| | | | Obamacare premium hikes give GOP an opening | | Donald Trump was handed a huge political gift: Obamacare premiums are set to soar by 22% next year, a government report shows -- giving Republicans a huge opening to go on offense against Hillary Clinton, who has bear-hugged President Barack Obama all election cycle.
But Trump fumbled the ball. He claimed that employees at his Doral golf resort are struggling with Obamacare -- and then said, minutes later, that his employees don't use Obamacare.
Here's Trump, take one: "All of my employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare."
And Trump, take two, when reporters asked whether his workers were on Obamacare: "Some of them are, but most of them, no."
Trump also claimed -- with zero supporting evidence -- that the Department of Health and Human Services was low-balling the rate increases. CNN's Jeremy Diamond, Julia Manchester and Ashley Killough look at his claims. And The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza writes: "Trump has, of course, made the contest entirely about him. Which significantly lessens his ability to capitalize on the Obamacare news, which should be a massively negative development for Clinton's chances of winning the White House."
Down-ballot Republicans quickly swung into action. The National Republican Senatorial Committee blasted out a video of Katie McGinty, a Pennsylvania Democrat who is locked in a tight race with incumbent Republican Pat Toomey, in which she said that Democrats should be "proud of" Obamacare. "Is Shady Katie still proud of Obamacare?" the NRSC release asked. Iowa Republican Party chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement that Democrat Patty Judge, who is seeking to unseat GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, "cheers and hollers for the Obamacare disaster." | | "I have no interest in Trump TV." | | | Swing-state shuffle: Is Arizona tilting Clinton's way? | | Arizona is looking better for Hillary Clinton. A new Monmouth University poll shows Donald Trump and Clinton separated by 1 point -- a statistical tie -- in the traditionally red state that's now a battleground. Helping Clinton: The Washington Post notes that she has 32 offices there ... while Trump has zero.
Keep an eye out tomorrow morning: We'll have the latest early vote numbers showing Democrats -- not Republicans -- with an advantage so far in Arizona.
Florida's a no-go for Senate Democrats. Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee are resisting calls to redirect cash into the Florida Senate race -- despite pressure behind the scenes to change course and target Republican Marco Rubio, reports CNN's Manu Raju.
McConnell group makes a $25 million investment: Politico's Alex Isenstadt reports the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Mitch McConnell, is spending $25 million into seven races -- including $7.5 million to prop up Joe Heck in Nevada and $5 million for Pat Toomey in Pennsylvania.
Other stories to note today...
-- House Speaker Paul Ryan is headed to Montana for a campaign stop with Rep. Ryan Zinke. (This isn't just about keeping the state's only House seat. Zinke is a top prospect to face Sen. Jon Tester in 2018.)
-- Is Colorado turning blue -- for good? CNN's Marshall Cohen and Jeff Simon dive in.
What to watch tomorrow: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus has scheduled a call with members of the party, according to an invitation obtained by CNN's Tal Kopan. | | CNN's Cassie Spodak and Gregory Krieg launched a great project today featuring the voters CNN reporters have met across the country.
The caption for this one: "Erica Smegielski, the daughter of slain Sandy Hook Elementary School principal, hugs Sam Saylor, whose 20-year old son was murdered in 2012. The two met during a Clinton event in Hartford on Thursday. 'Be nice to each other. It's really all that matters,' reads Smegielski's tattoo. #myvote" | | Trump: Clinton would start World War III over Syria | | | Donald Trump told Reuters' Steve Holland today that Hillary Clinton's Syria policies would "lead to World War III" because of the potential clash with a nuclear-armed Russia. Trump said: "What we should do is focus on ISIS. We should not be focusing on Syria. You're going to end up in World War III over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton. You're not fighting Syria any more, you're fighting Syria, Russia and Iran, all right? Russia is a nuclear country, but a country where the nukes work as opposed to other countries that talk." | | Biden, Trump seem to actually want to fistfight | | Vice President Joe Biden initially raised eyebrows last week, joking he wanted to fight Trump. On Monday, he said: "I'll get myself in trouble and say something like, I'd like to take him behind the gym if I were in high school. I mean, all kidding aside, wouldn't you? I mean, for real. Can you imagine a guy in the locker room talking that way? And your sister's out there watching the game. Not a joke."
Here's Trump's response, tonight in Tallahassee: "Did you see -- Biden wants to take me to the back of the barn. Me. I'd love that. I'd love that. Mr. Tough Guy. You know, he's Mr. Tough Guy. You know when he's Mr. Tough Guy? When he's standing behind a microphone by himself." | | Colin Powell says he's voting for Clinton | | | Colin Powell, the Republican former secretary of state and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday he'll vote for Hillary Clinton, a high-profile snub of his party's standard-bearer, Donald Trump. He announced his plan to a Long Island group during a luncheon. The announcement was confirmed by Powell's chief of staff, Peggy Cifrino. More from CNN's Daniella Diaz and Elise Labott. | | | A Donald Trump rally attendee, aghast at the abuse reporters receive at Trump rallies, handed a very kind note to CBS' Sopan Deb and other journalists covering the Trump campaign tonight. It's worth a read. | | | Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Pat Toomey still won't say whether he's voting for Donald Trump. ... Neither will Rep. Joe Heck, the Republican Senate candidate in Nevada. ... House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul says he told Trump that Russia was behind email hacks, but "he has in his mind that there's not the proof." | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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