It’s Wednesday. According to comedian Larry David, today is the last day you can wish people a Happy New Year. I don’t make the rules — take it up with Larry. 🤷♀️ So anyway, go WILD with the well wishes today. Here’s what’s happening in politics today:
The Supreme Court is under increasing pressure to weigh in on former President Trump’s removal from primary election ballots in Colorado and Maine. Keep reading for an explainer on the significance of this potential move.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is leading a group of 60 Republicans to the U.S.-Mexico border today. He’s holding a news conference this afternoon in Eagle Pass, Texas. - Another House Republican is resigning early, leaving the GOP with an uncomfortably slim majority.
Starbucks is allowing customers to bring in their own cups, even for mobile and drive-thru orders.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-release.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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‘Move, [Ron], get out the way. Get out the way, [Ron], get out the way’:
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Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley just surpassed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in FiveThirtyEight’s (538) national polling average for the first time this election season. Haley is now in second place behind the current front-runner, former President Trump. Read the announcement and explanation from 538’s Nathaniel Rakich: Here’s the chart showing their polling averages since early 2023. |
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➤ 💰 MORE GOOD NEWS FOR HALEY: |
Haley’s presidential campaign announced it raised $24 million last quarter. (The Hill)
The numbers: “Haley’s campaign said 83,900 new donors contributed to her between October and December, and that she ended the final fundraising quarter of 2023 with $14.5 million in the bank. Overall, 180,000 people have donated to her campaign since Haley launched her White House bid, and she has raked in $50 million between all three of her campaign committees.” What did her rivals raise?: Trump and DeSantis have not yet released their fundraising totals for the fourth quarter. |
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Haley may only have one Capitol Hill endorsement — Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) — but Semafor’s Kadia Goba reports that there’s a group of lawmakers who are quietly rooting for the former South Carolina governor. (Semafor) Like?: Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told Fox News that he is endorsing former President Trump. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (Minn.), the No. 3 Republican in the lower chamber, announced his endorsement of Trump this morning. Keep in mind: This means that all top five House Republicans have now endorsed the former president, as Emmer was the last holdout. |
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| ➤ TIDBITS FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL: |
🎿 When in New Hampshire: Gov. Chris Sununu (R) posted a photo of him having a beer with Haley in Plymouth, N.H. The GOP hopeful is wearing a sweater with “SKI” written in big letters. She knows her audience there!
🙈 Omg: Fox News’s Jesse Watters brought a psychic on-air and asked her to predict Trump’s year. She randomly pulls out a card that looks like it has a Grim Reaper. “I do recognize that I’m at [Fox News],” she awkwardly laughs. She says it means a sense of loss, but then softens the interpretation. Watch the 40-second clip
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️🏛 Trump’s Legal Troubles |
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The Supreme Court is under more pressure than an Instant Pot:
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The Supreme Court is under enormous pressure to resolve 2024 ballot issues after Maine and Colorado kicked Trump off their presidential ballots over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
What happened now?: The Trump campaign appealed the decision on Tuesday to boot him from Maine’s ballot. The appeal goes to a superior court in Maine, but it could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court. The former president is also expected to appeal the Colorado decision.
💡 Why this matters: The high court would be in the center of the political spotlight, making decisions that could ultimately influence who wins the presidency in 2024. Plus: The court has never resolved the meaning of the 14th Amendment, which would determine whether Trump could be booted from state ballots. How these cases have put the Supreme Court on the spot, via The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld and Brett Samuels
^ This is The Hill’s most-read article today.
‘CNN anchor asks GOP guest 7 times why Trump ballot decision was wrong’: The Hill ^ This was the second-most read article.
How many states have active cases to remove Trump from the ballot: Aside from Colorado and Maine, at least 17 states have pending challenges to the ballot, according to The New York Times. |
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‘How the Supreme Court May Rule on Trump’s Presidential Run’: The New York Times
‘The 14th Amendment plan to disqualify Trump, explained’: BBC
‘What Trump’s removal from ballots means for him — practically and politically’: NPR
‘Here’s what happened in the criminal cases last week.’: The Washington Post
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Honey, I shrunk the majority:
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House Republicans’ majority is becoming even smaller after Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) announced that he will resign on Jan. 21 (!)
Why?: He accepted a job as president of Youngstown State University.
The new House numbers: The House now has 219 Republicans, 213 Democrats and three vacancies. That means if every member is present, Republicans can only lose two votes in any party-line vote.
*Nervous laugh*: This should make the upcoming government funding deadlines … interesting. (The Hill) |
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Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and roughly 60 Republican lawmakers are visiting the U.S.-Mexico border.
Why passing border legislation is an increasingly challenging task: Immigration and border security are a signature priority for former President Trump — and that is likely to make any deal between congressional Republicans and the White House nearly impossible in the next few months. ‘Republicans want to avoid clash with Trump on border security deal’
And happening next week: House Republicans will start impeachment hearings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his leadership at the border. What to expect, via The Hill’s Rebecca Beitsch |
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🍫🍒 Celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day!
🥤 BYO-drinking vessel: Starbucks will now allow customers to bring their own reusable cups for drive-through and mobile orders. (The Hill)
🏷️ Some useful hints at the grocery store: The Washington Post published a list of nine red flags that will tell you whether a grocery store product is ultra-processed. (The Washington Post)
🏊 The new Steve Kornacki of Olympic commentating: NBC News hired rapper Snoop Dogg for its Paris Olympic coverage team. (The Hill) 🍸 Anyone doing Dry January?: Here’s an explainer of the likely health and psychological benefits of abstaining from alcohol in January. (The New York Times) |
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The House and Senate are out. President Biden is in Washington, D.C., and Vice President Harris is in Las Vegas this afternoon. (all times Eastern) |
Today: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is leading a delegation of 60 Republican lawmakers to the U.S.-Mexico border. 💡 What to expect 2 p.m.: Biden receives the Presidential Daily Briefin
2 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby brief reporters. 💻 Livestream
3:30 p.m.: Johnson holds a news conference from the U.S.-Mexico border. 💻 Livestream
3:35 p.m.: Harris delivers remarks at the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 in Las Vegas. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su attend. 💻 Livestream 10:15 p.m.: Harris and Emhoff return to Washington, D.C.
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