The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report — New Hampshire Edition: Rand Paul’s out | Trump’s Iowa anger has been a slow burn | What ‘Howard Dean moment’? | CNN Dem town hall tonight at 8 p.m. EST

AND THEN THERE WERE 10 (GOP CANDIDATES): Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has thrown in the towel and dropped out of the presidential race. Paul had a disappointing finish in Iowa, coming in fifth place with 4.5 percent of the vote. But there’s another big factor: He’s also facing a Senate reelection campaign, and some Republicans say he needs to focus on that in a year when Democrats are threatening to retake the Senate. More from The Hill’s Ben Kamisar: http://bit.ly/1nGvUkY

Watch Paul’s video explaining his decision: http://bit.ly/1JYc2nP

TRUMP’S IOWA ANGER HAS BEEN A SLOW BURN: Yesterday, Donald Trump began his post-Iowa tweets with a measured response to his second-place finish: “My experience in Iowa was a great one. I started out with all of the experts saying I couldn’t do well there and ended up in 2nd place. Nice.” Well, Trump’s given it more thought and has gotten angrier by the moment, stepping up his rhetoric on Twitter. This morning, he tweeted: “Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified.” It’s worth checking out his slow (but documented and real-time!) realization. http://bit.ly/1QG3zoR

{mosads}JUST IN – PAT TOOMEY ENDORSES: Via Politico’s Alex Isenstadt, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) is expected to endorse Sen. Marco Rubio‘s (R-Fla.) presidential bid. Rubio has racked up a number of significant endorsements, including the coveted backing of Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) earlier this week. http://politi.co/1mdrLnH Here’s the full list of Congressional endorsements: http://bit.ly/1STLS5y

Welcome to The 12:30 Report — New Hampshire Edition. It’s Wednesday, and we’re six days away (!!) from the New Hampshire Primary. I’m Cate Martel, on the campaign trail in New Hampshire, with a quick update of what you’ve missed, what’s going on for the rest of the day and insider tidbits on the trail. Send comments, story ideas and coverage you’d like to see to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook. Now get ready to witness the slow worsening of my sleep deprivation over the next week! It should turn into some entertaining stuff in here… 

 

ON THE GROUND IN THE GRANITE STATE:

A VERY DIFFERENT TRUMP LAST NIGHT: Via Yours Truly, at a rally in Milford, N.H., last night, Donald Trump had a very different tone. Trump usually spends much of the rally rattling off poll numbers and boasting about how he’s going to win. Well, last night he said, “I guess what did happen is that one poll came out that said I was 4 or 5 points ahead and then maybe built up the false expectations or something.” NOW, FLASHBACK TO DECEMBER, at a rally in the neighboring town of Nashua, where Trump told the crowd, “PPP Iowa … 28 to 25, Trump over Cruz. [The media], they don’t tell you that. They only tell you the one poll, The Des Moines Register, who I have a big problem with.” Here’s how his momentum has shifted and what he’s changing going into N.H.: http://bit.ly/1Pyw48I

ODDS AND ENDS: If you haven’t been to a Donald Trump rally before, here are a few tidbits from inside the room.

KINDERGARDEN BATHROOM RULES FOR REPORTERS: Reporters covering the event are held in a pen and cannot leave. To go to the bathroom, reporters must be escorted by event staff to ensure they won’t wander anywhere else in the venue.

A “RELAXING” (?) ENDING: When Trump’s remarks conclude, the campaign then BLASTS (and I mean blasts!) Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and opera music (?) at a painful volume to encourage attendees to hurry out. Your author’s ears are still ringing the morning after.

MINI TRUMPS: There were a notable number of younger boys dressed in full Donald Trump-esque suits. A few even had blond wigs. 

“IT’S HER! IT’S HER!”: Ann Coulter sat in the media pen and broadcasted live. A massive crowd of attendees swarmed around and seemed just as excited to see her as Trump. It was dog-eat-dog getting your author through that crowd.

NEW POLL — TRUMP ON TOP: Via The Hill’s Mark Hensch, Donald Trump has a 24-point lead over his competition in New Hampshire. Trump comes in at 38 percent, followed by Ted Cruz, at 14 percent; Marco Rubio, at 12 percent; Jeb Bush, at 9 percent; and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, at 6 percent. http://bit.ly/1PzEr3Y

NOT TO FREAK ANYBODY OUT BUT…: It may snow in New Hampshire on Primary Day. It’s a week out, but there’s a 70 percent chance it’ll snow 1–3 inches. If this pans out, this will definitely affect turnout.

MY NERDY SIDE IS TOTALLY FREAKING OUT: Scott Conroy of The Huffington Post published another video installment of what it’s like working on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. It’s spot-on. 🙂 http://huff.to/1QG6DB6

 

AND IN OTHER NEWS…

A POTENTIALLY BIG ENDORSEMENT FOR HILLARY: Via The Hill’s Mike Lillis, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Tuesday that she’ll endorse a presidential candidate, and all signals point to Hillary Clinton. But Pelosi declined to say whom she’ll endorse — or when. http://bit.ly/1SsH76j

“HOWARD DEAN MOMENT?” NAH, WHAT “HOWARD DEAN MOMENT?” — SAID HOWARD DEAN: Via Politico’s Nick Gass, Donald Trump insulted Ted Cruz’s “rambling, overly flamboyant speech” as his Howard Dean moment. Well, on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” today, Howard Dean responded. “Well, I mean the popular meme is that the scream speech destroyed the campaign, which turned out not to be true … I came in third when I was supposed to come in first.” http://politi.co/1VLLcQA

CAPITOL HILL WARMS UP TO RUBIO: Via The Hill’s Alex Bolton and Scott Wong, Marco Rubio‘s supporters on Capitol Hill are seeking to capitalize on his strong showing in Iowa. House surrogates are making the pitch to colleagues supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush that they should switch to Team Marco, while Senate allies are predicting more endorsements in coming days. http://bit.ly/1S0v7Z9

“KEEP ME OUT OF THIS” – SAYS THE HEAD OF GOLDMAN SACHS: Via The Hill’s Peter Schroeder, Lloyd Blankfein, the head of Goldman Sachs, believes being singled out for criticism by Bernie Sanders represents a “dangerous moment” for the country. “To personalize it, it has potential to be a dangerous moment. Not just for Wall Street… but for anybody who is a little bit out of line,” Blankfein said. http://bit.ly/1SGOQvR

WELL, I WAS NEVER THAT INTO YOU ANYWAYS: Via The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes, Hillary Clinton says she’s never been friends with Donald Trump, despite their close relations in the past. “We were not friends,” said Clinton. “We knew each other, obviously, in New York. I knew a lot of people.” OOOH, BURN. http://bit.ly/1nNgex9

 

NOTABLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

IJ Review’s Benny Johnson on Instagram:
Favorite photo I took last night is the look Rand Paul has one second after meeting Ivanka Trump. http://bit.ly/1Ph2n8E

The Atlantic’s Molly Ball
GOP operative I just talked to about the end of the Paul campaign: “Hindsight is 20/20, but Rand is an ophthalmologist.” http://bit.ly/1P6vFsS 

Politico’s Kyle Cheney
Eric Cantor introducing Jeb Bush in New London, NH http://bit.ly/1SsYNPc

IJ Review’s Hunter Schwarz
In an election that’s about anger, Rand Paul was only cranky. The human Don’t-Talk-To-Me-Until-I’ve-Had-My-Coffee coffee mug of 2016. http://bit.ly/1Kq5oqk 

The Huffington Post’s Matt Fuller
A Dennis Kucinich sighting on Capitol Hill. In other words, a Wednesday. http://bit.ly/209dwO4 

 

ON TAP:

9:30 a.m. EST: The Senate continues to debate the Energy Policy Modernization Act. Democrats are pushing to include aid for the Flint, Mich., water crisis, a fight that could derail the bill.

12:05 p.m. EST: President Obama is delivering remarks at the Islamic Society of Baltimore, Md. Here’s background on the event from The Hill’s Jordan Fabian: http://bit.ly/1SXXkQm Live stream: http://bit.ly/23J2tzy

12:30 p.m. EST: Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) holds a town hall in Raymond, N.H.

12:30 p.m. EST: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) holds a town hall in Laconia, N.H.

1 p.m. EST: Carly Fiorina holds an event in Stratham, N.H. — near the Atlantic coast.

1:15–5 p.m. EST: The House votes, including on the Encouraging Employee Ownership Act of 2015.

1:30 p.m. EST: Hillary Clinton speaks in Dover, N.H.

1:30 p.m. EST: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) holds a town hall in Bow, N.H.

4 p.m. EST: Carly Fiorina participates in the “Life of the Party” event at St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H. — the same location as Saturday’s presidential debate!

5:30 p.m. EST: Hillary Clinton speaks in Manchester, N.H.

6 p.m. EST: Donald Trump holds a rally in Little Rock, Ark. Note: When reporters asked Trump yesterday if former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who suspended his own presidential campaign Monday night, would join the rally, Trump said he didn’t think so.

6 p.m. EST: Kasich holds a town hall event in Derry, N.H. — near where the Democrats will be attending a CNN town hall. 

6 p.m. EST: Rubio holds a town hall in Dover, N.H. 

6 p.m. EST: Jeb Bush holds a town hall in Laconia, N.H.

6:30 p.m. EST: Christie holds a town hall in Milford, N.H. — the same town as Trump’s rally last night. 

7 p.m. EST: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) holds a town hall in Nashua, N.H.

7 p.m. EST: Hillary Clinton holds an event in Manchester, N.H.

 

WHAT TO WATCH:

8 p.m. EST: Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders participate in a CNN town hall in Derry, N.H. This will be their first event without Martin O’Malley.

 

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…

Today is National Carrot Cake Day!

THE WEIRDEST NEWS I’VE READ TODAY: This photo of a potato sold for $1.08 million. http://cnn.it/1NPQlRG

WELL THAT TAKES GUTS: A woman followed a police officer who was speeding in the left lane, pulled him over and recorded the entire interaction. Watch: http://bit.ly/23IOb1Y

A CHOCOLATE FACTORY TOUR IN D.C.: The Harper Macaw chocolate factory is giving tours in northeast D.C. The cookies look insane. http://bit.ly/20GGOFZ

And with that, here is a video of a baby otter floating in the water with help from its mother. Cute stuff, man. http://on.fb.me/1VM0sg8

 

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