Tag: Ahead

DeSantis takes major step ahead of expected presidential bid

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The website for the committee was changed on Tuesday morning to say that its mission is “committed to advancing the Freedom Agenda and keeping Florida free.” But more importantly, the website was changed to say that the committee is associated with state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia and not DeSantis. The committee on Tuesday also filed paperwork that said Ingoglia replaced a Tampa accountant as the official chair of the organization.
Ingoglia is a Republican ally of DeSantis who sponsored several of the governor’s key legislative priorities during the recently concluded legislative session, including a crackdown on illegal immigration that includes $12 million for the governor’s controversial migrant relocation program.
A spokesperson with DeSantis’ political operation did not comment on the shift and Ingoglia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
DeSantis first set up his committee back in 2018 and he used it to raise a record amount of money for his re-election campaign last year as he pulled in donations from many major Republican donors. Current campaign finance records show that the committee has nearly $86 million in the bank.
But DeSantis cannot use money raised for Friends of Ron DeSantis in a federal race because state law does not limit how much someone can give to the political committee or the source of the donations. But that money could be shifted to a super PAC that backs DeSantis if the governor is no longer connected to the political committee. While some have questioned the legality of such a move, the Federal Elections Commission deadlocked over a similar strategy that was used by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).
Ingoglia did not respond to a question about whether or not the political committee will shift money to a super PAC helping the governor’s bid for the White House.
This step comes as DeSantis ratchets up plans to start stumping for his White House bid.
After concluding a frenzied legislative session last week, the governor flew to the battleground state of Wisconsin — which former President Donald Trump won in 2016 and lost four years later — to make an appeal to the Marathon County GOP. On Saturday, he plans to hit the early voting state of Iowa to attend Rep. Randy Feenstra’s annual picnic. And next month he will head to Nevada, another early voting state, to headline an annual Basque fry event.

In the meantime, he has been hosting dinners with financial supporters at his official residence in Tallahassee, and trying to assure them he could win critical states like Georgia and Arizona, according to someone with knowledge who was granted anonymity to share details of the private discussions. And he recently dined with Evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who runs the conservative Family Leader in Iowa.
He has also been fine-tuning his stump speech as he goes on the road — seeking to bolster his arguments against President Joe Biden while figuring out a way to differentiate himself from Trump without alienating the ex-president’s loyal base.
“Joe Biden has done more to damage this country in two and a half years than any president in our lifetime,” he said during his speech in Wisconsin.
But DeSantis avoided any mention of Trump — instead highlighting his own electoral success in Florida in an attempt to underscore the weak performance by candidates tied to the ex-president, a frustration for many Republicans. He previewed a few other potential attack lines against his chief primary rival, calling out Trump’s former top Covid-19 advisor, Anthony Fauci, whose early pandemic guidance DeSantis proudly bucked.
But in a recent Newsmax interview, DeSantis directly responded to Trump’s attacks on the governor’s past support of cuts to Medicare.
“Those are Democrat attacks. I don’t think anyone really buys that,” DeSantis said about ads Trump’s PAC is running. “Donald Trump himself wrote a book where he was talking about the need to increase the age of eligibility for Social Security to 70 and said people shouldn’t be worried about retiring, just keep working.”
Polling consistently shows DeSantis trailing Trump in the primary but competing well in a head-to-head contest with Biden.

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( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

May 9, 2023
Karnataka: Ahead of polls, Congress, BJP leaders seek divine blessings

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Bengaluru: As Karnataka is all set for polling on Wednesday, leaders of the BJP and Congress are vying with each other over temple runs.
The BJP leaders are taking part in ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ recital programmes at temples while the Congress leaders are also visiting temples and claiming that they are seeking blessings to counter BJP.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Shobha Karandlaje, who is also the president of the Karnataka Election Management Committee took part in a ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ recital programme at the famous Hanuman temple of Mahalakshmi Layout.

#WATCH | Union Minister & BJP leader Shobha Karandlaje chants ‘Jai Shri Ram’ at Vir Anjaneya temple in Bengaluru, Karnataka
This comes in the backdrop of the Congress Karnataka election manifesto mentioning banning rightwing outfits like Bajrang Dal pic.twitter.com/oIRhwOYqSJ
— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2023
Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar paid a visit to the Hanuman temple at the Mysore Bank circle in Bengaluru and offered special worship to counter ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ recital by the BJP leaders. He also claimed that he is a great devotee of Lord Hanuman.
He also went to Chamundi Hills with Siddaramaiah and offered special ‘puja’ for Goddess Chamundeshwari.
Shivakumar said, “Even Lord Shri Ram’s father Dasharath’s temple is not there…We have Lor Hanuman’s blessings all the time on us. I have prayed to Hanuman to empower us with the same strength to take up social service,” he said.
He further said that along with Siddaramaiah, he worshipped Goddess Chamundeshwari seeking welfare of the entire state. “Goddess Chamundeshwari is regarded as the deity of the land. Before taking up any good work, it is our duty to seek blessings of the deity”, Shivakumar stated.

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#Karnataka #Ahead #polls #Congress #BJP #leaders #seek #divine #blessings
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 9, 2023
Sanya Malhotra buys new house in Gurgaon ahead of release of ‘Kathal’

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Mumbai: In a short span of her career, the ‘Dangal’ girl Sanya Malhotra made a niche of her own. The actor is now ready with her new release ‘Kathal’, the trailer of which got released recently.
Ahead of the film’s release, the actress brought a four BHK in Gurgaon, Delhi for herself and her family where she plans to spend time whenever she gets a chance away from her tight schedule. Sanya comes from Delhi and she started the promotion of her upcoming ‘Kathal’ from her hometown. The actor will be seen in the role of police officer for the first time in ‘Kathal’.
In the trailer, we can see a comedy drama revolving around a female police officer (Sanya) and her journey of unfolding the mystery of 2 jackfruits being stolen from the garden of a MLA played by actor Vijay Raaz. The movie also features Rajpal Yadav in the role of a journalist.

Co-writer and director Yashowardhan Mishra commented on the film, “It is such a thrilling experience to be launching the trailer of my first film, Kathal- A Jackfruit Mystery. Through our storytelling clubbed with an ensemble of extremely hardworking and talented actors, we have created a story that will make the audiences laugh while also making sure they go away with a strong thought. Quirky satire comedies are few and far to come by, and we have sketched every character’s graph with extreme sensitivity and thought. I cannot wait for the audiences to watch the film on 19th of May, streaming only on Netflix.”
Adding onto this, Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor said, “We at Sikhya always take pride in delivering homegrown stories that are global in their approach. We are excited to give our audiences a family entertainer, Kathal – the jackfruit mystery, this summer! Sanya along with Rajpal, Vijay, Anant and the others will take you on a joyride to uncover the mystery of the stolen kathals, helmed by Yashowardhan Mishra, our debut director. We are so thrilled to be launching the film on Netflix along with Balaji Telefilms, both of whom have supported us in bringing distinctive and relevant content to a global forefront.”
Sanya also has Sam Bahadur, and Mrs in the pipeline. After Pagglait, Kathal marks Sanya’s second collaboration with Guneet Monga.
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#Sanya #Malhotra #buys #house #Gurgaon #ahead #release #Kathal

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 7, 2023
Ahead Of Event, ‘G20 Balloon’ Flies In Srinagar

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SRINAGAR: As Srinagar prepares to host an international event at the end of this month, a G20 air balloon has been seen flying over the city, catching the attention of passersby.
According to reports, the Tourism Department has launched the air balloon ahead of the event, which features the words “G20-2023 India.”
Secretary of Tourism, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, stated that the balloon has been put up by the department as part of the branding exercise for the event.
In addition, several other measures and initiatives have been implemented as a prelude to the event.
Earlier, the Tourism Department organized a “G20 Model Summit” with students from different schools, colleges, and universities participating.
It is important to note that the Jammu and Kashmir government is working tirelessly to ensure that the G20 tourism group meeting in Srinagar is a great success and promotes Kashmir as a global tourism destination. (KNO)

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#Ahead #Event #G20 #Balloon #Flies #Srinagar

( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 5, 2023
Ahead of G-20 event in Sgr; security-grid finalises plan for ‘fool-proof cover’

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Srinagar, May 02: A high-level security meeting was held in Srinagar on Tuesday where the top officials of the security grid framed a joint strategy to ensure peaceful conduct of the upcoming G-20 event and to counter the possible fidayeen, drone, vehicle-borne IED, stand-off and grenade attacks.
The meeting evolved consensus that NSG will be used along with the Special Operation Group (SoG) of J&K police to counter drone, fidayeen, standoff, V-BIED or any untoward incident while as MARCOS will be given the responsibility of “lake and river domination.”
The security meeting was chaired by the ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar at Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar where officers of Police, intelligence agencies and security forces participated in the threadbare discussions regarding overall security arrangements to be adopted for safe and smooth conduct of upcoming G-20 being hosted at Srinagar.
A police spokesman told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the meeting was attended by GoC Kilo Force Maj Gen Mohit Seth, IG CRPF Kashmir Ops Sector Manvinder Singh Bhatia, IG BSF Kashmir Frontier Ashok Yadav, Joint Director SIB Dipankar Trivedi, Commander 10 sector, Commander 03 sector, Commander 5 sector, DD SIB Srinagar, DIG of Police CKR Srinagar, DIG of Police NKR Baramulla, DIG CRPF North Srinagar, DIG CRPF South Srinagar, DIG CID Kashmir, CO 15 CISU, CO 31 CIU, SSP Srinagar, SSP Baramulla, SSP Budgam, Bandipora, SSP Ganderbal, SP Cargo, NSG officer and others.
“During the meeting, the ADGP Kashmir reviewed the security arrangements and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts to ensure foolproof security for the summit. The officials also discussed the deployment of security personnel, traffic management, and crowd control measures to be adopted for the peaceful conduct of the summit,” the spokesman said. “The ADGP also urged all agencies to work in a coordinated manner in order to ensure the success of the summit, which is expected to be attended by several high-profile dignitaries from across the world. The meeting focused on the deployment of security personnel, counter drone measures and other critical aspects of security planning.”
As per the spokesman, the ADGP directed the officials to ensure that the security arrangements are put in place well before the summit, and the deployment of security personnel should be done in a manner that does not cause inconvenience to the local residents & tourists. “The ADGP also emphasized the need to be vigilant and take pre-emptive measures to prevent any untoward incident during the summit. He further advised them that additional security measures should be placed at the vulnerable locations to avoid any untoward incident during the G20 summit,” the spokesman said.
He said that during the meeting, special focus was laid on the emerging threat of VBIEDs and other modes of potential terror attacks including potential fidayeen attacks, standoff fire & grenade attacks. “Counter measures to counter these terror threats were also discussed,” the spokesman said, adding that “ADGP Kashmir instructed all districts SSsP to focus on busting of terror modules by apprehending terrorist associates & generating preventive intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists in the valley. Besides, all SSsP were instructed to conduct anti-terrorist operations on specific inputs. The officials discussed the deployment of additional security forces & use of modern technology to secure the venues.”
The police spokesman said that during the meeting, the ADGP also stressed the importance of river and lake domination in ensuring the security of the summit. “He also emphasized the need for the Marine Commandos (MARCOS) to be put in place to provide a strong security cover for the water bodies around the summit venues,” he said. “The attendees reviewed the current security arrangements in place and discussed possible ways to enhance the security measures to ensure the safety of all participants and attendees during the event.”

Apart from the security measures, the meeting also discussed the management of foreign NGOs and media personnel during the summit, the spokesman said.
He said that GoC Kilo Force was assured to provide all assistance like domination of high reaches, corridor protection, additional AS Teams, area domination specifically in the night. “ADGP Kashmir shared with all stakeholders that NSG team will be used for counter fidayeen attack along with SoG and specialise NSG teams for counter drone will be deployed at all venues,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the officials were also instructed to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies to gather information about any potential security threats and take necessary actions to neutralize them—(KNO)
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#Ahead #G20 #event #Sgr #securitygrid #finalises #plan #foolproof #cover
( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

May 2, 2023
Hyderabad: Harish Rao directs officials to expedite work ahead of NIMS expansion

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Hyderabad: Telangana Health minister Harish Rao, has directed officials to expedite all necessary arrangements for the construction of a new 2,000-bed building as part of the expansion of the Government NIMS Hospital.
The foundation stone for the new building will be laid by Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
The expansion of NIMS has been initiated by the chief minister to cater to the increasing population needs, along with the construction of 1,000-bed TIMS hospitals on all sides of Hyderabad. It is recommended to complete all necessary departmental approvals for this new building, which will provide OP, IP, and emergency services in all three blocks, and commence the construction process, a press note from the health ministry said.

The Finance and Health minister held a review with senior officials of the Health Department at Dr. BR Ambedkar’s Telangana State Secretariat on Tuesday.
On this occasion, Minister Harish Rao mentioned that the new NIMS structure, built on eight floors, will increase the total number of beds from 1,500 to 3,500. He also stated that once the recently laid foundation stone for the super speciality MCH is completed, 200 more beds will be made available, bringing the total number of beds in NIMS alone to 3,700. This expansion will provide better access to health services to the people.
The NIMS MCH works should be expedited, and apart from this, the minister directed the completion of the 200-bed super specialty MCH being constructed at Gandhi Hospital by the end of this month. If completed, it will be the first super speciality MCH in the country, he said.
The government wants to accelerate the work of the Government Fertility Center and the State Organ Transplant Center is set up in Gandhi Hospital to provide better access to health services for the people, he said.
The minister directed the superintendent to take steps to improve transplant surgeries like those performed at NIMS hospital in Gandhi. Brain-dead declarations should be made, and organs should be given to those in need to give life. Despite the central government not supplying vaccines, the state government has mobilized them and made them available in PHC, Basti Dawakhana, and CHC. He called for their efficient use.

The minister emphasized that ideal directors and superintendents are those who arrive at the hospital before everyone else and leave after everyone else. He suggested that by making rounds in hospitals for two hours every day and visiting all the departments, most of the problems can be solved. He also mentioned that serving the people is a rare opportunity, and he wants to work responsibly, earn their forgiveness, and bring a good name to the government.
Furthermore, the finance and health minister issued an order to conduct the online process (CBT) for the recruitment of 5,204 Staff Nurse posts in various departments of the health department. He said that the recruitment process should be completed transparently and efficiently.
The review meeting was attended by Health Secretary Rizvi, Arogya Sri CEO vishalakshi, DME Ramesh Reddy, DH Srinivasa Rao, TSMSIDC MD Chandrasekhar Reddy, TVVP Commissioner Ajay Kumar, CM OSD Gangadhar, NIMS In-charge Director Birappa, Gandhi Superintendent Raja Rao, MNJ Cancer Hospital Director Jayalatha, and other officials.
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#Hyderabad #Harish #Rao #directs #officials #expedite #work #ahead #NIMS #expansion
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
Mamata Banerjee calls for unity of all anti-BJP forces ahead of Lok Sabha polls

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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday gave a call to all non-BJP forces in the country to unite in order to bring about a change in the central regime in the Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year.
On competition of the second year of her third term as Chief Minister, Banerjee released a video message in which she said that there is an urgent necessity for unity of all opposition forces in order to make the 2024 polls an “election for change”.
“The next Lok Sabha polls will be for change. If all the opposition parties unite, the defeat of BJP will be inevitable. The country needs a change. Let the 2024 polls bring that change,” she said in the video message.

However, she did not make it clear whether Congress features in the blueprint of Trinamool Congress’ united opposition alliance.
In the video message, she also launched a scathing attack against the Centre on the twin issues of demonetisation and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
“Does such a government deserve any further support? No power is absolute and bigger than the common people who will have the final word. This time we will not lose. We will win,” the Chief Minister said.
However, both the Congress and the CPI(M) ridiculed Banerjee over her call for unity of opposition forces against BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
According to state Congress President and veteran Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, such comments are meaningless especially when Trinamool was responsible for consolidating the strength of the BJP in West Bengal.

“I doubt whether Trinamool Congress at all enjoys any credibility in national politics. It has already lost its national party status. Probably, the Chief Minister has realised that she will lose her grip in West Bengal in the coming days and hence she is calling for opposition unity now,” Chowdhury said.
CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty almost echoed Chowdhury’s views when he said that such call for opposition unity does not suit the Chief Minister after she indirectly helped the BJP in the polls to elect the Vice President of India as well in the Assembly polls in Goa and Meghalaya.
“Trinamool Congress lacks credibility,” he said.
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#Mamata #Banerjee #calls #unity #antiBJP #forces #ahead #Lok #Sabha #polls
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
Hyderabad: GHMC bans cellar excavation ahead of monsoons

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Hyderabad: To avoid the occurrence of unanticipated incidents during the upcoming monsoons, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) banned the excavation of new cellars in the city.
On Monday, the GHMC’s commissioner instructed its Town Planning Wing to inspect construction sites in Hyderabad and identify the structures where cellars have been excavated.
Officials of the corporation were further asked to inspect the sites where cellar excavations are in progress and at those sites, besides verifying the cellar setbacks.

Through the inspection, GHMC will ensure that the structures are built as per the sanctioned building plan and issuance of notices will be initiated immediately as a safety measure.
Soil strengthening, construction of retaining walls, barricading and making sure the water is not stagnant in the cellars are a few safety measures that would be uptaken by the corporation.
GHMC has warned of action against those in non-compliance with the notice where the officials will initiate the process to revoke the building permits accorded and cancel the builder’s license, in addition to filing a criminal case of negligence against them.
The order issued by the GHMC states that if the cellar is already dug while the works are not in progress, the safety of the surrounding structures has to be checked and precautionary measures should be taken.
GHMC has directed immediate action to be taken for such sites by sealing the cellars and transporting the debris to the Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste recycling plant.

The order further stated that special attention should be given to the areas with sloppy terrains, rock-cutting sites and places with chances of landslide, as a part of monsoon preparedness.
“If required the GHMC officials should relocate the people residing below the sloppy terrain,” the orders said.
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#Hyderabad #GHMC #bans #cellar #excavation #ahead #monsoons
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 2, 2023
How McConnell is trying to front-run Trump ahead of 2024

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So when Justice entered the Senate race on Thursday, it highlighted the crux of McConnell’s 2024 strategy. After several Trump-inspired candidates fell short last fall and denied the GOP the majority, the Kentucky Republican hopes to run a Senate campaign plan that’s divorced from the presidential race. That means getting candidates who can win even with the former president back on the ballot next year.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice speaks during an announcement for his U.S. Senate campaign.
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Chris Jackson/AP Photo
McConnell’s gambit underscores the reality that, with the presidential primary still ramping up, he is probably Trump’s greatest foil in the Republican Party right now. He has not changed his mind about Trump’s conduct after the 2020 election, according to confidantes, and he sees Trump’s nomination as complicating the task of defeating Joe Biden next year.
But McConnell, true to form, is not letting emotion or his low view of Trump get in the way of the task at hand. The Senate GOP leader doesn’t talk about Trump in public, and does so little in private.
That’s despite Trump going after McConnell mercilessly and unleashing racist attacks on his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. And despite McConnell savaging Trump as “practically and morally responsible” for the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
“McConnell spoke very clearly on … his enormous disagreements with the [former] president. And I think the personal attacks at his wife, Elaine Chao, have really rubbed Sen. McConnell the wrong way,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of McConnell’s leadership team.
“Sen. McConnell is just looking forward,” Capito added. “He’s not really focused on that disagreement of the past. We all know where he stands.”
The Kentucky Republican sees a path back to the Senate majority through the red states of West Virginia, Ohio and Montana, races that the party can win even with Trump at the top of the ticket. And while he’s not looking to influence the GOP presidential primary, he views the Senate and Senate races as within his control.
Asked about Trump this week, McConnell said: “My principal focus and most of my colleagues’ principal focus is on trying to get the Senate.” It was his second consecutive weekly Trump dodge, the first being a deadpan response to the former president’s indictment: “I may have hit my head, but I didn’t hit that hard,” he said, referring to a recent concussion.

It’s vintage McConnell, and precisely the posture that made him the longest serving Senate party leader of all time — even after Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) mounted the first-ever challenge to his leadership spot. But McConnell’s end-around of Trump comes with some political risk: His conference, including Scott’s replacement as Senate campaign chair, is beginning to coalesce around the former president — who has 10 Senate endorsements, with more coming.
That means, if McConnell began speaking out against Trump, he’d be driving a wedge within the Senate GOP. He might also give Trump fuel.
“I don’t think it generally makes sense to give President Trump a target. He’s able to fire up the base in part by finding someone to attack, and the best way to keep from providing ammunition to President Trump is to stay quiet,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who opposes Trump’s 2024 bid. “He called him an old crow and Leader McConnell said: ‘Yep, I’m an old crow.’”
McConnell spent the last two years helping build a separate GOP identity from Trump, blessing bipartisan deals on gun safety and infrastructure that otherwise drew the ire of conservatives and often the former president himself. That occasionally collaborative bipartisan spirit surprised senators in both parties, who were used to McConnell’s “grim reaper” persona of blocking Democrats and jamming through judicial picks.
What McConnell won’t do, though, is pick a fight with the GOP frontrunner, whom he clearly does not want to win the nomination. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who supports Trump, said that “Mitch is trying to pick his battles wisely.”
“He understands that the drama of Trump probably doesn’t help day-to-day activities in the Senate,” Graham said of McConnell. “Any leadership person is going to have to make some decisions that are not popular with their base.”
And while it may seem surprising, McConnell is fine with National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines’ (R-Mont.) endorsement of Trump; he even got a heads-up before the Monday announcement.
Daines is close to the Trump family and taking a more interventionist role in primaries than his predecessor, so even Senate Republicans who are tired of the former president believe the Montanan’s move could ultimately help them get more electable candidates in their biggest races next year.
Still, a Trump nomination could complicate the task of winning the next tier of Senate races in states won by Biden in 2020: Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. But after the 2022 debacle netted Democrats a seat, the GOP leader and most of his colleagues are focused on ousting Manchin, as well as Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), more than anything else.
“The thing about Mitch is, he wants a majority in the Senate,” said one Republican senator who spoke candidly on condition of anonymity. As for McConnell’s repeated parries on the former president, this senator recalled a McConnell mantra: “Just because a reporter is asking a question doesn’t mean you need to answer it.”
And given the volume and intensity of Trump’s attacks on McConnell, it’s reasonable to assume that McConnell’s endorsement probably wouldn’t go far in a Republican presidential primary anyway. It could even hurt his ability to get the Senate majority, said another confidante: “He believes that him getting involved in the presidential cycle makes it harder for candidates to win. Not easier.”
“The practical reality of winning the Senate is probably entirely divorced from what happens in a presidential primary because of the map,” this McConnell ally added. “If Trump’s the nominee, I don’t know what happens but I can probably tell you he’s not going to lose West Virginia, Montana and Ohio.”
McConnell’s position won’t necessarily win him plaudits for courage from anti-Trump Republicans or Democrats who were impressed with McConnell’s clear-eyed and critical review of Trump’s Jan. 6 conduct. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who has served with McConnell since 1997, simply said it is “normal” for McConnell to stay quiet about Trump.
“I hope he lends his voice to those who are decrying what Trump stands for,” Durbin said optimistically.
But it tracks with the majority leader’s seven-term legacy: He exercises political power where he can, to deny Democrats a Supreme Court seat or force a confrontation over the debt ceiling, while generally not picking fights he cannot win. A tit for tat with Trump is politically untenable for McConnell.
That doesn’t mean he can be totally hands-off. If Trump were to endorse Mooney over Justice, it could complicate even McConnell’s best-laid plans.
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#McConnell #frontrun #Trump #ahead
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

April 28, 2023
John Thune says Chuck Schumer’s plan for a vote on an Equal Rights Amendment resolution may not have an easy road ahead.

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“It only takes 41 to block [the measure],” Thune said. “I think it will be a heavy lift [for Democrats].”

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#John #Thune #Chuck #Schumers #plan #vote #Equal #Rights #Amendment #resolution #easy #road #ahead
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

April 26, 2023