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Presented by PhRMA: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | |  | | By Eli Okun | | | | 
“I’m convinced,” former VP Mike Pence said, “that enthusiasm among pro-life Americans in states across the country is equal to, or greater than, any new motivation by people that support abortion rights.” | Steve Helber/AP Photo | Some Republicans have stirred intra-party concerns over various policy positions and candidates that will test the electorate’s appetite for conservatism in November. But today, prominent members of the GOP doubled down in several arenas: Former VP MIKE PENCE defended Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM’s (R-S.C.) new proposed national 15-week abortion ban and other efforts to end abortion at any level of government in an interview with RealClearPolitics’ Philip Wegmann . The real-world impact of such restrictions, he said, “is profoundly more important than any short-term politics.” And for what it’s worth, Pence doesn’t agree with some of the conventional wisdom that moves like Graham’s could hurt Republicans: “I’m convinced,” he said, “that enthusiasm among pro-life Americans in states across the country is equal to, or greater than, any new motivation by people that support abortion rights.” Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) — who’s up for reelection — also got on board today, becoming a co-sponsor of Graham’s bill, the Miami Herald’s Alex Roarty reports. If you thought the backlash to Graham’s bill might make other congressional Republicans think twice about proposing new national abortion restrictions, think again: Rep. BUDDY CARTER (R-Ga.) and other House Republicans are introducing a bill today to undo the Biden administration’s abortion guidance to pharmacies, Alice Miranda Ollstein scooped in Congress Minutes. The bill “would give pharmacists freer rein to refuse to provide medication they suspect could be used to terminate a pregnancy.” Carter, a former pharmacist, said he intends the legislation as a messaging bill to show where Republicans should go if they regain power. In New Hampshire, DON BOLDUC’s victory in the Senate GOP primary is worrying some Republicans, but NRSC Chair RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.) told CNN’s Manu Raju he’d still spend big on the race. Scott’s camp is viewing Bolduc’s victory as vindication for its hands-off approach to primaries: Longtime consultant CURT ANDERSON tweeted late Tuesday, “lotta GOP donor money wasted in NH” — a not-so-veiled shot at the failed efforts, tacitly blessed by Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL, to stop Bolduc in the primary. Even without any DONALD TRUMP endorsements, the New Hampshire GOP base went for the more-MAGA candidate in every congressional race Tuesday: The AP officially called the Senate nomination for Bolduc and a House primary for BOB BURNS today, joining KAROLINE LEAVITT’s nomination Tuesday night. But, but, but: Even Bolduc won’t go there on Graham’s national ban. “I’m not going to support it, because it makes no sense,” he told Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser. “The Supreme Court has already decided that this is a state issue. The states have it. That’s where it needs to be.” Meanwhile, Trump isn’t backing down on Jan. 6. The former president called into a rally Tuesday that was backing the Jan. 6 prisoners being held at the DC Jail, Washingtonian’s Andrew Beaujon reports . “We’re with you,” Trump said. “It’s a disgrace to our country.” (Notes Beaujon, “His appearance via telephone forced a quick end to a rally segment when a speaker named ‘John, aka DJ JEROME, the MAGA muscleman’ called in and made jokes about PRINCE ANDREW adopting QUEEN ELIZABETH’s corgis.”) FAUCI FAREWELL — He may be anathema in many GOP circles, but ANTHONY FAUCI got an off-the-cuff warm goodbye from Sen. RICHARD BURR (R-N.C.) today: “Tony, I can’t thank you enough for your years of service. It’s been incredibly beneficial to the American people and to the health care of this country. I hate to see you go.” Good Wednesday afternoon.
| | | | A message from PhRMA: According to new findings, insured Americans favor policy solutions that improve their ability to navigate and access their care while lowering their out-of-pocket costs – by tackling the barriers introduced by insurers and middlemen like PBMs. Read more. | | | TRUMP CARDS SO MUCH FOR THAT — JOHN DURHAM’s probe of the Trump-Russia investigation looks to be winding down soon, having ended up well short of the blockbuster criminal conspiracy findings that Trump allies had hoped for, NYT’s Katie Benner, Adam Goldman and Charlie Savage report. His grand jury has expired, he doesn’t currently have any plans to convene another, a top prosecutor is leaving the team, and Durham is planning on a final report after the midterms. Durham has brought cases against two people, but “the chances of any more indictments are remote.” Still, one more trial — of IGOR DANCHENKO — is coming next month. AG MERRICK GARLAND will make the call on whether to publicize Durham’s report. THE OTHER INVESTIGATIONS — Trump told a judge that he couldn’t go to the New York AG’s office for an interview last month because of the Secret Service’s security worries — but that was a lie, The Daily Beast’s Jose Pagliery reports . “The excuse appalled those who read it, spurring them to speak to The Daily Beast.” Trump tried (unsuccessfully) to have the deposition take place at Trump Tower, but the Secret Service said they were “caught by surprise by the allegations and had not been made aware of any perceived security threat — or court filings detailing them,” per Pagliery. THE WHITE HOUSE TO RUSSIA, WITH LOVE — LYNNE TRACY will be President JOE BIDEN’s pick for the next U.S. ambassador to Russia, CNN’s Kylie Atwood scooped. The current U.S. ambassador to Armenia is a career diplomat with lots of Russia experience. Moscow will have to sign off on her before Biden submits the nomination to the Senate — usually a formality, but potentially a stumbling block in the current environment. THE IN/OUT LIST — It’s the usual guessing game when Biden hits the road these days: Which Democrats in tough races will or won’t appear with the president, who’s still unpopular but increasingly less so? At the Detroit Auto Show this morning, Michigan Gov. GRETCHEN WHITMER did join Biden, as the Detroit Free Press’ Paul Egan reported earlier. But swing-district Democratic Reps. ELISSA SLOTKIN and DAN KILDEE stayed in D.C. for House business — even as GOP Rep. FRED UPTON made an appearance with the delegation. Biden is in Detroit to tout his administration’s investments in electric vehicle manufacturing. (And, of course, to do one of his favorite activities: getting behind the wheel of a hot rod.) He’ll speak at 1:45 p.m.
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President Joe Biden sits in a Corvette at the Detroit Auto Show. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo | ACROSS THE POND — Biden called new KING CHARLES III today, the White House said, to remember the late queen and emphasize that he wants “to continue a close relationship with the King.” HARRIS HITS THE ROAD — VP KAMALA HARRIS will be in Chicago on Friday to kick off her midterms campaigning with Illinois Gov. J.B. PRITZKER, per Axios’ Alexi McCammond. Her remarks will focus on abortion rights.
| | | | A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON LEADING FROM THE GROUND UP: Join POLITICO’s Women Rule on Sept. 15 for conversations focused on creating and leading sustainable, healthy and inclusive communities. The program will feature a Member Exchange panel followed by a keynote discussion exploring the most pressing issues facing women in their communities and women in leadership roles who are best positioned to solve these problems. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | ALL POLITICS THE ELECTORATE OF THE FUTURE — In Las Vegas, WSJ’s Aaron Zitner and Bryan Mena dive into one of the most important trends in American politics today: working-class Latinos moving toward the GOP, fracturing a group that used to vote mostly Democratic along class lines. Economic issues are a major driver of the shift, belying Dems’ hopes that immigration concerns would keep Hispanics in their corner: Many voters tell the WSJ that they support tougher border security and they’ve grown cynical about Dems’ ability to pass reform. And as the social acceptability barriers to backing Republicans fall, one Biden voter — a Mexican immigrant — says she’s switching to the GOP this year over inflation and schools. LATEST POLLING — A new CBS survey finds Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. JOHN FETTERMAN up 5 over MEHMET OZ in the Senate race, 52% to 47%, while AG JOSH SHAPIRO enjoys a wider lead over DOUG MASTRIANO in the gubernatorial campaign, 55% to 44%. (That’s the kind of Senate/gubernatorial gap that many observers expected when Mastriano won the nomination, but that we haven’t really seen in much polling yet.) The survey finds voters giving Fetterman the advantage on authenticity, likability and abortion, and that attacks on his health haven’t resonated too much — but the economy remains a major GOP advantage. — A new Monmouth poll has Fetterman up 10, 49% to 39%. DEMOCRACY WATCH — CATHERINE ENGELBRECHT was a prominent voice pushing election fraud conspiracy theories long before it was cool, NYT’s Cecilia Kang writes in a new profile . Now, the Texas advocate’s True the Vote group has become a major player in a constellation of groups dominating the far right and reshaping the Republican Party. Engelbrecht has “seized the moment,” Kang writes. “Her journey into the limelight illustrates how deeply embedded the idea of voter fraud has become, aided by a highly partisan climate and social media.” — In at least 16 Pennsylvania counties, “patriot” groups of conservative activists pushing voter fraud conspiracy theories are trying to put forth ballot referendums to end the use of electronic voting machines, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gillian McGoldrick reports. Trump and MIKE LINDELL have pushed skepticism of the machines. “People who actually run elections doubt that the referendum would do any good if it succeeds,” she reports. But “no group was successful in meeting the early-September deadline” for signatures to get on the ballot. — “New Video Shows Trump’s Pick to Run AZ Elections Accusing Pence of ‘Coup,’” by The Daily Beast’s Sam Brodey BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE — From Toledo, Ohio, HuffPost’s Liz Skalka dives into the Ohio congressional race in which Democratic Rep. MARCY KAPTUR, the chamber’s longest-serving woman ever, could well lose to Republican J.R. MAJEWSKI, who was at the Capitol on Jan. 6. “This is the 2022 midterm election in a nutshell: Kaptur, a veteran lawmaker with plum appointments to influential House committees, facing a very real challenge from Trump Lawn Guy, who is also a rapper.” The redrawn district has forced Kaptur to run away from Biden, but her incumbency could prove as much burden as boon if Republicans can successfully cast her as “too comfortable” in her role. CASH DASH — House Minority Leader KEVIN McCARTHY raised $12 million this summer across campaign stops with more than 100 GOP members of Congress and candidates, Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser scooped. DOWN BALLOT — As Republicans increasingly seize on education as a potent midterms issue, conservatives are eyeing state superintendent offices as a major focus in November, Juan Perez Jr. reports. These races, often very under the radar in the past, are now getting Trump endorsements and major spending as “part of the frontline response to parents who want a bigger role in classrooms and efforts to limit lessons about history, gender identity and race.” In particular, the races in Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wyoming “will help seed the next phase of conservative education policy.”
| | | | A message from PhRMA:   New research examines how insured Americans navigate unclear and unaffordable insurance coverage. | | | CONGRESS NOT THERE YET ON POLICE — As House Democrats still struggle to reach consensus on police funding bills, Caucus Chair HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-N.Y.) told reporters today that “we’ll see” if any legislation can be brought up before the midterms. “Conversations are ongoing.” NOT THERE YET ON MARRIAGE — The bill to codify same-sex and interracial marriage rights is still struggling to get 10 Republican votes in the Senate, per Burgess Everett, who reports on “[g]rowing doubt” for its prospects. “I’m not seeing it,” said GOP Whip JOHN THUNE (S.D.). LATEST ON STOCKS — Speaker NANCY PELOSI told reporters today that she believes House Dems can get legislation regulating stock trading among members of Congress to a floor vote this month. 2023 DREAMING — House Republicans have Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. MARK MILLEY in their sights if they flip the chamber this fall, NBC’s Courtney Kube and Carol Lee report . Trump allies are planning various angles of investigation to grill Milley, in part because his criticisms of Trump and cultural commentary have turned the general into a MAGA lightning rod. Among the areas that House Republicans could zero in on: the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the politicization of the military, military readiness and what they view as Milley’s insubordination to Trump. THE BIG PICTURE — The House is set to get even more polarized next year, as moderates leave the chamber at twice the rate of their colleagues on the left and right, Reuters’ Joseph Ax and Jason Lange find in a new analysis. A quarter of the 50 most centrist members won’t even be on the November ballot, thanks to retirements or primary losses. IN THE DARK — Congressional panels are trying to elbow their way into a range of Trump oversight-related investigations, from the Mar-a-Lago records to allegations of Trump DOJ politicization. But so far, they’re not getting very far, Andrew Desiderio reports, stymied by court fights and Justice Department limits. “Those legal battles have, so far, deprived lawmakers, even at leadership’s highest levels, of briefings on the classified documents the FBI found at Trump’s resort. And it gives those seeking to show off their anti-Trump oversight bona fides little option but an onslaught of letters and requests.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — William Anthony Fairfax Jr. , who was formerly a press assistant for VP Kamala Harris and a FEMA alum, died Friday at 24. “William passed peacefully, though unexpectedly, of natural causes at his home,” his family said in a statement. — “Criminal defense attorney, CNN contributor Page Pate dies at 55,” CNN: “Pate died [at 55] after being swept out into a rip current off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia.” SPOTTED on the Hill today: Seth Rogen, appearing with Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in the Senate press gallery to promote home-based care … Tim Cook. OUT AND ABOUT — The Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne hosted their 22nd annual Dining Away Duchenne at Eastern Market on Tuesday night. The dine-around event raised over $700,000 for research into treatments for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. SPOTTED: Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), David Scott (D-Ga.), Kay Granger (R-Texas), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Kathy Manning (D-N.C.), Mike Bost (R-Ill.), Bryan Steil (R-Wis.), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Young Kim (R-Calif.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), William Timmons (R-S.C.), John Joyce (R-Pa.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), David Kustoff (R-Tenn.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) and Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), José Andrés and Mary Kate Clement. — SPOTTED at a reception and roundtable dinner hosted by U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark on Tuesday night at Cafe Milano: Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Singaporean Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri, Neil Bradley, Michelle Russo, Mark Ordan, Josh Boak, Dan Porterfield, Barbara Humpton, Steve Clemons, Tom Fanning, Kimberly Russo, Roger Martella, Kadia Goba, Tom Reid, Nate Tibbits, Bruce Andrews, Jeff Stein, Elizabeth Baker Keffer, Bob Kramer, Joe Maloney, Ben Brody and Siobhan Hughes. — The Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications hosted the inaugural Civility Awards on Tuesday night at the Top of the Hill banquet and conference center. Awards were given to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, NYT columnist David Brooks, Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.) and William Timmons (R-S.C.), and the Chamber’s Suzanne Clark, and posthumously to journalist Mark Shields, accepted by his wife Anne Shields. SPOTTED: Mary Hendrix, Bill and Bonnie Stubblefield, Scott Widmeyer, Susan Mills, Harriet Pearson, David Avella, Howard Opinsky, JB McCuskey, Tom Melia, Silvio Waisbord, Frances Hardin, Greg Fields and Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer. MEDIA MOVES — Liz Goodwin will be a Congress reporter at WaPo. She most recently was Washington bureau chief at the Boston Globe. Announcement … Semafor rolled out its full team of founding editorial members, including plenty of big names leaping to the new publication. The new announcements include NBC’s Benjy Sarlin as Washington bureau chief and The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant and The Daily Caller’s Shelby Talcott as Washington reporters. Full list, via CNN’s Oliver Darcy … Tom Kaplan is starting as domestic policy editor at the NYT. He previously has been weekend editor for Saturdays. Announcement WHITE HOUSE ARRIVAL LOUNGE — The White House has added Stephanie Cellini as senior consultant at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and Judith Scott-Clayton senior economist with the Council of Economic Advisors. TRANSITIONS — David Vandivier has been appointed executive director at the Psaros Center for Financial Markets and Policy at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business. He most recently was co-head of government affairs at BNY Mellon, and is an Obama White House alum. … Lindsay Erickson is now a professional staff member and counsel for the Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee. She previously was chief counsel for Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and the Senate Judiciary Committee. … Jeff Vanderslice is now director of federal government affairs at the R Street Institute. He was previously director of government and external affairs at the Cato Institute. Correction: Tuesday’s Playbook PM misstated Max Seltzer’s party affiliation on the Senate Commerce Committee. He is a professional staff member focused on aviation for the Republicans.
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