| | | | |  | | By Katherine Tully-McManus | Presented by Genentech | With an assist from Nicholas Wu POSITIVELY PACKED PRIMARY DAY — Voters in seven states – California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota – head to the polls today. Here are the Congressional races we're watching: California Dreamin': Eyes are on House GOP incumbents Young Kim, in Orange County, and David Valadao, in the Central Valley, who could be in danger. National Republicans have poured money into both races to protect Kim and Valadao from primary challenges. While Kim's redrawn district is more red than before, its boundaries mean many voters haven't been represented by Kim before and are getting to know her. Kim's challenger Greg Raths is a pro-Donald Trump local council member who was recently accused of making anti-Semitic comments. Valadao is vulnerable because he voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection. For more: California's test on crime, House members in danger and more: What to watch in Tuesday's primaries Remember: California has an unusual primary format where all parties' candidates compete on a single ballot and the two candidates who receive the most votes progress to the general election. Living at-large: South Dakota's at-large incumbent Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) is defending his seat from a primary challenge that is drawing in big bucks. State Rep. Taffy Howard has blasted Johnson on the airwaves, especially for his vote to establish an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack. Is Jersey for "Junior"?: Rob Menendez, son of Sen. Bob Menendez, is running for the Democratic nomination for the N.J.-8 seat vacated by retiring Rep. Albio Sires. Also keep an eye on Tom Kean Jr. in the 7th District, where the former GOP leader of the state senate and son of a former governor is hoping for a rematch against Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski. Comeback kid?: Former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) wants to face off with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in November. But first she needs to beat retired Navy Vice Admiral Michael Franken in the Democratic primary. RELATED: Seven questions about Tuesday's primaries in seven states, from Kate Ackley, Mary Ellen McIntire, Stephanie Akin, and Jackie Wang at CQ Roll Call | | | | WIN A VIP TICKET TO JOIN POLITICO's CONGRESS TEAM FOR COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION: Our reporters spend each day firing off questions to elected officials and their staff – so we figured it's time to return the favor and give lawmakers a chance to turn the tables on us with a (short!) reverse press conference, featuring Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Representative Julia Letlow (R-LA) followed by cocktails & conversation. Enter for a chance to join newsmakers at this exclusive event on June 15th at The Observatory at America's Square on Capitol Hill. Winners will be notified by June 10th (travel and accommodations not provided, this is a widely attended event pursuant to House & Senate ethics rules). ENTER HERE. | | | | |
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, June 7, where the House gets back in on the action.
NARROW, BUT NOT NOTHING — Senators are still hoping to broker a deal on gun safety. But the initial deadline of this week is soft. Monday night meeting: Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) met for about two hours Monday night. The focus of the package, which is being negotiated by Murphy, Cornyn, Sinema and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), are provisions that would expand background checks, enhance school safety, incentivize states to implement red flag laws and provide resources for new mental health programs, multiple people familiar with the talks told Burgess and Marianne. Murphy told reporters after a meeting with Cornyn and Sinema that they "continue to make progress on narrowing and refining" the package's scope. "We have work to do with our colleagues this week to make sure what we're talking about can get 60 votes." (Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said he doesn't know how an expansion of background checks could be any narrower than the proposal he and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) have been pushing for nearly a decade. "I don't know how you get any skinnier than that," he said Monday.) Sen. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said he intends to prompt a full discussion among Senate Republicans this afternoon to start what could be a lengthy process of determining if there are 10 GOP votes for the still-developing package. Murphy said he anticipates discussion among Democrats Tuesday, but isn't making a formal presentation at the caucus lunch. "I don't think we're there yet," he said. Let's talk timeline: "I don't feel any deadlines being put upon me in these negotiations. We're going to pay a price with the American public if we don't come up with a deal soon. The pressure I feel is from the people that I represent," Murphy said on Monday. But he said he's aiming for agreement by the end of the week. RELATED: With Cornyn in the Room, Senate Gun Talks Focus on Narrow Changes, from Carl Hulse at The New York Times; GOP's Cornyn Draws Line on Guns, Saying Any Bill Must Be Narrow, from Steven T. Dennis and Jarrell Dillard at Bloomberg (ICYMI, Marianne had a Cornyn dive last week: The Texas conservative turned Biden-approved 'rational Republican' on guns) | | | | A message from Genentech: There is a lack of transparency in our healthcare system, complicating true drug pricing reform. Mindful pricing decisions must strike the right balance between substantially lower costs for patients while preserving scientific innovation. Learn how Genentech continues to demonstrate leadership in pricing its medicines through a commitment to transparency and accountability. | | |
CAUCUS CONVERSATIONS — The Congressional Black Caucus is set to hold its in-person retreat for most of today, where members are expected to talk about issues important to the caucus — including thorny ones like student debt . Top Biden administration officials, civil rights leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton and National Urban League CEO and President Marc Morial, and the majority of the Black Caucus are expected to be there, a spokesperson said. The group recently pushed Biden for "broad-based student loan debt cancellation," an issue that's split Democrats on the scope of cancellation. They've asked for a meeting with Biden himself too.
VAN HOLLEN BACK TO WORK — Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) returned to the Capitol on Monday for votes and a warm welcome for the first time since suffering a minor stroke in mid-May. A few days after his stroke, he said he was "on track for a full recovery." | | | | DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today. | | | | |
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Actor Matthew McConaughey is seen at the U.S. Capitol June 6, 2022. | Francis Chung/E&E News/POLITICO | Uvalde's own… Actor Matthew McConaughey was on Capitol Hill on Monday to discuss what he calls "gun responsibility" following the mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, which left 19 children and two adults dead. He sat down with Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to talk about gun violence. Earlier in the day, McConaughey put out an op-ed in The Austin American-Statesman calling for action. Anthony has more. Our friends at Playbook noted that the actor and his wife were spotted dining Monday night at Fiola Mare with Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio). Spicing things up in Longworth… There's a new pop-up lunch option in Longworth today. SPICE Market will be serving "your favorite Indian dishes like Punjabi-style chicken curry, Navratan Korma curry, naan flatbread, and more." Watch party…It looks like Democratic groups plan to host watch parties for Thursday night's prime time hearing of the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. It looks like one will be outdoors right across the street from the Capitol, featuring free food "with vegan, veg and GF options, including free and Ben & Jerry's ice cream." QUICK LINKS Senators call for investigation into killing of U.S. journalist in West Bank, from Bryan Pietsch at The Washington Post Lawmakers threaten DoD's No. 2 over 'stalled' cruise missile decision, from Bryan Bender and Connor O'Brien What filibuster? House GOP plans a 2024-minded majority, from Jordain Carney TRANSITIONS Former House Armed Services Committee staff director Paul Arcangeli is joining lobbying and strategic communications firm Invariant. Arcangeli spent a dozen years as the panel's top Democratic aide and starts Tuesday in Invariant's government relations arm, where he'll advise clients on defense, technology, biotechnology and other issues (h/t Connor O'Brien, who had the scoop). Hank Kilgore is the new vice president of federal legislative affairs at Verizon. He was most recently a senior adviser to Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.). Laynee Buckels is joining Rep. Randy Weber's (R-Texas) office as comms director. She previously was press secretary for Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.). Molly Jenkins is joining Purple Strategies as a manager. She most recently was comms director for Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.). Garcia's new comms director will be Noah Sadlier. He's currently a digital strategist at FlexPoint Media, and is a Fred Upton and Peter Meijer campaign alum.
| | | | A message from Genentech:   | | | TODAY IN CONGRESS The House convenes at 2 p.m. for legislative business The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with votes at 11:30 a.m. The Senate will recess from noon to 2:15 p.m. for caucus lunches and will vote again later in the afternoon. AROUND THE HILL 10 a.m. Senate Finance Committee hearing on President Joe Biden's fiscal 2023 budget request. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen testifies (Dirksen 215). 10 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on domestic terrorism after the May 2022 Buffalo, N.Y., shooting (Hart 216). 2 p.m. Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans hold their separate post-policy lunch press conferences. 5 p.m. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other lawmakers will hold an enrollment ceremony for a bill that will study the potential creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture (H-217). | | | MONDAY'S WINNER: Bob Bissen correctly answered that in 1976 when Sen. Walter Mondale (D-Minn.) ascended to the vice presidency, Gov. Wendell Anderson resigned in a deal with his successor Lt. Gov. Rudy Perpich, to be appointed to the Senate. Instead of an incumbent advantage, 1978 became known as the "Minnesota Massacre," when Republicans won both U.S. Senate seats and the governor's office in Minnesota. TODAY'S QUESTION from Bob: Which former Minnesota state Senate minority leader was the only football player drafted out of Hamline University and started for the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus
| | | | A message from Genentech: In recent years, patients have benefited from tremendous technological and scientific advances – targeted biologics that have significantly increased survival rates in cancer, and gene therapies that have the potential to cure previously insurmountable diseases. Yet when it comes to paying for these treatments and enabling equitable access for every patient, our reimbursement system has not kept pace with the science. There is a lack of transparency in our healthcare system, complicating true drug pricing reform. More than 50% of the costs of medicines to patients are not associated with the medicines themselves. Mindful pricing decisions must strike the right balance between substantially lower costs for patients while preserving scientific innovation. Learn about Genentech's commitments to pricing and payment reforms that will ensure patients in the US have affordable, equitable and sustainable access to life-changing medicines. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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