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☆ Why the race for the House is the one to watch in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Simone Pathe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

CNN —It won’t suck up anywhere near the oxygen of the presidential election, but the race for the US House of Representatives may be the most exciting campaign to watch in 2024. But in the House, Republicans’ shrinking majority has underscored the importance of the balance of power in Washington. House Republicans currently control 219 seats to Democrats’ 212, with four vacancies. Santos was expelled from the House last year, but he’s not absent from the race. Seats Republicans are targetingThe House GOP campaign arm releases a similar target list, which includes 37 offensive seats this year.

Persons: they’re, Democratic Sen, Joe Manchin’s, –, George Santos ’, Santos, he’s, Joe Biden, Biden, ”, “, Cam Savage, Nathan L, Gonzales, Nick LaLota, Anthony D’Esposito, Mike Lawler, Marc Molinaro, Brandon Williams, John Duarte, David Valadao, Mike Garcia, Young Kim, Michelle Steel, David Schweikert, Juan Ciscomani, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Tom Kean of, Lori Chavez, Brian Fitzpatrick, Jen Kiggans, Tom Suozzi, Donald Trump, Mary Peltola of, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Jared Golden of, Matt Cartwright of, Marcy Kaptur, Kaptur, Elissa Slotkin –, Dan Kildee, Kildee –, don’t, Dale Kildee, Abigail Spanberger, Susan Wild, Emilia Sykes, Yadira, there’s, There’s, Ron DeSantis, Savage, Ron Brownstein, Trump, he’ll, Suozzi, Achim Bergmann, Bergmann, Gavin Newsom, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Roe, Wade, Meredith Kelly Organizations: CNN, US, Democratic, House, Washington . House Republicans, ’, GOP, Santos, PAC, House Democratic, Republican, Congressional, Fund, Blue States Project, Republicans, Biden, New, Democratic Congressional, National Republican, Washington . Rep, –, Democrats, Rep, Independent, GOP Gov, Trump, Democrat, White, California Gov, New York Gov, New York City Locations: West Virginia, Washington, New York, Tuesday’s, York, California, “ California, Republican, Blue States, Michigan, New Mexico , Colorado, North Carolina, Arizona, Tom Kean of New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Iowa, Arizona , Colorado , Montana , Nebraska , Oregon , Texas, Arizona , California, Florida , Michigan, Wisconsin, Mary Peltola of Alaska, Jared Golden of Maine, Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan’s 8th, –, Texas, Alabama, It’s, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Charleston, Biden, Long, New

A spokesman for Mr. Rosendale declined to comment. In those seven campaigns over 12 years, Mr. Rosendale has won five contests and lost two. Mr. Rosendale finished three points behind Mr. Tester in that race after narrowly winning the primary with 34 percent of the vote. Mr. Rosendale has been a frequent guest on Mr. Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, which is popular with conservatives. A third super PAC supporting Mr. Sheehy, known as More Jobs, Less Government, has been underwritten by a few wealthy Wall Street executives.

Persons: Matt Rosendale, torching, Jon Tester, Tester, Donald J, Trump, Tim Sheehy, Tester’s, Steve Daines, Sheehy, Daines, John Barrasso of, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump’s, hasn’t, Rachel Leathe, Rosendale, Alex Bruesewitz, Chad F, Donald Trump Jr, Bruesewitz, “, Ted Cruz, “ I’ve, he’s, ”, Biden, Caroline Wren, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Greene, Stephen K, Bannon, Bannon’s, Mr, Mitch McConnell, Karl Rove —, Kenneth Griffin, Paul Singer, Stephen A, Schwarzman, Tony Fabrizio, Andy Surabian, Maggie Haberman Organizations: Senate, Montana Republicans, Republican, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Republicans, Trump, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, Associated Press, Montana Republican, U.S . House, Montana Senate, Mr, Trump White House, Navy SEAL, Republicans —, Fund, Wall Street, PAC, Democratic Locations: Montana, Rosendale, Helena, Washington, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Georgia, Iowa, Bozeman, MAGA, U.S, Ted Cruz of Texas, Arizona and Ohio

☆ An aggrieved McCarthy weighs leaving the House with his GOP foes on his mind
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Manu Raju | Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

McCarthy continually accused Gaetz of only going after him because of a House Ethics Committee probe he’s facing, a charge the GOP hardliner has repeatedly denied. “If the Ethics Committee never does anything to Gaetz, then Gaetz was successful in stopping probably what rightfully should come to him,” McCarthy said. Asked if he were concerned about Johnson’s approach to Gaetz, McCarthy said: “That’s a question for Speaker Johnson. It’s not good for the House,’” McCarthy said of Pelosi. Asked if he had thought he would make it two years as speaker, McCarthy said: “I never knew.”McCarthy credited Trump for his winning the gavel.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, Gaetz, GOP hardliner, “, ” McCarthy, Mike Johnson’s, –, Johnson doesn’t, Johnson, ”, ” Gaetz, Harry Truman, he’d, Franklin Roosevelt’s, “ I’m, hasn’t, Hakeem Jeffries, —, Nancy Pelosi, Pelosi, ‘, We’d, It’s, ’ ” McCarthy, ” Aaron Bennett, ” Bennett, Pelsoi, Trump, ” Haley Talbot, Shania Shelton Organizations: CNN, Former, Republicans, California Republican, GOP, Republican, Congressional, Fund, American Action, Louisiana Republican, New York Democrat, Capitol, Trump, Florida Republican Locations: California, Florida, Washington, Louisiana

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson's wealthy Louisiana donors could become key funders for House GOP
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), the latest House Republican nominee for House Speaker, talks to reporters prior to another round of voting for Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 25, 2023. Newly minted Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has quietly assembled a group of wealthy Louisiana political backers who could become key players in GOP fundraising under Johnson's speakership. Johnson's election last week has reportedly already provided a boost to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the official campaign arm for House Republicans. Along with the speakership, Johnson also assumed the role of fundraiser-in-chief for House Republicans. Bollinger is widely viewed as one of the most influential Republican political donors in Louisiana.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Johnson, Johnson's, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Donald " Boysie, Bollinger, Donald Trump, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, George W, Bush, Sen, John McCain, Mitt Romney Organizations: Rep, Republican, Capitol, GOP, CNBC, National Republican Congressional Committee, House Republicans, Politico, Congressional, Fund Locations: Washington, Louisiana, George H.W ., R, Utah

☆ Mitch McConnell warns GOP senators they’ll face ‘incoming’ if they back Hawley bill to limit corporate giving in campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Manu Raju | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

According to multiple sources familiar with the Tuesday lunch meeting, McConnell warned GOP senators that they could face “incoming” from the “center-right” if they signed onto Hawley’s bill. On that list of senators: Hawley himself, according to sources familiar with the matter. But there’s also no love lost between McConnell and Hawley, who has long criticized the GOP leader and has repeatedly called for new leadership atop their conference. In an interview, Hawley defended his bill and said that corporate influence should be limited in elections. “I think that’s wrong,” Hawley told CNN.

Persons: Mitch McConnell, Sen, Josh Hawley, McConnell, Hawley, there’s, ”, Chuck Schumer, ” Hawley, “, Chris Christie, Donald Trump, Mike Braun, Kevin Cramer of North, Marsha Blackburn of, Dan Sullivan, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Susan Collins of, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, Lindsey Graham of, Katie Britt, Alabama, Lisa Murkowski, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Ted Budd of, JD Vance, Ohio, Ron Johnson Organizations: CNN, GOP, Kentucky Republican, Fund, McConnell, New, New York Democrat, Missouri Republican, Indiana Locations: New York, Ukraine, Israel, Colorado, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Montana, North Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin

☆ The House G.O.P Has Its Leader. But Can He Be a Rainmaker?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Shane Goldmacher | More About Shane Goldmacher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the days since he took the gavel, Mr. Johnson called Dan Conston, the president of the Congressional Leadership Fund, the main House Republican super PAC, and is expected to play a significant role in that group’s fund-raising going forward. Mr. Johnson has large financial shoes to fill. Mr. McCarthy’s transfers to the party’s House campaign committee amount to more than 25 percent of the $70.1 million raised this year. Then there are the hundreds of millions of dollars that Mr. McCarthy has helped raise in recent years for the House G.O.P.’s main super PAC, which has been closely aligned with him. “I helped build the majority, and I’m not going to walk away from it,” Mr. McCarthy said.

Persons: Johnson, Dan Conston, — Mr, McCarthy, “, I’m, ” Mr Organizations: Congressional, Fund, House Republican, PAC, —, Punchbowl News, National Republican

In the meantime, House Republicans have no clear leader heading into next year's election as they cling to a razor-thin majority. The leadership fund will shift its alignment to follow the new House speaker once one is elected. McCarthy visiting a district could often be a major draw, juicing fundraiser proceeds, though that’s a role any new House speaker can grow into. “That’s where McCarthy has crushed it,” said Cam Savage, a longtime Republican strategist who works on House races. “After this week’s chaotic episode, House Republicans have basically upgraded to a Disney fast-pass in their never-ending roller coaster ride to the radical right,” said Viet Shelton, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the party’s House campaign arm.

Persons: — Kevin McCarthy, he’s, McCarthy, ”, Kelly Armstrong, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan, Republican John Boehner, Donald Trump, “, Dan Conston, “ That’s, Cam Savage, ” McCarthy, he’ll, Joe Biden, Viet Shelton, “ It’s, Marty Obst, aren't, Nancy Mace, Katie Arrington, Mace, ” Arrington, Trump, Kevin Freking, Meg Kinnard, James Pollard Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Republicans, National Republican Congressional Committee, Congressional, Fund, GOP, House, Trump, House Democrats, House Republicans, Disney, Democratic Congressional, Committee, Washington, Associated Press Locations: Dallas, McCarthy’s, California, Viet, South Carolina, Washington, Columbia , South Carolina

☆ Former Bridgewater CEO Dave McCormick would get big money backing for Pennsylvania U.S. Senate run
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Dave McCormick, Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Pennsylvania , greets supporters during a campaign event with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays in Coplay, Pa., on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. The last time McCormick ran for Senate, his chief rival in the Republican primary was TV host Dr. Mehment Oz. Christian Ferry, who previously worked for Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and late GOP Sen. John McCain, said, "Every cycle these totals continue to go up." McCormick has reportedly been promised the support of the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Burch paid approximately $16 million for the estate, according to Newsday.

Persons: Dave McCormick, Sen, Ted Cruz, Dave McCormick's, Tory Burch, McCormick, Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, Steven Mnuchin, Gary Cohn, David Solomon, Bob Steel, Perella Weinberg, Mnuchin, Donald Trump, Cohn, Bob Casey, Paul Singer, Steve Schwarzman, Burch, Mnuchin Cohn, Singer, Schwarzman, Steel, Dave, agains Casey, Dina Powell McCormick, Dina, Democrat John Fetterman, Mehment Oz, OpenSecrets . Oz, Donald Trump . Oz, Casey, Oz, Alex Conant, Republican Sen, Marco Rubio, It's, Lindsey Graham, GOP Sen, John McCain, Mitch McConnell of Organizations: Republican U.S, Lehigh Valley, U.S, Senate, Bridgewater Associates, Democratic, Elliot Investment Management, Blackstone, CNBC, Steel, NBC News, Associated Press, McCormick, Keystone, Bush, Treasury, Pennsylvania Senate, Democrat, Republican, GOP, PAC, Bridgewater, Pennsylvania Democratic Party, Fund, Prosperity, that's, Koch Industries, Hamptons, Newsday Locations: Republican, Pennsylvania, Texas, Coplay, Pa, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Trump, OpenSecrets ., Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Southampton, Long, , New York, Palm Beach

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans trying to recapture the U.S. Senate majority have the candidate they want in Pennsylvania. Almost since the moment he lost last year's Senate GOP primary, McCormick has floated the possibility that he would again seek the party's nomination for the U.S. Senate, this time to challenge three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. “At this point, if Dave McCormick doesn't run, it'll be the biggest head fake in Pennsylvania political history,” said Vince Galko, a Republican campaign strategist based in northeastern Pennsylvania. For a party that has struggled — both nationally and in Pennsylvania — with nominating polarizing and badly flawed candidates for Senate, some in Pennsylvania worry that another fringe candidate could capture the nomination and embarrass the party anew if McCormick doesn’t run. If McCormick doesn't run, some party officials worry about the caliber of available alternatives at this relatively late stage.

Persons: David McCormick, McCormick, Democratic Sen, Bob Casey, Dave McCormick doesn't, it'll, ”, Vince Galko, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, —, “, Rob Gleason, Mitch McConnell —, “ That’s, Sam DeMarco, Dave, Dave McCormick, he's, Mehmet Oz, Oz, Democrat John Fetterman, Biden, Casey, Trump, lustily, ” McCormick, ‘, Gleason, DeMarco, Linley Sanders, Marc Levy Organizations: —, U.S, Senate, GOP, U.S . Senate, Democratic, Republican, White, Labor, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Fund, McCormick, Allegheny County GOP, Republican Party of Pennsylvania, Trump, Democrat, Publicly, Associated Press, NORC, for Public Affairs Research, Trump Republicans, Twitter Locations: HARRISBURG, Pa, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, U.S, Washington

☆ McCarthy-aligned super PAC could spend $100 million to target blue states in 2024, internal memo says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"In 2024, the House will be won or lost in blue states," Congressional Leadership Fund president Dan Conston, wrote in the Aug, 7 memo addressed to "Interested Parties." This is the challenge facing House Republicans, wrote Conston. "These blue states exist in a vacuum outside of the competitive presidential and senate races ... meaning we must create our own infrastructure." All of those flipped New York seats are 2024 targets of the campaign arm for House Democrats, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The Democratic rival House Majority PAC has said they are investing $45 million in New York and $35 million in California.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Joe Biden, Dan Conston, Conston Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republican, GOP, CNBC, Republicans, House Republicans, House Democrats, Democratic Congressional, Democratic, Biden, Congressional Leadership Fund Locations: Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, Wyoming, New York, New Jersey, Washington and Oregon

☆ Democratic super PAC stockpiles cash for Senate battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Bridget Bowman | Bridget Bowman Is A Deputy Editor For Nbc'S Political Unit. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Senate Majority PAC, the main Democratic outside group involved in Senate races, is already stockpiling campaign cash ahead of a brutal fight to hold onto the Senate, according to new fundraising numbers shared first with NBC News. The super PAC raised $37 million during the first six months of the year, ending June with $24.6 million in its campaign account. “After defying history and expanding Democrats’ Senate majority in 2022, Senate Majority PAC’s strong fundraising sets us once more on the path to success,” SMP president JB Poersch said in a statement. The Democratic super PAC's haul also surpasses the group's fundraising at the same point of last year's midterm election, when it raised $25.6 million. Super PAC fundraising typically accelerates rapidly as elections draw near.

Persons: JB Poersch, Donald Trump Organizations: PAC, Democratic, NBC News, Republican, Fund, Politico, SLF's, Super PAC, GOP, Senate, Federal

☆ RFK Jr's super PAC is mostly funded by a GOP megadonor who spent millions on Trump and bankrolled an effort to build a border wall in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A major super PAC backing RFK Jr's campaign is mostly funded by Timothy Mellon. Mellon has given millions to GOP campaigns, including Trump, and bankrolled a border wall effort in Texas. Mellon cited Kennedy's "bipartisan support" in a statement to CNBC on his contribution to the super PAC. That includes:$20 million in contributions to America First Action, a super PAC that supported former President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. $30 million to Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC associated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Persons: Timothy Mellon, Mellon, He's, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, —, Kennedy, Kennedy's, Donald Trump's, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Greg Abbott, Andrew Mellon, Gavin De Becker, De Becker, Biden, he's Organizations: PAC, RFK, GOP, Trump, Service, Democratic, Federal, CNBC, Republican, America, Congressional Leadership Fund, Leadership Fund, Republican Gov Locations: bankrolled, Texas, Wall, Silicon, Mexico

☆ BNY Mellon launches new ETF focused on women's opportunities
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Investing in women's empowerment and opportunities is something portfolio managers Julianne McHugh and Miki Behr have talked about doing for years. BNY Mellon Women's Opportunities ETF , the exchange-traded fund they manage, launched Wednesday, trading under the ticker BKWO. Investing for financial return while promoting gender diversity, known as gender lens or gender equity investing, isn't new. Assets in U.S. gender equity funds have doubled over the last three years, to $1.3 billion, as of the end of February, Morningstar found. Those funds represent less than 0.01% of total equity fund assets in the United States, according to the firm.

☆ Clarence Thomas' billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow has also spent thousands boosting Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and an anti-Trump super PAC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They include Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, major Senate campaigns, and an anti-Trump PAC. The Texas billionaire also gave $50,000 in 2015 to "Right to Rise," a super PAC associated with Jeb Bush. Senate super PAC spendingIn addition to being a major super PAC spender at the presidential level, Crow has given thousands to outside spending groups supporting the party's Senate candidates over the years. He also gave $50,000 to "Show Me Values PAC," a super PAC set up to prevent the scandal-plagued former Gov. And in 2016, he gave $55,000 to "Let America Work," a super PAC boosting Sen. Ron Johnson against former Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold.

☆ Mitch McConnell suffered concussion after fall, will stay in hospital for 'a few days,' his office says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) listens to a question from a journalist during a weekly press conference in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, January 31, 2023. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is being treated for a concussion at a hospital after he fell at a hotel, his office said Thursday. McConnell's office revealed late Wednesday night that the Kentucky Republican was admitted to a hospital after tripping during a private dinner. "Jill and I are wishing Senator McConnell a speedy recovery," President Joe Biden said in a tweet earlier Thursday afternoon. He served as Senate majority leader from 2015 until 2021, when Democrats regained majority control of the chamber.

☆ Sen. Kyrsten Sinema pulls in cash from Wall Street, real estate titans as she mulls reelection bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Real estate and private equity leaders, who have long helped to fill Sinema's campaign coffers, contributed to a healthy cash haul for the senator in the final months of last year. At the lunch, Sinema discussed the incoming Congress and how the tight margins in both chambers could create gridlock, according to attendees. Sinema's campaign had already seen more than $2 million from the securities and investment industry since the 2018 election cycle. The Sinema campaign saw dozens of contributions totaling over $145,000 from people who work at Apollo Global Management, another giant private equity firm, since October. Suzanne Clark, CEO of the massive pro-business lobbying group U.S. Chamber of Commerce, also donated $1,000 to Sinema's campaign on Dec. 31, the new FEC filing shows.

☆ New York Democrats ask Republican leaders to ‘forthrightly cooperate’ with Santos investigations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Summer-Concepcion-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Summer Concepcion | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Two Democratic lawmakers from New York called on GOP leaders Sunday to “forthrightly cooperate” with all the investigations into freshman Rep. George Santos, the Republican who confessed to having fabricated large parts of his résumé. The letter points to a recent New York Times report that detailed GOP leaders’ awareness of Santos’ false claims before the November midterms election. The report expanded "upon the degree to which each of you had at least some foreknowledge of Mr. Santos’s lies," Goldman and Torres wrote. "But it is altogether something else if the top levels of Republican leadership knew about Mr. Santos’s lies during the campaign and chose to be complicit." House Republicans’ calls for Santos to resign have grown in the past week after state GOP leaders and lawmakers in New York said he should step aside.

☆ Santos to be removed from U.S. Congress if he broke campaign finance laws, committee chairman says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative George Santos, who lied about much of his resume and life story, will be removed from Congress if found to have broken campaign finance laws, fellow Republican and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said on Sunday. Now, if he broke campaign finance laws, then he will be removed from Congress." House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he will leave Santos' fate to the Ethics Committee and voters. "It is one thing for a candidate such as Mr. Santos to induce voters to support him based on a web of lies," Goldman wrote in his letter. "But it is altogether something else if the top levels of Republican leadership knew about Mr. Santos' lies during the campaign and chose to be complicit."

☆ McCarthy's dream job could become a nightmare
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( David Morgan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But that role could turn into a nightmare because it requires leading a caucus that strongly rejects leadership. He told reporters on Friday night that he would be a more effective leader because of the drawn-out process. So now we'll be able to get the job done," McCarthy said. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group tied to him, contributed more than $160 million to help Republican House candidates. McCarthy sent candidates $6.5 million from his own campaign and four other entities under his control, according to his campaign team.

House Dem whip says caucus will keep voting in speaker race House Democratic whip Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass, said her caucus will stick around and continue voting in the speaker race. Davidson suggested there are "a couple procedural paths" where McCarthy could become speaker if Republicans changed the threshold needed to win the election. The polarization is too great.” Cole said that for all the House GOP divisions, “there’s no question” that most members in the caucus are closer in policy and vision to the anti-McCarthy rebels than they are to centrist Democrats. As Biden celebrated an upgrade to an aging bridge linking Kentucky and Ohio, House Republicans deadlocked on the basic task of electing a speaker, foreshadowing what is likely to be two years of infighting. The McCarthy-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund and the conservative Club for Growth agreed to not pick sides in some competitive House GOP primary races in exchange for supporting McCarthy's bid for speaker.

On Thursday, the House enters its third day of the new Congress without a speaker under the new GOP majority. Until Republicans have enough votes for a candidate, all other House business remains at a standstill. During the six speaker votes this week, 20 conservatives have stuck together to deny GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California the 218 votes needed to win the speaker's gavel. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., leaves the House Chamber following a day of votes for the new Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Kevin Dietsch / Getty ImagesAfter the sixth failed vote, McCarthy and his must trusted allies huddled with his most fervent opponents for more than two hours in the first-floor Capitol office of Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

☆ Home Depot's 93-year-old cofounder who said 'nobody works' anymore because of 'socialism' has donated $64 million to elect Trump and the Republican party over the years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Bernie Marcus, the billionaire cofounder of Home Depot, said Thursday "nobody works" anymore. Marcus donated millions to Trump in 2016 and 2020, and more to other Republicans over the years. In an interview with the Financial Times published Thursday, 93-year-old Bernie Marcus said "nobody works, nobody gives a damn," blaming the change on "socialism." In 2020, he made two separate donations of $5 million each to the Preserve America PAC, a single-candidate PAC that supports Trump. Marcus has also donated extensively to House and Senate races, contributing to a long list of Republican lawmakers that includes Sens.

He promises not to let that happen again, insisting he will “actively look for quality candidates” to promote in the 2024 primaries. “In the other states, Trump’s support was so significant — we could have spent a lot of money, maybe trying to come up with a different candidate and maybe not succeeding,” he said. And yet, it's Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — not McConnell — who's radiating confidence about winning the majority in 2024. He also spent large parts of 2022 feuding over strategy with Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, the GOP Senate campaign chief. Then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and then President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol, on Oct. 24, 2017.

News of the FTX's fall first prompted questions to lawmakers about Bankman-Fried's political donations. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and John Boozman of Arkansas said they would donate Bankman-Fried’s campaign contributions, though they did not specify the charities they intended to donate the money to. Bankman-Fried also poured millions into super PACs that support candidates outside of their campaigns, including the Senate Majority PAC, or SMP, a super PAC supporting Democratic Senate candidates. The disclosed sums likely don't capture the full breadth of Bankman-Fried's political spending. "The candidates who received money from dark money organizations don't really have to answer for it," Sherman said.

☆ Challenge to Kevin McCarthy Is a Biggs Joke
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Karl Rove | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

In her early years in the California Democratic Party, Nancy Pelosi saw a lot of the legendary “Big Daddy” of Golden State politics, Assembly Speaker and later State Treasurer Jesse Unruh . She even scored $20,000 from Donald Trump to help flip the House in 2006—Democrats’ first victory in that chamber after 12 years in the minority. While her House Majority super PAC raised an astonishing $160 million for 2020 and $181 million for 2022, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a former sandwich shop owner from California’s Central Valley, raised even more. He collected $166 million in 2020 and $260 million in 2022 for his Congressional Leadership Fund PAC. That financial edge was critical to hard-fought GOP victories in places such as New York, California and Oregon, without which Republicans wouldn’t have won the majority.

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