INSIDE D.C. WITH JOHN GIZZI NEWSMAX WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
Newsom May Name Second Senator • At age 88, and devastated by the recent death of husband Richard Blum, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is likely to resign before fi nishing her term that ends in 2024. If she does, fellow Democrat Gavin Newsom would become the fi rst governor to appoint both U.S. Senate seats from California since Republican Gov. Earl Warren (1943-1953). Stung by criticism for naming Alex Padilla, a former state senator and secretary of state, instead of a minority to replace Kamala Harris when she became vice president, Newsom will be under pressure to fi ll the next vacancy with a Black Democrat. “Or he could just as easily name a gay Democrat,” Jon Fleischman, of the much read online FlashReport political journal, told Newsmax, adding: “Newsom is ‘Mr. Identity Politics.’”
Ricketts’ Next Move? • Despite speculation in Nebraska that Gov. Pete Ricketts will jump into the Republican presidential race in 2024 (two years after he is termed out of offi ce), some Republicans have doubts. His substantial personal wealth notwithstanding (Ricketts is the son of the founder of TD Ameritrade and a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs), they point out that
44 NEWSMAX | MAY 2022
the conservative governor would only divide the GOP vote if Donald Trump or former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decide to run. “Pete just may take a shot at the Senate in ’26,” former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub told us, recalling how Ricketts made a losing bid for the Senate before winning the governorship. Incumbent GOP Sen. Ben Sasse, wounded by criticism for his harsh words about Trump, is likely to retire when his second term is up in 2026.
Trump Breaks With Inhofe • Having announced his resignation earlier this year, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., is going all out to make top aide Luke Holland his successor. While Inhofe has managed to keep other high-profi le Republicans out of the race and secure key endorsements for Holland, one endorsement he is unlikely to get is that of Donald Trump. Despite a cordial relationship with Inhofe when he was chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, the former president is poised to give his blessing to Alex Gray — former chief of staff to Trump’s National Security Council. Already Gray has the backing of such former Trump offi cials as Ric Grenell, ambassador to Germany, and national security adviser Robert
O’Brien. The other Republicans vying to succeed Inhofe in the all- important Republican primary are state Sen. Nathan Dahm (who has the backing of Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul) and Rep. Markwayne Mullins. All are considered strong conservatives.
Romney’s Dilemma • So far, Sen. Mitt Romney has been silent about supporting fellow Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee for reelection or his independent opponent, former Republican and CIA operative Evan McMullin. The 2012 Republican presidential candidate told reporters that both Lee and McMullin are friends, and he won’t get involved.
But more than a few Utah GOP operatives privately tell us that some of Romney’s political team and veterans of his presidential campaign will be assisting McMullin. What is driving them to cross over is that McMullin won the hearts of many Romneyites when he ran as an independent candidate against Donald Trump in 2016. Since then, he has completely left the GOP and many Democrats are urging their party not to nominate a Senate candidate in Utah so that they can support McMullin as well. Two prominent Beehive State Democrats — Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson and former Rep. Ben McAdams — have weighed in for McMullin.
Harold Ford for President?
• Should Joe Biden decide against seeking reelection and no prominent Democrat emerges as a likely presidential nominee, sources tell us a number of Democrats will quietly
urge former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. of Tennessee to fi nally make a run for it. Ford, son of and successor to Tennessee’s fi rst Black congressman, narrowly lost a Senate bid in 2006. “Had Harold won,” a onetime House colleague told Newsmax, “his political advisers had a plan for him to move to the White House in his fi rst Senate term — just like Barack Obama.” Out of offi ce for 16 years, Ford, 52, is nonetheless known and well connected from his years as a TV pundit (Fox News) and as an executive with PNC Financial Services. Like Bill Clinton, he is also a past chairman of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.
AP IMAGES
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
