TURNING RED? — A Mitch McConnell-aligned super PAC is planning to spend big this year to try to flip control of the Senate and protect incumbents. They’re booking $141 million in ads this fall, Burgess scooped this morning.
A year ago, the 2022 Senate map looked different for Republicans. They were going to have to defend more seats than Democrats, with some of the most competitive races set to take place in states won by President Joe Biden. But now, Republicans are bullish about their chances. With Biden’s approval rating continuing to sag, they’re banking on flipping the 50-50 Senate. It only takes one victory to gain a majority, after all.
Where they’re spending: The Senate Leadership Fund is reserving eight-figure ad buys starting in September to protect Republican seats in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as to take Democratic-held seats in Arizona, Georgia and Nevada. It comes after the Chuck-Schumer aligned Senate Majority PAC booked $106 million in ad time in Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia and Pennsylvania, with many of the ads set to start in August.
Where they’re not spending: Neither super PAC is spending anything yet in New Hampshire, where Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan faces a close re-election race.
SLF is not just spending against Democrats. SLF is also going to be spending millions in Alaska to protect incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowksi from a Trump-backed primary challenge. Murkowski, who voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial after the Jan. 6 insurrection, is facing off against Kelly Tshibaka in the Republican primary.
Vulnerable incumbent senators have stockpiled cash ahead of tough races this fall. Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Raphael Warnock of Georgia had $25.6 million and $23.3 million, respectively, stashed away at the end of the last quarter.
The stakes for Congress and Biden’s agenda are high. As Steven Law, the Senate Leadership Fund’s president, told Burgess: “In the Senate, majority control is everything. It determines what happens on the floor and what doesn’t happen. It will have an impact on future Supreme Court nominations. I mean, there’s so much at stake.”
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, April 18, where your fill-in Huddle host will be watching the return of the White House Easter Egg Roll.
GREAT SCOTT — Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) isn’t backing down, despite public and private criticism from his fellow Republicans for the way he’s run Senate Republicans’ campaign arm, the Washington Post’s Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey report. “,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2022/04/18/rick-scott-senate/”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef055e0000″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef055e0001″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>the Washington Post’s Michael Scherer and Josh Dawsey report. Some Republicans had argued his conservative policy agenda gave Democrats an opening during an election year because of its calls for, among other proposals, tax increases on many Americans. But Scott didn’t see the timing of the release as an issue.
“In this job, I’m a fiduciary to the people of Florida, and that’s what I do,” he told the Washington Post. “They want somebody to have a plan to figure out how to change the country.”
EYES ON ENDORSEMENTS — How much does a Trump endorsement matter these days? After endorsing J.D. Vance in Ohio, the former president’s endorsements in upcoming GOP Senate primaries will be a test of his clout, the Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports. “,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://thehill.com/news/senate/3270615-trumps-clout-on-the-line-in-senate-gop-primaries/”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef055e0004″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef055e0005″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports. Trump’s earlier endorsements in Alabama for Rep. Mo Brooks and in Pennsylvania for Sean Parnell fizzled, and Murkowksi has significantly outraised Tshibaka in Alaska. Now, strategists and experts tell Bolton Trump could also gamble by putting his finger on the scale in Missouri and Arizona, both states with crowded GOP primary fields.
TITLE 42 QUESTIONS — Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said Sunday“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chris-coons-transcript-face-the-nation-04-17-2022/”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05600000″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05600001″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>said Sunday on “Face the Nation” he hoped the Biden administration’s decision to roll back Title 42, the Trump-era border restriction, would be “reconsidered appropriately” as Covid cases creep back up across the country. Some Democrats, including those facing tight re-election races this year, have criticized the Biden administration’s decision to roll back the policy, and attempts to get another round of Covid funding across the finish line before this recess were scrambled by Senate Republicans’ attempts to amend the legislation to keep Title 42 in place.
Coons called for separating the funding from the immigration policy: “…I think we can separate that, we should separate that from delivering COVID relief that will protect American lives and other lives, billions of lives around the world.”
MISTER CHIPS — You might have heard about the global chip shortage. Congress is on the case as the House and Senate try to reconcile bills addressing the shortage, supply chain issues and trade, among many other issues. The AP’s Kevin Freking breaks down the state of play“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://apnews.com/article/climate-2022-midterm-elections-biden-technology-business-7aa66d84e150a4c1d54831677075cee9″,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05600002″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05600003″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>breaks down the state of play and the splits between the parties.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), summed up the divides: “I have a hard time explaining to my friends and constituents that when the White House is in favor of something, when Democrats are in favor of something, Republicans are in favor of something, the House is in favor of it, and the Senate is in favor of it, we still can’t seem to get it done. But I hope that we will take advantage of this opportunity.”
CODEL-CHELLA — With both chambers still in recess, lawmakers are heading abroad. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.) are heading to Poland, the United Arab Emirates, India, Nepal, and Germany over the next nine days, the group announced Sunday evening.
“This strong congressional delegation will have the opportunity to meet with U.S. military leadership and troops in Poland in order to learn how the U.S. can continue to support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russia’s unprovoked and unwarranted war,” the group said. “In addition, the delegation will meet with a number of key foreign leaders in Poland, UAE, India, Nepal, and Germany to strengthen ties during this period of heightened global tension.”
BUILD BACK SOMEDAY — Democrats are once again preparing to revive elements of President Joe Biden’s stalled-out social spending plan after both chambers return from their break, the Hill’s Jordain Carney reports. “,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://thehill.com/news/senate/3270269-democrats-prepare-to-take-second-run-at-biden-spending-plan/”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05610001″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05610002″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”> Hill’s Jordain Carney reports. It won’t be called Build Back Better, nor will it be the same size as Democrats’ original plans, but they’re still optimistic about getting something across the finish line before the midterm elections this fall.
The problem is, Democrats are going to run up against the calendar. There’s still plenty of other legislation on the agenda, from competitiveness legislation to another round of coronavirus funding. And the amount of legislating lawmakers will want to do as the midterms inch closer will decline by the day.
Related: Who lost Biden’s agenda? Democrats offer competing theories for failure of ‘Build Back Better’“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/lost-bidens-agenda-democrats-offer-competing-theories-failure-build-ba-rcna24552″,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05610003″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05610004″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”> Who lost Biden’s agenda? Democrats offer competing theories for failure of ‘Build Back Better’ from NBC’s Sahil Kapur and Carol Lee
QUICK LINKS
Lindsey Graham and Joe Biden used to be close. Can they ever be friends again?“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article260420492.html”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630000″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630001″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>Lindsey Graham and Joe Biden used to be close. Can they ever be friends again? from McClatchy’s Francesca Chambers and Caitlyn Byrd
Lobbyists loved Mike Pence, hitting his office up more than any VP ever. Here’s what they wanted“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/18/lobbyists-mike-pence-vice-president-kamala-harris/7272046001/?gnt-cfr=1″,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630002″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630003″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>Lobbyists loved Mike Pence, hitting his office up more than any VP ever. Here’s what they wanted, from USA TODAY’s Maureen Groppe
‘Defend democracy’: Dems launch massive recruiting push for local election officers“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/18/democrats-recruiting-push-local-election-officers-00025733?nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=40eaf4aa-9e07-4d0d-9fc4-461aa0fdd6bd&nlid=630318″,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630004″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630005″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>‘Defend democracy’: Dems launch massive recruiting push for local election officers by Elena Schneider
Wisconsin Democrats aim to beat Sen. Ron Johnson, but how? “,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-ron-johnson-344c998c5dceefbdf31660388ed5eade”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630006″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05630007″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>Wisconsin Democrats aim to beat Sen. Ron Johnson, but how? By the AP’s Scott Bauer.
TRANSITIONS
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TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House and Senate are out.
AROUND THE HILL
See y’all at happy hour.
FRIDAY’S WINNER: Newsy’s Nathaniel Reed guessed that the Senate and House adopted the first joint rule to allow the two chambers to resolve differences on legislation through a conference committee. But it took him until late Sunday to send the answer.
TODAY’S QUESTION FROM NATHANIEL: Which two sitting U.S. senators have the same first name and middle initial as a cartoon mouse?
The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [email protected]
GET HUDDLEemailed to your phone“,”link”:{“target”:”NEW”,”attributes”:[],”url”:”https://www.politico.com/newsletters”,”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05650000″,”_type”:”33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df”},”_id”:”00000180-3d03-d3c7-a3b5-fdef05650001″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>emailed to your phone each morning.
Follow @nicholaswu12“,”_id”:”00000180-3c6c-df49-a7eb-7c7dfaaa0000″,”_type”:”02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266″}”>@nicholaswu12 on Twitter
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism