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| Presented By Climate Power |
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| Axios Sneak Peek |
| By the Axios Politics team ·Mar 13, 2022 |
| Welcome back to Sneak. ⚡Situational awareness: Sports crossed with politics today as a Ukrainian soccer star scored the first goal of his first Premier League game back since Russia invaded his country. Smart Brevity™ count: 917 words ... 3.5 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson. |
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| 1 big thing: Dems doubt Black candidates |
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| Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios |
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| A big-time Maryland donor recently raised a lingering question in some corners of the Democratic Party: Can Black candidates run for and win statewide races? Why it matters: Democrats rely on Black voters as a lifeline for their party, but Black candidates in 2022 are still plagued with electability questions, writes Axios' Alexi McCammond. - "Consider this: Three African-American males have run statewide for Governor and have lost," Barbara Goldberg Goldman wrote to fellow party insiders in December. "This is a fact we must not ignore."
The big picture: The question posed by Goldman isn't just being asked in Maryland. Black candidates in places like Illinois, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Wisconsin say they're navigating similar racial dynamics. - The questions come despite unprecedented representation by officeholders and candidates, from the vice president to members of Congress and mayors.
- A snapshot: There are 57 Black U.S. House members, the most ever; Black women are mayors of seven of the 100 most-populous cities; three Black candidates were among the primary contestants for the Virginia governor's race last year, and three are currently competing in Maryland Democratic gubernatorial primary.
The questions also remain despite Black voters boosting Democrats — particularly in long-shot elections in states like Georgia, and during presidential contests. - One consistent comment relayed to Axios in conversations with over a dozen Black candidates, campaign staff and Democratic strategists: The skepticism doesn't usually come from voters.
- Instead, it emanates — behind the scenes — from donors, state party leaders and even D.C. pundits.
In response to questions about her email, Goldman, who is white, told Axios: "I regret making the statement. It neither accurately expresses nor depicts my views, and does not represent my lifelong commitment to supporting Democratic causes and candidates." Keep reading. |
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| 2. First look: GOP seeks tech boost |
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| Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios |
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| Republicans are upping their investments in GOP tech startups as operatives try to make the party more technologically self-sufficient, Axios' Lachlan Markay has learned. Why it matters: Political campaigning is a multibillion-dollar industry, and both parties are pouring money into products tailor-made to winning elections that can ween their campaigns off of legacy technology like Facebook and Twitter. - The Republicans' sense of urgency is two-fold.
- They're playing catch-up with Democrats who've invested more in political tech.
- They're also trying to break their reliance on Silicon Valley companies seen as mission-unaligned at best — and actively hostile to their party and its beliefs at worst.
Driving the news: Startup Caucus, a Republican technology investment fund, just raised $500,000 for its second round of investment in early-stage tech startups. - It was founded by Eric Wilson and Joe Pounder. Wilson is a former senior digital operative at the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) 2016 presidential campaign; Pounder's a veteran Republican strategist and CEO of Bullpen Strategy Group.
- In a statement, Startup Caucus called its new raise "the most significant targeted investment in the Right's innovation ecosystem to date."
- Its portfolio companies are developing products in key political spaces including fundraising, data, voter turnout, web design, digital marketing and HR and recruitment.
Keep reading. |
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| 3. Charted: Congressional veterans |
 Data: Quorum; Chart: Thomas Oide/Axios Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) has spent more time in Congress than anyone else currently in office, with 48 years in the House of Representatives, according to Quorum data reviewed by Axios' Stef Kight. By the numbers: The average American is 20 years younger than the average representative in the House and Senate. Forty percent of current senators and 26% of representatives are 65 years or older — and many have strolled the Capitol's marble halls for decades. - Less than 5% of members are from the ages of 25 to 40, compared to 33% of the U.S. population, Quorum notes.
- Four of the top 10 longest-serving members of Congress — Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Ron Wyden (R-Ore.), and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — have served in both chambers.
The big picture: The longest-serving member of Congress ever was th Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich). - He spent 59 years not just in office but in the House alone — winning re-election 29 times.
- Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) spent the most years in the Senate, at 51 years, 5 months and 26 days.
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| A message from Climate Power |
| We can't drill our way to real energy independence |
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| We can't drill our way to real energy independence. We must accelerate the production of cheaper, cleaner energy — like wind, solar and electric vehicles — that isn't impacted by conflicts overseas and will lower costs for consumers and businesses. Congress, it's time to act. |
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| 4. Worthy of your time |
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| Sylvester Stallone honored the late Supreme Court justice with a pair of boxing gloves during the third annual Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award on Friday. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images |
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| 🐘 Former President Trump took to South Carolina this weekend to campaign for primary challengers to Reps. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), calling Rice's vote for impeachment "political suicide," Axios' Andrew Solender writes. - Rice shot back in a statement that Trump is "consumed by spite" and a "would-be tyrant," adding: "I took one vote he didn't like and now he's chosen to support a 'yes' man candidate who has and will bow to anything he says, no matter what."
🏛️ The House and Senate are both in session this week, with the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee set to hold a Tuesday hearing on reforming management of federal records amid controversy over Trump's handling of White House records. 🗳️ On the House side, the Rules Committee is holding a Thursday hearing on proxy voting — the system put in place during the pandemic to allow members to vote on legislation for their colleagues. Some Republicans have sought to eliminate it. 📜 The House is also expected to take up legislation supported by lawmakers in both parties codifying President Biden's move to revoke permanent normalized trade relations with Russia, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. |
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| 5. Pic du jour |
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| Photo: Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images |
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| The Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington — under financial strain and cut off from the Taliban government in Kabul — will close this week, the New York Times reported. |
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| A message from Climate Power |
| We can't drill our way to real energy independence |
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| We can't drill our way to real energy independence. We must accelerate the production of cheaper, cleaner energy — like wind, solar and electric vehicles — that isn't impacted by conflicts overseas and will lower costs for consumers and businesses. Congress, it's time to act. |
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| 📬 Thanks for starting another week with us. We truly appreciate your readership. A reminder that your family and friends can subscribe to Sneak or any of Axios' other free local and national newsletters through this link. |
 | It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications. | | |
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