Takeaway: Ryan Tip Toeing Toward Trump; Dems Dropping Debbie; Almost There

Capital Brief: GOP Tiptoeing Towards Trump ... & DNC Infighting - capital brief

Editor's Note: Below is a brief excerpt from Hedgeye Potomac Chief Political Strategist JT Taylor's Capital Brief sent to institutional clients each morning. For more information on how you can access our institutional research please email sales@hedgeye.com.

TIP TOEING TOWARDS TRUMP

Capital Brief: GOP Tiptoeing Towards Trump ... & DNC Infighting - trump 44

Looks like Speaker Paul Ryan will take his time deciding when to endorse Donald Trump despite rumors that he was on the verge this week. Ryan and Trump remain deeply divided over major policy issues, particularly free trade and immigration, but Ryan allies feel the longer he holds out, the more damage he may inflict on the party’s chances this fall.

PLOTTING THE PLATFORM 

Republicans have chosen to name three conservative members to lead the committee that will decide this summer’s convention platform. Moves were made after Trump mentioned he’d like to see changes made to the agenda that has essentially stayed the same since the days of Ronald Reagan. Look for issues that have united Republicans in the past to be highlighted; a strong party platform is important for unity going into July as well as corralling corporate convention sponsors and major donors already agitated by Trump’s views and commentary.

DEMS DROPPING DEBBIE?

Capital Brief: GOP Tiptoeing Towards Trump ... & DNC Infighting - bernie sanders 44

High level Democrats are discussing whether or not Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz (FL) should step down as DNC chairwoman before the big blue party in July. Democrats feel that Shultz has been too disruptive in uniting the party and whether her continued and veiled support for Hillary Clinton muddies the water for future discussions and negotiations. Adding to that, her most recent squabble with Bernie Sanders (we lost count) over rigging the system only adds fuel to the fire.

ALMOST THERE

For those of you keeping score...with his win in Washington State, Trump finds himself just a handful of delegates shy of the Republican nomination. He now holds 1,229 of the 1,237 delegates needed to clinch.