cnbc--2020-01-31--Trump's Wildwood rally was an economic 'shot in the arm' — but he still has to pay for it, mayor say

Trump's Wildwood rally was an economic 'shot in the arm' — but he still has to pay for it, mayor says

WILDWOOD , N.J. — On an average day in January , this is a city in hibernation , lying in wait for hotter days to lure throngs of tourists to the neon-lit rows of doo-wop-themed hotels dotting the shoreline .
President Donald Trump 's campaign rally there Tuesday night , however , brought an unprecedented winter crowd flocking to Wildwood , a 45-mile drive south from Atlantic City — and provided some rare off-season business opportunities for the city .
`` It 's normally dead as dead can be '' in January , said Mercedes Delgado , 27 , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertising $ 70 parking spots near the convention center where Trump would speak later that night .
But even though the event was an economic `` shot in the arm '' during the sleepy winter , the Trump campaign still needs to pick up the tab , said Wildwood 's new Democratic mayor , Pete Byron .
`` I was told I was n't going to be invited '' the day before the rally , Byron told CNBC in a phone interview .
Byron said he was told that `` the president was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reimbursed for the cost of the event . ''
That messenger , Byron said , was Rep. Jeff Van Drew , who represents New Jersey 's 2nd District , which includes Wildwood .
Elected as a moderate Democrat in the 2018 midterms , Van Drew drew national attention — and heaps of praise from Trump — when he voted against the House 's articles of impeachment a day before announcing he would switch to the Republican Party .
`` You have my undying support , '' Van Drew told Trump in the Oval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , in turn , lauded Van Drew , who stood alongside him at the rally .
`` What he did was incredible , '' Trump said , drawing massive applause from the Wildwoods Convention Center .
Byron said that Van Drew has been `` a personal friend and an ally , '' adding that the congressman 's party affiliation does n't matter to him .
But , the mayor maintained , `` I do n't think it 's fair that the taxpayer should have to support '' the considerable costs of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment on the mayor 's remarks .
`` This is a promoted rally , '' he said , not unlike `` any other promoted event that goes on in Wildwood . ''
The city had to pay for additional police , firefighters , EMT professionals , public works employees , clean-up crew and other services to accommodate the influx of visitors .
Asked if he was going to pursue payment from the Trump campaign , Byron said , `` Oh , sure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture of the event costs in a few weeks , and hopes it can be worked out at the local level `` before we have to go any further . ''
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC 's request for comment .
Reports show the Trump campaign has , at best , a mixed record on paying back the cities that host its rallies .
Michigan 's Battle Creek Enquirer reported Thursday that Trump reimbursed the Kellogg Arena on costs of about $ 33,000 associated with a Dec. 18 rally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to pay back invoices for police and other public safety services in numerous cities , some of which are years old .
Unpaid security costs from 10 city governments total more than $ 840,000 , according to a study from the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity published in June .
Either way , Byron said that the rally `` was a shot in the arm for those businesses '' that opened up during one of Wildwood 's slowest months of the year .
`` They say , 'You 're a resort , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
We are actually the opposite of that , '' Byron said .
`` We do n't have very much year-round employment . ''
By Tuesday morning , parking opportunities had become so competitive that Trump fans were ditching their cars more than a mile away from the convention center , which held about 7,500 people .
Parking attendants started popping up on Ocean Avenue more than a dozen blocks from the arena itself .
Lifelong Wildwood resident Nicholas Ranalli , 30 , flagged down cars passing the Water 's Edge hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a parking space and get a cup of coffee free .
In an average winter , `` there 's nobody here , '' Ranalli said .
`` Every [ traffic ] light is blinking ... we usually ride quads around here . ''
One block closer to the rally site , the price per spot shot up to $ 40 — coffee not included .
The roughly 180 spaces available at Aqua Beach Hotel were `` almost full '' by 2 p.m. , said 32-year-old Jonathan Ortiz , an attendant there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitors alike hawked food from stalls and pop-up kitchens , carted folding chairs and hand-warmers around in wagons and , of course , sold all types of Trump-branded merchandise .
Some items were familiar — bright red baseball caps and dark-blue T-shirts emblazoned with Trump 's campaign slogan , `` Make America Great Again , '' for instance .
But some sellers displayed their own merchandise , often recognizable at a distance by a profane or especially pugnacious message .
One seller , Erica Van Nostrand , said she had the graphics for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another Jersey vacation spot .
Her most popular design : a cartoon-ified Trump urinating on the CNN logo .
Michael Foley , 51 , traveled from Philadelphia with his daughter to sell a custom-made `` Trump car '' shirt design .
They brought approximately 1,500 shirts to Wildwood , Foley said , and had sold about 600 at $ 20 apiece with hours to go before the 7 p.m. rally kicked off .

A rally for Donald Trump in Wildwood, NJ. Kevin Breuninger | CNBC
WILDWOOD, N.J. — On an average day in January, this is a city in hibernation, lying in wait for hotter days to lure throngs of tourists to the neon-lit rows of doo-wop-themed hotels dotting the shoreline. President Donald Trump's campaign rally there Tuesday night, however, brought an unprecedented winter crowd flocking to Wildwood, a 45-mile drive south from Atlantic City — and provided some rare off-season business opportunities for the city. "It's normally dead as dead can be" in January, said Mercedes Delgado, 27, who stood in front of the SeaKist Motel advertising $70 parking spots near the convention center where Trump would speak later that night. Right now? "It's crazy," she said. But even though the event was an economic "shot in the arm" during the sleepy winter, the Trump campaign still needs to pick up the tab, said Wildwood's new Democratic mayor, Pete Byron. "I was told I wasn't going to be invited" the day before the rally, Byron told CNBC in a phone interview. Byron said he was told that "the president was upset that I was looking to be reimbursed for the cost of the event."
A rally for Donald Trump in Wildwood, NJ. Kevin Breuninger | CNBC
That messenger, Byron said, was Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd District, which includes Wildwood. Elected as a moderate Democrat in the 2018 midterms, Van Drew drew national attention — and heaps of praise from Trump — when he voted against the House's articles of impeachment a day before announcing he would switch to the Republican Party. "You have my undying support," Van Drew told Trump in the Oval Office as he made the announcement. Trump, in turn, lauded Van Drew, who stood alongside him at the rally. "What he did was incredible," Trump said, drawing massive applause from the Wildwoods Convention Center. Byron said that Van Drew has been "a personal friend and an ally," adding that the congressman's party affiliation doesn't matter to him. But, the mayor maintained, "I don't think it's fair that the taxpayer should have to support" the considerable costs of a presidential campaign rally. Van Drew's office did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the mayor's remarks. "This is a promoted rally," he said, not unlike "any other promoted event that goes on in Wildwood." The city had to pay for additional police, firefighters, EMT professionals, public works employees, clean-up crew and other services to accommodate the influx of visitors. Asked if he was going to pursue payment from the Trump campaign, Byron said, "Oh, sure." He expects to get a clearer picture of the event costs in a few weeks, and hopes it can be worked out at the local level "before we have to go any further." The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
A rally for Donald Trump in Wildwood, NJ. Kevin Breuninger | CNBC
Reports show the Trump campaign has, at best, a mixed record on paying back the cities that host its rallies. Michigan's Battle Creek Enquirer reported Thursday that Trump reimbursed the Kellogg Arena on costs of about $33,000 associated with a Dec. 18 rally there. But the campaign has reportedly failed to pay back invoices for police and other public safety services in numerous cities, some of which are years old. Unpaid security costs from 10 city governments total more than $840,000, according to a study from the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity published in June. Either way, Byron said that the rally "was a shot in the arm for those businesses" that opened up during one of Wildwood's slowest months of the year. "They say, 'You're a resort, so you must be an affluent community.' We are actually the opposite of that," Byron said. "We don't have very much year-round employment." By Tuesday morning, parking opportunities had become so competitive that Trump fans were ditching their cars more than a mile away from the convention center, which held about 7,500 people. Parking attendants started popping up on Ocean Avenue more than a dozen blocks from the arena itself. Lifelong Wildwood resident Nicholas Ranalli, 30, flagged down cars passing the Water's Edge hotel with a $30 offer: Pay for a parking space and get a cup of coffee free. In an average winter, "there's nobody here," Ranalli said. "Every [traffic] light is blinking ... we usually ride quads around here."
Buttons displayed at a rally for Donald Trump in Wildwood, NJ. Kevin Breuninger | CNBC
One block closer to the rally site, the price per spot shot up to $40 — coffee not included. The roughly 180 spaces available at Aqua Beach Hotel were "almost full" by 2 p.m., said 32-year-old Jonathan Ortiz, an attendant there. On the beachside boardwalk, locals and visitors alike hawked food from stalls and pop-up kitchens, carted folding chairs and hand-warmers around in wagons and, of course, sold all types of Trump-branded merchandise. Some items were familiar — bright red baseball caps and dark-blue T-shirts emblazoned with Trump's campaign slogan, "Make America Great Again," for instance. But some sellers displayed their own merchandise, often recognizable at a distance by a profane or especially pugnacious message. One seller, Erica Van Nostrand, said she had the graphics for her apparel pressed at Seaside Heights, another Jersey vacation spot. Her most popular design: a cartoon-ified Trump urinating on the CNN logo. Michael Foley, 51, traveled from Philadelphia with his daughter to sell a custom-made "Trump car" shirt design. They brought approximately 1,500 shirts to Wildwood, Foley said, and had sold about 600 at $20 apiece with hours to go before the 7 p.m. rally kicked off.
A rally for Donald Trump in Wildwood, NJ. Kevin Breuninger | CNBC
Not every business owner in the city was able to take advantage of the moment, however. Byron explained that many of the seasonal hotels without central heating remained closed. Whether the Trump campaign's debt is paid, Byron said he's happy to have the rally in his city. "I'm grateful for the exposure," he said. "Our meager advertising budget would never have brought us the exposure that this has given us." "I do welcome him back another time," the mayor said. "But he'll have to pay."


cnbc--2020-01-31--Pentagon issues guidance to troops abroad as coronavirus outbreak spreads

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit stand at attention during a formation aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan .
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon issued guidance Friday to U.S. personnel serving abroad as a growing number of countries evacuate their citizens and diplomats from parts of China .
The guidance , aimed at reducing the potential threat of the coronavirus , comes a day after the State Department elevated its travel advisory for China to a Level 4 — meaning U.S. citizens should not travel there .
`` I approved a directive apprising our forces about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognize the signs and symptoms of the virus , '' Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement .
`` The Department of Defense continues to work closely with our interagency partners as we monitor the situation and protect our service members and their families , which is my highest priority . ''
According to the guidance , if DoD personnel have recently returned from travel to China in the last 14 days or had close contact with someone infected with 2019-nCoV and feel sick with fever , cough , or difficulty breathing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 ) seek medical care right away .
Before going to a doctor 's office or emergency room , call ahead and tell them about the recent travel and symptoms 4 ) cover the mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve ( not hands ) when coughing or sneezing 5 ) wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others .
Esper added that U.S. military commanders in affected geographic commands will be issuing specific guidance to their forces .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 213 people and infected roughly 10,000 people around the world — is emanating from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command , the largest of all geographic combatant commands .
`` We 're aware of the concerns .
The safety of our service members , civilian employees , and our citizens both here and abroad is of the utmost concern , '' Pentagon spokesman for Indo-Asia Pacific Security Affairs , U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn , wrote in an emailed statement to CNBC .
Earlier this week the Pentagon said it will provide housing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and diplomats evacuated from Wuhan , China — the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus — to the United States .
The government-chartered flight from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport landed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside , California , on Wednesday .
Shortly after the plane landed personnel in biological hazard suits helped passengers load into buses and emergency vehicles on the tarmac .
`` Health and Human Services ( HHS ) is responsible for all care of the evacuees , and DoD personnel will not be directly in contact with the evacuees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any base location other than their assigned housing , '' Pentagon press secretary Alyssa Farah wrote in a Wednesday statement .
`` Should routine monitoring of the evacuees identify ill individuals , HHS has procedures in place to transport them to a local civilian hospital .
DoD will work closely with our interagency partners and continue to monitor the situation .
The Department 's primary responsibility at this time is the safety of our force , our families , and our base communities , '' she added .
While the majority of confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus has also been identified in Japan , South Korea , Taiwan , Thailand , Vietnam , Singapore , Nepal , Hong Kong , Macao , Cambodia , Malaysia , Sri Lanka , France , Germany , Finland , Sweden , Australia , Canada , the United Arab Emirates , United States and the United Kingdom .
A Department of Defense official told CNBC that the Pentagon 's Defense Threat Reduction Agency , or DTRA , worked alongside Thai counterparts to detect the first coronavirus in that country on Jan. 13 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus outside of mainland China , sees routine deployments of U.S. personnel under DTRA to bolster biosurveillance , biosecurity and biosafety capabilities .
`` These investments enhance regional stability and decrease risk to U.S. interests by building our partner 's capacity to detect and report disease outbreaks of especially dangerous pathogens , and enhance related biosecurity and biosafety capabilities , '' the official said .

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit stand at attention during a formation aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon issued guidance Friday to U.S. personnel serving abroad as a growing number of countries evacuate their citizens and diplomats from parts of China.
The guidance, aimed at reducing the potential threat of the coronavirus, comes a day after the State Department elevated its travel advisory for China to a Level 4 — meaning U.S. citizens should not travel there.
"I approved a directive apprising our forces about precautions they should take, how to recognize the signs and symptoms of the virus," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement. "The Department of Defense continues to work closely with our interagency partners as we monitor the situation and protect our service members and their families, which is my highest priority."
According to the guidance, if DoD personnel have recently returned from travel to China in the last 14 days or had close contact with someone infected with 2019-nCoV and feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, CDC directs these individuals to: 1) seek medical care right away. Before going to a doctor's office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about the recent travel and symptoms 2) avoid contact with others 3) not travel while sick 4) cover the mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing 5) wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others.
Esper added that U.S. military commanders in affected geographic commands will be issuing specific guidance to their forces.
The virus — which has already killed at least 213 people and infected roughly 10,000 people around the world — is emanating from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the largest of all geographic combatant commands.
"We're aware of the concerns. The safety of our service members, civilian employees, and our citizens both here and abroad is of the utmost concern," Pentagon spokesman for Indo-Asia Pacific Security Affairs, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn, wrote in an emailed statement to CNBC.
Earlier this week the Pentagon said it will provide housing and support for the nearly 200 U.S. citizens and diplomats evacuated from Wuhan, China — the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus — to the United States.
The government-chartered flight from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport landed at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California, on Wednesday. Shortly after the plane landed personnel in biological hazard suits helped passengers load into buses and emergency vehicles on the tarmac.
"Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for all care of the evacuees, and DoD personnel will not be directly in contact with the evacuees and evacuees will not have access to any base location other than their assigned housing," Pentagon press secretary Alyssa Farah wrote in a Wednesday statement.
"Should routine monitoring of the evacuees identify ill individuals, HHS has procedures in place to transport them to a local civilian hospital. DoD will work closely with our interagency partners and continue to monitor the situation. The Department's primary responsibility at this time is the safety of our force, our families, and our base communities," she added.
While the majority of confirmed coronavirus cases are in mainland China, the virus has also been identified in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Nepal, Hong Kong, Macao, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, France, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, United States and the United Kingdom.
A Department of Defense official told CNBC that the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency, or DTRA, worked alongside Thai counterparts to detect the first coronavirus in that country on Jan. 13.
Thailand, which has the most cases of coronavirus outside of mainland China, sees routine deployments of U.S. personnel under DTRA to bolster biosurveillance, biosecurity and biosafety capabilities.
"These investments enhance regional stability and decrease risk to U.S. interests by building our partner's capacity to detect and report disease outbreaks of especially dangerous pathogens, and enhance related biosecurity and biosafety capabilities," the official said.
Follow CNBC's live blog for coronavirus updates


cnbc--2020-01-31--Op-Ed: The Iowa caucuses are Monday, and they're more crucial this time than ever

The crucial Iowa caucuses are set for Monday , and the hype is justified .
In fact , the race in the Hawkeye State actually deserves a little more hype .
That 's because the state is telling us an important story not just about the race for the Democratic presidential nomination , but it 's also flashing important signs for how the general election will turn out in November .
Most of the polls in Iowa point to Sen. Bernie Sanders as the favorite to win .
The Sanders surge in Iowa began a few weeks ago and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicator of how the national polls would follow .
The latest NBC/WSJ poll of Democatic voters nationally now has Sanders in the lead .
If Sanders can win Iowa , he should feel confident about his chances to win the nomination .
In 2016 , his narrow loss to Hillary Clinton presaged the similarly historic narrow loss he suffered to her in the race for the Democratic nod .
Iowa Democrats also handed caucus victories to eventual Democratic nominees Barack Obama in 2008 , John Kerry in 2004 , and Al Gore in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important in this nomination race .
It 's also crucial for former Vice President Joe Biden to at least have a good showing Monday night .
Much of his cachet in Democratic circles is his purported strength in Midwestern swing states that went for Trump in 2016 .
But if Biden ca n't even make it very close against Sanders in Iowa , it will be more than fair to question Biden 's supposed Midwestern allure .
But too many people get it wrong when it comes to where Iowa stands after Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everyone seems to move on and forget the state .
That 's not wise , because Iowa is a true swing state in the general election .
Over the last 12 presidential elections , Iowa has gone to the Republican nominee six times and six times to the Democrat .
Iowa is also much more likely to be won by the overall presidential election winner than most other states .
Iowa has gone to the general election winner in six out of the last seven presidential contests , just like the much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other words , Iowa is a good indicator of how other key swing states are likely to vote .
That 's especially true in the Midwest .
That 's where the news seems to be getting very good for President Trump .
A poll released last Saturday by the New York Times contains a number of ominous signs for the Democratic presidential candidates .
The poll asked Iowa voters about their choice for president in a series of hypothetical general election matchups between Trump and five leading Democrats .
Trump came out ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar surveys conducted since this time last year , Trump has either erased his polling deficits in Iowa or increased his leads against most of his Democratic challengers over the past year .
Against Biden , Trump trailed by six points last March but now leads the former vice president by an average of three points in the Real Clear Politics average .
Sanders led Trump in the Iowa polls as recently as October of last year .
But unlike his surge against his fellow Democrats , he 's fallen behind Trump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last three months .
This is very likely the result of something many Democratic campaign experts and even rank-and-file voters have been fearing for some time .
That is , that none of the Democrats running for president inspire much enduring support .
Worse than that , remember that Iowa voters have had the most exposure to the Democratic candidates than voters in any other state in the U.S. since last year .
What those highly-exposed voters seem to be saying is that the more they see of the Democratic candidates , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a `` generic Democratic candidate '' is still very popular when held up against Trump in any given poll .
But the reality is , there is no such thing as a generic candidate .
When matched up against real people with their own unique set of pros and cons , Iowa voters are likely to stick with the president .
That could be the trend nationwide .
Democrats may brush off Iowa in November because it brings just six electoral votes to the table , and they want to focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in addition Iowa 's great track record in choosing general election winners , it also borders battleground states with bigger electoral college totals like Wisconsin and Minnesota .
That 's one reason why the Trump campaign has made Iowa such a priority lately , even though he 's not facing any serious challenge for the GOP nomination .
Iowa is also a key farm state , where Trump wants to shore up support in light of farmers bearing the brunt of the trade war with China .
A strong turnout by Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a good sign for Trump in the other farm states and the South in November .
A weak turnout means his campaign has more work to do .
All of this adds up to the fact that Monday 's Iowa results are very likely to prove that the state is more than a launching pad when it comes to elections .
It 's also a crystal ball that both parties would be foolish to ignore in the months ahead .
Jake Novak is a political and economic analyst at Jake Novak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can follow him on Twitter @ jakejakeny .

The crucial Iowa caucuses are set for Monday, and the hype is justified.
In fact, the race in the Hawkeye State actually deserves a little more hype. That's because the state is telling us an important story not just about the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, but it's also flashing important signs for how the general election will turn out in November.
Most of the polls in Iowa point to Sen. Bernie Sanders as the favorite to win. The Sanders surge in Iowa began a few weeks ago and have been true-to-form in serving as a key indicator of how the national polls would follow.
The latest NBC/WSJ poll of Democatic voters nationally now has Sanders in the lead. If Sanders can win Iowa, he should feel confident about his chances to win the nomination. In 2016, his narrow loss to Hillary Clinton presaged the similarly historic narrow loss he suffered to her in the race for the Democratic nod. Iowa Democrats also handed caucus victories to eventual Democratic nominees Barack Obama in 2008, John Kerry in 2004, and Al Gore in 2000. Yes, Iowa is that important in this nomination race.
It's also crucial for former Vice President Joe Biden to at least have a good showing Monday night. Much of his cachet in Democratic circles is his purported strength in Midwestern swing states that went for Trump in 2016. But if Biden can't even make it very close against Sanders in Iowa, it will be more than fair to question Biden's supposed Midwestern allure.
But too many people get it wrong when it comes to where Iowa stands after Monday night. Once the caucus is over, everyone seems to move on and forget the state.
That's not wise, because Iowa is a true swing state in the general election. Over the last 12 presidential elections, Iowa has gone to the Republican nominee six times and six times to the Democrat. Iowa is also much more likely to be won by the overall presidential election winner than most other states. Iowa has gone to the general election winner in six out of the last seven presidential contests, just like the much more attention-getting state of Florida.
In other words, Iowa is a good indicator of how other key swing states are likely to vote. That's especially true in the Midwest.
That's where the news seems to be getting very good for President Trump.
A poll released last Saturday by the New York Times contains a number of ominous signs for the Democratic presidential candidates. The poll asked Iowa voters about their choice for president in a series of hypothetical general election matchups between Trump and five leading Democrats. Trump came out ahead in each case.
Looking back at similar surveys conducted since this time last year, Trump has either erased his polling deficits in Iowa or increased his leads against most of his Democratic challengers over the past year. Against Biden, Trump trailed by six points last March but now leads the former vice president by an average of three points in the Real Clear Politics average. Sanders led Trump in the Iowa polls as recently as October of last year. But unlike his surge against his fellow Democrats, he's fallen behind Trump in a series of polls taken over the last three months.
This is very likely the result of something many Democratic campaign experts and even rank-and-file voters have been fearing for some time. That is, that none of the Democrats running for president inspire much enduring support. Worse than that, remember that Iowa voters have had the most exposure to the Democratic candidates than voters in any other state in the U.S. since last year. What those highly-exposed voters seem to be saying is that the more they see of the Democratic candidates, the less they like them.
The idea of a "generic Democratic candidate" is still very popular when held up against Trump in any given poll. But the reality is, there is no such thing as a generic candidate. When matched up against real people with their own unique set of pros and cons, Iowa voters are likely to stick with the president. That could be the trend nationwide.
Democrats may brush off Iowa in November because it brings just six electoral votes to the table, and they want to focus on bigger prizes like Florida. But remember that in addition Iowa's great track record in choosing general election winners, it also borders battleground states with bigger electoral college totals like Wisconsin and Minnesota.
That's one reason why the Trump campaign has made Iowa such a priority lately, even though he's not facing any serious challenge for the GOP nomination. Iowa is also a key farm state, where Trump wants to shore up support in light of farmers bearing the brunt of the trade war with China. A strong turnout by Iowa's rural voters and evangelical Christian Republicans would be a good sign for Trump in the other farm states and the South in November. A weak turnout means his campaign has more work to do.
All of this adds up to the fact that Monday's Iowa results are very likely to prove that the state is more than a launching pad when it comes to elections. It's also a crystal ball that both parties would be foolish to ignore in the months ahead.
Jake Novak is a political and economic analyst at Jake Novak News and former CNBC TV producer. You can follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.


cnbc--2020-01-31--Sanders surges, Biden plateaus in latest NBC/WSJ poll of 2020 Democratic primary voters

Bernie Sanders has jumped into a virtual tie with Joe Biden nationally just before the first nominating contests in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary , according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Friday .
The Vermont senator has the support of 27 % of Democratic primary voters , a 6 percentage point jump from December , the survey found .
The former vice president follows closely at 26 % — down 2 percentage points from a month ago .
Sanders ' 1 percentage point edge falls well within the poll 's plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage point margin of error @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trails with 15 % .
Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg was the first choice of 9 % of respondents , leapfrogging former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg , who came in at 7 % .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar , D-Minn. , and entrepreneur Andrew Yang garnered 5 % and 4 % , respectively .
The survey , taken Sunday through Wednesday , offers a snapshot of the Democratic presidential race nationally days before Monday 's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses .
Sanders has steadily cut into Biden 's lead in averages of U.S. polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not voting preference in the states that will decide who faces President Donald Trump in November .
The Vermont senator has also seen his support rise in recent polls of tight races in Iowa and New Hampshire , the second nominating state .
Less than half of respondents to the NBC/WSJ survey — 45 % — said they would definitely vote for their first choice .
Another 27 % answered that they would probably vote for the candidate , and an additional 27 % said they were just leaning toward their first choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , of Democratic primary voters pick Warren as their second choice .
Biden is the second choice of 20 % of respondents , followed by Sanders at 15 % .
Bloomberg has fueled a climb in national polling averages by spending at least $ 100 million on a barrage of ads .
He did not try to compete in the first four nominating states of Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada and South Carolina and has instead focused on Texas and other states that vote on Super Tuesday , March 3 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ impression : 59 % of poll respondents said they remember seeing an ad from Bloomberg on TV or social media .
A third said they recalled seeing an ad for billionaire activist Tom Steyer , and 28 % said they remembered seeing an ad for Sanders .
The NBC/WSJ poll of 428 Democratic primary voters took place from Jan. 26-29 and has a plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage point margin of error .

Bernie Sanders has jumped into a virtual tie with Joe Biden nationally just before the first nominating contests in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Friday.
The Vermont senator has the support of 27% of Democratic primary voters, a 6 percentage point jump from December, the survey found. The former vice president follows closely at 26% — down 2 percentage points from a month ago. Sanders' 1 percentage point edge falls well within the poll's plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage point margin of error.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., trails with 15%. Former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg was the first choice of 9% of respondents, leapfrogging former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who came in at 7%.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and entrepreneur Andrew Yang garnered 5% and 4%, respectively.
The survey, taken Sunday through Wednesday, offers a snapshot of the Democratic presidential race nationally days before Monday's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. Sanders has steadily cut into Biden's lead in averages of U.S. polls, which capture overall voter sentiment but not voting preference in the states that will decide who faces President Donald Trump in November.
The Vermont senator has also seen his support rise in recent polls of tight races in Iowa and New Hampshire, the second nominating state.
Less than half of respondents to the NBC/WSJ survey — 45% — said they would definitely vote for their first choice. Another 27% answered that they would probably vote for the candidate, and an additional 27% said they were just leaning toward their first choice.
About a quarter, or 24%, of Democratic primary voters pick Warren as their second choice. Biden is the second choice of 20% of respondents, followed by Sanders at 15%.
Bloomberg has fueled a climb in national polling averages by spending at least $100 million on a barrage of ads. He did not try to compete in the first four nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina and has instead focused on Texas and other states that vote on Super Tuesday, March 3.
His ads appear to have made an impression: 59% of poll respondents said they remember seeing an ad from Bloomberg on TV or social media. A third said they recalled seeing an ad for billionaire activist Tom Steyer, and 28% said they remembered seeing an ad for Sanders.
The NBC/WSJ poll of 428 Democratic primary voters took place from Jan. 26-29 and has a plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage point margin of error.
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cnbc--2020-01-31--Two key Republican senators reveal how they'll vote on Trump impeachment witnesses

WASHINGTON — Two key Republican senators announced their positions on the inclusion of additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump .
Retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said he would vote against any proposals for further witnesses .
In a statement , Alexander surprisingly appeared to say he believed the Democrats had proven their case , but that the president 's actions did not meet the standard for an impeachable offense .
`` It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his statement .
`` When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations , it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law .
But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year 's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate . ''
`` There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven , and that does not meet the United States Constitution 's high bar for an impeachable offense , '' Alexander wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susan Collins of Maine broke the other way , announcing late Thursday night that she will vote to admit additional evidence in the trial .
`` We have heard the cases argued and the questions answered ...
I believe hearing from certain witnesses would give each side the opportunity to more fully and fairly make their case , resolve any ambiguities , and provide additional clarity .
Therefore , I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed , '' Collins said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have dealt a mortal blow to Democrats ' hopes of calling more witnesses in Trump 's trial , chief among them , former National Security Advisor John Bolton .
That vote , which is expected to occur Friday , marks a pivotal moment in the impeachment proceedings that have dogged Trump for months .
On Wednesday , Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , signaled that he would vote with the Democrats .
With Collins and Romney both yesses , and Alexander a no , it remained unclear late Thursday whether Democrats would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four GOP senators required to approve the new witnesses and documents .
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has yet to say how she plans to vote .
And until the vote happens , there remains a longshot possibility that other Republicans might surprise their colleagues and break with their party and vote with the Democrats .
If Democrats can convince four senators to join them in supporting witnesses , the trial could proceed for weeks or months longer as new battles arise over testimony from key witnesses , such as Bolton and acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But if the GOP-majority chamber votes not to allow that new content , then the trial could quickly proceed to a final vote on whether to acquit Trump or remove him from office — possibly as soon as next week , when the president is set to deliver his State of the Union Address .
The House voted to impeach Trump last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Democrats accuse Trump of withholding nearly $ 400 million in congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine while pressuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Joe Biden and his son , as well as a debunked conspiracy theory about 2016 election interference .
House Democrats and defense lawyers made final arguments Thursday for more than nine hours on the eve of Friday 's crucial vote on additional evidence and witnesses .

WASHINGTON — Two key Republican senators announced their positions on the inclusion of additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
Retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said he would vote against any proposals for further witnesses. In a statement, Alexander surprisingly appeared to say he believed the Democrats had proven their case, but that the president's actions did not meet the standard for an impeachable offense.
"It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation," Alexander said in his statement. "When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate."
"There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven, and that does not meet the United States Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense," Alexander wrote.
Alexander's Republican colleague, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine broke the other way, announcing late Thursday night that she will vote to admit additional evidence in the trial.
"We have heard the cases argued and the questions answered ... I believe hearing from certain witnesses would give each side the opportunity to more fully and fairly make their case, resolve any ambiguities, and provide additional clarity. Therefore, I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed," Collins said in a statement.
On balance, Alexander's no vote may have dealt a mortal blow to Democrats' hopes of calling more witnesses in Trump's trial, chief among them, former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
That vote, which is expected to occur Friday, marks a pivotal moment in the impeachment proceedings that have dogged Trump for months. On Wednesday, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, signaled that he would vote with the Democrats.
With Collins and Romney both yesses, and Alexander a no, it remained unclear late Thursday whether Democrats would be able to convince the minimum of four GOP senators required to approve the new witnesses and documents.
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski has yet to say how she plans to vote. And until the vote happens, there remains a longshot possibility that other Republicans might surprise their colleagues and break with their party and vote with the Democrats.
If Democrats can convince four senators to join them in supporting witnesses, the trial could proceed for weeks or months longer as new battles arise over testimony from key witnesses, such as Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
But if the GOP-majority chamber votes not to allow that new content, then the trial could quickly proceed to a final vote on whether to acquit Trump or remove him from office — possibly as soon as next week, when the president is set to deliver his State of the Union Address.
The House voted to impeach Trump last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democrats accuse Trump of withholding nearly $400 million in congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country to announce probes into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, as well as a debunked conspiracy theory about 2016 election interference.
House Democrats and defense lawyers made final arguments Thursday for more than nine hours on the eve of Friday's crucial vote on additional evidence and witnesses.


cnbc--2020-01-31--John Delaney drops out of the 2020 Democratic primary race ahead of Iowa caucuses

Democratic presidential hopeful former Representative John Delaney speaks on stage at `` First in the West '' event in Las Vegas , Nevada on November 17 , 2019 .
Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney , the first Democrat to enter the 2020 race for president , has ended his campaign just days before the Iowa caucuses .
The announcement brings to a close the long-shot bid launched in 2017 , just months after President Donald Trump took office .
Delaney 's campaign , in its release , cited internal analysis that said he would not be able to reach necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caucuses , and that he did n't want to obstruct fellow moderate Democrats .
Recent polling showed that Delaney barely registered in Iowa , despite spending much of the past three years campaigning there .
`` John does not want the good work of his campaign to make it harder for those like-minded candidates on the bubble of viability in many Iowa precincts to advance in the Iowa caucuses and garner delegates , '' the campaign said .
Delaney , a wealthy businessman who lent his campaign millions of dollars , had pegged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state .
He often boasted of visiting every county in Iowa .
In the statement announcing his decision , Delaney did not say whether he would endorse one of his former rivals , but he appeared to take a shot at liberal candidates , such as Sens .
Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders .
`` Let 's stop the nonsense of unrealistic and divisive campaign promises and be the party the American people need – a decent , unifying , future-focused and common-sense party , '' he said .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the naysayers and the dividers ; while we have significant challenges and too many Americans are struggling , the world gets better every year and the United States of America has driven much of this progress – let 's keep it that way . ''
The self-described `` progressive businessman '' never gained traction among voters despite prolific personal spending .
Delaney loaned more than $ 20 million to his own campaign , FEC records show .
Delaney sought to distinguish himself by criticizing `` Medicare for All , '' a policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many of the leading Democratic contenders .
But that tactic failed to meet with much success .
During a June 2019 event in California , Delaney was nearly booed off the stage when he said Medicare for all was `` not good policy , nor is it good politics . ''
The Delaney campaign put its own spin on the incident , saying it was responsible for shaping the contours of the race .
After the first Democratic debates in Miami that month , the Delaney campaign issued a press release titled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Health Care . ''
`` It may have blown up our Twitter mentions but it also changed the debate in a very good way , '' Delaney said in the release , referring to getting booed in California .
`` Candidates are being forced to explain whether or not they want to eliminate private insurance .
The health care debate is now happening on our terms . ''
During the second Democratic debate in July , Delaney sparred with progressive front-runners Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass.
, setting the tone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple points drawing sharp rebukes from the two lawmakers .
`` I do n't understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really ca n't do and should n't fight for .
I do n't get it , '' Warren told him at one point .

Democratic presidential hopeful former Representative John Delaney speaks on stage at "First in the West" event in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 17, 2019.
Former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, the first Democrat to enter the 2020 race for president, has ended his campaign just days before the Iowa caucuses.
The announcement brings to a close the long-shot bid launched in 2017, just months after President Donald Trump took office.
Delaney's campaign, in its release, cited internal analysis that said he would not be able to reach necessary thresholds to compete in Monday's Iowa caucuses, and that he didn't want to obstruct fellow moderate Democrats. Recent polling showed that Delaney barely registered in Iowa, despite spending much of the past three years campaigning there.
"John does not want the good work of his campaign to make it harder for those like-minded candidates on the bubble of viability in many Iowa precincts to advance in the Iowa caucuses and garner delegates," the campaign said.
Delaney, a wealthy businessman who lent his campaign millions of dollars, had pegged much of his strategy to cultivating support in the state. He often boasted of visiting every county in Iowa.
In the statement announcing his decision, Delaney did not say whether he would endorse one of his former rivals, but he appeared to take a shot at liberal candidates, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
"Let's stop the nonsense of unrealistic and divisive campaign promises and be the party the American people need – a decent, unifying, future-focused and common-sense party," he said. "And please don't listen to the cynics, the naysayers and the dividers; while we have significant challenges and too many Americans are struggling, the world gets better every year and the United States of America has driven much of this progress – let's keep it that way."
The self-described "progressive businessman" never gained traction among voters despite prolific personal spending. Delaney loaned more than $20 million to his own campaign, FEC records show.
Delaney sought to distinguish himself by criticizing "Medicare for All," a policy championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders and supported by many of the leading Democratic contenders.
But that tactic failed to meet with much success. During a June 2019 event in California, Delaney was nearly booed off the stage when he said Medicare for all was "not good policy, nor is it good politics."
The Delaney campaign put its own spin on the incident, saying it was responsible for shaping the contours of the race.
After the first Democratic debates in Miami that month, the Delaney campaign issued a press release titled "John Delaney Changed the Democratic Debate on Health Care."
"It may have blown up our Twitter mentions but it also changed the debate in a very good way," Delaney said in the release, referring to getting booed in California. "Candidates are being forced to explain whether or not they want to eliminate private insurance. The health care debate is now happening on our terms."
During the second Democratic debate in July, Delaney sparred with progressive front-runners Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., setting the tone for much of the evening and at multiple points drawing sharp rebukes from the two lawmakers.
"I don't understand why anybody goes to all the trouble of running for president of the United States just to talk about what we really can't do and shouldn't fight for. I don't get it," Warren told him at one point.
Delaney failed to qualify for subsequent debates.


cnbc--2020-01-31--Crowds gather in London as Britain leaves the EU after 47 years of membership

LONDON - In the hours before the United Kingdom 's formal departure from the European Union , hundreds of politically-minded Britons flocked to the streets and public spaces of London 's Westminster district , the centuries-old home of the country 's legislature .
It has been an often contentious and occasionally fraught three-and-a-half years since a slim majority of voters opted for a future outside the world 's largest political bloc .
And on a night when that nation-altering 2016 referendum vote would become a reality , there were far more supporters of Brexit out in public than there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.K. 's familiar red , white and blue pattern provided splashes of color across Parliament Square on an otherwise grey wintry evening ; some flapping from the permanent mast poles around the perimeter , others draped around the necks of Brexit 's most ardent supporters .
`` It 's a very big celebration for me personally , '' said Michael Kinane , a Brexit supporter from Essex , just east of London , who sported a baseball cap decorated with the British flag .
`` I 've always believed in coming out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' It has been almost half a century since the United Kingdom signed up to join other major European nations in a precursor to the EU , and the decision to begin unpicking the political , legal and constitutional threads that have bound this island nation to the European continent for so many years has proved painful for many on both sides of the English Channel .
Boris Johnson , the prime minister who effectively surfed to power on a wave of populist resentment about British membership of the EU , broadcast a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of separation `` an astonishing moment of hope . ''
He acknowledged that there would be those who felt `` a sense of anxiety and loss , '' but insisted that Britain 's exit from Europe was `` not an end but a beginning . ''
In one sense this precise moment of parting occurs only on paper , since the U.K. will continue to abide by the EU 's rules and regulations for the next 11 months during an implementation period agreed with the EU to give businesses and citizens time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @

LONDON - In the hours before the United Kingdom's formal departure from the European Union, hundreds of politically-minded Britons flocked to the streets and public spaces of London's Westminster district, the centuries-old home of the country's legislature.
It has been an often contentious and occasionally fraught three-and-a-half years since a slim majority of voters opted for a future outside the world's largest political bloc. And on a night when that nation-altering 2016 referendum vote would become a reality, there were far more supporters of Brexit out in public than there were opponents.
Dozens of national flags in the U.K.'s familiar red, white and blue pattern provided splashes of color across Parliament Square on an otherwise grey wintry evening; some flapping from the permanent mast poles around the perimeter, others draped around the necks of Brexit's most ardent supporters.
"It's a very big celebration for me personally," said Michael Kinane, a Brexit supporter from Essex, just east of London, who sported a baseball cap decorated with the British flag. "I've always believed in coming out and being independent from the EU."
It has been almost half a century since the United Kingdom signed up to join other major European nations in a precursor to the EU, and the decision to begin unpicking the political, legal and constitutional threads that have bound this island nation to the European continent for so many years has proved painful for many on both sides of the English Channel.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister who effectively surfed to power on a wave of populist resentment about British membership of the EU, broadcast a message late Friday calling the formal act of separation "an astonishing moment of hope."
He acknowledged that there would be those who felt "a sense of anxiety and loss," but insisted that Britain's exit from Europe was "not an end but a beginning."
In one sense this precise moment of parting occurs only on paper, since the U.K. will continue to abide by the EU's rules and regulations for the next 11 months during an implementation period agreed with the EU to give businesses and citizens time to adjust to as-yet uncertain new circumstances.


cnbc--2020-01-31--Trump impeachment trial: Legal teams answer final questions from senators before key witness vote

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff ( D-CA ) speaks to reporters in the Senate basement at the U.S. Capitol as the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump continues on January 30 , 2020 in Washington , DC .
House Democrats and defense lawyers made final arguments Thursday for more than nine hours on the eve of Friday 's crucial vote on additional evidence and witnesses .
Officially structured as the second day of the question-and-answer portion of the trial , the tenor and content of the questions directed to both the president 's lawyers and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhetorical as the day wore on .
At least one question was incendiary enough to be rejected outright from the presiding officer , Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts , and reporters watching from the Senate gallery noted an increased number of senators away from their seats .
Yet the most important questions on Capitol Hill on Thursday were not the ones being read by Roberts himself .
They were the ones swirling around a small group of moderate Republican senators who are still undecided on whether to vote for additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Late Thursday night , two of those senators , Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Susan Collins of Maine , announced their plans .
Alexander confirmed that he would vote against any proposals for further witnesses .
Collins broke the other way , announcing that she will vote to admit additional evidence in the trial .
The witness vote is expected to occur Friday afternoon , and will be a pivotal moment in the impeachment proceedings that have dogged Trump for months .
On Wednesday , Sen. Mitt Romney , R-Utah , signaled that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With Collins and Romney both yesses , and Alexander a no , it remained unclear late Thursday whether Democrats would be able to convince the minimum of four GOP senators required to admit new witnesses and documents .
The House voted to impeach Trump last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Democrats accuse Trump of withholding congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country to announce probes into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son , as well as a debunked conspiracy theory about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexander 's no vote may have dealt a mortal blow to Democrats ' hopes of calling additional witnesses in Trump 's trial .
Chief among these witnesses is former National Security Advisor John Bolton , who writes in a forthcoming book that Trump told him last summer that he did n't intend to release the U.S. aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainians agreed to investigate Trump 's political rivals .
It 's highly unlikely that two-thirds of the Senate will vote to throw a Republican president out of office .
Here are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ :

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks to reporters in the Senate basement at the U.S. Capitol as the Senate impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump continues on January 30, 2020 in Washington, DC.
House Democrats and defense lawyers made final arguments Thursday for more than nine hours on the eve of Friday's crucial vote on additional evidence and witnesses.
Officially structured as the second day of the question-and-answer portion of the trial, the tenor and content of the questions directed to both the president's lawyers and the Democratic House managers grew increasingly partisan and rhetorical as the day wore on.
At least one question was incendiary enough to be rejected outright from the presiding officer, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts, and reporters watching from the Senate gallery noted an increased number of senators away from their seats.
Yet the most important questions on Capitol Hill on Thursday were not the ones being read by Roberts himself. They were the ones swirling around a small group of moderate Republican senators who are still undecided on whether to vote for additional witnesses and documents in the trial.
Late Thursday night, two of those senators, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Susan Collins of Maine, announced their plans.
Alexander confirmed that he would vote against any proposals for further witnesses. Collins broke the other way, announcing that she will vote to admit additional evidence in the trial.
The witness vote is expected to occur Friday afternoon, and will be a pivotal moment in the impeachment proceedings that have dogged Trump for months.
On Wednesday, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, signaled that he would vote with the Democrats. With Collins and Romney both yesses, and Alexander a no, it remained unclear late Thursday whether Democrats would be able to convince the minimum of four GOP senators required to admit new witnesses and documents.
The House voted to impeach Trump last month on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democrats accuse Trump of withholding congressionally appropriated military aid to Ukraine while pressuring the country to announce probes into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, as well as a debunked conspiracy theory about 2016 election interference.
On balance, Alexander's no vote may have dealt a mortal blow to Democrats' hopes of calling additional witnesses in Trump's trial.
Chief among these witnesses is former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who writes in a forthcoming book that Trump told him last summer that he didn't intend to release the U.S. aid to Ukraine until the Ukrainians agreed to investigate Trump's political rivals.
It's highly unlikely that two-thirds of the Senate will vote to throw a Republican president out of office.
Here are the top moments from the impeachment trial Thursday:


cnbc--2020-02-03--Democrats get their first chance to choose their 2020 presidential candidate in Iowa, which has been

Democrats get their first chance to choose their 2020 presidential candidate in Iowa, which has been at the center of Trump's trade war

MARSHALLTOWN , Iowa — Ethan Crow says he has endured a `` rough '' two years .
The 32-year-old farmer , who grows crops such as corn and soybeans on land his family has held since the 1930s , has navigated a gantlet of wet land and low prices further depressed by President Donald Trump 's trade war with China .
He received a U.S. Department of Agriculture market facilitation payment , part of more than $ 20 billion in aid the administration doled out to farmers in 2018 and 2019 to mitigate trade war damage .
While Crow said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in helping family farms survive , he added that his community would `` so much rather have a good trade package instead of an aid package . ''
Crow expresses `` cautious optimism '' about the president 's `` phase one '' trade deal with China , which calls for $ 40 billion in Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods every year .
But he wants a quick resolution to an economic conflict that has made an already challenging environment for farmers even more precarious .
`` We 're acknowledging the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and in the meantime , we 've still got to pay our bills and keep groceries on the table , '' Crow said .
Iowa 's agriculture industry shows just one way the tumultuous three years of Trump 's presidency have shaped the state and the country .
With Monday 's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses , Democrats will start the process of choosing who will take on the president in November in what many White House hopefuls have described as the most consequential U.S. election in recent memory .
Polls suggest four Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vice President Joe Biden , Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg — have a good shot to leave Iowa with the most delegates .
A strong showing in the Hawkeye State can give candidates a bump in fundraising and legitimacy as they claw through early nominating states in their push to challenge Trump .
Democrats have tried to appeal to potential Iowa caucus attendees who , like large shares of voters in their party nationally , tend to say they care most about health care or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have refined their arguments against Trump , an incumbent buoyed by glowing voter views about the economy despite lackluster marks on most other issues .
The candidates ' arguments in the final days before the caucuses show the weaknesses they see in Trump 's case for reelection .
They have contended Trump has not done enough to rein in health-care costs , favored corporations over workers and consumers by cutting taxes and scaling back regulations , and brought the U.S. to the brink of war in the Middle East through reckless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In conversations with CNBC last week , Iowa voters mentioned a range of reasons for supporting a Democratic candidate .
Bruce Ersland , a 67-year-old who lives outside Marshalltown , said after a Biden event that he leans toward supporting the former vice president .
He noted that foreign policy helped Biden 's case , saying `` we were a lot closer to war than people thought '' following the U.S. killing of Iran 's top general in January .
Solomon Smith , a North Liberty resident whose 17-year-old son convinced him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said he supports the former mayor partly because he seemed `` more middle class '' than his rivals .
Warren backers frequently mentioned her plans to root out government corruption .
Sanders supporters most often cited his signature `` Medicare for All '' health-care plan .
`` Your farms are going to hell '' While a low jobless rate and steady economic growth have buoyed Trump during his first term , few economic issues have created as much of a threat to those trends as trade .
Iowa has an economy that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described as `` growing but not necessarily thriving . ''
Gross domestic product grew 1.3 % in the third quarter of 2019 from the second quarter , below the U.S. rate of 2.1 % .
The state had an unemployment rate of 2.7 % in December .
It was lower than the U.S. mark of 3.5 % during the same month — itself near a 50-year low .
While Iowa is associated with farming , the state 's economy is a lot more than agriculture .
Des Moines and Iowa 's other largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the technology and health-care sectors , Swenson said .
Apple and Facebook , among others , have opened data centers in Iowa in recent years .
However , the state 's manufacturing base has contracted .
Stress in the agricultural economy that started before Trump 's tenure has weighed on Iowa 's economy .
The trade war added to those pressures .
In 2018 alone , tariffs lopped at least $ 1 billion and up to $ 2 billion off Iowa 's gross state product , according to an Iowa State study .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ awareness of how trade could damage him politically .
At a pre-caucus rally in Des Moines on Thursday , the president pointed to the new North American trade deal and the phase one agreement with China as evidence of what he has accomplished for Iowa .
He argued Democrats would hurt farmers — a key constituency that Trump hopes to maintain amid trade angst .
`` We 're going to win the great state of Iowa and it 's going to be a historic landslide , '' Trump predicted .
`` And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to hell . ''
While the president carried Iowa by nearly 10 percentage points in 2016 , the 2018 midterms showed he can still face backlash in the state .
Democrats flipped two of Iowa 's four House seats that year in campaigns fueled by resistance to GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act , among other issues .
Both of the House members who beat incumbent Republicans — Reps. Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer — have endorsed Biden and argued he can help candidates down the ballot .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dave Loebsack , who will retire at the end of his current term , has backed Buttigieg .
Axne and Finkenauer , who could both face competitive reelection bids this year , have both spoken frequently about agriculture issues .
`` We currently have somebody right now sitting in the White House who has turned his back on Iowa farmers who are quite literally my friends and family , '' Finkenauer told the Telegraph Herald newspaper in Dubuque after an event with Biden last month .
While Democratic presidential candidates have not necessarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iowa , they have touched on the issues facing farmers in their proposals to boost rural America .
They have broadly called to transition to more sustainable farming and better enforce antitrust laws to fight consolidation in the industry .
Warren and Sanders have gone as far as pushing to break up existing agricultural behemoths .
Politicians locally have kept a keen eye on how trade and antitrust enforcement affect the agriculture industry .
J.D .
Scholten , a Democrat running for Congress in Iowa 's 4th District , which has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , criticized Trump last week for trying to unilaterally root out China 's trade abuses .
But he stressed to CNBC that tariffs are not the only factor damaging farmers .
`` Even if they went away tomorrow , farmers are not in a good shape .
And that does n't get talked about enough .
...
Honestly , a lot of these presidential campaigns , or candidates , at first only talked about the tariffs .
Market consolidation , we have to deal with , '' Scholten said .
Even so , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pressure they face .
Democratic politicians in the state have concerns about whether China can or will follow through on its commitments to buy $ 40 billion in U.S. agricultural products annually .
Crow , the Marshalltown farmer , said a fully implemented trade deal would be a `` major success '' for farmers .
`` We just need to know that we 've got the finances to be able to cover our bills here .
... That we can make an honest living with free trade , with the help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Farmer Ethan Crow in his home in Marshalltown, Iowa. Jacob Pramuk | CNBC
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Ethan Crow says he has endured a "rough" two years. The 32-year-old farmer, who grows crops such as corn and soybeans on land his family has held since the 1930s, has navigated a gantlet of wet land and low prices further depressed by President Donald Trump's trade war with China. He received a U.S. Department of Agriculture market facilitation payment, part of more than $20 billion in aid the administration doled out to farmers in 2018 and 2019 to mitigate trade war damage. While Crow said the money has proved "pretty instrumental" in helping family farms survive, he added that his community would "so much rather have a good trade package instead of an aid package." Crow expresses "cautious optimism" about the president's "phase one" trade deal with China, which calls for $40 billion in Chinese purchases of U.S. agricultural goods every year. But he wants a quick resolution to an economic conflict that has made an already challenging environment for farmers even more precarious. "We're acknowledging the fact that it's going to take time, and in the meantime, we've still got to pay our bills and keep groceries on the table," Crow said.
Tom Steyer (L-R), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) await the start of the Democratic presidential primary debate at Drake University on January 14, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. Spencer Platt | Getty Images
Iowa's agriculture industry shows just one way the tumultuous three years of Trump's presidency have shaped the state and the country. With Monday's first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, Democrats will start the process of choosing who will take on the president in November in what many White House hopefuls have described as the most consequential U.S. election in recent memory. Polls suggest four Democratic contenders — Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg — have a good shot to leave Iowa with the most delegates. A strong showing in the Hawkeye State can give candidates a bump in fundraising and legitimacy as they claw through early nominating states in their push to challenge Trump. Democrats have tried to appeal to potential Iowa caucus attendees who, like large shares of voters in their party nationally, tend to say they care most about health care or climate change. At the same time, they have refined their arguments against Trump, an incumbent buoyed by glowing voter views about the economy despite lackluster marks on most other issues. The candidates' arguments in the final days before the caucuses show the weaknesses they see in Trump's case for reelection. They have contended Trump has not done enough to rein in health-care costs, favored corporations over workers and consumers by cutting taxes and scaling back regulations, and brought the U.S. to the brink of war in the Middle East through reckless foreign policy, among other Democratic arguments.
Joe Biden campaign sign outside of a field office in Fairfield, IA. Jacob Pramuk | CNBC
In conversations with CNBC last week, Iowa voters mentioned a range of reasons for supporting a Democratic candidate. Bruce Ersland, a 67-year-old who lives outside Marshalltown, said after a Biden event that he leans toward supporting the former vice president. He noted that foreign policy helped Biden's case, saying "we were a lot closer to war than people thought" following the U.S. killing of Iran's top general in January. Solomon Smith, a North Liberty resident whose 17-year-old son convinced him to go to a Buttigieg town hall, said he supports the former mayor partly because he seemed "more middle class" than his rivals. Warren backers frequently mentioned her plans to root out government corruption. Sanders supporters most often cited his signature "Medicare for All" health-care plan.
"Your farms are going to hell"
While a low jobless rate and steady economic growth have buoyed Trump during his first term, few economic issues have created as much of a threat to those trends as trade. Iowa has an economy that Iowa State University economics professor David Swenson described as "growing but not necessarily thriving." Gross domestic product grew 1.3% in the third quarter of 2019 from the second quarter, below the U.S. rate of 2.1%. The state had an unemployment rate of 2.7% in December. It was lower than the U.S. mark of 3.5% during the same month — itself near a 50-year low. While Iowa is associated with farming, the state's economy is a lot more than agriculture. Des Moines and Iowa's other largest metropolitan areas have enjoyed a boost from the technology and health-care sectors, Swenson said. Apple and Facebook , among others, have opened data centers in Iowa in recent years. However, the state's manufacturing base has contracted. Stress in the agricultural economy that started before Trump's tenure has weighed on Iowa's economy. The trade war added to those pressures. In 2018 alone, tariffs lopped at least $1 billion and up to $2 billion off Iowa's gross state product, according to an Iowa State study. The farm aid payments show Trump's awareness of how trade could damage him politically. At a pre-caucus rally in Des Moines on Thursday, the president pointed to the new North American trade deal and the phase one agreement with China as evidence of what he has accomplished for Iowa. He argued Democrats would hurt farmers — a key constituency that Trump hopes to maintain amid trade angst. "We're going to win the great state of Iowa and it's going to be a historic landslide," Trump predicted. "And if we don't win, your farms are going to hell." While the president carried Iowa by nearly 10 percentage points in 2016, the 2018 midterms showed he can still face backlash in the state. Democrats flipped two of Iowa's four House seats that year in campaigns fueled by resistance to GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, among other issues. Both of the House members who beat incumbent Republicans — Reps. Cindy Axne and Abby Finkenauer — have endorsed Biden and argued he can help candidates down the ballot. The state's other Democratic congressman, Rep. Dave Loebsack, who will retire at the end of his current term, has backed Buttigieg.
Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten wave following a campaign town hall in North Liberty, Iowa on Jan. 27, 2020. Jacob Pramuk | CNBC


cnbc--2020-02-03--Trump impeachment trial: Closing arguments focus on 2020 presidential election

WASHINGTON – As the Iowa caucuses officially kicked off the 2020 presidential election Monday , November 's ballot was foremost on the minds of the president 's lawyers and the House impeachment managers as they delivered closing arguments in President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial .
`` The president 's personal interest is now clear : to cheat in the next election , '' said Rep. Val Demings , D-Fla. , one of the Democratic managers making the case for the removal of the president .
Lead House manager Rep. Adam Schiff , D-Calif. , asked senators to vote on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that , if left in office , [ Trump will ] continue to seek foreign interference in the next election . ''
Yet the president 's defense lawyers also zeroed in on this November 's election , arguing that voters , and not senators , should be the ones to decide whether Trump stays in office or not .
`` We put our faith in the Senate because we know that you will put your faith in the American people , '' White House counsel said Pat Cipollone in his closing arguments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them where it belongs , '' he said .
`` We believe that they should choose the president . ''
With the Republican-majority Senate poised to acquit the president in a vote Wednesday afternoon , Monday 's closing arguments offered Democrats an opportunity to leave the viewing public with two final thoughts : Firstly , that Trump 's actions were craven and corrupt , and second , that Trump still presents a clear danger to both national security and the integrity of the 2020 presidential election .
Here are the top moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trial , the House managers buttressed their arguments with weighty , high-minded references to the Constitution , the founding fathers , and a slew of other historical and political icons .
In his closing statement , Rep. Jason Crow , D-Colo. , invoked a much different authority : Dumbledore , the patriarchal wizard of the `` Harry Potter '' fantasy novel series .
`` Many of us in this room are parents .
We all try to teach our kids the important lessons of life .
One of these lessons is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you wo n't always be the fastest , and you wo n't always win , '' Crow said .
`` There are a lot of things outside our control , but my wife and I have tried to teach our kids that what we can always control are our choices . ''
He added : `` It 's in that spirit that , hanging in my son 's room , is a quote from Harry Potter .
The quote is from Professor Dumbledore , who said , 'It is our choices that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than our abilities . '
'' According to Trump 's personal lawyer , Jay Sekulow , internal and external objections to Trump 's pressure campaign on Ukraine were not objections to crimes , but merely `` policy disputes '' with career bureaucrats and Democrats .
`` Elections have consequences .
We all know that , '' Sekulow said .
`` If you do not like the policies of a particular administration or a particular candidate , you are free and welcome to vote for another candidate .
But the answer is elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the point a step further .
`` At the end of the day , this is an effort to overturn the results of one election and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa , '' he said .
`` There is only one answer to that , and the answer is to reject those articles of impeachment .
To have confidence in the American people , and to have confidence in the result of the upcoming election , and to have confidence and respect for the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he added .
`` And to leave the choice of the president to the American people . ''
Schiff : 'The sun will rise again' But Schiff 's lofty closing argument was the part of Monday 's proceedings that are most likely to be replayed in the coming months .
The president and his lawyers , Schiff argued , have retreated to their `` final defense .
He 's guilty as sin , but ca n't we just let the voters decide ?
He 's guilty as sin , but why not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
`` Can we be confident that he will not continue to try to cheat in that very election ?
No you ca n't .
You ca n't trust this president to do the right thing , not for one minute .
Not for one election .
Not for the sake of our country .
He will not change , and you know it . ''
The nation 's founders , Schiff said , `` gave you a remedy , and they meant for you to use it .
They gave you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to observe it . ''
He added : `` It may be midnight in Washington , but the sun will rise again .
I put my faith and my optimism in the founders .
You should , too . ''
The House voted to impeach Trump in December on two articles , abuse of power and obstruction of Congress , both stemming from Trump 's handling of the U.S. relationship with Ukraine .
Trump has denied wrongdoing .

In this screengrab taken from a Senate Television webcast, House manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks during impeachment proceedings against U.S. President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol on February 3, 2020 in Washington, DC. Senate TV | Getty Images
WASHINGTON – As the Iowa caucuses officially kicked off the 2020 presidential election Monday, November's ballot was foremost on the minds of the president's lawyers and the House impeachment managers as they delivered closing arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. "The president's personal interest is now clear: to cheat in the next election," said Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., one of the Democratic managers making the case for the removal of the president. Lead House manager Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., asked senators to vote on Trump's guilt or innocence, "knowing that, if left in office, [Trump will] continue to seek foreign interference in the next election." Yet the president's defense lawyers also zeroed in on this November's election, arguing that voters, and not senators, should be the ones to decide whether Trump stays in office or not. "We put our faith in the Senate because we know that you will put your faith in the American people," White House counsel said Pat Cipollone in his closing arguments. "You will leave this choice to them where it belongs," he said. "We believe that they should choose the president." With the Republican-majority Senate poised to acquit the president in a vote Wednesday afternoon, Monday's closing arguments offered Democrats an opportunity to leave the viewing public with two final thoughts: Firstly, that Trump's actions were craven and corrupt, and second, that Trump still presents a clear danger to both national security and the integrity of the 2020 presidential election. Here are the top moments of Monday's closing arguments:
Crow's impeachment muse: Dumbledore
Throughout the trial, the House managers buttressed their arguments with weighty, high-minded references to the Constitution, the founding fathers, and a slew of other historical and political icons. In his closing statement, Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., invoked a much different authority: Dumbledore, the patriarchal wizard of the "Harry Potter" fantasy novel series. "Many of us in this room are parents. We all try to teach our kids the important lessons of life. One of these lessons is that you won't always be the strongest, you won't always be the fastest, and you won't always win," Crow said. "There are a lot of things outside our control, but my wife and I have tried to teach our kids that what we can always control are our choices." He added: "It's in that spirit that, hanging in my son's room, is a quote from Harry Potter. The quote is from Professor Dumbledore, who said, 'It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.'"
Defense downplays Trump, focuses on Dems
According to Trump's personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, internal and external objections to Trump's pressure campaign on Ukraine were not objections to crimes, but merely "policy disputes" with career bureaucrats and Democrats. "Elections have consequences. We all know that," Sekulow said. "If you do not like the policies of a particular administration or a particular candidate, you are free and welcome to vote for another candidate. But the answer is elections, not impeachment." Cipollone took the point a step further. "At the end of the day, this is an effort to overturn the results of one election and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa," he said. "There is only one answer to that, and the answer is to reject those articles of impeachment. To have confidence in the American people, and to have confidence in the result of the upcoming election, and to have confidence and respect for the last election and not throw it out," he added. "And to leave the choice of the president to the American people."
Schiff: 'The sun will rise again'
But Schiff's lofty closing argument was the part of Monday's proceedings that are most likely to be replayed in the coming months. The president and his lawyers, Schiff argued, have retreated to their "final defense. He's guilty as sin, but can't we just let the voters decide? He's guilty as sin, but why not let the voters clean up this mess?" "Can we be confident that he will not continue to try to cheat in that very election? No you can't. You can't trust this president to do the right thing, not for one minute. Not for one election. Not for the sake of our country. He will not change, and you know it." The nation's founders, Schiff said, "gave you a remedy, and they meant for you to use it. They gave you an oath, and they meant for you to observe it." He added: "It may be midnight in Washington, but the sun will rise again. I put my faith and my optimism in the founders. You should, too." The House voted to impeach Trump in December on two articles, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, both stemming from Trump's handling of the U.S. relationship with Ukraine. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
Next steps


cnbc--2020-02-03--Powerful Trump supporters urge donors to shun John Bolton's super PAC after bombshell book revelatio

Powerful Trump supporters urge donors to shun John Bolton's super PAC after bombshell book revelations

National Security Advisor John R. Bolton listens as President Donald J. Trump meets with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House on Thursday , July 18th , 2019 in Washington , DC .
`` You 're on the president 's side or you 're not .
It 's simple , '' said Arthur Schwartz , a Republican consultant with close ties to the White House .
The move by these donors to take on Bolton is the latest example of how Trump has command of those who fund the Republican Party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to give to his committees following a report in The New York Times about claims Bolton made in a draft of the book , according to people with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be named in order to speak freely about Bolton .
Several of President Donald Trump 's most loyal donors and supporters are telling other conservative financiers to shun former national security advisor John Bolton 's political action committee and super PAC as he prepares to publish a memoir that is reportedly critical of the administration .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican foreign policy establishment .
Known for his hawkish views on adversarial nations such as Iran and North Korea , Bolton served in the Reagan administration as well as the administrations of both President George H.W .
Bush and President George W. Bush .
Bolton runs a super PAC and a PAC that are currently backing five Republican lawmakers : Sens .
Tom Cotton of Arkansas , Cory Gardner of Colorado and Thom Tillis of North Carolina , and Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Lee Zeldin of New York .
All five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The PACs were originally created in 2013 to support candidates who favor strong national security policies .
Now Trump loyalists are trying to dismantle Bolton 's influence by targeting his political action committees .
`` He 's dead to everyone , '' said a longtime aide of a Trump megadonor .
This person added that it 's a `` safe assumption '' that Bolton 's PACs will not survive with the effort being made against him .
Donald Trump Jr. , the president 's eldest son , reveled in the onslaught — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies left in Washington by the end of the week .
`` Bolton is going to wake up Thursday , come to the sad realization that he 's running out of usefulness to his newfound Democrat/media 'friends ' and will be facing a very lonely end to his lackluster ( could never get Senate confirmation ) career , '' Trump Jr. said in a written message sent to CNBC through a representative .
He was referring to how Bolton was a recess appointment to the role of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return a request for comment , nor did representatives for the lawmakers backed by the Bolton committees .
Shortly after leaving the White House in September , Bolton reopened both of his political operations .
In the past , the organizations have relied on contributions from wealthy donors who are now staunch financial supporters of the president , including Richard Uihlein , the founder of shipping supply company Uline ; Bernard Marcus , the co-founder of Home Depot ; and real estate executive Geoff Palmer .
Onetime major Trump backer Robert Mercer spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While Mercer has signaled he may not get directly involved with Trump 's reelection , his family nonprofit has still been spending millions on conservative causes that align with the president 's agenda .
None of these donors gave to Bolton 's PAC or super PAC since he departed the administration , Federal Election Commission filings show .
Both organizations combined raised just over $ 120,000 but have over $ 2 million on hand .
Two of the biggest checks to the PAC came from Bolton and his wife , Gretchen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bolton super PAC hired Cambridge Analytica , a data analytics firm that was accused of harvesting Facebook user data in the 2016 election , according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
Mercer and his daughter Rebekah helped fund the project , before the company announced they were closing in 2018 .
A draft of Bolton 's book , `` The Room Where It Happened , '' reportedly depicts a time when Trump told his former advisor to help with an alleged pressure campaign on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolton 's draft , that the national security advisor 's effort would lead to an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden , one of his chief political rivals running for president .
Trump has denied that the conversation ever took place and the National Security Council has said a review of the book shows that it `` appears to contain significant amounts of classified information . ''
The book is scheduled to be released in March , although the White House has threatened against publication .
Bolton had said he 'd be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proceedings if he were to be subpoenaed .
He reportedly defended the integrity of witnesses who testified during the House impeachment inquiry at a recent event in Austin , Texas .
The Senate voted against calling witnesses for their impeachment trial on Friday .
Several of the president 's backers in the big-money donor world see Bolton 's actions as helpful to Democrats .
`` Giving money to Bolton is no different than giving money to Schumer , Pelosi or Schiff , '' Schwartz , the Republican consultant , said , referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York , and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff , both of California .
`` You ca n't stand with the president and also stand with Bolton , '' he said .
Schwartz contributed $ 50,000 in 2018 to America First Action , a super PAC pushing Trump 's reelection effort .
Dan Eberhart , who has given to a wide range of Republican causes , says he and allies are committed to shunning Bolton .
`` GOP donors are with the president , '' Eberhart said .
`` Ambassador Bolton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

National Security Advisor John R. Bolton listens as President Donald J. Trump meets with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House on Thursday, July 18th, 2019 in Washington, DC.
"You're on the president's side or you're not. It's simple," said Arthur Schwartz, a Republican consultant with close ties to the White House.
The move by these donors to take on Bolton is the latest example of how Trump has command of those who fund the Republican Party.
The financiers are signaling to their networks not to give to his committees following a report in The New York Times about claims Bolton made in a draft of the book , according to people with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be named in order to speak freely about Bolton.
Several of President Donald Trump 's most loyal donors and supporters are telling other conservative financiers to shun former national security advisor John Bolton's political action committee and super PAC as he prepares to publish a memoir that is reportedly critical of the administration.
Bolton is a longtime pillar of the Republican foreign policy establishment. Known for his hawkish views on adversarial nations such as Iran and North Korea, Bolton served in the Reagan administration as well as the administrations of both President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush.
Bolton runs a super PAC and a PAC that are currently backing five Republican lawmakers: Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and Lee Zeldin of New York. All five candidates are up for reelection this year. The PACs were originally created in 2013 to support candidates who favor strong national security policies.
Now Trump loyalists are trying to dismantle Bolton's influence by targeting his political action committees.
"He's dead to everyone," said a longtime aide of a Trump megadonor. This person added that it's a "safe assumption" that Bolton's PACs will not survive with the effort being made against him.
Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, reveled in the onslaught — and predicted that Bolton will have no allies left in Washington by the end of the week.
"Bolton is going to wake up Thursday, come to the sad realization that he's running out of usefulness to his newfound Democrat/media 'friends' and will be facing a very lonely end to his lackluster (could never get Senate confirmation) career," Trump Jr. said in a written message sent to CNBC through a representative. He was referring to how Bolton was a recess appointment to the role of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Tweet:
A spokeswoman for Bolton did not return a request for comment, nor did representatives for the lawmakers backed by the Bolton committees.
Shortly after leaving the White House in September, Bolton reopened both of his political operations. In the past, the organizations have relied on contributions from wealthy donors who are now staunch financial supporters of the president, including Richard Uihlein, the founder of shipping supply company Uline; Bernard Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot; and real estate executive Geoff Palmer.
Onetime major Trump backer Robert Mercer spent millions investing in Bolton's super PAC. While Mercer has signaled he may not get directly involved with Trump's reelection, his family nonprofit has still been spending millions on conservative causes that align with the president's agenda.
None of these donors gave to Bolton's PAC or super PAC since he departed the administration, Federal Election Commission filings show. Both organizations combined raised just over $120,000 but have over $2 million on hand. Two of the biggest checks to the PAC came from Bolton and his wife, Gretchen, records show.
Starting in 2014, the Bolton super PAC hired Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that was accused of harvesting Facebook user data in the 2016 election, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Mercer and his daughter Rebekah helped fund the project, before the company announced they were closing in 2018.
A draft of Bolton's book, "The Room Where It Happened," reportedly depicts a time when Trump told his former advisor to help with an alleged pressure campaign on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The president hoped, according to reports about Bolton's draft, that the national security advisor's effort would lead to an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, one of his chief political rivals running for president. Trump has denied that the conversation ever took place and the National Security Council has said a review of the book shows that it "appears to contain significant amounts of classified information."
The book is scheduled to be released in March, although the White House has threatened against publication.
Bolton had said he'd be willing to testify during the Senate impeachment proceedings if he were to be subpoenaed. He reportedly defended the integrity of witnesses who testified during the House impeachment inquiry at a recent event in Austin, Texas. The Senate voted against calling witnesses for their impeachment trial on Friday.
Several of the president's backers in the big-money donor world see Bolton's actions as helpful to Democrats.
"Giving money to Bolton is no different than giving money to Schumer, Pelosi or Schiff," Schwartz, the Republican consultant, said, referring to Democratic lawmakers Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Adam Schiff, both of California. "You can't stand with the president and also stand with Bolton," he said. Schwartz contributed $50,000 in 2018 to America First Action, a super PAC pushing Trump's reelection effort.
Dan Eberhart, who has given to a wide range of Republican causes, says he and allies are committed to shunning Bolton.
"GOP donors are with the president," Eberhart said. "Ambassador Bolton might as well be a Democrat."