| | | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers | Presented by |  | | | With Marianne LeVine and Zach Montellaro. HOW SENATE REPUBLICANS PLAN TO ATTACK S1: Expect some fireworks this a.m. at a Senate Rules Committee markup on Democrats' signature elections and ethics reform bill. Senate Republicans are planning to brand the legislation a "politically motivated federal takeover of the election system that would make elections more chaotic and less secure," according to a messaging document circulated to aides by Senate Rules Republicans that Marianne obtained. They will focus on the bill's requirement that states allow voters to fill out a sworn affidavit if they don't have an ID. Republicans argue that "would render state voter ID laws meaningless" and cite polling that shows a majority of Americans support those laws. Senate Republicans will accuse Democrats of using the bill to politicize the Federal Election Commission, among other practices that they say harm election administration efforts. They also plan to argue that the bill's donor disclosures will have a chilling effect on free speech. The odds of the so-called "For the People Act," or S.1, actually getting signed into law are slim. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) still hasn't endorsed it. Even if he eventually does, the bill has no chance of getting the 10 GOP votes needed to overcome the legislative filibuster. But the political stakes are high for both sides. Look no further than the hearing itself, which will include both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Democrats argue S.1 is a necessary response to voting laws introduced by GOP-led state legislatures, which they see as designed to suppress voter turnout. Progressives view it as an existential battle for the party's future. Schumer has repeatedly vowed that "failure is not an option" and Democrats will have a private caucus meeting on the legislation this Thursday. Related: Time is running out for election reform, by the National Journal's Zach Cohen: https://bit.ly/3hmWu2d | Here is an interesting thread of Sen. Chuck Grassley's comments on the Senate floor about SR 1, per Bloomberg's Steven Dennis: https://bit.ly/2SFyDjU | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | | DEMS' (NOT SO) GOLDEN BOY: Jared Golden is not your typical House Democrat. The two-term Mainer has built a reputation of bucking his party while also avoiding backlash from Democratic leaders, even with their slim, five-vote majority this Congress. He represents a district that has swung like a pendulum, from supporting President Barack Obama to President Donald Trump in 2016. It is the Trumpiest district Dems hold with lawn signs scattered throughout as visible proof of it. Golden flipped the seat in 2018 and won reelection last November by six percentage points despite Trump carrying the district. As my colleague Sarah writes, it was "the kind of ticket-splitting that would be bizarre just about anywhere other than Maine." Golden has shown that he can weather the unpredictable waves of political change, but that also means he doesn't fit squarely into the party's box. For example, he opposed his party's latest pandemic relief and gun control bills, but is in favor of public financing of elections and once backed Medicare for All (Golden no longer supports it, his spokesman told Sarah). He voted against policing reform, but backs union rights and a $15-an-hour minimum wage. He also wants to pass an infrastructure bill, but like the last Covid relief bill, the price tag is giving him pause. Fellow Democrats "ask me somewhat curiously, like, 'How are things back home?' after a tough vote," Golden said in a rare non-local news interview with Sarah. "Their assumption is that I'm in some kind of hot water, or in trouble with my base, or that I'm fearful of how this is gonna play in a Trump district." Golden's bottom line: "I just don't think they get it." Outsiders are often left guessing where he will fall on a particular issue, a key swing vote. But members say House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and others know ahead of time which way he is going to go, so they aren't left surprised. And as to whether he can be intimidated by Dem leaders to switch his vote, he says he has served in war-torn countries, so some strong-arming on the House floor doesn't scare him. Rather than being described as a "centrist," a label that is often slapped on him, Sarah reports "it's more apt to describe him as re-imagining what it means to be a populist Democrat – with a voting record that might look confusing to anyone unfamiliar with Maine's 2nd, which stretches from tiny towns just north of Augusta to fishing villages along the coast." Sarah has the story… and exclusive interview: https://politi.co/3xZgldw | | A message from Freight Rail Works: Harnessing cutting-edge technology and predictive analytics, freight railroads are rising to the challenges of the 21st century. Today's freight rail network is safe, sustainable and always evolving to meet the nation's changing needs today – and tomorrow. Railroads are ready for whatever comes next. Learn how. | | | HAPPY TUESDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill on this May 11, where this is definitely a click-bait headline that your Huddle host will willingly fall for… but at the same time, this needs to be named and shamed. MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The interview with McConnell and Renee Shaw on PBS's local Kentucky affiliate was the big winner. UPPING THE ANTE: Senate Republicans are signaling that they are willing to go higher with their infrastructure counteroffer ahead of President Joe Biden's scheduled meetings with members of both parties about his $2 trillion-plus proposal. Their demand for agreeing to a higher price tag: Keep the bill in question limited to physical infrastructure. "The first offer is meant to be countered, so I would imagine that none of those figures are solid," said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who is leading the negotiations on the GOP side. Republicans say they are nearing their cap on how much they are willing to spend on the bill, which they want paid with new user fees rather than deficit spending. And if Biden follows through with his proposal to finance the measure with higher corporate taxes, then Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) warns "there will not be one Republican vote" for the package. "It's a give and take, yes," Wicker added. But he cautioned that for Republicans, "I don't think it's really realistic to go up much higher." For Biden, engaging Republicans may mean alienating or frustrating some members of his own party. Senate Democrats are looking to pass other items in his infrastructure and jobs packages like child care and other social priorities, describing this legislation as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. "I want to know what Mitch McConnell plans to cut," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told my colleagues. "This is not a moment to say, 'We'll repair half our roads. We'll provide child care for half the mothers who want to go back to work. We'll provide broadband for half the country that still doesn't have it.' This is the time to say, 'We're going to make an investment in all of us.'" More here from Burgess and Marianne: https://politi.co/3vXgdcF Related: As Biden faces a struggle to hold the Senate, Democrats' divisions resurface, by WaPo's Sean Sullivan: https://wapo.st/3tCKCeO | Biden's relationship with top House Republican is frosty," by The Hill's Brett Samuels: https://bit.ly/33znuDq MARKEY'S NEW MARK: Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who was known for spending less time in Massachusetts than the other members of the state's delegation not long ago, is now zipping all over the state. Why? There's a new ingredient in his political diet. And no, it is not that he's gone Keto; rather, it is a win against former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III in last September's nationally watched primary that has left him energized. He has attended events 42 times in Massachusetts in less than three months, per a Globe review of Markey's public schedules, which the newspaper highlights is a major change in his visibility. "It's like he's still on a victory tour," Anthony Cignoli, a Democratic strategist in Western Massachusetts, told the Boston Globe. That type of high-profile victory "can be the kind of thing that takes the long, old warrior and completely re-energizes him." As the Globe's Matt Stout writes: "Markey has clearly embraced it. His win over the 40-year-old Kennedy not only etched Markey in history — no Kennedy had lost in Massachusetts since 1946, the year Markey was born — it elevated the Malden Democrat's profile in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., to heights unforeseen during his nearly five decades in Washington." More here from Matt: https://bit.ly/3hdowgp | | | | JOIN THURSDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON TRANSGENDER POLITICIANS: More transgender people got elected to office at all levels across the country in 2020, in both blue and red states – and that number is likely to continue to grow. During the last year, constituents across America elected six transgender candidates at the state level as transgender rights gain more attention across the country. Join POLITICO Nightly: Daytime Edition for a conversation featuring transgender elected officials as they discuss their experiences running for and serving in public office. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | UN-CHENED MELODY: Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced yesterday that he expects his conference to vote Wednesday on Rep. Liz Cheney's (R-Wyo.) future in GOP leadership. We already knew it was expected to be likely, but in a new letter to rank-and-file Republicans on Monday, McCarthy wrote that after hearing from "so many" members, "it's clear that we need to make a change." Meanwhile, the rhetoric is ratcheting up across the Capitol. "To try to erase Donald Trump from the Republican Party is insane," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close Trump ally, told Hannity last night. "The people who are trying to erase him are going to wind up getting erased." Quick update: We are told Stefanik's call with the House Freedom Caucus didn't happen yesterday as expected, but it still could happen at some point soon. On the other hand, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) is now slated to attend a rally for Cheney ahead of the House GOP vote. STEFANIK SPEAKS: Meanwhile, Stefanik caught up with the Washington Examiner's David Drucker, where she spoke about how she will run as conference chair, if ultimately voted in. Asked where Cheney went wrong, Stefanik says Cheney prioritized an individual message rather than "rather than prioritizing the message of the conference," which she says has left members "very frustrated." How she will serve as the No. 3: "Number one, having a unified message at the top. That is the No. 1 priority of the members based upon my conversations. I also think, number two, listening to members more effectively. That has been an area of frustration that there hasn't been enough listening from the current conference chair. And that's, I believe, one of my strong skill sets. She added: "I've spent a lot of time during my time in Congress, but especially over the past week or so, it means hundreds of conversations, listening to get a pulse of the conference. More here: https://washex.am/3vYRtRq Related: Top female GOP senator compares Cheney ousting to 'cancel culture', by The Hill's Jordain Carney: https://bit.ly/3y0ulnp SINEMA CENTER: Kyrsten Sinema doesn't feel the need to explain herself, by 19th News' Amanda Becker: https://bit.ly/3hbQ4To | Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's side hustle: earning cash as a California winery intern, by Insider's Dan Levinthal: https://bit.ly/3bfpDs2 OPPOSED: The Republican Study Committee, the largest House GOP caucus, is coming out opposed to the Schumer-Young Endless Frontier Act, arguing that the legislation leaves American intellectual property vulnerable to theft by China, that it'd distort the National Science Foundation's core mission away from research and knowledge creation and distract from Biden's defense budget "shortfalls," among other reasons. This bipartisan bill is getting marked up by the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Read the RSC's memorandum here: https://bit.ly/33yd472 CASH CRUZING: Sen. Ted Cruz has outspent nearly every other senator on Facebook advertising over the past three months despite not being up for reelection until 2024. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), who is up for reelection next year, is the only senator who spent more than the Texas Republican, forking over $335,000, compared to Cruz's $240,000, per a POLITICO analysis of Facebook advertising disclosures. The key here: "Republicans say the approach will help Cruz raise dollars online and cultivate and collect email addresses of small dollar donors. And while the investment could pay off in what's likely to be an expensive Senate reelection bid — Cruz's 2018 race against Beto O'Rourke was the second most expensive of the cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics — it also could serve the Texas Republican well if he decides to run for president again, which Cruz has said he hoped to do." Our Theo Meyer has the details: https://politi.co/3eDnWXw CAMPAIGN CORNER: Wall Street roots. NBA owner's son. Wisconsin's next Democratic senator? WaPo's Candace Buckner with the story: https://wapo.st/3eyWHgE MARK THIS DATE: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says Biden wants to sign a police reform bill by May 25… which is very stinkin' soon. The House is in only a handful of days between now and that deadline and talks are only just starting to make progress after Rep. James Clyburn (R-S.C.) signaled he is willing to drop the push on qualified immunity in order to come to an agreement. QUICK CLICKS: How a drunk driver inspired Sen. Luján to back anti-DWI technology, by Roll Call's Jessica Wehrmann: https://bit.ly/3hiBzxc | Capitol Police turned attention from '200' Proud Boys gathered on Jan. 6, lawmaker says, by our Ben Leonard: https://politi.co/3uHl55u | | | | A message from Freight Rail Works:   | | | TRANSITIONS Greg Facchiano is joining the ESOP Association (TEA), as Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs, which is a new position. The Association represents the interests of Employee Stock Ownership Plan companies in the U.S. And Facchiano joins TEA after a 25-year career on Capitol Hill, serving most recently as a Senior Policy Advisor on the Senate HELP Committee. And prior to that, he was chief of staff to Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) and former Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.). Krista O'Neill will be legislative director for Rep. David Trone (D-Md.). She previously worked in federal legislative affairs at Boeing, and is a Doris Matsui alum. Chris Estep, most recently communications officer at the Center for a New American Security, has joined the House Armed Services Committee as digital director. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is back in starting at 2 p.m., with votes expected after 6:30 p.m. The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. AROUND THE HILL 10 a.m.: Anthony Fauci and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and other federal officials will testify before the Senate HELP Committee about the government's efforts to combat Covid. 10 a.m.: The Senate Rules Committee will mark up S.1. 10 a.m.: Senate Homeland Security Committee hybrid hearing to examine improving federal cybersecurity after the SolarWinds cyberattack. Brandon Wales, acting director of the Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency, testifies. 2 p.m.: Pelosi holds ceremonial swearing-in for Congressman-elect Troy Carter (D-La.). 4 p.m.: Vice President Kamala Harris meets with members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. TRIVIA MONDAYS WINNER: Dan Cohen was the first person to correctly guess that three Republican senators have been censured by the U.S. senate: Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, Hiram Bingham of Connecticut, and David Durenberger of Minnesota. TODAY'S QUESTION: From Dan: Which US President has a foreign nations' capital named after him, what is the capital city and why was he so honored? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answer to obeavers@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Olivia_Beavers | | A message from Freight Rail Works: The terabytes of data collected across the freight rail network each day are key to unlocking freight rail's full potential. Using new technology, like continuous rail inspection and advanced data algorithms, railroads are uncovering insights to optimize nearly every aspect of the 140,000-mile network. The result? A 21st-century transportation solution that delivers a safer, greener, more prosperous future for America. Where trains go, big things follow. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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