Alt Timeline - President Clinton in the Middle

[Pollster]

I've been thoroughly enjoying reading all of the alt timelines on this board and have decided to start my own. Please bear with me, I'm new to this and have a lot of ideas. Here we go!

AP: MINNESOTA PUTS CLINTON OVER THE TOP, CLINTON DEFEATS TRUMP

At 12:37 AM, The Associated Press is projecting that Hillary Clinton will carry the state of Minnesota, putting her at 276 electoral votes, more than the 270 needed to secure the Presidency.
 The Democratic former Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and First Lady will defeat Republican businessman Donald Trump and become the first woman to be elected President of the United States.

The election, which was preceded by one of the longest and most unorthodox campaigns in the history of the nation, was marked by both candidates showing strength in unexpected areas of the country and among various demographic groups. Final exit poll data is not yet available, but preliminary data indicates that Trump built upon Mitt Romney's 2012 margins with non-college educated white voters,
 while Mrs. Clinton defied expectations among white voters with college degrees, winning the demographic 49-44. Minority turnout was slightly higher than expected - especially among Hispanic/Latino voters - and Clinton managed to build slightly upon Obama's lead with the group
 while performing only slightly worse among African Americans. Mrs. Clinton also narrowed Obama's margins among typically Republican-leaning groups such as higher income Americans as well as Mormons.

As a result of these demographic realignments, Mr. Trump managed to stun pundits and observers by scoring unexpected victories throughout the midwest, narrowly winning the largely uncontested states of Michigan and Wisconsin by narrow margins. He narrowly carried the battleground state of Pennsylvania, while the traditional swing states of Ohio and Iowa were both called for him at poll closings.

With the morning of November 9th quickly approaching, an unexpected Trump victory was looking more and more likely, but Clinton managed a literal eleventh-hour rebound, with a last-minute vote dump in Broward County propelling her to victory in the state of Florida, carrying the state's coveted 29 electoral votes. Mrs. Clinton showed unexpected strength in the typically Republican south, winning Virginia comfortably and North Carolina by a 4 point margin. She held Mr. Trump to single-digit victories in the historically red states of Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, losing the latter by only 5 points (President Obama lost the state by 16 points in 2012). She came within only a handful of votes of carrying the state of Georgia, which was not projected for Mr. Trump until 96% of the vote had been counted. Mrs. Clinton's most unexpected victory came in the state of Nevada, which she won by 7 points despite polls indicating a tight race, largely due to unexpectedly high turnout among Latinos.

The only state yet to be called is Arizona, where Mrs. Clinton leads by 3 points with 90% of the vote counted. Polling in the state indicated a tight race with a small Trump lead. Should Mrs. Clinton's margin in the Grand Canyon State hold, she will win the election with 287 electoral votes.

At press time, Mr. Trump, who had publicly floated the possibility of refusing to accept the results of the election, has yet to concede.


AP: CLINTON PROJECTED TO WIN ARIZONA
At 1:04 AM, The Associated Press projects that Hillary Clinton will carry the state of Arizona. With 95% of precincts reporting, Mrs. Clinton holds a 49-47 lead, with only historically Democratic-leaning precincts yet to be counted. With no outstanding states remaining, The Associated Press projects Hillary Clinton will win the election, 287-251. With millions of votes yet to be counted in states such as California and Washington, Mrs. Clinton leads in the national popular vote with 49%
 to Mr. Trump's 45%.


BREAKING: Trump calls Bill Clinton, "Tell your wife congratulations," Ivanka calls Chelsea

(NBC News) 1:12 AM - NBC News has confirmed that Donald Trump has called former President Bill Clinton to concede the election and congratulate him on his wife's victory. In a stunning breach of precedent, Mr. Trump reportedly refused to speak to Mrs. Clinton directly, despite the urging of both his family and campaign advisers to do so.

"Tell your wife congratulations," the real-estate mogul and former reality TV host reportedly told the former President. Sources within the campaign told NBC News that when the former President asked the Republican nominee if he wanted to speak to Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Trump declined and ended the call. The call reportedly angered both Clintons, with the President-elect reportedly stating that Trump "has no decency whatsoever" and the former President referring to him as "a bag of sh-t with a fake tan."

NBC News has also confirmed that Ivanka Trump has privately called her longtime friend Chelsea Clinton to congratulate her on her mother's victory, in a conversation reported to be "much more cordial, much more respectful."

A spokesperson for the Clinton campaign confirmed that both calls occurred but would not confirm any details of the conversations.


Pence addresses Trump supporters: "This defeat is the gateway to many victories"

1:30 AM - Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence took the stage at Trump headquarters to formally concede the election to Hillary Clinton early Wednesday morning. The event broke with decades of precedent, as Pence became the first losing Vice Presidential nominee to concede the election in place of the candidate at the top of the ticket. Governor Pence notably did not mention Mr.
 Trump by name at any point in the speech, and did not congratulate Hillary Clinton specifically.

"We congratulate the Clintons on this victory, and we thank every single one of you who came out today with the shared goal of making America great again," Pence said, surrounded by his wife and family. Pence struck a more positive tone for the end of the speech, referencing the many Senate and House races that remain too close to call despite Clinton capturing the White House, and pointing out the favorable maps the GOP foresees for 2018.

"If you are one of the millions who connected with politics for the first time because of our campaign,
 we strongly urge you to take it one step further: run for office," Pence exclaimed, eliciting cheers from the audience. "Your time is now. This defeat is the gateway to many victories!"

Democrats were quick to criticize the spectacle, with Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) lambasting Trump for "being too afraid to tell his supporters he lost to a girl."

Clinton claims victory: "An era of healing is upon us"

1:40 AM - Taking the stage almost immediately following Mike Pence's remarks, President-elect Hillary Clinton was welcomed to the Javits Center by thunderous cheers as Alicia Keys' "Girl on Fire" blared on the speakers and the stage lit up a patriotic red, white and blue beneath her. She was followed onto the stage by daughter Chelsea, husband Bill and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in a surprise appearance.

"Tonight, America was presented with a torrent of forces," Clinton began. "The forces of hate, the forces of bigotry, of racism, sexism, xenophobia. Tonight, Donald Trump asked America what kind of country it wanted to be, and America answered loudly and clearly." Clinton made no further acknowledgment of her opponent, who less than an hour earlier phoned her husband rather than her to concede defeat.

Clinton called for unity, stating that an "era of healing is upon us" and calling for every American to do their part to "bridge the toxic gaps we currently face." In a surprising move, Clinton acknowledged her historic unpopularity, stating bluntly that "I'm well aware that my haters outnumber my fans," to loud boos from the audience. Clinton continued by asking for open-mindedness, "if any of you are listening right now, I know that I probably won't change your mind overnight. All I ask is for a fair shot and an honest second chance."

The remainder of the speech was largely positive, ending with a humorous reference to the historic nature of Clinton's victory. "Now I have to go get some sleep, because I promised Charlotte I would take her to see "Trolls" today," Clinton said, to laughs. "And by the way, make sure you watch where you step, because tonight, America is covered in shattered glass," Clinton exclaimed, as cheers erupted in the event center. Balloons and confetti rained down as Katy Perry's "Roar" played Clinton off and fireworks were launched off the Hudson River.

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Battle for the Senate Rages On


(Politico) 11/10/16 - Election Day 2016 is now in the rear view mirror, but there are still some races that have yet to conclude. Despite Hillary Clinton's comfortable victory over Donald Trump on Tuesday night, control of the Senate hangs in the balance as five decisive races remain undecided.

Democrats successfully picked up two seats on election night, with challengers Tammy Duckworth in Illinois and Maggie Hassan in New Hampshire unseating incumbents Mark Kirk and Kelly Ayotte, respectively. Democrats also successfully defended the seat of retiring majority leader Harry Reid in Nevada, where Republican challenger Joe Heck's dismissal of Trump, mixed with Clinton's unexpected 7-point victory in the state allowed the Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto to win a comfortable 8-point victory, almost double what the polls predicted.

For their part, Republicans successfully defended the seats of incumbents Marco Rubio in Florida, who defeated Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy 51-45, and John McCain of Arizona, who turned back a challenge from Ann Kirkpatrick, 53-44. Both Republicans represent states that Clinton carried.

In many other battleground states, the results remain uncertain. Following the pickups in Illinois and New Hampshire, Democrats need two more seats to hold a majority, with Vice President-elect Tim Kaine providing the tie-breaking vote. Here's where they can get them:

Indiana - Former Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh made a late jump into this open-seat race against Rep. Todd Young and started off with a massive lead that gradually evaporated as Bayh weathered relentless attacks and oppo dumps. Polling indicated that the race was a tie going into election day. Bayh leads 50-48 in the current vote count, but the Secretary of State of Indiana has refused to certify the vote count on the ground that a large amount of provisional and military overseas ballots have yet to be counted. Young has yet to formally concede the race, and the Bayh campaign has released a statement saying that they believe the majority of provisional ballots reside in Gary County and that they anticipate their lead will grow if and when they are counted. Donald Trump carried the state of Indiana handily on election night.

Missouri - Democrat Jason Kander enjoyed a last-minute surge against incumbent Republican Roy Blunt, and until late on election night, it looked as though the young rising star was going to oust the powerful Republican incumbent by an impressive margin. But as the rural vote, which propelled Trump to a 55-40 victory in the state, began to come in, Blunt narrowed the margin considerably. With 100% of precincts reporting, Kander leads Blunt by just 189 votes. Blunt's team has, as expected, filed for a full-state recount. Kander told local radio that he is cautiously optimistic about the recount, citing Democrat Chris Koster's victory over Republican Eric Greitens in the state's concurrent gubernatorial contest as proof that Democrats performed well down-ballot in the Show-Me State.

North Carolina - Incumbent Republican Richard Burr led in all polling of his race against Democrat Deborah Ross throughout the Summer, but stopped campaigning when Fall rolled around, allowing Ross to close the gap with the aid of national Democrats. Ross continued to trail up until election day, but she managed to ride Hillary Clinton;s unexpectedly strong coattails in the state and currently leads in the final tally by 0.4%, just enough for Burr to request a recount under North Carolina state law, which he is expected to do later today.

Pennsylvania - Polling indicated a tight race for Pennsylvania's Senate seat, and Donald Trump's narrow 49-48 victory over Clinton did not bode well for Democratic challenger Katie McGinty. However, Republican incumbent Pat Toomey's confusing position on Trump led to a lack of down-ballot support that allowed McGinty to flip the results; she holds a 49-48 lead over the incumbent in the final count. Pennsylvania's recount laws are a tad grey, and Toomey, who has yet to concede, has not announced whether or not he will request a recount.

Wisconsin - Former Sen. Russ Feingold sought a rematch against Republican incumbent Ron Johnson, and polling indicated he was headed for a massive win up until the very end when national Republicans swept in and the gap narrowed considerably. Feingold foresaw the GOP surge in his home state, and claimed the day after the election that he tried to warn the Clinton campaign about Donald Trump's strength among the cheeseheads, which was proven by his narrow 49-47 victory in the Badger State. Johnson leads narrowly in the final count by about 3,700 votes (Feingold successfully held many eastern Wisconsin counties that were ancestrally Democratic but flipped to Trump) and has declared victory, but Feingold is filing for a recount and has lobbed accusations of voter fraud by Governor Scott Walker, who in return referred to Feingold as a "sore loser." Feingold will appear on "The Rachel Maddow Show" tomorrow night, claiming to have evidence of voter fraud by the Walker administration.

[Pollster]

From here on out, all updates will be written in the style of The Hill unless otherwise noted.

Clinton has first meeting with Obama as President-elect


11/10/16 - President Obama hosted President-elect Clinton in the White House this morning for the duo's first meeting since Clinton won the Presidential election held on Tuesday. Obama congratulated Clinton on her victory and commended her on her refusal to bow to the negativity and hate-infused rhetoric utilized by her opponent. Clinton in return thanked Obama for his efforts on the campaign trail and commended him for his "dignified and principled leadership," which she claims "made the rare third Democratic term attainable." According to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, the two spoke at length about the transition, the lame-duck period and the outstanding Senate races.

Speaking to reporters in the Roosevelt Room, the former rivals appeared friendly and warm with each other.

When pressed on the topic of the Senate races yet to be called, both the President and the President-elect spoke optimistically, with Obama saying "it looks like a few more Democratic pickups are coming." When asked about cabinet picks, Clinton said that she had begun working closely with transition leader and Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to identify and vet the best candidates.

Spokespeople for both the White House and the Clinton campaign reiterated both parties' commitment to a smooth and peaceful transition of power.


AP: Comstock narrowly reelected in VA-10

(AP) 11/10/16 - The Associated Press is projecting that Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock has been reelected to her seat representing Virginia's 10th Congressional district. The battleground race, which attracted millions of dollars in outside spending, is the last House race to be called of the 2016 cycle. Comstock trailed her Democratic challenger LuAnn Bennett in the initial count but managed to retake the lead as military overseas ballots were received and counted. We project she will receive 50.08% of the vote to Bennett's 49.41%, with write-in candidates taking the remaining percentage. Comstock's victory gives the GOP a 235-200 seat majority in the lower chamber of Congress.


Sanders: We won't give Clinton a "free pass" on progressive issues


11/11/16 - Speaking to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) declared that he and his fellow progressives would not give the newly elected President Clinton a "free pass" on progressive issues throughout her Presidency.

"Complacency is not an option," the 74-year old Senator, who challenged Clinton for the Democratic nomination for the Presidency, sternly told Cooper. "We have got to make sure that a Democratic President is standing for traditional Democratic values and defending working people."

Sanders later stated that he believes Clinton did not focus enough on working people in her campaign and that she nearly lost the Presidency because of it. "Many historically Democratic states that are anchored by working people voted for Donald Trump because he spoke more to them." When pressed by Cooper if he believes he would have carried those states if he were the Democratic nominee, Sanders replied that he "thinks it certainly is possible."

A spokesperson for Clinton refused a request for comment.


Feingold tells Maddow his dead aunt "voted" in 2016 election


11/11/16 - In a sit-down interview on The Rachel Maddow Show, Russ Feingold, the former Senator and Democratic challenger in the still-contested Senate election in Wisconsin, revealed that he has uncovered evidence of potential voter fraud which he claims was carried out by Wisconsin's Republican governor, Scott Walker.

Feingold told Maddow that, while investigating precinct data in preparation for the recount he requested in his Senate race, he discovered that his aunt, Rona Feingold, who passed away in early 2015, was publicly recorded to have voted in his Senate race. Feingold stated that his campaign's legal team is investigating for any further instances of deceased Wisconsin citizens having voted, and has reported the instance to the United States Department of Justice.

Feingold joked that his aunt, a lifelong Republican, "probably voted for Ron Johnson."

Maddow commented that the story, if proven true, has the makings of a "political blockbuster." Governor Walker's office did not respond to a request for comment.

[Pollster]

Poll: Clinton approval on the rise, majority willing to give her "fair shot"


11/12/16 - Gallup's daily tracking poll of President-elect Hillary Clinton's approval rating is officially live, and the first results show good news for the first woman elected to the nation's highest office. 53% of registered voters view Clinton favorably while 42% view her unfavorably. This represents a massive improvement for Clinton, who was plagued by historic unpopularity throughout her Presidential campaign.

The results come as a double-edged sword; however, as Clinton's 53% favorability is the lowest ever recorded for a President-elect since Gallup began polling. Successful candidates typically see a sharp spike in approval following their victories as they begin a honeymoon phase with the public. The extreme national political polarization, heightened by the contentious 2016 election, in addition to Clinton's historically difficult relationship with the public since her rise to prominence as First Lady in the 1990's, all likely contribute to her lower than average ratings.

Gallup also tested whether or not voters were willing to give Clinton the "fair shot" that she famously asked for in her victory speech Wednesday morning. 64% of voters said they were willing to give her a fair shot, including 96% of Democrats, 58% of independents, and a 45% plurality of Republicans. 31% of voters said they were not willing to give her a fair shot, including 3% of Democrats, 35% of independents and 44% of Republicans. 5% said they were unsure: 1% of Democrats, 7% of independents and 11% of Republicans.

The same poll found that voters approve of Bill Clinton, 55-39, a slight improvement over his wife, while President Obama outranks both Clintons with an approval rating of 58-38.

Report: Warren vigorously lobbying Clinton to drop Garland SCOTUS nomination


11/12/16 - Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) is putting immense pressure on President-elect Clinton and her transition team to appoint somebody else to the Supreme Court rather than renominate President Obama's choice of Merrick Garland, sources close to both women tell us this morning.

Warren, a top surrogate for Clinton during the general election who reportedly made the campaign's short list of potential Vice Presidential candidates, is said to believe that Garland is a "compromise candidate" that she no longer thinks is necessary since she expects Democrats will regain control of the Senate. Clinton has been mum on her plans to fill the Supreme Court seat kept vacant for months by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Whoever Clinton nominates is likely to be the subject of a tense confirmation battle within a Senate where partisan control still hangs in the balance.

Warren represents the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, a faction with which Clinton has had a strained relationship as evidenced by her unexpectedly competitive primary race against Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), another prominent leader of the wing. Clinton is rumored to harbor negative feelings toward Warren, claiming that Warren's refusal to endorse her contributed to the length of her primary battle against Sanders.

Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon declined a request for comment. A spokesperson for Warren's office refused to confirm or deny the story, but stated that Warren is "committed to accomplishing progressive goals in every way possible."

BREAKING: Toomey won't request recount, concedes PA Senate race to McGinty


11/12/16 - Senator Pat Toomey will not request a recount in his reelection race against Democratic challenger Katie McGinty, his campaign announced this morning. Multiple sources have confirmed that Toomey called McGinty to concede shortly before the announcement, and his campaign subsequently released a statement from Toomey which stated: "To all of my fellow Pennsylvanians, serving you in the Senate has been my greatest privilege. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I'll see you soon." The final line caught the attention of observers and pundits alike, as Toomey has long been rumored to be interested in challenging Democratic Governor Tom Wolf in 2018.

Toomey trailed McGinty in the final vote count by 0.9% of the vote, despite Donald Trump carrying Pennsylvania on election night by a narrow 0.6% margin. Toomey notably underperformed Trump's vote total statewide while McGinty retained most of Clinton's.

The seat is a pickup for Democrats, who are now just one seat away from winning control of the Senate, with Vice President-elect Tim Kaine serving as the tie-breaking vote. Four Senate races remain outstanding.

McGinty has yet to make any public remarks.

Trump breaks Twitter silence, blasts "terrible" campaign advisers


11/13/16 - Donald Trump is back on Twitter early Sunday morning for the first time since his election loss to Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night.

In the tweet, Trump blasts his "terrible campaign advisers" who told him to spend time competing in traditionally Democratic Midwestern states at the expense of campaigning in North Carolina, Georgia, and Texas, three states where Clinton performed better than polls indicated she would. Trump managed to narrowly carry a slew of Midwestern states to the surprise of many prognosticators, but his gains were offset by Clinton's unexpectedly strong showing along the nation's southern coast.

The tweet is notable since, of the three states Trump mentions, he only failed to carry North Carolina. Had Trump won the Tar Heel State, he would still have been defeated by Clinton.

Perhaps more notably, the tweet serves as Mr. Trump's first public acknowledgment of his loss to Hillary Clinton. On election night, he broke with decades of precedent and sent out Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence to give the campaign's formal concession speech.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, who campaigned for Trump during the general election, commented that "Mr. Trump can point as many fingers as he wants, but what he fails to understand is that he bears the majority of the blame for his defeat." Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a former primary opponent and vocal Trump critic throughout the election, commented that Mr. Trump "needs to take responsibility for his loss."

Report: Clinton removed conciliatory mention of Trump from victory speech following Bill Clinton call


11/13/16 - A source within the Clinton campaign reports that Clinton's initial draft of her victory speech included a conciliatory message to Donald Trump, something standard of victory addresses in American politics. The source claims that Clinton forcefully demanded the removal of the line after Trump infamously called Bill Clinton to concede and refused to speak to the candidate herself.

"There's no way I'm going out there and thanking him," the infuriated President-elect reportedly exclaimed.

The former President reportedly supported the decision.

Mr. Trump sent Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence out to give a concession speech on election night - breaking with decades of precedent - and did not publicly acknowledge his defeat until an early morning tweet posted just hours ago.

McAuliffe: "Likely" that Clinton will appoint a Republican to cabinet


11/13/16 - Speaking to Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press," Virginia Governor and head of the Clinton transition team Terry McAuliffe said it was "likely" that President-elect Clinton would appoint a Republican to a position in her cabinet.

"Despite what they might want you to think, the President-elect has good relationships with many Republicans and believes there are quite a few who are worthy and qualified to serve in the administration," McAuliffe told Todd.

Cabinet appointments across party lines are a common move for a newly elected President seeking to reach across the aisle. Democrats, in particular, have a history of appointing Republicans to be the Secretary of Defense: President Obama retained Republican Robert Gates, a Bush appointee, as Secretary of Defense, replacing him with fellow Republican Chuck Hagel in his second term. President Bill Clinton nominated Republican William Cohen to the post in his second term, as well.

President-elect Clinton's historically hostile relationship with the Republican Party, in addition to the extreme partisan polarization that defined this past election, led many to believe Clinton would forgo including Republicans in her administration. The announcement was met with praise by members of both parties within Congress.

When pressed for comment, Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon stated: "The President-elect and her transition team are committed to assembling the most qualified Cabinet, regardless of party affiliation."

[Pollster]

Thank you all for the kind words. I'm having a great time writing this.

BREAKING: Clinton will retain Lynch as AG


11/14/16 - The Clinton transition team announced this morning that President-elect Clinton has asked Attorney General Loretta Lynch to remain in her position at the head of the Department of Justice during Clinton's tenure and that Lynch has accepted.

"Attorney General Lynch has proven herself to be an asset to the Justice Department, and I'm proud that she will continue to serve in her capacity in my administration," Clinton told reporters. Lynch added that she is "humbled and honored" to have been asked to remain in her role.

The decision to retain Lynch was reportedly pushed by former President Bill Clinton, who argued that keeping Lynch would prevent a contentious confirmation battle in the Senate that would cost the administration unnecessary political capital. Republicans previously raised concerns about a potential Clinton AG appointment, citing Clinton's history of FBI investigation as an impediment on her potential pick's impartiality.

Lynch and the former President were themselves the subject of controversy when their infamous prolonged meeting on the tarmac raised doubts about Lynch's credibility in the DOJ's investigation of Clinton's private email server.

Others reportedly considered for the job were Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and Secretary of Labor Tom Perez.

Republicans were quick to criticize the announcement, especially Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who called the decision "an example of political cronyism at its very worst."

Feingold: More fraudulent ballots discovered in Wisconsin Senate race


11/15/16 - In an appearance on a local radio show in southeastern Wisconsin, Russ Feingold told interviewers that his campaign's legal team has uncovered "over 900" fraudulently cast ballots in his Senate race this year. "And we haven't even made it through half of all the precincts yet," he added.

Feingold, who challenged Republican Senator Ron Johnson to a rematch this year, currently trails in the official vote count by slightly less than 2,000 votes. He made headlines when he appeared on "The Rachel Maddow Show" shortly after the election to report evidence of voter fraud, claiming that his aunt who passed away in February 2015 was on record to have cast a ballot in a Senate election.

Feingold claims that none of the fraudulent ballots contained votes for any other contest besides his Senate race. "It certainly looks like it was a deliberate and concerted effort to defeat me."

The recount that Feingold requested is set to begin on Friday. In addition to conducting the recount, Wisconsin Secretary of State Robert La Follette has announced that his office will conduct an investigation of Feingold's claims of fraud.

Politico: Race for New Jersey Governor slow to take shape


11/16/16 - The election to succeed Chris Christie as the Governor of New Jersey is less than a year away, but the field of candidates for the governor's mansion is slow to take shape. Not a single Republican has entered the race yet, and the only Democrat to declare so far is Phil Murphy, the former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and a former Goldman Sachs executive who has lent his campaign $10 million. Christie, whose approval rating was a toxic 20% in the latest statewide poll, is term-limited.

"There's a lot of uncertainty of the directions that the political winds are blowing," said a New Jersey Republican legislator, who spoke to Politico on the condition of anonymity. "Republicans are scared of being tied to Christie, and Democrats are scared of being tied to Clinton." The sentiment of uncertainty was echoed by numerous other prognosticators, all of whom said that Christie's toxicity presents a Democratic opening, but that even predictably safe races can be made competitive by an unpopular President in a midterm year. "If Hillary's numbers plummet," one veteran Democratic pollster said, "a solid Republican candidate may start to look much more appealing."

While overcoming Christie has turned back many potential Republican candidates, Murphy's abundant wealth and his willingness to spend it on his campaign have given many Democratic contenders pause. An aid to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who just yesterday announced that he would not seek the Democratic nomination for Governor, told local reporters that his boss "was strongly considering running, but believed fundraising would be tough." Fulop ultimately announced that he would instead seek re-election to the mayor's post, and has already received Murphy's endorsement.

Likewise, a report in NJ.com this morning detailed that powerful State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, long considered a likely candidate for Governor, is having trouble fundraising for his bid, as many of the state's largest Democratic donors believe that Murphy's self-funding has effectively anointed him the nominee. Sweeney's office declined a request for comment.

Not everybody is ceding to Murphy, however. John Wisniewski, a progressive from Central Jersey who chaired Bernie Sanders' unsuccessful primary campaign in the state this Summer, is reportedly thinking about a bid, and blasted Murphy while speaking to Politico: "The wealthy purchasing political offices to advance the interests of the wealthy is supposed to be what Democrats are against," Wisniewski said. When asked if he would run against Murphy for the nomination, Wisniewski responded that "if nobody else does, I might have no choice."

On the Republican side, potential candidates include Lt. Gov Kim Guadagno, who is a prominent Christie critic, and Rep. Tom MacArthur, a South Jersey moderate who has long been rumored to hold statewide ambitions. Neither official's office responded to a request for comment.

Anthony Weiner: "I thought I was going to cost Hillary the election"


11/18/16 - Embattled former Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner sat down for an interview with the NY Daily News today, where he discussed his scandals, his marriage, his future and his unexpected eleventh-hour role in the Presidential campaign that he thought might just have thrown the election to Donald Trump.

"I woke up that day in late October, and I had, like, 8 million text messages, and I remember thinking to myself...what the f--k?" Weiner told the Daily News. Earlier that day, the New York Times published a story saying that a source within the FBI confirmed that the investigation of Clinton's emails was back on thanks to the discovery of more emails on Weiner's laptop.

"I turned on the TV, and it was all anyone was talking about. No matter what channel I went to, there was my face next to hers. I thought I was going to cost Hillary the election. I thought I was going to give America President Donald Trump. I felt sick," Weiner relayed.

FBI Director James Comey forcefully denied the story. Two days later, the source was exposed to be a low-ranking FBI agent with a personal hatred of the Clintons who fabricated the leak and lied to the Times about his standing in the organization. The Times was forced to retract the story shortly after.

"I called Hillary to apologize as soon as I could. I contacted the campaign to ask what I could do to help." When asked what the campaign's response was, Weiner said that "Robby [Mook] told me not to touch them with a 50-foot pole."

Weiner recalled that he was "relieved beyond understanding" when he watched CNN's Wolf Blitzer announce that Clinton won the election, and told the Daily News that he "sobbed like a baby" while watching Clinton deliver her victory speech just a short Subway ride away from his apartment in Union Square. Weiner, a longtime Clinton ally and loyal supporter of both of her Presidential campaigns, had nothing but positive words for Clinton.

"Hillary is a force of nature. She always has been. I think she'll be a behemoth of a President." Weiner added that he feels a unique bond with Clinton, due to their shared difficult relationship with the public and the press. "I feel like Hillary and I understand each others' positions. We're easy targets because people tend to believe every negative thing they read about us, and negative stories about us get lots of clicks and increase viewership." Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon did not respond to a request for comment.

Weiner is married to top Clinton aid Huma Abedin, who is rumored to be Clinton's top pick for White House Chief of Staff. Abedin would be the first woman to serve in the role.

"Huma is amazing," Weiner stated. "She's my rock and I don't deserve her loyal support." Weiner and Abedin's marriage has been plagued by Weiner's proneness to scandals, particularly the multiple revelations that he has been involved in "sexting" with underage women. The first sexting revelation forced his resignation from Congress, while the second derailed his comeback bid for Mayor of New York City in 2013. The FBI investigation of Weiner's potential violation of child pornography laws was the source of the fabricated Times story that intertwined Weiner with the Clinton email scandal.

Weiner, who enjoys universal name recognition in New York City thanks to his controversial past, remains committed to liberal causes and is unafraid to show it. He gained recognition before the rise of his scandals by being the rare liberal Democrat who would go on conservative media outlets to defend liberal ideology. "I love the Democratic party," Weiner said. "I believe Democrats stand between the people and the certain plague that conservative politics bring on this country."

Weiner was coy when asked if he would ever run for office again. "The strategists and prognosticators would immediately tell me no, and probably laugh in my face," Weiner said with a smirk. But in a statement that irked Democrats, Weiner added that "Donald Trump has proven that voters are willing to overlook a lot if the candidate is saying things they agree with. So I don't know, you might just see me on the ballot again soon."

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Clinton picks Murphy for Secretary of State


11/19/16 - In an early Saturday morning announcement, the Clinton transition team announced that the President-elect will nominate Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut to serve as Secretary of State, the country's top diplomat and one of the most important roles in the executive branch. Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated that the nomination is a "great honor" which he "gladly accepts." Clinton reportedly considered Murphy for multiple posts - including U.N. Ambassador and Health & Human Services - before deciding on the State Department.

Bill Clinton, who is carving out a major role in shaping his wife's administration, was reportedly against the pick, preferring somebody older and with more diplomatic experience. The President-elect, in a rare rebuke of her husband's advising, was steadfast in her decision on Murphy. Sources say that Clinton's decision was made in part to give Murphy a platform from which to launch a national run. One top Democrat involved with the pick, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told reporters that "[Clinton] sees him as a suitable heir to her legacy," adding that "she's basically doing for him what Obama did for her."

Murphy's nomination drew praise from Democrats and even some Republicans but did draw criticism from liberal groups. The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence released a statement criticizing the pick, saying that "While we have no doubt that Senator Murphy will serve this body with distinction, we are incredibly disheartened to see President-elect Clinton remove a leading voice for common sense gun control reform from the United States Senate." Murphy made national headlines during the Summer for his marathon filibuster in support of gun control reform. The Brady Campaign endorsed Clinton for President early in January 2016.

Secretary of State John Kerry released a statement praising the pick, calling Murphy a "worthy successor" and calling for a swift confirmation in the Senate. Should Murphy be confirmed, Connecticut state law requires that a special election be held on the 160th day following the vacancy to fill his seat. Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy is allowed to appoint an interim replacement, something his office has stated he "will do swiftly."

NJ legislature overrides Christie veto to change Senate vacancy rules


11/19/16 - In a specially scheduled Saturday night session with little fanfare, the New Jersey State Legislature voted to override Governor Chris Christie's veto of a bill changing the state's procedures for filling a vacancy in the United States Senate. Three Republicans in the State Senate and five in the State Assembly broke with their party to support the override.

New Jersey's vacancy filling procedures caused confusion in 2013 following the death of longtime Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Christie drew criticism for scheduling a special election on a Wednesday in the middle of September, which many claim was an effort by Christie to avoid sharing a ballot that November in his reelection bid with popular Democrat Cory Booker, who was elected to Lautenberg's seat in a landslide in the special election which was marked by low voter turnout.

The new bill strips the Governor of the power to appoint an interim replacement and mandates that a special election be held within 100 days of the vacancy occurring unless the 100th day falls within the two months preceding or the month following the next regularly scheduled election, in which case the special election will be held on the regularly scheduled election day.

Christie called the bill "a gross example of impulse politics" and cautioned the legislature not to override the veto. Observers believe that the new law, particularly the language stripping Christie's appointment power, will increase calls from state and national Democrats for Sen. Robert Menendez, who faces indictment on corruption charges, to resign his seat before his reelection race in 2018.

BREAKING: Indiana SOS certifies Senate election for Bayh, Democrats win Senate control


11/21/16 - The office of Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson has announced that all outstanding ballots have been counted in the state's heavily contested Senate race and that the results will be certified in favor of Democratic challenger Evan Bayh. The final certified results show Bayh with 50% of the vote to Young's 47%.

In prepared statements, Bayh declared victory and pledged to work "with both parties to produce results for Hoosiers." Young congratulated Bayh and thanked his supporters for "refusing to go down without a fight." Bayh made a late entry to the race and opened a massive polling lead over Young, but Young fought the race to a draw in the final weeks of the campaign.

The result comes with national implications, as it means that Democrats now control 50 Senate seats, giving them de facto control with Vice President-elect Tim Kaine's tie-breaking vote. A spokesman for Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the soon-to-be former Senate Majority Leader declined a request for comment, while a spokesman for Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the presumptive leader of Senate Democrats in the wake of Harry Reid's (D-NV) retirement, called the victory "terrific news for the American people." The victory is sure to cause a major sigh of relief in Clintonworld, where fears began to arise that the incoming President would be forced to govern with a Congress controlled by Republicans.

Report: Clinton has not spoken to Kaine since day after election


11/25/16 - President-elect Hillary Clinton has not spoken to Vice President-elect Tim Kaine since the morning after the election, according to sources close to both of the nation's soon-to-be top executives in a scoop reported by Fox News.

"Tim's called Hillary multiple times, but every time he's been told she's too busy to talk," a longtime Kaine aide told Fox News. A source from Clinton's corner reports that the President-elect has "buyer's remorse" from naming Kaine to the ticket, saying that she believes Kaine "added nothing" to the ticket and that she regrets not making "a more strategic pick."

The Kaine aide added that Kaine is believed to be "incredibly frustrated" with the powerful role being carved out by Bill Clinton in the administration, saying that "he [Kaine] feels feels like he is being relegated to a 'seen and not heard' role as VP, while Bill gets all the power."

Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon, who was named this morning to be Clinton's choice for White House Press Secretary, denied the reports, telling Fox News in a written statement that "The PEOTUS a VPEOTUS are working closely to deliver on their promises to the American people." A Kaine spokesman denied the story without providing a comment.

Kellyanne Conway inks deal with CNN, will get own primetime show


11/27/16 - CNN announced this morning that Kellyanne Conway, one of Donald Trump's multiple campaign managers and a frequent and notable television surrogate for the Republican nominee, has inked a deal with the network to host her own nightly primetime show on the program, which is slated to begin this Monday immediately following "Anderson Cooper 360." Conway drew the ire of cable news viewers, particularly liberals, during the campaign for her frequent appearances across multiple networks that were marked by frequent fabrications and spin in defense of the controversy-plagued Mr. Trump.

In an official statement, CNN stated that the program, which will be titled "The Spin Room with Kellyanne Conway," is intended to add "another diverse political voice to CNN's esteemed lineup." The decision to add Conway to the nightly lineup was condemned by liberal groups, particularly Media Matters for America, which released a statement accusing the network of "reaching for ratings," adding that "Throughout the 2016 election, Ms. Conway demonstrated a lack of credibility through her seemingly endless fabrications and defended a man who expressed disdain for the free press. She does not belong on a network as widely watched as CNN."

Conway stated that she is "elated to have this opportunity to add her voice to the political climate in a constructive way." A spokesman for Mr. Trump declined a request for comment.

[Pollster]

Thank you all!

BREAKING: Blunt wins Missouri Senate recount


11/29/16 - Incumbent Republican Senator Roy Blunt has won the recount in the Missouri Senate election by slightly less than 700 votes, the Missouri Secretary of State's office announced today. Blunt trailed in the initial count by a similar margin, but the lengthy recount - election day was three weeks ago - flipped the results in his favor. Democratic challenger Jason Kander has declined to request a second recount and, as the state's Secretary of State, certified his own defeat earlier this morning.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference shortly after certifying the results, Kander congratulated Blunt on his victory and urged his supporters not to put politics in the rear view mirror because of his defeat: "If I hear that any of you have given up just because we didn't win this one, you won't get a pass from me." At press time, Blunt had yet to comment publicly on the results.

The result leaves Republicans with 48 Senate seats to Democrats' 50. Two races in North Carolina and Wisconsin remain undecided, with contentious recounts underway in both states. The recount in Wisconsin has received national attention due to evidence of voter fraud reported by Democratic challenger Russ Feingold. With VP Tim Kaine's tie-breaking vote, Democrats will control the Senate in the 115th Congress.

Clinton names Beshear, Lincoln to cabinet posts


11/30/16 - With November coming to a close, Hillary Clinton's transition team has announced two more picks that Clinton will nominate to her Cabinet as she prepares to take office this coming January.

Former Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear is Clinton's pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, while former Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln has been named to the post of Secretary of Agriculture. As Governor, Beshear oversaw an incredibly successful expansion of Medicaid in Kentucky under the Affordable Care Act, while Lincoln was the first woman to serve as chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry during her tenure in the Senate. Both are well-known Clinton allies and were early endorsers of Clinton's Presidential campaign.

Both nominations were announced with little fanfare and drew few reactions from Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did offer praise for his fellow Kentuckian, calling Beshear "a good man and a respectable pick."

BREAKING: Nancy Pelosi to step down as Dem leader, will retire in 2018


12/2/16 - Nancy Pelosi will not lead the House Democrats in the 115th Congress and will retire at the end of her current term in 2018, her office announced today. Citing the election of Hillary Clinton and the need for "a new generation of leadership" in the Democratic party as reasons for her retirement, Pelosi stated that she leaves her post "with pride and with [her] head held high."

The first woman to be elected Speaker of the House, Pelosi was the highest ranking woman in American political history before Clinton's election to the Presidency last month. Her greatest accomplishment as Speaker was the passage of the Affordable Care Act, the largest piece of national legislation of the decade so far and the anchor of President Obama's legacy.

The White House released a statement from President Obama honoring Pelosi's achievements, calling her departure "the end of an era." Hillary Clinton released a similar statement, saying that she is "saddened to have to miss the opportunity to work with her as President, but optimistic to see what her future holds."

Republicans, who have famously used the polarizing Pelosi against Democratic congressional candidates in competitive races, reacted with mixed emotions. "This is certainly a bittersweet moment for our party," current House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters upon learning of the news. "I don't believe I've ever had an adversary for whom I've had more respect or admiration."

With no clear successor to Pelosi in the Democratic caucus (Democratic whip Steny Hoyer said in a statement responding to the announcement that he would not run for the post), the news could potentially set up a competitive battle for the critical position.

Liberal groups encouraging DeLauro to run for Murphy's Senate seat as Shays expresses interest


12/4/16 - Numerous liberal groups and activists are publicly working to recruit Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to run in the special election to replace Senator Chris Murphy after Murphy is confirmed by the Senate to serve as President-elect Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State.

EMILY's List, an organization for which DeLauro once served as Director, has delivered a petition to the long-serving Congresswoman's office containing over 100,000 signatures urging her to seek the open seat. Additionally, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, speaking to the Hartford Courant, said that DeLauro would be the well-known organization's "absolute, top choice" for the seat. Shortly after Richards' remarks, Planned Parenthood released a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling showing DeLauro defeating a "generic Republican opponent" in a general election matchup 49-37.

As the pressure mounts on DeLauro to launch a bid, a prominent Republican has expressed interest in running for the seat. Former Republican Congressman Chris Shays, who lost his House seat to Democrat Jim Himes in 2008, has told reporters that he will "probably" make a run for the seat. Shays, a moderate who endorsed Hillary Clinton for President over Donald Trump, ran for this seat in 2012 but lost the Republican primary to businesswoman Linda McMahon, who has reportedly told friends and family that she would not run in the special election. If he can make it past the primary, Shays is believed to be one of the few Republicans who could put this seat in play despite Hillary Clinton's 16-point victory in the state last month.

DeLauro's office could not be reached for comment.

NYT: Pence "Plagued by Uncertainty" as He Navigates Post-Trump Career, Considering Challenging Donnelly in 2018


12/5/16 - Outgoing Indiana Governor and defeated Vice Presidential nominee Mike Pence is working closely with advisers to carefully plot his next move as he enters an uncertain political future in which he will forever be remembered for his role in the surreal Donald Trump Presidential campaign, according to multiple Pence aides who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity.

"Right now, he's plagued by uncertainty," one aide said when asked to describe Pence's current position. "It isn't clear yet whether he should strengthen his ties to Trump or if he should just attempt to distance himself from his role in 2016 altogether." Pence, who was the only name on either 2016 ticket to consistently score positive favorability ratings among voters, has many ripe opportunities in the near future but is unsure how to proceed.

"His eyes are definitely on the 2018 Senate race," another aide relayed, "but he's conflicted about what style campaign to run: a Trumpy one or a traditional one." While the Trump-Pence ticket carried Indiana by a large margin last month, the aide said that Pence "is not sure how much of that had to do with Trump versus how much of that had to do with the Democrat being Hillary Clinton." He added that "Obama winning the state in 2008 really irked him, and he knows that running against Donnelly will be harder than running against a generic Democrat."

If Pence does launch a campaign for the Senate, he could have a fight on his hands for the GOP nomination. Rep. Todd Young, who fell just short of winning Indiana's open Senate seat this year, has made plenty of noise about running again and has indicated to the Times that he wouldn't step aside for Pence. "I like Mike, and I voted for him to be our Vice President, but after a defeat like the one he was handed on November 8th I think he should take more time before making another run for office." In addition, Pence's tenure as Governor was rocky at best and he appeared to be headed for a difficult reelection race in 2016 before he withdrew from the race to join the Trump ticket. "It's certainly a bad look," another Pence aide commented, "to leave your job only to be publicly rejected for the promotion you quit it for."

While many options are on the table, for now, Pence is conflicted, uncertain, unsure, and soon to be unemployed. It's certainly a strange and unexpected place to be for the man who was only 140,000 votes in Florida away from being the Vice President of the United States.

[Pollster]

Report: Obama urging Clinton to pick "more liberal" SCOTUS nominee following Dem Senate takeover


12/6/16 - President Obama has turned on Merrick Garland, his nominee to fill the Supreme Court seat made vacant by the death of Antonin Scalia earlier this year, according to sources close to the outgoing President. The sources told The Washington Examiner that Obama is urging Clinton to pick a "more liberal" nominee in the wake of the Democrats winning control of the Senate, with two races -
 potential pickups - yet to be determined. The same sources say that Obama believes the incoming Democratic majority will use the "nuclear option" to eliminate the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees, allowing Clinton's pick to be confirmed with a simple majority.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will be the presumptive Minority Leader in the 115th Congress, famously refused to allow the Senate to consider Garland's nomination. Some pundits have speculated that McConnell may use the lame duck period to quickly confirm Garland - whose nomination does not expire until January 3rd - in an effort to prevent Clinton from selecting a more liberal nominee.

Both the White House and the office of the Majority Leader did not respond to a request for comment.

Malloy, McAuliffe begin interviewing candidates for Senate appointments


12/7/16 - Dannel Malloy and Terry McAuliffe, both Democratic Governors of Connecticut and Virginia, respectively, have begun the process of interviewing candidates for appointment to the vacant Senate seats their states will soon have. Virginia's Senator Tim Kaine will leave his seat open following his inauguration as Vice President on January 21st, while the confirmation of Connecticut's Chris Murphy to be the next Secretary of State is widely expected to occur within the new administration's first days.

Malloy is allowed to appoint an interim replacement for 160 days, after which a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the term must be held. McAuliffe's pick, on the other hand, is allowed to serve until the next regularly scheduled election for the seat (a special election may be called if the Governor wishes, but this is not mandated by law).

McAuliffe, who is also the head of President-elect Clinton's transition team, has conducted interviews with Rep. Bobby Scott and Charlottesville mayor Michael Signer, though sources close to Scott reported that he has told McAuliffe he is not interested in the appointment. McAuliffe is also said to be considering state party chairwoman Susan Swecker for the job, though the Governor's office has said she has not been interviewed. Some pundits have floated the possibility that McAuliffe - who is term-limited out of office next year - could appoint himself to the seat as well.

Malloy, who faces sinking approval ratings at home, is facing pressure to appoint somebody who will not run in the special election as some Democrats believe that being tied to Malloy will be a drag on the candidate's chances.  The Governor is reportedly leaning towards tapping State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, a staunch critic of his who is believed to be mulling a primary challenge to Malloy in 2018. Sources close to the Governor say that he believes sending Lembo to the Senate will eliminate him as a threat to his reelection bid.

Both seats are up for regular election in 2018.

BREAKING: Ross wins recount in NC, defeats Burr


12/8/16 - Democrat Deborah Ross has won the recount in the race for Senate in the state of North Carolina. Ross, who led in the initial count by 0.4%, expanded her lead to a margin of 1.1% in the recount as thousands of provisional ballots in the Raleigh-Durham area were deemed valid.

Republican incumbent Richard Burr called Ross to concede the race late last night, his office confirmed this morning. Ross, addressing a small gathering of supporters following the announcement, declared that her victory, in addition to the election of Democrat Roy Cooper to the state governorship and Hillary Clinton's statewide victory at the Presidential level, indicates that "North Carolinians have taken their state back."

Ross will be the Senate's 51st Democrat in the 115th Congress.

DeLauro announces candidacy for House Democratic Leader


12/10/16 - Long-serving Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) has announced that she is running to lead the House Democrats in the 115h Congress this morning, quashing rumors that she was interested in running for Chris Murphy's soon-to-be vacant Senate seat.

Liberal groups reacted joyously to the news, with EMILY's List (of which DeLauro is a former Director) and Planned Parenthood immediately issuing enthusiastic endorsements. DeLauro, who touted the support of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (of which she is a founding member) is her announcement, stated that she "plans to bring her decades of legislative experience to the forefront of the battle against Speaker Ryan."

Outgoing leader Nancy Pelosi stated that she was "happy" to see DeLauro enter the race but stopped short of issuing an endorsement. Spokespeople for President Obama and President-elect Clinton made similar statements.

Iowa gov Terry Branstad arrested, charged with DUI


12/13/16 - Republican Governor of Iowa Terry Branstad was arrested and charged with a DUI last night, local law enforcement confirmed. The unforced error is yet another drag on the nation's longest-serving Governor, who is experiencing difficulty at home as he heads into what is shaping up to be a tough reelection battle.

Branstad, who supported Trump throughout the general election, recently told the Des Moines Register that he thought Trump was a "terrible nominee and terrible candidate" who "lost an election that was essentially handed to us on a silver platter." The statement drew blowback from Republicans in a state where Donald Trump won by 9% even as President-elect Clinton was comfortably winning the national popular vote (the final popular vote margin is still not known as many ballots remain uncounted on the West coast).

A subsequent Des Moines Register poll of Iowa voters had Branstad at an ugly 40% approval rating statewide, with only 70% of Trump voters approving of the Governor. The poll found that in a hypothetical matchup, voters sided with "someone else" over Branstad by a margin of 51-44. "Someone else" won the support of 92% of Democrats, 55% of independents and a worrisome 35% of Republicans. The poll was conducted before news of the DUI charge broke.

The news comes as Nate Boulton, a prominent young Democrat in the Iowa State Senate, is being heavily recruited by state and national Democrats to mount a run against Branstad in 2018. Boulton, considered a rising star within the party, has reportedly been speaking to donors about a potential run for the Governor's mansion.

Losing the Iowa governorship in a midterm election with Hillary Clinton in the White House would be a major embarrassment for the GOP following the state's sharp rightward turn in the 2016 election.

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Blunt wins Missouri Senate recount

*cries*

Don't be sad! I've got big plans for Jason .

[Pollster]

Going to try to move this along.

BREAKING: Clinton nominates Sandberg for Treasury Sec


12/16/16 - President-elect Clinton's transition team announced today that Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is Clinton's pick to head the Treasury department in her administration when she is inaugurated as President next month. Though the announcement comes late in the transition game, sources close to the selection process tell The Hill that the decision to tap Sandberg was made early on and that hers was the only name considered for the job. If confirmed, Sandberg will be the first woman to serve in the role.

Sandberg spent years at Treasury before trading D.C. for Silicon Valley to take the COO role at Facebook. In the announcement, Clinton was quoted as calling Sandberg "a trailblazing woman with the experience to lead the Treasury department boldly and intelligently." Sandberg released a statement thanking Clinton for the nomination and declaring herself "ready to serve."

Sanders "skeptical" of Sandberg nomination


12/18/16 - Speaking to Chuck Todd on NBC's "Meet the Press," Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the progressive who mounted a surprise challenge to Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination, stated that he is "skeptical" of Sheryl Sandberg's nomination to head the Treasury department in Clinton's cabinet.

"As I understand it, her record does not indicate that she has a strong history of supporting people over profits in regard to financial regulation and practice," Sanders told Todd. "I find that incredibly, incredibly concerning." Sanders followed up by saying that he plans to pay "close attention" to Sanberg's confirmation hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

Democrats have little room for error in the closely divided and highly polarized Senate in the 115th Congress. A "no" vote from Sanders could jeopardize Sandberg's confirmation.

Buttigieg enters race for DNC chair


12/20/16 - The Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, is the first candidate to throw his hat into the ring in the battle for DNC chairman. The DNC will elect a new chairman in February 2017 to replace interim chair Donna Brazile, who was appointed to the post in July to replace Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who resigned following a scandal related to leaked emails.

The DNC faces lagging fundraising and a sinking public image following the 2016 election, in which the committee weathered relentless attacks from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his supporters, as well as from the aforementioned email leaks. In his announcement, Buttigieg promised "a clean slate and a fresh face" for the committee. Buttigieg, an Afghanistan vet, is considered a rising star in the party and is Indiana's first openly gay executive.

Report: Challenge to McConnell for Senate GOP leader "imminent"


12/21/16 - A prominent Republican Senator is plotting an "imminent" challenge to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) for the post of Senate Republican Leader in the 115th Congress, The Wall Street Journal reported today.

Sources tell WSJ that there is anger at McConnell within the Senate GOP conference, especially following the party's loss of control of the Senate and the Presidency for the third straight election. Much of the anger is centered around McConnell's obstruction of Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, especially after reports that President-elect Clinton is being pressured to pick a more liberal nominee for the Court from even the outgoing President himself. "Republican Senators believe that a Clinton nominee getting confirmed could do serious damage to the party for a long time," a source said.

While none of the sources would confirm a name, suspicion has fallen on Senator Susan Collins of Maine, the GOP conference's most moderate member and a long-serving Senator who has been known to spar with McConnell on various issues. Collins' office was quick to push back against the rumors, stating that "Senator Collins is not thinking about running for Senate Republican Leader at this time."

BREAKING: Wisconsin SOS confirms "egregious" voter fraud occurred, Feingold won Senate election


12/26/16 - In a shocking press conference that is attracting national attention, Wisconsin's Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette announced that "a thorough, around-the-clock investigation by the office of the Secretary of State of Wisconsin has discovered that an egregious case of voter fraud occurred in our state during the 2016 election." La Follette said that the fraudulent ballots total almost 9,000 and that all of them were cast in the state's election for United States Senate, while the department is "looking into" whether or not other elections were targeted as well. La Follette also stated that his office has been in contact with the United States Department of Justice, which is reviewing the case. After the press conference, La Follette certified the Senate election for Democrat Russ Feingold, who led incumbent Senator Ron Johnson in the vote count by almost 7,000 votes once the fraudulent ballots were thrown out.

Feingold, who was the first to sound the alarm on the potential voter fraud in the Badger State, released a statement that read: "While I am proud to have been re-elected to serve Wisconsin once again in the Senate, I am infuriated at the sickening news that was announced today. A full DOJ investigation is needed." Johnson released a statement congratulating Feingold and calling for "unity as we brace for what is going to be a very, very difficult next few months for our state." Johnson also denied any knowledge of or role in the voter fraud operation.

With Feingold's victory, Senate Democrats will control 52 seats in the 115th Congress.

The office of Governor Scott Walker, whom Feingold previously blamed for perpetrating the fraud, released a statement shortly after the press conference stating that "The announcement made today by our Secretary of State should sicken every Wisconsinite. This was an attack on the integrity of our great state, and we must work together to ensure that the criminals who committed this high crime are swiftly found and brought to justice."

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Jeff Flake to challenge McConnell for Senate GOP leader, vote postponed


1/3/17 - With the exception of the role of Senate Minority Leader, the 115th Congress elected its party leaders today with little fanfare or surprise.

On the Republican side, Kevin McCarthy of California was re-elected House Majority Leader and Steve Scalise of Louisiana was re-elected House Majority Whip. Neither faced any intra-party opposition. The party also renominated Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin for the job.

The Democrats elected Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut to succeed Nancy Pelosi as House Minority Leader over Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio by a vote of 140 to 60. Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland was unopposed in his bid for re-election to the post of House Minority Whip.

Ryan defeated DeLauro in the vote for Speaker of the House on a party-line vote, 235-200.

In the Senate, Chuck Schumer of New York was elected unanimously to succeed the retiring Harry Reid as Democratic leader, subsequently making him the Senate Majority Leader as well. Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois was re-elected without opposition to the post of Democratic Whip.

Republicans re-elected John Cornyn of Texas' to the Whip position, but the party's vote for Senate Leader has been postponed to January 25th in the wake of Jeff Flake's challenge to Mitch McConnell.

[Pollster]

So sorry, I've been incredibly busy. Hoping to get back to this next week!

[Pollster]

I'm back!

BREAKING: Clinton to nominate Sen. Capito to direct budget office


1/4/17 - Hillary Clinton stunned observers this morning with the announcement of the nomination of a second Republican - West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito - to her cabinet. The Clinton team announced this morning that Capito will lead the administration's budget office, giving her significant sway over the implementation of Clinton's agenda and representing a major olive branch by Clinton to the GOP.

Notably, the seat will create a vacancy in the United States Senate that will be filled by West Virginia's Democratic Governor Jim Justice, who will be inaugurated just over a week from today. Justice's appointment will presumably be a pickup for Democrats and will leave the partisan balance of the Senate at 53-47. Justice released a statement shortly after the announcement congratulating Capito on the appointment, and saying that "finding a Senator worthy of the people of West Virginia will be a top priority for my administration."

Interestingly, Capito's replacement by a Democrat will give West Virginia two Democratic Senators, a peculiar situation for a state that gave almost 70% of its vote to Donald Trump last November.

Sanders slams Capito nomination, calls it "an egregious betrayal of the trust of the American people"


1/4/17 - Speaking to MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell just hours after the announcement of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's nomination to direct the budget office, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) tore into the decision, calling it "an egregious betrayal of the trust of the American people."

Sanders made clear that his criticism is not of the character of Sen. Capito, whom he "respects deeply," but instead of the implications that her nomination makes regarding "the direction in which this administration plans to take the economy."

Sanders ran a primary campaign against Clinton for the Democratic nomination in 2016, primarily attacking her from the left on economic policy.

When asked if Sanders would vote to confirm Capito, the Senator laughed and responded, "I think I have made my position on this very, very clear." A represenatitive for the President-elect did not respond to a request for comment.

BREAKING: Collins, Murkowski will vote for Flake for Senate GOP leader


1/6/17 - In a joint statement released Friday morning, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, of Maine and Alaska, respectively, announced that they would support Sen. Jeff Flake's (R-AZ) bid to become the leader of the Senate Republicans in the 115th Congress, in a major blow to Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

The two Senators, both of whom are known for bucking their party semi-regularly, are the first Republicans to announce their support for Flake's longshot bid, stating that "the Republican Party must evolve from the party of no to the party of go, and must begin this new Congress with a sign to the American people that we are ready to lead again."

The office of Senator Flake released a statement thanking the Senators for their support and urging others to follow suit. Confronted by reporters on his way to his office, Senator McConnell said that he was "saddened" to hear the news but claimed he "wasn't worried" about his reelection bid, and that he "is focused on leading the Republican Party through what is sure to be a difficult four years."

Report: Trump wants to get back into politics, "actively plotting" next move


1/7/17 - Sources close to defeated Presidential candidate Donald Trump (R-NY) say that the businessman is eager to return to the political scene and is "actively plotting his next move as Hillary Clinton's inauguration gets closer."

An aide told Politico that Trump "really enjoyed campaigning more than anybody thought he would - including himself" and that "the rallies especially really gave him newfound energy." Importantly, Trump remains popular with the Republican base, with recent polls showing that close to 90% of the Republican Party still has a favorable opinion of him despite his loss in November.

Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet since his election loss, declining all television interview requests and tweeting only once, just days after the election, to cast the blame for his defeat. One source close to Trump says that "losing is incredibly bad for the brand," and that Trump "does not want to bring more attention to his defeat."

Another aide tells Politico that Trump "still talks regularly to Steve Bannon" and that the two "are figuring out how to influence the political scene as much as they can." The aide said that Bannon in particular "salivates at the idea of primarying Republicans out of office" and believes that "Trump's star power could help him do just that."

A spokesman for Trump confirmed that he is interested in being "politically active going forward" but would not confirm how he plans to do it, nor whether or not Trump would campaign for primary opponents to Republican incumbents in 2018. "All of that," the spokesman said, "is up in the cards."

BREAKING: Meryl Streep announces Senate candidacy in Golden Globes speech


1/8/17 - Legendary actress Meryl Streep announced her candidacy for the special election to replace Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) - who is vacating his seat to serve as President-elect Hillary Clinton's Secretary of State - in her acceptance speech upon receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award at the Golden Globes this evening.

In a speech that lavished praise upon Hillary Clinton and tore into Donald Trump, Streep announced that "with that highest and hardest glass ceiling above me finally shattered, I am proud to announce my candidacy for the United States Senate, to succeed the great Chris Murphy." Streep - an ardent supporter of Clinton in 2016 - made the announcement to a wild standing ovation from the crowd.

A spokesperson for Streep confirmed that the announcement is not a joke and that Streep has hired a campaign manager, set up a campaign website, and has begun taking donations. According to her official campaign website, Streep - a resident of Salisbury, Connecticut - is running on a platform of economic fairness, increased access to affordable healthcare, expansion of womens' rights, and stricter punishment for hate crimes.

Streep is likely to face a Democratic primary against whoever is appointed by Connecticut Democratic Governor Dan Malloy - an announcement of which is expected in the coming days. The winner of the Democratic primary will face a Republican in a special election expected to be held in July - the only notable Republican to express interest so far is former Rep. Chris Shays, who national GOP leaders believe could put the seat in play.

Spokespeople for Clinton, Murphy, and other national Democrats declined to comment on Streep's announcement.

[Pollster]

Next update coming within the next 48 hours.

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Clinton will not re-nominate Garland to SCOTUS as President


1/9/17 – In a statement issued early Monday morning, the Clinton transition team announced that the President-elect would not re-nominate outgoing President Obama’s pick for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland, after her inauguration later this month.

“President-elect Clinton deeply admires and respects Judge Garland and is disgusted by the treatment he received in the United States Senate this past year, particularly by Leader McConnell,” the statement from the transition team read. “However,” it continued, “at this time the President-elect also believes it to be important that she establish her own, independent path once in the oval office.”

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement following the announcement saying, without a hint of irony, “the American people will not tolerate this treatment of President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee.” Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who is challenging McConnell for the leadership post, slammed McConnell in a statement following the announcement that read “Today’s victory for the American left is brought to you by Mitch McConnell and his disastrous leadership.” The announcement is sure to intensify the GOP leadership battle that was already proving to be more competitive than many originally thought.

Streep raises over $600k in 12 hours following televised campaign announcement, Lembo says he’s “staying in it”


1/9/17 – A spokesperson for Meryl Streep’s Senatorial campaign announced this afternoon that the actress has raised over $600,000, all in small individual donations, for her campaign entirely within the 12 hours following her televised campaign announcement while accepting a lifetime achievement award at Golden Globes Sunday night.

Both local and national Democrats have been mum on Streep’s candidacy, with one notable exception. Kevin Lembo, the Connecticut State Comptroller who was announced last week to be Gov. Dan Malloy’s pick to hold Chris Murphy’s Senate seat, released a statement shortly after Streep’s fundraising announcement welcoming the actress to the race but affirming that he is “staying in it” and that he would officially file to run for the seat as soon as filing opens.

Streep’s name recognition and early fundraising strength appear to foreshadow a tough battle for the nomination, and it is yet unclear if state and national Democrats are willing to expend resources to support Lembo. Former Rep. Chris Shays is currently the only candidate running for the Republicans.

A special primary and general election will be scheduled upon Murphy’s confirmation.

Report: RNC attempting to recruit Scarborough to run against Streep


1/12/17 – Sources within the Republican National Committee told CBS News this morning that RNC chairman Reince Priebus is attempting to recruit former Republican Congressman-turned TV anchor Joe “Morning Joe” Scarborough to run in the upcoming Senate special election in his home state of Connecticut.

One source told CBS that Priebus believes that Scarborough notorious condemnation of Donald Trump during the 2016 election would be an asset in Connecticut, a state that Republicans have not carried in a Presidential election since 1988, and where President-elect Clinton decisively defeated Mr. Trump by a double-digit margin.

Other sources say that Priebus believes Scarborough to be the only candidate who could bring the same “star power” as Streep to the race, and that he has told the popular morning TV anchor that the RNC would be willing to spend heavily on his behalf.

A spokesperson for Scarborough denied the reports, but told reporters – somewhat randomly – that Scarborough would be flying to Washington, D.C. this coming Saturday to have lunch with his “old friend,” U.S. Senator Cory Gardener (R-CO). Gardener is the chair of National Republican Senatorial Committee, the committee tasked with electing Republicans to the Senate, and it is possible the two are meeting to discuss the race.

Former Rep. Chris Shays is currently the only other Republican running for the seat.

Poll: Clinton leads all top 2020 challengers as inauguration looms, GOP field wide open


1/15/17 – With less than a week to go until her inauguration as the United States’ 45th President, a new NBC News/WSJ poll shows Clinton poised to enter office in a strong position with the public. The poll, debuted on Sunday morning’s “Meet the Press” by Chuck Todd, shows Clinton’s favorability improving and gives her a very early lead over her potential Republican rivals in 2020.

Clinton is viewed favorably by 54% of registered voters and unfavorably by 43%. She is strong with Democrats, who approve of her 91% to 5%, and stable with independents, who approve of her 58% to 40%, but unsurprisingly remains deeply unpopular among Republicans, who disapprove of her by a huge 85% to 11% margin.

In a hypothetical 2020 match-up, Clinton leads all of her potential Republican challengers by comfortable margins. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan performs the best of all the GOP candidates, trailing Clinton by five points, 46% to 41%. Clinton leads Florida Senator Marco Rubio 48% to 40%, and leads both Ohio Governor John Kasich and former Indiana Governor and Trump running mate Mike Pence by the same 47% to 40% margin. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who is currently embroiled in a developing voter fraud scandal that has received a good amount of national attention, trails Clinton 49% to 39%.

Clinton’s best performance, however, is against 2016 nominee Donald Trump, whom Clinton defeated by 50% to 45% in November. The poll finds the President-elect leading her vanquished foe 54% to 43% - the exact same figure as her current approval rating. Todd was quick to point out that, while Clinton leads Trump by the widest margin of all the candidates, Mr. Trump receives a larger percentage of the vote than any of the other potential GOP nominees.

The poll also finds a wide-open race for the GOP nomination in 2020. Speaker Ryan leads with 13%, while Pence follows with 11%. Kasich and Rubio are both tied with 7%, while Walker trails at 4%. 58% were undecided.

Notably, the organization did not release any numbers for a hypothetical primary that contained Mr. Trump. This prompted a tweet from former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski which read: “Interesting that NBC/WSJ poll didn’t put #Trump up against other Repubs. Maybe they didn’t want @RNC to sh**t their pants so early in the morning!”

Other Republicans such as Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Tom Cotton (R-AK) and Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) expressed disappointment at being excluded from the poll.

BREAKING: McConnell team in “full panic” as GOP opposition grows following Clinton’s SCOTUS announcement


1/15/17 – Sources close to Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell have told numerous outlets that the Senator and his team are in “full panic mode” following a week of GOP defections in his battle against Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) for the party’s leadership post.

The announcement from President-elect Clinton’s transition team that Merrick Garland, whom McConnell markedly refused to hold a vote for when President Obama nominated him to the Supreme Court in 2016, would not be re-nominated sparked a firestorm within the GOP. Many party insiders believe Clinton’s pick will be significantly further to the left than the centrist Garland, and they place the blame squarely on McConnell for not accepting what many now believe to be a fair compromise with President Obama in hindsight.

The same day as the announcement, Senators John McCain, Dean Heller, and Marco Rubio announced that they would support Flake over McConnell. The three Senators, all from states that Clinton carried in 2016, cited the need for “new leadership within the party.” They were followed later in the week by South Carolina Senators Lindsay Graham and Tim Scott, who released a joint statement in support of Flake. Additionally, Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah released a joint statement announcing that they would not for McConnell, but did not commit to voting for Flake.

Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced earlier this month that they would support Flake over McConnell as well.

Additionally, sources close to McConnell tell reporters that the Senator believes that “a sizeable group” of Senate Republicans plan to vote for Flake but have yet to announce it. With the GOP currently controlling 48 seats in the Senate (Senator Capito is unlikely to be confirmed before the January 25th leadership vote), either McConnell or Flake needs the votes of 24 of their colleagues to win, presuming that each man votes for themselves.

Clinton announces nomination of Langevin to top CIA post


1/16/17 – With less than a week to go until her inauguration, President-elect Clinton’s transition team announced today that Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) would be nominated to head the CIA. Langevin’s nomination comes one day after Clinton addressed The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), pledging increased support for and research into disability treatment. Langevin, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, has long been an advocate for the community.

Langevin sits on the House Committee on Homeland Security and is a prominent voice in favor of enhanced cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is likely to play a major role in the forthcoming Clinton administration after a Presidential campaign marked by widespread cyberattacks and meddling by Russia.

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, praised Langevin’s nomination and announced that a special election for his House seat would be scheduled following his confirmation by the Senate, which she said should happen “swiftly."

[Pollster]

Big update!

Obama announces national voter engagement tour during farewell address


1/17/17 – In his farewell address to the nation Monday night, outgoing President Barack Obama announced that, following a vacation, he would spend the remainder of 2017 and 2018 traveling the nation, holding rallies, and engaging Democratic voters nationwide.

“If you’re one of those voters who showed up for me but didn’t show up for their State Rep a year later, you’re not getting a pass from me, and I’m coming for you,” he announced to the large crowd of supporters in Chicago. A spokesperson for the President - whose tenure in the White House officially ends this Friday at noon with the inauguration of his hand-picked successor, Hillary Clinton - told reporters that Obama would visit all 50 states, and that a schedule would be released following the Obama family’s long-planned and long-awaited vacation.

The move is a response to intra-party critics of Obama who have accused the President of doing little to help the party win down-ballot during his Presidency, allowing the GOP to make massive gains nationwide in the midterm elections in 2010 and 2014.

Sources close to the President say that First Lady Michelle Obama as well as Obama’s former Attorney General Eric Holder will play a major role in the soon-to-be former Commander-in-Chief’s post-Presidency activities.

The announcement was met with positive reactions from elected Democrats. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), an Obama ally who is expected to face a tough re-election battle in 2018, told MSNBC that “President Obama’s announcement is certainly terrific news for us Democrats who have relied heavily on the support of the Obama coalition in the past and will even more so in the future.”

BREAKING: McAuliffe will appoint Perriello to Kaine’s Senate seat


1/18/17 – In a press conference in Richmond, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that he would appoint former Congressman Tom Perriello to the Senate seat currently occupied by Tim Kaine upon Kaine’s inauguration as Vice President of the United States this Friday.

McAuliffe was never reported to be considering Perriello for the seat, but sources close to the Governor say that he decided upon the appointment after hearing from reliable aides that Perriello was planning to mount a challenge to Lt. Governor Ralph Northam in the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia. McAuliffe believes the race, which will be held in November this year, will be extremely competitive and wants to avoid a bruising Democratic primary, the source said.

At the press conference, Perriello thanked McAuliffe for the “distinguished honor” and announced that he would run for a full term in 2018, saying he is “looking forward to working for Virginians again and returning to the Senate for a full term in the years to come.”

The appointment received effusive praise from outgoing President Barack Obama, a longtime Perriello ally, who released a statement saying that McAuliffe “could not have picked a better guy for the job.” Kaine also offered praise for the pick, and stated that he is “looking forward to swearing in my good friend Tom Perriello as one of my first official acts as Vice President.”

Clinton inaugurated as 45th President of the United States


1/20/17 – Hillary Rodham Clinton took the oath of office at the nation’s capitol today, officially becoming the 45th President of the United States and the first woman to ever hold the office.

Former President and now-First Gentleman Bill Clinton was accompanied by daughter Chelsea Clinton, son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky and granddaughter Charlotte as he held the Bible that previously belonged to Hillary Clinton’s mother, Dorothy, on which Clinton swore the oath. Chelsea Clinton’s newborn son Aidan, who turned seven months old just one day prior, was not present at the ceremony.

Senator Al Franken (D-MN), the first sitting Senator to formally endorse Clinton’s Presidential bid, served as the master of ceremonies for the inauguration. Franken received widespread praise for his humorous introductions of various performers and other individuals.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to introduce the 45th President of the United States, Miss America herself, Hillary Rodham Clinton,” Franken announced, to raucous laughter, as he introduced the newly inaugurated President Clinton in a subtle jab at Donald Trump, who lost the election to Clinton and was the longtime owner of the Miss America pageant. Following the inaugural ceremony, Hillary and Bill Clinton participated in the traditional walk down Pennsylvania Avenue before attending the inaugural ball later that evening.

Vice President Tim Kaine was also sworn in this morning by Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

BREAKING: Clinton stuns the nation, calls for universal basic income in inaugural address


1/20/17 – Stunning pundits, observers, and even her closest advisors, President Hillary Clinton called for a universal basic income Friday afternoon in her inaugural address to the nation.

“And finally,” Clinton stated after an approximately 15-minute long address in which she laid out her priorities as President, “we must work to ensure that all Americans enjoy a basic income, by creating a new fund that would use revenue from shared national resources to pay a dividend to every citizen.”

The line provoked audible gasps at the ceremony, and appeared to catch many attendees by surprise. Even Chelsea Clinton, the President’s daughter and confidant, appeared caught off guard by the remarks.

“I did a double-take,” said one prominent Democratic Senator who spoke on conditions of anonymity. “If you had told me that was coming, I would have laughed you out of the room.”

The issue did not come up in neither the general election nor the Democratic primary. The position would have put Clinton to the left of her primary rival, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who performed significantly better than many expected in the primary race by pushing economically left-wing policies. Senator Sanders’ office declined a request for comment.

Republicans were quick to pounce on the line, with Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) saying that the President “basically endorsed socialism.” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) told reporters that “President Clinton’s announcement today that she intends to pursue fully blown socialist policies is picture-perfect proof that elections have consequences.”

White House Press Secretary Brian Fallon, who also seemed stunned by the announcement, told reporters that the plan would addressed in further detail at a later date.

[Pollster]

Bill Clinton under fire for falling asleep during wife’s inaugural address


1/20/17 – First Gentleman and former President Bill Clinton is under heavy scrutiny this afternoon after he appeared to have fallen asleep while his wife, President Hillary Clinton, delivered her inaugural address this earlier today.

Video coverage of the event purported to show the ex-Commander-in-Chief dozing off while his wife spoke about improving workplace conditions, sleeping for multiple minutes before being shaken awake by a Secret Service agent seated behind him. At one point, former Vice President Joe Biden purportedly glared over at Clinton, before leaning forward and saying into former President Obama’s ear, “is Bill asleep?” Other political figures present at the inauguration also quickly noticed the faux pas.

“Will this man EVER stop disappointing his wife??” tweeted comedian and commentator Kathy Griffin, a supporter of Hillary Clinton but critic of the 42nd President.

“All Bill had to do today was hold a Bible and not fall asleep. That was literally his only obligation. That’s it,” mused MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes later that evening.

Others poked fun at the situation, with many on Twitter bringing up Clinton’s past salacious activity in jokes.

“Must’ve been a wild night at the DC strip clubs. I bet they missed him after all these years,” tweeted Bill Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, which airs its first episode of the season tonight.

“Dreaming of McDonalds and Monica,” tweeted late night TV host Stephen Colbert, alongside a photo of Clinton asleep.

As was the standard response to a Clinton gaffe on the campaign trail, the White House left it to the Office of the First Gentleman to respond to the situation. “You’ll have to ask the First Gentleman exactly what was going on and why,” read a statement from White House Press Secretary Brian Fallon. Bill Clinton’s office has yet to respond to a request for comment.

Trump congratulates “my friends” the Clinton’s on inauguration in rare post-election tweet


1/20/17 – In a rare post-election public statement, Donald Trump, the businessman and defeated Republican nominee for President, tweeted his congratulations to “[his] friends” Bill and Hillary Clinton on the latter Clinton’s inauguration earlier this afternoon.

Trump, a former ally and donor to both Clinton’s, ran a scorched-Earth Presidential campaign against Hillary, and never publicly conceded defeat, sending out Vice Presidential-nominee Mike Pence to do so instead. Trump reportedly angered both Clinton’s by phoning Bill Clinton on election night to offer his congratulations and refusing to speak to Mrs. Clinton.

Hillary Clinton defeated Trump, winning the popular vote 50% to 45% and the electoral college by a close 287 to 251 votes. Trump performed unexpectedly strong in the Midwest, but his gains were offset by Clinton’s similarly unexpected strength along the nation’s southern coast.

In the months following the election, Mr. Trump has been uncharacteristically quiet, declining all television interview requests and tweeting only once prior to today, to blame his campaign advisors for his defeat. Recent reporting his indicated that Trump intends to remain in Republican politics, and is working with former advisor Steve Bannon to plan his next move.

Reports of illegal activity stemming from collusion with the Russian government by the Trump campaign have surfaced since the election, but official statements from governmental agencies have been minimal and the Justice Department has refused to confirm whether or not the Trump campaign or anybody associated with it was or is under investigation.

Republican leaders have been eager to distance themselves from Trump since the election, despite Trump’s continued popularity with the Republican base according to recent polling.

Senate confirms Clinton cabinet picks at record pace


1/21/17 – The United States Senate hit the ground running Friday evening confirming a record number of Hillary Clinton’s cabinet picks to their posts.

The nominees, all of whom underwent unexciting confirmation hearing during the past few weeks, were all brought up for fast-track votes by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and now await their commissions by President Clinton.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), Clinton’s nominee for Secretary of State, was confirmed by a vote of 58-41. All 51 Senate Democrats (Murphy did not vote) voted yea, and were joined by Republican Senators Susan Collins, Bob Corker, Cory Gardner, Lindsay Graham, John McCain, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) abstained.

Former Governor of Kentucky Steve Beshear was confirmed to head the Health and Human Services department by a vote of 98-2. Only Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT) voted nay. Beshear’s confirmation hearing drew national attention when he was introduced to the committee by none other than Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who defeated Beshear in a Senate race in 1996. McConnell stated that Beshear “is the former opponent for whom I probably have the most respect, and the most admiration. I am proud to call him my friend.” Political pundits were quick to note that Beshear had previously floated the idea of challenging McConnell again in 2020, and that McConnell urging his confirmation likely averted what could be a tough re-election battle.

Clinton’s nominations of Michele Flournoy to Defense, campaign chairman John Podesta to Energy, and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to Labor all passed on party line votes, with only Susan Collins (R-ME) defecting from the GOP to vote in favor of Granholm. Ted Cruz slammed the confirmations of Flournoy and Podesta, calling them “a luxurious gift to our enemies abroad,” adding that “our nuclear arsenal will be managed by a man who couldn’t keep his email secure.”

Surprisingly, three Democrats: Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, voted against the confirmation of Martin O’Malley to the Homeland Security post, citing his poor handling of riots in Baltimore during his tenure as Governor of Maryland. He was still confirmed by a vote of 51-49, with Susan Collins and Dean Heller (R-NV) splitting with the GOP to vote with the Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was seen speaking with Heller on the Senate floor just moments before Heller cast the decisive yea vote.

Confirmations will continue next week, with a vote scheduled for the nominations of Sheryl Sandberg at Treasury first thing Monday morning.

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Sandberg Treasury nomination fails on Senate floor following liberal defection in major defeat for Clinton


1/23/17 – In a stunning and unexpected floor vote this morning, the United States Senate rejected the nomination of Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg to the Treasury Secretary post in a major defeat for President Hillary Clinton just four days into her Presidency.

Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) joined all 48 Senate Republicans to oppose the nomination. The move came as a surprise to pundits as Warren and Feingold had not commented publicly on Sandberg’s nomination, while Sanders only once expressed skepticism but never reiterated his concerns. None of the three Senators announced beforehand that they intended to vote against the nomination.

Both Democratic and Republican Senators seemed stunned, with audible gasps coming from the Senate chamber as Feingold delivered the decisive “no” vote. The vote was not expected to be in jeopardy, and Vice President Tim Kaine was not called to Capitol Hill in preparation for a potential tie vote.

When asked by reporters why she voted the way she did, Warren responded “It was a bad pick,” before reentering the Senate chamber to vote on another nominee. Sanders and Feingold did not comment. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer waved off reporters, saying he had “other business to tend to.”

White House Press Secretary Brian Fallon is expected to face numerous questions regarding the nomination at his very first press briefing this afternoon.

GOP sees opening in Rhode Island special election


1/23/17 – A new report in Politico details the thinking among Republican leadership that the party has a potential pickup opportunity in Rhode Island’s 2nd congressional district, where a special election will be held in early May to replace Rep. Jim Langevin, whose confirmation to head the CIA was overshadowed this morning by the Senate rejecting the nomination of Sheryl Sandberg to the Treasury.

The district, which contains most of the state outside of the Providence, Newport, and Pawtucket areas, does not at surface level look like a ripe target for Republicans, having re-elected Langevin in 2016 by a wide 58-31 margin. However, at the Presidential level, the district swung from a daunting 60-38 Obama victory to a much less intimidating 51-44 victory for Clinton, and Republicans believe they could close that single digit gap in a low-turnout special election in the middle of the Spring.

Adding more hope to the GOP’s prospects in the district is the fact that a potentially strong candidate has already expressed interest in running. Allan Fung, mayor of the town of the Cranston and the GOP’s nominee for Governor in the 2014 race, has told local radio that he is strongly considering running, and has reportedly discussed the race with House Speaker Paul Ryan and Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH), the head of the NRCC.

There is reason to believe Fung would be a formidable recruit for Team Red. In the gubernatorial election, Fung lost the 2nd district to eventual winner and incumbent Democratic Governor Gina Raimondo by only 316 votes, amounting to a margin of just 0.16% (in a three-way race where a third-party candidate took 21%) as he was losing statewide by 5%. Strategists believe that, with the political environment naturally favoring the party that doesn’t hold the White House, Fung could easily make up that margin.

“This is one of those traditionally Democratic, overwhelmingly working-class districts where Donald Trump made major inroads last year,” said a Republican strategist with close ties to GOP leadership. “With that trend likely to continue with Hillary in the White House, it’s easy to see how Republicans can capitalize on it.”

For now, Fung is mum on his plans, and his office declined a request for comment. Perhaps tellingly, no Democrats have yet expressed interest in the race.

Report: McConnell-aligned Super PAC’s ad campaign “backfiring severely” as GOP heads toward toss-up leadership vote


1/23/17 – Sources on Capitol Hill tell reporters this morning that GOP Senators are under immense pressure to pick a side in the fast-approaching leadership vote between longtime party Senate chief Mitch McConnell and challenger Jeff Flake.

A television ad campaign - launched in states with key GOP Senators by the McConnell-backed Super PAC Senate Leadership Fund - which told constituents to call their Senators in support of McConnell has reportedly “backfired immensely,” according to three key sources.

The ads, which praised McConnell for “firmly standing in the way of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi’s liberal agenda,” prompted many Republican Senators, including some up for re-election in 2018 in safe red states, to report that their offices were receiving calls in opposition to McConnell by the thousands. One Republican Senator, who supports Flake but has not publicly announced so yet, told Politico on the condition of anonymity that “as soon as those ads hit the airwaves, my office got a sh**tstorm of calls telling me to ditch Mitch.”

In response to the ad campaign, Senator Flake released a statement saying “All Mitch McConnell can promise the American people is obstruction and a legacy of zero accomplishments. If endless Washington gridlock and partisan fighting is what you seek, Mitch McConnell is the guy for you. If you want principled leadership, constructive results, and stable governance, Jeff Flake is proud to stand with you.”

McConnell’s spokesperson has not responded to a request for comment.

[Pollster]

Poll: Republicans divided over Flake and McConnell one day before vote, Clinton approval on the rise


1/24/17 – A new CBS/YouGov poll shows that Republican voters are just as split as their elected officials over who should lead the party in the U.S. Senate.

Among registered Republican voters, those surveyed prefer McConnell to Flake 36% to 32%, a lead well within the sample’s margin of error. A combined 32% were unsure or were unaware of the contest.

McConnell’s lead is likely due to his advantage with name recognition. 29% of Republicans had never heard of Flake at the time of the survey, while only 9% did not know McConnell. Both Flake and McConnell are underwater with Republicans, with Flake at 20-32 and McConnell far under at 25-56.

Among the general public, McConnell’s numbers are even worse, dropping to 18-69.

This makes him the nation’s most unpopular politician, with Nancy Pelosi in second place at 20-58, and Paul Ryan following at 27-60.

President Hillary Clinton is riding a high with voters, despite a rocky start to her Presidency after a prominent cabinet nomination failed on the Senate floor in a highly publicized vote on Monday. Clinton is up to a 55% favorable rating with voters, a 1% increase from a poll taken right before her inauguration that had her at 54-43. This poll found Clinton’s unfavorable numbers unmoved, still at 43%.

The poll found that Clinton’s surprising announcement of her support for a universal basic income for all Americans is modestly popular with voters. A 40% plurality believe it to be a good idea, to 36% who say it is a bad idea, with a combined 24% saying they are unsure or need more information about the plan before coming to an opinion.

When asked whether they planned to vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate for Congress in the 2018 midterm elections, voters gave the Democrats a slim, early lead of 2%, 41-39.

Report: Schumer didn’t request whip count before shocking Sandberg vote


1/24/17 – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer did not request a whip count of Democratic votes prior to the failure of Sheryl Sandberg’s nomination to be Treasury Secretary on Monday, MSNBC reported late Tuesday night.

“If this is true,” said Rachel Maddow, who was on air as the reporting came in, “this represents a massive blunder on the part of the Senate Majority Leader.”

Joy Reid, a fellow MSNBC anchor who was making a guest appearance on Maddow’s program at the time, added that “if any Democrats were having doubts about Chuck Schumer’s ability to take over for Harry Reid, this amplified those doubts ten-fold.”

“Harry Reid would have never let this happen in a million years,” added Maddow. The reporting was subsequently confirmed by CNN and Fox News.

Senate Majority Leaders typically request whip counts, usually from the Senate Majority Whip, of their caucus members’ positions and voting intentions before bringing a major or high-profile vote to the Senate floor. The failure of Schumer to do so explains why the vote on Sandberg proceeded despite the sufficient number of nay votes within the Democratic caucus to sink the nomination.

Leader Schumer’s office quickly responded with a forceful statement denying responsibility, which said that “The rejection of the nomination of Ms. Sandberg, who is immensely qualified and a terrific pick for the job for which she was nominated, is the result of a small and unrepresentative faction of our great caucus. These Senators were clearly seeking the attention of the media, and it is a shame that they decided to put their own political and personal gain before that of the nation’s.”

Reid, responding to Schumer’s statement on air, said that “if this is the type of rhetoric and infighting we can expect from the Democratic Party, it’s going to be a long four years.”

Wisniewski enters race for NJ Governor as GOP struggles to find a candidate


1/25/17 – New Jersey State Assemblyman John Wisniewski announced that he was entering the Democratic primary for Governor today, challenging Phil Murphy, who has been running since the end of the summer of 2016.

Democrats are widely expected to take back the state’s governorship in 2017, largely due to the unpopularity of the incumbent Republican Governor, Chris Christie. A poll taken just before Christmas found Christie with a horrendous 19-73 approval rating, and found a generic Democrat leading a generic Republican by 21 points in the gubernatorial race, 43-22.

Murphy’s immense personal wealth, and his willingness to donate a large portion of that wealth to his campaign, has scared off many potential Democratic challengers. Wisniewski, who endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primary and chaired the liberal firebrand’s statewide campaign, says he is not deterred, telling a crowd that “this won’t be the first time I’ve taken on big money, and I have a feeling it won’t be the last.”

Along with his campaign announcement, Wisniewski released a poll showing him trailing Murphy in the primary by seven points, 35-28. However, once respondents were told about Wisniewski’s key role in the investigation of “Bridgegate,” his support for Sanders, and his pledge to weed out “big money corruption in Trenton,” Wisniewski led Murphy by five points, 39-34. “Once they learn about the Wiz,” he said, “they love the Wiz!”

Republicans have struggled to recruit a candidate for the race. Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno was widely seen as the party’s likely nominee going into the race, but was removed from contention after she accepted a nomination from President Clinton to serve as the Secretary of Transportation, and was confirmed by the Senate during the cabinet confirmation vote-a-rama on Friday nearly unanimously, with only Ted Cruz (R-TX) voting against her confirmation.

The only other Republican to be the subject of speculation is Rep. Tom MacArthur, whose South Jersey Congressional district swung from 52-47 Obama to 51-45 Trump.

“This race is incredibly appealing to any Jersey Republican in the House who has statewide ambitions in the long-term, since losing this race – which many think is the likely outcome regardless of the candidate – makes you look like a good sport and a team player, and to top it off, you don’t have to give up your seat because it’s an off-year.”

When pressed, MacArthur’s office commented that “the Congressman is focused on serving his constituents and is not running for Governor at this time.”

[Pollster]

BREAKING: Mitch McConnell re-elected Senate GOP leader by one vote


1/25/17 - Senate Republicans re-elected Mitch McConnell of Kentucky to serve as the conference's leader over challenger Jeff Flake of Arizona this morning by a vote of 25 to 23, indicating that only one vote prevented the two from being deadlocked in a tie. The vote represents a major change in standing for McConnell, who has never had difficulty winning the leadership position before.

The final vote, preventing a tie, was cast by Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT). Every Republican who represents a state carried by President Clinton in the 2016 election voted against McConnell, with the notable exception of Cory Gardner of Colorado - the head of the NRSC and an ally of McConnell. All other members of the Republican leadership - Cornyn, Thune, Blunt, and Barrasso, all supported McConnell.

A number of hardline conservatives also opposed McConnell - Cruz, Lee, and Paul all voted for Flake. Paul's vote is notable considering that he represents the same state as McConnell.

Flake released a statement after the vote acknowledging the closeness of the race and pledging to fight for the values he expressed in the campaign. McConnell is expected to deliver a speech on the floor of the Senate within the next hour.

McConnell on Senate floor after leadership vote: "To my critics: I understand your concerns, and I hear you"


1/25/17 - Newly re-elected Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) addressed Senators of both parties on the floor of the Senate today shortly after winning re-election to his position earlier this morning by one vote.

"This is clearly a day that means a lot for our party, and for our country," McConnell said. "It is now obvious to everybody that the politics of yesterday is not going to work tomorrow."

McConnell extended an olive branch to his intra-party opponents, stating "to my critics: I understand your concerns, and I hear you." He pledged "principled, but productive governance" and to be "an opposition that solves, not just an opposition that stops."

At press time, no Democratic leaders responded to the speech.

Trump tweets that Senate GOP has "chosen failure yet again" after McConnell re-election, says Sessions should have run


1/25/17 - Donald Trump took to Twitter earlier today to torch the re-election of Mitch McConnell to serve as Senate Republican leader."

"Sad to see that Senate Republicans have chosen failure yet again," Trump tweeted, without mentioning McConnell by name but hardly veiling the meaning.

McConnell did not support Trump during the Republican Presidential primary, but offered a tepid endorsement of the candidate after he clinched the nomination and remained mostly silent following the release of the Access Hollywood tape.

Trump continued by tweeting that "[it's] unfortunate great Jeff Sessions didn't run…should be leader of the party!"

Sessions was the first member of the Senate to endorse Trump and advised the campaign on foreign policy. He was believed to have been considered for a Cabinet position by Trump in the event he won the election.

Sessions is a favorite of the far-right due to his opposition to both legal and illegal immigration, and was rejected by the U.S. Senate for a federal judgeship in the 1980's after Coretta Scott King wrote a letter to the body urging them not to confirm him to the post.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reacted to the tweet by livestreaming a video of herself reading King's letter.

Sessions' office did not respond to a request for comment. McConnell's office commented that "Senator Sessions is a longtime friend of the majority leader, and we are proud to have received his vote in this leadership election. Leader McConnell looks forward to working with him in the future."

Following Trump's tweet, Sessions gained almost 30,000 new Twitter followers, and a "Draft Sessions 2020" page on Facebook saw a massive spike in likes.

[Pollster]

Report: GOP Senators who supported McConnell worried about potential "deciding vote" ads after one-vote victory


1/26/17 - Sources all over Capitol Hill have been telling reporters than many Republican Senators are worried that their votes to elect Mitch McConnell the party's leader in the Senate will come back to haunt them in future elections.

"If he had won by two votes there would be no problem, but because it was one vote, suddenly everybody who voted for him was the 'deciding vote,'" said an aide to a GOP Senator up for reelection in 2018.

McConnell's public image took a beating during the 2017 leadership vote. Polls taken in mid-January show McConnell to be the most unpopular politician in the nation, claiming a title long held by Nancy Pelosi.

"There's no doubt that Mitch McConnell's name is going to be dropped on Republican candidates like a bomb in 2018," said a prominent GOP strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly. "Senate Republicans got calls from constituents in the thousands asking them not to vote for him," he said. "That's practically unheard of for a leadership election."

The situation was made even more difficult following the leadership vote when Donald Trump tweeted his opposition to McConnell, referring to him as a "failure."

"That scared the Republicans in even the safest red seats," the strategist said. "Because now it suddenly becomes a primary issue too."

McConnell's situation is likely to worsen as he begins to work with the Clinton administration, something he has pledged to do, which is likely to anger the Republican base even more. The strife is likely to place pressure on Republicans in an election year they are seen as going into with a strong advantage.

White House announces Clinton's first press conference as President, invites McConnell to meeting with President


1/27/17 - White House Press Secretary Brian Fallon announced at the daily press briefing today that President Hillary Clinton would hold her first press conference as President next Tuesday, January 31, one week ahead of her first address to a joint session of Congress.

"The President will be hosting a press conference this Tuesday. We hope you will all attend. She will discuss with you her plans for her first 100 days in office, the current state of affairs, and her itinerary for the coming days," Fallon said. He added that reporters could expect comments and announcements regarding economic policy, foreign policy, and national security. When asked if Clinton would announce her nominee for the Supreme Court, Fallon said that "I'm not aware of any development regarding that topic at this time."

Additionally, Fallon told reporters that Clinton has called Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to congratulate him on his reelection to Senate leadership and invited him to a meeting in the oval office next week, prior to Clinton's address to Congress. He said that McConnell accepted the invitation, which was confirmed minutes later by McConnell's office.


Bannon in 60 Minutes interview: Donald Trump is "coming back very soon, and he's very, very mad," says Trump blames Cruz for November defeat, will support primary challengers to Republicans


1/29/17 -  Steve Bannon broke his silence tonight in a 60 Minutes interview with Barbara Walters that has rocked the political world.

Walters introduced Bannon to viewers as "the mastermind behind the Trump-Republican ideology" and warned viewers that "the intensity and ferocity with which Mr. Bannon speaks is unlike that of anybody I have interviewed in years."

In the interview, Bannon says that he considers Donald Trump "a brother" and said that he has spoken to Trump "daily" since the morning after the election.

When Walters asked what Donald Trump intends to do in the future, Bannon had an answer teed up.

"He can do whatever he wants, he's Donald," said Bannon. "But I have to tell you…he wants to stay in politics. He says it's his true calling, to represent the voices of the forgotten men and women. He's coming back very soon, and he's very, very mad about the way the 2016 election went down."

Walters asked Bannon to expand on that statement, specifically asking if Trump holds a grudge against President Hillary Clinton, who defeated him in November.

"No," Bannon said, "he couldn't care less about Hillary Clinton. He thinks she's dead meat in 2020." When Walkers asked what about 2016 drew Trump's anger, Bannon only had two words: "Ted Cruz."

The hardline conservative Texas Senator was Trump's strongest competitor in the 2016 Presidential primary, and managed to steal the majority of media attention away from Trump at the Republican Convention by telling voters to "vote [their] conscience" rather than explicitly encouraging them to support the nominee.

Cruz never changed his stance, and following the release of the Access Hollywood tape in October, Cruz released a statement urging the RNC to "strip [Trump] of the party's nomination immediately." Trump managed to win Cruz's home state of Texas by only 5 points after Mitt Romney won it by 16 in 2012.

"Donald thinks Ted Cruz single-handedly cost him the election, and that if he had gotten his supporters behind him he'd be the President today," Bannon ranted. "It was the Cruz voter who didn't vote for Trump in North Carolina and in Arizona that elected Hillary Clinton President."

He called Ted Cruz "a proven loser who is only a Senator because he won a Republican primary that nobody voted in, in a state that elects anybody with an R next to their name." Tellingly, Bannon commented that "it won't be that easy for him next time."

"Will Donald Trump support a challenger to him in his primary?" Walters asked.

"Yes," replied Bannon, unflinchingly. "He's going to be supporting primary challengers to disloyal Republicans nationwide, at every level of government."

The words sent shockwaves through the political system, but it was Bannon's last words that sent Republicans into panic.

"It's his party now."

[Pollster]

Aiming to update this weekend!