Want to be a delegate to the GOP convention? It’s not easy
So, you want to be a delegate to the Republican National Convention? You could have a rare opportunity to help make history, if none of the Republican presidential candidates reaches the target 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination on the first ballot. And maybe — just maybe — billionaire businessman Donald Trump will take you for a spin on Trump Force One. Now, if you’re looking to jump on the bandwagon today, the bad news is it’s probably too late. Most state parties haven’t picked their delegates yet, but in general, they’re looking for people who have demonstrated loyalty by investing time and money helping to elect Republican candidates. “It’s always helpful to show that you care about the party and its work if you want the party to make you a delegate,” said Ben Ginsberg, a longtime Republican lawyer and an expert on the nominating process. “Suppose that your passion in life is helping out on the local level with political campaigns or with party work,” he said. “This is the reward at the end of a four-year rainbow.” It’s definitely an insider’s game, which is one reason that Trump appears to be struggling to get his supporters selected as delegates, even though he’s won the most primaries. Look at North Dakota, for example. The state didn’t hold a primary this year. Instead, the state GOP selected 25 delegates at its state convention last weekend. The state’s three Republican National Committee members will also be delegates in the July convention. Because North Dakota didn’t hold a primary, its delegates are free to support the candidate of their choice, regardless of who wins the popular vote. The GOP calls them “unbound.” There will be between 150 and 200 unbound delegates at the convention. If Texas Sen. Ted Cruz can block Trump from clinching the nomination on the first ballot, these unbound delegates are going to be the most popular people in Cleveland. But in North Dakota, you’ve got to pay your dues if you want to be a delegate. Among the questions on the delegate application: How much time have you volunteered working for the North Dakota GOP, and how much money have you donated? As a result, most of the delegates are past or present elected officials or party workers. Ten of the delegates told The Associated Press that they support Cruz. None of them has publicly endorsed Trump. “It really reeks of inside politics and that is upsetting a lot of people,” said Gary Emineth, a Bismarck businessman and former chairman of the state GOP party. Despite his own lengthy history with the party, Emineth said the process should be more open to outsiders, grassroots enthusiasts who bring energy to the party. In about a dozen states, the candidates pick their delegates. Among them is California, which has 172 delegates, plus alternates. If you want to be a delegate in California, it would be smart to profess your loyalty to one of the campaigns because they are aggressively vetting potential delegates — a total of more than 300 people for each candidate, including alternates. In most states, however, the campaigns have no official role in selecting delegates. That could be a problem for Trump, who could end up with delegates who are required to vote for him on the first ballot, but can switch to someone else on subsequent ballots should they desire. Most of these delegates are selected at state and congressional district conventions, where Cruz and his supporters have done a good job rounding up supporters. The process, however, can be complicated, with rules and requirements varying from state to state. In South Carolina, you can’t be a national delegate unless you served as one at the state or congressional district convention. In Michigan, most of the delegates at the state convention — the people who will select the national delegates — had to be elected as precinct delegates in the 2014 primary. In states like Pennsylvania and Illinois, voters elect delegates on the primary ballot. In Illinois’ March 15 primary, the ballot listed each delegate along with the presidential candidate they support. Voters won’t get that kind of help in Pennsylvania’s primary April 26. The ballot will simply list delegate candidates, with no information about whom they support for president. There isn’t much campaigning so a lot of elected officials win simply on name recognition. If you want to be a delegate in Kentucky, it might help to make friends with people who are on the nominating committees that put together slates of national delegates. These slates are voted on at state and congressional district conventions. If the convention rejects the slate, the committee puts together a new slate. “This process shall continue indefinitely until a slate is approved by the state convention,” according to GOP rules in Kentucky. In states where party insiders pick the delegates, smart presidential campaigns make friends with local officials who can help round up supporters. “You can tap into the political networks of people who are endorsing you. They know the state and they can help,” said Mark Stephenson, a Republican strategist who ran analytics and delegate strategy for Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker‘s campaign. “Endorsements matter at that level. I think that’s why you see Cruz’s team having that local success, which builds momentum statewide.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Hillary Clinton emails: GOP sues, senators press attorney general
Republican senators pressed for more information Wednesday about an FBI investigation into the potential mishandling of sensitive information that passed through former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton‘s private email server, and their party sued for copies of the messages. The Republican National Committee filed two lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Washington over access to electronic messages sent or received by the Democratic presidential candidate and her top aides during her time as the nation’s top diplomat. Both spring from Freedom of Information Act requests filed last year seeking copies of emails and text messages. In court filings, the GOP says it has not received any documents in response to the requests. The GOP litigation brings the total to at least 34 civil suits so far involving requests for federal records related to Clinton’s service as secretary of state between 2009 and 2013. The Associated Press is among those with a pending case at the Washington courthouse. “For too long the State Department has undermined the public and the media’s legitimate right to records under the Freedom of Information Act, and it’s time it complies with the law,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. The State Department has released more than 52,000 pages of Clinton’s work-related emails, but her private lawyers have withheld thousands more that they deemed to be personal communications unrelated to her job. Also left unresolved are questions about how Clinton and her closest aides handled classified information. The AP last year discovered Clinton’s use of the private email server, which had been set up in the basement of Clinton’s New York home by former State Department staffer Bryan Pagliano, for her to use exclusively for her work-related emails while she was secretary. The FBI for months has investigated whether sensitive information that flowed through Clinton’s email server was mishandled. The State Department has acknowledged that some emails included classified information, including at the top-secret level. Clinton has said she never sent or received anything that was marked classified at the time. The inspectors general at the State Department and for U.S. intelligence agencies are separately investigating whether rules or laws were broken. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Wednesday about media reports that the Justice Department had offered Pagliano immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for his cooperation. Pagliano previously declined to testify before Congress, citing his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Sen. Chuck Grassley, the committee chairman, asked Lynch whether Pagliano’s immunity offer carried over to congressional committees. Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to recall Pagliano to testify if he has received immunity. Lynch declined to answer the question. “We don’t go into details with the agreements that we have with any witness on any matter in ongoing investigations,” the attorney general said. “The consistency with which the department handles ongoing matters, whether they involve a famous last name (or not), is something that we take very seriously,” Lynch said. “We treat them the same, and that is how the public takes confidence in the investigations we conduct.” Lynch also said she had not discussed the email investigation with anyone at the White House and did not plan to do so. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
State GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan lists priorities of Alabama conservatives
With Super Tuesday a little over a month away, and November’s general election just over the horizon, the Alabama Republican Party is making moves to ensure that its candidates stay in power in the state and in Washington. “We believe there will be a rush of voters,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan. “People are angry and the strength of conservative voters will trickle down to every other race. We’re one of the reddest states in the nation, so we’re not going to let our guard down.” Lathan, who has been a lifelong Republican and chairwoman of the state party since February of last year, noted that presidential elections draw the largest number of voters in the two-year election cycle. According to Lathan, the most important issues for Alabama voters are foreign policy, the economy, illegal immigration and taxes – issues relevant in state and national elections. “People have not bought into the ‘we don’t have enough, we need more’ idea,” Lathan said about the state’s ongoing budget concerns. “Voters aren’t believing it.” Lathan noted that social issues, such as gay marriage and abortion, are on the minds of conservative voters as well, but she believes that Alabama Republican Party has made its case on those issues in Alabama’s legislative houses. “We have some of the strictest laws in the nation on abortion, with more to come,” Lathan said. “We’ve made ourselves very clear on these issues.” Despite specific causes that seemingly bind all conservative voters, Lathan believes that the most important thing is that voters run to the polls on election days and remain involved with those they elect. “Voters are people who need to speak loud and clear to their representatives,” Lathan said. “Going to vote is only half of our job as citizens. I hope people will continue to be embedded in our process. “I hear a lot of chatter made about backroom deals to pick a presidential candidate. There’s no backroom, no smoking cigars, no fat cats making decisions. That’s nonsense. If you go vote, you’re part of the decision-making process.” Though the Alabama Republican Party won’t endorse any candidate for national or state office, Lathan said she thinks incumbent Sen. Richard Shelby has done an “excellent” job. “He has been a champion of conservative causes,” Lathan said. “His votes have proved it.” Lathan noted that the Republican Party, in Alabama and across the country, is working to attract young and minority voters, an effort made difficult by the “liberal media.” Lathan said the Republican National Committee has established a database of voters, which it shares with all state parties, that can pinpoint voters “almost to where we know the name of their dog.” “I think, no matter the color of your skin or the age on your driver’s license, we as Americans care about the same things,” Lathan said. “This year, in 2016, the nation is going to hear us roar.” Lathan said she thinks 2016 will be a “record-breaking year for the Republican electorate to turn out.” “Any day of the week, it’s better to have a Republican than a Democrat, period,” Lathan said. “I think our country needs us now more than ever.”
Hillary Clinton proposes tax break for caregivers
Pledging to invest in the “caring economy,” Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed a new tax break Sunday for people caring for aging parents and grandparents. The Democratic presidential candidate touted her latest proposal at a town hall-style meeting in Iowa Sunday. She is seeking a tax credit to help offset up to $6,000 in caregiving costs for elderly family members. The credit would apply to 20 percent of those expenses for a maximum tax bill savings of $1,200. “We need to recognize the value of the work that caregivers give to all of us, both those who are paid and the great number who are unpaid,” Clinton said to the crowd of more than 400 people gathered at a middle school. The caregiver proposal is part of a series of tax proposals geared at the middle class that Clinton is rolling out. In her plan, Clinton states that the number of Americans needing long-term care is expected to grow from about 12 million today to 27 million by 2050. She says that family members often have to take time away from work, using vacation time or personal time to provide care. “The lost wages and the work that is sometimes given up are costing families- especially women- who make up the majority of both paid and unpaid caregivers,” said Clinton. The former secretary of state is also seeking to provide additional Social Security benefits to those who spend time out of the workforce to care for immediate family. She wants to enhance support for care workers and increase funding for a program that offers state-level grants to programs for caregivers. Clinton’s campaign says the plan would cost $10 billion over 10 years and would be paid for through other revenue increases. Republican National Committee spokesman Fred Brown questioned the cost of the plan, saying: “Hillary Clinton’s solution to every pressing policy issue is to expand government and raise taxes, and this plan is no different as it will cost hardworking Americans billions.” In Memphis on Friday, Clinton touted a tax credit of up to $5,000 for families and $2,500 for individuals she proposed earlier this year. Americans with out-of-pocket health care expenses exceeding 5 percent of their income would be eligible for the credit. Her campaign says the tax cut will be funded through tax increases on wealthy families and by “demanding” rebates from drug manufactures. Clinton says that she is the only primary candidate committed to holding current tax rates on average workers. She has accused primary rival Sen. Bernie Sanders of promoting programs that she says would raise taxes on middle-class families, including his plan for a single-payer health system based on Medicare. Sanders’ campaign says that his single-payer health system would save taxpayers money in the long run because it would eliminate wasteful health spending. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs criticized Clinton’s tax proposals Sunday in a statement, calling them “tentative half-steps that sound Republican-lite.” Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Complex, yet fascinating: A primer on Alabama’s March presidential primary
With the 2016 election less than a year away, and the first caucuses within the next 90 days, now is a good time for a review of what could be an interesting, yet complex, turn of events. Much of the situation will depend on the state of the Republican field come March 1. Here is a primer of Alabama’s primary delegation process: Alabama’s Presidential Preference Primary is March 1, 2016, and does not require voters to declare a party preference when registering to vote. The Yellowhammer State has an open primary, meaning any registered voter can vote in the primary for any party. Voters choose the primary in which to vote, and they are not required to be a party member in order to vote. According to the state Department of Elections, requirements to vote in Alabama is as follows: each applicant is a citizen of the United States; is an Alabama resident; a minimum of 18 years old on or before Election Day; is not barred from voting by a disqualifying felony conviction, and has not been declared mentally incompetent by a court. The state does not permit online voter registration, early voting or “no excuse” absentee voting. Since 2014, to cast a ballot in Alabama requires valid photo identification at the polls. Alabama’s delegation is 26 at-large (numbered At-Large #1, At-Large #2, etc.), 21-Congressional District and three automatic (“unbound”) for 50 total, which will be allocated proportionally, as a what is known as winner-take-most. The threshold for any candidate to qualify for delegates is 20 percent, both statewide and within each congressional district. This follows Republican National Committee rules stating elections held before March 15 will be assigned proportionately. Some conservatives believe the rule was designed to help well-funded candidates (establishment favorites) who are in the race for the long term, and is an obstacle for grassroots candidates desperate for a primary win to rally supporters (and funds). Delegates are bound to their qualifying presidential candidates until either a candidate withdraws from the race for the Republican Party nomination and releases the delegates or if – by a two-thirds vote – the total number of delegates bound to that candidate become “unbound” at the national convention. That closes the door to any potential abuse but allows just enough for delegates to wiggle out of a pledge, in a scenario with multiple ballots/votes to determine the nominee at the convention. Enforcement of original pledges is left to the head of the Alabama delegation and/or the RNC secretary. While the system is designed to release delegates if a battle on the convention floor occurs, there is no mention of a specific number of ballots taken before a delegate can be released. Compared to four years ago, there are no other substantive rule changes in Alabama elections, but unlike other early primary states – New Hampshire, for one – proportional allocation of Alabama delegates come from two different groups: at-large statewide and congressional district delegates. To get either type, candidates must meet the 20 percent threshold, twice the limit set in New Hampshire. If a single candidate receives a majority of the Alabama’s vote, then he or she will receive all 26 at-large delegates. If a candidate receives a simple majority in any Alabama Congressional District, he or she will win three of the district’s delegates. The Alabama GOP Delegate Information Process datasheet outlines that a delegate must vote for the candidate they pledged on their qualifying form. If the candidate releases his delegates/alternates, then they can vote for a different person. As it stands, with such a large field of Republican presidential candidates – now standing at 15 – the chances are unlikely that a single candidate will receive a majority either statewide or in congressional districts. However, there is a possibility that the southern GOP contest – the so-called “SEC Primary” – will be a game changer in the 2016 presidential race. There is a likelihood the field will narrow after the early primary states of New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. On the other hand, with a big group of candidates remaining March 1, it will substantially limit the probability of the rise of a consensus candidate. The bottom line: it might be a good bet that one person does not emerge on Super Tuesday with all 47 Alabama delegates. That said, there is a path (albeit a backdoor one) for a candidate to receive a majority of Alabama delegates, even in a large field. One only needs to meet the 20-percent threshold, either statewide or within a congressional district. If that is the case, where a particular candidate meets the 20 percent bar statewide, then they will control half (+1) of delegates, regardless of the results in the congressional districts. Understandably, Alabama’s allotment system has the potential to cause a considerable amount of political turmoil, overshadowing what should be a somewhat organized process. With a smaller number of candidates, though, the odds of one person picking up 20 percent of the vote increases. And as that number reaches two – it becomes almost assured that one (or the other) will meet the 50 percent threshold, receiving all delegates. Another case is when the vote triggers a potential winner-take-most scenario. In that situation, there would be a 20 percent bar for one and a 50 percent threshold for the other. With the current state of the race, there is a likelihood that more than one candidate will reach the 20 percent, thereby qualifying for delegates. Here is where math comes in. Since it is statistically impossible for a field of over five viable candidates to receive more than 20 percent each, the overall effect is somewhat limiting. Alabama’s delegate allocation system promotes narrowing the field of contenders – or at least accelerating the winnowing already taking place before March 1. Therefore, if (or when) these conditions are met, 26 at-large delegates will be spread out among candidates who get at least 20 percent of the vote. As for
Marco Rubio’s low-budget campaign looks to ramp up as voting nears
For months, Marco Rubio‘s campaign team in South Carolina operated out of a staffer’s garage, plotting strategy for the first-in-the-South primary from freshly painted yard sale furniture and tiny classroom desks. The shoestring budget setup was a point of pride for the Republican presidential candidate’s team. Now, with Rubio enjoying a burst of momentum as the early voting contests edge closer, the Florida senator’s campaign is moving beyond its lean and mean roots. On Wednesday, Rubio’s South Carolina team officially moved out of the garage and into a proper campaign headquarters — though they brought some of the yard sale furniture along with them. “This election could very well be decided in this state,” Rubio told the crowd gathered at the office in Columbia, South Carolina’s capital. Rubio’s team also opened offices in Nevada a few weeks ago. His staff grew by about 30 percent in October, with more than 70 people now on the campaign payroll. The new hires include communications and digital advisers, as well as field workers to boost voter contact and advance staff to help set up larger and more frequent events in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, the first four states to vote in the nomination contest. Whether Rubio can effectively build up his campaign infrastructure in those states may determine whether he can turn his natural political talents and easy appeal with GOP voters into primary victories. “Everywhere I go I hear folks talking about him,” said Glenn McCall, a Republican National Committeeman from South Carolina. “So it’s the right time to come into the state, set up shop and set up more time here.” While Rubio’s advisers say they’re simply executing the next phase in a carefully crafted campaign blueprint, there’s no doubt the team’s early penny-pinching was driven in part by necessity. The senator’s fundraising has been underwhelming and his money totals trailed several rivals through summer and fall, including a lackluster $6 million haul in third financial reporting period of the year. But buoyed by strong performances in the last two GOP debates, Rubio has been attracting more high-dollar donors, including billionaire investor Paul Singer and New York hedge fund manager Cliff Asness. With more cash in the pipeline, Rubio is expected to spend more money on travel to early voting states and on larger events aimed at putting him in front of as many voters as possible. Rubio communications director Alex Conant pointed to a 450-person event in New Hampshire last week and a similar sized event in Davenport, Iowa, on Wednesday as examples of the type of settings the candidate will appear at more regularly. Rubio’s more robust travel plans are welcome news to some Republicans in early voting states who have griped for months that the senator wasn’t spending enough time on the ground meeting with donors and wooing important backers. While some candidates have all but taken up residency in Iowa and New Hampshire, Rubio has been a more sporadic presence. “He’s recognizing that in order to win in New Hampshire, you need to be available to voters — not just once or twice but more often than that,” said Donna Sytek, a prominent New Hampshire Republican. She called Rubio an “attractive candidate” but said she’s also still considering Chris Christie and Carly Fiorina. Rubio’s backers believe the campaign’s fiscal caution has already been validated by the early money woes of other candidates. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker quickly built a large and expensive operation, but was forced to withdraw from the race after just two months when his fundraising stopped covering his bills. And despite raising more than $100 million for his super PAC, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush slashed payroll spending by 40 percent after campaign fundraising slowed. To be sure, the Rubio team’s tales of cheapness have helped the campaign define the Florida senator as a scrappy underdog taking on wealthier rivals. Campaign manager Terry Sullivan has bragged about sticking Rubio on budget airline Frontier — which he called “a special kind of hell” — and touted his rule of personally approving expenses over $500. At one of the campaign’s Nevada offices, staffers tried to do their part to live up to the less is more mantra. After noticing a pizza place next to a campaign office had free wireless internet that required a password, a staffer walked over and bought two pieces of pizza and asked for the internet access code. But the cost-cutting measure was short-lived. After about three weeks, the pizza place caught on and asked the Rubio team to stop. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
A year from Election Day, GOP faces chaos it hoped to avoid
After a devastating loss in the 2012 presidential election, the Republican Party entered a period of intense self-reflection and emerged with a firm promise to learn from its mistakes. The GOP vowed to avoid a prolonged and vicious 2016 primary. It concluded it must embrace an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws and adopt a more welcoming tone to win over women and minorities. Yet a year from Election Day 2016, the GOP primary is a rough and bumpy competition. More than a dozen candidates are fighting for the support of voters — and skirmishing among themselves over the process of picking the nominee. There are few signs the candidates are committed to expanding the party’s appeal beyond its conservative base. “For Republicans, a free-for-all is good — I guess,” said Steve Duprey, a Republican National committeeman from New Hampshire. “We always anticipated a vigorous contest, but I never anticipated 16 candidates.” Meanwhile, there’s no such drama among Democrats. The party appears to be coalescing behind front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is building a campaign operation aimed at turning out the general election voters who catapulted Barack Obama to the White House. The GOP’s challenges were on display Monday, as bickering continued among campaigns about upcoming debates. That’s an issue the GOP thought it had resolved, having spent years retooling its primary process after officials said it left 2012 nominee Mitt Romney bloodied heading into the general election. Members of both parties say the GOP’s White House hopefuls have also ignored the recommendation from the RNC’s self-study that insisted Republicans must improve the party’s appeal among women and minorities. “Devastatingly, we have lost the ability to be persuasive with, or welcoming to, those who do not agree with us on every issue,” the report found. In addition to an improved tone, the RNC outlined a single policy imperative: “We must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform. If we do not, our party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only.” After a bipartisan group of senators failed to turn immigration legislation into law, Republicans on the campaign trail — including those involved with that effort — have moved sharply in the other direction. Almost the entire GOP field now calls first and foremost for increased security along the Mexican border. Some, including front-runner Donald Trump, want to deport the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally — a policy prescription experts suggest would be difficult if not impossible to achieve. Incoming House Speaker Paul Ryan said during the weekend there would be no immigration bill until 2017, at the earliest. But Trump, who has infuriated Latinos by describing Mexican immigrants as rapists and criminals, keeps the topic front-and-center in the race. “There have been moments that have been a little painful,” says Henry Barbour, an author of the RNC’s post-election report and a Republican National committeeman from Mississippi. “We have to nominate a candidate who can win, someone who can grow our party instead of making it smaller.” Absent a clear front-runner of their own, Republicans are trying to rally around their opposition to Clinton — amid signs that she’s getting stronger. Commanding performances in the first primary debate and during 11 hours of testimony before a Republican-led congressional committee reassured many Democrats who’d feared the controversy over her use of a private email server as secretary of state could harm her campaign. Her poll numbers have rebounded from a summer slump, and she now holds a wide lead nationally over Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. The relatively clear Democratic field has allowed her team to focus a full year before Election Day on building the kind of operation that can carry her beyond the primary contests. She employs 511 staff members across the country — close to the number of staff on all the Republican campaigns combined. Fundraising reports show an energized Democratic Party, with Clinton and Sanders together raising only slightly less than 15 candidates on the Republican side combined. The two top Democrats had about the same amount in the bank at the beginning of October as all the Republicans. Clinton aides say that they budgeted for a high level of spending early in the campaign, and that the team is making important investments in data analysis, digital infrastructure and organizing that will help both in the primaries and the general election. Few, if any, Republican campaigns have made such investments, although the Republican National Committee has expanded its digital operation. Still, with two Senate committees and the FBI investigating Clinton’s email arrangement, that issue could re-emerge. And an unpredictable Democratic primary electorate, which has moved to the left during President Obama’s administration, leaves Clinton and her team cautious about their prospects. “I once made the mistake of thinking we could talk about these kinds of things before a single vote was cast,” said former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, a Clinton supporter. “Anything could happen still. This is a presidential campaign. You have no idea what may be waiting in the wings.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
GOP suspends partnership with NBC News for February debate
The Republican National Committee says it’s suspending its partnership with NBC News and its properties and won’t allow the network to co-host a presidential primary debate scheduled for February. The letter from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to NBC News chief Andrew Lack comes after this week’s heavily criticized debate on CNBC. Priebus says the CNBC debate did not focus on economic issues as promised, and that candidates were asked questions that “were inaccurate or downright offensive.” NBC News, in a statement, called it a “disappointing development. However, along with our debate broadcast partners at Telemundo, we will work in good faith to resolve this matter with the Republican Party.” The RNC tells NBC it will still hold a debate as scheduled on Feb. 26 with its other planned media partner, National Review. Even before the decision to break with NBC, several of the GOP campaigns had planned to meet to discuss complaints about how the party’s debates are being run. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
GOP debate takeaways: Marco Rubio-Jeb Bush rumble, Donald Trump largely quiet
Celebrity businessman Donald Trump was again center stage as the Republican presidential field gathered Wednesday night for the third debate of the 2016 campaign, but for the first time, the billionaire seemed reduced to the role of a supporting cast member. An early rumble between former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio showed they were willing to fight for the spotlight. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, the leader in some recent preference polls, stuck to his soft-spoken style, while Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had some highlight moments – especially early on. Here are a few takeaways from the two-hour matchup in the swing-state of Colorado. — BUSH, RUBIO RUMBLE Simmering tension between Bush and Rubio, who are vying for the same traditional Republican donors and supporters, spilled into plain view just 15 minutes into the debate. Bush seemed prepared to go after Rubio for missing votes in the Senate, but appeared ill-prepared for Rubio’s quick response – that he’s only attacking him because he’s behind. “Marco, when you signed up for this, this was a six-year term and you should be showing up to work,” Bush said. “I mean, literally, the Senate. What is it, like a French work week? You get like three days where you have to show up? You can campaign, or just resign and let someone else take the job.” But Rubio was ready with his reply, citing the percentage of votes missed by previous senators who ran for president, including President Barack Obama. The detail of his response showed he had been prepared for the attack – and that he knows it could be viewed as a liability. “The only reason why you’re doing it now is because we’re running for the same position, and someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you,” Rubio said. — A QUIETER TRUMP With the moderators focusing more on Bush, Rubio and some others, Trump seemed unusually quiet. He was asked only a few questions by the moderators from CNBC and interjected himself into other questions far less than in the first debate, when he seemed in command of the debate stage. One of his longest responses was on his company’s bankruptcy record. His use of legal bankruptcy, he said, shows, “boy, am I good at solving debt problems.” As has been the case on each of the crowded debate stages, some candidates – including Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – seemed to disappear for long stretches of time. That was also the case for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, though he jokingly compared the bloated federal government to a runaway blimp making news Wednesday and later pointed out that he was wearing a Trump tie. — CRUZ PUSHES IN Cruz was a champion college debater and those skills were on display Wednesday. He deftly recapped the moderators’ quizzing of his opponents, describing those interactions as antagonistic. “These questions illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media. This is not a cage match,” he said. The rebuke drew some of the loudest, most sustained applause of the evening. Cruz said the Republican debate is a stark contrast with the Democratic contest, “where every fawning question” was about “which one of you is more handsome and wise?” Christie, Trump, Rubio and others joined in the media bashing. So, too, did Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Preibus, who told reporters the moment the debate ended that he was disappointed in both the debate’s moderators and CNBC. Cruz, a freshman Texas senator who has made his name by defying his fellow senators, also had one of the most memorable quips of the night. Asked by moderators to describe his worst characteristic, as he would in a job interview, he said with a smile: “I’m too agreeable, easy-going.” — CARSON QUIZZED During the August debate, Carson meekly said at one point, “I wasn’t sure I was going to get to talk again.” This time, as the leader in some recent preference polls, the moderators showed that people are taking a closer look at his background and his policy proposals. Carson said he’d like to have an across-the-board tax rate of 15 percent and get rid of all income tax deductions and loopholes if he were president. He also was questioned about his involvement with a medical supplement company called Mannatech that has come under legal scrutiny. Although he appears in promotions for the company, he called it “absurd” to say he has a relationship with them. When a moderator pushed him about whether perhaps that showed is weak on his “vetting process,” the crowd began to boo. Carson smiled – spotting his chance to pile-on the media as other candidates had done. “They know,” he said of the audience. — SICK OF IT ALL Asked about his biggest weakness with the first question of the debate, Kasich dismissed it and began a tirade about the seriousness – or lack thereof – in the Republican campaign. “We are on the verge, perhaps, of picking someone who cannot do this job,” he said ominously, noting – without using their names – Carson’s proposal to end Medicaid and Trump’s talk about deporting all immigrants who are in the country illegally. A few moments later, as Carson discussed his flat-tax proposal, Kasich piped back up: “This is the fantasy that I talked about in the beginning,” adding, “It’s not responsible.” “We cannot elect someone who doesn’t know how to do the job,” he said. Trump had a quick analysis of why Kasich’s tone had turned so negative: “His poll numbers tanked, and that’s why he’s on the end. And then he got nasty.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Women of Influence: Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh
In the next installment of Alabama Women of Influence is Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh. A graduate of Auburn University, Cavanaugh was first elected to the PSC in November 2010; she won re-election in 2012 and 2014. Talk about a woman who has constantly stood up for Alabama and its families and small businesses! “I am committed to doing what’s best for the hard-working taxpayers in this state,” Cavanaugh said on Facebook in July – and that couldn’t be more true. Committing herself to the fights within Washington, D.C., and at home in Alabama, she’s done everything from help push President George W. Bush‘s tax cuts through Congress to help cities and towns across the Yellowhammer state stop tax increases and fought for tougher tort reform laws. Suffice to say, Twinkle has a great resume — one a lot of us can only dream of — Republican National Committee, Alabaman Republican Party, Citizens for a Sound Economy, Gov. Riley’s cabinet as senior adviser. As the first female Chair of the Alabama Republican Party, she led the way to building a strong and inclusive state party. She also hasn’t shied away from encouraging other women to pursue their goals as well. According to AL.Com in 2003, she spoke to a group of Huntsville business leaders sharing her five tidbits of success, “Build relationships, have goals, think outside the box, face adversity positively and make a difference”, said Cavanaugh to a gathering of about 40 women. As the president of the PSC she has been a strong advocate against the EPA’s over-reaching regulations, which would kill Alabama’s coal industry and raise utility prices. She supports an “all of the above” energy portfolio. In early September, she and the commission passed regulations that allowed an Alabama Power renewable energy project to secure up to 500 megawatts of renewable generation over the next six years. A project lauded by people on both sides of the political aisle. An Alabama News story quoted that using solar power the project will “serve up to 100,000 homes during an hour of peak sun intensity on cloudless days.” Cavanaugh is also doing what she can to help tackle the state’s ongoing budget crisis. Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, the Alabama Senate’s General Fund budget chairman, said that since 2010 the PSC “has done a lot of significant restructuring that saves taxpayers millions of dollars of costs and expenses.” Cavanuagh intends to reduce costs even more this year. By cutting back wherever possible at the PSC, she will be sending a record amount to the state’s destitute General Fund next year — $12.5 million. “I think we’ve right-sized our commission,” Cavanaugh told AL.com. She and her husband have three children. They are active members of First Baptist Church in Montgomery, and they are involved in numerous community organizations. It is without a doubt we can say Cavanaugh has been a tremendous asset for the state of Alabama and as a trailblazer for generations of women to follow.
Republicans to charge media for seating at 2016 convention
Representatives for news organizations who plan to cover next summer’s convention are protesting a move by the Republican National Committee to charge news media organizations a $150 access fee for seats on the press stand. Seats on risers constructed for newspapers, magazines, wire services and online print publications have been awarded without charge in the past. Representatives for daily and periodical press galleries in the Capitol protested Monday that the media “should not be charged to cover elected officials at an event of enormous interest to the public.” The four-day event will be held in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. “We are concerned that the proposed fee smacks of forcing the press to pay for news gathering,” said Heather Rothman, chairwoman of the Executive Committee of Periodical Correspondents, and Jonathan D. Salant, chairman of the Standing Committee of Correspondents. “We urge the (GOP convention committee) to follow the precedent of previous conventions of both parties and drop plans for an access fee so the press can continue to inform the public about a major news event.” The RNC says the $150 charge covers a fraction of the $750-per-seat construction cost. In addition to the precedent, the fee could prove burdensome to smaller news organizations. Television networks generally cover the cost of constructing their skyboxes. “There is no access fee,” said RNC spokeswoman Alison Moore. “For outlets who prefer a special work station, there will be a minimal charge for construction at a fraction of the actual cost.” The press organizations are responsible for credentialing media covering Capitol Hill, and staff aides in the congressional press galleries have run the press stand at both the Democratic and Republican conventions for decades, in part to prevent the political parties from playing favorites. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
3rd Republican presidential debate to be capped at 2 hours
CNBC and the Republican presidential candidates agreed on the format for their third debate a day after leaders Donald Trump and Ben Carson threatened to boycott unless they got their way, the network said. The Oct. 28 debate will be two hours long and will include closing statements from the candidates, CNBC spokesman Brian Steel said Friday. The billionaire businessman and the retired neurosurgeon, in a joint letter to CNBC’s Washington bureau chief on Thursday, had told the hosting network they would not appear at the debate unless it was capped at two hours including commercials and the candidates were allowed to speak directly to the camera at its opening and close. The Republican National Committee and candidates began discussing the format on Wednesday, RNC spokesman Sean Spicer said. CNBC had proposed two hours of debating time not including four commercial breaks, meaning the time the candidates would be onstage would be about 15 minutes longer. The most recent debate, on CNN, lasted three hours with commercial breaks, a duration that left some of the candidates complaining. Since the debates have set records for high ratings, television networks have an incentive to keep the candidates onstage and on the air for as long as they possibly can. CNBC had initially called for no opening and closing statements, which made some candidates unhappy because it would take away their best chance to speak directly to voters without having to be called on to respond to a question. Spicer confirmed the agreement. Debate format squabbles are common in presidential campaigns, an issue magnified this year because of the number of candidates running and their popularity as television events. Trump had threatened not to appear on the second GOP debate on CNN unless the network made a $10 million donation to charity; no donation was made, and Trump appeared. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
