Daily News Round-Up for March 31, 2009

MSNBC (USA)

The Republican National Committee is shedding more staff under newly elected Chairman Michael Steele’s tenure.

New Britain Herald (New Britain, CT)

Embattled Democratic U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd acknowledged Monday “that there are those who want my job 20 months from now, but that’s politics. It looks like it will be a mud-throwing campaign. I didn’t get elected to get re-elected. No one’s indispensable.”

The Hill’s Briefing Room Blog (Washington, DC)

Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy are both getting help from big name players in their parties who have cut robocalls to aid their GOTV efforts as today's special election closes in.

The Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OK)

Rep. Tom Cole announced Monday that he won’t be among running for Governor.

Washington Post’s The Plum Line (Washington, DC)

Multiple Democratic strategists say the party plans to increasingly elevate Gov. Sarah Palin in the same manner it has employed Rush Limbaugh, using her high-visibility, her social conservatism, and memories of her harsh attacks on Obama during the campaign to tar the GOP.

Bloomberg News (USA)

President Barack Obama’s steps to force a restructuring by U.S. automakers drew a mixed reaction from members of Congress, with some Republicans criticizing the forced resignation of General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Richard Wagoner.

Daily News Round-Up for March 30, 2009

Hartford Courant (Hartford, CT)

Sen. Chris Dodd is hiring political miracle worker Jay Howser as his incumbency becomes more and more endangered.

Bloomberg News (USA)

President Barack Obama moved to expand the top ranks of the Treasury Department by naming Helen Elizabeth Garrett as his nominee to the post of Assistant Treasury Secretary for tax policy.

The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

The state of Louisiana spent nearly $25,000 in eight months on plane tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars and meals on trips related to Gov. Bobby Jindal's out-of-state campaign fundraising efforts.

Newsday (New York, NY)

Nassau Executive Thomas Suozzi has signaled behind closed doors that if Gov. David A. Paterson did not pursue a second term he'd be interested in running - but wouldn't challenge him in a Democratic primary.

Daily News Round-Up for March 27, 2009

Wall Street Journal (USA)

President Barack Obama's fiscal agenda gained steam, as the Senate Budget Committee Thursday embraced a $3.6 trillion budget that Republicans complained would pile up a huge federal debt.

Politico (Washington, DC)

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) raised objections to an abbreviated alternative budget "blueprint" released today -- but were told by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) they needed to back the plan, according to several Republican sources.

Washington Times (Washington, DC)

President Obama continued collecting money for his 2010 Senate re-election campaign even after he resigned his seat from Illinois, including a maximum $2,300 donation the day after Christmas from a top executive of a Wall Street firm that had received a government bailout.

Update on 2008 Minnesota Senate Race

Yesterday, Minnesota Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty announced his frustration with the still ongoing recount of the 2008 Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken. Coleman, the incumbent Republican, is behind Franken by approximately 200 votes, and is currently in a legal dispute over some of the rejected and allowed ballots. The seat is still open, and Pawlenty is unable to do anything, including seat a temporary Senator while the race is decided. Pawlenty has stated that he will continue to follow Minnesota law and not seat anyone until the races is decided. The race is officially the longest ever to continue past the autumn vote. RMC will keep you updated on the race and any changes.

Daily News Round-Up for March 26, 2009

New York Times (New York, NY)

Congressional Democrats began advancing retooled versions of President Obama’s budget on Wednesday.

Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA)

Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday in his clearest language yet that he is not running for Senate, Congress or dogcatcher.

CNN (USA)

Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele told CNN Wednesday he'd consider running for president someday, but stressed he has never given serious thought to a potential White House bid.

Politico (Washington, DC)

House Republicans have begun unveiling detailed alternatives to President Barack Obama’s policies — a concerted effort to push back against Democratic efforts to label them “the Party of No.”

Detroit News (Detroit, MI)

Following poll results showing him among the early leaders for the Republican nomination for governor in 2010, Congressman Peter Hoekstra strongly hinted he'll announce on Monday that he will run to succeed term-limited Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Daily News Round-Up for March 25, 2009

New York Magazine (New York, NY)

RMC ally and former Gov. George Pataki is reportedly considering a 2010 Senate run and also mulling a Republican gubernatorial effort.

Boston Globe (Boston, MA)

President Obama, addressing public outrage over executive bonuses and anxiety about continued economic uncertainty, urged the nation last night to be patient, pledging a presidency of perseverance that he said will eventually result in recovery from the recession.

Real Clear Politics (USA)

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) has been one of the company's favorite recipients of campaign contributions. But it turns out that Senator Dodd's wife has also benefited from past connections to AIG as well.

St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL)

Gov. Charlie Crist has not yet opened an exploratory campaign for Florida's vacant U.S. Senate seat in 2010.

News from the NY-20 Special Election

The special election in NY’s 20th Congressional District continues to play out as Republicans work to win the seat and turn their luck around after dismal losses in the 2008 elections. The 20th District, formerly home to now Senator Kristen Gillibrand, is undergoing a fierce race between Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy. Murphy is recently under fire for saying that he does not support the death penalty for terrorists. The 20th District tends to run more conservatively, and so Murphy’s views are not winning him any supporters. The race is already showing some high expenses, with Tedisco spending $1,036,612 and Murphy spending $1,149,162. We will keep you updated on any news out of the 20th District Special Election.

Daily News Round-Up for March 24, 2009

The Hill (Washington, DC)

Congressional Republicans are telling Dick Cheney to go back to his undisclosed location and leave them alone to rebuild the Republican Party without his input.

Washington Post (Washington, DC)

President Obama will go to Capitol Hill this week to try to persuade skeptical Senate Democrats to support the administration's first budget request after an analysis showed that the spending plan would drive the nation deeply into debt over the next decade.

New York Times (New York, NY)

Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, the chairman of the D.N.C., announced Monday evening the formation of a 37-member commission to study the party's primary and caucus calendar for the next election.

Welcome to the RRM Daily News Round-Up

Welcome to the Daily News Roundup, which RRM will be starting as of this morning. Here, we'll be posting some of the top political stories in the nation to help keep RRM supporters up to date on the latest news and information as we begin to get ready for the next round of elections.

Today's Stories (March 23, 2009)

Wall Street Journal (New York, NY)

Legions of Pennsylvania Republicans and independents switched to vote Democratic in 2008, and GOP Sen. Arlen Specter needs them back for his Primary race against right-wing extremists.

St. Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, MN)

Despite an attempt to backtrack this morning, former U.S. Sen. Coleman's attorney said on the radio Wednesday he believes Coleman will lose his attempt to persuade a three-judge panel to overturn Al Franken's 225-vote lead.

Bloomberg News (USA)

The Obama administration will announce details of a plan today to expand the $700 billion rescue of the financial system that will rely on enticing private investors to buy the troubled assets clogging banks’ balance sheets.

Denver Post (Denver, CO)

Former Colorado Congressman Scott McInnis has been saying for weeks that it's too early to announce whether he's running for governor next year, but privately he's telling his friends: "I'm in."

Former Rep. Rob Simmons Enters CT Senate Race

This weekend, Real Republican Rob Simmons (CT) announced that he will be challenging embattled Democratic Senator Chris Dodd for the Connecticut Senate Seat in 2010. Senator Dodd, who ran for the Democratic Presidential nomination and has recently been heavily tied to the economic crisis gripping many of America’s families, has seen slipping poll and approval numbers in Connecticut. Simmons, a former Representative from the 2nd District of Connecticut, lost narrowly in the anti-Republican tide that gripped much of the nation in 2006, but remains popular in his district. Recent polling released showed that Simmons is beating Dodd, 43-42%. This polling was what prompted Simmons to make the announcement that he will indeed run.

Simmons has a strong record of being a Real Republican in his tenure as a House member, where he represented Connecticut well. RRM will keep you updated about any news in the race.

RMC Executive Director Comments on Sebelius

RMC Executive Director Kellie Rose Ferguson commented to the Hill today on the nomination of KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to the position of HHS Secretary. Some right-wing extremist GOP groups are threatening to fight the nomination, including OK Senator Tom Coburn, on the grounds that Sebelius is pro-choice- though she is personally pro-life. Ferguson warned the GOP not to continue down it's extremist path of using social wedge issues like abortion as a litmus test. Click here to read the article and tell us what you think in by commenting below.