| | | | Trump makes 'big league' call for Kansas House candidate | | On the eve of a closer-than-expected special House election in Kansas, President Donald Trump recorded a robocall for Republican candidate Ron Estes. In Trumpian fashion -- per The Wichita Eagle's Jonathan Shorman, who got the audio -- the President declares that there are "really very few much more important" elections than this one, and that "Ron is going to be helping us big league" if he's elected.
A shocker in Wichita? If Democrat Jim Thompson manages to pull off an upset, it would rock the political world. This is a district Trump carried by 27 points and where Mike Pompeo won 2-to-1 before resigning to become CIA director. Here's my set-up piece.
This, though, is all a prelude.
The Georgia 6th District race is the real one. Democrats are trying to make sure African-American voters don't sit out next week's contest. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is making a six-figure ad buy on all seven of Atlanta's black radio stations -- as well as those stations' websites and mobile streaming services -- as part of a major push to help Democrat Jon Ossoff emerge from an 18-candidate field in the April 18 contest in the city's northern suburbs. The radio ad buy also includes spending five figures on get-out-the-vote ads on Pandora. The ad calls on listeners to "send a clear message to Trump that racism and intolerance are never OK." Here's my roundup -- including updates on the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC's and MoveOn.org's spending there. | | "We need either a change in direction from this speaker, or we need a new speaker." -- Rep. Justin Amash, a Michigan Republican and House Freedom Caucus mainstay, hitting House Speaker Paul Ryan hard during a town hall tonight in Cedar Springs. | | | Alabama governor done in by sex scandal | | Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley resigned this evening after he was booked in a Montgomery County jail and charged with two misdemeanors stemming from allegations he tapped state resources to facilitate and hide an extramarital affair.
Part of how Bentley and his former aide, Rebekah Mason, were busted, from AL.com's Connor Sheets: "In one exchange she asked Bentley the question, 'Can you use your other phone?' after he sent her the message, 'I love you Rebekah,' according to the text exchanges, which were viewable by then-first lady Dianne Bentley on an iPad that was linked to the governor's iPhone."
How'd he get that burner phone? From Sheets: "AL.com was first to report last April that state campaign finance records show Bentley's campaign spent $1,732.68 on 'reimbursement for cell phones and prepaid wireless purchased at Best Buy' on May 9 and May 30, 2015." | | | Daniella's favorite thing today: This tweet from NBC's Kelly O'Donnell showing a Secret Service dog getting its own seat on their plane. | | 3 things you might have missed today | | | US marshals providing rare security for Secretary DeVos: An unusual security arrangement for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is costing taxpayers upward of $1 million per month. Citing a determination that "a threat to the secretary's safety exists," the US Marshals Service said it would continue providing her a security detail, though it would not detail the nature of the threat. More from CNN's Gregory Wallace. Trump's economic team is missing two big pieces: Robert Lighthizer, the nominee for U.S. trade representative, and Alexander Acosta, President Donald Trump's pick for labor secretary, have yet to advance to the full Senate for confirmation votes. More from CNN's Jill Disis.
Clinton and Bush catch up about "old times" -- and socks: While catching up with former President George H.W. Bush on Sunday, former President Bill Clinton gifted his predecessor -- known for sporting trendy footwear -- three pairs of colorfully patterned socks. More from CNN's Eleanor Mueller. | | | Former first lady Barbara Bush only has eight toes, granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager reveals. ... Texas Sen. Ted Cruz builds a war chest for his re-election. ... The Rio Grande Valley is unusually quiet as Southwest border crossings drop to lowest point in at least 17 years. ... The political network funded by Charles and David Koch is seizing the break on Capitol Hill to try to torpedo a key part of the Republican tax bill. | | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Check out Five Things for Your New Day, CNN's morning newsletter. Give us five minutes, and we'll brief you on all the news and buzz people will be talking about. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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