Political Roundup for February 21, 2017

To start off we have a preview of today’s primary election for Wisconsin State Superintendent, our first domestic non-special election of the year. It’s a relatively sleepy affair so we’ll roll discussion of it into the Roundup. The race uses a California Rules Top Two nonpartisan format; the top two candidates will advance to an April 4 general regardless of whether one crosses the 50% mark. Polls close at 9PM ET but there isn’t enough at stake here to merit a liveblog. Incumbent Tony Evers (D) is a liberal who is backed by the teachers’ unions and repeats the standard union priorities of opposition to charters and more money for regular public schools. Evers still has a decent working relationship with state GOP legislative leaders though, which has insulated him from particularly strong challenges as he seeks a third term. Evers is guaranteed to advance today, but this primary will pick his challenger and serve as a straw poll of his support. It looks likely he will head to a general with school administrator John Humphries (R?), who has institutional support from the conservative education reform establishment and allies of Gov. Walker. It’s actually not clear whether Humphries identifies as an R or moderate D, as he supported the Walker recall five years ago, has some notable Dem supporters, and says he considers himself progressive on other issues. The third candidate in the race, Beloit local schools superintendent Lowell Holtz (R), is more conservative than Humphries and could pull the upset if his base shows up for what is expected to be an extremely low-turnout affair. But overall Evers and Humphries look likely to advance. While conservative donors have made some hay about backing Humphries and could energize his campaign ahead of April, so far ousting Evers doesn’t seem to be a priority – both Holtz and Humphries have raised less than $20K for their campaigns. Additionally, in the last few days the two have engaged in petty sparring, with each accusing the other of trying to buy him out of the race with a job offer. The beneficiary of this squabble is Evers, who looks like a pretty strong favorite over either in the general. RRH Elections currently rates this general election as Likely D.

And now the rest of the day’s news…

President-National

NSA:  Lt. General H.R. McMaster has been appointed National Security Adviser replacing Michael Flynn, the former General who was sacked resigned for defying Vice President Pence and the Deep State, and colluding with the Russians.  McMaster is a more conventional pick from a worldview and is known as a warrior-scholar.

Trump Supporters:  The Washington Post looks at how President Trump’s supporters view him as the greatest thing since sliced bread while not understanding why everyone else does not view him as the greatest thing since sliced bread as well.  I guess they feel the same way I felt when people on the right accused former President Obama of being anti-energy while he was the most pro-fracking president in history (before Trump).

Cuomo:  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D / IDC / RINO / Whatever gets me votes today) released New York’s DNC delegates to vote their conscience in the DNC chairperson race.  This is clearly a sign there is no frontrunner so Andy needs as much cover as he can get.

Identity Politics: Victor Davis Hanson examines identity politics and whether we are seeing the End Times of identity politics with the era of Trump.  Hanson argues increased diversity and conflicting goals in the various political coalitions might mean we are seeing the apex of identity politics with a decline occurring in the near future.  We can only hope!

Trump-LBJ:  National Review examines the similarities between President Trump and former President (and the worst president of the last 50 years) Lyndon Johnson.   National Review in particular looks at how the left loves the results LBJ obtained while using Trump style tactics.

RNC:  The RNC has had two record months in a row.  It broke its previous post-presidential election record for January by raising $19.8 million, which is higher than the record breaking December the RNC had.

CPAC:  Showing yet again why CPAC should be banned from occurring by constitutional amendment for the sake of the Republic, the organizers have embarrassed themselves by inviting and uninviting mentally/morally compromised Milo Yiannopoulos over the holiday weekend.  Milo, the gay male Ann Coulter, got himself into real deep sh*t by essentially trying to justify inappropriate relationships between older men and teenage boys.  As conservatism is dead, it is fitting that CPAC and the ACU commit ritualistic suicide by first inviting Milo angering the remaining socially conservative rump then sticking the knife back in their gut by uninviting him unleashing the wrath of his militant sympathizers.

Congress

Senate 2018:  While the Republicans have a very favorable map in 2018, recruitment efforts appear to be lagging as several high profile candidates have bowed out.

PA-Sen:  PoliticsPA examines the effective social media strategy used by Senator Pat Toomey (R) in his reelection bid last year.

States

IL-Gov:  Representative Cheri Bustos (D) will not run for Illinois Governor against Governor Bruce Rauner (R).  Democratic hacks seem to be focusing on heir force candidate Chris Kennedy (D).

NJ-State Senate:  We have our first primary challenge arising out of New Jersey deciding to tax the one thing it had not taxed to death already, gasoline.  State Senator Steve Oroho (R-Gas Taxer) will be challenged by State Assemblywoman Gail Phoebus (R-Not Gas Taxer) for the 24th District, which is based in Sussex County (aka the northwestern county that wishes it was part of Pennsylvania).

NJ-Gov:  The hopes of countless residents of the Garden Garbage State were dashed by Governor Chris Christie (People who go to jail are more popular) not receiving an appointment by President Trump.  I suspect Christie is being teased by President Trump, whose probably getting enjoyment by watching Christie wonder when he is going to be rewarded for selling his soul to Trump.

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