| | | | |  | | By Olivia Beavers and Jordain Carney | Presented by Chevron | IN-DREW-BITABLY DISFAVORED?: By far the most closely watched House Republican race right now is for majority whip (yes, a post that's not yet open, 15 days before the election). All three contenders have buffed-up resumes: National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Republican Study Committee Chair Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Chief Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.). But only one – Ferguson – has a "McCarthy problem," as GOP lawmakers and senior aides put it. Why, you may ask, is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) signaling he isn't crazy about Ferguson rising to the whip job while appearing fine with Emmer and Banks? We did some digging for the answer. Rewind to: About a week before the 2020 election, when Ferguson had conversations where he privately raised the idea of postponing the date of subsequent House GOP leadership ballots, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the situation. Not only did the move tread close to territory under McCarthy's authority, but it also came as Republicans braced to lose seats. McCarthy and his allies got wind of Ferguson's conversations with other members, which they viewed as the Georgian trying to find an opening to challenge McCarthy's conference-leading post. And McCarthy allies don't believe Ferguson was working entirely alone at the time – the people who spoke with Olivia said they believe he was making this suggestion with Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and other members. Both McCarthy and Ferguson camps talked the episode through, and one Republican with direct knowledge said Ferguson ultimately apologized for the suggestion. But the moment has clearly planted a seed of doubt that still affects their current relationship. One strategy: Multiple Republicans have said Ferguson needs to pull a "McHenry" and find a path that shows McCarthy they can work well together. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), who preceded Ferguson as GOP whip Steve Scalise's (R-La.) chief deputy, proved he could work well with both McCarthy and Scalise after the latter was seriously wounded in 2017's congressional baseball practice shooting. Stepping in while Scalise recovered, McHenry proved his skills and also grew closer to McCarthy. Don't believe the hype: So who's the House GOP whip frontrunner? Everyone on the Hill certainly has their own opinions, but prognosticators should keep their powder dry. Ferguson supporters might remind you that a kneecap is not a death kiss, though it could cause issues for him particularly in a tight race. Ferguson's allies say he's got a lot of things working for him too: he's the hopeful most familiar with the job and has a strong record in fundraising (think $2 million given to the NRCC and $700,000 directly to members and candidates) as well as working with dozens of candidates on the trail across 23 states. Plus, he was the first candidate out front asking for support, making inroads across the conference, in particular among his fellow southerners and the conference's old bulls.
| | | | A message from Chevron: The fuels of the future can come from unexpected places. Find out how Chevron is working with partners to convert the methane from cow waste into renewable natural gas. Learn more. | | | GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, October 24, where Olivia is about to hop a flight to Michigan with Scalise, who's making various campaign stops this week. Follow her travels on Twitter at @Olivia_Beavers . And send Jordain ( @jordainc ) Nebraska recs as she preps to head out to Omaha. IN THE OTHER CORNERS — The Washington Examiner's Juliegrace Brufke popped a story on the other two contestants in the whip race — Banks and Emmer — reporting that Donald Trump Jr. is wading into the race and accusing Emmer's camp of planting negative quotes about Banks and his staff in a Daily Beast story. (You can read that here .) Emmer's camp denied the accusation in an on-the-record statement, and as JG notes Don Jr. has a deeper beef with the House GOP campaign chief. But the story appeared to catch the attention of at least one member of Congress. And, if this all sounds slightly familiar to you: Elise Stefanik faced a similar accusation as she was weighing whether or not to jump into the whip race earlier this year, which her team dismissed as a "malicious dishonest rumor." Related: Tucker Carlson Lashes Out at GOP Campaign Chief in Irate Private Call from Axios's Jonathan Swan In case you need a Dems' musical chairs refresher: Young Democrats Ready Their Plans for a Post-Pelosi Shake-Up from NBC News's Scott Wong The Senate's version of leadership drama: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is planning on skipping from claiming president pro tempore role—which would put the 89-year-old senator third in the presidential line of succession—if Democrats are in the majority next year, she told The Washington Post's Paul Kane . Currently, 82-year-old retiring Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) holds the title, which comes with a security detail and a first floor Capitol office. If Republicans flip the Senate, the roll would go to 89-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who has held it before, and if Democrats keep the chamber, and Feinstein abdicates, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the No. 3 Senate Democrat, appears to be next in line .
| | | | NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID . | | | | | SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP HEADACHES—With House Republicans smelling the barn in the final stretch before Nov. 8, their right flank is already plotting how to gut spending, upend the federal safety net and make Trump-era tax cuts permanent if, as expected, they are back in the majority come January, reports our colleague Caitlin Emma. Some conservatives are eyeing the debt limit and government funding to extract major concessions from Democrats, such as restoring federal spending caps or overhauling Social Security and Medicare. Democrats and the White House, meanwhile, are using the public posturing as a warning bell in their final election pitches. Henry Connelly, a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), told Emma that "it's clear this would be a very real danger under a GOP House. This isn't loose Republican talk, this is an increasingly specific and serious plan with extremely high stakes for the economy and seniors' financial security." On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue: Shalanda Young has quietly become central to Joe Biden's presidency. Her most important work may be yet to come. from CNN's Phil Mattingly. JAN. 6 SUBPOENA MOVES—A federal appeals court rejected former Arizona GOP senate candidate (and current Arizona Republican chair) Kelli Ward's attempt to block the House's Jan. 6 select committee's subpoena for her phone records in connection with its investigations, our colleague Josh Gerstein reports . Ward's lawyer didn't immediately respond to questions about if she would try to bump the case up to the full Ninth Circuit or the Supreme Court. The legal drama comes as the Jan. 6 committee took the historic step last week of subpoenaing former President Donald Trump. Though the move is likely to be largely symbolic, Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — who was exiled from leadership by her party for her criticism of Trump and work on the panel — told NBC News's Chuck Todd that if he does testify, the committee won't let Trump "turn this into a circus." Trump has weighed appearing before the committee, but only if his testimony would be live and televised, The New York Times's Charlie Savage and Alan Feuer report , while also running through a number of potential paths Trump's lawyers could try to take if he chooses to defy the subpoena.
| | | | A message from Chevron:   | | | MIDTERM STATE OF MIND — Democrats are privately sending warning signals that Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is endangered, as polls suggest that previously undecided voters have shifted toward the GOP, POLITICO's Natalie Allison reports . The fretting over Kelly's fate comes as Senate Republicans believe across the country that the national environment is sliding back in their direction in the final weeks of the midterm election. As our senior campaign and elections editor Steven Shepard writes in his latest update: "Polls show GOP candidates closing the gap in states where Democrats have led all summer — and perhaps pulling away in races that had appeared close for months." Related: Oz Loans his Pennsylvania Senate Campaign Another $1 Million from CNN's David Wright and Dan Merica. Voters Stick to Pandemic-Era Habits, as Early Turnout Surges from The New York Times's Nick Corasaniti. Oz-Shapiro. Warnock-Kemp. Split-Ticket Voters Loom Large in Midterms from The Washington Post's Hannah Knowles.
| | | HART HALLOWEEN—The Senate might be out of session, but Halloween season is in full swing. This Friday, Oct. 28, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), are teaming up again for Hart Halloween, where kids can trick-or-treat through the Hart Senate Office Building. As of Friday, there were nearly two dozen offices planning to take part — staffer costumes and office decorations are encouraged! See details here . Your Huddle hosts are also putting in a plug for dogs to show up in costume too, since the Sen. Thom Tillis-hosted "Bipawtisan" Halloween , we regret to inform you, is not happening this year with the Senate out of session. His office, however, noted that they "look forward to being back bigger and better than ever next year!" CAUGHT OUR EYE… During Friday's House pro forma session (yes, some of us pay attention to them) , Pelosi was formally notified that the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer had been served with a third-party subpoena to produce documents in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The CAO — according to the notification that was read out loud during the brief session — consulted with the Office of General Counsel, and determined that only partial compliance is consistent with the privileges and rights of the House. A spokesperson for the CAO didn't respond to outreach from POLITICO. And Friday's Congressional Record provided few other clues on what the subpoena is about.
| | | | LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today . | | | | | QUICK LINKS How Two Navy Veterans are Battling for One of the Nation's Biggest Toss-Up House Seats from POLITICO's Marie J. French For Trump's Backers in Congress, 'Devil Terms' Help Rally Voters from The New York Times's Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Steve Eder In Ohio, Vance Faces Backlash in Ukrainian Community Over War Stance from The Washington Post's Cara McGoogan Mystery Robocall Thanks Democrats in Competitive Georgia Races for Supporting Abortion rights of 'birthing persons' from CNN's Em Steck and Andrew Kaczynski Petitions Out for Rep. Garcia Mayoral Run; Lawmaker Still Mulling Chicago City Hall Bid from The Chicago Sun-Times's Lynn Sweet TRANSITIONS None. TODAY IN CONGRESS The House is out. The Senate will convene at 1:45 p.m. for a pro forma session. AROUND THE HILL All quiet.
| | | FRIDAY'S WINNER: John M. Palatiello correctly answered that Sen. Wilton E. Hall (D-S.C.) served just 44 days in the Senate, the same length of time as Liz Truss' tenure as prime minister of the United Kingdom. TODAY'S QUESTION: Name two famous 19th century poets that share this family history: Their fathers were both members of the House. The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. CHANGE ALERT: Please send your answers to the fabulous Sarah Ferris at sferris@politico.com . She will be your fill-in Huddle Host tomorrow. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Olivia on Twitter @Olivia_Beavers and Jordain @jordainc | | | | A message from Chevron: Energy demand is growing. Meeting that demand calls for innovation. That's why at Chevron, we're working with partners to convert the methane from cow waste into renewable natural gas. Through our partnerships, we expect to increase our RNG production 10x by 2025. Learn more. | | | | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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