Lamar(!) Gets a Primary Challenger; Cruz Renounces Canadian Citizenship; Beau Biden Hospitalized

National Journal

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WHAT'S NEWS

  • The Obama admin. "is 'reprogramming' some funds to Egypt while a review is underway -- in effect, temporarily holding up some military aid to the country" (CNN).

  • NJ Gov. Chris Christie (R) "will accept state public matching funds" for his reelection bid, "according to a campaign official with knowledge of the operation's finances." The decision will give Christie "more than" $8M for the campaign, and he'll be "obligated to participate in two pre-election debates" with state Sen. Barbara Buono (D) (AP).

  • TN state Rep. Joe Carr (R) announced Tuesday morning on a Nashville radio station that he'll run against Sen. Lamar Alexander (R). Carr: "If Lamar Alexander is voting with Barack Hussein Obama 62 percent of the time, he's voting against Tennesseans 62 percent of the time" (Hotline reporting). Alexander responded Tuesday to a letter from tea party groups urging him to retire with a Nashville Tennessean op-ed, in which he writes: "I appreciate the suggestion, but if the people of Tennessee will allow it, I'd rather continue to serve -- hopefully, with dignity" (Tennessean).

  • Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) launched another TV ad aimed at businessman Matt Bevin (R) (release).

  • ME Gov. Paul LePage (R) told a group of GOPers at a state party fundraiser last week that Pres. Obama "'hates white people,' according to two state lawmakers who say they heard the remark directly" (Portland Press Herald).

  • Winnebago Co. Exec. Mark Harris (D) "stepped closer to entering" the WI GOV race on Monday, "when he said: 'I think I'm going to throw my hat in the ring and see where it goes from there'" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

  • Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) "said Monday that he will renounce his Canadian citizenship," one days after he "released his birth certificate amid concerns that being born in Canada could derail a possible" WH '16 run (AP).

  • San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) "and his legal opponents held a mediation session Monday to resolve the sexual harassment litigation against him as a recall effort remained in full swing and a group of supporters rallied outside City Hall to urge Filner to stay in office" (U-T San Diego).

OUR CALL

Hotline editors weigh in on the stories that drive the day

• Two polls, two entirely different results. An automated survey conducted by GOP pollster Harper Polling showed Gov. Bobby Jindal with dismal 35%/51% fav/unfav rating. Jindal's own pollster, OnMessage Inc., responded by releasing its own live-caller survey showing the governor's job approval rating at 50%. It underscores the importance of looking at a wide sample of (reputable) polling, rather than cherry-picking one notable result.

• One other thing: The OnMessage poll was conducted in conjunction with the NRSC, and its Senate race results were released first. It's clear that the GOP's Senate cmte has no respect for Harper Polling -- comm. dir. Brad Dayspring said earlier this year a Harper poll in the MA SEN special "might as well have been written in crayon." As the NRCC embraces the startup robopolling firm (run by its former polling dir.), the NRSC shuns -- and rebuts -- it.

• Clearest sign that Mitch McConnell is concerned about Matt Bevin's challenge on his right: He's going up with another hard-hitting attack ad in August, accusing Bevin of falsifying his resume.

• Someone's going to end up disappointed in MT. Rep. Steve Daines (R) took a max contribution from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's PAC in May as part of a big GOP recruiting push for MT SEN; now it's John Boehner's turn to throw Daines a home-state fundraiser Tuesday as part of the speaker's nationwide recess fundraising swing.

HAIR OF THE DOG

FRESH BREWED BUZZ

  • Sec/State John Kerry "has determined that" the four State Dept. officials "placed on administrative leave" by then-Sec/State Hillary Clinton "after the terrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi do not deserve any formal disciplinary action and has asked them to come back to work ... starting Tuesday" (Daily Beast).

  • DE AG Beau Biden (D) "is under evaluation in Houston for an 'episode of disorientation and weakness' he experienced while on vacation last week." VP Biden "accompanied his son" to an undisclosed facility in Houston on Monday morning (Houston Chronicle).

  • The WH "announced Monday that the Obama family has a new addition -- Sunny, Bo's little sister." Sunny, a Portuguese Water Dog, was born in MI in June of last year and arrived at the WH on Monday. "Sunny's arrival comes with more good news -- the Obamas will send an undisclosed donation to the Washington Humane Society" (Washington Post).

  • U.S. Amb. to Japan-designate Caroline Kennedy "has a personal fortune of up to" $275M, "according to recently filed financial disclosure forms that she was required to submit as a result of her nomination" (Boston Globe).

  • NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) "will avoid a potentially dicey political conflict by not accompanying" Obama to upstate NY "roiled over the state's ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas" later this week (AP). But Cuomo "will greet ... Obama when he touches down in Buffalo on Thursday" (Albany Times Union).

  • VA conservative talk-radio host John Fredericks, who "said he had been an 'unabashed, unequivocal supporter' of" VA Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), called for McDonnell's resignation Monday" (Washington Post).

  • "[I've heard] a couple of state senators on the Democratic side [might run], as well as a couple of folks who are to the right of me, which I think is a cousin of Attila the Hun, but I'm not sure" -- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), on potential opponents for his special election next year (Columbia State).

  • Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), "who was recently criticized" by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL) "for suggesting an 'elitist, white boy' solution" to Chicago's gang problem, "adopted the language of the street Monday morning, telling reporters 'one guy got popped' when he went on a recent South Side ride-along with Chicago's top cop" (Chicago Sun-Times).

  • "I wouldn't want Larry Summers to mow my yard. He's terribly controversial and brusque and I don't think he works well with either side of the aisle, quite frankly" -- Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) (Wichita Eagle).

  • "Christine Quinn Hospital Presser Gets Violent" (Politicker.com).

  • "Tonight is a Riesling night" -- NYC mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio (D), ordering a drink at a fundraiser Sunday night in the Flatiron District (Wall Street Journal).

  • "A Son's Heartfelt Campaign" (New York Times).

  • "Well, first of all, that's the problem in this two-ring circus: I'm not running against Weiner. I'm running against the other one, Spitzer, O.K.?" -- NYC Comp. candidate Scott Stringer (D), setting the record straight after a man incorrectly referred to Stringer's opponent Monday morning in Harlem, as Stringer camapaigned with ex-NY Gov. David Paterson (D) (New York Times).

  • "NPR CEO Gary Knell Announces He's Leaving" (NPR).

SWIZZLE CHALLENGE

  • ME (Margaret Chase Smith, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins) and NE (Eva Kelly Bowring, Hazel Hampel Abel, Deb Fischer) are the only two states to elect three female GOP sens.

  • The winner is Jay O'Callaghan. Here's a bonus Swizzle Challenge: "According to records kept by the Senate, which VP voted most frequently to break ties in the Senate?" The 1st correct e-mailer gets to submit the next question.

NJ'S EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

SHOT...

"Nothing against Canada, but I'm an American by birth and as a U.S. Senator, I believe I should be only an American" -- Cruz (AP).

...CHASER

"Think of your children pledging allegiance to the maple leaf. Mayonnaise on everything. Winter 11 months of the year. Anne Murray -- all day, every day" -- "Edwin S. Simon" ("Canadian Bacon").

Josh Kraushaar, Editor-in-Chief

Steven Shepard, Executive Editor