Tag: avoid

GOP goes all-out to avoid another Senate primary mess

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All told, the NRSC under Daines has now endorsed four candidates, including Rep. Jim Banks in Indiana. It’s a strategy not seen since the GOP took the Senate from Democrats in 2014 after poor showings in 2010 and 2012. Even then, the party focused on ousting unelectable candidates, rather than officially boosting its preferred picks as Daines is this year.
“It’s been a great decision on his part. Clearly, we need quality candidates to win, we learned that in ‘22, 2010, 2012. Steve’s doing a great job getting us the most electable nominees, because that’s the way you win in November,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said in an interview.
Those tactics come at the expense of Senate hopefuls like Rep. Alex Mooney in West Virginia, Jim Marchant in Nevada and potential candidate Rep. Matt Rosendale in Montana — contenders who enjoy more support from the party’s conservative ranks. Leadership’s heavy hand is stirring consternation within that sizable wing of the party.
Yet many in the GOP see it as a bet worth making. Because if Republicans don’t get it right this time, when they have one of their best maps in years, they may not have another chance to flip the Senate until 2028.
“You can play to win or you can play not to piss people off — you can’t do both,” said Josh Holmes, an adviser to McConnell.
The party brass’ most urgent task is keeping Rosendale out of a race against Sheehy in Montana, where the GOP fears that Rosendale would win a primary but suffer another general election loss to Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). Rosendale has told colleagues he plans to run and has attacked Sheehy for being backed by McConnell. Sheehy, meanwhile, already has endorsements from Gov. Greg Gianforte and Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) — as well as nine senators, including Daines.
“After last cycle, there’s evidence that we’ve got to get the electable candidates on the field,” said Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) on Monday afternoon. He’s backing Sheehy as well: “It would be nice if we could clear the field there.”
Daines has also endorsed Trump’s presidential campaign to help preempt any disruptions to the intraparty playing field. And GOP leaders are intent on recruiting Dave McCormick for another run in Pennsylvania; Trump backed Mehmet Oz over McCormick in the 2022 primary. Oz won the primary but lost the general election.

Already, Mooney is making hay of Justice’s strong Washington backing as the governor leads the primary handily in recent polls — even as his coal empire faces legal scrutiny. Mooney’s campaign manager, John Findlay, said that “Jim Justice is one of the all-time worst recruits by the GOP establishment.”
In response, Justice’s campaign manager Roman Stauffer said the governor is achieving widespread buy-in from supporters in D.C. and West Virginia because they know he “is the strongest candidate to win the U.S. Senate race.”
But not every senator in the conference is eager to see the NRSC pick favorites in crowded fields.
“I wish they weren’t, but I’m not in charge,” said one Republican, granted anonymity to speak candidly about party strategy. “Not everybody agrees” on which candidates are the most electable, this senator added.
And Democrats say the aggressive GOP efforts will backfire come next November, dividing the GOP well into the summer of next year.
“Across the Senate map, Republicans are brawling in vicious primaries and putting forward flawed candidates with disqualifying baggage. That’s a toxic combination that will lead their campaigns to defeat in 2024,” said David Bergstein, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
In Wisconsin, the NRSC launched a concerted effort to woo Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), a telegenic military veteran, by commissioning polling and publicly touting his strengths as a candidate. But the congressmember ultimately passed on a run against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, sending recruiters back to the drawing board just as polarizing former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke began to taunt them with a potential bid of his own.
He tweeted a Democratic poll of a possible Wisconsin Senate primary field that showed him leading by 20 points.
Now, GOP recruiters are refocusing efforts on candidates with the resources to block Clarke and tie up Baldwin, who just reported raising $3.2 million last quarter. Eric Hovde, a wealthy businessman who lost a primary bid for the seat in 2012, is still seriously considering another run but does not have a timeline for a decision, according to a person familiar with his thinking.
“We will continue working to recruit candidates who can win both a primary and a general election,” Daines said.
In Nevada, the NRSC eagerly recruited Brown, a decorated Army veteran who survived an IED attack in Afghanistan, to take on Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. Their interest in him became more urgent once other candidates moved toward running.
One less establishment-friendly potential candidate, Jeffrey Gunter, had a controversial tenure as Trump’s ambassador to Iceland. And Marchant, a former state lawmaker who ran unsuccessfully for Nevada Secretary of State, is already in the race. A prominent member of a group of Trump supporters who baselessly deny the validity of the 2020 election, Marchant is readying for a primary brawl.
“Jim Marchant has never lost a primary, outspent every time. Sam Brown has never won a primary despite his attempts in multiple states,” said Rory McShane, a spokesperson for Marchant’s campaign.
It’s not yet clear how the party will handle Ohio, where Secretary of State Frank LaRose is looking at joining a field including state Sen. Matt Dolan and businessman Bernie Moreno. That state could be a free-for-all exception to the GOP’s approach, as it looks for a candidate to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
There are more headaches in Arizona, where Kari Lake could mount another statewide bid. And in Michigan’s open seat, Republicans have yet to secure a top-tier candidate, although they hope to land NYSE vice chair John Tuttle as former GOP Rep. Mike Rogers also mulls a bid.
Even with some questions still unanswered, there’s still a new sense of normalcy in the party’s upper ranks. Senate Republicans’ top super PAC is back on the same page with the campaign arm after a high-profile break in strategy last year.
“Aggressively recruiting quality candidates is the only way Republicans will retake the Senate majority. Every one of these top-tier races will be very tough, and sub-par candidates only help Democrats,” said Senate Leadership Fund President Steven Law.
Olivia Beavers contributed to this report.

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#GOP #allout #avoid #Senate #primary #mess
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

July 11, 2023
Avoid cross-voting among opposition parties in 2024: Mamata Banerjee

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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday once again emphasised that the anti-BJP forces in the country should avoid cross-voting among themselves in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to prevent the saffron camp taking the benefit of division in opposition votes.
“Let all the opposition parties get united. Let us ensure a one-to-one fight. Let us all try to work together,” the Chief Minister said while addressing a rally at Samserganj in Murshidabad district.
However, she continued to remain silent as to whether the Congress is included in Trinamool’s blueprint for united opposition. Previously too, she had remained silent on this matter even during her recent meeting with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Kolkata.

Political analysts feel that her call for avoiding cross-voting among opposition forces is a reflection of her strategy to ensure that Trinamool doesn’t have to make any compromise in West Bengal in any possible seat-sharing agreement.
According to political analysts, her call for avoiding cross-voting among opposition forces means those parties which are strong in their respective states should only contest against the BJP in that state, and by that calculation, Trinamool will get an upper-hand in West Bengal, where she will not have to make any compromise in any seat-sharing agreement.
Banerjee herself is aware that in West Bengal, multi-polar contest ha to be avoided at any cost. Already the Trinamool leadership has announced that the stand of the party is to maintain equal distance from the BJP as well as the Congress.
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#Avoid #crossvoting #among #opposition #parties #Mamata #Banerjee
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 5, 2023
Use ‘Google Maps’ To Avoid ‘Loot’ From Auto-Drivers: RTO Kashmir

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SRINAGAR: In order to curb overcharging by auto-rickshaw drivers in Srinagar city, the Regional Transport Officer Kashmir has urged the public to use Google Maps to check their travel distance and pay according to the rates set by the transport department. Several complaints have been received about drivers overcharging passengers without justification.
According to Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari, a rate list is readily available on the transport department’s website. For the first 2 kilometres, commuters should pay Rs 39 to the auto-rickshaw driver, and after that, the driver can charge Rs 17 per kilometre. “In this era of technology, it is not difficult for people to assert their rights. Commuters can simply use Google Maps to monitor travel distance,” said Bukhari.
There are over 3500 auto-rickshaws in the city, making it challenging for the RTO Kashmir to hold drivers accountable on a daily basis. “Before taking a seat in an auto-rickshaw, commuters should check the travel distance. Google Maps will assist them, and they should pay based on the total distance travelled. For example, when travelling from Dalgate to Lal Bazaar, use Google Maps to determine the distance and pay the driver accordingly,” Bukhari said.
Any violations by auto drivers can be reported to the Regional Transport Office, and action will be taken, said Bukhari. While there is a proposal to install meters in autos, the use of Google Maps is the best option for commuters in the absence of a fare meter, he added. “I appeal to the public to make use of technology, know about the distance they travel, pay Rs 39 for the first 2 kilometres, and add Rs 17 for subsequent kilometres. Education is key, and the general public must assert their rights,” Bukhari concluded. [KNT]

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#Google #Maps #Avoid #Loot #AutoDrivers #RTO #Kashmir
( With inputs from : kashmirlife.net )

May 1, 2023
Microsoft to stop bundling Teams with Office to avoid probe

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San Francisco: To avoid an official antitrust probe by European Union (EU) regulators, Microsoft has announced that it will no longer require users of its popular Office software to also install its Teams video conferencing and messaging app on their devices.
According to the Financial Times, citing sources, Microsoft has made the concession to avoid a formal investigation, following a 2020 complaint by rival Slack (an enterprise chat app) alleging Microsoft bundling the service together was anti-competitive.
Slack has requested that EU officials compel Microsoft to sell Teams independently of its Office software.

Slack’s complaint came at a time when the trend towards working from home was accelerating.
Apps like Teams and Slack exploded in popularity during the Covid pandemic, creating a multibillion-dollar opportunity as users and businesses increasingly adopt tools that enable remote working, the report said.
“We are mindful of our responsibilities in the EU as a major technology company. We continue to engage cooperatively with the commission in its investigation and are open to pragmatic solutions that address its concerns and serve customers well,” Microsoft was quoted as saying.
Moreover, the report said that Microsoft was accused by the commission in 2008 of using its dominant position to force users to download its Internet Explorer browser by bundling it with Windows.
Although the company settled with the commission and offered users a choice of browsers, the EU fined the company USD 561 million in 2013 for failing to fulfil its promise.

Meanwhile, Twitter CEO Elon Musk has threatened to sue Microsoft over claims that the company “trained illegally using Twitter data”.
Musk reacted after Microsoft dropped Twitter from its advertising platform as it allegedly refused to pay Twitter’s application programming interface (API) fees.
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#Microsoft #stop #bundling #Teams #Office #avoid #probe
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 25, 2023
Much more needs to be done to avoid road accidents: Gadkari

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Katra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said much more needs to be done to avoid road accidents, which claim the lives of about 1.5 lakh people annually across the country.
The road transport and highways minister also said that it is his dream to depose petrol and diesel from the country by shifting to other means of transport like electric buses and airboats.
“Road safety is an important issue and much more needs to be done (to avoid accidents)…Every year five lakh accidents take place (in the country) and 1.5 lakh people lose their lives besides three percent of the GDP goes into it,” the minister told reporters here.

Flanked by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and Union ministers Jitendra Singh and Gen V K Singh, Gadkari said India is sadly ranked highest in road accidents in the world and “we are making continuous efforts to improve road safety”.
“Various measures have already been taken like road engineering, automobile engineering, strict enforcement of new Act and improving blackspots but still much more needs to be done,” he said.
The highways minister also said that he has no intention to retire from active politics. “I am running various projects for farmers with a turnover of Rs 2,500 crore and which generated 20,000 jobs. These are related to organic farming, bio-fuels, handloom and handicrafts and my remark that I want to give more time into it was unfortunately misconstrued as my plan to retire from politics.”
Gadkari, who was here on a four-day tour to inspect various highway projects including tunnels, said it was his dream to depose petrol and diesel from the country by introducing electric vehicles and airboats run on water.
He said his wish is to see the completion of the four-lane Greenfield expressway, connecting Delhi-Katra via Amritsar, before the general elections next year.

“After completion of the project, I believe nobody will come to Vaishno Devi shrine by air as you will cover Delhi-Amritsar distance in four hours, Delhi-Katra in six hours and Delhi-Srinagar in eight hours,” the minister said.
There will be no air service between Delhi and Dehradun after December as the distance between the two destinations will be reduced to just two hours, he added.
“The greenfield expressway project is being completed at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore and the expected date for its completion is December next year. However, we want it to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in February or March before the announcement of the general elections,” he said.
Gadkari said he has put a suggestion for starting an air-conditioned electric luxury double-decker coach service on Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
“Diesel buses cost Rs 115 per km, while the electric non-AC buses cost Rs 39 and AC buses Rs 41 for the same distance. The passengers will also be provided snacks, and tea, and can enjoy comfortable business seats.”
“The electric bus tickets will be 25 percent lower than what we are paying at present. If you want to run the service, come forward or otherwise I will facilitate private players interested in running the service,” he said.
Giving credit to the road construction agencies, workers, engineers and labourers for braving various challenges in undertaking the difficult job, he said Jammu-Srinagar national highway goes through very problematic patches.
“The 40-km Ramban-Banihal stretch of the highway is the most difficult phase of the four-laning project due to the threat of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones. We have completed the 10 km road and except Maroog-Digdole tunnel, the rest of the 30 km of this stretch will be completed by January next year,” he added.
He also highlighted the work on another corridor Jammu-Chenani-Doda-Kishtwar and Anantnag – and said the work being undertaken by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is progressing smoothly.
“NHIDCL came into existence after we made a request to the Prime Minister that hilly regions like Arunachal, Meghalaya, Tripura, Uttrakhand, Himachal, Kashmir and Northeast areas are not getting proper attention,” he said.
He said work is also progressing smoothly on a third corridor Jammu-Akhnoor-Rajouri-Poonch.
The minister also announced plans for the construction of a tunnel between Sheshnag and Panjtarni on the Amarnath route, which will reduce the annual yatra time from the current three days to just nine hours.
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( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 11, 2023
BJP wants to avoid Adani questions, PM silent on him: Priyanka Gandhi

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New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday launched a fresh attack on the BJP over her brother and Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, saying the move was a ploy by the ruling party to evade questions on the Adani issue in Parliament.
Taking to Twitter, Priyanka Gandhi posted, “BJP wants to avoid this (Adani) question. The entire Parliament, barring the Opposition, is silent and the Prime Minister himself has turned mute.”
“They (BJP) are levelling all kinds of charges on Rahul. However, the PM remains silent on whose money was invested in shell companies owned by Gautam Adani and why isn’t it being investigated,” Priyanka wrote.
Tagging a photograph of her brother to her post, Priyanka highlighted three key statements of Rahul during a press conference on his disqualification on Saturday.
In the first of these three statements, Rahul said, “Prime Minister was scared of my next speech that was to come on Adani. I saw it in his eyes.”
“The moot question remains: who invested Rs 20,000 crore in the Adani shell firms? I will keep raising this question,” the former Wayanad MP said, in another statement that her sister highlighted.
In the third statement that Priyanka tagged to her post, Rahul refused to tender an apology for the remark for which he was convicted and eventually disqualified from the Lower House, saying, “My name is not Savarkar, my name is Gandhi. Gandhis don’t apologise to anyone.”
Rahul claimed that he was not scared of going to prison, adding his disqualification was aimed merely at diverting public attention from the controversy over the report by US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research against the Adani Group.

He alleged that the BJP-led central government was protecting the billionaire investor, who was accused of stock manipulation by the US short-seller.
“Why is the BJP protecting Gautam Adani? Kyun ki aap hi Adani ho,” Rahul alleged.
He added, “The whole game of disqualification and allegations (against him) by ministers is aimed at distracting people from the Adani issue.”
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#BJP #avoid #Adani #questions #silent #Priyanka #Gandhi
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 26, 2023
Lives at risk as delivery agents race against time to avoid penalties

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Noida: Two delivery agents were killed in separate accidents while they were on duty on Holi. Both the deceased were hit by cars as they raced against the clock to avoid penalties and deliver the orders in time.
According to the police, one of the deceased, identified as Bunty worked as a delivery boy in Noida. He was on his way to deliver an order when an unidentified car driver hit his scooty in Sector-112 of Noida on March 8.
He was admitted to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
In the second incident, Deepak, who worked as a delivery agent in Big Basket, met with an accident while he was on his way to deliver an order near Lotus Boulevard society here, at around 3 p.m. on the same day.
Deepak was hit by a car and was admitted to a government hospital in Nithari where he passed away during treatment.
Sector-39 police station in-charge Ajay Chehar, said that the police sent his body for postmortem and arrested the car driver.
The increase in such accidents points towards the tough competition in the field and the increasing pressure faced by the agents to deliver the orders on time.
Many Apps have fixed time durations for the delivery agents, who, in the course of adhering to it, risk their lives on the roads.

Police officials said that such accidents have increased due to the pressure faced by the agents to deliver the order within the stipulated time limit. Pressurised by the companies, the agents resort to violating traffic rules and over-speeding to achieve the target.
Police officials said that the extra weight that the agents carry also becomes a factor leading to accidents as their vehicles lose balance.
Bal Govind Mishra, who works as a delivery partner in a food App based company, said that he picked up an order from a restaurant on March 15, after which he was informed of a health emergency at his home.
Mishra said that he frantically reached his home and dialled the customer care service of the company, asking them to assign the delivery to another agent, which was denied.
He alleged that he was warned of being fined if he failed to deliver the order. Upon refusal, the company imposed a fine of double the amount of money involved.
He stated that he has appealed in the Labour Court regarding the matter.
Talking to IANS, Mishra said that the company earns around Rs 500 if a delivery agent logs in for 10 hours, out of which the latter is paid Rs 200.
He added that when the log-in time is of 15-16 hours, the company earns around Rs 750 and pays Rs 350 to the agent.
He said that many a times restaurant workers trick the agents by falsely sending a notification of the order being ready on the food delivery App, but when an agent reaches there, they end up waiting for long intervals.
He said that only a notice is issued by the App to the concerned restaurant in this regard.
Mishra added that in the current scenario, delivery agents’ work carries great pressure and gets really difficult and tiring.
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#Lives #risk #delivery #agents #race #time #avoid #penalties
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 18, 2023
Govt not letting Parliament run to avoid Adani issue: Mallikarjun Kharge

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New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the government of instigating the Opposition and not letting Parliament function to avoid a discussion on the Adani issue and its “failures”.
He also reiterated that there is no question of an apology over Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in the UK.
Gandhi’s remarks during his recent trip to the United Kingdom have rocked Parliament, with both Houses failing to transact any significant business on the first three days of the Budget session’s second half.
“Is there untouchability or not, it is there, so if someone goes abroad that person will talk about it likewise democracy is being trampled upon, we were demonstrating peacefully yesterday, who stopped us? They put women constables in the front to try and stop us,” Kharge alleged.
The Congress along with several other opposition parties had taken out a protest march from Parliament House to hand over a complaint to the Enforcement Directorate on the Adani issue on Wednesday. However, they were stopped by the police at Vijay Chowk here.
The government’s intention is to avoid the Adani issue, so that it is not discussed, and their “failures” are not discussed in Parliament, the Congress president told reporters ahead of the start of parliamentary proceedings in the morning.
“Have you ever heard that ruling party people are stalling proceedings daily, they get up first and start saying ‘maafi maango’, ‘maafi maango’ (apologise), what is this. The government is instigating and they preach about democracy to others,” he said.
During his interactions in the UK, Gandhi alleged that the structures of Indian democracy are under attack and there is a “full-scale assault” on the country’s institutions.

The former Congress president also told British parliamentarians in London that microphones are often “turned off” in Lok Sabha when an opposition member raises important issues.
Gandhi’s remarks triggered a political slugfest, with the BJP accusing him of maligning India on foreign soil and seeking foreign intervention, and the Congress hitting back at the ruling party by citing instances of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising internal politics abroad.
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#Govt #letting #Parliament #run #avoid #Adani #issue #Mallikarjun #Kharge
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 16, 2023
Trump returns to Iowa, with a plan to avoid the missteps he made in 2016

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He was in a notably good mood, with little indication that the legal troubles surrounding him were causing any stress. Indeed, he was feisty at times, going after his leading potential opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom he derided as a “disciple” of former House Speaker Paul Ryan, “a RINO loser.”
“To be honest with you, I don’t think he’s going to be doing so well here,” Trump said of DeSantis.
He was also accessible, speaking with the press corps on multiple occasions and even giving the audience a chance to ask him questions. It felt, at times, reminiscent of that 2016 run, when he blanketed the airwaves and made himself a fixture among the mainstream outlets en route to a shocking primary and general election win.
Privately, Trump has made clear to his team he does not want a repeat of what happened in Iowa in 2016, during which he felt he was out-organized by his primary opponents and finished second to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. He has recalled to people that his daughter, Ivanka, showed up to an Iowa caucus site only to notice that the campaign had little presence there.
The visit on Monday was an initial attempt to not repeat those missteps. It came just days after DeSantis made his own Iowa debut — a trip that also took him to Davenport, a city that borders the eastern part of the state and a regular stop for those seeking the White House. DeSantis, who is widely viewed as Trump’s most formidable potential primary opponent, has been promoting his newly released memoir in states that also happen to be early-primary ones. is embarking on a tour of early states as he promotes his newly released memoir. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley visited the state after launching her bid last month, and another prospective candidate, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, also recently made a stop in Iowa.
The trip began with the former president climbing aboard his personal plane — dubbed by aides as “Trump Force One,” and which is complete with gold-emblazoned seats and a sound system that blares oldies and “Phantom of the Opera” — a little after 2 p.m. He was joined on the flight from West Palm Beach by a cadre of senior advisers, including Susie Wiles, Chris LaCivita and Brian Jack. He was also accompanied by Matt Whittaker, who served as his acting attorney general and is an Iowa native.
Not everyone in Iowa has been eager for a Trump revival. Some of the state’s influential evangelical voting bloc has been cool to the thrice-married Trump’s 2024 bid. Bob Vander Plaats, a longtime evangelical figure in the state who endorsed Cruz over Trump in 2016, has even urged Trump not to enter the 2024 race.
But Trump has been making early moves in the state, where organization typically plays a major part in determining the outcome of caucuses. He has advocated for Iowa to remain first on the party’s nomination calendar — a cause near-and-dear to the state’s conservative activists — and for the last two years has placed full-page advertisements in Iowa Republican Party publications. He featured the Iowa GOP’s chairman, Jeff Kaufmann, at a rally he held in Sioux City last year, and he recently tapped Kauffman’s son, state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, to be a senior adviser. Two other Iowa operatives, Alex Latcham and Eric Branstad, the son of longtime former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, have also been helping out.

Within many corners of the party, Trump’s campaign is regarded as more experienced and better prepared than the one he fielded in 2016.
The current race is competitive: A poll released by the Des Moines Register last week showed Trump and DeSantis with similar favorability numbers among the state’s Republicans — with 80 percent expressing a favorable view of the former president, compared with 75 percent for DeSantis.
Speaking to reporters at the Quad City International Airport upon his arrival, Trump expressed confidence in his prospects in the state and remarked that he won Iowa in the 2016 and 2020 general elections. He also expressed optimism that he would have the support of the state’s Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, given that he has endorsed her previously. (Those close to Reynolds, however, say she remains uncommitted in the race. In recent days, she has appeared with DeSantis, Haley and Scott.)
After leaving the airport, Trump headed to the Machine Shed restaurant in Davenport, where he posed for pictures with customers and asked them how the food was.
“They’re right about that,” Trump said as he posed for photos with a group of supporters wearing “Trump Won” T-shirts.
Trump’s motorcade then snaked to the Adler Theatre where, before a boisterous audience of more than 3,500 people, Trump touted his record, savaged President Joe Biden and tweaked DeSantis, saying that the governor had supported curbing agricultural subsidies and had pushed to scale back entitlement programs. The former president drew applause when he promised to protect Medicare and Social Security.
Trump’s team used the event to lay the groundwork for their organization in the state: Advisers said they had collected data — including names, home and email addresses and cell phone numbers — and would use the information to help ensure that the supporters would participate in next year’s caucuses.
David Kochel, a prominent Iowa-based GOP strategist and Trump critic, said that Trump is “in a position where he absolutely should win Iowa, given that he is the former president and starts with a ton of key contacts and a big base of support.” But, Kochel added, a win was no sure thing.
“There does appear to be a lot of folks who are keeping their options open, taking a look at who’s joining the field,” Kochel said.
But Nick Ryan, another Republican strategist in the state, called Trump “the favorite,” given his past incumbency.
“For anyone to beat him they would need to offer a compelling alternative,” Ryan said. “That takes a lot of time, even more work and a little luck.”
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#Trump #returns #Iowa #plan #avoid #missteps
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )

March 14, 2023
School timings in Srinagar changed to avoid traffic jams: Div Com Kashmir

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Srinagar, Mar 01: The Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri on Wednesday said school timing in the city was changed in view of ongoing works under Smart City project. He apologised to students and parents over the change in the timing.
After flagging off Asia’s longest cycle race from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the Div Com said that as works under Smart City project are going on, authorities had to change school timings so that people do not face traffic jams.
He said to avoid huge traffic jams, school timings were changed for the public good.
“We are getting good cooperation from parents and children. I want to apologize to them for the change in school timing but things will improve in a big way in the coming time,” he added.
On being asked about upgradation of sports infrastructure, he said playgrounds are being constructed in each Panchayat of the Valley.
“People should come to me if they find any deficiency in sports infrastructure in any area. Sports infrastructure is being improved in a big way,” he said.(GNS)
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#School #timings #Srinagar #changed #avoid #traffic #jams #Div #Kashmir

( With inputs from : roshankashmir.net )

March 1, 2023