Luther Strange supporters launch joint-fundraising effort for crowded Senate race
He’s only been in office a few short months and already Sen. Luther Strange is having to do something most sitting senators don’t have to worry about but once every six years — campaign to keep his seat. Facing a bevy of primary challengers — former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore; State Rep. Ed Henry; President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama Dr. Randy Brinson; Birmingham businessman Dom Gentile — Strange has his work cut out for him preparing for the August 15 GOP primary. Which is precisely why a new joint-fundraising effort has been launched on his behalf. Seeking to boost the senator’s chance of winning the primary and to clear a path for a December special election victory, former Republican National Committee CFO Benjamin Ottenhoff filed the paperwork on Tuesday creating the Strange Victory Committee to fundraise on behalf of Strange for Senate and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). The move should come as no surprise as NRSC communications director Katie Martin told Politico last month, “We have made it very clear from the beginning that Sen. Luther Strange would be treated as an incumbent. It has also been a clear policy that we will not use vendors who work against our incumbents.” Martin said Strange is considered an incumbent by the NRSC and will be protected like one. Fundraising aside, Strange may already have a leg-up on his opponents. According to his campaign’s latest filing with the Federal Election Commission he already has $763,612 cash-on-hand. Last month Gov. Kay Ivey moved the date of the special election to 2017 from 2018, giving little time for his opponents to catch up on the fundraising front. Prior to that, the special election was set to coincide with the 2018 regular election cycle as set by former-Gov. Robert Bentley. “I promised to steady our ship of state. This means following the law, which clearly states the people should vote for a replacement U.S. Senator as soon as possible,” Ivey said in a statement. “The new US Senate special election dates this year are a victory for the rule of law.” In February, Bentley appointed Strange to the Senate seat to replace Jeff Sessions. The GOP primary will be his first test of approval to see if Alabamians support Bentley’s decision.
Perry Hooper Jr. declines U.S. Senate run, backs Luther Strange
Former state Rep. Perry Hooper Jr. will not run in the special election for U.S. Senate. Instead, Hooper, who served as Alabama co-chair of Donald Trump‘s campaign, is endorsing current Sen. Luther Strange. According to AL.com, the Montgomery Republican had sought the appointment by then-Gov. Robert Bentley to succeed Jeff Sessions after he became Trump’s Attorney General. In the end, Bentley chose Strange, Alabama’s attorney general at the time. Hooper held a news conference on the Capitol steps in Montgomery Wednesday morning, where he explained that he made the decision not to enter the race last week. While all the candidates in the race would make “competent” senators, Hooper said Strange was the best to put forward Trump’s agenda. “We need a strong conservative in Washington who will take up the mantle of Jeff Sessions and support the Trump agenda,” Hooper told reporters. “Every vote Sen. Strange has cast is exactly how Jeff Sessions would have voted.” Hooper is endorsing Strange based on his vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court and his Strange’s support of a bill to cut funding to sanctuary cities, using that money to build Trump’s wall on the country’s southern border. He added: “He has assured me that he will be a strong Trump floor leader in repealing and replacing Obamacare, cutting taxes on working Americans, reducing regulations that are stifling economy, rebuilding our border military and ensuring our border security.” Watch Hooper’s endorsement below:
Worst treatment ever, Donald Trump grumbles; Dems demand deep probe
Surrounded by multiplying questions, President Donald Trump complained Wednesday that “no politician in history” has been treated worse. Democrats demanded an independent commission to dig into his firing of FBI Director James Comey, but Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan cautioned against “rushing to judgment.” Ryan said Congress needs to get the facts, but “it is obvious there are some people out there who want to harm the president.” Elijah Cummings, top Democrat on a key House oversight panel, countered that Ryan and the Republicans had shown “zero, zero, zero appetite for any investigation of President Trump.” The White House has denied reports that Trump pressed Comey to drop an investigation into Trump’s first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. In addition Trump is facing pointed questions about his discussions with Russian diplomats during which he is reported to have disclosed classified information. Also Tuesday, in an extraordinary turn of events, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to turn over to Congress records of Trump’s discussions with the diplomats. The White House has played down the importance and secrecy of the information Trump gave to the Russians, which had been supplied by Israel under an intelligence-sharing agreement. Trump himself said he had “an absolute right” as president to share “facts pertaining to terrorism” and airline safety with Russia. Yet U.S. allies and some members of Congress have expressed alarm. Republicans and Democrats alike were eager to hear from Comey, who has increasingly emerged as a central figure in the unfolding drama. The Senate intelligence committee on Wednesday asked Comey to appear before the panel in both open and closed sessions. The committee also asked acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe to give the committee any notes that Comey might have made regarding discussions he had with White House or Justice Department officials about Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election. Putin told a news conference that he would be willing to turn over notes of Trump’s meeting with the Russian diplomats if the White House agreed. He dismissed outrage over Trump’s disclosures as U.S. politicians whipping up “anti-Russian sentiment.” Asked what he thinks of the Trump presidency, Putin said it’s up to the American people to judge and his performance can be rated “only when he’s allowed to work at full capacity,” implying that someone is hampering Trump’s efforts. Trump himself hasn’t directly addressed the latest allegations that he pressured Comey to drop the Flynn investigation. But the swirling questions about his conduct were clearly on his mind when he told graduates at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut that “no politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly.” Striking a defiant stance, he added: “You can’t let the critics and the naysayers get in the way of your dreams. … I guess that’s why we won. Adversity makes you stronger. Don’t give in, don’t back down. … And the more righteous your fight, the more opposition that you will face.” As for Comey, whom Trump fired last week, the FBI director wrote in a memo after a February meeting at the White House that the new president had asked him to shut down the FBI’s investigation of Flynn and his Russian contacts, said a person who had read the memo. The Flynn investigation was part of a broader probe into Russian interference in last year’s presidential election. Comey’s memo, an apparent effort to create a paper trail of his contacts with the White House, would be the clearest evidence to date that the president has tried to influence the investigation. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Republican chairman of the House oversight committee, sent a letter to the FBI on Tuesday requesting that it turn over all documents and recordings that detail communications between Comey and Trump. He said he would give the FBI a week and then “if we need a subpoena, we’ll do it.” John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said late Tuesday that the developments had reached “Watergate size and scale.” Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader of the Senate, said simply, “It would be helpful to have less drama emanating from the White House.” The person who described the Comey memo to the AP was not authorized to discuss it by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. The existence of the memo was first reported Tuesday by The New York Times. The White House vigorously denied it all. “While the president has repeatedly expressed his view that General Flynn is a decent man who served and protected our country, the president has never asked Mr. Comey or anyone else to end any investigation, including any investigation involving General Flynn,” a White House statement said. Trump fired Flynn on Feb. 13, on grounds that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other officials about his contacts with Russians. The intensifying drama comes as Trump is set to embark Friday on his first foreign trip, which had been optimistically viewed by some aides as an opportunity to reset an administration floundering under an inexperienced president. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina: “He’s probably glad to leave town, and a lot of us are glad he’s leaving for a few days.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Del Marsh not running for U.S. Senate seat
State Sen. Del Marsh will not be seeking the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Marsh, an Anniston Republican, has served as Alabama Senate President Pro Tem since 2010. Currently in the race for the Republican nomination are Sen. Luther Strange, who had been appointed by former Gov. Robert Bentley in February, Huntsville Congressman Mo Brooks, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, state Rep. Ed Henry of Hartselle, Christian Coalition of Alabama President Randy Brinson, Dominic Gentile and Birmingham business executive Bryan Peeples. AL.com is reporting that 5 p.m. today is the deadline for candidates enter the special election for U.S. Senator. The Republican primary is Aug. 15. According to the Alabama Republican Party, also qualifying for the race are Mary Maxwell and Joseph F. Breault. Democratic candidates include Michael Hansen of the environmental advocacy group Gasp; former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones; Mobile resident Robert Kennedy Jr.; and Orange Beach’s Jason Fisher, who serves as vice president of direct marketing firm Ruffalo Noel-Levitz. Today’s announcement puts end to speculation Marsh would enter the race. Earlier this month, Marsh met with members of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “I don’t consider Gov. Bentley’s hand-chosen senator to be the incumbent,” Marsh told NRSC officials. “I think the people will choose that in an election cycle.”
More health insurance woes looming: blame Donald Trump or Barack Obama?
Another year of big premium increases and dwindling choice is looking like a distinct possibility for many consumers who buy their own health insurance – but why, and who’s to blame? President Donald Trump has seized on early market rumbles as validation of his claim that “Obamacare” is a disaster, collapsing of its own weight. Democrats, meanwhile, accuse Trump of “sabotage” on a program he’s disparaged and wants to dismantle. It’s more complicated, say some independent experts. As for blame, there’s enough to go around. Many insurers in the subsidized markets created by the Affordable Care Act are still struggling to overcome financial losses. The cost of care for their new customers turned out higher than expected, a fundamental factor driving premiums next year and nudging some insurers toward the exits. But the Trump administration has also sent mixed signals that insurers find unsettling. A market stabilization regulation gave the industry changes it wanted. However, insurers’ top priority has become a political football. Trump keeps hinting he might stop paying billions of dollars in subsidies to reduce deductibles and copayments. Insurers are also worried that under Trump the IRS will ease up enforcing the health law’s unpopular requirement that most individuals have coverage, which can help drive healthy people into the market. Finally the GOP legislation in Congress would cut private insurance and Medicaid subsidies indirectly flowing to the companies. The impact will vary by state and insurer, but “I think it is the case that the uncertainty we are dealing with is adding to the premium increases this year,” said Cori Uccello of the American Academy of Actuaries, which represents experts who make long-range cost estimates for health care and pension programs. New York is the latest state where some are predicting double-digit hikes as insurers begin unveiling premiums for 2018. Nationally, about 20 million people buy their own health insurance policies. Roughly half receive subsidies through the ACA marketplaces, and are cushioned, but the rest will face the brunt of increases. In the latter group are many early retirees, self-employed professionals and small business owners – a traditional Republican constituency. In Virginia, seven insurers are seeking average premium increases that range from just under 10 percent to more than 50 percent. Kurt Giesa, a partner with the Oliver Wyman consultancy, said such a wide spread signals to him that some insurers may be pricing for political uncertainty. “Insurers are operating under a lot of uncertainty right now, and really, the uncertainty isn’t being cleared up,” he said. “The administration isn’t clearing up the uncertainty.” Virginia state officials declined to comment. Standard & Poor’s analyst Deep Banerjee had earlier forecast relatively modest increases. Now he’s not so sure. “There is a cloud of uncertainty that is hanging over 2018,” he said. In Maryland, where five insurers are seeking increases that average from 18 percent to nearly 59 percent, Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer, Jr., says he’s told insurers he’s not inclined to make any allowances for political uncertainty. “Trump hasn’t been in office for three or four years, and for anybody to try to point to him as the problem, that’s either falsifying history or delusional,” said Redmer, a Republican. The fundamental factors are sicker customers and higher operating costs, he added. “Congress needs to put aside partisan differences and fix the ACA.” Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller said she’s not expecting price shock in her state, but she’s convinced the Trump administration isn’t helping. “They would rather destabilize the markets and see them fail,” said Miller, appointed by a Democratic governor. Insurance industry trade groups don’t discuss prices because of antitrust qualms. But in Tennessee, a major company’s CEO cited the potential impact of political uncertainty as a factor in premiums in a recent letter to insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “Given the potential negative effects of federal legislative and/or regulatory changes, we believe it will be necessary to price-in those downside risks, even at the prospect of a higher-than-average margin for the short term, or until stability can be achieved,” wrote JD Hickey of BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Translation: Part of the company’s premium request may reflect the impact of uncertainty, even if that means the insurer would take in more money than it needs to cover claims and expenses. In a statement, the Trump administration said the problems lie with the ACA, not its own stewardship. “It requires impressive mental gymnastics to make the case that Obamacare is working,” said spokeswoman Alleigh Marre. But former President Barack Obama‘s Medicare administrator said Trump is deliberately trying to make things worse. “This is purposeful so that the president can create a crisis and use that to force the Congress to pass his law,” said Andy Slavitt. “He’s holding the match.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Donald Trump’s legislative agenda slows to crawl in Congress
President Donald Trump‘s agenda has slowed to a crawl in Congress. Daily distractions and a pair of major controversies in the past week are diverting lawmakers from their day jobs. While the Trump administration delegates many decisions on legislation to more experienced GOP leaders in Congress, Trump’s low poll ratings and the turmoil at the White House are additional complications. The slowing pace was evident even before Tuesday’s explosive story in The New York Times that ousted FBI Director James Comey wrote in a memo that Trump asked him to end an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. That came 24 hours after The Washington Post revealed that Trump may have disclosed classified information to Russian officials in a meeting in the Oval Office last week. “I think it would be helpful to have less drama emanating from the White House,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. What GOP senators and House members aren’t doing right now is passing major legislation, and it’s not just the marquee items like health care and a tax overhaul that are dragging. The Senate has no legislation on its agenda this week – business is instead limited to three low-profile nominations. The House – fresh off an 11-day recess – is devoting the week to mostly symbolic, feel-good legislation designed to show support for law enforcement. Another 11-day recess, for Memorial Day this time, is just around the corner. Separately, a small group of Senate Republicans is meeting in hopes of finding a way forward on keeping Trump’s promise to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But that effort appears likely to take several weeks – with no guarantee of success. “It’s hard to make things happen here, right? It’s really hard. I mean you’ve got all kinds of forces working against you,” said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn. “And so unless everybody’s aligned, everybody, throughout the White House and the Cabinet, it’s almost impossible. I think they’re all very aware of that and hopefully they’re going to move to address that.” In the meantime, must-do legislation on the military, children’s health and a full slate of spending bills are all slipping behind schedule. Trump’s promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is dead in the water after being rejected during negotiations on a catchall spending bill – the only major bipartisan legislation to advance this year – and his promised $1 trillion infrastructure bill is still on the drawing board. Trump’s tax plan is simply a set of talking points and for procedural reasons is on hold until health care is completed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen an administration that was so lacking in substantive proposals this late in the beginning of their term,” said No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer of Maryland. “The tax bill is a one-page minimal suggestion of what might be considered. There is no jobs bill. There is no infrastructure bill.” And while lawmakers and the Trump administration are spinning their wheels, the clock ticks toward potential crises this fall, as deadlines collide on several measures, including legislation to prevent a government shutdown and a bill to increase the government’s borrowing cap and avert a potentially catastrophic default on U.S. government obligations. A popular program that provides health care to children of parents ineligible for Medicaid expires at the end of September, as does the federal flood insurance program and authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration. Work on a congressional budget measure – which is the linchpin to follow-up legislation to cut tax rates – is months behind schedule. The House and Senate Appropriations panels, typically a swarm of activity at this time of the year, seem stumped as they await marching orders. Trump’s budget finally arrives next week, promising a balanced federal ledger within 10 years. But the Trump budget could complicate matters more, in large part because it calls for domestic cuts that lawmakers have no interest in. Trump doesn’t appear very interested in the budget – its release has been scheduled for when he’s out of the country – and its promise of balance rests on rosy assumptions of economic growth and a sweeping round of unrealistic cuts to programs like Medicaid. The GOP-controlled Congress has had just a handful of legislative successes since it convened in January. The most significant bill, so far, was a long-delayed House health care measure that squeaked through earlier this month. The House bill polls poorly with voters, however, and faces a wholesale rewrite in the Senate. So far, just a single piece of major legislation has advanced that required the votes of Democrats – a catchall $1.1 trillion spending bill opposed by more than 100 House Republicans. Beyond that, many of the bills Trump has signed into law were fast-track measures to rescind regulations issued by former President Barack Obama last year. The clock ran out on further repeals and this week, the biggest Senate vote is on confirming Iowa GOP Gov. Terry Branstad as ambassador to China. “Well, we have nominations and we’ve repealed billions of dollars of regulations,” said Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo. “Hopefully we’ll see some other action come to the floor.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Steve Flowers: Looking at the thoroughbreds in governor’s derby
The race for our open U.S. Senate seat will be the marquee political event for the remainder of this year. It will be a great show. However, we have a sensational and pivotal 2018 governor’s race evolving simultaneously. This much-anticipated gubernatorial derby will be affected by the preliminary Senate horse race. The political landscape has changed dramatically with the decisive move by new Governor Kay Ivey to call for the election of Jeff Sessions’ successor to the Senate this year. Unlike in olden days where running a preliminary statewide race was a steppingstone to getting elected four years later, in recent years, losing statewide is not good — especially if that loss has occurred within less than six months. Therefore, three or more thoroughbreds are removed from the governor’s race. One will be in the Senate and the other two will be exiled to Buck’s Pocket and will not be players in the governor’s race. You can remove Roy Moore, Luther Strange and any unknown wealthy person, who can and will spend 5 to 10 million dollars of their own money. This unknown rich man will either be Senator or gone from the scene. Roy Moore’s removal from the governor’s race is the most significant change to the gubernatorial track. His evangelical base, which probably accounts for 20-30 percent of a GOP primary vote, will be splintered among the field. As I peruse the horses grazing in the pasture, let’s take a look at them because the race begins in less than a month, with fundraising for the June 2018 primaries beginning June 6. Before I mention some horses, who look to be front-runners, let me say that most of these folks ain’t ponies. Kay Ivey is 72. She would have probably gone out to pasture had she not become governor. With 18 months as governor she begins to look very gubernatorial. If she decides to run, she will be running as the incumbent and will be a viable horse, if not the front-runner. Huntsville Mayor, Tommy Battle, 61, is going to be a player in this race. He has done an exemplary job as mayor of Alabama’s most important and successful city. Folks, if we did not have Huntsville, we would be last in everything. Battle is popular in his neck of the woods and will come out of the Tennessee Valley with a good many votes. The “Yella Fella,” Jimmy Rane, 70, may make the race for governor. He is a successful businessman worth $600 million, according to Forbes Magazine. His business success has not gone to his head. He is and would come across as a “good ole guy.” Jack Hawkins, the 72-year-old Chancellor of the Troy University System, would be the best-qualified person to be governor. If you put his resume into a merit system roster, the computer would print out his name. He would also be an attractive candidate. Besides building and presiding over a university system for 30 years, he is tall, handsome, and very articulate and exudes honesty and integrity. He would also be the only Marine in the race. David Carrington, 69, is a Jefferson County Commissioner and successful businessman. He could garner significant support from the Birmingham business community. He also should have some name identification from being seen on Birmingham television for six years. John McMillan, 75, is one of the best-liked and successful statewide officeholders in Alabama. He has had a stellar eight-year reign as Agriculture Commissioner. John is a native of Baldwin County, which is one of Alabama’s fastest growing and largest Republican counties. If there is a large field, a strong vote in his home county could catapult him into a runoff. What about the other statewide officeholders? Twinkle Cavanaugh and John Merrill are younger than the aforementioned horses. At 50, they could sit out this race and come back either four or eight years later. Most observers expect Twinkle to run for Lt. Governor. She would be a favorite in that race. John Merrill probably stays another term as Secretary of State, which is prudent. If he and Twinkle bide their time, they would be the front-runners for governor next time around. Two older horses in secondary statewide office are question marks. Young Boozer, 68, is term-limited from running again for Treasurer. He is mum on his plans. State Auditor Jim Ziegler, 68, has garnered a lot of press the last few years from that benign office. Folks would be wise to not underestimate him. However, his best race would be for Attorney General. He would enter as the favorite in that race. See you next week. ___ Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state Legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.
Democrats take first steps of 50-state strategy
National Democrats are taking the first, modest steps toward their promised 50-state strategy, lending help to state and local parties as they try to harness opposition to President Donald Trump and the Republican monopoly in Washington. Dubbing the effort “Resistance Summer,” the Democratic National Committee plans to distribute about $1 million – with promises of more later – through a matching grant program for local Democrats to organize voters. It’s the party’s first concrete expansion plan since Tom Perez took over as chairman, and party leaders bill it as a recognition they must do more to get actual votes out of the anti-Trump groundswell. The amount is a fraction of the billions spent nationwide each election cycle and shows what the party is up against alongside liberal grassroots organizations and even a new political organization, Onward Together, by 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, Perez’s opponent for chair and now his top deputy, said the intent is to help local Democrats manage everything from rallies, town halls and neighborhood meetings to registration drives and voter database improvements. “We’re asking them to engage neighbors not just in this whole mess about Trump … but on what kind of vision we have for our country,” Ellison said, adding that he and Perez are talking regularly to many of the independent groups on the left. Initial recipients include Arizona, Massachusetts, Michigan, Kansas and South Dakota. Those states span the spectrum of Democratic fortunes: Massachusetts is a liberal bastion; Michigan is a presidential battleground; Arizona is nearing swing-state status; Kansas and South Dakota are Republican strongholds. Nationally, Democrats face a power deficit they’ve not seen in nine decades. Republicans control the White House and Congress, hold 33 governorships and run about two-thirds of state legislatures. Michigan Democratic Chairman Brandon Dillon said he’d use the national money to help pay the six new field organizers he’s hired since November, when Clinton lost to Trump by fewer than 11,000 out of more than 4.5 million votes. Those workers are updating individual voter information the party gives its candidates. “Our voter file isn’t as good as it should be, and we haven’t been doing the kind of organizing we should,” Dillon said. In Republican-run Kansas, Chairman John Gibson has only one organizer based outside the capital. His goal is hiring one for each of the state’s four congressional districts, including a Wichita-based district where Democrats just lost a surprisingly close special House election. “It’s up to Democratic candidates to make that argument” for “a better way of governing,” Gibson said, “but it’s the job of the party to build the infrastructure candidates can use to win campaigns.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
