“I'm not the smartest fellow in the world, but I can sure pick smart colleagues.”
- FDR
DONALD IN DISTRESS: After the IN primary six short weeks ago, Donald Trump was atop some national polls and riding a high wave of Republican endorsements on his way to unifying the party, while Hillary Clinton was left to battle an insurgent and struggling to unite her own party. After two tumultuous weeks of picking fights with everyone in his path, Trump has found himself alone and losing momentum faster than ever. Republicans have had a knee jerk reactions to criticizing the nominee early and often in the past, but the frequency with which they’re doing it now is different and more problematic. With less than a month before the convention, he hasn’t won endorsements from many of his former primary opponents, has yet to put together a core finance team and is creating tension with the RNC - his only (and largest) organizational back up for the next five months. Does this guy really want to win?
SANDERS STAYS: Bernie Sanders still refuses to hang his hat – but that’s what a revolution is all about, right? Despite having finished more than 400 delegates behind Clinton, Sanders plans to stick around a little longer. He turns his focus to shaping the party’s platform and guaranteeing his supporters voices are heard. In his platform fight, Sanders plans to include issues like raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, safeguarding equal pay, gay rights, enacting gun control reform, protecting social security, defeating TPP, and reforming the banking system and the role of money in politics. In the end, his main focus remains defeating Trump come November. Clinton’s camp has no choice but to work with Sanders over the next few months and focus on her goal of uniting the party ahead of the convention.
GUN JAM: Our nation’s gun laws have many Democrats up in arms and now Trump - who throughout his campaign has expressed his opposition to gun control - has been prompted to meet with the National Rifle Association over the issue in the wake of the Orlando massacre. Trump has backed a no-buy list for FBI watch list members and the NRA has opposed the measure concerned that Americans wrongfully placed on list were being stripped of their constitutional rights to due process. Tensions have emerged on Capitol Hill after a 15-hour filibuster by Senate Democrats has forced Republicans to hold votes on two separate gun measures - with PA Senator Pat Toomey being one of few Republicans willing to cross party lines on the issue.
RUBIO RECONSIDERING: When Senator Marco Rubio launched his presidential campaign, he made the bold promise of winning the White House or bust - but a lot has changed since then especially with Trump at the top of the ticket. Holding onto the Senate was always going to be a challenge for Republicans given the number of seats they had to defend and now with the political winds changing, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his colleagues feel Rubio is their best hope to keep FL in the red column. As the Democratic frontrunner, Rep. Patrick Murphy has been the beneficiary of the party’s growth in registration and fundraising in the state making him the early favorite…if Rubio doesn’t run. Rubio has exactly one week to decide if he’ll throw his hat in the ring.
GAUGING GARLAND?: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has remained steadfast on holding hearings or a vote on President Obama’s Supreme Court nomination. Chatter is starting to pick up in the corridors of the Senate as prospects of a Clinton presidency increase and six months from now the alternative could be much different - especially if Democrats are able to take the Senate as well and narrow the gap in the House. Though Judge Merrick Garland is considered a centrist, some Republicans are coming around to the notion that he may be the best option for them going forward.
HUNTED: THE F-35 PROGRAM AT FARNBOROUGH: Today at 11:00 AM EDT, our Senior Defense Policy Advisor LtGen Emo Gardner will host a call for investors regarding the first ever appearance of the F-35 at the world’s most important aerospace show, the Farnborough International Airshow, July 11-17. You can find the dial-in information here.
ELECTION PREVIEW WITH SCOTT REED: With the fight for the White House heating up, we’ll talk with Scott Reed, one of Washington’s top political strategists, to gather his views on who will be the next President of the United States, the upcoming party conventions, and the highly competitive Senate and House races this fall. The call will take place next Tuesday, June 21st at 11:00 AM EDT. You can find the dial-in information here.
NOTE: We're traveling on Monday and will be back on Tuesday morning. Have a great weekend.