rollcall--2020-01-06--Who is Kelly Loeffler?

Who is Kelly Loeffler?

New Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler ’ s teamis prepared to spend $ 20 million of her own money for the 2020 cycle alone .
( Marcus Ingram/Getty Images file photo ) OPINION — When Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to fill the Senate seat of the beloved-but-ailing Sen. Johnny Isakson , a single headline said it all , repeated many times over .
“ Who is Kelly Loeffler ?
” the Atlanta-Journal Constitution , the local NBC affiliate , and Atlanta ’ s NPR station asked almost in unison .
Loeffler , 49 , was such an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even longtime political reporters struggled with the pronunciation of her last name .
Was it LOFF-ler or LOW-fler ?
( Neither .
It ’ s LEFF-ler . )
In the month since Loeffler was named by Kemp , Georgians have mostly learned three things about their new senator .
First , as she has stressed in all of her public appearances , Loeffler grew up on her family ’ s corn and soybean farm in Illinois .
Second , she is conservative .
On the day she was appointed , Loeffler declared herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pro-Trump.
” Third , she is very , very rich .
Loeffler is so wealthy , in fact that she is likely to become the richest member of Congress the moment she is sworn in Monday .
( The Wall Street Journal estimates that Jeff Sprecher , Loeffler ’ s husband , owns more than $ 500 million in shares of the company he leads where she also worked , InterContinental Exchange Inc. ) But the most important question about Kelly Loeffler has no answer yet — whether Kemp ’ s decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealthy , conservative woman can stop the bleeding for GOP candidates in Atlanta ’ s crucial northern suburbs in the 2020 elections .
As the educated , professional women in those suburbs have bolted the Republican party in protest of President Donald Trump , Democrats like Rep. Lucy McBath and others have won in areas dominated by the GOP just five years ago .
Kemp is hoping that putting a similarly educated , professional woman like Loeffler on the ticket will give those women a reason to come back home .
The need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kemp for recognizing it and trying to address it where others refused to .
In 2016 , with Trump at the top of the ticket , Hillary Clinton won the longtime GOP strongholds of Cobb and Gwinnett counties in suburban Atlanta , where old farms have been plowed over for subdivisions with two-income households and drive-thru Starbucks .
Republican losses deepened in the 2018 midterms , when six out of 10 suburban Georgia women chose Democrats in House races .
Those numbers made picking a woman an obvious move , and Kemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates to choose from , including Jackie Gingrich Cushman ( the daughter of Newt , but a longtime Republican leading voice herself ) , as well as Martha Zoller , the powerful conservative radio host and a former staffer for Sen. David Perdue .
Both women have been sounding the alarms about the GOP ’ s suburban slide for years .
“ It ’ s about who I call ‘ squishy Republicans , ’ college-educated , mostly Republican women who voted with us for 15 years , and then voted for Hillary Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Handel and Lucy McBath , ” Zoeller told me .
“ They have to feel comfortable with who they are voting for , and in many ways , Kelly Loeffler is that woman.
” Cushman pointed to polling last fall that showed the widening gender gap in the Atlanta suburbs , driven mostly by women ’ s disapproval of Trump .
“ I would say that ’ s because of Trump ’ s tenor and his tone , and not because of his results , but it ’ s very hard to separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most suburban women are moms who spend a lot of time in carpools talking to their kids about tenor and tone.
” Zoller and Cushman both put their names forward to Kemp for the Isakson opening when the governor took the unusual step of creating a public application process for the job .
Both would have made solid senators and great candidates for the GOP .
But Loeffler had one thing going for her that others did not — she is absolutely , filthy rich .
“ The thing I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 million , to be perfectly frank , ” Cushman said .
“ I think she could be spectacular , but she has to get her feet under her .
We ’ ll just have to wait and see.
” To Cushman ’ s point , before Loeffler was appointed , she had already given $ 75,000 to the Republican National Committee this cycle , along with hundreds of thousands of past donations to the National Republican Congressional Committee , House and Senate members including Perdue and Isakson , and $ 750,000 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Loeffler ’ s team has also made it known she ’ s prepared to spend $ 20 million of her own money for the 2020 cycle alone and will also likely have a super PAC waiting in the wings to spend much more .
That ’ s an especially helpful attribute for someone like Kemp , who will need to raise tens of millions of dollars for his own reelection in 2022 from many of the same donors who would otherwise be supporting the 2022 Senate candidate too , when the Isakson/Loeffler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regular election cycle .
But to get to 2022 , Loeffler has an enormous amount of work to do between now and then .
One of her first Senate votes will be on Trump ’ s impeachment , which she has already called a distraction and a left-wing “ sham.
” ( Count her as a “ no.
” ) And she ’ ll need to thread the needle of winning over Republicans who don ’ t yet know her , along with a majority of independents , to win the “ jungle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always unpredictable Trump at the top of the ticket .
Zoeller said the more voters get to know Loeffler , the more they ’ ll warm to her , pointing to the time both Loeffler and her husband reached out to Zoeller after her own brother died suddenly .
“ They ’ re both very warm and friendly , ” she said .
“ They didn ’ t have to do that and it meant a lot to me .
It speaks to the kind of people they are.
” Patricia Murphy covers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Previously , she was the Capitol Hill bureau chief for Politics Daily and founder and editor of Citizen Jane Politics .
Follow her on Twitter @ 1PatriciaMurphy .

OPINION — When Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Kelly Loeffler to fill the Senate seat of the beloved-but-ailing Sen. Johnny Isakson, a single headline said it all, repeated many times over. “Who is Kelly Loeffler?” the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the local NBC affiliate, and Atlanta’s NPR station asked almost in unison.
Loeffler, 49, was such an unknown outside of Republican fundraising circles that even longtime political reporters struggled with the pronunciation of her last name. Was it LOFF-ler or LOW-fler? (Neither. It’s LEFF-ler.)
In the month since Loeffler was named by Kemp, Georgians have mostly learned three things about their new senator. First, as she has stressed in all of her public appearances, Loeffler grew up on her family’s corn and soybean farm in Illinois. Second, she is conservative. On the day she was appointed, Loeffler declared herself “pro-Second Amendment, pro-military, pro-Wall and pro-Trump.” Third, she is very, very rich.
Loeffler is so wealthy, in fact that she is likely to become the richest member of Congress the moment she is sworn in Monday. (The Wall Street Journal estimates that Jeff Sprecher, Loeffler’s husband, owns more than $500 million in shares of the company he leads where she also worked, InterContinental Exchange Inc.)
But the most important question about Kelly Loeffler has no answer yet — whether Kemp’s decision to appoint a little-known, but very wealthy, conservative woman can stop the bleeding for GOP candidates in Atlanta’s crucial northern suburbs in the 2020 elections.


rollcall--2020-01-05--Three Democrats who flipped House districts endorse Joe Biden

Former Vice President Joe Biden was endorsed by three House Democratic freshmen on Sunday .
( Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo ) Three House Democrats who flipped Republican-held districts in 2018 announced Sunday that they are endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden in the crowded presidential primary .
All three served in the military .
Pennsylvania ’ s Conor Lamb , a Marine veteran , and Chrissy Houlahan , an Air Force veteran , along with Elaine Luria of Virginia , who is a retired Navy commander , all said Biden is the right candidate to unify the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. Abby Finkenauer also announced that she was backing Biden .
Their endorsements come as Biden has argued his candidacy would boost Democrats in competitive House and Senate races in 2020 .
Biden , who served in the Senate for 36 years , has led the primary field in congressional endorsements so far .
Biden endorsed all three Democrats in their 2018 races .
Lamb referenced Biden campaigning for him in 2018 , when Lamb pulled off an upset by winning a special election in a House district Trump carried by 20 points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a new district due to a redrawn congressional map .
“ When he came to campaign for me ...
I saw huge crowds of working people cheer for him .
I watched him stop and thank each police officer he passed .
I heard him greet our local union leaders by name , ” Lamb said in a statement from the Biden campaign.
” Joe Biden respects our people , he knows what they are going through , and he knows what it means to keep your word.
” Lamb and Houlahan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pennsylvania , which is expected to be a top presidential and House battleground in 2020 .
Had the new congressional map been in place in 2016 , Trump would have carried Lamb ’ s 17th District in the Pittsburgh suburbs by 2 percentage points while Hillary Clinton would have won Houlahan ’ s 6th District in the Philadelphia suburbs by 10 points .
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates Lamb ’ s race Likely Democratic and Houlahan ’ s race Solidly Democratic .
Trump carried the Keystone State by less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s only Democratic senator , Bob Casey , has endorsed Biden , who has roots in Scranton .
“ Pennsylvania is not red or blue but a purple place which our next president needs to carry to win , ” Houlahan said in a statement.
” Joe Biden can win Pennsylvania , and I ’ m proud to endorse him.
” Luria also noted that Biden could win a competitive House district like hers in Virginia , which Trump carried by 3 points in 2016 .
Luria could be facing a competitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ‘ battle-tested ’ on the world stage , in Congress , and in the White House .
He will defeat Donald Trump and win in tough districts like mine , ” Luria said in a statement .
Luria unseated Republican Rep. Scott Taylor by 2 points in 2018 in the Norfolk-area district , which has a heavy military presence .
Taylor has reportedly expressed interest in dropping his challenge to Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and instead run for his old seat .
Inside Elections rates the race for the 2nd District Leans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of seven freshman Democrats with national security backgrounds who came out in support of opening an impeachment inquiry in a September op-ed in the Washington Post .
Luria , Houlahan and Lamb all voted for both articles of impeachment against Trump .
Luria and Houlahan are part of a close-knit group of five female freshmen all with military or intelligence backgrounds who often collaborate on policy and political priorities .
They ’ re also helping each other politically , having formed their own joint fundraising committee called the Service First Women ’ s @ @ @

Three House Democrats who flipped Republican-held districts in 2018 announced Sunday that they are endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden in the crowded presidential primary. All three served in the military.
Pennsylvania’s Conor Lamb, a Marine veteran, and Chrissy Houlahan, an Air Force veteran, along with Elaine Luria of Virginia, who is a retired Navy commander, all said Biden is the right candidate to unify the country. Last week, first-term Iowa Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer also announced that she was backing Biden.
Their endorsements come as Biden has argued his candidacy would boost Democrats in competitive House and Senate races in 2020. Biden, who served in the Senate for 36 years, has led the primary field in congressional endorsements so far.
Biden endorsed all three Democrats in their 2018 races. Lamb referenced Biden campaigning for him in 2018, when Lamb pulled off an upset by winning a special election in a House district Trump carried by 20 points. Lamb later won a full term in a new district due to a redrawn congressional map.
“When he came to campaign for me … I saw huge crowds of working people cheer for him. I watched him stop and thank each police officer he passed. I heard him greet our local union leaders by name,” Lamb said in a statement from the Biden campaign. “Joe Biden respects our people, he knows what they are going through, and he knows what it means to keep your word.”


rollcall--2020-01-03--Facing political risks, Trump tries casting Iranian Quds leader as ‘terrorist ringleader’

President Donald Trump spent Friday defending an operation he ordered that killed a top Iranian military commander as his political foes pounced and polling data suggested he took a major political risk .
Trump and top Iranian leaders were in a volatile and potentially deadly standoff Friday afternoon , with the president sending nearly 4,000 additional American troops to the region and Tehran promising harsh revenge for a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani , who had led the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps .
Some Republican lawmakers rallied around the GOP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for countless Iraqi and many American deaths .
Democrats , though , expressed concern about Trump ’ s strike potentially setting off a U.S.-Iranian conflict .
But the president , as ever , doubled down on his decision to assassinate a senior Iranian military leader 10 months before he will face the voters who will decide whether he should get a second term .
Onstage with religious supporters , Trump boasted of a “ flawless strike ” on a “ terrorist ringleader ” as he sought to cast Soleimani more as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most powerful military commanders .
“ I don ’ t know if you know what ’ s going on , but he was planning a vicious attack , ” Trump said .
“ But we got him .
... Let this be a warning to terrorists : If you value your own lives , you will not threaten ... our citizens.
” Those remarks followed more measured ones as he departed his South Florida resort for an event in Miami with evangelical supporters — but as he left the stage he ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain his rationale .
The president spent much of the morning on Twitter , as he often does , playing defense .
Trump fired off a tweet thread that said Soleimani “ should have been taken out many years ago !
” The president then charged Soleimani with having “ killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time , and was plotting to kill many more ... but got caught !
” And in an earlier tweet that openly mocked the Iranian government , Trump wrote : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never lost a negotiation !
” It did not take long for the leading Democratic candidates running to replace him to pounce .
“ Unfortunately , Trump ignored the advice of his own security officials , ignored the advice of his own security officials , and listened to right-wing extremists , some of whom were exactly the same people that got us into the war in Iraq in the first place , ” resurgent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said at a campaign event in Iowa .
Although most GOP lawmakers backed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a few vulnerable Republicans who are facing tough reelection fights .
One , Maine Sen. Susan Collins , said , “ Congress must not be sidelined ” on national security matters .
( She was briefed on the attack Friday by Vice President Mike Pence , a sign the White House is taking her opinion seriously . )
Trump ’ s late-afternoon appearance on Friday offered him a chance to explain and defend his decision to , in his words , “ terminate ” the Quds commander .
Most evangelicals are staunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 polling data and 2016 election data .
For instance , a Pew Research Center study of 2016 exit polling data concluded Trump won 81 percent of white evangelical voters .
A recent Public Religion Research Institute survey found 99 percent of Republican-leaning white evangelicals oppose Trump ’ s impeachment and removal .
Sixty-three percent of the same group said the 45th president has done nothing to undermine the integrity of the office he occupies , unlike majorities of other religious factions .
Trump will need sizable turnouts from each of the various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida if he hopes to secure a second term , say political strategists of all ideological stripes .
But even on Trump-friendly Fox News , anchors who typically sing the president ’ s praises wondered whether the strike would help 2020 Democratic presidential and congressional candidates by giving them the ability to say the president is reckless and shortsighted .
Congressional Democrats said the same .
“ This air strike … dramatically escalates tensions with Iran and places the tens of thousands of American military forces , diplomats , and embassy staff in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before , ” Senate Foreign Relations member Chris Coons , D-Del.
, said in a statement .
“ The administration ’ s stated goal for this strike was deterrence , but without a clear strategy and the support of our allies , this attack makes the risk of another large scale military conflict in the Middle East more likely at a time when the American people rightly want to bring more of our men and women in uniform home safely , ” Coons added .
On a call with reporters , national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the strike as “ something that had been going on for several days , ” with the president receiving frequent updates after he had given military commanders the order to go after Soleimani .
It was “ a very straightforward decision ” once the president and his national security team reviewed the information on Soleimani ’ s plans , he said .
“ The president made a decision that while there is always a risk in taking decisive action , there was a greater risk in not taking action , ” O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discuss specific targets or evidence of Soleimani ’ s plots but said they threatened U.S. military personnel and diplomats in the Middle East .
Iranian leaders were aware of Soleimani ’ s efforts , and O ’ Brien said he hoped Iran would not choose to escalate the situation by retaliating .
“ They know what they were up to .
We have the right to self-defense , they understand that , ” he said .
As Trump tried selling Soleimani ’ s killing to the evangelical group in Florida , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the instincts he has flashed since becoming a presidential candidate to remove U.S. forces from the Middle East .
“ Iran is a middling power , easily checked by its neighbors .
With limited and diminishing U.S. interests at stake in the Middle East , the U.S. should avoid mistakes that bring us closer to war with Iran , ” said Daniel Davis , a retired Army officer who served in the region .
“ Managing the trouble this strike seems likely to produce will further weaken the United States and entangle it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump has boasted at political and official White House events about keeping many of his 2016 campaign promises , including cutting taxes , boosting the economy and undoing many of President Barack Obama ’ s policies .
But he has been unable to untangle U.S. forces from the Middle East , sounding notably hawkish on Friday .
“ The United States has the best military by far anywhere in the world .
We have the best intelligence in the world , ” he said from a lectern inside his Mar-a-Lago resort .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have all of those targets already fully identified , and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary .
And that in particular refers to Iran.
” But for voters , as the Gallup organization recently concluded , issues like the economy , jobs , the income gap between the wealthy and poor , taxes , wages , corporate corruption , immigration , race relations and others are deemed more important to others than national security and terrorism .
Still , killing the Quds leader likely will poll well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn out in big numbers come November .
“ Expect a continuing stream of rallies and tweets designed to keep his base aroused , ” said William Galston , a former White House adviser to President Bill Clinton .
With his foreign policy goals in North Korea and Iran flailing , the Brookings Institution analyst said he “ expects a rapid internal policy review and perhaps public statements clarifying and recalibrating U.S. policy.
” Simone Pathé and Andrew Clevenger contributed to this report.Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your @ @

President Donald Trump spent Friday defending an operation he ordered that killed a top Iranian military commander as his political foes pounced and polling data suggested he took a major political risk.
Trump and top Iranian leaders were in a volatile and potentially deadly standoff Friday afternoon, with the president sending nearly 4,000 additional American troops to the region and Tehran promising harsh revenge for a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad that killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani, who had led the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Some Republican lawmakers rallied around the GOP president by calling Soleimani a terrorist leader responsible for countless Iraqi and many American deaths. Democrats, though, expressed concern about Trump’s strike potentially setting off a U.S.-Iranian conflict. But the president, as ever, doubled down on his decision to assassinate a senior Iranian military leader 10 months before he will face the voters who will decide whether he should get a second term.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Iranian military leader was plotting ‘imminent’ and ‘sinister’ attack on U.S. interests, Trump says

President Donald Trump makes a statement on Iran at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach , Florida , on Jan. 3 .
Trump said America does not seek regime change or war with Iran , less than a day after the U.S. launched an airstrike in Baghdad that killed Iran ’ s top general , Qassem Soleimani .
( Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images ) President Donald Trump on Friday defended his attack that killed a top Iranian military commander , saying Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was plotting an “ imminent ” and “ sinister ” attack on American interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement from his South Florida resort that the attack Soleimani was allegedly planning would have put American military personnel in the region at risk .
“ But we caught him in the act , ” Trump said minutes before he was scheduled to leave for a political event with evangelical supporters in Miami .
“ Under my leadership , America ’ s policy is unambiguous towards terrorists , ” he said .
“ We will find you , we will eliminate you.
” The Quds Force — part of Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s administration in April dubbed a terrorist organization — that Soleimani commanded has killed “ hundreds ” of Americans , Trump said , pinning a recent attack in Iraq that killed an American contractor on the Quds leader .
Trump said the attack he ordered was meant to prevent a war rather than start one .
Trump reiterated his long-espoused stance that he does not seek regime change in Tehran .
But he did say the Iranian government ’ s support for proxy forces across the Middle East that help destabilize the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end now.
” “ The future belongs to the people of Iran , those who seek peaceful ... cooperation , ” he said , not its leaders who seek to cause “ bloodshed ” around the world .
But Trump warned he is “ ready and prepared ” to strike a list of already identified Iranian targets unless Tehran changes its tactics .

President Donald Trump on Friday defended his attack that killed a top Iranian military commander, saying Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani was plotting an “imminent” and “sinister” attack on American interests.
The U.S. commander in chief said in a statement from his South Florida resort that the attack Soleimani was allegedly planning would have put American military personnel in the region at risk. “But we caught him in the act,” Trump said minutes before he was scheduled to leave for a political event with evangelical supporters in Miami.
[Iranian Quds commander’s assassination to follow Trump back to Washington]
“Under my leadership, America’s policy is unambiguous towards terrorists,” he said. “We will find you, we will eliminate you.”


rollcall--2020-01-03--McConnell, Schumer respond to killing of Iranian Quds commander

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , walks from his office to the Senate floor ahead of his speech @ @ @ @ @ Clark/CQ Roll Call ) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , and Minority Leader @ @ @ @ @ , joined senators from both parties Friday in addressing the recent killing of Iranian Maj. @ @ @ @ @ the senior senators agreed they would not mourn Soleimani ’ s death , they differed @ @ @ @ @ to congressional briefings in the coming hours and weeks while Schumer said he received no @ @ @ @ @ and questioned the president ’ s authority to significantly increase troop levels .
[ Read @ @ @ @ @ senators in 2020 ]

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., joined senators from both parties Friday in addressing the recent killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani. While the senior senators agreed they would not mourn Soleimani’s death, they differed on process. McConnell pointed to congressional briefings in the coming hours and weeks while Schumer said he received no prior notification about the operation and questioned the president’s authority to significantly increase troop levels.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Congress unlikely to check Trump’s power to start war with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a signing ceremony at Joint Base Andrews , in Maryland , United States on December 20 , 2019 .
U.S. President Donald Trump signed into law Friday the 2020 defense spending bill .
The language limiting Trump 's ability to go to war with Iran , which got support in both chambers , was included in the House version but didn ’ t make it into the final bill .
( Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images ) Last year , months before the United States killed a senior Iranian commander in a dramatic escalation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate voted to limit President Donald Trump ’ s ability to go to war with Iran .
The language never actually made it into law , marking another defeat for lawmakers in both parties who have clamored to reassert Congress ’ constitutional authority to declare war since the sweeping war authorizations of 2001 and 2002 that have been used to justify American military incursions since then .
[ Name Trump or not ?
Senate responses to Soleimani killing highlight 2020 tightrope ] But the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the prospect of war with Iran — an outcome made much more likely by the U.S. drone strike Thursday that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani , leader of the covert Quds division of Iran ’ s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — weighs heavily on the minds of many lawmakers .
Even had it passed , a congressional authorization for use of military force , or AUMF , on Iran would not necessarily have precluded the killing of Soleimani , which Pentagon and other administration officials have described as a preemptive response to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The escalation will no doubt rekindle the debate .
Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine , one of the authors of the Senate language voted on last year , on Friday introduced a war powers resolution on Iran , in the hopes of forcing another floor debate — this one perhaps less theoretical — on the matter .
Early indications , however , are that the president ’ s power to battle Iran will likely go unchecked by Congress .
In May 2018 , Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries that imposed limits on Iran ’ s nuclear activities .
Almost a year later , the White House designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization .
Together with severe economic sanctions , these actions helped reshape America ’ s posture towards Iran to Trump ’ s campaign of maximum pressure .
Subsequently , Iran ’ s acts became more aggressive .
U.S. national security officials concluded that Iran bore responsibility for the placement of limpet mines on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and the downing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June 2019 .
Three months later , Saudi Arabia blamed Iranian forces for a massive missile and drone attack that hobbled the kingdom ’ s oil production facilities .
Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry , the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee , told reporters in May that classified intelligence reports showed a “ cause for concern ” about Iran targeting U.S. personnel .
In October , upon returning from a congressional trip to the Middle East , Thornberry predicted that the U.S. military would be “ tested , ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Against this backdrop , Congress held the two votes designed to limit Trump ’ s ability to start a war with Iran .
On June 28 , the Senate voted , 50-40 , to include an amendment sponsored by Kaine and New Mexico Democrat Tom Udall requiring congressional approval for entering a conflict with Iran to the annual defense policy bill .
But the amendment failed to meet a required 60-vote threshold and was not adopted .
On July 12 , 27 Republicans joined 223 Democrats and Independent Justin Amash of Michigan to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s version of the defense authorization bill introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna , D-Calif. , and Matt Gaetz , R-Fla .
The language , however , was later stripped out during negotiations with the Senate on the final bill , which Trump signed in December .
Even in light of recent events , which have also included a rocket attack on a military base in Iraq that killed an American contractor and a conspicuous clash at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad , attitudes on Capitol Hill are unlikely to shift drastically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center for New American Security think tank .
“ I don ’ t think anything is different on the Hill , ” said Fontaine , who served as a staffer of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees and a senior national security adviser during the 2008 presidential campaign of the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain .
“ I think there ’ s no greater likelihood of an AUMF passing today than there was yesterday.
” To Fontaine , it seems less likely that Senate Republicans would want to tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a period of uncertainty where he may need operational flexibility .
Democrats , on the other hand , particularly those running for president , will likely push for a visible sign that they are trying to constrain a president they view as reckless , he said .
And if Congress does pass an Iran AUMF , Trump would almost certainly veto it , making the chances of its enactment even more remote .
Thus far , Republican lawmakers have mostly backed the strike that killed Soleimani .
Notably , Senate Foreign Relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his praise of the president .
“ Congratulations to President Trump on his decisive action and the successful outcome , ” Risch said in a Thursday statement , adding that Soleimani ’ s death was an opportunity for Iraq to reassert its independence from Iran .
“ On behalf of every American serviceman and servicewoman who has either been killed or injured due to an Iranian-provided IED or rocket in Iraq over the years , today justice was done.
” Sen. Mitt Romney , who leads the Foreign Relations Middle East subcommittee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Soleimani a “ depraved terrorist ” with the “ blood of hundreds of American servicemen and women on his hands.
” But the Utah Republican , who has sparred with Trump on foreign policy and other issues , also said it was “ imperative that the U.S. and our allies articulate and pursue a coherent strategy for protecting our security interests in the region .
I will be pressing the administration for additional details in the days ahead.
” Rep. Eliot L. Engel , the New York Democrat who chairs the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more information about the legal justification behind the strike .
“ Even if this strike was in self-defense , no current congressional authorization covered it , ” Engel said in a Thursday statement demanding notification from the White House .
House Armed Service ’ s Chairman Adam Smith , who led Democrats in negotiations on the defense authorization bill , likewise questioned the president ’ s authority .
“ The Administration must clearly articulate how this action , and potential future actions , will protect U.S. global interests while ensuring the safety and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and worldwide , ” Smith said in a statement after the strike .
“ The American people deserve to know why President Trump has brought us to the brink of another war and under what authorization.
” In the meantime , the White House plans to brief congressional leaders and the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees on the strike early next week , according to a senior administration official .
Additional briefings open to all members will likely follow next week .
Rachel Oswald and Paul M. @ @ @ @ @ @

Last year, months before the United States killed a senior Iranian commander in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate voted to limit President Donald Trump’s ability to go to war with Iran.
The language never actually made it into law, marking another defeat for lawmakers in both parties who have clamored to reassert Congress’ constitutional authority to declare war since the sweeping war authorizations of 2001 and 2002 that have been used to justify American military incursions since then.
[Name Trump or not? Senate responses to Soleimani killing highlight 2020 tightrope]
But the fact that the votes took place at all shows that the prospect of war with Iran — an outcome made much more likely by the U.S. drone strike Thursday that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of the covert Quds division of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — weighs heavily on the minds of many lawmakers.
Even had it passed, a congressional authorization for use of military force, or AUMF, on Iran would not necessarily have precluded the killing of Soleimani, which Pentagon and other administration officials have described as a preemptive response to an imminent threat to American personnel in Iraq.


rollcall--2020-01-03--House counsel warns of ‘gun battle’ in fight for Trump info

A federal appeals court in Washington heard warnings Friday that how they rule in the House Judiciary Committee ’ s legal fights for information from the Trump administration could spark an avalanche of congressional lawsuits , or even a potential gunfight between the House sergeant at arms and the FBI security detail for Attorney General William Barr .
Two separate panels of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard nearly three hours of oral argument on two committee cases related to former Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III ’ s report on Russian interference in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months before the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump on his dealings with Ukraine .
[ House contends it still needs court help to get Mueller info ] The committee filed a lawsuit to force former White House Counsel Don McGahn to testify about episodes from Mueller ’ s report .
In the other case , the committee wants access to secret grand jury materials from that same investigation .
Lower courts have ruled that McGahn must testify before the committee and the Justice Department must give the grand jury material to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panels can now decide at any time whether those rulings were right .
In the McGahn case , Hashim Moopan of the Justice Department urged the judges to rule that they must stay out of what was essentially a purely political fight .
The House contends that Trump is conducting broad obstruction of Congress , while Trump contends the House is conducting an illegitimate investigation into a president .
A ruling that the House can go to the courts to enforce a subpoena against executive branch officials such as McGahn means that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over and over , Moopan said , and the public will wonder why the courts are deciding who is right .
“ This court will be in the business of resolving disputes between the branches over information , ” Moopan said .
“ It won ’ t be good for the courts , and it frankly won ’ t be good for either of the political branches , because sometimes the House will lose some of those cases and then they will have less power than they had before.
” Instead , Moopan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools to compel the executive branch to turn over information , such as blocking appropriations , other legislation or nominations .
Things turned a little wilder in the argument on the case about grand jury materials , when Judge Neomi Rao asked House General Counsel Doug Letter a hypothetical question .
Rao asked : If the D.C .
Circuit authorized the House to get the grand jury information from the Justice Department — instead of ordered the DOJ to turn it over as the lower court had done — would the House have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department for that information ?
Rao said she was unable to find any case in which a court ordered the DOJ to release grand jury information to Congress , and that the Justice Department couldn ’ t tell them today whether the Justice Department would turn the information over without an order to do so .
Letter said it was “ stunning ” to think that Barr would not turn over the information if the D.C .
Circuit ruled that the House was entitled to it .
The House would have to send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the grand jury information if the court did not order the DOJ to turn it over , Letter said .
“ That ’ s why we don ’ t do that anymore .
We don ’ t have the sergeant at arms go out and arrest people , and maybe have a gun battle with Mr. Barr ’ s FBI security detail .
Instead , we go to court , ” Letter said .
“ Everybody has recognized that we go to court.
” Letter said there ’ s no case that comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to court to enforce its investigatory powers for oversight or impeachment .
And Letter had some sarcasm for the argument that Congress should forgo lawsuits and instead use its inherent contempt power to physically arrest those who don ’ t turn over information to Congress — which hasn ’ t been used since the 1920s — or its appropriations power .
“ The sergeant at arms will arrest Attorney General Barr next time he ’ s up at Congress , I ’ ve run into him in the halls there , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll just arrest him , ” Letter said .
“ And we can we can go about it that way , or we can shut down the government .
There ’ s a great way for Congress to get information , we ’ ll shut down the entire government for a couple of months .
We saw what a disaster that was .
”

A federal appeals court in Washington heard warnings Friday that how they rule in the House Judiciary Committee’s legal fights for information from the Trump administration could spark an avalanche of congressional lawsuits, or even a potential gunfight between the House sergeant at arms and the FBI security detail for Attorney General William Barr.
Two separate panels of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard nearly three hours of oral argument on two committee cases related to former Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Both were filed months before the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump on his dealings with Ukraine.
[House contends it still needs court help to get Mueller info]
The committee filed a lawsuit to force former White House Counsel Don McGahn to testify about episodes from Mueller’s report. In the other case, the committee wants access to secret grand jury materials from that same investigation.
Lower courts have ruled that McGahn must testify before the committee and the Justice Department must give the grand jury material to the committee. The D.C. Circuit panels can now decide at any time whether those rulings were right.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Name Trump or not? Senate responses to Soleimani killing highlight 2020 tightrope

Sen. Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , is one of the most vulnerable senators running for reelection .
( Caroline Brehman/CQ Roll Call file photo ) Mixed responses to the U.S. military drone strike that killed a top Iranian leader highlighted the tightrope that politically vulnerable senators walk this year when it comes to praising or criticizing President Donald Trump .
Congressional reaction fell largely along party lines to Trump ’ s order that led to the death in Iraq Thursday of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani , leader of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s role in terrorist strikes and support for militants who battled Americans , Republicans cheered Trump ’ s use of force while Democrats questioned whether he had congressional authorization and a strategy to deal with Iranian retaliation .
But three Republicans running in states where Trump is not overwhelmingly popular did not mention the president by name in their statements .
Nor did a Democrat in a top battleground state .
Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner , a Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee running for reelection in a state that Trump lost in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking this decisive action.
” But Gardner went on to urge the administration “ to be prepared for possible retaliation … and to consult closely with Congress on any next steps should the situation escalate.
” Hillary Clinton won Colorado by 5 percentage points in 2016 and Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the Colorado Senate race a Toss-Up .
Maine Sen. Susan Collins , the other GOP senator running in a state Clinton won , also did not mention Trump directly .
Inside Elections rates her reelection race Tilt Republican .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Intelligence Committee , did note that she was briefed Friday by Vice President Mike Pence .
She also called on the administration to work with Congress .
`` This action does risk further military escalation , and given those risks , Congress must not be side-lined , '' Collins said .
`` The Administration must quickly brief Congress on all available intelligence and its strategy to protect American citizens and service members against Iran . ''
Arizona GOP Sen. Martha McSally , an Air Force veteran and a member of the Armed Services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by name .
Trump carried Arizona by 3 points in 2016 , but McSally lost her bid for the Senate in 2018 .
She was appointed after the election to fill the vacancy caused by Sen. John McCain ’ s death , and now is running for the remaining two years of that term .
Inside Elections rates that race a Toss-Up .
“ Qassem Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers during the Iraq War and hostile activities throughout the Middle East , ” McSally said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come to an end.
” On the Democratic side , one of the party ’ s most vulnerable incumbents declined to join colleagues in his party who criticized Trump ’ s actions as reckless .
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters , one of two Democrats running for reelection in a state Trump carried in 2016 , said in a Thursday night tweet , “ Tonight ’ s strike took a notorious terrorist off the battlefield .
What comes next is critical for the region and the world.
” Peters , a veteran of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee , kept his comments forward-looking .
“ I am focused on ensuring that there is a strategy to protect our citizens , servicemembers , and diplomats , and that advances our national security , ” said Peters , who also serves on the Armed Services Committee .
Peters is likely facing 2018 Senate nominee John James , an African-American Army veteran who came closer than expected to defeating Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow .
Inside Elections rates the race Likely Democratic .
The response from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year was somewhat critical of the president ’ s move .
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones , who serves on the Armed Services Committee , said in a statement that “ the world is most certainly a better place ” without Soleimani .
“ However , tensions will surely escalate in an already tense relationship with Iran and briefing Congress before any further action is essential , ” Jones said .
Another potentially vulnerable Democrat ’ s comments were similar to those of others in her party .
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Armed Services committees , said Soleimani ’ s death “ represents some justice for those Americans lost.
” She also called the action “ a significant escalation.
” “ I hope that the White House has a plan in place and has prepared for potential responses from Iran , ” Shaheen said .
Inside Elections rates the New Hampshire Senate race Likely Democratic .
Three vulnerable GOP senators who serve on the Armed Services Committee — Thom Tillis of North Carolina , Joni Ernst of Iowa and David Perdue of Georgia — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of colleagues from more solidly Republican states .
Their statements underscored how even Republicans in competitive races who criticize the president risk alienating Trump ’ s base of voters , who they need to turn out in November .
Tillis , whose race Inside Elections rates as a Toss-Up , praised Trump , telling Fox News , “ I appreciate President Trump ’ s resolve and I think it was an appropriate action.
” Ernst , a veteran of the Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard who served in Iraq , noted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came at Trump ’ s direction .
“ I applaud the work of U.S. military personnel in carrying out this mission .
America , and our world , is safer because of Soleimani ’ s death , ” Ernst said .
Perdue , one of Trump ’ s most strident congressional allies , tweeted Thursday night , “ @ realDonaldTrump has been clear — when American lives are threatened , he will not hesitate to act with strength.
” Inside Elections rates the Iowa Senate race as Lean Republican and the Georgia Senate @ @ @ @ @

Mixed responses to the U.S. military drone strike that killed a top Iranian leader highlighted the tightrope that politically vulnerable senators walk this year when it comes to praising or criticizing President Donald Trump.
Congressional reaction fell largely along party lines to Trump’s order that led to the death in Iraq Thursday of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, leader of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. While there was universal condemnation of Soleimani’s role in terrorist strikes and support for militants who battled Americans, Republicans cheered Trump’s use of force while Democrats questioned whether he had congressional authorization and a strategy to deal with Iranian retaliation.
But three Republicans running in states where Trump is not overwhelmingly popular did not mention the president by name in their statements. Nor did a Democrat in a top battleground state.
Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee running for reelection in a state that Trump lost in 2016, commended “the administration for taking this decisive action.” But Gardner went on to urge the administration “to be prepared for possible retaliation … and to consult closely with Congress on any next steps should the situation escalate.”
Hillary Clinton won Colorado by 5 percentage points in 2016 and Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the Colorado Senate race a Toss-Up.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Impeachment standoff and Iran escalation dominate start of 2020 session

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , walks from his office to the Senate floor to officially open the Senate for the second session of the 116 Congress on Friday , Jan. 3 , 2020 .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call ) Tension and division marked the opening of the second session of the 116th Congress with the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and resulting escalation with Iran , as well as the standoff over an impeachment trial taking center stage in the Senate .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , opened the Senate session a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani .
“ This morning Iran ’ s master terrorist is dead , ” he said .
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer , D-N.Y. , said that “ no one should shed a tear ” over the death of the commander of Iran ’ s elite Quds Force , but aired his dissatisfaction with the lack of specific authorization or notification about the operation .
McConnell was briefed on Thursday evening and Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , was alerted during a trip to President Donald Trump 's Mar-a-Lago compound earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the Gang of Eight which is typically briefed .
We were not , ” Schumer said , referring to the top Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate , and the leaders of the Intelligence committees .
Graham is not a member of the “ Gang of Eight.
” Rep. Adam B. Schiff , D-Calif. , chairman of the House Intelligence committee and a member of the gang of eight , said he was briefed today .
“ I ’ ve had the opportunity to get a briefing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strikes and I have profound concerns about the prospect for serious escalation , '' Schiff said .
Schumer asked about the legal justifications for the killing and preparations for anticipated retaliation , and doubted whether lawmakers would ever get answers to their questions .
“ It is my view that the president does not have the authority for a war with Iran , ” Schumer said .
Schumer warned of continued escalation and the potential for a full fledged conflict with Iran .
“ This action may well have brought our nation closer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of endless war the president promised he would not drag us into , ” he said .
McConnell acknowledged that the operation that led to Soleimani ’ s death “ may prove controversial or divisive , ” and urged senators to wait to cast public judgments before reviewing the facts from administration briefings scheduled for staff on Friday and for all senators early next week .
But that warning came after lawmakers had already been speaking on the incident for nearly 12 hours .
Both Schumer and McConnell pivoted quickly to impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have been made since the Senate departed for the holiday recess last year on the question of whether senators will hear from witnesses during the proceeding and when Speaker Nancy Pelosi will send over the articles of impeachment .
In back-to-back floor speeches Friday , the two traded jabs that underscore the stalemate that has continued into the new year .
McConnell reiterated his intention to use the precedent of the Clinton impeachment trial , in two phases with opening arguments , a written question period and then a decision point on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer wants one resolution at the start of the trial that would address both the rules of the proceedings and an agreement on hearing from specific witnesses .
He said if there isn ’ t a commitment up front for witnesses in the impeachment trial “ the Senate will operate as little more than a nationally televised meeting of the mock trial club.
” He referred to McConnell ’ s proposal to wait to consider witnesses until after the managers and defense presentations occur in the Senate , a “ poorly disguised trap.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he called his “ total coordination ” with the White House on the trial strategy and the defense of the president , noting that Schumer is also coordinating with Pelosi .
“ This fantasy that the speaker of the House will get to hand-design the trial proceedings in the Senate , that ’ s obviously a non-starter , ” he said .
McConnell also pushed back against the idea that senators , who serve as jurors in an impeachment trial , shouldn ’ t already be drawing conclusions based on what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearings .
“ You better believe senators have started forming opinions .
We sure have .
Especially in light of the precedent-breaking theatrics that House Democrats chose to engage in , ” McConnell said .
McConnell said that the Senate will return to its ordinary business and simply wait for House to send impeachment articles .
“ Their turn is over .
They ’ ve done enough damage .
It ’ s the Senate ’ s turn now to render sober judgement as the framers envisioned .
But we can ’ t hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Pelosi has held the two articles , saying she wants details about what the Senate trial would look like .
“ It may feel like we are no closer to establishing the rules for a Senate trial than we last met , but the question — the vital question of whether or not we have a fair trial — ultimately rests with a majority of the senators in this chamber , ” Schumer said .

Tension and division marked the opening of the second session of the 116th Congress with the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani and resulting escalation with Iran, as well as the standoff over an impeachment trial taking center stage in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., opened the Senate session a little after noon by praising the killing of Soleimani.
“This morning Iran’s master terrorist is dead,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said that “no one should shed a tear” over the death of the commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force, but aired his dissatisfaction with the lack of specific authorization or notification about the operation. McConnell was briefed on Thursday evening and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was alerted during a trip to President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago compound earlier this week.
“I’m a member of the Gang of Eight which is typically briefed. We were not,” Schumer said, referring to the top Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate, and the leaders of the Intelligence committees.


rollcall--2020-01-03--South Dakota tribe clears hemp plan but governor opposes industry

Hemp flower on display at the Tennessee Grown booth at the Southern Hemp Expo in Franklin , Tenn. , in September 2019 .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call file photo ) The Flandreau Santee Sioux cleared a major hurdle when the Agriculture Department approved its plan for growing industrial hemp on reservation land , but the tribe may face other obstacles in a state where laws still prohibit hemp farming .
Gov .
Kristi Noem , a former Republican House member , vetoed legislation in 2019 that would have amended state law to allow South Dakota farmers to grow hemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products in the 2018 farm bill .
Federal law had previously treated hemp , like its botanical cousin marijuana , as an illegal substance although hemp has a lower concentration of the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol , or THC .
South Dakota , Idaho and Mississippi are the only three states that don ’ t allow the production of industrial hemp .
The 2018 farm bill made hemp a legal substance and legitimate crop at the federal level and at the state and tribal level if those governments have approved hemp farming .
Noem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future hemp legalization bills in her state .
The governor says hemp and marijuana are so similar in appearance that it is difficult for law enforcement to tell them apart , which could hamper enforcement of pot infractions .
[ USDA ’ s hemp rules open door to states to set up regulations ] But the governor ’ s veto authority couldn ’ t stop the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribal government from OK'ing hemp production on reservation land and winning federal approval for its plan to regulate all the steps necessary for growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products in accordance with interim USDA rules issued to implement the farm bill ’ s directive on hemp production .
The federal law says tribal and state governments can regulate hemp farming if they submit plans that pass USDA review .
The law also empowers the department to license hemp growers in states and tribal lands if they do n't submit plans but allow hemp production .
The USDA can develop plans for states and tribes whose proposals have been rejected or their approvals revoked .
On Dec. 27 , the department ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakota tribe was among the first round of tribal and state governments approved to move ahead to a 2020 hemp season under a USDA interim final rule required by the 2018 farm bill .
Two California tribes , the Santa Rosa Cahuilla and La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians , also had their plans approved .
Those tribes will launch hemp production in a state that updated its laws to comply with the 2018 farm bill .
The changes took effect Jan. 1 .
Patricia Marks , a lawyer who has worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the tribe sees hemp farming as an economic development opportunity that could stall without cooperation from the state .
In the plan submitted to the USDA , the South Dakota tribe says creating a hemp industry “ will allow the Tribe to exercise its inherent sovereignty over its Tribal territory , exercise its inherent right to stimulate its economy , create jobs , develop and operate Tribal businesses , create an additional source of revenue for Tribal programs and operations and provide funding for its members and the community.
” Marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Washington , said this week that despite farm bill language , questions remain on whether law enforcement agencies could stop and confiscate imported seeds bought this spring or hemp samples trucked later in the year to labs for mandatory testing of the THC content .
“ Who ’ s responsible if the tribe can ’ t ship that hemp ?
” Marks said .
Noem has said the state will abide by farm bill language and an opinion by the USDA general counsel that states and tribal governments ca n't impede the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Marks said the South Dakota attorney general has not issued guidance for law enforcement agencies to follow .
Tim Bormann , chief of staff to South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg , told CQ Roll Call that the holidays had slowed efforts to map out guidance on hemp for the South Dakota Sheriffs Association and the state highway patrol .
“ At this point in time , it is being examined .
It ’ s something we know we have to get into , ” Bormann said , noting at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USDA approval for hemp plans .
Marks said resolution of the transportation issue is needed soon .
“ We are most hopeful we don ’ t end up in court .
Only time will tell , ” she said .

The Flandreau Santee Sioux cleared a major hurdle when the Agriculture Department approved its plan for growing industrial hemp on reservation land, but the tribe may face other obstacles in a state where laws still prohibit hemp farming.
Gov. Kristi Noem, a former Republican House member, vetoed legislation in 2019 that would have amended state law to allow South Dakota farmers to grow hemp after Congress legalized the plant and its products in the 2018 farm bill. Federal law had previously treated hemp, like its botanical cousin marijuana, as an illegal substance although hemp has a lower concentration of the psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
South Dakota, Idaho and Mississippi are the only three states that don’t allow the production of industrial hemp.
The 2018 farm bill made hemp a legal substance and legitimate crop at the federal level and at the state and tribal level if those governments have approved hemp farming.
Noem vowed in late 2019 to kill any future hemp legalization bills in her state. The governor says hemp and marijuana are so similar in appearance that it is difficult for law enforcement to tell them apart, which could hamper enforcement of pot infractions.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Flashback Friday: Retiring Rep. Phil Roe sang for Heard on the Hill in 2011

Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe prepares to play a bluegrass song with Alex Large , a staff assistant in his office @ @ @ @ @ will retire from Congress at the end of 2020 .
( Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call @ @ @ @ @ Roe said Friday that he will retire at the end of 2020 .
Way back @ @ @ @ @ Republican sat down with Heard on the Hill to show off his musical chops , @ @ @ @ @ and Alex Large for a “ desk concert.
” Get breaking news alerts and more @ @ @ @ @ iPhone .

Rep. Phil Roe said Friday that he will retire at the end of 2020. Way back in 2011, the Tennessee Republican sat down with Heard on the Hill to show off his musical chops, joined by then-staffers Amanda Little and Alex Large for a “desk concert.”


rollcall--2020-01-03--Tennessee’s Phil Roe won’t run for reelection in 2020

Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe , the ranking Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee , will not run for reelection in 2020 , opening up a solidly Republican seat .
“ As someone who practiced medicine for over 30 years , I said I would serve five or six terms because I never intended this job to be a second career , ” Roe said in a statement Friday morning .
“ After prayerful consideration , I have decided to retire at the end of the 116th Congress.
” Roe , 74 , was first elected to Tennessee ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP Rep. David Davis in the Republican primary .
During that campaign , Roe said members of the House shouldn ’ t serve more than 10 years .
The former Johnson City mayor and retired OB-GYN was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in 2017 and flirted with retirement ahead of the 2018 midterms , but ultimately decided to run for a sixth term , citing his role as Veterans Affairs Committee chairman as a reason to stick around .
Roe won reelection by 56 points that fall , but he lost his chairmanship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As an Army veteran who served in South Korea , Roe fought for legislation that extends VA benefits for Agent Orange exposure to veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war .
He also shepherded a bipartisan effort that allowed veterans to seek health care outside of facilities run by the Department of Veterans Affairs .
Roe ’ s announcement makes him the 22nd House Republican to retire this cycle , while six House Democrats are also retiring .
The total number of retirements so far has already exceeded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent election cycles .
President Donald Trump carried Roe ’ s east Tennessee district by 57 points in 2016 .
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Solid Republican .
An open seat here will generate lots of interest from ambitious Republicans .
GOP operatives in the state have mentioned at least a dozen potential candidates , including Roe ’ s district director Bill Darden .
It 's not yet clear who Roe ’ s choice would be .
Darden 's brother , former Johnson City Mayor Steve Darden , could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingsport Mayor John Clark , former Washington County Mayor Dan Eldridge and Douglas Jenkins , a chancery court judge and son of former Rep. Bill Jenkins , who represented the 1st District until 2007 .
Legislators who could run include state Sen. Jon Lundberg and state Reps. James “ Micah ” Van Huss , Jeremy Faison , who 's the chair of the state House Republican caucus , Timothy Hill and David Hawk .
Tennessee Air National Guard Lt. Col. Ashley Nickloes , who ran for the open 2nd District in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far from the 1st District , and just returned from her ninth deployment .
The only woman in a seven-way primary , she finished third .
Having backed Trump by about 35 points , though , the 2nd District is less conservative than the 1st .

Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe, the ranking Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, will not run for reelection in 2020, opening up a solidly Republican seat.
“As someone who practiced medicine for over 30 years, I said I would serve five or six terms because I never intended this job to be a second career,” Roe said in a statement Friday morning. “After prayerful consideration, I have decided to retire at the end of the 116th Congress.”
Roe, 74, was first elected to Tennessee’s 1st District in 2008, unseating freshman GOP Rep. David Davis in the Republican primary. During that campaign, Roe said members of the House shouldn’t serve more than 10 years.
The former Johnson City mayor and retired OB-GYN was diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer in 2017 and flirted with retirement ahead of the 2018 midterms, but ultimately decided to run for a sixth term, citing his role as Veterans Affairs Committee chairman as a reason to stick around. Roe won reelection by 56 points that fall, but he lost his chairmanship when Republicans lost control of the House.
As an Army veteran who served in South Korea, Roe fought for legislation that extends VA benefits for Agent Orange exposure to veterans who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war. He also shepherded a bipartisan effort that allowed veterans to seek health care outside of facilities run by the Department of Veterans Affairs.


rollcall--2020-01-03--Iranian Quds commander’s assassination to follow Trump back to Washington

Iranians burn an American flag during a demonstration in Tehran on Friday following the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. strike on his convoy at Baghdad International Airport .
( Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images ) ANALYSIS — There are two things White House and Trump campaign officials have not wanted to discuss when it comes to President Donald Trump ’ s reelection chances : An economic recession and a military conflict .
Suddenly , the latter is possible .
The president ’ s top aides have acknowledged an economic slowdown would undermine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s earned a second term .
That ’ s because he leads almost every public event — no matter the topic — by touting the low unemployment and record-high stock market levels .
Questions about economic inequality and other data points that suggest all Americans are not benefiting from Trump ’ s economic policies are quickly brushed aside by aides .
And when reporters ask about a shooting conflict with Iran or North Korea , the same aides often point out the boss campaigned on keeping the United States out of wars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much in blood and treasure .
In fact , Trump himself , on the final day of 2019 , signaled amid new tensions with Iran — this time inside Iraq — he would aim to steer clear of a war with Tehran .
“ I don ’ t think that would be a good idea for Iran .
… I like peace , ” he told reporters on Dec. 31 at his south Florida resort .
“ I don ’ t see that happening.
” Then protesters swarmed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what he claimed was an attack by an Iranian-backed militia group that killed an American contractor .
Trump decided to send Iranian leaders a clear message , ordering a drone strike Thursday night that killed a top Iranian military commander and left the sound of war drums echoing from Washington to Tehran and beyond .
The president is due back in Washington next week .
Here are three things to watch : When Marine One ferries Trump back to the executive mansion next week , the government in Tehran already could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
Top Iranian leaders in a Friday statement vowed “ harsh revenge ” for the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani , who had led the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps .
In Europe , officials called on Trump and Iranian leaders to tamp down tensions .
Trump followed those calls by mocking Tehran .
“ Iran never won a war , but never lost a negotiation !
” Trump tweeted at one point .
He later fired off a tweet thread defending the strike , saying the Quds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years ago !
” Trump then charged Soleimani with having “ killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time , and was plotting to kill many more ... but got caught !
” There ’ s Iran ’ s response .
And then there is that of U.S. lawmakers , with Democrats already calling the assassination reckless and possibly illegal .
“ This could be the most significant foreign leader that the United States has ever assassinated.
” Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy , a Senate Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night .
But Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham , who was seen by reporters at Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago resort earlier this week , told Fox News on Friday morning he “ was briefed about the potential operation when I was down in Florida.
” Also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee , the South Carolina Republican has become a top Trump ally and has pressed the president to be more forceful with Iran .
Congressional Democrats and members of the party running to oust Trump agreed that Soleimani was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escalating conflict could spin out of control quickly .
“ The administration ’ s statement says that its goal is to deter future attacks by Iran , but this action almost certainly will have the opposite effect , ” said former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ President Trump just tossed a stick of dynamite into a tinderbox.
” When the House and Senate get back to work in earnest next week , the strike could lead to what has become something of an annual ritual in Washington : an effort — likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree on the definition of key but legally murky terms — to craft an updated force-authorization measure .
Many have argued for years the one passed after the Sept. 11 , 2001 , attacks is too legally flexible and outdated .
None have been able to broker a deal on a new one , however .
“ There ’ s a question of the authorization , ” Murphy added , noting it would not be authorized unless there was an imminent attack .
To that end , U.S. national security officials claimed Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But it ’ s unlikely there was anything close to the kind of support among GOP senators to limit a Republican president ’ s war powers in an election year .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN Friday morning the strike was needed to stop an “ imminent attack ” on American interests , calling Trump ’ s decision “ intelligence-based.
” All the alleged threats related to the Quds commander were in the Middle East — not inside the United States , Pompeo said , saying his boss has shown “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions .
He called the risks of not carrying out Thursday night ’ s attack “ enormous.
” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that the assassination strike “ risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence , ” adding the United States “ can not afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return.
” She also questioned whether the attack was legal and noted the administration did not first consult with members .
Like other Democrats , she demanded all lawmakers be briefed on the attack and any planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling for briefings about the administration ’ s Iran strategy and the intelligence behind the attack it says Soleimani was plotting .
The authorization for the use of military force passed shortly after the 9/11 attacks and signed into law by then-President George W. Bush has been used by three presidents to justify all sorts of U.S. military strikes in the Middle East and southwest Asia .
Two words in the hastily crafted document have given Bush , Barack Obama and now Trump ample legal leeway : “ associated forces.
” [ 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it did at the start of 2019 ] Because Iran and other governments have at times allied with al-Qaida or its direct descendants , like the Islamic State , many legal and national security scholars — some reluctantly — say the AUMF provides significant legal cover for attacks like the one that killed Soleimani .
What ’ s more , the Trump administration in April designated the Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization .
As if Trump ’ s simmering conflict with the country that boasts perhaps the most powerful military in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to occupy Washington , he will return to the capital still in limbo over a possible Senate impeachment trial .
Pelosi is holding two impeachment articles Democrats passed last month , saying she won ’ t transmit them to the Senate until Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agrees to a fair trial .
She wants current former administration witnesses called ; McConnell would prefer a speedy trial without witnesses that puts the impeachment matter behind Trump — and vulnerable members of his caucus in an election year as he tries to hold his majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one former White House official doubts the president will break with the majority leader by demanding he allow witnesses .
“ When it comes down to it , Trump won ’ t buck McConnell on the Senate trial , ” said William Galston , a former adviser to then-President Bill Clinton .
“ If Mitch tells him that the votes aren ’ t there for his witness list , or he can ’ t get his witnesses unless the Democrats get theirs , or Republican senators in tough races don ’ t want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grumble but give in.
” Trump does most things with his conservative political base in mind .
Despite Democrats ’ collective hand-wringing about the assassination strike and the lack of a direct congressional authorization for it , taking out the Quds commander will be popular among conservatives — and even more moderate Republicans who are hawkish on national security and foreign policy matters .
Expect Trump as early as Friday evening , when he is slated to address an evangelical group in Florida , to use the strike to rev up his base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House-approved trade pact with Canada and Mexico .
“ As the pre-Christmas flurry of agreements on USMCA , China , and the budget indicate , President Trump is in full campaign mode , ” Galston said .
“ Expect a continuing stream of rallies and tweets designed to keep his base aroused.
” Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call on your iPhone .

ANALYSIS — There are two things White House and Trump campaign officials have not wanted to discuss when it comes to President Donald Trump’s reelection chances: An economic recession and a military conflict. Suddenly, the latter is possible.
The president’s top aides have acknowledged an economic slowdown would undermine the president’s top claim that he’s earned a second term. That’s because he leads almost every public event — no matter the topic — by touting the low unemployment and record-high stock market levels.
Questions about economic inequality and other data points that suggest all Americans are not benefiting from Trump’s economic policies are quickly brushed aside by aides. And when reporters ask about a shooting conflict with Iran or North Korea, the same aides often point out the boss campaigned on keeping the United States out of wars that he said cost the country too much in blood and treasure.
In fact, Trump himself, on the final day of 2019, signaled amid new tensions with Iran — this time inside Iraq — he would aim to steer clear of a war with Tehran. “I don’t think that would be a good idea for Iran. … I like peace,” he told reporters on Dec. 31 at his south Florida resort. “I don’t see that happening.”
Then protesters swarmed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad following U.S. airstrikes Trump ordered in retaliation to what he claimed was an attack by an Iranian-backed militia group that killed an American contractor.


rollcall--2020-01-02--Lawmakers urge Supreme Court to reexamine abortion decisions

More than 200 lawmakers , almost all of whom are Republican , want the Supreme Court to strike down landmark cases upholding abortion rights .
( Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call ) Over 200 lawmakers , mostly Republicans , filed an amicus brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to upend the precedents set by two landmark abortion rights cases , elevating abortion as a campaign issue ahead of this fall ’ s elections .
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on March 4 in June Medical Services v. Gee , a case over a 2014 Louisiana law that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitting privileges at a local hospital within 30 miles .
Abortion rights advocates argue that the restrictions are burdensome and would cause most doctors to stop performing abortions .
Lower courts blocked the law , citing a 2016 Supreme Court case known as Whole Woman ’ s Health v. Hellerstedt , which blocked a similar admitting privileges law in Texas .
The brief goes further than Louisiana ’ s own brief to the court .
The lawmakers urged the high court to not only reinstate the Louisiana law but also reconsider two major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1973 Roe v. Wade case that found that abortion is legal and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision that upheld abortion but found some state restrictions could be allowed if they are not an undue burden for women seeking abortions .
The brief says the case “ illustrates the unworkability of the ‘ right to abortion ’ found in Roe v. Wade .
.
.
and the need for the Court to again take up the issue of whether Roe and Casey should be reconsidered and , if appropriate , overruled.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the abortion debate have already committed to spending record amounts to influence this year ’ s election — both for the presidential race and down-ballot races .
Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund on Thursday also announced eight endorsements of female congressional candidates who oppose abortion .
“ In revisiting this issue , we hope to see the Court respect the right of state lawmakers to prioritize women ’ s health and safety over abortion industry profits , ” said Marjorie Dannenfelser , president of Susan B. Anthony List .
Samuel Lau , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parenthood Votes , said the letter defies the will of the public .
“ These anti-abortion politicians are making it very clear — they want the Supreme Court to effectively ban abortion , precedent be damned , ” said Lau .
The brief , filed Thursday , was signed by 207 lawmakers , almost all Republicans with the exception of Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chairman Daniel Lipinski of Illinois and Collin C. Peterson , a Democrat from Minnesota who also traditionally votes in favor of abortion restrictions .
Thirty-nine of 52 Senate Republicans ( there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Johnny Isakson ) signed the brief .
Eight who did not sign the letter are facing reelection this year .
Those eight are Sens .
Dan Sullivan of Alaska , Martha McSally of Arizona , Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia , Cory Gardner of Colorado , Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , David Perdue of Georgia , Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Susan Collins of Maine .
Some , like McSally and Gardener , are in for especially tough challenges from Democrats .
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not a big surprise that Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , who traditionally vote against abortion restrictions , did not sign .
Collins is facing a Democratic challenger backed by abortion-rights groups this year .
Josh Hawley , of Missouri , submitted his own separate brief .
He called for the decision from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to stand , arguing that it would improve safety and credentialing Sens .
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , who is not seeking another term , and Rick Scott of Florida and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not sign the brief , despite holding anti-abortion positions .

Over 200 lawmakers, mostly Republicans, filed an amicus brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to upend the precedents set by two landmark abortion rights cases, elevating abortion as a campaign issue ahead of this fall’s elections.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on March 4 in June Medical Services v. Gee, a case over a 2014 Louisiana law that requires physicians who offer abortions to have admitting privileges at a local hospital within 30 miles. Abortion rights advocates argue that the restrictions are burdensome and would cause most doctors to stop performing abortions.
Lower courts blocked the law, citing a 2016 Supreme Court case known as Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which blocked a similar admitting privileges law in Texas.
The brief goes further than Louisiana’s own brief to the court. The lawmakers urged the high court to not only reinstate the Louisiana law but also reconsider two major Supreme Court abortion rights decisions — the 1973 Roe v. Wade case that found that abortion is legal and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision that upheld abortion but found some state restrictions could be allowed if they are not an undue burden for women seeking abortions.
The brief says the case “illustrates the unworkability of the ‘right to abortion’ found in Roe v. Wade . . . and the need for the Court to again take up the issue of whether Roe and Casey should be reconsidered and, if appropriate, overruled.”


rollcall--2020-01-02--At the Races: New year, same politics

At the Races: New year, same politics

Welcome to At the Races !
Each week we ’ ll bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call team that will keep you informed about the 2020 election .
Know someone who ’ d like to get this newsletter ?
They can subscribe here .
Happy New Year !
2019 may have already felt like an election year , but with the start of 2020 , we ’ re officially in the on-year .
While the race for the White House will dominate much of the news , the fight for the House and Senate will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corners of the country , even more interesting .
Congressional campaigns will test the extent to which Americans have become straight-party voters and likely highlight the partisan realignment happening along urban and rural lines .
Control of Congress in 2021 will go a long way toward determining how much the president , whether it ’ s Donald Trump or someone else , can get done .
Having won a historic majority in the 2018 midterms , Democrats are on defense in the House .
Republicans got a boost last month from New Jersey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Democrats to the GOP , but they still need a net gain of 18 seats to win back control of the House .
Their efforts will begin with the 30 districts Trump won in 2016 that are currently held by Democrats .
Nearly all of those Democrats voted to impeach the president at the end of last year , so we ’ ll be closely watching whether that hurts them with their constituents .
But while they defend their 2018 gains , Democrats are also trying to expand their House majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently projects that three seats will flip party control in 2020 , all in favor of Democrats : Texas ’ 23rd District , where GOP Rep. Will Hurd is retiring , and North Carolina ’ s 2nd and 6th districts , where court-mandated redistricting made the seats more Democratic .
Republicans are on defense in the Senate , where they enjoy a 53-47 majority .
Democrats are targeting two GOP senators who represent states Hillary Clinton won in 2016 ( Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine ) , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump narrowly carried .
To win the chamber , Democrats need a net gain of three seats if they win the White House ( because the vice president would break ties ) or four seats if they lose the presidency .
Republicans also have several offensive targets , though , with two Democrats — Alabama ’ s Doug Jones and Michigan ’ s Gary Peters — up for reelection in Trump states .
Jones is CQ Roll Call ’ s most vulnerable senator in 2020 .
A few more things we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidates be able to distinguish themselves from the presidential nominees ?
Can more Republican women make it through congressional primaries ?
What new ways will campaigns use to target and turn out the voters they want ?
Keep reading CQ Roll Call for the latest .
Exit , stage right : So far 27 House lawmakers have announced their retirements ( meaning they are not running for reelection or seeking another office ) , which is already above the average for recent election cycles , and we ’ re only halfway through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans are heading for the exits as Democrats , although the majority of them are not in competitive seats .
Not ‘ Biden ’ her time anymore : After saying over the summer that she would eventually take sides in the presidential primary , Iowa Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer announced Thursday that she is endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden .
Finkenauer worked for Biden ’ s 2008 campaign , and he traveled to Cedar Rapids to hold a rally for her in 2018 .
The state ’ s other two Democratic members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race .
And then there were 14 : Julián Castro became the latest presidential contender to drop out of the Democratic primary , but that still leaves a crowded Democratic field .
His timing is notable , with his announcement coming right after the fourth fundraising quarter ended on Dec. 31 .
Castro had been mentioned as a potential Senate candidate in Texas , but the filing deadline there has already passed .
Donor beware : If you subscribe to this newsletter , chances are you also receive emails from campaigns — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your inbox earlier this week ahead of the close of the final fundraising quarter of the year .
Many of them claimed to offer “ DOUBLE ” or “ TRIPLE ” matches for each donation .
But as we explained in 2017 , those offers , while a powerful tactic , aren ’ t as good as they seem .
It ’ s worth rereading ahead of another election year .
Down for the count : The Census Bureau ’ s annual population estimates released Monday show that California , Rhode Island , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may lose congressional seats after the next apportionment .
That ’ s because , as CQ Roll Call ’ s Mike Macagnone reports , they either lost population or didn ’ t grow as fast as other states .
Taking a pass : Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has decided against challenging Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire .
“ While taking on a career politician from the Washington swamp is a tall order , I am certain I would have won , ” he tweeted on New Year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , but the president implied last year he ’ d back his candidacy .
That could have been helpful in the state ’ s GOP primary but could have backfired in the general election in the Granite State , which Trump narrowly lost in 2016 .
The New Hampshire Democratic Party has already run digital ads hitting Lewandowski for being a “ shadow lobbyist.
” Fourth quarter fundraising reports will tell us more about the GOP field here , but without a strong challenger , Shaheen doesn ’ t look to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nathan L. Gonzales rates the race Likely Democratic .
First day : Kelly Loeffler , Georgia ’ s newest senator , will be sworn in on Monday , when the Senate returns to work in Washington .
GOP Gov .
Brian Kemp appointed Loeffler to the seat vacated by departing Sen. Johnny Isakson last month .
She ’ ll take over his seat on the Veterans ’ Affairs Committee and will also serve on the Agriculture Committee and Health , Education , Labor and Pensions Committee .
Feel the Bern : Sen. Bernie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three doctors Monday showing the 78-year-old in good health after suffering a heart attack last year .
The Vermont senator ’ s health scare didn ’ t seem to put a damper on his fundraising this fall — his campaign announced it raised a whopping $ 34.5 million in the fourth quarter .
Show me the money : In other fundraising news , Pete Buttigieg ’ s presidential campaign announced that the former South Bend , Indiana , mayor raked in $ 24.7 million in the fourth quarter .
The campaign did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not clear how much money he has left .
Trump ’ s campaign announced he raised $ 46 million in the last fundraising quarter and had $ 102.7 million on hand .
Who ’ s the chattiest ?
Over the last decade , Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee spent 1,103 days giving House floor speeches — more than any other member , according to the C-SPAN archives .
Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Glenn “ GT ” Thompson followed with 959 days .
Just looking at the 116th Congress and the senators who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amy Klobuchar dominated .
She gave floor speeches on 20 days in 2019 , followed by Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet who gave speeches on nine days .
Impeachment prospects Murk-y ?
Alaska GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski said recently that she was “ disturbed ” that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would coordinate with the White House on the impeachment trial , raising questions about whether she might break with her party and the president .
Maine Republican Susan Collins , another senator to watch as impeachment unfolds , said recently that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new witnesses as part of the Senate trial .
Back home : Iowa Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne , one of the 30 Democrats in districts Trump won in 2016 , went back home and faced her constituents after voting to impeach the president in December .
But The Associated Press reports that the divisive issue barely came up at Axne ’ s town hall meeting .
Hacked : Politico has a deep dive into the 2016 Russian hacking of a technology company that deals with voter registration and voter rolls , and how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 .
For more on election security , the AP has a story on the state officials on the front lines , while The Washington Post details Georgia ’ s new voting machines .
In the courts : Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias and the Perkins Coie team have launched a newsletter called “ On the Docket , ” which focuses on voting rights , redistricting and election law litigation .
Late last month , Democrats amended their previously filed lawsuit against Georgia ’ s absentee ballot process to include a new claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all as a “ sue until blue ” strategy .
Timing is everything : Some Republicans in Western North Carolina are angry at 11th District Rep. Mark Meadows for announcing his retirement ( which he discussed with CQ Roll Call ’ s Lindsey McPherson ) the day before the candidate filing deadline .
The short notice , which precluded GOP state legislators from switching to run for the congressional seat , appears to have cleared the way for a friend of Meadows ’ wife , Politico reports .
Wishing you ‘ A New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real about what ’ s to come in 2020 .
There are 306 days until the 2020 election on Nov. 3 .
To keep track of the latest campaign news as you anxiously await the next At the Races newsletter , keep an eye on the campaigns tab of Roll Call ’ s website .
It ’ s a new year , but the fight for control of Congress hasn ’ t changed much since the start of 2019 .
Nathan breaks down the outlook for 2020 House and Senate races in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and raised in Maine , didn ’ t move back to the state until May 2019 .
In between , he studied Arabic at Dartmouth , worked in the Senate , went to Harvard Law School , worked in government and tech in California and later for Google in Asia and Washington , D.C .
But now he ’ s running to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins — and if he won the Democratic nomination and defeated her ( two very tall orders ) , he ’ d be the state ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter in Maine — anyone not born there is “ from away ” — and Collins , who was born in Caribou and lives in Bangor , has Maine bona fides in abundance .
But LaJeunesse , who talks about an economic divide between “ two Maines , ” isn ’ t shying away from the fact that he ’ s been gone for 30 years .
It ’ s part of his pitch about why he ’ s running — he had to leave Maine to get a job that would allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in student debt — and he ’ s using that story to connect with Mainers whose offspring have had to leave the state , too .
( Maine has the oldest median population in the nation . )
He ’ s not running because of Collins ’ vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , which spurred liberals to raise nearly $ 4 million for her eventual opponent , but because of the things he says she hasn ’ t done for Maine or has done that have hurt the state ( such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
LaJeunesse won ’ t attack Democratic front-runner Sara Gideon for only moving to Maine in 2004 and he hopes Mainers move away from the “ us versus them ” attitude toward people from out of state .
At the same time , he admitted to CQ Roll Call he ’ s got two built-in advantages that may resonate with longtime Mainers : he was born in Biddeford , an old mill town , and has a French-Canadian last name .
LaJeunesse means “ youth.
” LaJeunesse made news Thursday with allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of international relations for his work to promote diversity inside the company and for trying to implement a human rights strategy .
Collins ’ announcement that she ’ s running for reelection on the same day the House impeached Trump wasn ’ t without symbolism .
Although her own news was overshadowed , it ’ s largely because of Trump that the four-term senator is facing the toughest political fight of her career , and how she votes in an impending Senate impeachment trial may go a long way toward shaping the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 riled up not just liberals who already didn ’ t like her , but moderate Republicans and independents who thought she was a check on the president .
If she votes to acquit the president , who lost Maine by 3 points in 2016 , she could further alienate those voters .
But remember that Trump actually won Maine ’ s larger , more rural 2nd District ( where Collins is from ) by 11 points , so if she votes to convict him , she runs the risk of alienating his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out so well for the last New England Republican senator who faced reelection in the Trump era .
Announcing she wouldn ’ t vote for Trump in October 2016 , New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte lost her own reelection the following month .
Collins didn ’ t vote for Trump in 2016 either , and she ’ s bucked him more often than most members of her party .
She ’ s sided with Trump on legislation about 90 percent of the time , compared with 97 percent for the average Senate Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watch .
Aside from Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul , that makes her the GOP senator least supportive of the president .
Gideon , the state House speaker , is running with the full support of national Democratic groups like the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and EMILY ’ s List .
She outraised Collins in the third quarter of 2019 , but Collins still had a healthy cash-on-hand advantage .
Fourth-quarter numbers , which will be public in several weeks , will be another indicator of the energy around this race .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donations from in-state for each side .
But regardless of who raises more , both sides are likely to have plenty of money , and outside groups on the right and left have already been spending on TV ads for and against Collins .
Inside Elections rates the race Tilts Republican .
For next week , let us know if you ’ d like to learn more about Pennsylvania ’ s 1st District or California ’ s 10th District .
Email us at attheraces @ cqrollcall.com .
Congress is coming back !
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House is back on Tuesday .
You can keep track of the House and Senate calendars here .
With NFL playoffs starting Saturday ( one of your ATR authors will be cheering for the Bills , while another is rooting for the Chiefs ) , here ’ s a throwback to the Congressional Football Game , where members of Congress take on Capitol Police officers .
Last September , lawmakers ended a 10-year drought and took home the trophy .
Subscribe now using this link so you don ’ t miss out on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team , plus key stories and data that will keep you informed about 2020 races .

It’s a new year, but the fight for control of Congress hasn’t changed much since the start of 2019. Nathan breaks down the outlook for 2020 House and Senate races in his latest column.
Candidate confessions
Ross LaJeunesse, born and raised in Maine, didn’t move back to the state until May 2019. In between, he studied Arabic at Dartmouth, worked in the Senate, went to Harvard Law School, worked in government and tech in California and later for Google in Asia and Washington, D.C. But now he’s running to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins — and if he won the Democratic nomination and defeated her (two very tall orders), he’d be the state’s first openly gay senator. Origins matter in Maine — anyone not born there is “from away” — and Collins, who was born in Caribou and lives in Bangor, has Maine bona fides in abundance. But LaJeunesse, who talks about an economic divide between “two Maines,” isn’t shying away from the fact that he’s been gone for 30 years. It’s part of his pitch about why he’s running — he had to leave Maine to get a job that would allow him to pay off his $70,0000 in student debt — and he’s using that story to connect with Mainers whose offspring have had to leave the state, too. (Maine has the oldest median population in the nation.)
He’s not running because of Collins’ vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which spurred liberals to raise nearly $4 million for her eventual opponent, but because of the things he says she hasn’t done for Maine or has done that have hurt the state (such as voting for the GOP tax overhaul). LaJeunesse won’t attack Democratic front-runner Sara Gideon for only moving to Maine in 2004 and he hopes Mainers move away from the “us versus them” attitude toward people from out of state. At the same time, he admitted to CQ Roll Call he’s got two built-in advantages that may resonate with longtime Mainers: he was born in Biddeford, an old mill town, and has a French-Canadian last name. LaJeunesse means “youth.” LaJeunesse made news Thursday with allegations that Google forced him out as global head of international relations for his work to promote diversity inside the company and for trying to implement a human rights strategy.
Reader’s race: Maine Senate
Collins’ announcement that she’s running for reelection on the same day the House impeached Trump wasn’t without symbolism. Although her own news was overshadowed, it’s largely because of Trump that the four-term senator is facing the toughest political fight of her career, and how she votes in an impending Senate impeachment trial may go a long way toward shaping the race.
Her vote for Kavanaugh in 2018 riled up not just liberals who already didn’t like her, but moderate Republicans and independents who thought she was a check on the president. If she votes to acquit the president, who lost Maine by 3 points in 2016, she could further alienate those voters. But remember that Trump actually won Maine’s larger, more rural 2nd District (where Collins is from) by 11 points, so if she votes to convict him, she runs the risk of alienating his base. That didn’t work out so well for the last New England Republican senator who faced reelection in the Trump era. Announcing she wouldn’t vote for Trump in October 2016, New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte lost her own reelection the following month.