thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-17--All roads lead to Iowa: Buttigieg Transportation post could pave way to the White House

Pete Buttigieg has n't been confirmed as President-elect Joe Biden 's transportation secretary .
Yet , speculation has begun about his future job prospects beyond that post , including commander in chief .
Biden 's decision to pick Buttigieg , 38 , for his Cabinet provides the two-term South Bend , Indiana , mayor and former White House hopeful with the `` perfect '' springboard into a second presidential bid , according to political analysts .
And some , such as Dan Schnur , an independent at the University of Southern California , hint it 's to the detriment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President-elect Kamala Harris .
`` Biden has done Buttigieg a huge favor , and I can ’ t imagine that Harris ’ s team is very happy about it , '' Schnur told the Washington Examiner .
`` But given the emphasis that Biden will be putting on infrastructure , Buttigieg will be one of the most high-profile members of the Cabinet , '' he said of the short- and long-term benefits .
He added , `` It will also be an ideal platform from which he can develop relationships with state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which will be a very useful network in his next campaign . ''
Buttigieg backers were abuzz this week after rumors circulated that Biden was considering naming the Rhodes Scholar and Afghanistan War veteran as his ambassador to China .
Yet , Buttigieg 's supporters are just as jazzed about him becoming Biden 's transportation nominee-designate because the department 's work will undergird Biden 's `` Build Back Better '' agenda .
The McKinsey and Company consultant turned Rust Belt mayor will be the public face of major investments and projects .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having spearheaded a federal agency the next time he pitches himself to voters .
Cabinet secretaries do n't always realize their presidential ambitions .
Just ask Obama administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro .
But a spot on Biden 's bench was one of the few opportunities through which Buttigieg could advance his career , given the political constraints placed on Democrats in Republican Indiana .
In fact , Buttigieg already tried .
It was his 2010 failed attempt to become Indiana 's treasurer , his first statewide race , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011 .
He eventually elected South Bend 's second-youngest city executive at the age of 29 .
Even before contesting the White House , Buttigieg had signaled his desire to leave the Hoosier State for Washington , D.C .
In 2017 , for instance , he ran for the Democratic National Committee 's chairmanship .
Buttigieg 's presidential bid was perceived as a long shot .
Yet , Buttigieg exceeded expectations during the primary by narrowly winning Iowa and finishing second in New Hampshire .
Now , he 's being rewarded for dropping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ momentum behind Biden , preventing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders from clinching the nomination .
In March , Biden compared Buttigieg to his deceased son Beau , whom Biden described as White House material .
And on Wednesday , he called Buttigieg `` a new voice '' with `` new ideas , determined to move past all politics . ''
`` Pete 's got a great perspective : of a mayor that solves problems and brings people together , '' Biden said during Buttigieg 's rollout event in Wilmington , Delaware .
`` He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader with the experience and the temperament to lead change today . ''
But it was hard to miss the deference demonstrated toward Harris , Biden 's heir apparent .
Harris opted out of attending Buttigieg 's unveiling , with an aide telling reporters that she was stuck in Washington , D.C. , because of inclement weather .
Biden repeated the reason unprompted after her remarks .
`` I called the vice president-elect and thanked her for not getting on a highway in the middle of a storm , the storm about to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` She wanted to be here . ''
During his address , Biden underscored his Cabinet 's historic nature , including Buttigieg as potentially the first openly gay Senate-confirmed secretary .
Yet , he went to great lengths to highlight Harris 's trailblazing status , too , as the first woman and minority woman voted vice president .
Buttigieg thanked Harris as well for her `` leadership , '' `` encouragement , '' and `` friendship . ''
And the event was staged after Harris gave her first solo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sit-down with ABC 's Good Morning America .
A former Buttigieg staffer downplayed any tension between the old boss and Harris , suggesting to the Washington Examiner that the duo could pair up for the 2024 general election .
Harris could `` balance the ticket in '24 if she runs with a moderate white Midwestern guy , '' they said .
A Democratic strategist disagreed .
This source conceded that Buttigieg had `` heft '' now after `` succeeding just on pure charm and charisma '' and `` probably white privilege .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would compete against Harris in 2024 or be her vice presidential nominee despite being `` super ambitious . ''
`` I do n't know what he brings to the ticket , '' they said .
`` That 's not a good look for him . ''
The strategist continued , `` I think he 'll wait it out .
You went from being the mayor of South Bend to a failed DNC chairman candidate to a presidential candidate no one 's ever heard of to the transportation secretary .
That 's a pretty @ @ @ @

Pete Buttigieg hasn't been confirmed as President-elect Joe Biden's transportation secretary. Yet, speculation has begun about his future job prospects beyond that post, including commander in chief.
Biden's decision to pick Buttigieg, 38, for his Cabinet provides the two-term South Bend, Indiana, mayor and former White House hopeful with the "perfect" springboard into a second presidential bid, according to political analysts.
And some, such as Dan Schnur, an independent at the University of Southern California, hint it's to the detriment of another vanquished White House primary opponent: Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
"Biden has done Buttigieg a huge favor, and I can’t imagine that Harris’s team is very happy about it," Schnur told the Washington Examiner.
Heading the transportation department is typically a low-key Cabinet position, Schnur explained.
"But given the emphasis that Biden will be putting on infrastructure, Buttigieg will be one of the most high-profile members of the Cabinet," he said of the short- and long-term benefits.
He added, "It will also be an ideal platform from which he can develop relationships with state and local politicians across the country, which will be a very useful network in his next campaign."
Buttigieg backers were abuzz this week after rumors circulated that Biden was considering naming the Rhodes Scholar and Afghanistan War veteran as his ambassador to China.
Yet, Buttigieg's supporters are just as jazzed about him becoming Biden's transportation nominee-designate because the department's work will undergird Biden's "Build Back Better" agenda. The McKinsey and Company consultant turned Rust Belt mayor will be the public face of major investments and projects. And he'll have the beefed-up credentials of having spearheaded a federal agency the next time he pitches himself to voters.
Cabinet secretaries don't always realize their presidential ambitions. Just ask Obama administration Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. But a spot on Biden's bench was one of the few opportunities through which Buttigieg could advance his career, given the political constraints placed on Democrats in Republican Indiana.
In fact, Buttigieg already tried. It was his 2010 failed attempt to become Indiana's treasurer, his first statewide race, which led him to vie for mayor in 2011. He eventually elected South Bend's second-youngest city executive at the age of 29.
Even before contesting the White House, Buttigieg had signaled his desire to leave the Hoosier State for Washington, D.C. In 2017, for instance, he ran for the Democratic National Committee's chairmanship.
Buttigieg's presidential bid was perceived as a long shot. Yet, Buttigieg exceeded expectations during the primary by narrowly winning Iowa and finishing second in New Hampshire. Now, he's being rewarded for dropping out before Super Tuesday to consolidate centrist momentum behind Biden, preventing Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders from clinching the nomination.
In March, Biden compared Buttigieg to his deceased son Beau, whom Biden described as White House material. And on Wednesday, he called Buttigieg "a new voice" with "new ideas, determined to move past all politics."
"Pete's got a great perspective: of a mayor that solves problems and brings people together," Biden said during Buttigieg's rollout event in Wilmington, Delaware. "He's got a vision of a next-generation leader with the experience and the temperament to lead change today."
But it was hard to miss the deference demonstrated toward Harris, Biden's heir apparent.
Harris opted out of attending Buttigieg's unveiling, with an aide telling reporters that she was stuck in Washington, D.C., because of inclement weather. Biden repeated the reason unprompted after her remarks.
"I called the vice president-elect and thanked her for not getting on a highway in the middle of a storm, the storm about to come, to come up here," he said. "She wanted to be here."
During his address, Biden underscored his Cabinet's historic nature, including Buttigieg as potentially the first openly gay Senate-confirmed secretary. Yet, he went to great lengths to highlight Harris's trailblazing status, too, as the first woman and minority woman voted vice president. Buttigieg thanked Harris as well for her "leadership," "encouragement," and "friendship."
And the event was staged after Harris gave her first solo interview as the next vice president, a sit-down with ABC's Good Morning America.
A former Buttigieg staffer downplayed any tension between the old boss and Harris, suggesting to the Washington Examiner that the duo could pair up for the 2024 general election.
Harris could "balance the ticket in '24 if she runs with a moderate white Midwestern guy," they said.
A Democratic strategist disagreed. This source conceded that Buttigieg had "heft" now after "succeeding just on pure charm and charisma" and "probably white privilege." But the strategist doubted that he would compete against Harris in 2024 or be her vice presidential nominee despite being "super ambitious."
"I don't know what he brings to the ticket," they said. "That's not a good look for him."
The strategist continued, "I think he'll wait it out. You went from being the mayor of South Bend to a failed DNC chairman candidate to a presidential candidate no one's ever heard of to the transportation secretary. That's a pretty good run."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-17--Redistricting gives GOP a built-in edge to win House majority in 2022

The Republican Party is poised to win the House majority in 2022 , boosted by the rare combination of President Trump ’ s ouster and down-ballot victories that put the GOP in command of the decennial redrawing of district boundaries .
House Republicans flipped nearly a dozen Democratic-held seats in the Nov. 3 elections , a surprising gain that left them a handful shy of the majority .
With such a thin margin , there is loose speculation redistricting could effectively deliver Republicans the speaker ’ s gavel before a single Democratic incumbent is defeated .
The GOP preserved control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mansions , a crucial advantage in the partisan battle over reapportionment .
Trump ’ s defeat was another stroke of good fortune for House Republicans .
Historically , the party that holds the White House loses seats in midterm elections .
That has held true for Democratic and Republican presidents going back to Ronald Reagan ’ s first midterm in 1982 , with the exception of 1998 and 2002 .
President-elect Joe Biden presents an immediate challenge for House Democrats heading into the 2022 midterm elections .
“ We start in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who runs the Congressional Leadership Fund , the super PAC affiliated with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California .
“ But the last thing Republicans should be doing is measuring the drapes.
” Democrats captured the House two years ago in a 40-seat swing , riding voter dissatisfaction with Trump to the majority after eight years out of power .
Public opinion polls suggested the Democrats would flip as many as 15 more GOP-held districts this year .
Instead , Republicans picked up 11 seats , giving them a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on top in an unresolved contest in upstate New York , that number would climb by one .
The threshold for a majority in the 435-member House is 218 seats .
Both parties begin the new election cycle playing on an uncertain battlefield .
In the coming months , state legislatures and governors in states without nonpartisan redistricting commissions will play political cartographer , haggling over the borders of new congressional and legislative districts .
Their goal : maximize the number of seats drawn to guarantee the election of a Democrat or Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The GOP begins with an edge .
The success Republicans enjoyed in the Nov. 3 elections , particularly in states expected to gain House seats based on population shifts over the past 10 years , has empowered them to influence reapportionment , if not outright dominate the process .
For instance , with an influx of new arrivals from other states , Texas could gain three new districts , based on an analysis from Dave Wasserman , chief House race handicapper for the Cook Political Report .
Many of those new residents are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more competitive .
But the GOP holds the governor ’ s mansion and gained seats in the Legislature last month , positioning the party to gerrymander the new seats to elect Republicans .
In other words , redistricting in Texas could produce half of the seats Republicans need to win the majority .
But GOP insiders are cautious when discussing the matter and wary of becoming overly reliant on the process .
The redrawing of congressional boundaries is complicated and arcane .
Incumbent politicians have been known to cut deals with the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities to increase their party ’ s representation in Congress .
“ Since Republicans came within a handful of seats of the majority after the 2020 elections , the majority should be within reach , ” said Nathan Gonzales , editor and publisher of Inside Elections , a nonpartisan political prognosticator .
“ But redistricting makes handicapping the House a little complicated because there will be new lines around the country.
” The Democrats are still trying to pick up the pieces from their down-ballot disaster and have yet to analyze the results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to have to focus some time and attention on filling vacancies in safe seats created by incumbents who resigned to take positions in the Biden administration .
Meanwhile , the National Democratic Restricting Committee , founded by former Attorney General Eric Holder , is leading the party ’ s redistricting efforts .
Trump is promising to remain on the scene as a major figure , possibly even running for president again in 2024 .
He could give the Democrats a prominent Republican to run against as they attempt to shield themselves from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House .
( The possibility that Trump might hang around is a matter of concern for otherwise confident Republicans . )
But House Democrats are not pinning all their hopes on Trump .
They are signaling plans to spotlight Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene and her penchant for provocative rhetoric , describing the Georgia Republican as “ Steve King on steroids.
” Iowa ’ s King , defeated in his GOP primary this year , has a history of making racially charged comments .
Democrats also hope to make an issue of many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results of the presidential election and their parroting of Trump ’ s claims that Biden was elevated through a massive conspiracy .
“ Democrats are going to exploit the fact that Republicans let a lot of extremists into their caucus , ” a Democratic operative said .
“ They ’ re going to have to answer for that every single day .
”

The Republican Party is poised to win the House majority in 2022, boosted by the rare combination of President Trump’s ouster and down-ballot victories that put the GOP in command of the decennial redrawing of district boundaries.
House Republicans flipped nearly a dozen Democratic-held seats in the Nov. 3 elections, a surprising gain that left them a handful shy of the majority. With such a thin margin, there is loose speculation redistricting could effectively deliver Republicans the speaker’s gavel before a single Democratic incumbent is defeated. The GOP preserved control of key state legislatures and governor’s mansions, a crucial advantage in the partisan battle over reapportionment.
Trump’s defeat was another stroke of good fortune for House Republicans. Historically, the party that holds the White House loses seats in midterm elections. That has held true for Democratic and Republican presidents going back to Ronald Reagan’s first midterm in 1982, with the exception of 1998 and 2002. President-elect Joe Biden presents an immediate challenge for House Democrats heading into the 2022 midterm elections.
“We start in a great position,” said Dan Conston, who runs the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC affiliated with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California. “But the last thing Republicans should be doing is measuring the drapes.”
Democrats captured the House two years ago in a 40-seat swing, riding voter dissatisfaction with Trump to the majority after eight years out of power. Public opinion polls suggested the Democrats would flip as many as 15 more GOP-held districts this year. Instead, Republicans picked up 11 seats, giving them a total of 212. If the Republicans come out on top in an unresolved contest in upstate New York, that number would climb by one.
The threshold for a majority in the 435-member House is 218 seats.
Both parties begin the new election cycle playing on an uncertain battlefield. In the coming months, state legislatures and governors in states without nonpartisan redistricting commissions will play political cartographer, haggling over the borders of new congressional and legislative districts. Their goal: maximize the number of seats drawn to guarantee the election of a Democrat or Republican, a process known as gerrymandering.
The GOP begins with an edge. The success Republicans enjoyed in the Nov. 3 elections, particularly in states expected to gain House seats based on population shifts over the past 10 years, has empowered them to influence reapportionment, if not outright dominate the process.
For instance, with an influx of new arrivals from other states, Texas could gain three new districts, based on an analysis from Dave Wasserman, chief House race handicapper for the Cook Political Report. Many of those new residents are Democrats and have made once deep-red Texas more competitive. But the GOP holds the governor’s mansion and gained seats in the Legislature last month, positioning the party to gerrymander the new seats to elect Republicans.
In other words, redistricting in Texas could produce half of the seats Republicans need to win the majority. But GOP insiders are cautious when discussing the matter and wary of becoming overly reliant on the process. The redrawing of congressional boundaries is complicated and arcane. Incumbent politicians have been known to cut deals with the other side that prioritizes their political survival over opportunities to increase their party’s representation in Congress.
“Since Republicans came within a handful of seats of the majority after the 2020 elections, the majority should be within reach,” said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections, a nonpartisan political prognosticator. “But redistricting makes handicapping the House a little complicated because there will be new lines around the country.”
The Democrats are still trying to pick up the pieces from their down-ballot disaster and have yet to analyze the results fully. Initially, House Democrats are going to have to focus some time and attention on filling vacancies in safe seats created by incumbents who resigned to take positions in the Biden administration. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Restricting Committee, founded by former Attorney General Eric Holder, is leading the party’s redistricting efforts.
Trump is promising to remain on the scene as a major figure, possibly even running for president again in 2024. He could give the Democrats a prominent Republican to run against as they attempt to shield themselves from any voter rebuke generated by the Biden White House. (The possibility that Trump might hang around is a matter of concern for otherwise confident Republicans.)
But House Democrats are not pinning all their hopes on Trump.
They are signaling plans to spotlight Rep.-elect Marjorie Taylor Greene and her penchant for provocative rhetoric, describing the Georgia Republican as “Steve King on steroids.” Iowa’s King, defeated in his GOP primary this year, has a history of making racially charged comments. Democrats also hope to make an issue of many House Republicans’ refusal to accept the results of the presidential election and their parroting of Trump’s claims that Biden was elevated through a massive conspiracy.
“Democrats are going to exploit the fact that Republicans let a lot of extremists into their caucus,” a Democratic operative said. “They’re going to have to answer for that every single day.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Democrats ditch 'defund the police' slogan, but not necessarily policy principles

With the 2020 campaign season over , the message is clear from the upper echelons of the Democratic Party : “ Defund the police ” is not the message that they want to communicate to voters .
Former President Barack Obama warned in an interview earlier this month that `` you lost a big audience the minute you say it.
” President-elect Joe Biden in a private meeting last week , according to audio obtained by the Intercept , said , “ That ’ s how they beat the living hell out of us across the country , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police.
” But behind the debate on semantics and public-facing messaging , Democrats are not necessarily abandoning the stated principles behind the slogan : Using mental health workers to respond to police calls or funding social services rather than military-grade police equipment , for instance .
In another interview on The Daily Show this week , Obama expanded on his “ defund the police ” criticism.
” He said that he was making a “ very particular point ” about how to “ to translate the very legitimate belief that how we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is , for example , a homeless guy ranting and raving in the middle of the street , sending a mental health worker rather than an armed untrained police officer to deal with that might be a better outcome for all of us and make us safer , ” Obama said .
The issue , he said , is “ can we be precise with our language enough that people who might be persuaded around that particular issue to make a particular change that gets a particular result that we want — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to describe that ?
” Democrats concerned about the 2020 campaign had steered clear of explicitly supporting calls to defund the police , but many avoided explicitly shutting down the slogan and policy proposal .
After the party unexpectedly lost seats in the House , the radical framework and rhetoric were widely credited with preventing the Democrats from making more significant electoral gains .
During his presidential campaign , Biden was one of the most visible Democrats in opposition to “ defund the police , ” with his campaign frequently noting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments for community policing .
But in an interview that turned into an attack ad for President Trump ’ s campaign , Biden “ absolutely ” agreed with the idea of redirecting funding that police forces use on surplus military equipment .
In the private meeting with civil rights leaders last week , Biden expressed approval for other reform measures that could include changes in funding structure , albeit not funding cuts : “ We ’ re talking about spending money to enable them to do their jobs better , not with more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding , ” he said .
Some activists and leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement are peeved with Democrats for distancing themselves from the phrase .
D. Watkins , an editor at large at Salon and lecturer at the University of Baltimore , criticized Obama for reducing “ defund the police ” to just a slogan .
The policy solutions that Watkins said back the phrase , though , sounded very similar to what Obama and Biden proposed when they elaborated on police reforms that they do support .
“ Defunding is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and walking away .
It 's about retraining personnel and creating different positions inside of police departments that will help those departments serve our communities in a more effective way .
Police as we know them have too much power and have never served my community , ” Watkins said .
Still , the phrase has become so toxic that even members of the Minneapolis City Council who recently voted to from the police force ’ s budget are distancing themselves from it .
Two council members who during protests in the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with several of their council colleagues alongside a “ defund the police ” banner now say that the budgetary vote was not a move to “ defund the police.
” “ 'Defund ' is not the framework the council has ever chosen , ” Council Member Steve Fletcher local news station KSTP this week .
Council Member Phillipe Cunningham agreed : “ That is correct.
” '' We were n't trying to maximize how much money came out of the department .
That was n't the goal , ” Fletcher said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other programs , it would be very hard to do that without taking that money from the Minneapolis Police Department.
” Not all Democrats have given up on the tagline , though .
Rep.-elect Cori Bush of Missouri snapped back at Obama when he first criticized the phrase earlier this month .
“ It ’ s not a slogan .
It ’ s a mandate for keeping our people alive .
Defund the police , ” she in a tweet .

With the 2020 campaign season over, the message is clear from the upper echelons of the Democratic Party: “Defund the police” is not the message that they want to communicate to voters.
Former President Barack Obama warned in an interview earlier this month that "you lost a big audience the minute you say it.” President-elect Joe Biden in a private meeting last week, according to audio obtained by the Intercept, said, “That’s how they beat the living hell out of us across the country, saying that we’re talking about defunding the police.”
But behind the debate on semantics and public-facing messaging, Democrats are not necessarily abandoning the stated principles behind the slogan: Using mental health workers to respond to police calls or funding social services rather than military-grade police equipment, for instance.
In another interview on The Daily Show this week, Obama expanded on his “defund the police” criticism.” He said that he was making a “very particular point” about how to “to translate the very legitimate belief that how we do police needs to change.”
“If there is, for example, a homeless guy ranting and raving in the middle of the street, sending a mental health worker rather than an armed untrained police officer to deal with that might be a better outcome for all of us and make us safer,” Obama said. The issue, he said, is “can we be precise with our language enough that people who might be persuaded around that particular issue to make a particular change that gets a particular result that we want — what’s the best way for us to describe that?”
Democrats concerned about the 2020 campaign had steered clear of explicitly supporting calls to defund the police, but many avoided explicitly shutting down the slogan and policy proposal. After the party unexpectedly lost seats in the House, the radical framework and rhetoric were widely credited with preventing the Democrats from making more significant electoral gains.
During his presidential campaign, Biden was one of the most visible Democrats in opposition to “defund the police,” with his campaign frequently noting that he proposed increasing federal funding to police departments for community policing.
But in an interview that turned into an attack ad for President Trump’s campaign, Biden “absolutely” agreed with the idea of redirecting funding that police forces use on surplus military equipment.
In the private meeting with civil rights leaders last week, Biden expressed approval for other reform measures that could include changes in funding structure, albeit not funding cuts: “We’re talking about spending money to enable them to do their jobs better, not with more force, with less force and more understanding,” he said.
Some activists and leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement are peeved with Democrats for distancing themselves from the phrase. D. Watkins, an editor at large at Salon and lecturer at the University of Baltimore, criticized Obama for reducing “defund the police” to just a slogan.
The policy solutions that Watkins said back the phrase, though, sounded very similar to what Obama and Biden proposed when they elaborated on police reforms that they do support.
“Defunding isn't about firing a bunch of people and walking away. It's about retraining personnel and creating different positions inside of police departments that will help those departments serve our communities in a more effective way. Police as we know them have too much power and have never served my community,” Watkins said.
Still, the phrase has become so toxic that even members of the Minneapolis City Council who recently voted to cut $8 million from the police force’s budget are distancing themselves from it.
Two council members who during protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death stood with several of their council colleagues alongside a “defund the police” banner now say that the budgetary vote was not a move to “defund the police.”
“'Defund' is not the framework the council has ever chosen,” Council Member Steve Fletcher told local news station KSTP this week. Council Member Phillipe Cunningham agreed: “That is correct.”
"We weren't trying to maximize how much money came out of the department. That wasn't the goal,” Fletcher said. “But if we're going to fund other programs, it would be very hard to do that without taking that money from the Minneapolis Police Department.”
Not all Democrats have given up on the tagline, though.
Rep.-elect Cori Bush of Missouri snapped back at Obama when he first criticized the phrase earlier this month.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Congressional incumbents raised nearly $2B for reelections and 95% won

Members of Congress raised nearly $ 1.8 billion collectively for their reelections during the 2020 campaign , with incumbent representatives hauling in $ 1.1 billion and senators collecting $ 674 million .
According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission filings conducted by Issue One , a nonpartisan group that advocates for good governance , Democratic and Republican House incumbents raised a median of $ 1.7 million over the two-year election cycle .
That amounted to approximately $ 2,400 per day for “ typical ” House members and $ 7,200 daily for incumbents running in competitive contests rated as “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , incumbents of both parties on the 2020 ballot raised a median of $ 13.2 million between January 2019 and November of this year .
That equaled about $ 19,100 per day for each , with three senators shattering that average by bringing in $ 95,600 daily .
Fundraising standouts in the Senate this cycle included Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , Republicans at the top of the Democratic Party ’ s target list .
Appointed incumbent Martha McSally , an Arizona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performer .
However , she was defeated in a special election by Sen. Mark Kelly , a Democrat who took office a few weeks following the Nov. 3 elections .
According to FEC filings , McSally brought in $ 73.7 million for her campaign .
McConnell raised $ 64.1 million , and Graham ’ s haul totaled a whopping $ 104.8 million .
All three Republicans were forced to fend off hundreds of millions of dollars in attacks by their Democratic challengers and aligned political groups .
In fact , the Democratic challenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the GOP incumbents in what turned out to be losing efforts , Kelly excepted .
The Arizona Democrat raised $ 100.3 million in his victory over McSally .
Meanwhile , McConnell challenger Amy McGrath raised $ 96.3 million and Graham challenger Jaime Harrison raised $ 132.7 million .
It was a drop in the bucket , considering that total spending on the 2020 campaign , across all candidates and political groups , reached $ 14 billion .
Among the other files compiled by Issue One : 95 % of congressional incumbents won reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbents had their own political action committees to bolster their fundraising efforts , and 46 % of the 60 new House members who will be sworn into office on Jan. 3 have already formed a leadership PAC to boost fundraising heading into the 2022 midterm elections .
That campaign is already underway .

Members of Congress raised nearly $1.8 billion collectively for their reelections during the 2020 campaign, with incumbent representatives hauling in $1.1 billion and senators collecting $674 million.
According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission filings conducted by Issue One, a nonpartisan group that advocates for good governance, Democratic and Republican House incumbents raised a median of $1.7 million over the two-year election cycle. That amounted to approximately $2,400 per day for “typical” House members and $7,200 daily for incumbents running in competitive contests rated as “toss-ups” by political handicappers.
In the Senate, incumbents of both parties on the 2020 ballot raised a median of $13.2 million between January 2019 and November of this year. That equaled about $19,100 per day for each, with three senators shattering that average by bringing in $95,600 daily. Fundraising standouts in the Senate this cycle included Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Republicans at the top of the Democratic Party’s target list.
Appointed incumbent Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican, was the third top fundraising performer. However, she was defeated in a special election by Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat who took office a few weeks following the Nov. 3 elections. According to FEC filings, McSally brought in $73.7 million for her campaign. McConnell raised $64.1 million, and Graham’s haul totaled a whopping $104.8 million.
All three Republicans were forced to fend off hundreds of millions of dollars in attacks by their Democratic challengers and aligned political groups.
In fact, the Democratic challenger in each race collected even more than the GOP incumbents in what turned out to be losing efforts, Kelly excepted. The Arizona Democrat raised $100.3 million in his victory over McSally. Meanwhile, McConnell challenger Amy McGrath raised $96.3 million and Graham challenger Jaime Harrison raised $132.7 million. It was a drop in the bucket, considering that total spending on the 2020 campaign, across all candidates and political groups, reached $14 billion.
Among the other files compiled by Issue One: 95% of congressional incumbents won reelection last month, 89% of congressional incumbents had their own political action committees to bolster their fundraising efforts, and 46% of the 60 new House members who will be sworn into office on Jan. 3 have already formed a leadership PAC to boost fundraising heading into the 2022 midterm elections.
That campaign is already underway.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--GOP governors ready for Trump attacks in 2022

Senior Republicans in Georgia and Ohio are preparing for mischievous forces loyal to President Trump to mount primary challenges against Govs .
Brian Kemp and Mike DeWine , angry they rebuffed the outgoing commander in chief ’ s claims of a stolen election .
Georgia ’ s Kemp is under assault from Trump after declining to halt the certification of President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory in the state , the first for a Democrat since 1992 .
Kemp lacked the authority to intervene .
That has not stopped the president from accusing the governor of abetting massive voter fraud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Electoral College votes .
Pro-Trump Republicans are scheming to oust Kemp in the 2022 primary , an effort likely to accelerate in January .
Trump is also out for revenge against DeWine .
The president cruised in Ohio on Nov. 3 .
But DeWine publicly recognized Biden as president-elect soon after media outlets projected his Electoral College victory , undercutting Trump ’ s election conspiracy allegations .
As with Kemp , the president responded by threatening to cut short DeWine ’ s political career .
That has encouraged pro-Trump forces in a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with an eye toward the midterm primary .
Trump is leaving office as popular as ever with the sort of grassroots Republicans who are reliable primary voters .
Yet , political insiders in Georgia and Ohio predict efforts to block Kemp and DeWine from renomination will fail , amounting to nothing more than a nuisance .
Republicans do not dismiss the president ’ s ability to foment rebellions .
But having been gone from the White House for more than a year by then , they are skeptical he would succeed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if the president keeps agitating , in large part , because Kemp has handled COVID issues so well , ” said Erick Erickson , a conservative talk radio host in Macon , Georgia , who broadcasts statewide .
“ He ’ s got a base of support big enough to win a primary.
” Trump ’ s endorsement propelled Kemp to victory in the 2018 gubernatorial primary .
A Republican operative involved in that contest said he went from 4 percentage points down before Trump ’ s backing to 30 points up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemp is strong enough politically to overcome opposition from Trump in his bid for renomination , in part because of his network of committed grassroots supporters from across the state that he has cultivated over two decades .
Republicans view Ohio through the same lens .
Rejecting DeWine in the GOP primary would require an appealing challenger backed by an aggressive , competent campaign — plus concentrated attention from Trump , although the governor is not invulnerable .
Frank LaRose , Ohio ’ s Republican secretary of state , is mentioned as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been in public [ life ] for close to 45 years and never lost a primary , ” said Nick Everhart , a Republican operative in Columbus , Ohio .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s honestly realistic or likely that we ’ re going to see well-orchestrated challenges to [ DeWine ] backed and aided by President Trump , and that ’ s what it would take for them to have a chance.
” To the extent DeWine could be in trouble in the 2022 primary , small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus could be a bigger headache for him than Trump .
Voters have broadly been satisfied with the governor ’ s management of the pandemic .
But small businesses , whose owners are a pillar of the GOP donor community , have been hard hit by economic lockdowns and other limitations on public gathering .
DeWine spokesman Daniel Tierney sidestepped questions about Trump 's criticism of the governor , saying only that his boss has a good working relationship with the president and was proud to serve as co-chairman of his reelection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Tierney said DeWine has worked with the business community to develop policies that save lives while doing as little economic damage as possible to employers .
“ A lot of the protocols put into place were developed in consultation with businesses , ” Tierney said .
Despite his uncommonly loyal political base , Trump is not undefeated when endorsing in competitive Republican primaries .
Meanwhile , it is unclear how much juice he will have with the broader Republican primary electorate as an ex-president .
Candidate quality often matters most , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult to handicap the outcome of gubernatorial primaries in Georgia and Ohio until challengers emerge .
In Georgia , the name mentioned most often at this early stage is outgoing Rep. Doug Collins .
Collins helped lead Trump ’ s effort to reverse the outcome of the presidential election in the Peach State and has an acrimonious relationship with Kemp .
The governor selected Sen. Kelly Loeffler over Collins when he made the appointment to fill the seat left vacant by Johnny Isakson , who resigned from the Senate for health reasons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ held to determine a permanent successor to Isakson but failed to advance .
Collins and other Kemp antagonists are not expected to make any decisions about 2022 until the conclusion of two critical Jan. 5 runoff elections .
Democrats would win control of the Senate by virtue of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ’ s tiebreaking vote if Loeffler and Republican Sen. David Perdue fall to their Democratic challengers .
Kemp , whose approval ratings among GOP voters have tumbled , is girding for a fight .
A spokesman for Kemp did not respond @ @ @ @ @ @

Senior Republicans in Georgia and Ohio are preparing for mischievous forces loyal to President Trump to mount primary challenges against Govs. Brian Kemp and Mike DeWine, angry they rebuffed the outgoing commander in chief’s claims of a stolen election.
Georgia’s Kemp is under assault from Trump after declining to halt the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the state, the first for a Democrat since 1992. Kemp lacked the authority to intervene. That has not stopped the president from accusing the governor of abetting massive voter fraud and costing him Georgia’s crucial Electoral College votes. Pro-Trump Republicans are scheming to oust Kemp in the 2022 primary, an effort likely to accelerate in January.
Trump is also out for revenge against DeWine. The president cruised in Ohio on Nov. 3. But DeWine publicly recognized Biden as president-elect soon after media outlets projected his Electoral College victory, undercutting Trump’s election conspiracy allegations. As with Kemp, the president responded by threatening to cut short DeWine’s political career. That has encouraged pro-Trump forces in a very pro-Trump state to plot against the governor, with an eye toward the midterm primary.
Trump is leaving office as popular as ever with the sort of grassroots Republicans who are reliable primary voters. Yet, political insiders in Georgia and Ohio predict efforts to block Kemp and DeWine from renomination will fail, amounting to nothing more than a nuisance. Republicans do not dismiss the president’s ability to foment rebellions. But having been gone from the White House for more than a year by then, they are skeptical he would succeed.
“I really just think this fades even if the president keeps agitating, in large part, because Kemp has handled COVID issues so well,” said Erick Erickson, a conservative talk radio host in Macon, Georgia, who broadcasts statewide. “He’s got a base of support big enough to win a primary.”
Trump’s endorsement propelled Kemp to victory in the 2018 gubernatorial primary. A Republican operative involved in that contest said he went from 4 percentage points down before Trump’s backing to 30 points up within a week. But Republicans believe Kemp is strong enough politically to overcome opposition from Trump in his bid for renomination, in part because of his network of committed grassroots supporters from across the state that he has cultivated over two decades.
Republicans view Ohio through the same lens. Rejecting DeWine in the GOP primary would require an appealing challenger backed by an aggressive, competent campaign — plus concentrated attention from Trump, although the governor is not invulnerable. Frank LaRose, Ohio’s Republican secretary of state, is mentioned as a potential DeWine challenger.
“Mike DeWine has been in public [life] for close to 45 years and never lost a primary,” said Nick Everhart, a Republican operative in Columbus, Ohio. “I don’t think it’s honestly realistic or likely that we’re going to see well-orchestrated challenges to [DeWine] backed and aided by President Trump, and that’s what it would take for them to have a chance.”
To the extent DeWine could be in trouble in the 2022 primary, small business owners frustrated by his handling of the coronavirus could be a bigger headache for him than Trump. Voters have broadly been satisfied with the governor’s management of the pandemic. But small businesses, whose owners are a pillar of the GOP donor community, have been hard hit by economic lockdowns and other limitations on public gathering.
DeWine spokesman Daniel Tierney sidestepped questions about Trump's criticism of the governor, saying only that his boss has a good working relationship with the president and was proud to serve as co-chairman of his reelection campaign in Ohio. On the coronavirus, Tierney said DeWine has worked with the business community to develop policies that save lives while doing as little economic damage as possible to employers.
“A lot of the protocols put into place were developed in consultation with businesses,” Tierney said.
Despite his uncommonly loyal political base, Trump is not undefeated when endorsing in competitive Republican primaries. Meanwhile, it is unclear how much juice he will have with the broader Republican primary electorate as an ex-president. Candidate quality often matters most, and in that regard, it will be difficult to handicap the outcome of gubernatorial primaries in Georgia and Ohio until challengers emerge.
In Georgia, the name mentioned most often at this early stage is outgoing Rep. Doug Collins.
Collins helped lead Trump’s effort to reverse the outcome of the presidential election in the Peach State and has an acrimonious relationship with Kemp. The governor selected Sen. Kelly Loeffler over Collins when he made the appointment to fill the seat left vacant by Johnny Isakson, who resigned from the Senate for health reasons. Collins challenged Loeffler in the special election held to determine a permanent successor to Isakson but failed to advance.
Collins and other Kemp antagonists are not expected to make any decisions about 2022 until the conclusion of two critical Jan. 5 runoff elections. Democrats would win control of the Senate by virtue of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’s tiebreaking vote if Loeffler and Republican Sen. David Perdue fall to their Democratic challengers. Kemp, whose approval ratings among GOP voters have tumbled, is girding for a fight.
A spokesman for Kemp did not respond to an email requesting comment.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Republicans pivot to election reform to wave the bloody shirt at 2020 election

Republicans are beginning to shift their 2020 presidential election focus away from directly contesting the results toward reforming and reinforcing election laws for the future , days after the Electoral College cast a majority of its votes for Democrat Joe Biden as president-elect .
President Trump has continued to contest the results in several closely fought battleground states and has yet to concede the presidential race , alleging voter fraud swung the result against him .
`` This hearing should not be controversial , '' Sen. Ron Johnson , a Wisconsin Republican , in a Wednesday Senate Homeland Security and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about alleged voting irregularities .
`` A large percentage of the American public does not believe the November election results are legitimate .
This is not a sustainable state of affairs in our democratic republic . ''
Johnson had already the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the day before , `` I haven ’ t seen anything that would convince me that the results , the overall national result , would be overturned.
” He also indicated that he would not block the congressional certification of the electoral vote in January , paving the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month .
“ The election , in many ways , was stolen , and the only way it will be fixed is by in the future reinforcing the laws , ” Sen. Rand Paul , a Kentucky Republican , speaking at the same hearing .
He emphasized lax enforcement of absentee ballot requirements , outdated voter rolls , and reports of dead people voting .
Courts have mostly tossed lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign and its allies alleging widespread irregularities .
The Justice Department , under the leadership of soon-to-be-former Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not uncovered fraud sufficient to alter the outcome of the election .
But many Republicans do not like the ballot harvesting that took place in a number of states , as an unprecedented number of people voted by mail due to the pandemic .
They are also concerned that COVID-19 protocols were used to limit the access of GOP poll workers and skirt laws setting deadlines for absentee ballots to be received , among other issues .
They would like to raise these concerns , in some cases without claiming they necessarily decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voters agree with Trump on this topic .
“ How quickly or to what degree a serious election reform push happens is directly correlated to how loudly and often President Trump stays on this rigged election topic after Jan. 20 , ” said Nicholas Everhart , a Republican strategist .
“ While President Trump has tapped into base Republicans ’ institutional mistrust and openness to believing we ’ re all part of a giant conspiracy , the truth is , if he stops beating that drum , the more it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The shift in focus could prove too subtle or too clever by half .
Democrats still pilloried Johnson ’ s hearing on 2020 voting .
`` Whether intended or not , this hearing gives a platform to conspiracy theories and lies , '' said Sen. Gary Peters , the Michigan Democrat who served as the ranking member of the committee .
Much of the media coverage zeroed in on Paul ’ s use of the word “ stolen , ” despite the “ many ways ” qualifier and emphasis on future procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about the election anymore , ” said a second Republican strategist .
“ I just want to look forward.
” GOP operative and former George W. Bush aide Bradley Blakeman took to Facebook to urge Trump to “ formally concede the election with a warning about the need for national voting standards to prevent the problems that occurred this cycle .
There were irregularities , incompetence , negligence and fraud , just not on a scale that would change the results.
” Last month , Sen. Josh Hawley , a Missouri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harvesting , require mail-in or absentee ballots , and not have the pauses in counting that raised GOP suspicions in some states where Trump led on election night only to be later overtaken by Biden .
`` The debacle of the 2020 election has made clear that serious reforms are needed to protect the integrity of our elections , ” Hawley said in a statement .
“ The American people deserve transparency — that means banning ballot harvesting , empowering poll watchers , and taking steps to ensure that all legally cast ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican voters have grave doubts about the fairness and accuracy of the election .
Trump has repeatedly urged the party ’ s elected officials to continue fighting the results into January , even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally recognized Biden as president-elect following the electoral vote this week .

Republicans are beginning to shift their 2020 presidential election focus away from directly contesting the results toward reforming and reinforcing election laws for the future, days after the Electoral College cast a majority of its votes for Democrat Joe Biden as president-elect.
President Trump has continued to contest the results in several closely fought battleground states and has yet to concede the presidential race, alleging voter fraud swung the result against him.
"This hearing should not be controversial," Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, said in a Wednesday Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee meeting that featured testimony about alleged voting irregularities. "A large percentage of the American public does not believe the November election results are legitimate. This is not a sustainable state of affairs in our democratic republic."
Johnson had already told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the day before, "I haven’t seen anything that would convince me that the results, the overall national result, would be overturned.” He also indicated that he would not block the congressional certification of the electoral vote in January, paving the way for Biden to take office later that month.
“The election, in many ways, was stolen, and the only way it will be fixed is by in the future reinforcing the laws,” said Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, speaking at the same hearing. He emphasized lax enforcement of absentee ballot requirements, outdated voter rolls, and reports of dead people voting.
Courts have mostly tossed lawsuits filed by the Trump campaign and its allies alleging widespread irregularities. The Justice Department, under the leadership of soon-to-be-former Attorney General William Barr, has said it has not uncovered fraud sufficient to alter the outcome of the election.
But many Republicans do not like the ballot harvesting that took place in a number of states, as an unprecedented number of people voted by mail due to the pandemic. They are also concerned that COVID-19 protocols were used to limit the access of GOP poll workers and skirt laws setting deadlines for absentee ballots to be received, among other issues. They would like to raise these concerns, in some cases without claiming they necessarily decided the election, while acknowledging many of their voters agree with Trump on this topic.
“How quickly or to what degree a serious election reform push happens is directly correlated to how loudly and often President Trump stays on this rigged election topic after Jan. 20,” said Nicholas Everhart, a Republican strategist. “While President Trump has tapped into base Republicans’ institutional mistrust and openness to believing we’re all part of a giant conspiracy, the truth is, if he stops beating that drum, the more it’s going to dissipate and grow dormant."
The shift in focus could prove too subtle or too clever by half. Democrats still pilloried Johnson’s hearing on 2020 voting. "Whether intended or not, this hearing gives a platform to conspiracy theories and lies," said Sen. Gary Peters, the Michigan Democrat who served as the ranking member of the committee. Much of the media coverage zeroed in on Paul’s use of the word “stolen,” despite the “many ways” qualifier and emphasis on future procedures.
“I don’t want to talk about the election anymore,” said a second Republican strategist. “I just want to look forward.”
GOP operative and former George W. Bush aide Bradley Blakeman took to Facebook to urge Trump to “formally concede the election with a warning about the need for national voting standards to prevent the problems that occurred this cycle. There were irregularities, incompetence, negligence and fraud, just not on a scale that would change the results.”
Last month, Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, introduced legislation to ban ballot harvesting, require mail-in or absentee ballots, and not have the pauses in counting that raised GOP suspicions in some states where Trump led on election night only to be later overtaken by Biden.
"The debacle of the 2020 election has made clear that serious reforms are needed to protect the integrity of our elections,” Hawley said in a statement. “The American people deserve transparency — that means banning ballot harvesting, empowering poll watchers, and taking steps to ensure that all legally cast ballots are accounted for.”
Polls have shown Republican voters have grave doubts about the fairness and accuracy of the election. Trump has repeatedly urged the party’s elected officials to continue fighting the results into January, even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally recognized Biden as president-elect following the electoral vote this week.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Plenty of spending and rhetoric heat up Georgia runoff races

The Electoral College met on Dec. 14 and delivered the 270 electors Joe Biden required to become commander in chief on Jan. 20 , 2021 .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said , `` The Electoral College has spoken , '' and he congratulated Biden for his victory over President Trump .
All eyes now shift to Georgia .
Democrats expected to win several Senate seats in November , enough for Biden to start his tenure with a majority in both congressional chambers .
Instead , the best he can hope for after Jan. 5 is a 50-50 tie with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Republican Sen. David Perdue equaled Trump 's vote output , but Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff underperformed Biden by 100,000 votes .
In a three-way race for the other seat , Sen. Kelly Loeffler split her votes with Rep. Doug Collins .
Democrat Raphael Warnock 's vote total did n't come close to Biden 's .
Runoff races typically have a lower turnout than general election races , and that typically favors Republicans .
The issue is whether it 's different this time around , with control of the Senate hanging in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a colossal pace .
According to Ad Age , expenditures for the runoff races reached $ 440 million on Dec. 10 .
All four campaigns stress the critical necessity of winning , with the Republicans saying they must win to prevent socialism from running amok .
Democrats argue their win is necessary to keep Republicans from blocking Biden 's agenda .
A potential wild card for the Republican candidates is an idea floated by a few activists to boycott the election .
Some , including attorney Lin Wood , are convinced ( with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election was rigged ) that the fix is in after the `` theft '' of the presidential election .
`` Why would you go back and vote in another rigged election ? ''
Wood asked a crowd at a recent rally .
His rhetoric followed a phone call in which Trump supposedly told Wood to `` knock it off '' with the boycott talk .
Despite that , Trump retweeted Wood when he said Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , both Republicans , would `` soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get the election right .
All of the boycott chatter created a buzz on social media .
People are reminding others of Wood 's Democratic bona fides and suggesting that he 's engaging in a plot with Democrats to win the Senate races .
Donald Trump Jr. took to the airwaves , appearing on Fox News with Tucker Carlson to blast those advocating a boycott as `` working for the Democrats . ''
The concern , however , may be overblown .
The Washington Examiner spoke to several Georgia insiders , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state as `` a mess , '' most did n't think the calls for a boycott would have much impact on the race .
Casey Black , a senior spokeswoman for the Perdue campaign , told the Washington Examiner , `` Sen. Perdue has encountered nothing but enthusiasm and energy from the tens of thousands of Georgians who have attended stops on his Win Georgia , Save America bus tour . ''
She dismissed the boycott effort as one driven by the press .
It may likely turn into yet another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant on social media is not a microcosm for the public .
With polling showing the two races close , it lines up with the results from November .
If the boycott movement had any significant impact , polls might reflect that sentiment .
The day after the runoff , Congress will meet in a joint session to certify the Electoral College results .
At that time , Biden will know what he has in store for him , his Cabinet picks , and his agenda following his inauguration 14 days later .

The Electoral College met on Dec. 14 and delivered the 270 electors Joe Biden required to become commander in chief on Jan. 20, 2021. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, "The Electoral College has spoken," and he congratulated Biden for his victory over President Trump.
All eyes now shift to Georgia.
Democrats expected to win several Senate seats in November, enough for Biden to start his tenure with a majority in both congressional chambers. Instead, the best he can hope for after Jan. 5 is a 50-50 tie with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker.
It won't be easy.
Republican Sen. David Perdue equaled Trump's vote output, but Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff underperformed Biden by 100,000 votes. In a three-way race for the other seat, Sen. Kelly Loeffler split her votes with Rep. Doug Collins. Democrat Raphael Warnock's vote total didn't come close to Biden's.
Runoff races typically have a lower turnout than general election races, and that typically favors Republicans. The issue is whether it's different this time around, with control of the Senate hanging in the balance. Spending continues to grow at a colossal pace. According to Ad Age, expenditures for the runoff races reached $440 million on Dec. 10.
All four campaigns stress the critical necessity of winning, with the Republicans saying they must win to prevent socialism from running amok. Democrats argue their win is necessary to keep Republicans from blocking Biden's agenda.
A potential wild card for the Republican candidates is an idea floated by a few activists to boycott the election. Some, including attorney Lin Wood, are convinced (with an assist from Trump, who insists the election was rigged) that the fix is in after the "theft" of the presidential election.
"Why would you go back and vote in another rigged election?" Wood asked a crowd at a recent rally. His rhetoric followed a phone call in which Trump supposedly told Wood to "knock it off" with the boycott talk.
Despite that, Trump retweeted Wood when he said Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both Republicans, would "soon be going to jail" for refusing to get the election right.
All of the boycott chatter created a buzz on social media. People are reminding others of Wood's Democratic bona fides and suggesting that he's engaging in a plot with Democrats to win the Senate races. Donald Trump Jr. took to the airwaves, appearing on Fox News with Tucker Carlson to blast those advocating a boycott as "working for the Democrats."
The concern, however, may be overblown. The Washington Examiner spoke to several Georgia insiders, and while one described the entire GOP apparatus in the state as "a mess," most didn't think the calls for a boycott would have much impact on the race.
Casey Black, a senior spokeswoman for the Perdue campaign, told the Washington Examiner, "Sen. Perdue has encountered nothing but enthusiasm and energy from the tens of thousands of Georgians who have attended stops on his Win Georgia, Save America bus tour." She dismissed the boycott effort as one driven by the press.
It may likely turn into yet another situation in which an issue that appears significant on social media is not a microcosm for the public. With polling showing the two races close, it lines up with the results from November. If the boycott movement had any significant impact, polls might reflect that sentiment.
The day after the runoff, Congress will meet in a joint session to certify the Electoral College results. At that time, Biden will know what he has in store for him, his Cabinet picks, and his agenda following his inauguration 14 days later.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Democrats bank on Asian American voters for Georgia runoffs: Report

Democrats are focusing on getting Asian Americans to turn out for the Georgia runoff elections next month after they helped boost President-elect Joe Biden to victory in November .
Some 30,000 Asian American voters in Georgia cast their first-ever ballot in November , which helped flip Georgia blue for the first time since 1992 .
TargetSmart , a Democratic firm , reported that exit polls had Asian American voters going for Biden by a 2-to-1 margin , and turnout among that demographic exceeded 2016 totals in almost every swing state except Wisconsin and Pennsylvania .
Neil Makhija , executive director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indian American Impact Fund , said Asian American voters nearly doubled their turnout in Georgia from 2016 .
`` You ca n't tell the suburban vote story without telling the Asian American vote story , '' Makhija told Politico .
`` The Democratic Party could n't win the presidency or the Senate without Asian Americans . ''
Mikhija 's group is investing $ 2.5 million into Georgia to try and recruit South Asian and other Asian Americans to vote for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on Jan. 5 .
The money will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media platforms , and operational resources to aid the Asian American Action Fund , a PAC that supports the election of liberal candidates and is mobilizing Asian American voters to cast their ballots for Democrats in the Georgia runoff elections .
Some of the attacks on the mailers involve President Trump 's rhetoric about the coronavirus .
One mailer describes Trump calling the virus the `` kung-flu '' and the `` China virus '' and criticizes GOP senators who blamed China for the pandemic .
Warnock and Ossoff will face incumbent GOP Sens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respectively .
The runoff elections will determine control of the Senate , which is currently held by Republicans .
Democrats will maintain control of the House next session but by a slimmer margin .

Democrats are focusing on getting Asian Americans to turn out for the Georgia runoff elections next month after they helped boost President-elect Joe Biden to victory in November.
Some 30,000 Asian American voters in Georgia cast their first-ever ballot in November, which helped flip Georgia blue for the first time since 1992. TargetSmart, a Democratic firm, reported that exit polls had Asian American voters going for Biden by a 2-to-1 margin, and turnout among that demographic exceeded 2016 totals in almost every swing state except Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Neil Makhija, executive director of advocacy group and political action committee Indian American Impact Fund, said Asian American voters nearly doubled their turnout in Georgia from 2016.
"You can't tell the suburban vote story without telling the Asian American vote story," Makhija told Politico. "The Democratic Party couldn't win the presidency or the Senate without Asian Americans."
Mikhija's group is investing $2.5 million into Georgia to try and recruit South Asian and other Asian Americans to vote for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff on Jan. 5.
The money will go to mailers, digital ads on social media platforms, and operational resources to aid the Asian American Action Fund, a PAC that supports the election of liberal candidates and is mobilizing Asian American voters to cast their ballots for Democrats in the Georgia runoff elections.
Some of the attacks on the mailers involve President Trump's rhetoric about the coronavirus. One mailer describes Trump calling the virus the "kung-flu" and the "China virus" and criticizes GOP senators who blamed China for the pandemic.
Warnock and Ossoff will face incumbent GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, respectively. The runoff elections will determine control of the Senate, which is currently held by Republicans. Democrats will maintain control of the House next session but by a slimmer margin.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--McCarthy: There are '200 other Democrats' who should be on House Intelligence Committee ahead of Eri

McCarthy: There are '200 other Democrats' who should be on House Intelligence Committee ahead of Eric Swalwell

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reiterated his call for Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell 's removal from the House Committee on Intelligence following a briefing from the FBI on Friday .
“ The Intel Committee is a special committee .
It ’ s a committee that keeps our secrets .
It ’ s a committee that knows our secrets .
It ’ s a committee that has a lot of information that members of Congress do not , '' the California Republican said Friday afternoon .
`` I just think there are 200 other Democrats that I know who can fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be serving . ''
Earlier in the day , McCarthy was given a briefing from the FBI on its investigation into Fang Fang , a suspected Chinese spy who spent years building relationships with Democratic politicians throughout the country , including Swalwell .
Although he would not comment on the substance of his conversation with the FBI , he told reporters that `` it only raised more questions .
The one thing that was fundamentally answered was that he should not be on Intel . ''
Numerous Republicans in both the House and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation into Swalwell 's relationship with Fang .
Earlier this week , 17 GOP lawmakers sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a California Democrat , calling for Swalwell to be stripped of his spot on the committee .
When Swalwell ended his relationship with Fang also remains an open question .
According to Axios , which broke the news that Fang had fundraised for Swalwell 's 2014 reelection campaign , he was briefed by intelligence officials about Fang 's purported ties to the Chinese government in 2015 .
In an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , Swalwell implied that he had been warned about Fang in 2014 .
Swalwell has served on the House Intel Committee since the beginning of 2015 .
“ Congressman Swalwell ’ s determined leadership and energetic , fresh perspective will help our country meet the national security and intelligence challenges of the 21st century , ” Pelosi said in an announcement of Swalwell 's appointment to the committee .
Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Fang , which he says ended immediately after he was informed of her purported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the leaking of the relationship is part of a revenge campaign by the Trump administration .

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reiterated his call for Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell's removal from the House Committee on Intelligence following a briefing from the FBI on Friday.
“The Intel Committee is a special committee. It’s a committee that keeps our secrets. It’s a committee that knows our secrets. It’s a committee that has a lot of information that members of Congress do not," the California Republican said Friday afternoon. "I just think there are 200 other Democrats that I know who can fill that place long before this individual should be serving."
Earlier in the day, McCarthy was given a briefing from the FBI on its investigation into Fang Fang, a suspected Chinese spy who spent years building relationships with Democratic politicians throughout the country, including Swalwell. Although he would not comment on the substance of his conversation with the FBI, he told reporters that "it only raised more questions. The one thing that was fundamentally answered was that he should not be on Intel."
Numerous Republicans in both the House and the Senate have called for a further investigation into Swalwell's relationship with Fang. Earlier this week, 17 GOP lawmakers sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, calling for Swalwell to be stripped of his spot on the committee.
When Swalwell ended his relationship with Fang also remains an open question. According to Axios, which broke the news that Fang had fundraised for Swalwell's 2014 reelection campaign, he was briefed by intelligence officials about Fang's purported ties to the Chinese government in 2015. In an interview with CNN earlier this month, however, Swalwell implied that he had been warned about Fang in 2014.
Swalwell has served on the House Intel Committee since the beginning of 2015.
“Congressman Swalwell’s determined leadership and energetic, fresh perspective will help our country meet the national security and intelligence challenges of the 21st century,” Pelosi said in an announcement of Swalwell's appointment to the committee.
Swalwell has denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Fang, which he says ended immediately after he was informed of her purported ties to China. He has since said the leaking of the relationship is part of a revenge campaign by the Trump administration.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Biden is following the slogans, not the science

Joe Biden promised to “ follow the science ” when it came to his coronavirus response .
It would be nice if he were willing to follow through on that , given that all he has done so far is sloganeering .
Biden has said he wants 100 days of mask-wearing to start his presidency .
He has promised 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and has asked governors to open up schools by the end of his first 100 days .
Apparently , 100 is scientifically proven to be the magical number that will lead us out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in science here .
One hundred days is an arbitrary deadline for mask-wearing , especially given that people across the country have been wearing them for the better part of nine months .
A hundred days is only meaningful in a political context , the sacred period in which presidents promise to act on their top priorities .
Meanwhile , there is little evidence that schools have spread the virus , which even Dr. Anthony Fauci has emphasized .
Biden should be encouraging governors to open up schools as soon as possible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window .
It ’ s fortunate that vaccine rollouts have already begun because Biden never had a coherent plan for how to deal with the pandemic .
He contradicted himself at every turn and could never truly explain what he would have done differently than President Trump .
Even his 100-day vaccination goal is essentially the same as the current vaccination plan .
Biden ’ s vow to “ follow the science ” is just a slogan , the same convenient get-out-of-jail-free card that Democrats always pull when they either don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have an answer .
Biden ’ s entire campaign was premised on not having answers to questions outside of Trump ’ s personality .
Biden ’ s predilection for government restrictions is not an answer , especially as our vaccine rollout begins .
His political timeline shows that his “ follow the science ” canard was always a political ploy , as it always has been for Democrats .
Millions of people have had their lives turned upside-down thanks to lockdown restrictions , and Biden ’ s decision to follow the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything around .

Joe Biden promised to “follow the science” when it came to his coronavirus response. It would be nice if he were willing to follow through on that, given that all he has done so far is sloganeering.
Biden has said he wants 100 days of mask-wearing to start his presidency. He has promised 100 million vaccinations in 100 days and has asked governors to open up schools by the end of his first 100 days. Apparently, 100 is scientifically proven to be the magical number that will lead us out of the pandemic.
There’s no basis in science here. One hundred days is an arbitrary deadline for mask-wearing, especially given that people across the country have been wearing them for the better part of nine months. A hundred days is only meaningful in a political context, the sacred period in which presidents promise to act on their top priorities.
Meanwhile, there is little evidence that schools have spread the virus, which even Dr. Anthony Fauci has emphasized. Biden should be encouraging governors to open up schools as soon as possible, not just in his politically beneficial 100-day window.
It’s fortunate that vaccine rollouts have already begun because Biden never had a coherent plan for how to deal with the pandemic. He contradicted himself at every turn and could never truly explain what he would have done differently than President Trump. Even his 100-day vaccination goal is essentially the same as the current vaccination plan.
Biden’s vow to “follow the science” is just a slogan, the same convenient get-out-of-jail-free card that Democrats always pull when they either don’t want to answer a question or don’t have an answer. Biden’s entire campaign was premised on not having answers to questions outside of Trump’s personality.
Biden’s predilection for government restrictions is not an answer, especially as our vaccine rollout begins. His political timeline shows that his “follow the science” canard was always a political ploy, as it always has been for Democrats. Millions of people have had their lives turned upside-down thanks to lockdown restrictions, and Biden’s decision to follow the slogans is not going to help turn anything around.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-18--Anti-abortion group enters Georgia runoffs with ads aimed at Hispanics

The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List is launching a $ 4 million campaign to reach Spanish-speaking voters in Georgia to encourage support for Republican Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in a pair of critical Jan. 5 runoffs .
The Susan B. Anthony List is running advertisements through Women Speak Out , its affiliated super PAC .
Its latest spot targets the 100,000 Hispanic voters in Georgia that the group estimates oppose abortion rights and features Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui speaking directly to the camera .
Polls show contests between Loeffler and Democrat Raphael Warnock , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats will capture the Senate if they win both runoff elections .
“ Georgia Latinos are pro-life .
That ’ s why it ’ s important to let them know that both Democratic candidates , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock , support an extreme abortion agenda , ” said Alfonso Aguilar of Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles , in a statement issued by Susan B. Anthony List and Women Speak Out .
“ I am convinced that Latinos in Georgia will vote to defend the right to life.
” The group plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including in-person canvassing and text message communications , plus advertising on an array of platforms , including digital , radio , and direct mail .
Overall , Susan B. Anthony List hopes to reach 1 million voters with its messaging by Election Day .
In the advertisement unveiled Friday , Verastegui speaks straight to the camera , in Spanish , urging support for Loeffler and Perdue .
“ The immediate future of this country is in your hands .
Your vote is essential , '' he says as the spot opens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's up to you to make sure that Republicans keep the Senate in January so they can block the socialist agenda of the Democratic Party .
Save the Senate by voting for Sens .
David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.
” The Democrats , Verastegui claims in the ad , “ will also seek to promote a radical abortion agenda and use taxpayer money to finance Planned Parenthood , the largest abortion provider in the country .
Abortion is the great separator of families .
It separates children from their parents forever.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January after Republican Johnny Isakson departed the chamber for health reasons .
She finished second in a crowded special election held on Nov. 3 to select a permanent successor to Isakson but advanced to the runoff after Warnock , who finished first , failed to crack 50 % of the vote .
Perdue , seeking a second term , topped Ossoff in the regularly scheduled general election held the same day , but a runoff was triggered when he fell just shy of the 50 % threshold .
Republicans and aligned groups are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ round two of the Georgia Senate elections to avoid being shut out of power in Washington after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated .

The anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony List is launching a $4 million campaign to reach Spanish-speaking voters in Georgia to encourage support for Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue in a pair of critical Jan. 5 runoffs.
The Susan B. Anthony List is running advertisements through Women Speak Out, its affiliated super PAC. Its latest spot targets the 100,000 Hispanic voters in Georgia that the group estimates oppose abortion rights and features Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui speaking directly to the camera. Polls show contests between Loeffler and Democrat Raphael Warnock, as well as Perdue and Democrat Jon Ossoff. Democrats will capture the Senate if they win both runoff elections.
“Georgia Latinos are pro-life. That’s why it’s important to let them know that both Democratic candidates, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, support an extreme abortion agenda,” said Alfonso Aguilar of Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, in a statement issued by Susan B. Anthony List and Women Speak Out. “I am convinced that Latinos in Georgia will vote to defend the right to life.”
The group plans to invest $4.1 million on voter turnout, including in-person canvassing and text message communications, plus advertising on an array of platforms, including digital, radio, and direct mail. Overall, Susan B. Anthony List hopes to reach 1 million voters with its messaging by Election Day. In the advertisement unveiled Friday, Verastegui speaks straight to the camera, in Spanish, urging support for Loeffler and Perdue.
“The immediate future of this country is in your hands. Your vote is essential," he says as the spot opens, according to an English translation. “It's up to you to make sure that Republicans keep the Senate in January so they can block the socialist agenda of the Democratic Party. Save the Senate by voting for Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.”
The Democrats, Verastegui claims in the ad, “will also seek to promote a radical abortion agenda and use taxpayer money to finance Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the country. Abortion is the great separator of families. It separates children from their parents forever.”
Loeffler was appointed to the Senate in January after Republican Johnny Isakson departed the chamber for health reasons. She finished second in a crowded special election held on Nov. 3 to select a permanent successor to Isakson but advanced to the runoff after Warnock, who finished first, failed to crack 50% of the vote.
Perdue, seeking a second term, topped Ossoff in the regularly scheduled general election held the same day, but a runoff was triggered when he fell just shy of the 50% threshold. Republicans and aligned groups are scrambling to hold off the Democrats in round two of the Georgia Senate elections to avoid being shut out of power in Washington after President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-12-19--Giuliani touts new election challenge strategy as Trump mulls Sidney Powell wild card

Rudy Giuliani said the Trump legal team is retooling its strategy to focus more on voting machines , even as the companies that provide the hardware and software used in the 2020 election demand retractions of fraud claims that have not held up in court .
Giuliani , who is President Trump ’ s personal attorney and who has been spearheading the effort to overturn President-elect Joe Biden ’ s victory , appeared Saturday morning on Steve Bannon ’ s War Room podcast and spoke about a concerted shift in strategy after a series of deliberations on Friday , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extreme measures that the president is considering in the final month of his term in office .
“ We met pretty much on and off all day yesterday , and starting this morning , there ’ s a completely different strategy , ” Giuliani told Bannon , who was Trump ’ s 2016 campaign chief executive officer and later the White House 's chief strategist for much of 2017 .
“ The strategy is going to focus a great deal on some evidence we have about some of these machines that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of maybe a one- or two-day audit . ''
The conversation took place at nearly the same time the New York Times first reported details of a White House meeting on Saturday , which included Giuliani by phone .
The president raised the prospect of Sidney Powell , an attorney involved in the Michael Flynn case who has been involved in several unsuccessful election lawsuits even after being disavowed by the Trump legal team , being made special counsel to investigate allegations of election fraud .
Flynn , who was briefly Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pardoned by the president , also participated , and Trump brought up his recent suggestion about using the military to `` rerun '' the election in swing states .
The report said White House counsel Pat Cipollone and chief of staff Mark Meadows pushed back on these proposals .
During his interview with Bannon , Giuliani echoed claims that voting machines were used to throw the election to Biden in several key battleground states .
He said that the Trump team wants to audit voting machines in Georgia , Arizona , Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won .
He said that Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp , a conservative who was formerly one of the president ’ s closest allies , and Arizona ’ s Republican Gov .
Doug Ducey were involved in a “ cover-up ” following the election and claimed that digging deeper into the machines could bear fruit for Trump .
Despite criticisms by Trump and his allies , Kemp attended the White House Christmas party on Friday .
“ I think we can get these accomplished despite the resistance and the cover-up of the Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the guy in Georgia — if we had their cooperation , we could have it ended by Monday , ” Giuliani said .
“ I ’ m tired of dealing with them .
We just push them aside , and I think over the weekend , you ’ ll see different strategies being employed.
” When pushed to describe exactly what he meant by the new strategy and what could be done to prove there was actual fraud , Giuliani pointed to the machines .
“ In the state of Arizona , make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it publicly .
We could have the press there .
… Give us eight hours , and we ’ ll show you how many false votes were in this machine and how it was used to manipulate the vote , ” he said .
Much of Giuliani and Powell ’ s accusations focus on Dominion Voting Systems , which recently sent Powell a letter demanding that she retract her claims that the Canadian-founded company , now based in Denver , has ties to Venezuela and China .
“ This is a voting machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections , ” Giuliani said at one point , echoing a conspiracy theory about the election .
John Poulos , the CEO of the company , voluntarily testified under oath before the Michigan Senate ’ s Oversight Committee on Tuesday .
This event took place before the backdrop of Powell ’ s so-called “ Kraken ” lawsuits , which have failed to produce any wins .
“ Dominion is not and has never been a front for communists , ” Poulos said .
“ It has no ties to Hugo Chavez , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never been involved in Venezuelan elections .
Its machines have never been used in Venezuela.
” “ There are no ownership ties to any political parties nor to foreign governments .
Dominion has no ties to the Pelosi family , Feinstein family , Clinton family , or George Soros , ” he added , referring to powerful names in Democratic circles .
Also this past week , Smartmatic , another company that deals with electronic voting systems , sent a letter issuing legal notices and demanding retractions from Fox News , Newsmax , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publishing false and defamatory statements.
” On Friday , Fox Business host Lou Dobbs aired what was effectively a fact-check segment of his own claims about election security involving Smartmatic , and Mediaite reported that the same segment will air on Jeanine Pirro 's Fox News show Saturday night and Maria Bartiromo 's on Sunday .
In speaking with Bannon , Giuliani touched on Maricopa County , Arizona , where the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Friday to fight a pair of election subpoenas , including one that called for a full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting machines and software .
This followed what was billed as a `` forensic audit '' of Dominion machines in Antrim County , Michigan , that state and Dominion officials have cast as error-ridden and purposefully misleading .
“ Why would you even not want people to look at voting machines ?
” Giuliani asked .
“ The only reason you would be resisting our examining those machines is because you know you did something crooked , ” he said .
In addition to hinting at a new strategy related to voting machines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome of the election .
“ I also think it ’ s time for Republicans in those states where we have turncoat Republicans to demonstrate , ” he said .
“ I think it ’ s time to let the governor of Georgia know that we think he ’ s a traitor to the Republican Party .
Not only that , he ’ s a traitor to the sense of a fair election .
He won ’ t even listen to my evidence.
” The New York Times reported on Saturday that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Giuliani , when he discussed the idea of making Powell a special counsel .
During the Friday meeting , the prospect of an executive order to seize voting machines and examine them was also reportedly discussed , as was having the Department of Homeland Security involved .
The DHS 's cybersecurity agency released a joint statement with partners in mid-November that asserted the 2020 election was `` the most secure in American history , '' adding , `` There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way compromised . ''
Trump fired its chief , Chris Krebs , while stating his disagreement with the agency 's determination .
Also departing next week is Attorney General William Barr , who is in a position to appoint a special counsel , a couple of weeks after he said that the Justice Department had not seen evidence to support claims of widespread voter fraud .
Biden ’ s share of the Electoral College is 306-232 .
He also bested the president in the popular vote , taking in some 81.2 million ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voted for Trump .

Rudy Giuliani said the Trump legal team is retooling its strategy to focus more on voting machines, even as the companies that provide the hardware and software used in the 2020 election demand retractions of fraud claims that have not held up in court.
Giuliani, who is President Trump’s personal attorney and who has been spearheading the effort to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, appeared Saturday morning on Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast and spoke about a concerted shift in strategy after a series of deliberations on Friday, which are beginning to generate alarming headlines about the extreme measures that the president is considering in the final month of his term in office.
“We met pretty much on and off all day yesterday, and starting this morning, there’s a completely different strategy,” Giuliani told Bannon, who was Trump’s 2016 campaign chief executive officer and later the White House's chief strategist for much of 2017. “The strategy is going to focus a great deal on some evidence we have about some of these machines that could throw off these states in a matter of maybe a one- or two-day audit."
The conversation took place at nearly the same time the New York Times first reported details of a White House meeting on Saturday, which included Giuliani by phone.
The president raised the prospect of Sidney Powell, an attorney involved in the Michael Flynn case who has been involved in several unsuccessful election lawsuits even after being disavowed by the Trump legal team, being made special counsel to investigate allegations of election fraud. Flynn, who was briefly Trump's first national security adviser and was recently pardoned by the president, also participated, and Trump brought up his recent suggestion about using the military to "rerun" the election in swing states.
The report said White House counsel Pat Cipollone and chief of staff Mark Meadows pushed back on these proposals.
During his interview with Bannon, Giuliani echoed claims that voting machines were used to throw the election to Biden in several key battleground states. He said that the Trump team wants to audit voting machines in Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — all states that Biden won.
He said that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a conservative who was formerly one of the president’s closest allies, and Arizona’s Republican Gov. Doug Ducey were involved in a “cover-up” following the election and claimed that digging deeper into the machines could bear fruit for Trump. Despite criticisms by Trump and his allies, Kemp attended the White House Christmas party on Friday.
“I think we can get these accomplished despite the resistance and the cover-up of the Republican governors, the guy in Arizona and the guy in Georgia — if we had their cooperation, we could have it ended by Monday,” Giuliani said. “I’m tired of dealing with them. We just push them aside, and I think over the weekend, you’ll see different strategies being employed.”
When pushed to describe exactly what he meant by the new strategy and what could be done to prove there was actual fraud, Giuliani pointed to the machines.
“In the state of Arizona, make 200 machines available — we could do it publicly. We could have the press there. … Give us eight hours, and we’ll show you how many false votes were in this machine and how it was used to manipulate the vote,” he said.
Much of Giuliani and Powell’s accusations focus on Dominion Voting Systems, which recently sent Powell a letter demanding that she retract her claims that the Canadian-founded company, now based in Denver, has ties to Venezuela and China.
“This is a voting machine designed way back in Venezuela to fix elections,” Giuliani said at one point, echoing a conspiracy theory about the election.
John Poulos, the CEO of the company, voluntarily testified under oath before the Michigan Senate’s Oversight Committee on Tuesday. This event took place before the backdrop of Powell’s so-called “Kraken” lawsuits, which have failed to produce any wins.
“Dominion is not and has never been a front for communists,” Poulos said. “It has no ties to Hugo Chavez, the late dictator of Venezuela. We have never been involved in Venezuelan elections. Its machines have never been used in Venezuela.”
“There are no ownership ties to any political parties nor to foreign governments. Dominion has no ties to the Pelosi family, Feinstein family, Clinton family, or George Soros,” he added, referring to powerful names in Democratic circles.
Also this past week, Smartmatic, another company that deals with electronic voting systems, sent a letter issuing legal notices and demanding retractions from Fox News, Newsmax, and One America News Network for “publishing false and defamatory statements.”
On Friday, Fox Business host Lou Dobbs aired what was effectively a fact-check segment of his own claims about election security involving Smartmatic, and Mediaite reported that the same segment will air on Jeanine Pirro's Fox News show Saturday night and Maria Bartiromo's on Sunday.
In speaking with Bannon, Giuliani touched on Maricopa County, Arizona, where the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Friday to fight a pair of election subpoenas, including one that called for a full forensic audit of the county’s voting machines and software. This followed what was billed as a "forensic audit" of Dominion machines in Antrim County, Michigan, that state and Dominion officials have cast as error-ridden and purposefully misleading.
“Why would you even not want people to look at voting machines?” Giuliani asked.
“The only reason you would be resisting our examining those machines is because you know you did something crooked,” he said.
In addition to hinting at a new strategy related to voting machines, Giuliani called for protests over the outcome of the election.
“I also think it’s time for Republicans in those states where we have turncoat Republicans to demonstrate,” he said. “I think it’s time to let the governor of Georgia know that we think he’s a traitor to the Republican Party. Not only that, he’s a traitor to the sense of a fair election. He won’t even listen to my evidence.”
The New York Times reported on Saturday that Trump received pushback from most of his advisers, including Giuliani, when he discussed the idea of making Powell a special counsel. During the Friday meeting, the prospect of an executive order to seize voting machines and examine them was also reportedly discussed, as was having the Department of Homeland Security involved.
The DHS's cybersecurity agency released a joint statement with partners in mid-November that asserted the 2020 election was "the most secure in American history," adding, "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."
Trump fired its chief, Chris Krebs, while stating his disagreement with the agency's determination. Also departing next week is Attorney General William Barr, who is in a position to appoint a special counsel, a couple of weeks after he said that the Justice Department had not seen evidence to support claims of widespread voter fraud.
Biden’s share of the Electoral College is 306-232. He also bested the president in the popular vote, taking in some 81.2 million ballots, more than 7 million than who voted for Trump.