TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Brad Woodhouse, President, American Bridge 21st Century
RE: What to Expect in Nashua
DATE: April 17, 2015
Republican presidential candidates are descending like a swarm of locusts on Nashua, New Hampshire, this weekend for the NHGOP’s First in the Nation Leadership Summit. With more than 20 candidate events scheduled in addition to Friday and Saturday’s speaking slots, American Bridge will be working overtime to document every word from targeted candidates and continue our work holding Republicans accountable for their extreme positions and words. Here’s what we’re expecting to hear:
- Medicare and Social Security on the Chopping Block
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie made (unflattering) headlines this week with his aggressive stance against protecting Social Security, but the truth is that the Republican Party wants to gut the promises we’ve made to our seniors. We know where they stand — now who else is going to be dumb enough to say it out loud?
- Primary Voters Still Wary of Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush has focused on raising money while denying he’s running for President, a head-in-the-sand approach that’s undermining his credibility with the press, but if you ask Republican primary voters, the problem goes much deeper than that. While he’s hobnobbing with the big money donors, the base is being left to stew about their opposition to Bush’s policies on immigration, Common Core, and more. Which candidate is going to dare take a shot at Jeb to his face?
- Support for Indiana-Style Right to Discriminate Laws
Beleaguered Indiana Governor Mike Pence might not have many friends left in his home state, but he’s got them in droves in the GOP presidential field. Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, and Scott Walker all stood with Pence, and Jeb Bush bravely talked out of both sides of his mouth to two different audiences as he stated support for Pence’s law. Look for continued kowtowing to the base on this issue.
- Nobody Likes Marco Rubio, Immigration Edition
It’s been a rough week for Marco Rubio; he’s been called “the candidate of yesterday” on CNN and his campaign announcement drew protests from both pro-immigration reform activists that feel betrayed and conservatives that haven’t forgiven Rubio’s involvement in the Senate immigration bill. Watch for Rubio to struggle as he continues to try and pander his way out of his political quandary.
- Nobody Likes Marco Rubio, Taxes Edition
With criticism from sources as far-flung as the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board and Glenn Beck to Brookings and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, the only person that seems to like Marco Rubio’s tax plan is Marco Rubio. Will he keep leaning in to his tax plan, or change with the political winds like he did on immigration?
- At Least One Dustup Over So-Called Personhood and Marriage Equality
The New Hampshire Republican Party removed, then concealed, extreme language from their online platform this week, triggering a round of criticism both inside and outside of the party. Which candidate is going to seize the opportunity to fire up the base with issues that even the state Republican party seems embarrassed to run on?
- Scott Walker vs. Scott Walker
Just which Scott Walker is going to show up this weekend, anyway?
- At Least One Love Song to the Kochs
After Rand Paul’s embarrassing (and factually challenged) display in Time, who’s going to make the next big move in trying to win over the hearts and checkbooks of the Kochs?
Published: Apr 17, 2015