American Bridge Launches Web Ad On Christie's Already-Dead Campaign

A Leadership PAC Can't Buy Political Relevance

This morning, Chris Christie announced that he is forming a leadership PAC, the closest he's come to officially declaring what we have all known for years -- he really wants to be president. But it seems the closer Chris Christie comes to announcing that he's running, the further he gets from relevance. Between his fiery temper, his awful economic record, his damaging scandals, and his penchant for putting his own interests ahead of his constituents' well-being, Chris Christie's candidacy doesn't appear overly formidable. And some folks are putting it more bluntly: Delving into the polling data, FiveThirtyEight ran a piece this morning with the headline, "Everybody Hates Chris Christie," while others are saying he's already "politically dead." Watch our new web ad:

Bridge Tracking Video: DREAMers Dragged Across Lawn At King Summit

American Bridge trackers captured the DREAMer protest of Texas Governor Rick Perry at Steve King's Iowa Freedom Summit yesterday, as…

MEMO: GOP Candidates Paying Steve King’s Ransom for Primary?

It goes to show just how sharply the Republican party has moved to the right that serious presidential hopefuls are spending today kissing Steve King's ring. Chris Christie calls anti-immigrant crusader King “a very good friend” but he hasn't said if he supports the federal DREAM Act, and he hasn't said if he'd repeal the president's executive action on immigration.  And Scott Walker?  Silent on the federal DREAM Act as well. But even without answering those questions their actions are going to have consequences, because general election voters also happen to have eyes and ears. American Bridge is going to hold these candidates accountable all election cycle, and after appearing on the stump with people that say things like this, it will be crystal clear to voters where they stand.

American Bridge Bracketing Steve King Sweepstakes With Twitter Ads, Video, Trackers, Press Call

GOP Presidential Candidates Will Be Held Accountable For Bowing To The Most Extreme Wing Of The Republican Party

Steve King's Iowa Freedom Summit tomorrow will be replete with GOP presidential candidates courting his favor -- Chris Christie, Scott Walker, Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson and more are slated to attend. It goes to show just how sharply the party has moved to the right that its most serious presidential hopefuls are spending their weekend hoping to flatter the most notoriously anti-immigrant member of Congress, not to mention palling around with the likes of Donald Trump and Sarah Palin. But their desperate attempts to endear themselves to the conservative base will not come without consequences, namely because general election voters also happen to have eyes and ears. American Bridge is holding these candidates accountable for their lunges to the far right.

NJ.com: See what gifts Christie received since becoming governor

From his refusal to cooperate in Bridgegate investigations to concealing his many out-of-state travel expenses, Chris Christie has become notorious for his aversion to transparency. That's why American Bridge continues to do everything in our power to illuminate his highly shrouded tenure as governor. Through a records request, we were able to obtained a 56-page file of every official gift Governer Christie has received since taking office, which NJ.com has made available in a searchable database. There was nothing in there regarding Cowboys tickets, but he did receive a Christmas ornament from Scott Walker in 2013 to which has office noted "no reply sent from us," the only such note made in the 56-page list.

GOP busted in immigration doublespeak days before 2016 hopefuls kiss King’s ring

After American Bridge busted Republicans speaking out of both sides of their mouths on immigration reform last night, the Washington press corps is taking note of one of the most cynical political ploys you’ll ever see. And remember-- this is just days before 2016 hopefuls fly to Iowa to kiss Steve King’s ring. King, for his part, didn’t mix messages last night, sticking to calling one of the president’s guests “a deportable.”

True Life: The Kochs Started My Trajectory; Now I'm Giving The GOP State Of The Union Response

It has just been announced that Sen. Joni Ernst will deliver the Republican Party's State Of The Union response next week -- and what a revealing choice it is. In case you aren't familiar with Ernst from her recent Senate run, let us give you a quick primer, and we'll start right from the beginning. As Joni Ernst put it herself at the Koch brothers' secretive billionaires retreat last summer, the Koch network "really started my trajectory." And boy, they couldn't be prouder with the politician she grew into. Staying true to the Koch agenda, Ernst has stood behind eliminating the Department of Education and gutting the EPA argued against having any federal minimum wage, and she seems eager to privatize Social Security and student loans. And believe it or not, Ernst's extreme views go far beyond her ultra-conservative policy platform.

Resources for Reporters: GOP Following Steve King's Lead On Immigration (Again)

Republicans are poised to again ignore their own autopsy and record losses among Latino voters to follow Steve "Anchor Baby" King's playbook, attempting to deport DREAMers and threatening funding to DHS.  Here's a few resources from American Bridge to help track this morning's debate and vote:

• Bridge Project's report barriers to reform in the House.
• Bridge Project's report on barriers to reform in the Senate.
• Bridge Project's report on how GOP failures left immigration up to the President.
• American Bridge's microsite "All Steve King's Men," which details how Republicans follow Steve King's lead on immigration.

ICYMI – Rand Paul to Howie Carr: Withhold Foreign Aid from ‘Crazy Countries’

Rand Paul is touring New Hampshire this week, retail-politicking the first-in-the-nation (again) in an unofficial presidential bid that feels like it's been going on forever. Well in case you missed it,on Friday, Rand Paul called into the Howie Carr show, where he promptly demonstrated both his unpresidential temperament and his dangerous foreign policy platform. Paul, who raised eyebrows a couple years ago when he said we should end all foreign aid, including to Israel, told Carr that we should withhold foreign aid from 'crazy countries,' and then became irritated when Carr followed up. It seems Rand has a tendency for making half-baked policy proposals...

MEMO: Chris Christie’s Terrible Economic Record

Tonight, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will deliver his State of the State address. We hope he uses this chance to come clean about his serious money problems: his credit has been downgraded eight times. He hasn’t saved enough for retirement. And his security detail is costing him 18 times what it did 5 years ago. Why should he talk about his money problems during the State of the State? Because they have nothing to do with his bank account – we’re talking about New Jersey taxpayers’ money here. Since Chris Christie took office in 2010, he’s been playing fast and loose with taxpayer money. He has mismanaged the budget, resulting in New Jersey’s credit has been downgraded eight times – no New Jersey governor had ever presided over that many downgrades. He’s spending 18 times more on his personal security today than when he took office, for a total of almost $1 million, or nearly $33,000 per month. He’s cut $2.4 billion in pension payments he promised to make because his budget projections were wrong. And the list goes on...