Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - March 3, 2016
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Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential Briefing was sponsored by the Leadership Project for America. | ||||
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Thursday's Leading Stories
- Ben Carson announced on Wednesday that he did “not see a political path forward in light of last evening’s Super Tuesday primary results” and would not attend Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate. Carson did not formally suspend his campaign, however, and he said in a statement that he would provide more details about its future during a speech on Friday. (The New York Times)
- The eleventh Republican presidential debate will air on Fox News on Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET. Anchors Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace will moderate. (Fox News)
- Former Mass. Gov. and 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is expected to give a speech on Thursday afternoon regarding “the state of the race." In prepared remarks released to media outlets, Romney calls Donald Trump “a phony” and “a fraud.” Romney’s planned speech continues, “His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the American public for suckers: He gets a free ride to the White House and all we get is a lousy hat.” Trump dismissed the attack, calling Romney “a failed candidate.” (NBC News, CBS News, ABC News)
- On Wednesday evening, Trump released his seven-point plan for healthcare reform based on free market principles. He stated he would repeal Obamacare, reduce barriers to the interstate sale of health insurance, institute a full tax deduction for insurance premium payments for individuals, make Health Saving Accounts inheritable, require price transparency, block-grant Medicaid to the states and allow for more overseas drug providers through lowered regulatory barriers. Trump added that enforcing immigration laws could reduce healthcare costs. (Donald J. Trump for President)
Polls
- With less than a week before the Michigan primary, Donald Trump is leading the Republican field with 39 percent support, according to a FOX 2 Detroit/Mitchell Poll released on Wednesday. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz follow with 19 percent and 14 percent, respectively. In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders, 61 percent to 33 percent. (FOX 2 Detroit)
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
- Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced on Wednesday that it had raised $30 million in February. This figure is $12 million less than what Bernie Sanders raised over the same period. (CNN)
- David Brock, the founder of pro-Clinton super PACs American Bridge and Correct the Record, said on Wednesday that he has been conducting opposition research on Donald Trump for months. “We’re going to go out and make the case to the American people against Donald Trump in a way that the Republican Party, frankly, has failed and has failed to do. They haven’t vetted him. We’ll do that vet,” said Brock. (Politico)
- NBC host and Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd said on Tuesday that he had received information that at least one incumbent Republican senator would publicly endorse Clinton if Trump won the Republican nomination. Todd said, “I heard real speculation today from very informed people that at least one Republican Senate incumbent if given the choice might publicly endorse Hillary Clinton. … Not because they want to, but because they need to send that message, look there is a bunch ever [sic] them running for reelection in a lot of blue states.” (RealClearPolitics)
- Clinton political aide Robby Mook released a memo following Super Tuesday which outlined the Clinton campaign’s belief that it would be “mathematically impossible” for Sanders to catch up to Clinton’s delegate count. Mook wrote, “This upcoming Saturday will reinforce the point: although we continue to fight for every vote, Sen. Sanders has clear advantages and is investing heavily in two upcoming caucuses (Nebraska and Kansas). But even if Sen. Sanders does win in these states, we anticipate being able to win Louisiana by a larger margin and emerge from the day with more delegates. In other words, over the upcoming weeks, we intend to steadily add to Hillary Clinton’s already sizable lead in delegates, and as we do, it will become harder and harder mathematically for Sen. Sanders to ever catch up.” (Politico)
- On Wednesday, the Justice Department granted immunity to Bryan Pagliano, the State Department staffer who set up Clinton’s private email server, as part of the FBI’s investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information. (The Washington Post)
Bernie Sanders
- Aides to Bernie Sanders dismissed the importance of Hillary Clinton’s victories on Super Tuesday, arguing that those states were “demographically favorable” to Clinton. Chief strategist Tad Devine said on Wednesday, “We still think we have a winning hand in this game, and we’re going to continue to play it.” He pointed to upcoming caucuses in Nebraska, Kansas and Maine, as evidence Sanders can increase his delegate count. (The Wall Street Journal)
- During a campaign event at Michigan State University on Wednesday, Sanders said trade agreements had “decimated the state of Michigan.” He connected NAFTA, CAFTA and normalized trade relations with China to lost automotive and manufacturing jobs in the state. (The Detroit News)
Republicans
Ben Carson
- Ben Carson released a video on Wednesday addressed “to the haters” who have called on him to leave the presidential race. He said, “We have a process, an electoral process. That is a process that I’m in the process of following and will continue to follow and will continue to listen to our millions of supporters and we’ll act accordingly.” (Politico)
- John Philip Sousa IV, the national chairman of the pro-Carson super PAC 2016 Committee, said on Wednesday that the other presidential candidates should not expect Carson’s supporters to gravitate to them. “We have [some supporters] that would just as soon lay under the bus than support Cruz, or Trump, or in some cases Rubio,” Sousa said. (CNN)
- According to the Center for Public Integrity, Carson’s campaign has amassed a database of personal information on more than 700,000 donors and supporters. The organization noted Carson’s campaign could rent “supporters’ information to other candidates, political committees — even for-profit data brokers — that may, in turn, use it to raise money.” The information has been valued at $5 or $6 per donor name. (Center for Public Integrity)
Ted Cruz
- U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Wednesday that he would consider supporting Ted Cruz if it were necessary to prevent Donald Trump from winning the Republican nomination. Graham, who has frequently criticized Cruz, said, “You know Ted Cruz is not my favorite, by any means. But we may be in a position where we have to rally around Ted Cruz as the only way to stop Donald Trump, and I'm not so sure that would work." (U.S. News & World Report)
- Former chairman of the California Republican Party Ron Nehring has been tapped as Cruz’s new national spokesman. He replaces Rick Tyler who was fired last week for posting an incorrectly subtitled and misleading video of Marco Rubio commenting on the Bible. (Politico)
- Jason Johnson, Cruz’s chief strategist, told donors on Wednesday that Cruz planned to extend an “olive branch” to voters during the Republican presidential debate on Thursday night. Johnson explained, "If I'm a voter sitting out there and Ted Cruz isn't my first choice but Donald Trump is my last choice – and I believe Ted Cruz is the best way to beat Donald Trump – it needs to be easy for that person to come to the Ted Cruz campaign." (CNN)
John Kasich
- On Wednesday, John Kasich began a week-long bus tour of Michigan. During a speech in Flint, Michigan, Kasich emphasized his “turning around” of Ohio and belief in working across the aisle. He also noted that although he wants a “flatter, simpler tax,” he has no intention of abolishing the Internal Revenue Service. (The Detroit News)
- When asked during a campaign event in Grand Blanc, Michigan, if he believed that he was taking votes from Marco Rubio by remaining in the race, Kasich responded, “Well, maybe he's taking votes away from me. I beat him in Massachusetts, and if he would've dropped out, I would've had more votes and if he hadn't sent one of his hit men up to Vermont, I would've beaten Trump up there.” (CBS News)
Marco Rubio
- New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is expected to endorse Marco Rubio on Thursday. She said in a statement, “Marco Rubio is a compelling leader who can unite the country around conservative principles that will improve the lives of all Americans. The stakes for our great country are too high — and the differences between the candidates too great — for me to remain neutral in this race. I wholeheartedly trust Marco to keep us safe and ensure a better tomorrow.” (Politico)
- The editorial board of The Miami Herald endorsed Rubio on Wednesday evening. “Sen. Rubio’s support among party leaders and the faithful makes him the best choice to unite a fractured GOP. His Senate colleagues, especially Republicans, respect him — not so with Mr. Cruz. Among Republican voters who have made up their minds at the last minute, Sen. Rubio is by far the favorite, suggesting that he is the candidate of choice for the most thoughtful,” the editors wrote. (The Miami Herald)
- U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.) endorsed Rubio on Wednesday. He said of Rubio, “I believe he has the characteristics, the rectitude, the foreign policy bonafides that give the Republican Party the best opportunity to win in the fall.” (Wisconsin Radio Network)
- Eighteen Kansas state legislators and Kansas Revenue Secretary Nick Jordan also endorsed Rubio on Wednesday. (The Topeka Capital-Journal)
- New York Magazine reported on Wednesday that Fox News executives were “finished with Rubio” after he won only one primary state and The New York Times published a story last week about a private meeting in 2013 between Rubio and Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes. (New York Magazine)
Donald Trump
- Joining a growing faction of Republicans opposed to Donald Trump’s candidacy, Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker (R) said on Wednesday that he would not support Trump in November if he were the Republican nominee. (The Boston Globe)
- Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu said on Wednesday that the opposition to Trump wanted to prevent him from capturing a majority of delegates. “Frankly, at this point we want anyone but Trump. The goal is this: Let's get to the convention in Cleveland and figure it out there,” Sununu said. (ABC News)
- Stuart Stevens, a top Republican strategist, said on Tuesday that although he would not personally support Hillary Clinton, she would be a better president than Trump. Stevens said, "Personally, I think Hillary Clinton would be a better president than Donald Trump because I think that Donald Trump is a dangerous person and is someone who would embarrass America.” He continued, "I have no desire to see Hillary Clinton as president of the United States. But if this is the choice – I will not give her my vote, but I can't support Donald Trump." (The Huffington Post)
Third Party Candidates
- Millionaire software developer John McAfee said on Wednesday that he could defeat Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump in the general election as a Libertarian candidate. “If I can’t win in a year when we have dissatisfaction and children on stage, well then the Libertarians should just give up. This is the only chance we have, this opportunity to enter a clown show dressed as and acting like the people who are actually suffering in this country,” he added. (The Hill)
Jill Stein (Green Party)
- According to unofficial results from the Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts, Jill Stein won the state’s presidential primary with nearly 52 percent support. (Green-Rainbow Party of Massachusetts)
See also
- Presidential election, 2016
- Presidential candidates, 2016
- Presidential debates (2015-2016)
- Important dates in the 2016 presidential race
- Polls and Straw polls
- 2016 presidential candidate ratings and scorecards
