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Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire: Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire — News, polls and buzz
Mitt Romney decisively won the Nevada GOP caucuses.
Las Vegas Sun: “It would been hard to imagine a more favorable day for Romney: According to various projections, overall turnout for the Nevada GOP caucuses was low, Mormon turnout was high and his ground game was in full force, giving him the endorsement of over half the state’s voting Republicans — as he did four years ago.”
Washington Post: “As Romney celebrated his third victory in five contests, his rivals vowed to continue fighting. But the upcoming calendar provides those chasing Romney with significant few opportunities for victory in coming weeks. Gingrich and Santorum each would like to take on Romney without the other draining off conservative votes but neither has shown any interest in bowing to the other. Paul demonstrated again in Nevada that he can do well in caucus states with limited turnout but has yet to show real strength in a big state.”
New York Times: “Nevada offers only a sliver of the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination, making it more of a symbolic triumph than a practical one. But it gave Mr. Romney an important opportunity to make a more assertive case that the party is finally coming together behind him.”
Las Vegas Sun: “It would been hard to imagine a more favorable day for Romney: According to various projections, overall turnout for the Nevada GOP caucuses was low, Mormon turnout was high and his ground game was in full force, giving him the endorsement of over half the state’s voting Republicans — as he did four years ago.”
Washington Post: “As Romney celebrated his third victory in five contests, his rivals vowed to continue fighting. But the upcoming calendar provides those chasing Romney with significant few opportunities for victory in coming weeks. Gingrich and Santorum each would like to take on Romney without the other draining off conservative votes but neither has shown any interest in bowing to the other. Paul demonstrated again in Nevada that he can do well in caucus states with limited turnout but has yet to show real strength in a big state.”
New York Times: “Nevada offers only a sliver of the delegates needed to win the Republican nomination, making it more of a symbolic triumph than a practical one. But it gave Mr. Romney an important opportunity to make a more assertive case that the party is finally coming together behind him.”
Sheldon Adelson, “the billionaire casino executive keeping Newt Gingrich’s presidential hopes alive, has relayed assurances to Mitt Romney that he will provide even more generous support to his candidacy if he becomes the Republican nominee,” the New York Times reports.
As Mitt Romney consolidates his lead and stands as the presumptive
Republican presidential nominee, The Hill asks “What do the anti-Romney
Republicans do now?”
“Those who continue to believe that Romney can be stopped are focused — as is the campaign of Newt Gingrich — on the possibility of a long delegate fight. They have largely given up hope of anyone winning a knockout victory over Romney… Other figures in the media firmament are not so sure. Rush Limbaugh, for instance, has been harshly critical of Romney for years but is now urging his listeners to concentrate on the imperative, as he sees it, of defeating President Obama.”
“Those who continue to believe that Romney can be stopped are focused — as is the campaign of Newt Gingrich — on the possibility of a long delegate fight. They have largely given up hope of anyone winning a knockout victory over Romney… Other figures in the media firmament are not so sure. Rush Limbaugh, for instance, has been harshly critical of Romney for years but is now urging his listeners to concentrate on the imperative, as he sees it, of defeating President Obama.”
BuzzFeed: “The secret to the grassroots success lies, in part, in the unique national structure and scrupulous record-keeping of the Utah-headquartered Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the church itself is politically neutral, it contains the structural groundwork for one of the most organized and effective voting blocs in the country — something Romney is poised to capitalize on.”
“In contrast with most other religions in the country, the Mormon Church is nationally organized in a strict, top-down fashion, like a corporation. Every congregation in the U.S. reports back to church headquarters in Salt Lake. Whenever an individual is baptized — either as a child or as a convert — local ministers take down the person’s name, address, phone number, and e-mail address… The church expressly forbids using these directories for non-religious purposes, but that doesn’t deter many politically active Mormons from working their ward lists to get out the vote. Reports abound of members blasting out congregational e-mails soliciting support for partisan causes and candidates.”
“In contrast with most other religions in the country, the Mormon Church is nationally organized in a strict, top-down fashion, like a corporation. Every congregation in the U.S. reports back to church headquarters in Salt Lake. Whenever an individual is baptized — either as a child or as a convert — local ministers take down the person’s name, address, phone number, and e-mail address… The church expressly forbids using these directories for non-religious purposes, but that doesn’t deter many politically active Mormons from working their ward lists to get out the vote. Reports abound of members blasting out congregational e-mails soliciting support for partisan causes and candidates.”
“Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive.”
– Vice President Joe Biden, quoted by Maureen Dowd, repeating a line he’d heard to sum up what his party should campaign on.
– Vice President Joe Biden, quoted by Maureen Dowd, repeating a line he’d heard to sum up what his party should campaign on.
Instead of the traditional election night party, Newt Gingrich will hold a press conference after the Nevada caucuses tonight “raising new speculation about his future in the race,” National Journal reports.
The press conference is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET.
The press conference is scheduled for 11 p.m. ET.
A new WMUR Granite State Poll shows that the improving economy has also raised President Obama’s standing in New Hampshire.
Key findings: 38% of New Hampshire adults think the country is headed in the right direction, while 50% say it’s on the wrong track. That doesn’t seem optimistic, but it represent a big jump from October, when 70% thought the country was on the wrong track.
Obama’s approval rate is now 51% and he beats Mitt Romney in a possible general election match up, 50% to 40%.
Key findings: 38% of New Hampshire adults think the country is headed in the right direction, while 50% say it’s on the wrong track. That doesn’t seem optimistic, but it represent a big jump from October, when 70% thought the country was on the wrong track.
Obama’s approval rate is now 51% and he beats Mitt Romney in a possible general election match up, 50% to 40%.
Brett O’Donnell, a Republican operative “who won plaudits for bolstering Mitt Romney’s recent debate performances is not being retained by the frontrunner’s campaign, an apparent victim of internal tensions over staff receiving too much credit for the candidate’s comeback,” Politico reports.
“After O’Donnell was identified last week as advising Romney and then highlighted in subsequent news accounts as being one of the reasons behind the former Massachusetts governor’s improved debate performances, Romney campaign officials grew uneasy. O’Donnell received phone calls late last week from two Romney advisers… where it was made clear that there was severe discomfort about how his role was being portrayed in the media and that he ought to tread lightly.”
“After O’Donnell was identified last week as advising Romney and then highlighted in subsequent news accounts as being one of the reasons behind the former Massachusetts governor’s improved debate performances, Romney campaign officials grew uneasy. O’Donnell received phone calls late last week from two Romney advisers… where it was made clear that there was severe discomfort about how his role was being portrayed in the media and that he ought to tread lightly.”
Newt Gingrich tells CNN why he didn’t call Mitt Romney to congratulate him on his Florida primary victory.
Said Gingrich: “They then out spent me five to one to quote, ‘destroy Newt Gingrich.’ You know, I think that that doesn’t deserve congratulations. I think that’s reprehensible. I think it’s dishonest and I think it’s shameful.”
Said Gingrich: “They then out spent me five to one to quote, ‘destroy Newt Gingrich.’ You know, I think that that doesn’t deserve congratulations. I think that’s reprehensible. I think it’s dishonest and I think it’s shameful.”
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