Nunn Entering GA SEN Race; Guinta Gearing Up for NH-01 Rubber Match; Filner Sued by Ex-Comm. Dir

National Journal

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WHAT'S NEWS

  • Pres. Obama "will move forward with a plan" for the U.S. "to arm the struggling Syrian rebels" after some cong. concerns "were eased, officials said on Monday" (Reuters).

  • Philanthropist Michelle Nunn (D) said Monday that she will run for GA SEN, though a formal announcement "will come Tuesday, when she files the official paperwork" (Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Nunn has retained Shorr Johnson Magnus for media and The Feldman Group for polling (Hotline reporting).

  • The RGA "is poised to launch its first ads" in VA GOV '13 "starting Wednesday" (Politico).

  • NJ Gov. Chris Christie (R) has raised $2.2M thus far in the general (Newark Star-Ledger).

  • Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) released his first TV ad in next month's NJ SEN Special primary, while Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) "is putting his third TV ad on the air" (Philadelphia Inquirer).

  • Senate Majority PAC launched a new TV ad as part of their "30 Years Is Too Long Campaign" against Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (release).

  • AK Natural Resources Commis. Dan Sullivan (R), a possible SEN candidate, is "on leave for six weeks" and "is deploying to Afghanistan after being recalled to active duty with the U.S. military" (AP).

  • Ex-Rep. Frank Guinta (R-NH) "is moving aggressively toward a third run" for NH-01 and will make a formal announcement in Sept. (New Hampshire Union Leader).

  • NH-02: Ex-state Sen. Gary Lambert (R-NH) "is closing in on a run" for NH-02, meeting with the NRCC this week (New Hampshire Union Leader).

  • In "his most expansive comments about the idea first floated in May," ex-NY Gov. David Paterson (D) said he "may run" for NY-13 if Rep. Charles Rangel (D) retires (AP).

  • CT State Senate Min. Leader John McKinney (R) said Monday that he will run for GOV, becoming "the highest-profile" GOPer in the race, although '10 nominee Tom Foley (R) "has said he will try again" (Connecticut Post).

  • IL state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D), who "was poised to run" to replace AG Lisa Madigan (D) if she ran for GOV, "says he is giving ... serious consideration" to a GOV run himself (WLS-TV).

  • WI Gov. Scott Walker (R) raised $3.5M in the first half of this year and has $2.2M CoH (AP).

  • FL Gov. Rick Scott (R), asked by National Review "why he's so confident" about his chances at reelection: "I will have $25 million in the bank by the end of the year and will use it in early 2014 to define my opponent" (National Review).

  • '13 MA SEN nominee Gabriel Gomez (R) was asked this weekend on WBZ-TV about his political future, refusing to rule out runs for SEN, GOV, LG or state treas. Gomez, on a rematch with Sen. Edward Markey (D): "It's definitely one of the races I would look at" (WBZ-TV).

  • Ex-comm. dir. Irene McCormick Jackson sued San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) and the city on Monday, "alleging he repeatedly made unwanted sexual advances toward her and put her in a headlock on several occasions so she couldn't get away" (U-T San Diego).

NUMBER BRUNCHING

  • According to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll of nat'l adults, conducted 7/18-21, 49% approve of the way Obama is handling his job as POTUS, while 44% disapprove. In the previous poll, conducted 5/16-19, 51% approved of Obama, and 44% disapproved (release).

OUR CALL

Hotline editors weigh in on the stories that drive the day

• Dems were hoping for a July triumvirate of top tier recruits -- Schweitzer, Grimes and Nunn. Grimes had a bumpy rollout, Schweitzer stuck a fork in himself, but Nunn's campaign is starting off on the right foot. Two out of three ain't bad.

• With Guinta gearing up for a third tilt with Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D), NH state Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley (R) appears to be the most likely GOP candidate to take on Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) next year. Bradley was already reportedly leaning toward running, and he'll now likely enter the GOP primary as a heavy favorite.

• The NRCC is hitting Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) with tracker video of the freshman explaining why he didn't vote for any of the House budget proposals this year. Ruiz said he wants a bipartisan budget, and House leaders didn't put one on the floor this year. Now that 2012's challengers are 2013's members of Congress, Dems who ran against obstruction and do-nothingness last year are also open to being tarred with the failures of the institution, as this attack on Ruiz shows.

• GOP recruits get the benefit of hefty amounts of published research on their opponents by the likes of the NRCC and the NRSC. Primary challengers starting from scratch don't get that benefit, one of many obstacles to their success. But it is possible for an outside group to fill the void. Club for Growth president Chris Chocola's local op-ed detailing Rep. Mike Simpson's (R-ID) failings is basically a 760-word oppo research memo to endorsed challenger Bryan Smith (R), with whom the Club can't privately communicate, and anyone else who might want to take an independent-expenditure hack at Simpson next year.

HAIR OF THE DOG

FRESH BREWED BUZZ

  • More than six months after losing his seat, ex-Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) hired "The Hula Monsters," a Hawaiian-shirt clad band that plays a blend of swing, honky-tonk and more, to perform for a backyard party, according to campaign spending records and an interview with a band member (National Journal).

  • "He tried to make love to the tea party and they didn't like it" -- Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid, on McConnell's primary challenge (Washington Post).

  • "In a case of only-in-Chicago political timing," the WH "announced Monday it would honor" Chicago Ald. Joe Moore (D) "as a 'pioneer for political reform,' the same day the veteran City Council member revealed he has spoken to FBI agents about allegations he improperly paid two aides he fired" (Chicago Tribune).

  • "A former high-ranking aide is returning to court for her sentence in a scandal that ended" Rep. Thaddeus McCotter's (R-MI) career (AP).

  • Ex-SC Treas. Thomas Ravenel (R), "who has reportedly been contemplating a return to political life after serving seven months on federal drug charges, was arrested" early Monday morning by East Hampton (NY) police and "charged with drunken driving" (East Hampton Star).

  • "I don't want to be John Boehner" -- Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), tearing up while talking about the woman who turned out not to be his daughter (CNN).

  • NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo's (D) whitewater rafting team defeated NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's (I) squad in a promotional event on Monday by 18 seconds. Bloomberg joked after that he was going to challenge Cuomo to skydiving next. Cuomo: "You go first. I'll see if I can beat your time" (New York Times).

  • Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) led NY state troopers on a 100+ mph high-speed chase in '08, claiming "to be late for a dinner meeting" with Paterson (Albany Times-Union).

SWIZZLE CHALLENGE

  • Dwight Eisenhower once denied that he had fought Knute Rockne in a boxing match.

  • The winner is Chris Huckleberry, and here's his Swizzle Challenge: "Everybody knows that Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is the top selling album of all time worldwide with more than 65+ million copies sold. Many people may be surprised to learn this album is the second bestselling album with over 50 million copies sold. Name the album." The 4th correct e-mailer gets to submit the next question.

NJ'S EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

SHOT...

"So, while I'm thinking and talking at the same time, I'm also trying to decide things like: 'can anyone else see this fly?' Because if they can't, and I start swiping at it, I'm going to look like I've lost my mind. And if they can see it in the room, can folks see it on T.V. And 'should I take a swipe?' What are my odds of actually getting this thing in one shot? Bzzzzzzzzzzz..." -- VA AG Ken Cuccinelli (R), in an email to supporters (via BuzzFeed).

...CHASER

"Listen to me. There is a fly in the studio, and this is not a normal-sized fly. It's a jumbo fly. It has made a habit, now, of flying into my monitors at a great velocity. You would think that at this velocity it would blow apart on impact, but apparently this fly has some sort of protective coating that allows it to come right back at me" -- "Casey McCall" ("Sports Night").

Reid Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

Steven Shepard, Executive Editor