MEMO: After #ALSen Defeat, Mitch McConnell Looks Weaker than Ever

To: Interested Parties
From: Jessica Mackler, President, American Bridge 21st Century
Date: 8/17/17
Subject: After #ALSen Defeat, Mitch McConnell Looks Weaker than Ever

The results of the Alabama Senate primary this week should be the final blow to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s reputation as a “master tactician” — or even as a halfway decent majority leader.

Robocalls from the president. Up to eight million dollars. Second place. And a guarantee he’ll have to spend at least that much again over the coming weeks. In ruby red Alabama. That’s the result of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s defeat this week.

McConnell’s humiliation is the culmination of eight disastrous months for Senate Republicans in which they have careened from crisis to crisis.

His health care bill is dead, defeated and trashed by members of his own party. His president has disowned him, accusing him of undermining his agenda. His legislative tactics are viewed with suspicion by Senators of his own […]

Read more after the jump.

QUICK CLIP: Heller flip flops on health care yet AGAIN… in span of three days

“Pleased” with health care outcome on Friday, “Disappointed” by it on Monday

You just can’t make this stuff up. Last night, Dean Heller flip flopped for the gazillionth time on health care. 

Friday, Heller told a Nevada TV station that he was “real pleased” with the outcome of the health care debate, even though he’d voted to repeal the ACA and that measure failed.

But last night, just three days later, Heller indicated the exact opposite during a radio interview on the Dan Mason Show, saying “no one was more disappointed than myself that we didn’t repeal and replace Obamacare.”

What changed? Just the person he was talking to. 

LISTEN to Dean Heller’s latest flip-flop on KOH-AM 780 here.

“It’s not even surprising anymore when Dean Heller flips his position on health care– he changes his mind with whatever direction the wind is blowing,” said American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp. “It couldn’t be clearer that Dean Heller has no actual convictions […]

Read more after the jump.

American Bridge Launches “Bully” ad Targeting Rauner Veto

Governor Bruce Rauner’s disastrous veto of a school funding bill that would have re-worked a school funding formula currently considered to be the most inequitable in the country also leaves schools with no certainty of funding for the upcoming school year.

Rauner’s veto leaves schools administrators and teachers in the lurch, wondering how long before jobs are threatened. Rauner’s veto leaves Illinois schoolchildren unsure how long their school year might last – and what opportunities they’ll miss out on. Rauner’s veto leaves parents desperately concerned about what will happen if their school shuts down mid-year.

In response, American Bridge launched an online ad campaign that clarifies who really suffers from Governor Rauner’s bullying tactics – Illinois’ children.

American Bridge spokesperson Lizzy Price made the following statement: 

“Governor Rauner is the definition of a bully – he’s abused his veto power to intimidate and harm children and entire communities to make a political point. No […]

Read more after the jump.

QUICK CLIP: News 4 Nevada: Spineless Dean Heller Says He’s “Pleased” with Health Care Outcome After Supporting Failed ACA Repeal

Dean Heller’s ever changing position on health care continues to mystify and anger Nevadans. After promising he’d vote against Trumpcare, and flip flopping multiple times on his stance with whichever way the political winds were blowing, Heller ended up casting the deciding vote to move forward with the ACA repeal and then voted for the “skinny repeal” bill, a measure that ultimately failed to pass the Senate.

But now he says he’s “pleased” with that outcome.

WATCH

Heller told News 4 Nevada, “Obviously I got in the middle of this – this health care battle, and I feel real pleased with the way this thing turned out.”

That’s a strange comment from a guy who met with Donald Trump right after the repeal vote failed to strategize about getting to a repeal that could pass, and who’s been pushing […]

Read more after the jump.

Jeff Flake is Paying the Penalty for Standing for Nothing But His Own Political Advancement

Following news that a top Republican donor and Trump supporter will be spending heavily to defeat Sen. Jeff Flake, American Bridge spokesperson Joshua Karp made this statement:

“As if Senate Republicans didn’t have enough problems with nasty, self-destructive primaries across the country, a top GOP donor is now declaring war against one of their own. Jeff Flake is paying the penalty for  standing for nothing but his own political advancement. He voted for all of Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees — has voted with the president over 93% of the time in fact — but trashed Trump’s agenda in his new book. You can’t have it both ways, Senator — and this is what happens to politicians who try to be all things to all people.”

Read more after the jump.

American Bridge Launches Recess Campaign Targeting Republicans Who Avoid Town Halls

As a month-long congressional recess gets underway, American Bridge has launched a new campaign targeting vulnerable Republican senators, representatives and candidates who are avoiding holding town hall meetings where they would hear from their constituents.

The campaign, “Demand a Town Hall,” will run through Labor Day, and includes a website, DemandATownHall.us, a 60-second video, and targeted Twitter ads. The campaign features people throughout the country asking their elected officials to hold town halls, and the web tool allows the public to sign targeted petitions demanding town halls. The website also shows — in real time — how long it’s been since each elected official has held a public event for his or her constituents.

The ads will run across 9 states and target Republican Senators, Senate candidates, and members of Congress: Sen. Dean Heller (NV), Sen. Jeff Flake (AZ), Rep. Fred Upton (MI), Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ), Rep. Lee Zeldin (NY), Rep. Dan Donovan (NY), Rep. Lou Barletta (PA), Sen. […]

Read more after the jump.

What They’re Saying… About the Nevada GOP Primary

Just 11 days after Dean Heller “completely botched” the health care votes in the Senate, enraging voters from the right, left, and center, Heller has drawn a conservative primary opponent. The upcoming nasty and costly primary is sure to brutally damage the eventual nominee.

Take a look at just a sample of the coverage today…

NBC News: “The most endangered Republican in the Senate will now have to fend off a primary challenger before attempting to win back his seat in one of the most important contests of the 2018 midterm elections.”

Business Insider: Republican Launches Primary Challenge to One of the Most Vulnerable GOP Senators on Trump’s Favorite Morning Show

Las Vegas Review Journal: “The announcement sets up a tough GOP primary battle between Heller, considered a vulnerable incumbent who has faced recent pressure from both Democrat and Republican groups, […]

Read more after the jump.