NRCC Weekly Rundown: Top Democrat Steve Israel calls it quits, Ami Bera continues his hypocrisy, Annette Taddeo gets owned, and more!
Happy 2016.
A quick note from Team Ryan:
SATURDAY –> SPEAKER PAUL RYAN and Senator Tim Scott will moderate a forum on poverty with seven GOP presidential candidates where they will discuss their ideas for fighting poverty and expanding opportunity in America.
Speaker Ryan previewed the poverty summit with Yahoo! News’ Katie Couric earlier in the week (watch the full interview):
The promise of this country isn’t something that people see for themselves – that there are generations and communities where people don’t believe that this ‘American Idea’ is there for them. And if the American Idea is not there for everybody, then it’s really not there at all.
The event will be live streamed at www.OpportunityLives.com – please use this hashtag on Twitter #KempForum16.
And here’s the first-ever 2016 edition of the NRCC Weekly Rundown:
(NATL): The NRCC teed off on a handful of Democrats for voting against the repeal of the costly Obamacare. Speaking of costly, it’ll cost these Democrats in November.
CA-21: It’s an all-out brawl in CA-21 as local Democrats strike back against the tone-deaf DCCC in CA-21 by putting up their own candidate. Questioning the judgment of the DCCC? Can’t say we blame them.
NY-03: Steve Israel is retiring from Congress to…wait for it…write a book. Here’s our proposal for a title: “Dear Nancy, thanks for ruining my career.”
More from NY-03: Aspiring novelist and retiring Congressman Steve Israel got a head start into his foray of writing fiction – this time by saying retiring in a presidential cycle will assure his seat stays Democratic even though the numbers say he’s full of it.
FL-26: Sunshine State News wrote a brutal takedown of FL-26 candidate Annette Taddeo. Like…really, really brutal.
VA-10: LuAnn Bennett, who owns a fancy condo at the DC Ritz-Carlton, admitted that she has always paid Virginia taxes. By our math, that means she drives over 100 miles a day from work at least 183 days year…unless she’s cheating on her taxes.
CA-07: Ami Bera doubled down on his hypocrisy by sending out a taxpayer-funded mailing touting his support of “No budget, no pay” despite voting “no” on every budget considered by the House.
NEWS AND NOTES:
Overnight Healthcare: Republicans send ObamaCare repeal to White House
Shortly after the vote, the National Republican Campaign Committee began hitting Democrats in competitive districts in states like Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, New Mexico. Members on the list include Democratic Reps. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), Peter Aguilar (Calif.), Gwen Graham (Fla.) and Sean Patrick Maloney (N.Y.). In a release targeting Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), the group wrote: “In November, voters will hold Ami Bera and House Democrats accountable for continuing to support the President’s failed health care law and ignoring what’s right for American families.” READ
It’s the American Dream, Stupid
The Republican presidential candidates meet to debate again next week in South Carolina. But a far more consequential event is taking place in that state over the weekend. It’s called the Kemp Forum on Expanding Opportunity, and it may show whether the GOP still knows how to win elections. The forum is the brainchild of Speaker Paul Ryan, his attempt to ensure that the eventual nominee rolls into the general election able to finally compete on one of the biggest policy and political challenges of the day: poverty and income inequality. READ
A Republican Cure for Liberal Failures on Poverty
On Saturday a majority of the Republican presidential field will meet to discuss fighting poverty at a forum in Columbia, S.C., hosted by the Jack Kemp Foundation. [Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator Tim Scott] will serve as moderators. READ
Top House Democrat announces he’s retiring in 2016
Republicans were eager to pounce on the news that a top Democratic leader decided to retire. “Steve Israel was in charge of electing House Democrats for years and even he sees the writing on the wall for 2016. The extremists of his party are slowly making House Democrats extinct,” Chris Pack, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee told CNN in a statement, saying the GOP expected to pick up the seat this fall. READ
N.J.’s rookie Republican seeks to remain outside the Beltway
“When you’re in the Beltway, you can sort of get lost and you can lose sight of what really matters to people back home,” said MacArthur, who drives his pickup truck home each week. “I will continue to spend my time when I’m home with them listening to what matters to them. I think I’ll stay grounded because of that.” READ
LI Representative Zeldin: US Has No Plan For Syria
“We had a chance to visit the troops for Christmas in Iraq and Kuwait to let them all know just how much everyone back home appreciates their service,” he said.” I left the trip with more faith in the plan as it relates to Iraq, and I will say, unfortunately, as far as the situation in places like Syria and Libya, there really is no plan at all, “In some respects, there are reasons to be happier, others a little bit more concerned depending on what part of the complicated map you’re looking at,” he added. READ
Valadao on global fight against IS: ‘still very concerned’
Congressman David Valadao traveled to the Middle East over the Christmas holiday, visiting troops from California and attending briefings with military leaders in Baghdad. “With what I saw in Iraq, yes, encouraged there specifically,” he said. “On the global fight against ISIS, (I’m) still very concerned.” READ
Move to Let Female Pilots Ashes Rest at Arlington Cemetery
An Arizona congresswoman filed legislation Wednesday to ensure that a group of female World War II pilots can have their ashes laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The pilots known as Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, flew military aircraft in noncombat roles during wartime to free up male pilots for combat. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., said the Army’s exclusion of WASPs is wrong and filed legislation to reverse McHugh’s decision. “We thought this was settled in 1977,” said McSally, herself a retired Air Force pilot. “The Army can give some bureaucratic answer, but they’re on the wrong side of this.” READ