Senate candidates trade House toil for celeb launchpad

Presented by American Civil Liberties Union: A play-by-play preview of the day's congressional news

Dec 23, 2021 View in browser   By Katherine Tully-McManus Presented by American Civil Liberties Union With Marianne LeVine. CELEBRITY SENATORS — Forget celebrity endorsements, try celebrity candidates. Five years after Donald Trump went from celebrity to the presidency, some Republicans believe he could be a blueprint for winning back the Senate. Republicans are coalescing around former football star Herschel Walker's bid to flip a Senate Georgia seat red in 2022, and many are increasingly open to celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz's campaign in Pennsylvania, another battleground state. What happened to the House? It's a far less traditional approach than using the House as a springboard to the upper chamber. And even though celebrities running for office isn't new, Senate Republicans acknowledged in interviews that there is a link between Trump's election to the White House in 2016 and the rise in celebrity candidates in competitive races. Anybody can do this ... "I started a trend, didn't I?" quipped Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a former college football coach at Auburn University, who added that "Trump winning kind of showed, 'Hey, anybody can do this.'" Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who came to the Senate after serving in House leadership, observed that the "the logical response to President Trump's election would be people running who don't have political experience but have wide recognition." Vetting, avoided: While running as a celebrity can bring instant name ID, money and coveted "outsider" status, it can also have its downsides. Celebrities typically aren't subject to the intense vetting that comes with running for office. And some lawmakers fear that electing candidates with no experience legislating could mean a more dysfunctional Senate. Marianne and Sarah have more: Senate GOP feels another Trump effect: The rise of celeb candidates   POLITICO TECH AT CES 2022 - We are bringing a special edition of the POLITICO Tech newsletter to CES 2022. Written by Alexandra Levine and John Hendel, the newsletter will take you inside the most influential technology event on the planet, featuring every major and emerging industry in the technology ecosystem gathered together in one place. The newsletter runs from Jan. 5-7 and will focus on the public policy related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the Summit.     GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, December 23, where this is the final Huddle of 2021. We'll be back in your inbox on Jan. 3, 2022. Thanks for reading Huddle this year, playing trivia, sending news tips and job transitions. It is a pleasure being your Huddle Host. CLYBURN STRUCK WITH COVID — House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) has tested positive for Covid he announced Wednesday night. The 81 year old is asymptomatic. "It is a huge sacrifice to miss my granddaughter's wedding, but it is an unfortunate reality that is playing out all across this country due to the proliferation of this virus," Clyburn said in a statement. After an initial rapid test on Sunday was inconclusive, it took the 3rd ranking Democrat in the House 56 hours to get a PCR test result. Clyburn was in good spirits on MSNBC late last night. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) also announced Wednesday that she tested positive. SCARY DAY FOR SCANLON — Pennsylvania Democrat Mary Gay Scanlon was carjacked by two armed men on Wednesday in Philadelphia. According to Scanlon's office the attack happened around 2:45 p.m. when the lawmaker was returning to her car after a tour in FDR Park. She was physically unharmed, according to her staff, but Scanlon's personal cell phone, government cell phone, purse and identification were all taken. Scanlon's Philly-area colleague Rep. Brandan Boyle (D-Pa.) wished his friend well, saying "She's Philly tough so I know she will be ok!" Here's The Philadelphia Inquirer's story on the incident.   A message from American Civil Liberties Union: Our country caused irreparable harm to thousands of children and parents by separating families at the border—in some cases keeping them apart for years. President Biden ended the Trump administration's inhumane policy. Now, we have a responsibility to repair the damage and ensure it never happens again. ACLU Voters will never forget who stands up for the separated children and who turns their backs.   IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES — Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) announced he and his wife Cristina are divorcing, saying that the transition to being a member of congress was too difficult on their relationship. "Together, we realized that balance was not attainable, and that we had irreconcilable differences between us." Cawthorn said the decision to divorce was mutual. "I want to live in the world he creates, I just don't want to be married to someone changing the world," Christina told the local Fox46 station in Charlotte. "We still have a great friendship and there's no ill-will." REGRETS, RICE HAS A FEW — Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) told Olivia Wednesday that he regrets voting against certifying Biden's election win after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. Among the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump over the insurrection, Rice is the only one who voted for certification challenges to Biden's win. "In retrospect I should have voted to certify. Because President Trump was responsible for the attack on the Capitol," Rice said. "In the wee hours of that disgraceful night, while waiting for the Capitol of our great country to be secured, I knew I should vote to certify. But because I had made a public announcement of my intent to object, I did not want to go back on my word. So yeah, I regret my vote to object." PROGRESSIVES KEEP PUSHING Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) is sticking to her message and plans to play hardball over anticipated action from the Senate to shrink the Democrats' social spending and climate package to appease Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). She urged a "whole-of-government approach" to advancing President Joe Biden's agenda. That means executive actions. She promised that the CPC would soon release a plan for actions on health care and climate action.   BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now.     MAPMAKER, MAPMAKER, MAKE ME A MAP — Some redistricting decisions are borne out of self interest: Mapmakers draw lines specifically to further their own political ambitions. Ally Mutnick dives into conflict of interest scrutiny that is drawing attention to the folks drawing the maps from Missouri to Pennsylvania to Oregon. More Map News: GOP could win 6 of Arizona's 9 congressional seats after remap, from Ally Mutnick and Allan James Vestal QUICK LINKS Torn by family tragedies, a Maryland widow and Rep. Jamie Raskin question insurance companies' suicide rules, from The Baltimore Sun TRANSITIONS Amber Bland is Sen. John Barrasso's (R-Wyo.) new legislative director. A Wyoming native, she's been on Barrasso's staff for more than 14 years, most recently serving as legislative counsel for foreign affairs, education and labor. Alex Enlow is now communications director for Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.). She most recently was deputy communications director for Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.). Sally Fox is now press secretary for Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.). She most recently was press secretary for Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). Elle Ciapciak has been promoted to be chief of staff for Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas). She most recently was deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Arrington. Abigail Burger Chingos has been promoted to be staff director of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. She most recently was senior counsel for that subcommittee.   A message from American Civil Liberties Union:   TODAY IN CONGRESS The House meets at 11 a.m. for a pro forma session. The Senate convenes at 11 a.m. for a pro forma session. AROUND THE HILL 10:30 a.m. Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-Ohio) holds a press conference on Voting Rights and the Build Back Better Act (Studio A). TRIVIA WEDNESDAY'S WINNER: Julian Ha correctly answered that the first and only Native American vice president to date was Charles Curtis, VP to Republican Herbert Hoover. Another reader, Kawika Riley, included the detail that Curtis was an enrolled member of the Kaw Nation. TODAY'S QUESTION from Julian: Who was the first Asian American woman to be sworn into Congress? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning. Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus   A message from American Civil Liberties Union: The Trump administration ripped thousands of children from their parents' arms at the border -- a policy that American doctors say can cause "irreparable harm" and is "torture". The Biden administration ended this inhumane policy. Now, our country has a responsibility to repair the damage. While the legacy of forced separation can never truly be undone, we must take steps to help the families heal and ensure this practice never happens again. ACLU Voters will never forget who stands up for the separated children and who turns their backs. Learn more.     Follow us

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