Hotline Sort: GOP's New Arguments Against Obama
Welcome back to Hotline Sort and happy Groundhog Day (six more weeks of winter, says Punxsutawney Phil!). Menendez gets a new challenger in New Jersey, Indiana is now a right-to-work state, Cullen won't challenge Scott Walker and the NRSC outraises the DSCC in December. Here's today's rundown:
7) Indiana is now a right to work state following legislation signed by Gov. Mitch Daniels.
6) The National Republican Senatorial Committee outraised the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in December, $4.5 million to $3.5 million, but both committees raised about the same amount in 2011.
5) Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett had about $415,000 cash on hand at the end of 2011, outpacing former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk by a wide margin. Of course, Falk is likely to win the support of organized labor, so money should not be a major concern for her. Barrett has not yet announced whether he is running in the recall election.
4) Democratic state Sen. Tim Cullen won't be running for governor in the all-but-certain Wisconsin recall election. Cullen was not regarded as a top tier candidate and acknowledged that he cannot keep pace in the money chase against better-known competition.
Meanwhile, the state Government Accountability Board has posted the 1 million petitions signatures (in the effort to recall Walker) online.
3) Republican state Sen. Joe Kyrillos, a friend of Gov. Chris Christie, officially launched his Senate campaign in New Jersey on Wednesday. "Bob Menendez has been in Washington for 20 years," Kyrillos said in a Monmouth County, according to the Bergen Record. "And let's look at his long record of service and accomplishment, his achievements. "Well, there was that time ... you know ... There was that bill ... no, no. There was that ban on smoking on airplanes! That was a good initiative. I applaud that. Wait a second -- that was Frank Lautenberg."
The Record explains how both sides are already portraying Kyrillos:
Supporters said ... Kyrillos ... was a smart, friendly, middle-of-the-road "gentleman" who spent nearly a quarter-century trying to bolster economic growth in New Jersey.
Menendez backers depicted Kyrillos as a protector of millionaires who favored pro-gun and anti-abortion extremists over women and the middle class.
2) Two GOP messaging observations this morning: The Wall Street Journal reports that Republicans are seizing on President Obama's decision not to exempt all religious employers from a requirement that health-care plans cover contraception. Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that Keystone XL has become a focal point of the Republican economic and political agenda.
1) Sheldon Adelson, who has been bankrolling the super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich, is carefully navigating his public relationship with the former speaker. The Wall Street Journal:
Though Mr. Adelson has embraced Mr. Gingrich in part because of his stance on Israel, recent events--including a kerfuffle over a special caucus at a school attended mostly by Jewish children that bears Mr. Adelson's name--have the men trying to minimize their connection publicly, said people familiar with the matter.
The casino magnate also has become concerned that he is overshadowing Mr. Gingrich's campaign, according to people close to Mr. Adelson.
Keep an eye on how much further assistance Adelson provides the pro-Gingrich super PAC. Without his money in the mix, Gingrich, already trying to play catch up against Mitt Romney, would be at a very significant disadvantage.
Meanwhile, Romney is in strong shape in the Silver State, according to a new poll that shows his leading Gingrich 45-25 percent among likely caucusgoers.
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