As your polls rise, so does your scrutiny. Vol. 1, from the New York Times, on Marco Rubio:
The issue involves a small Georgia footnote. According to the Tampa Bay Tribune, Rubio's credit-card spending includes $10,000 for a four-day family reunion in Thomasville, Ga., to celebrate his election as speaker of the Florida state House. From the Tribune:
[Rubio] attributed the family reunion expense in Thomasville, Ga. — a celebration of him becoming House speaker — to a mistake by his travel agent, who used the wrong card.
Vol. 2 of Heightened Exposure Thursday, from CNN. The topic is Ben Carson:
But nine friends, classmates and neighbors who grew up with Carson told CNN they have no memory of the anger or violence the candidate has described.
That person is unrecognizable to those whom CNN interviewed, who knew him during those formative years.
And here's a bonus Carson story from Buzzfeed:
"My own personal theory is that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain," Carson said. "Now all the archeologists think that they were made for the pharaohs' graves. But, you know, it would have to be something awfully big if you stop and think about it. And I don't think it'd just disappear over the course of time to store that much grain."
The Washington Post explains why this stray, 17-year-old thought isn't likely to hurt Carson. So does the Gallup organization:
Political novice Ben Carson retains his formidable edge in popularity over his Republican presidential rivals, with a net favorable score of +59 among Republicans nationwide. But Carson is popular not only with Republicans, he also has a net favorable score of +21 among national adults -- the highest of any candidate from either party.
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We've picked up word that Vice President Joe Biden will be at Morehouse College in Atlanta next Tuesday. It will be his first visit since declining to join the Democratic campaign for president.
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In the long slog to the Republican presidential nomination, GOP voters living in more Democratic parts of the country hold outsize sway -- which does not bode well for the most conservative candidates. A fascinating Cook Political Report read:
For example, three delegates are up for grabs in New York's heavily Latino, Bronx-based 15th District, which cast just 5,315 votes for Romney in 2012. But there are also three delegates at stake in Alabama's 6th District, which covers Birmingham's whitest suburbs and gave Romney 233,803 votes. In other words, a GOP primary vote cast in the bluest part of the Bronx could be worth 43 times more than a vote cast in the reddest part of Alabama.
That applies within states, too. So if you're an Atlanta Republican in John Lewis' 5th Congressional District, because there are fewer of you, your vote matters more than if you're a Gainesville Republican in Doug Collins' 9th Congressional District.
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President Barack Obama has an interview with an Atlanta radio station on his schedule today, part of a push to promote Obamacare enrollment, but the White House would not reveal in advance which station. He called into V-103 about this time last year to promote Michelle Nunn's Senate candidacy, so perhaps it's a repeat.
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U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is quoted in Roll Call today as saying that it will be "extremely difficult" for any Republican to take the White House in 2016 unless Congress acts on immigration reform:
"I wouldn't predict, but I think that when you have a majority of a Hispanic population right now identifying themselves as in favor of some kind of path to citizenship and it's important to them, I think it makes it more difficult," McCain said Tuesday.
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We've pointed out the connection that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is drawing between sports and politics, with tailgating events at a number of SEC football sites, including Athens. We've missed a smaller, local connection.
Since August, GOP strategist Chip Lake, former chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, has been podcasting his own sports program, Red Zone Sports. It's worth a listen.
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At 8 p.m. Friday, MSNBC will host what it's calling the "First in the South Democratic Candidates Forum" at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. Rachel Maddow will moderate. Angelo Fuster is hosting a local watch party at Manuel's Tavern at North and Highland.
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The following Republicans have qualified with the Secretary of State's office for the Dec. 1 special election to replace state Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, who retired amid a battle with Alzheimer's.
- Vivian L. Childs
- Brooks Keisler
- Jon Martin
- James N. Pettis
- Mike Reece
- Larry Walker
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