After his DC meet'n'greet with Republican House members-- with, for some reason, Reince Priebus and Ivanka Trump in tow-- and where he was introduced by a poorly trained seal jonesin' for a fish Lawrence Kudlow, Raul Labrador (R-ID) told the press Trump "needs a number 2 guy that's solid behind the Constitution... someone like Ted Cruz." Paul Ryan said his Republicans were happy to have had a meeting with Trump and to hear his views, presumably including extolling the newly invented virtues of Saddam Hussein... to a roomful of Republican zombies who voted vigorously to attack Iraq and still defend that vote to this day.Immediately after, Trump waddled over the the NRSC building and boasted how he is going to win Michigan, Oregon, Connecticut, California and New York, deep blue states where he is widely perceived as having no chance at all. (he also bragged he would win Illinois and Illinois' Republican senator, who detests him, remarked that "We haven’t seen a personality like his too much in the Midwest: Eastern, privileged, wealthy bully. Our bullies are made of better stuff in Illinois. We’re much more practical and polite.") Normally Republicans don't even waste their money in any of these states except, occasionally Michigan, where they are always disappointed. In 2012 Obama beat Romney, who grew up in Michigan and where his father was a popular governor, 2,561,911 (54%) to 2,112,673 (45%). Obama didn't just sweep Wayne County-- with 73%, by the way-- he took all the Detroit suburban counties to boot: Oakland (54%), Washtenaw (67%). Monroe (50%), Macomb (52%). Clinton is expected to do even better than Obama did in California, where Obama beat Romney 6,493,924 (59%) to 4,202,127 (38%), and in New York, where Obama beat him 3,875,826 (63%) to 2,226,637 (36%). What is especially worrying to many House Republicans is that Obama carried their districts in 2012 and Hillary seems to be ready to out-perform him, especially in districts like these:
• NY-01- Zeldin• IA-01- Blum• IL-10- Dold• MI-02- open• VA-02- open• PA-07- Meehan• MN-03- Paulsen• FL-26- Curbelo• NH-01- Guinta• FL-27- Ros-Lehtinen• FL-13- Jolly• CA-10- Denham• NY-02- King• NY-03- MacArthur• IA-03- Young• NY-21- Stefanik• IL-12- Bost• CO-06- Coffman• NY-19- open• CA-21 Valadao• NV-04- Hardy• NY-24- Katko
These should be the first line of attack for an invigorated and competent DCCC. Pelosi's DCCC is neither and they've already scratched most of these races, some intentionally (like FL-27, NY-02 and PA-07) and some due to incompetent recruiting (like NY-01, IA-02, IL-10, NY-21 to name just a few). The Republicans must be thanking their lucky stars Pelosi is so senile and Israel and Wasserman Schultz are so corrupt.The California Field Poll released Thursday showing Hillary trouncing Trumpy the Clown with an unprecedented 58-28% pointed out that Trumpy has virtually no cross-over appeal at all. If you're brain-washed by Hate Talk Radio and Fox, Trump's your guy. Normal people don't give him a second glance, not even the ones uncomfortable with her. She's beatiung him among men 53-24% and among women 62-24%. Democratic voters have no interest in him and his support among independents is "anemic, with no more than one in five backing his candidacy... Support for Trump is also unusually low among the state's ethnic voters. In a two-candidate field, Clinton is backed by 75% of the state's Latinos and 87% of its African Americans. By contrast, Trump draws the support of just 12% and 3% of these voters, respectively."During the meeting at the NRSC-- boycotted by Rob Portman (R-OH), MarcoRubio (R-FL), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Mark Kirk (R-IL), John McCain (R-AZ) and Pat Toomey, all of whom are in tough reelection battles-- Trump got into a dust-up with Jeff Flake (R-AZ) over his attack on McCain.Trump warned him he would lose his re-election (which he doesn't have until 2018). Trump pointed out that he hasn't attacked Flake yet but threatened that he might soon begin doing so. Flake told reporters that he's not going to the Trump convention in Cleveland because he already has an appointment that week to mow his lawn. Trump also attacked Kirk for withdrawing his endorsement, although Kirk wasn't there. He bitched to McConnell that he "isn't feeling the love." McConnell told reporters that "We had a good meeting... very good attendance."After the meeting over at the House , Rep. Charlie Dent (PA) told reporters, reality not withstanding, that there had been questions to Trump from Members about his comments on Hispanics and how he performs with them. Dent, stifling a giggle, told them that Trump said "Hispanics love me... We are dealing with a very unconventional candidate here who's made a number of incendiary comments." Another GOP congressman not impressed was Mark Sanford of South Carolina who described Trump as "loose and reckless on the facts."Norm Coleman is no longer a senator. He went to my elementary school in Brooklyn, PS-197, but wound up in Minneapolis. Al Franken defeated him after one undistinguished term. He wasn't invited to Trump's meeting with senators, of course, but I can't imagine he would have gone, at least judging by the OpEd he wrote about Trump in March for the Star Tribune:
I won't vote for Donald Trump.I won't vote for Donald Trump because of who he isn't.He isn't a Republican. He isn't a conservative. He isn't a truth teller.He's not a uniter. Donald Trump isn't the leader America needs after eight years of a president who deliberately divided us and fanned the flames of racial and socioeconomic strife-- and, by doing so, diminished America's standing in the world.I also won't vote for Donald Trump because of who he is.A bigot. A misogynist. A fraud. A bully.Who Donald Trump is should have been at the core of his campaign for president of the United States.Instead, what Trump wanted us to believe is a marketing package that has been sold to the American people.He is accused of stealing $40 million from thousands of fellow Americans through a phony "college"-- promising opportunity to achieve the American Dream. He has left in his wake failed enterprises such as Trump Airlines, Trump Mortgage and Trump Vodka. His multiple corporate bankruptcies have left scores of "little guys"-- suppliers-- with unpaid bills. He is not to be trusted with billions of dollars from the hardworking labor of millions of other fellow Americans.When a man mocks the disabled, dismisses the valor and honor of America's veterans, such as Sen. John McCain, and defames the last Republican commander-in-chief, he is not to be trusted to lead our nation's military in times of peace or war.There is a coarseness to Trump that degrades the political discourse, such as when he calls women "fat pigs" or attacks a female reporter by a not-so-subtle reference to her menstrual cycle.And any man who declines to renounce the affections of the KKK and David Duke should not be trusted to lead America. Ever.We have been deceived by a con artist. A fraud wrapped in the veneer of being a businessman, who has slapped a slogan on a baseball cap and is closer to being president of the United States than any bigot, misogynist, fraud and bully in modern American history.Republican leaders are to blame. Of this there is no doubt. Republicans like me and others who could not believe or comprehend that anyone would take Donald Trump seriously.Republicans like me and others who did not understand just how angry, bitter, frustrated and anxious millions of Americans are about the future of our nation and their own economic and personal safety.Americans are hungry for a strong leader. And yes, Trump projects strength. But his embrace of Putin, his lauding the butchery of Tiananmen Square, and the praise he evokes from French fascist Jean-Marie Le Pen-- the founder of France's National Front-- and American fascist David Duke, signal a strength that is inconsistent with American ideals of justice and liberty....It is said that our leaders are a reflection of who we are.If we believe that, then people like Donald Trump will fall.If not, then people like Donald Trump will rise up, and like every fascist before them, will lead a nation to its doom.America is a great nation. We were a great nation long before Donald Trump sold us on a slogan-- and we can be a great nation without Trump's false promises built on a legacy of fiction.Keep America great.Fire Donald Trump.
Minnesota, one of the most literate and well-educated states in the country, was the state where Trump performed most poorly. The Republican caucuses face Trump just 24,018 votes (21.3%). He was badly beaten by Rubio and Cruz. Rubio won 5 congressional districts (and 17 delegates) and Cruz won 3 congressional districts and 13 delegates. Trump lost everywhere and wound up with 8 delegates. Not surprisingly, Trump's worst performance was in the Twin Cities, where he only won 15.6% of Republican voters. He did nearly as badly in the 2 districts that encompass the Minneapolis suburbs.
