2010 elections

Report: Steve Welch Drops Out In PA-6 To Avoid Primary With Rep. Gerlach

Christina Bellantoni | February 20, 2010, 11:15AM

Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and PA-06 candidate Steve Welch (R).

Businessman Steve Welch reportedly announced this morning he is ending his bid to be the Republican nominee for the sixth district of Pennsylvania, sparing the party a potentially divisive primary with Rep. Jim Gerlach.

Welch was the favored candidate for what was the open seat when Gerlach said he would run for governor. But last month, Gerlach changed his mind and instead is seeking reelection.

The blog pa2010 captured the remarks this morning as Welch spoke to Chester County Republicans.

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Health Care

Obama To GOP On Health Care Summit: Come Here In Good Faith

Christina Bellantoni | February 20, 2010, 9:41AM

President Barack Obama

President Obama used his weekly address to the nation to ask members of Congress to "move forward together" on health care reform after his White House summit next week.

"We know the American people want us to reform our health insurance system. We know where the broad areas of agreement are. And we know where the sources of disagreement lie," Obama said.

"After debating this issue exhaustively for a year, let's move forward together. Next week is our chance to finally reform our health insurance system so it works for families and small businesses. It's our chance to finally give Americans the peace of mind of knowing that they'll be able to have affordable coverage when they need it most," he said.

Citing the rate hikes proposed by Anthem Blue Cross and the new report showing more increases are expected across the country, Obama called on Democrats and Republicans to do something about it.

"That's what the future is on track to look like. But it's not what the future has to look like," he said.

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2010 elections

Doug Hoffman Likely Running Again As Candidate To 'Unite' All GOP Factions (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | February 19, 2010, 5:36PM

Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman, Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY)

Doug Hoffman is considering another bid for the 23rd Congressional district but this time will "absolutely" go the Republican establishment route, he told TPMDC.

Hoffman, who hinted he'd run a second time after losing to a Democrat last fall,
said if he gets in the race it would be to "get the seat back into Republican hands."

I caught up with Hoffman for an interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference today, and he charged that Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY) violated his campaign pledges on his first week in office by voting for the health care bill.

"I'm the only candidate that can unite the Republican party, the conservative party, the tea party, the 9/12ers and the grassroots of the 23rd district," he said.

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GOP Shadow Budget

Rep. Issa Prefers Social Security Cuts To Bush '05 Approach (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | February 19, 2010, 3:34PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa told TPMDC today he would be happy to co-sponsor Rep. Paul Ryan's budget "roadmap" which privatizes Social Security and creates a voucher system for Medicare, saying it it a "much better" approach than President George W. Bush took in 2005.

We interviewed Issa (R-CA) at the Conservative Political Action Conference today, asking about the budget plan which former Majority Leader Dick Armey and others say is a smart plan to end the deficit.

"Paul Ryan did a very good job of teeing up the only possibilities. It's not like we want to do any of those, but the fact is there has to be enough income for the outflow and that's going to include potential changes in age, in means testing and in fact in how we collect revenue all of that has to be part of it," Issa said.

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2010 elections

Dick Armey To GOP: Be 'Courageous,' Consider Social Security And Medicare Cuts (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | February 19, 2010, 10:08AM

FreedomWorks CEO Dick Armey at CPAC 2010

Former Republican Majority Leader Dick Armey said in an interview that Republicans would be wise to talk straight about making cuts to Social Security and Medicare if they really want to cut the deficit.

TPMDC interviewed Armey at CPAC yesterday, and we asked him about Rep. Paul Ryan's budget roadmap we've been following that cuts privatizes Social Security and creates a voucher system for Medicare.

Armey (R-TX) was an architect of the Contract with America that helped Republicans win control of Congress in 1994. When we asked, he at first danced around the issue but then agreed "Yes," the Ryan plan is the smart way to go if the GOP is "courageous."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Liz Cheney Tells TPMDC: Time To End Don't Ask Don't Tell

Christina Bellantoni | February 18, 2010, 4:08PM

Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, said today in an interview it was time for the policy banning gays in the military to end.

"It's time for it to end," she told TPMDC. "The joint chiefs, certainly the chairman of the joint chiefs, has been clear about that and I think that the country really is at a place now where it's time for it to end."

Cheney also left the door open a crack to run for president down the line, though she said it's not her focus. She said the "Draft Cheney" movement here at the Conservative Political Action Conference proves that conservatives have injected fresh energy into the 2012 field.

TPMDC caught up with Cheney this afternoon following her speech to CPAC. We chatted briefly about President Obama's new offensive in Afghanistan terrorism - which she's been talking about through her new Keep America Safe group and the political landscape of 2010.

She said it might have been the wrong decision to mirandize the shoe bomber in 2001, but that she still vehemently opposed Obama's national security policies.

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CPAC

Sarah Palin Winning CPAC Glamour Shots War

Christina Bellantoni | February 18, 2010, 11:47AM

Young America's Foundation is boosting its membership list by giving out posters of the two favorite female conservatives

Move over, Ann Coulter! Sarah Palin seems to have bumped the conservative queen from her most-favored status, if poster distribution at CPAC is any indication.

Young America's Foundation made these massive posters of Coulter and Palin and staffers are giving them away free to people who sign up for their mailing list.

Interested takers can get as many copies as they want of a Ronald Reagan "American values for all generations" calendar. They can take dozens of the free Obama posters with the words "Resist the Tyranny of Socialism" inscribed below or "Barack Obama Epic Fail" stickers, but you can only choose one top conservative gal.

TPMDC asked staffers which poster was more popular and they said they weren't keeping track, but we checked the stack and there was only one Palin left, and plenty of Coulter.

One YAF staffer admitted Palin was the hotter ticket item, and said he was disappointed she isn't speaking at CPAC.

CPAC

At CPAC Rubio Calls GOP Resurgence 'Single Greatest Pushback' In History

Christina Bellantoni | February 18, 2010, 10:52AM

Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL) got the party started this morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference with an uplifting speech that offered the promise of both hope and change.

Rubio warned repeatedly he thinks the Obama administration is attempting to "redefine" the role of government from spending to fighting terrorism.

He didn't talk about Republicans but said there is energy in the conservative movement.

"From tea parties to the election in Massachusetts we are witnessing the single greatest pushback in American history," Rubio said, to cheers.

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Health Care

Anthem Rate Hikes Just Tip Of Iceberg - Premiums Going Way Up In Six More States

Christina Bellantoni | February 18, 2010, 7:00AM

Kathleen Sebelius and Blue Cross Anthem inset

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today will release a new report showing more dramatic health insurance premium increases are proposed in Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

Keying off the Obama administration's recent probe into a planned 39 percent rate hike from Anthem Blue Cross in California, Sebelius will detail large increases in six other states and say that given record insurer profits, health care reform has never been more urgent.

At 11:30 a.m. today, Sebelius will release the report, obtained by TPMDC and titled "Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System."

It finds that Anthem's rate increase (now delayed until May) is "not unique" and that experts say premiums will keep rising.

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Bob McDonnell

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Rolls Back Non-Discrimination Protections For Gay State Workers

Christina Bellantoni | February 17, 2010, 3:22PM

Virgina Gov. Bob McDonnell

Gay and lesbian state workers in Virginia are no longer specifically protected against discrimination, thanks to a little-noticed change made by new Gov. Bob McDonnell.

McDonnell (R) on Feb. 5 signed an executive order that prohibits discrimination "on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, political affiliation, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities," as well as veterans.

It rescinds the order that Gov. Tim Kaine signed Jan. 14, 2006 as one of his first actions. After promising a "fair and inclusive" administration in his inaugural address, Kaine (D) added veterans to the non-discrimination policy - and sexual orientation.

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Health Care

Are We There Yet? Health Care Summit Could Be Final Play Before A Merged Bill Passes

Christina Bellantoni | February 17, 2010, 2:26PM

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), President Obama, and Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

Key House Democrats said today they think the White House health care summit will yield some sort of final agreement allowing Congress to pass a compromise reform measure and get it to President Obama's desk.

When and how remain large outstanding questions, but lawmakers stressed Obama's invitation to bipartisan members to the televised summit is among the last steps on the long road to reform.

Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) said on a conference call with reporters today they are "not starting from scratch" despite Republicans calls to do just that.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen said repeatedly the compromise is 90 percent done, and said Obama would put "all the facts on the table" and give Republicans another chance to present their ideas.

"The House and Senate are very close to reaching a final agreement," Van Hollen said.

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CPAC

Tea Party Crashing Establishment CPAC To Hang With 'Fellow Conservatives'

Christina Bellantoni | February 17, 2010, 9:16AM

A protester outside the U.S. Capitol

The Conservative Political Action Committee is the most establishment of all the gatherings on the right, but the tea partiers will be in on the action.

When CPAC kicks off tomorrow in Washington, members of the tea party movement will be on hand. They are sort of strange bedfellows, since tea party members insist they aren't about the Republican party and CPAC is viewed as the marquis event for the GOP and its potential presidential candidates. As we've been writing, Republicans across the country have been trying to harness the tea party energy for their own races as anti-establishment sentiment sweeps the nation in the leadup to the midterm elections.

There are plenty of divisions from within the tea party umbrella as well - a split between groups like the Tea Party Nation which charged $549 for its recent convention and citizens who say the last thing they want is to be an official third party.

Despite these fissures, top officials with tea party groups will speak and the documentary about the Tea Party will be on hand. Rapper Hi-Caliber, who stars in Tea Party material, even plans to perform.

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Health Care

Health Care Spat As GOP Tells Gibbs He's Dueling With Straw Man

Christina Bellantoni | February 16, 2010, 5:59PM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)

Will Republicans attend the health care summit at the White House next week?

They've voiced their loud complaints, and the White House has fired back, saying the GOP is hypocritical since the Republicans called for the televised meeting to begin with.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today the Republicans haven't yet accepted the invitation that President Obama's staffers sent on Friday.

We can't get a straight answer out of Republicans, but not for lack of trying.

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Health Care

Gibbs Says GOP Will Need To Explain Why They Now Oppose Health Care Summit They Called For

Christina Bellantoni | February 16, 2010, 3:29PM

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said today the proposed insurance rate hikes from Anthem Blue Cross in California that we've been writing about will serve as a backdrop for President Obama's health care summit next week.

Gibbs struck an ominous tone, suggesting that if reform doesn't pass now, there are more increases to come. It's an issue the Democrats seized on recently as they attempt to push a final measure over the goal line.

"People are getting letters in the mail now. They got them in California. Your health insurance is going to go up almost 40 percent from last year to this year. That's a preview of what's going to happen if we don't do anything," Gibbs said.

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2010 elections

GOP Challenges Bayh: Delay Primary To Remove Appearance Of Dems' Gamesmanship

Christina Bellantoni | February 16, 2010, 12:43PM

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

The Indiana Democrats are on the verge of not holding a primary to choose a nominee for the U.S. Senate, something retiring Sen. Evan Bayh seems to have no problem with and which has a longshot candidate crying foul.

Now the Republicans are getting in on the action, with National Republican Senatorial Committee Sen. John Cornyn challenging Bayh to change the process since it seems like an unfair.

This could end up being a key point, especially given how the Republican party faced serious trouble in New York's 23rd Congressional district after selecting a candidate from behind a closed door.

Bayh announced he won't seek reelection yesterday, leaving Democrats with little wiggle room to get a candidate on the primary ballot since 4,500 signatures (500 from each Congressional district) are due today.

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Stimulus

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell Then: Stimulus Bad. Now: Thanks For The Cash!

Christina Bellantoni | February 16, 2010, 10:02AM

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is now offering effusive praise for $24 million in federal funds that allowed him to establish an office of Health Information Technology and to fund a program helping Virginia doctors transition to electronic medical records.

Just one problem - he thinks the government shouldn't have spent that money to begin with.

One year ago, McDonnell told reporters the stimulus plan "is not going to be good long-term for America," though he did say according to the Virginian-Pilot that the Commonwealth should still "collect its share of the stimulus anyway."

Last summer, the Roanoke Times reported that McDonnell said the stimulus created more problems than it solved.

Yesterday, McDonnell (R) lauded Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for "advancing such a critical issue."

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Joe Lieberman

Lieberman Would Have Shown Dem Prez Candidates The Love In '08 Campaign - But No One Asked

Christina Bellantoni | February 16, 2010, 8:55AM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Sen. Joe Lieberman nearly became the first person in history to be the vice presidential nominee for two different parties, but it turns out one reason he so fully embraced Republican Sen. John McCain during the presidential campaign is that none of his fellow Democrats asked for his help.

In 2007, Lieberman (I-CT) was reviled by Democrats who supported him being booted from his caucus thanks in part to the Iraq war. It should not have been much of a surprise that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton weren't racing for an endorsement.

But it was to Lieberman, according to an account described in the book "Game Change" and confirmed to me by Lieberman's office.

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IN-SEN

Crowded GOP Field Eyeing Bayh Seat In Hoosier State

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 3:37PM

Former Sen. Dan Coats

Indiana Republicans are feeling a lot more confident about their chances to pick up Sen. Evan Bayh's Senate seat this fall, but it's looking like there will be a 5-way GOP primary.

As we've been reporting, candidates have until tomorrow to submit 4,500 signature petitions to qualify for the ballot. They have until Friday to file paperwork with the Secretary of State.

A spokesman for the Indiana Republican Party told TPMDC there will likely be four or five candidates who meet the threshold to appear on the May 4 primary ballot.

"We're going to let the primary play out," the spokesman told me.

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IN-SEN

Brad Ellsworth Considering Senate Bid

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 2:33PM

Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)

Rep. Brad Ellsworth is considering throwing his hat in the ring to run for Sen. Evan Bayh's Senate seat, saying today he wants feedback from his family and his constituents.

Ellsworth (D-IN), elected in 2006 when the Democrats took over Congress, lauded Bayh in a statement just released from his office and says the senator will be missed.

He adds that he's already been encouraged to seek the seat.

"I heard about the news during my annual Open Door Listening Tour this morning, and I appreciate the support of those Hoosiers who have already encouraged me to run for Senator Bayh's seat," Ellsworth said.

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2010 elections

Ouch! Bayh Called Obama But Not Harry Reid

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 12:54PM

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)

The news about Sen. Evan Bayh opting not to seek reelection had been out for an hour before Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid heard from him.

As we reported earlier, Bayh (D-IN) phoned President Obama this morning about his decision.

But an aide to Reid tells us that Bayh called the majority leader at about 11:45 a.m. to let him know.

During his 2 p.m. press conference Bayh will say that partisan gridlock in Washington is one reason he's bowing out.

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2010 elections

Surprise! Bayh's Choice Leaves State Party Officials Choosing Replacement Candidate

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 11:40AM

President Obama and Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)

Sen. Evan Bayh had already collected the 4,500 ballot-petition signatures needed to run in this year's Indiana Democratic primary, and his last-minute decision not to run leaves the Indiana Democratic Party in the position of having to select its candidate itself. There probably isn't a realistic way for anyone to gather the signatures needed by this week's deadline.

A Democratic source told TPMDC that Bayh's campaign did polling last week and found the senator was ahead of Republican Dan Coats, a candidate who just jumped in the race. Bayh had completed all the petitions for the race, which are due this week, the source said.

R.J. Gerard, communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party confirmed to TPMDC that the state Democratic Party would be able to select a new candidate to run in November's general election if no one files petitions with 4,500 signatures (500 within each of the state's nine House districts) to run in the primary.

The petitions must be filed with the county clerk's office by Tuesday. Then candidates have until Friday to file with the Secretary of State for the primary ballot. The lack of another Democrat will mean there is a vacancy, leaving it to the state party's State Central Committee to choose a candidate at its June 30 meeting.

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Health Care

GOP Decries Obama Strategy For Health Care Summit And Calls For Starting Over

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 10:25AM

President Obama speaks at a bipartisan White House gathering with Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) in the background.

The invitations had barely landed in Congressional inboxes before Republican leadership started calling President Obama's upcoming White House health care summit a "backroom deal."

The Obama administration's invitation to the Feb. 25 summit informs members that text of a "proposed health insurance reform package" will be posted online before the meeting. A White House official tells TPMDC that the text will be the product of the discussions that have been ongoing between the House and Senate since each chamber passed their bills last year.

That's the sticking point for the GOP, who say Obama is inviting them to a meeting but doesn't really want their ideas if he already has a draft bill.

"A productive bipartisan discussion should begin with a clean sheet of paper," Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said in a statement this weekend.

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Health Care

California Insurer's Rate Hike Becomes Rallying Point For Health Care Reform

Christina Bellantoni | February 15, 2010, 9:09AM

President Barack Obama

Anthem Blue Cross' proposed 39 percent rate increases in California have become a new rallying point for the Obama administration and Democrats eager to get health care reform across the finish line.

The issue gives President Obama and Democrats a new enemy that can help drive home the need to fix the health care system, and they won't be letting up any time soon, administration and Congressional sources tell TPMDC.

There will be Congressional hearings this month and Obama has held it up as an example.

Already they have seen results, with Anthem agreeing to delay the hikes until May.

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