Republicans announce nine new speaker candidates
By Casey Harper | The Center Square Nine new Republican lawmakers have thrown their hat in the ring to become the next speaker of the U.S. House. Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik released the list of candidates, who had until noon Sunday to announce their candidacy. The list, which Stefanik posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, is as follows: The new list of candidates comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted from the role when Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., filed a motion to vacate. Then, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the party’s choice to become speaker, but he withdrew when he was unable to get the support he needed. House Judiciary Chair Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was next in line and worked for several days to get the needed 217 votes to become speaker. However, at least 20 Republicans voted against him across his three floor-vote attempts, and on Friday, his nomination was revoked. Some of the candidates have more support than others. Donalds’ announcement drew more attention than some others. Emmer has been a rumored pick for speaker as well. However, conservative Republicans have expressed frustration with moderate Republicans for rejecting Jordan, who had significant support with the Republican base but was seen as a hardline conservative who questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election. “The most popular Republican in Congress was just knifed in an anonymous vote in a secret closed-door meeting in the basement of the Capitol,” Gaetz wrote on X Friday. “This is the Swamp at work.” Meanwhile, some more moderate Republicans have expressed frustration with Gaetz and do not want to reward his ousting of McCarthy with an aggressive conservative pick. As The Center Square previously reported, Jordan sparked pushback from his own party on Thursday after reports surfaced that he said behind closed doors he would back the speaker pro Tempore, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., for a limited temporary speakership role so the government could be funded and other key legislative goals hit. The federal government faces a partial shutdown in November, and there is increasing pressure to send more funds for the Ukraine and Israel wars. President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass a spending package of $105 billion for those wars as well as some border funding and money for Taiwan, which national security experts say China could invade at any time. Jordan later addressed reporters, announcing he would drop that plan and instead hold another vote. That plan still has potential to take effect. While many Republicans have expressed opposition to the idea, Democrat Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has seemed open to the idea when talking with reporters. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
After third failed vote, Jim Jordan will not be Speaker of the House
On Friday, the House of Representatives again rejected House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in a third vote for the Speaker of the House. The third vote was his poorest performance yet as more and more GOP House members abandoned the conservative firebrand’s cause. Just hours after that vote, the Republican Conference met and, in a secret ballot, voted to no longer back Jordan as the GOP nominee for Speaker. Jordan was never the first choice of House Republicans. Most, including Jordan himself, voted not to oust Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California). Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) and eight disgruntled far-right House members voted with House Democrats to oust McCarthy. The Conference chose House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) over Jordan in a close conference vote. Scalise failed to get the commitment from conservatives for a viable run for Speaker. Seeing that he did not have the 217 votes needed to be elected Speaker, Scalise withdrew. Jordan defeated Rep. Austin Scott (R-Georgia) on Friday, August 13. All six Republican Alabama House congressional delegation members supported Jordan’s failed bid for the Speaker’s gavel. Former Speaker McCarthy endorsed Jordan and gave a floor speech Friday morning encouraging members to back him, but this failed to sway the growing anti-Jordan faction within the House Republican Caucus. Jordan, the founding Chairman of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, struggled to convince mainstream and moderate House members to support him. On the first vote, he received just 200 votes – 17 shy of being elected Speaker. That was the closest that he would ever come. On Thursday, Jordan announced that he had suspended his campaign for Speaker and instead would back giving the Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) emergency powers so that the House could function until January. Opposition prevented that plan from being adopted, so Jordan resumed his campaign for Speaker late Thursday evening, leading to that doomed third vote on Friday morning. With Jordan no longer the nominee and the GOP Conference extremely divided, the House is in something close to chaos. On Thursday, President Joe Biden asked Congress to provide $10 billion to Israel for its war with Hamas and other terror organizations and $50 billion more in emergency aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Moving on the aid request or passing budgets to avoid a government shutdown on November 15 is all at a standstill until House Republicans can decide on a Speaker of the House. At this point, it appears that the next Republican nominee will not be Rep. Jordan. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House rejects Jim Jordan for a second time
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted for a second time to reject the Republican Party nominee, House Judiciary Committee Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), for Speaker of the House. Jordan again failed to get the 217 votes necessary to be elected. Jordan Both was still well short of the 217 needed to get the position and actually did worse on the second ballot than he did on the first. Jordan has vowed to run on a third ballot on Thursday. The House Republican Caucus has been bitterly split since Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) led a group of eight disgruntled Republicans that voted with Democrats to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California). House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) defeated Jordan to become the conference’s first choice, but he withdrew last week when conservatives refused to support him in the House floor vote. It is now GOP centrists and moderates that are opposing Jordan after the far right of the Caucus toppled McCarthy and blocked Scalice. Jordan was the Founding Chairman of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus. Jordan defeated Austin Scott (R-Georgia) for the GOP nomination in a meeting of the GOP conference Friday after Scalise’s withdrawal. Some members have talked about voting to give the interim Speaker more powers so that the House can continue to function, while the GOP Congress members continue their leadership struggle. Meanwhile, the federal government is racing towards a partial shutdown if Congress does not pass a budget or at least another continuing resolution (C.R.) by November 14. On both of the House floor votes, Jordan had the support of all six Republican congressmen from Alabama. However, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL03) was an outspoken opponent of Jordan becoming the Republican nominee. If Jordan cannot sway 217 GOP congress members to support his candidacy, the Caucus may need to look for a less divisive, more likable candidate to be their nominee. Who that would be, however, at this point, is entirely up in that air. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com
Jim Jordan fails in first ballot to be Speaker of the House
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to consider Republican Party nominee Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for Speaker of the House. Jordan failed to get the 217 votes necessary to be elected. Six Republicans who voted NO on Jordan’s quest for the top spot in the House of Representatives are in swing districts and are considered highly vulnerable in 2024. Jordan, who voted to invalidate the 2020 election results, has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Jordan received only 200 votes on the first ballot. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies (D-New York) received 212. Both were short of the 217 needed to get the position. Jordan seeks to succeed Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) as Speaker. The first choice of the Conference, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), withdrew late on Thursday night after he could not get enough conservative support to win the nomination. Jordan then defeated Rep. Austin Scott (R-Georgia) for the GOP nomination in a meeting of the GOP conference on Friday. Scalise and McCarthy both got votes on that first ballot, though neither is a candidate. Six Republicans announced on Monday night that they would not support Jordan. Others had kept their decisions private until the vote. Jordan is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee investigating President Joe Biden. and his son Hunter Biden, as well as the President’s alleged dereliction of duty on the U.S. southern border. Jordan was a founding member and the first chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus. Jordan had the support of Alabama’s six Republican Congressmen. Congressman Jerry Carl (R-AL01) said on X, “I voted for @Jim_Jordan for Speaker. He is the conservative leader we need so we can get to work delivering results for the American people. It’s time to come together as a party, get our country back on track, and hold @JoeBiden accountable.” Jordan can either bring another vote in hopes that recalcitrant Republican lawmakers change their minds, or the GOP Conference can meet again and select another nominee to run for Speaker of the House – one who is seen as less divisive than Jordan. At this point, it seems unlikely that Jordan can reach the 217 needed for victory. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Mike Rogers flips support to Jim Jordan
Fox News is reporting that Congressman Mike Rogers (R-ALL03) has flipped from being the most outspoken “Never Jordan” member of the House of Representatives to being a supporter. Rogers’ flip makes it much more likely that Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) can win over enough moderate Republicans that he can be the next Speaker of the House. After Jordan won the Republican nomination for Speaker of the House, Rogers vowed to reporters that he would “never support” Jordan. There were even reports of Rogers negotiating with Democrats to form some sort of unity government to prevent Jordan from being elected as Speaker. That changed on Monday when Rogers went to the social media site X to announce he would support Jordan’s speakership bid. “@Jim Jordan and I have had two cordial, thoughtful, and productive conversations over the past two days,” Rogers said on X Monday. “We agreed on the need for Congress to pass a strong NDAA, appropriations to fund our government’s vital functions, and other important legislation like the Farm Bill.” “As a result, I have decided to support Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House on the floor,” Rogers followed up. “Since I was first elected to the House, I have always been a team player and supported what the majority of the Republican Conference agrees to,” Rogers added. “Together, our Republican majority will be stronger to fight Joe Biden’s reckless agenda for America.” Jordan thanked Rogers for his support. Jordan stated, “Your leadership is just what our Conference needs right now. We must all keep coming together and get back to work.” Just last week, Rogers had said that “there was nothing that Jordan could do to get his support as Speaker of the House.” Rogers is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Jordan is the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. A key point of disagreement between Republicans is whether or not to continue supporting massive amounts of military aid for Ukraine. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) and a group of eight disgruntled Houe members used the Ukraine issue as a pretext for voting with Democrats to oust Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-California). Jordan secured the Republican party’s speaker nomination on Friday, defeating Georgia Congressman Austin Scott. Jordan had lost to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) in a prior vote, but Scalise was unable to win over conservatives. Jordan Defeated Scott by a vote of 124 to 81. Jordan has been negotiating with GOP moderates like Jordan over the weekend in order to get to the 217 votes needed to secure the position of Speaker in a floor vote that could come as early as Tuesday. Congressmen Barry Moore, Gary Palmer, and Jerry Carl have all already publicly announced their support for Jordan. If Jordan cannot get the 217 votes necessary to win the Speakership, the Republican conference would likely have to nominate someone else. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jim Jordan receives House Republican nomination to be Speaker of the House
On Friday, the House Republican Caucus nominated House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to be the next Speaker of the House. This was only hours after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) told his fellow Republicans that he was withdrawing his nomination after failing to secure the 217 votes needed for election. Jordan received 124 votes on Friday – a marked improvement over the 100 votes he received when he finished second to Scalise earlier this week. Congressman Austin Scott (R-Georgia) was the second-place finisher. This fight has bitterly divided the caucus and even the Alabama congressional delegation. Jim Jordan is supported by both Congressmen Barry Moore (R-AL02) and Gary Palmer (R-AL06). On Friday, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) told reporters that there is nothing that Jordan can say to make him change his mind on opposing Jordan. Rogers Chairs the powerful House Armed Services Committee. This drama became necessary after eight disgruntled GOP Caucus members led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) joined with Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California). To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jim Jordan next to try shot for speaker of the House
By Casey Harper | The Center Square House Republicans have nominated Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to be speaker of the House, but it remains unclear if Jordan can get the needed 217 votes from his own fractured party. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., a lesser-known member, threw his name in the hat for the position as well and got significant support in the nomination vote, though possibly only as a vote against Jordan instead of a true vote for Scott. Later, though, Scott threw his support behind Jordan. “I highly respect Jim Jordan. He is an asset to the Republican Party and our nominee for Speaker,” Scott wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work.” Jordan has conservative chops and support from the party base, but many moderates may not be willing to go his way. “For years, I’ve stayed out of House leadership elections, but this time I endorsed [Jordan],” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wrote on X. “Jim is a good friend and a strong conservative. My philosophy on political endorsements is to support the strongest conservative who can win. That is Jim Jordan.” U.S. House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was the leading contender to be the speaker of the House Thursday morning, but he later withdrew his bid before taking it to a public vote after he failed to get enough support. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House face a partial government shutdown in mid-November along with growing pressure to supply funds, ammunition, and weapons to both Ukraine and Israel, which has declared war on the terrorist group Hamas. Until lawmakers land on a speaker, legislation cannot move forward. As The Center Square previously reported, another key issue for lawmakers to handle is whether one lawmaker will still be able to file a motion to vacate the speaker, an unusual allowance given by McCarthy to secure the needed votes after the series of speakership votes earlier this year. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., used that very allowance to file the motion that led to the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The current Speaker Pro Tempore is Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who will determine the times of any speaker votes until a lawmaker wins the speakership. “The DC Uniparty does not want a Speaker who would threaten their status quo,” Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., wrote on X. “We need a strong conservative for Speaker of the House!” Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Congressman Mike Rogers joins colleauges to voice concern over safety of Olympic athletes in China
Congressman Mike Rogers joined China Task Force Chairman Michael McCaul and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in sending a letter to Board Chair of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Susanne Lyons. The letter expresses concern and the importance of ensuring U.S. Olympians are educated on how to stay safe during the Olympics. Additionally, they commented on the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) gross human rights abuses, including genocide. The letter specifically asks that Olympians are informated on how to keep themselves safe. The Beijing Organizing Committee and the CCP has made clear that they will have an unprecedented level of control over the athletes. The letter also asks that the USOPC prepare athletes with the knowledge they need about their rights while in China and also requests an explanation of what steps have been taken to ensure the safety of athletes who may exercise their freedom of speech. “The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has a responsibility to ensure our athletes are prepared for these unprecedented Olympic games,” the lawmakers wrote. “Congress legislatively empowered the USOPC with the exclusive privilege of representing the United States in the Olympic community. American values are a core part of the USOPC’s Congressional charter, including a duty to ‘promote a safe environment in sports.’ In recent weeks, Congress has acted to further increase the preparedness and safety of American athletes representing the United States in human rights-violating countries, by codifying the American Values and Security in International Athletics Act.” The Republican-led China Task Force aims to help reinforce Congressional efforts to counter current and emerging cross-jurisdictional threats from China. The letter was also signed by China Task Force Members Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY), Liz Cheney (R-WY), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Mark Green (R-TN), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Young Kim (R-CA). Rogers stated on Twitter, “The abhorrent reality of the Olympics occurring in a genocidal state will leave a permanent stain on the legacy of Beining 2022 and the International Olympic Committee.” The full text of the letter is below: Dear Chair Lyons, The 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing will be the first Olympic games to take place in a country that is conducting an ongoing genocide. Therefore, these games are an unprecedented threat to American values, inalienable human rights, and the spirit of the Olympics. It is vital that our athletes arrive fully informed about the reality of the genocide occurring in China, as well as the broad range of other human rights abuses and malign actions committed by the Chinese government and Communist Party. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has a responsibility to ensure our athletes are prepared for these unprecedented Olympic games. Congress legislatively empowered the USOPC with the exclusive privilege of representing the United States in the Olympic community. American values are a core part of the USOPC’s Congressional charter, including a duty to “promote a safe environment in sports.”1 In recent weeks, Congress has acted to further increase the preparedness and safety of American athletes representing the United States in human rights-violating countries, by codifying the American Values and Security in International Athletics Act2. The abhorrent reality of the Olympics occurring in a genocidal state will leave a permanent stain on the legacy of Beijing 2022 and the International Olympic Committee. The USOPC has a responsibility to ensure our athletes know that Congress and the Administration have designated the Chinese Communist Party’s crimes against Uyghurs as genocide, a term the U.S. government reserves for history’s most grave human rights atrocities. Over one million Uyghurs and members of other religious and ethnic minorities have been forced into concentration camps, been subject to abusive brainwashing and political indoctrination, have had their families forcibly separated, have been put to forced labor, and have been subject to sexual violence and efforts to reduce their population’s birth rate. We also remain seriously concerned that the American delegation to Beijing may be unprepared for personal security risks, particularly for individuals who exercise their freedom of speech. The “closed loop management system” enforced by the Beijing Organizing Committee – allegedly in response to the pandemic – will give the Chinese government an unprecedented level of control over international athletes, while at the same time hindering access by the U.S. State Department. The Department has been forthright that its consular access to athletes in need remains uncertain, and that the entirety of its China Travel Advisory applies to the games, including major threats of arbitrary detention “for sending private electronic messages critical of the PRC government,” a lack of due process, and the use of propaganda campaigns to target U.S. citizens. These risks are very likely to be heightened given the Chinese government’s total control inside the “closed loop” and the pervasive surveillance the CCP demands over events prioritized in its external propaganda efforts. This week, a Beijing Organizing Committee official issued a veiled threat to those who would speak out, saying “Any behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment.” Public statements from yourself and other USOPC officials acknowledge the danger, but sadly such statements indicate that our athletes are being encouraged to self-censor: “The laws of China are distinct and different… The expectation is we abide by the rules of that country.” Rather than push American athletes to follow the CCP’s party line, the USOPC should empower Team USA with the resources to understand the human rights crisis they face when representing our country in China and take action to ensure their safety. We urge you in the strongest terms to ensure that Team USA is fully informed about the human rights situation in China, including its ongoing genocide, and request that you reply with: An explanation of USOPC’s efforts to educate American participants in Beijing 2022 about the Chinese Communist Party’s malign actions including its
The end of an era? Tea party class of House Republicans fades
The Republican newcomers stunned Washington back in 2010 when they seized the House majority with bold promises to cut taxes and spending and to roll back what many viewed as Barack Obama’s presidential overreach. But don’t call them tea party Republicans any more. Eight years later, the House Tea Party Caucus is long gone. So, too, are almost half the 87 new House Republicans elected in the biggest GOP wave since the 1920s. Some, including current Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, joined the executive branch. Others slipped back to private life. Several are senators. Now, with control of the House again at stake this fall and just three dozen of them seeking re-election, the tea party revolt shows the limits of riding a campaign wave into the reality of governing. Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who was president of that freshman class, objects to the tea party brand that he says was slapped on the group by the media and the Obama administration. It’s a label some lawmakers now would rather forget. “We weren’t who you all said we were,” Scott said. He prefers to call it the class of “small-business owners” or those who wanted to “stop the growth of the federal government.” Despite all those yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and anti-Obama health law rallies, Scott said the new Republican lawmakers wanted to work with the president, if only Obama would have engaged them. “We didn’t come to take over the country,” he said. Yet change Washington they did, with a hard-charging, often unruly governing style that bucked convention, toppled GOP leaders and in many ways set the stage for the rise of Donald Trump. By some measures, the tea party Republicans have been successful. The “Pledge to America,” a 21-page manifesto drafted by House Republican leadership, outlined the promises. Among them: “stop out of control spending,” ″reform Congress” and “end economic uncertainty.” They forced Congress into making drastic spending cuts, in part by threatening to default on the nation’s debt, turning a once-routine vote to raise the U.S. borrowing limit into a cudgel during the annual budget fights. Republicans halted environmental, consumer and workplace protection rules, and that rollback continues today. Perhaps most notably, the GOP majority passed $1.5 trillion in tax cuts that Trump signed into law, delivering on the tea party slogan penned on so many protest signs: “Taxed Enough Already.” But former Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., said the “most egregious failure” was the GOP’s inability to undo the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s signature domestic achievement. Huelskamp said the class never really stuck together. When he arrived that first week in Washington in January 2011, he was stunned to find the leadership slate already set with then-Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, as speaker-in-waiting, facing little resistance. “That was a sign: The establishment in Washington was happy to have our votes, but not to follow our agenda,” said Huelskamp, who lost a primary election in 2016 to a political newcomer and now runs the conservative Heartland Institute. It was “just a clear misunderstanding of what the people wanted.” Over time, budget deals were struck with Democrats, boosting spending back to almost what it was before the revolt. Combined with the tax package, the GOP-led Congress is on track to push annual deficits near $1 trillion next year, as high as during the early years of the Obama administration when the government struggled with a deep recession. Maya MacGuineas, president at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said Republicans talked a good game promising to balance the budget, but with control of Congress — and now the White House — they failed to tackle the tough tax-and-spending challenges needed to get there. “That’s a whole lot of talk and zero follow through,” she said. Other proposals to improve transparency in government — a pledge to “read the bill” and post legislation three days before votes — remain works in progress. House bills are typically made public, but sometimes just before midnight to conform with the three-day rule. Frustrations within the ranks grew, and the new class splintered. Not all of them had been favorites of their local tea party groups. Some joined other conservatives to form the House Freedom Caucus, which nudged Boehner to early retirement in 2015. Former Florida Rep. Allen West, among the more prominent class members who lost re-election and is now a Fox News contributor living in Texas, said the challenge for House Republicans heading into the fall election is, “Who are they? What do they stand for?” House Republicans are wrestling with a midterm message at a pivotal moment for a party that Boehner says no longer exists. “There is no Republican Party. There’s Trump’s party,” Boehner said at a recent policy conference in Michigan. Boehner’s successor as speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., also is stepping aside. He was a conservative up-and-comer long before the tea party, but has run into many of the same challenges Boehner faced in managing a fractured majority. He will retire after this term. In fact, there are an unusually high number of House Republicans retiring this year, including nearly a dozen from the tea party class. Several are running to be governors or senators, though some have already lost in primaries. Others, including Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., another rising star, are simply moving on. Some resigned this year amid ethics scandals. Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of Tea Party Patriots, says every movement “goes through phases.” As the group looks to elect the next “Tea Party 100″ members of the House, it’s seeking “tested and proven” candidates beyond the “citizen legislators” who powered the early days. Another 2010 leader, South Carolina’s Tim Scott, now a senator, says he has no problem with the tea party label that’s now etched in history. But he reminds his colleagues as they campaign that to keep the majority they must also eventually govern and that “promises made should be promises kept.” Republished
Marco Rubio’s Capitol Hill fundraiser to draw wave of new supporters
Taking advantage of a surge in popularity after several strong Republican Party debate appearances, Marco Rubio expects to draw a new crop of supporters with a Capitol Hill fundraiser Monday. As reported by Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO, the event invitation names about 70 financial backers for the Florida senator’s presidential campaign — more than half came on board after Rubio’s debate performance in Boulder, supporters say. Originally, the event was to be held at a town house in Washington D.C., but as the guest list began to swell, Isenstadt writes that organizers moved the reception to the prestigious Capitol Hill Club. Names on the invitation include several names new to the campaign: Verizon lobbyist Peter Davidson; NextEra Energy lobbyist Christopher Chapel; Crossroads Strategies lobbyist Matthew Lapinski and Russ Thomasson, a former staffer for U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. Also scheduled to appear are a number of House members, such as U.S. Reps. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin, Darren LaHood of Illinois Austin Scott of Georgia and Todd Rokita of Indiana. Isenstadt notes that this new push for hard dollars comes after Rubio recently won the support of billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer, a leading Republican bundler.
