from Democrats, only to be defeated by key centrists in their party. However, as Sanders notes, no Republicans have been willing to line up behind things like a $15 minimum wage or 12 weeks of paid family leave.

"The list goes on: childcare, housing, home health care, college affordability. On every one of these enormously important issues the Republican party has virtually nothing to say to address the desperate needs of low and moderate income Americans," Sanders writes. "And what they do propose will most often make a bad situation worse."

It's not a new perspective for Sanders, who's warned that Democrats could be in for a rough 2022 if they don't throw their support behind the resurgent labor movement and the working class. He pointed again to rising wealth inequality, and inflation driven by desire for profits.

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But his latest remarks come after the Biden administration made unexpectedly major economic moves, passing the Inflation Reduction Act and announcing forgiveness of up to $20,000 in student debt for some borrowers. As Insider's Walt Hickey reported, Biden saw a huge upswing in polling in late August as those economic policies were announced. And Biden's recent moves on marijuana could also prove an economic boon for Americans with federal marijuana offenses and a winning policy on the ballot.

However, Sanders' push for Democrats to be more aggressive on economic policies which he says are not radical, but simply just "extremely popular" still face a big roadblock: Other Democrats.

Sen. Joe Manchin pushed back on paid leave and the child tax credit. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema memorably voted down the $15 minimum wage, and has continually spiked tax hikes on the wealthy. Both have stood against larger and more sweeping economic proposals, with the smaller Inflation Reduction Act catering to Manchin's desire to cut down on the deficit. Sinema successfully preserved provisions benefiting wealthy investors as Democrats hashed out that legislation.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Democrats need to focus on the economy and expose Republican 'anti-worker views' to win the midterms, Bernie Sanders says - Yahoo News

First midterms are terrible for presidents. Absent a national security crisis, the presidents party loses and often badly. With high inflation and low approvals, President Biden and the Democrats should be headed for a major defeat. Yet, Republicans, with an unhelpful assist from Donald Trump, are doing everything they can to sink their own chances.

The midterm results will turn on whether the big issues outweigh the smaller issues, bad candidates and Trump tomfoolery. Republicans should get to at least 230 seats in the House and a majority in the Senate, with an upper bound of 245 and 54, respectively.

And the GOP should be headed toward the upper end of the expectations spectrum. In spite of a recent improvement, Bidens approval is still well under water. His RealClearPolitics average is under water by 10 points. Most other metrics are similarly awful. In the recent YouGov poll, 62 percent consider the country on the wrong track, including 66 percent of independents. Morning Consult registers a 71 percent wrong track number (81 percent of independents). In its earlier tracking poll, Bidens approval on the economy was 5 points worse than his overall approval.

The economy and inflation dominate voters concerns. The NewsNation poll has inflation as the top priority of 45 percent of respondents and 65 percent very concerned. Similar results can be seen in YouGov and Morning Consult polling. YouGov has a combined 35 percent citing inflation and the economy as the top concern, 25 points ahead of the next issue, health care. Morning Consult has 42 percent citing economic issues, far ahead of 14 percent citing womens issues.

This issue landscape is toxic for Democrats. CNNs Harry Enten notes that the Republican polling advantage on these top issues is at near-historic highs. A September Gallup poll asked respondents an open-ended question on their top issue (in other words, no list or prompting) with 38 percent citing problems connected with economic conditions (only 4 percent cited abortion). Republicans had an 11-point lead on addressing their issue, regardless of what issue was cited.

An historic rout ought to be in the works.

Republican stumbling and bumbling

While the political and issue environment are highly favorable for Republicans, it seems the party is doing little to improve its chances. Poor quality candidates, Trump and the Dobbs decision are dragging on the Republican ticket.

Part of the issue is lack of experience. Running for office seems simple, but it definitely is not. Sticking out is Herschel Walker. Inarticulate, ham-handed and out of his depth, the 1982 Heisman winner is doing his best impression of Earnest Byner. Georgia Republicans would be better replacing him with a lottery. Walker ought to be well ahead of Sen. Raphael Warnock, but the RealClearPolitics average has him down nearly 4 points.

Similarly, Mehmet Oz (R) in Pennsylvania has been struggling against John Fetterman (D), one of the weakest of all the Democratic candidates. A talk-show host from New Jersey was always going to have problems in a nativist state like Pennsylvania, but add to that Ozs inexplicable post-primary vacation, and he fell far behind. Recently the race has tightened (maybe); the Oz campaign is pounding Fetterman with crime ads. Other inexperienced candidates like J.D. Vance in Ohio and Blake Masters in Arizona are also underperforming. Contrast that with Adam Laxalt, former Nevada attorney general and member of a family with long experience in politics, who is leading incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

Unsurprisingly, the weak GOP candidates were hand-picked by Trump. In addition to pushing forward candidates based on sycophancy and celebrity rather than electability, Trumps determination to hog the stage is dragging down the Republicans. Trump has a worse approval rating than Biden, logging a deficit of 41 percent approve to 57 percent disapprove (Morning Consult). YouGov has Trump at 40 percent approve vs. 53 percent disapprove. In both polls, Trump has a worse deficit than Biden or the much-maligned Kamala Harris.

Unpopular ex-presidents are not a problem as long as they go away. But Trump cannot leave the spotlight, even when it would help his candidates. Trump cant even resist insulting his endorsed allies.

Abortion is not helping either. The Dobbs decision continues to be a net negative. According to YouGov, abortion is a very important issue to Democrats at 63 percent, but just 34 percent for Republicans. In issue importance, it has risen to the second-most important issue at 14 percent, while just 4 percent of Republicans cite it as most important. And foolish political moves like Lindsey Graham proposing federal legislation does not help. For the GOP, the less said about the issue, the better.

Big issues likely to win out

In the end, all the Republican efforts at self-sabotage are more likely than not to just limit their gains. Trump is less popular than the unpopular Biden, but hes not president. Biden being in the White House makes his unfavorability much more of a problem. And Trumps legal troubles may end up having a detrimental effect on Democratic turnout. The more it looks like Trump is headed for an indictment, the less dangerous he seems.

Abortion is helping the Democrats, but that enthusiasm may simply be with people who are already going to vote. Motivating 18-29 year-olds, who are more pro-choice than the overall public, should help Democrats, but YouGov has 18-29s as the least enthusiastic age group at 27 percent more enthusiastic for the mid-terms as opposed to over 65s, at 53 percent. And over 65s cite inflation as their top issue (26 percent) by a 16-point margin over any other issue a bigger gap than any other age group.

It seems more likely that poor candidate quality will be the biggest problem for the GOP. Herschel Walker could still win the national issues are so overwhelming but his incompetence as a candidate may be too abysmal to overcome. The rest of the fumbling rookies the GOP has nominated are having their struggles but seem to have found a bit of a footing, and their polling is improving.

Predicting final results is still perilous with so many races so close but the GOP not only has an advantage on the issue front, the party may well be in better shape than the public polling indicates.

The party out of power tends to pick up the lions share of the undecideds.

In addition, the state-level polling in 2020 was heavily biased toward the Democrats. Claims that issues around polling accuracy have been addressed are hardly re-assuring. Supposedly the polling industry fixed their problems after whiffing in 2016, but 2020 was only slightly better at the presidential level and much worse at the state level.

When RealClearPolitics adjusts by state for polling error, it projects a GOP Senate majority with 52 seats. Alternately, using a blanket adjustment of 2-points for the undecided vote and just 3-points on polling error, Republicans get to 53, with even the fumbling Walker.

In politics, big issues win over small issues. Unfortunately for the media, small issues and gossip are easier to write and obsess about. It all adds up to the very real possibility of a Republican rout and another Election Day humiliation for the mainstream media and the pollsters.

Keith Naughton, Ph.D., is co-founder of Silent Majority Strategies, a public and regulatory affairs consulting firm. Naughton is a former Pennsylvania political campaign consultant. Follow him on Twitter@KNaughton711.

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Republicans ought to be doing better than they are - The Hill

(This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 10, 2022 11:20 AM PDT

2022/10/10 11:20

Donald Trump is the most popular Republican right now. But there's still a long way to go before he secures the Republican nomination for president. Ron DeSantis appears to be a strong contender for the nomination. And between now and election day (in just over two years)theleading contender could emerge. At this moment in time, what is the most likely scenario?

William Cooper isthe author of Stress Test: How Donald Trump Threatens American Democracy.

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VOTE: Who will win the Republican nomination for president? - Daily Kos

Democrats have settled on a national strategy for the midterm elections: portraying themselves as the party of reproductive rights, and Republicans as extremists who will take those rights away entirely. Its a clever inversion of the normal dynamic of voters punishing the party in power in midterms, with the Supreme Court standing in as the party in power. The Court was the most disruptive government force of the past two years, and Democrats want voters to focus on what its rulings have stripped away.

Polling has shown shifts among independent voters when abortion rights are given the primary focus. Ive seen in my own reporting that swing-district Democrats are turning to abortion as their main argument, and Lindsey Graham certainly helped them a great deal by filing a national abortion ban and vowing to pass it if Republicans gained power. Most of the advertisements from the Democratic side hit this issue, including one from former Rep. Max Rose of Staten Island intimating that Republican attacks on reproductive rights will cause women to die. Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker allegedly funding the abortion he wants to criminalize has only added fuel to the strategy.

There are some hiccups to this approachthe one pro-life Democrat in Congress (Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas) benefiting from millions of dollars in Democratic campaign cash, for examplebut its a powerful message that draws simple contrasts between the consequences of Democratic and Republican rule. You can absolutely see why Democrats are taking this path, especially after high-profile victories in special elections and votes in the previous few months.

More from David Dayen

Perhaps the biggest of those votes was in blood-red Kansas, where voters rejected an effort by far-right groups to change the state constitution to allow for abortion bans. That makes it even more remarkable that the Democratic governor of that state, Laura Kelly, is not leaning into abortion rights in her tight re-election campaign against Republican attorney general Derek Schmidt.

Kelly has been focused instead on the economy. Shes run an ad about a Panasonic EV battery factory coming to De Soto, one about eliminating a tax on food that has brought down the cost of living marginally, and several about fully funding schools, defending them from the slash-and-burn project of Republicans like her predecessor Sam Brownback. Despite resounding support for abortion rights in Kansas, Republicans patently unpopular stance on the issue hasnt factored into Kellys messaging.

Its weird to hear analysts say that sidestepping abortion is the right strategy for Kelly after an election that showed a large bipartisan majority in favor of retaining abortion rights in the same state. But polling in the race shows that three times as many voters care about the economy relative to abortion access. A similar prioritization is seen in national polling, where economic issues take precedence over social policy, and Republicans tend to be seen as more trustworthy.

If there were no way to penetrate the Republican advantage on economic matters, maybe the focus on abortion would be seen as Democrats only recourse. But there is a story to tell here, based much like Grahams proposed bill on what Republicans have explicitly said they would do if they got back into power.

I havent really seen advertising that lays out this promise from Republicans to make prescription drug prices higher.

The Inflation Reduction Act has a silly name, but if there is anything in the bill that will actually reduce the cost of living, its the measure to negotiate prescription drug prices with Medicare. I speculated that Democrats would have a hard time making the sale on this measure because negotiations dont kick in until 2026, meaning Democrats would have to promote something that voters wont feel in their lives for four years.

But Republicans are helping out by vowing to repeal the law, on the record and in public. If the courts havent gotten to it beforehand, yeah weve got to do our job and try to defend the Constitution, said Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) last month, intimating a constitutional right to protect a particular industry from bulk purchasing discounts. I havent really seen advertising that lays out this promise from Republicans to make prescription drug prices higher.

President Biden has mentioned that Republicans would damage Medicare and Social Security if elected, using the blueprint of Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (the Senate GOP campaign arm), as evidence. But its not just Scott. Don Bolduc, running for Senate in New Hampshire, advocated privatizing Medicare in August. Arizona Republican candidate Blake Masters has mused about privatizing Social Security, as has Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson. There have been scattered ads and mobilization about this, but nothing like the concerted effort around abortion.

Many candidates have explained to me and other Prospect reporters that they are highlighting a Republican vote against oil company price-gouging in their campaigns. One broader point, made by frontliner Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) in a Los Angeles Times piece and others, is that Republicans have articulated no solutions to higher prices other than incoherent bellowing, while Democrats have put forward short-term and long-term proposals. (Levin mentioned the price-gouging bill.)

Finally, theres the signature Republican vow to defund the tax police, by repealing the $80 billion for IRS efforts in the Inflation Reduction Act. Polls show that voters detest the two-tiered tax system, one for the wealthy and large corporations and one for everyone else. Republicans are publicly determined to keep that going, and to reverse Democratic efforts to end that dynamic.

Womens health is obviously critically important, and highlighting the Republican position of criminalizing reproductive rights creates a larger perception of GOP policy aims as extreme. But so does reminding voters that Republicans continue to worship at the feet of trickle-down economics, with tax cuts and business deregulation seen as the answer to any possible problem. They want to remake America in the image of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, last seen furiously backpedaling from a tax-cut policy proposal that virtually collapsed its economic system. Its worth not letting that get lost in the midterm shuffle.

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Republican Ideas on Economics Are as Bad as Their Ideas on Abortion - The American Prospect

Another Republican who stood up to Donald Trump is on his way out of Congress, with the news that the Nebraska senator Ben Sasse is set to become president of the University of Florida.

Of the 10 House Republicans and seven senators who voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment trial, for inciting the January 6 Capitol attack, only two congressmen and four senators are on course to return after the midterm elections.

High-profile casualties include Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the House January 6 committee vice-chair who lost her primary to a Trump-backed challenger in August.

Like Cheney, Sasse, 50, has been thought a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination, a notional 2024 contest still dominated by Trump.

The senator does not have to face voters again until 2026. But on Thursday Rahul Patel, a member of the University of Florida board of trustees, told the Tampa Bay Times the college needed a visionary, an innovator and big thinker who would differentiate us from others a leader who is transformational. The committee unanimously felt Ben Sasse is a transformational leader.

Sasse decried Washington partisanship and called Florida the most interesting university in America right now.

A university president before he entered politics, at Midland in Nebraska, Sasse will in November be the sole candidate interviewed for the Florida position.

If he resigns as a senator, the Nebraska governor the Republican Pete Ricketts, or a likely Republican successor if Sasse resigns in January will appoint a replacement.

NBC News reported that Sasses move was the result of Republican rivalries. Quoting a top Republican insider, the outlet said the Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, was behind the move, which was meant as one in the eye for Trump.

Marc Caputo, a reporter, wrote: In May, Trump said he regretted supporting Ben Sasse. Now, DeSantiss man at UF has engineered Sasses hiring. Everyone knows what this is about: Ron and Don, a top Republican insider tells me, echoing others.

As the only Republican who polls even close to Trump, DeSantis is widely thought to be planning a presidential run of his own.

Ricketts, the Nebraska governor, is from the family behind the stockbroker TD Ameritrade and a former co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. He made headlines in June 2020, amid national protests for racial justice, when he apologised for calling Black leaders you people.

The Ricketts family has ties to DeSantis. On Friday, in messages viewed by the Guardian, a Trump insider said the Sasse move was about Ricketts money to DeSantis. This is what Pete wanted so he can appoint himself to the Senate.

In a statement, Ricketts said he learned about Sasses planned resignation on Thursday, when he called to notify me.

He added: If I choose to pursue the appointment, I will leave the appointment decision to the next governor and will follow the process established for all interested candidates. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the governor of Nebraska. It is the greatest job in the world, and it will remain my number one focus for the remainder of my term.

Sasse was elected to the Senate in 2014 and emerged as a critic of Trump and his effect on US politics when the billionaire ran for the White House two years later. Sasse called Trump a megalomaniac strongman and said he would not vote for him or his opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Sasses wife, Melissa, said her husband had a need for competition. Also hes an idiot.

From 2017 to 2021, Sasse voted with Trump more than 85% of the time. He voted to acquit in Trumps first impeachment trial, for blackmailing Ukraine for political dirt.

Nevertheless, in November 2020 Sasse claimed: Ive never been on the Trump train.

In February 2021, Sasse said he voted to convict Trump over the Capitol attack because he had promised to speak out when a president even of my own party exceeds his or her powers. Such words earned him his share of Trumpian abuse, including a nickname, Liddle Ben Sasse.

In 2018, Sasse wrote a book, Them, in which he lamented political polarisation. He wrote: We are in a period of unprecedented upheaval. Community is collapsing, anxiety is building, and were distracting ourselves with artificial political hatreds. That cant endure. And if it does, America wont.

On Thursday, the Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin had a suggestion for what Sasse might do next.

Why not join Liz Cheney to campaign against GOP election liars/deniers. It might even impress his new employers. Otherwise his Senate career has been a total nothing burger.

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Ben Sasse, Republican who voted to convict Trump, to depart Congress - The Guardian US