Inside the GOP plan to turn Cuellar and Menendez into Dem liabilities

An evening recap of the action on Capitol Hill and preview of the day ahead

May 14, 2024 View in browser   By Daniella Diaz and Ursula Perano With assists from POLITICO’s Congress team In a year when the party faces a notably favorable Senate map replete with opportunities in more purple states, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is not making a play in New Jersey. | AP THAT’S A BOLD STRATEGY, LET’S SEE IF IT PAYS OFF FOR ‘EM  Republicans aren’t working hard to claim the seats of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ.) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), even after their high-profile corruption-related indictments. But the GOP is laying plans to hang their legal problems around the necks of their Democratic colleagues. In a year when the party faces a notably favorable Senate map replete with opportunities in more purple states, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is not making a play in New Jersey (good news for Rep. Andy Kim!). But the GOP’s Senate campaign arm is homing in on Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in a bid to build Menendez’ indictments into a larger narrative that Democratic incumbents are ethically challenged. "Bob Menendez’ comical level of corruption has brought political self-dealing to the forefront of voters’ minds. That is bad news for Bob Casey and Jon Tester, because they both have serious vulnerabilities on corruption and ethics issues,” NRSC spokesperson Mike Berg said in a statement to POLITICO. Why Casey and Tester, and not others? Republicans have specifically eyed Casey and Tester as vulnerable to ethics critiques even before their colleague got indicted, thanks to past reports about their connections to lobbyists. Casey’s also been hit on certain donor ties, while Tester has faced some negative press about periodic lapses in his self-imposed ethics pledge. Both Casey and Tester, notably, have called on Menendez to resign over his bribery charges. “Jon Tester goes above and beyond nearly every Senate office when it comes to transparency and cracking down on lobbyist influence,” Tester spokesperson Monica Robinson said in response to the Republican jab. Robinson also dinged likely GOP nominee Tim Sheehy’s “refusal to divest from his company” as a “major conflict of interest, as he tries to get elected to the very office that would steer lucrative federal contracts to his business.” Casey spokesperson Maddy McDaniel similarly replied that “Pennsylvanians know Bob Casey for his decency, ethics, and honesty” and dinged GOP Senate nominee Dave McCormick for “dishonesty and self-dealing,” noting carpetbagger allegations against the candidate, among other subjects. McCormick spokesperson Elizabeth Gregory responded: “On November 5, Pennsylvania will retire empty suit Bob Casey and send Dave McCormick to the Senate.” Over in the House, the GOP has a similar strategy for Cuellar’s seat. Republicans targeted him directly last cycle, but this time around he has stayed off their list — until the indictment made his troubles a problem for the other House Democrat in a South Texas district. Now the National Republican Congressional Committee is using Cuellar’s legal challenges to try to connect him with vulnerable Rep. Vicente Gonzalez. The latter Democrat is facing an uphill battle in his reelection against former GOP Rep. Mayra Flores, who lost the South Texas district to Gonzalez by 9 points last cycle. “Cuellar’s indictment puts the other South Texas Democrats in a lose-lose spot – they either condemn their colleague or they stay silent and become complicit in the pattern of politicians using their positions for self-serving purposes. So far, Vicente Gonzalez and Michelle Vallejo have chosen to stay silent and put corruption ahead of serving South Texans,” said Delanie Bomar, an NRCC spokesperson, in a statement. “Mayra has a lot more to worry about being endorsed and following and loving a 92-time indicted orange master than I have by somebody who's two districts away and a very independent person,” Gonzalez said in a statement to POLITICO Tuesday. “The NRCC’s insinuation of me and South Texas is just one more racist and anti Latino remark the Republican Party is so used to making. Which is also why the majority of Latinos in this country continue to reject their party.” Another front: The NRCC is also pushing House Democrats, including Minority Whip Katherine Clark, to return donations from Cuellar’s leadership PAC, called the Texas First PAC. The PAC gave Clark $5,000 this cycle. Speaking of trials … the GOP’s rising interest in ethics-related indictments doesn’t extend to Trump, and Democrats aren’t shying away from turning the presidential frontrunner’s New York trial into a potential problem for their opponents. Take Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who made headlines a few days ago when he stopped by to support the former president at his trial in New York – and was called out by Democratic opponent Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. “Instead of showing up to vote on a bill that protects Florida travelers, strengthens air safety, and provides our aviation workforce with the resources they need to secure our skies, Rick Scott spent his day sucking up to a defendant found liable for sexual abuse,” she said in a statement. — Daniella Diaz and Ursula Perano   THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. 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Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, May 14, where we’ll be missing our closest cheddar bay biscuit purveyor.  DEMS TO WATCH ON ISRAEL VOTE A decent swath of House Democrats are planning to defy their party leaders and vote for GOP-led legislation that compels President Joe Biden to send certain weapons to Israel. House Democratic leadership started to whip against the bill Tuesday morning, a step they’ve opted against many times recently — instead allowing members in tough districts to vote their conscience. Even so, some Democrats have already said they’ll vote for it, as the party continues to reckon with deep divisions over the Israel-Hamas war. The White House has also announced plans to veto it, which could provide cover for those who are considering a "yea" vote “I’ll vote for it, but they should pull the bill and work with one of us to write it in such a way that it gets support from the vast majority of the House. With this version, they chose — again — to use Israel as a political weapon,” Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told us in a statement. “They’ve done it with antisemitism, too. It’s frustrating and sad and completely unnecessary and harmful.” He likely won’t be alone. Here’s who else we’ll be watching: The Israel allies: This group includes House Democrats who have voted with Republicans in the past on issues concerning Israel, such as standalone aid and antisemitism bills. That faction includes Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), to name a few. The frontliners: Democrats from purple districts could feel the heat on the vote too. Take Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) and Landsman, who voted for the standalone Israel aid bill that had flopped in February. Those three lawmakers had signed on to a letter to the Biden administration last week voicing concerns with the weapons holdup. The progressives: Progressives are likely to almost universally oppose the legislation. Many members of the Progressive Caucus have been vocally critical of the Israel-Hamas war and have voted against most legislation that helps Israel in its fight against Hamas, citing the tactics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. — Daniella Diaz and Nicholas Wu JOHNSON, YOUNGKIN, STEFANIK… AND JOHN MCGUIRE The Republican Jewish Coalition has lined up a list of GOP heavy hitters for its D.C. Spring Leadership Meeting Thursday — and one particularly notable candidate opposing a Republican incumbent. The slated guests include Speaker Mike Johnson, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Then there’s John McGuire, the primary challenger to House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.), according to an agenda first obtained by POLITICO. The group, in a rare move, came out against Good last month, citing his votes against foreign aid bills that included Israel aid. But the event lineup makes it clear they’ll continue to prop up McGuire, at least until the primary in mid-June. — Olivia Beavers HUDDLE HOTDISH We were wondering if they coordinated their outfits today. Should we be concerned by the baseball bat-wielding staffer? High stakes in the Maryland primary: A potential senator with a last name that starts with “A.” Molly Reynolds reminds us that the clerk’s roll hasn’t started with an “A” since Lamar Alexander retired. QUICK LINKS  Dems’ ugliest Senate primary ends with a bad grand prize: Facing Larry Hogan, from Burgess Everett, Nicholas Wu, Brakkton Booker and Daniella Diaz With sagging polls, could Biden hurt Democrats in critical New York House races? From NY1’s Kevin Frey Congress blew the deadline for a plaque honoring Jan. 6 officers by over a year from NBC’s Frank Thorp V, Rebecca Kaplan, Kyle Stewart and Ryan J. Reilly   LISTEN TO POLITICO'S ENERGY PODCAST: Check out our daily five-minute brief on the latest energy and environmental politics and policy news. Don't miss out on the must-know stories, candid insights, and analysis from POLITICO's energy team. Listen today.     TRANSITIONS  Audrey Cook is now press secretary for Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). She previously was deputy press secretary for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Matt Smith is now comms director for Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.). He previously was a director at Xenophon Strategies and is a James Comer alum. Ryan Propis is now VP of security and facilitation at the U.S. Travel Association. He previously was deputy staff director and general counsel for the House Homeland Security GOP. TOMORROW IN CONGRESS The House and Senate are in session. WEDNESDAY AROUND THE HILL Noon Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), Chuy García (D-Ill.), and others on temporary protected status (TPS) for Ecuadorians currently residing in the United States. (House Triangle) 4:15 p.m. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) on COVID state and local recovery funds. (Senate Studio) TRIVIA MONDAY’S ANSWER: Jonathan Kirk was the first to correctly guess that Condoleezza Rice is the former Secretary of State who is a partial owner of the Denver Broncos. TODAY’S QUESTION, from Jonathan: According to legend, the ghost of Civil War general, vice presidential nominee, US senator, and key figure in the movement to establish Memorial Day John Logan appears in the Senate’s old Military Affairs Committee room looking for what animal? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@politico.com. GET INSIDE CONGRESS emailed to your phone each evening.   Follow us

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