“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
THE HEART OF IT ALL: Since 1960, every Republican who has won OH has also won the presidency, so it’s important to note that this week marks the first time we’ve seen Donald Trump overtake Hillary Clinton since either candidate became their party’s nominee. Though popular Governor John Kasich is still in open conflict with Trump and Republican party leaders, rank-and-file OH Republicans have forged a truce of their own with the candidate, and are determined to recapture the Buckeye State after voting twice for President Barack Obama. Although the rift between Kasich and RNC Chair Reince Priebus has muddied the waters for Republicans alike, the state’s Republicans are set on one common goal - Clinton is not an option.
LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE: Debate season is finally upon us. Topics for next week’s debate include: Securing America, America’s Direction, and Achieving Prosperity. National security is likely to be a major focus following recent terror attacks and the candidate’s subsequent reactions - and ultimately plays well into Trump’s hand as his policy on immigration reform and recent speeches expose a majority of American’s belief that the current Administration is too lenient on immigration. On the other hand, Achieving Prosperity should bode well for Clinton, who will almost certainly rely heavily on the recent census data showing increases in median household income and a decrease in the poverty rate. Either way, the debate is bound to be a dogfight, and don’t discount for a second there won’t be personal attacks.
KICKING AROUND THE CR: It seemed like just yesterday (it was) when we had high hopes of Congress moving a CR before the weekend, but now prospects of an early exit for Congress are looking grim. The optimistic outlook collided with reality with many saying the funding battle could be stretched into next week because of disagreements over ancillary spending requests. Although the Senate has made strides by approving a vehicle that will become the CR, the House is still scrambling. Congress was always scheduled to be in session next week, but Members are itching to get back to pressing the flesh with their constituents with just over a month left until Election Day.
TROUBLE IN THE FAMILY: In an already unproductive year for House Republicans, a new issue is rising - House Freedom Caucus members are refusing to pay dues to the National Republican Congressional Committee believing they favor moderates over true conservatives. The latest mistrust stems from a group of conservatives who tag the NRCC with the establishment wing of the party and lay blame at their feet for the primary loss of HFC leader Tim Huelskamp last month. The HFC, along with other hard-liner Republicans, owe outstanding dues creating a shortfall that exceeds $10 million. In the meantime, top House Republicans are donating millions above their dues to compensate for the shortfall - with Speaker Paul Ryan transferring nearly $30 million alone.
CHARLES IN CHARGE: NY Senator Chuck Schumer could become the Majority Leader of the Senate next year if all goes as planned for Democrats, and he’s putting his best foot forward to help secure it - he’s transferred over $1 million to the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm and given $3.2 million to state parties just in the past week. Altogether in September, Schumer has transferred $6.2 million of the $27 million he has on hand to help Democratic hopefuls. Schumer’s donations are both a vote of confidence in his party’s candidates and a reflection of the Democrats’ future challenges. Democrats are defending 25 seats in 2018 compared with just eight Republican seats, so if Democrats come up short this November, they face huge challenges taking back the majority this decade.
REPLAY | ELECTION UPDATE: CHARLIE COOK OF THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: In case you missed it, we hosted a call with Charlie Cook, founder of the Cook Political Report and one of the nation’s leading authorities on American politics and U.S. elections. He shared his outlook on the presidential race, discussed the state of play for House and Senate elections, and gave us a preview of the upcoming presidential debates later this month. You can listen to the replay here.
FCC EASING FOREIGN BROADCAST OWNERSHIP LIMITS: Our Telecommunications-Media Analyst Paul Glenchur discussed how the FCC is preparing orders to enable increased foreign ownership of broadcast television stations - a plus for Televisa (TV) and Univision. You can read his piece here.
