🤫 The Trumpcast

Plus: Dems' jobs ploy | Monday, January 31, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Business Roundtable   Axios Sneak Peek By the Axios Politics team ·Jan 31, 2022 Welcome back to Sneak. The House and Senate are back from recess. Smart Brevity™ count: 912 words ... 3.5 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson.     1 big thing: Scoop - Trump's GOP boost Sen. Rick Scott. Screenshot via "NRSC Red Zone" podcast   The Senate Republicans' campaign and fundraising arm is launching its first-ever podcast — with Donald Trump as its debut guest and donor lure, Axios' Alayna Treene reports. Why it matters: It shows how crucial the GOP considers Trump to its chances of taking back the majority. There's something in it for Trump as well: being interviewed by Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, gives him institutional validation at a time of political and legal scrutiny. The guest spot also shows how Republicans still see his brand as a net positive, despite flagging poll numbers, legal investigations and blowback from a weekend speech in which he mused about pardoning Jan. 6 insurrectionists. Between the lines: Scott's embrace also stands in sharp contrast to the view of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. McConnell's repeatedly shown a willingness to condemn Trump — making him one of the former president's major targets for criticism. Driving the news: The podcast is titled "NRSC Red Zone" and will focus on conversations with top Republican elected officials, business leaders and other experts to discuss issues ahead of November's midterms. Scott says the name's football connotation was chosen because Republicans "are in the red zone. We've got to punch it in. This is just a few months away from the election." The first episode featuring Trump is about 20 minutes long and will be released this week. The two spend a lot of it comparing Trump's first year in office with that of President Biden's, according to the NRSC. The content is paid for by the NRSC. Keep reading.     2. Swing-district Dems' jobs ploy Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   Moderate swing-district Democrats, desperate to score a win after months of party failures, are planning to sell the new House competition bill as a jobs bill that will ease inflation — not a China bill. Why it matters: These so-called frontline members see the rebranding as a life raft ahead of their tough re-election fights. They're urging leadership to make the new competition bill Congress' top legislative priority, Alayna and Axios' Sarah Mucha report. What we're hearing: The members have long been calling on Biden and Democratic leaders to do more to address inflation and breakdowns in the U.S. supply chain. Both are key Republican attack points. They also see this bill as an opportunity to tell their voters they're finally acting after futile work on Biden's Build Back Better agenda and comprehensive voting rights. In the coming weeks, they'll emphasize how the "America COMPETES Act" will bring jobs to middle America and suburban areas, focusing heavily on semiconductor manufacturing and so-called CHIPS provisions that would aid that industry, Axios is told. What they're saying: "Anybody who wants to push this bill can choose whatever form of messaging they want," Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) told Axios. Keep reading.     3. By the numbers: Dems' fundraising firewall Data: Campaign press releases; Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios Individual Senate Democrats are heading toward those midterms in a strong position, at least cash-wise — outraising their respective challengers in key states, Sarah also reports. Why it matters: Many other metrics portend doom for the party. Raising lots of money, and the messaging it propels, is among the Democrats' best hope for protecting their vulnerable seats. Driving the news: Today was the final day for campaigns to file their 2021 fourth-quarter and yearly fundraising totals. The candidate-by-candidate numbers will be key because the NRSC out-fundraised the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee during 2021. The NRSC raised $104.8 million compared to the DSCC's $91.2 million. The details: Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who has a history of being a strong fundraiser, faces a crowded Republican primary field. It includes businessman Jim Lamon, the state's attorney general, Mark Brnovich, and Thiel Capital executive Blake Masters. Lamon is primarily self-funded. Kelly reported raising $9 million to Lamon's $3.2 million. New Hampshire's Senate primary field is still forming after Republican Gov. Chris Sununu declined the bid for national office. But Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) broke a record, raising the most money in the fourth quarter by a Granite State Senate candidate during a non-election year. She took in $3.1 million. Keep reading.     A message from Business Roundtable American workers win with a globally competitive tax code     Before the pandemic, America had record-low unemployment and job creators increased wages and household incomes. Raising taxes on job creators would threaten America's ability to compete globally and set America back.     4. ICYMI: Worthy of your time President Biden welcomes Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, to the Oval Office. Photo: Tom Brenner/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images   😠 David Bossie, a prominent Trump ally, is pushing the Republican Party to formally expel Reps. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) during its annual meeting in Utah this week, the Washington Post's Josh Dawsey reports (subscription). The resolution also calls for the RNC to formally endorse their ouster from the House Republican Conference, Axios' Andrew Solender reports in tonight's Sneak roundup. ☎️ Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he got a "surprise" call last Wednesday from White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain giving him a heads-up on Justice Stephen Breyer's retirement. "Not the usual person to call me. I think it might've been the first time he's ever called me," Durbin, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters. 👩🏽‍⚖️ Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) endorsed Biden's pledge to nominate a Black woman to replace Breyer. It's "far beyond time," he told CNN. He also said the process could go "pretty quick" if the nominee has "already been vetted" — as have many on Biden's shortlist. 🇼 A new quarterly FEC filing from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) includes a max donation from former President George W. Bush. Murkowski is a prominent Trump critic facing stiff challenges from Trump-endorsed opponents. 💵 Trump himself said his affiliated committees raised $51 million during the second half of last year, and have over $122 million cash on hand. FEC reports are due at midnight.     5. Pic du jour Photo: Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images   The last day of the month got off to a glorious start.     A message from Business Roundtable $350 billion in research and development. $739 billion in investments     Globally engaged U.S. businesses support American workers and communities. Business Roundtable CEOs are committed to inclusive innovation and a thriving U.S. economy — one that positions American workers and businesses to compete and win globally.   📬 Thanks for reading. A reminder your family, friends and colleagues can subscribe to Sneak or any of Axios' other free local and national newsletters through this link. Like this email style and format? 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