Key events
Kevin McCarthy expects to be the next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
It’s the result of two frantic days on the campaign trail with the Republican leader, according to a new report in Punchbowl news. Along the way, McCarthy has spoken candidly about his journey to the presidency, the difficulty for Republicans to keep the job and explained why he thinks his party is on track to wrest the majority from the Democrats.
McCarthy tells donors and supporters that the odds for Republicans are getting better every day. He’s candid that August was a bad month for Republicans, but says the tide is turning and the election is increasingly being fought over issues that benefit Republicans, such as the economy, the immigration and crime.
“What’s happened is that all the issues have come back to the front page. The cost of living has continued to rise. The kids are going back to school and you’re worried about the kind of education you’re getting. And if you ask your school board, you’re kind of a terrorist Gas prices went up seven cents last week with no hope of America being energy independent We see crime rising every day,” McCarthy said at a fundraising event in Chicago.
Interestingly, McCarthy thinks the tide has started to turn sharply against the Democrats after Biden’s Philadelphia speechin which the President warned that Trumpism posed an acute threat to American democracy.
“It all stops on September 1, the night President Biden gave a speech in Philadelphia — a speech of anger,” McCarthy added.
He also thinks he’ll be the speaker no matter how big – or small – the Republican winning majority is, meaning he thinks he can unite his factional party behind him.
“If I’m even for the speaker, that means we’ve won seats. I was [the top House Republican for] two rounds. I never lost seats, I only won,” he told Punchbowl.
McCarthy is also open about how difficult it is for a Republican to keep his job, noting that his most recent predecessors left after only a few years. By contrast, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has led her party for decades.
First lady Jill Biden sat down for an interview this weekend with Newsmax, the far-right news network that cast doubt on her husband’s 2020 election victory.
According to a press release touting the 20-minute interview, Biden discussed his efforts to fight cancer and his meeting with Ukraine’s first lady.
“There are things that Americans don’t agree with, but the fight against cancer is something that unites Americans; and we are honored to have Dr. Biden speaking about his and President Biden’s efforts to fight this deadly disease,” said Newsmax Media CEO Christopher Ruddy.
Newsmax host, Nancy Brinkeris the founder of the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
The interview broadcast at 9 p.m.
A new NOW/Siena poll looks grim for Democrats. After their fortunes seemed to reverse this summer, Republicans regained their edge with voters just weeks before Election Day.
NEW: NYT/Siena poll shows Republicans opening 49-45 lead in congressional race as economy becomes 2022’s dominant concern.
The swing to the GOP among female voters who have identified as independent over the past month is striking.https://t.co/JPRgHo55iZ
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) October 17, 2022
According to the poll, Republicans hold a 49-45 lead in the race for Congress, with the economy a top priority for voters in 2022. The change was driven by women who identified as independent voters.
“In September, they favored Democrats of 14 points. Now Independent Women have backed Republicans by 18 points.
The poll found that the share of voters who ranked the economy or inflation as a major issue jumped nearly 10%. Republicans have long held an advantage in the economy, a trend even more pronounced with inflation at its highest level in 40 years and Democrats in control in Washington. A much smaller share of voters prioritize issues that favor Democrats, such as abortion and guns.
Additionally, voters are extremely unhappy with the president, a factor that hurts Democrats even more.
Justice Department calls for jail term for Steve Bannon
Sam Levin
steve bannon should be condemned to six months in prison and a $200,000 fine for “his sustained and bad faith disregard for Congress,” the Justice Department said in a legal filing Monday.
Bannon, Donald Trump’s former White House strategist, was guilty on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress in July for ignoring a subpoena from the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack.
The department submitted its recommendation for his sentence on Monday ahead of his scheduled sentencing on Friday.
Ye gonna buy the right wing social media network Talk
Some early news: youPreviously Kanye Westbuy the right social network Talk for an undisclosed sum, the platform announced on Monday.
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, reports the Guardian. The news of the purchase arrives a week after the lockdown of Twitter and Instagram the rapper’s accounts of anti-Semitic messages.
“In a world where conservative views are considered controversial, we must ensure that we have the right to express ourselves freely,” Ye said in a statement.
Last year, Parler was effectively taken offline for allowing violent videos of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack to be posted on its platform.
This is just the latest in a series of controversial moves by the artist. Over the weekend, Ye claimed in a podcast appearance that George Floyd died of a drug overdose. Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murdering Floyd in May 2020. Floyd’s family is considering legal action.
And that was after Ye appeared wearing a “White Lives Matter” Shirt at Paris Fashion Week.
Republican Herschel Walker fails to show up for key debate
Hello, american politics blog readers. I hope everyone had a good weekend. We are at the height of election season, with only weeks left before Americans go to the polls.
A few hours ago, Russia attacked the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with “kamikaze” drones, killing at least three people. For the latest news, we encourage you to follow our Ukraine live blog.
Here’s a look at what else is happening in American politics today:
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Last night, Georgia GOP candidate for the Senate Herschel walker was a no-show for his second and final debate with the Democratic senator Raphael Warnock, hosted by the Atlanta Press Club debate on Sunday. The race is among the most competitive in the country and polls suggest the candidates are indeed tied.
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We also watch an NBC interview with Walker broadcast tonight. In a preview, Walker admits to giving his ex-girlfriend a check for $700, but denies it was an abortion after being “confronted with a receipt from an abortion clinic and a check dated a few days later and bearing his name”.
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Tonight, the candidates from the battleground states will face off in a series of crucial debates. In Georgia, Republican Governor Brian Kemp will debate the Democratic challenger Stacey Abrams. In Utah, the Republican senator mike lee debates his independent challenger, Evan McMullin. Candidates for the open seat of the Ohio Senate – Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan and republican JD Vance – will hold their second debate this evening. In Iowa, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds takes on her Democratic challenger, Deidre De Jear, in a debate.
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Meanwhile, Joe Biden returns to the White House after spending the weekend in his home state of Delaware. Press officer Karine Jean-Pierre will brief reporters at 1:30 p.m.
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The January 6 committee should officially subpoena donald trump this week, in an attempt to coerce the former president into answering questions about his role in the deadly Capitol insurgency.