WASHINGTON — If it’s Wednesday ... Katie Britt winsAlabama’s GOP Senate runoff. ... Vulnerable Democratic Reps. Abigail Spanberger and Elaine Luria get their Republican opponents for the fall. ... Trump’s endorsed congressional candidates lose their runoffs in Georgia. ... President Biden to callfor Congress to pass three-month gas-tax holiday. ... And Jessica Cisneros concedes in Texas-28.
But first: America’s political system can still produce bipartisan change.
It might not be the transformative change some want. And even the incremental change produces political backlash. But it’s still change nonetheless.
That’s the clear takeaway after the U.S. Senate voted 64-34 to begin debate on gun legislation that would include state funding to implement “red flag” laws, enhance background checks on those ages 18-21 and increase spending for mental health.
Fourteen Republicans joined all 50 Democrats in voting to move the legislation forward (and most of them are either retiring or aren’t up for re-election for another four years):
- Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
- Richard Burr, R-N.C.
- Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V.
- Bill Cassidy, R-La.
- Susan Collins, R-Maine
- John Cornyn, R-Texas
- Joni Ernst, R-Iowa
- Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
- Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
- Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
- Rob Portman, R-Ohio
- Mitt Romney, R-Utah
- Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
- Todd Young, R-Ind.
Per NBC’s Frank Thorp, last night’s vote simply started the floor process for the bill, and the Senate is expected to hold a 60-vote threshold motion vote on Thursday to bypass a filibuster of the bill.
A final vote, Thorp adds, could come as soon as Friday.
This kind of bipartisan deal — whether on guns or the earlier infrastructure bill — is what the silent majority of Americans say they want, according to the polling.
But let’s see if voters actually reward senators for it.
Murkowski, in fact, will be an interesting case study in August’s primary (when voters select the Top 4 candidates regardless of party) and in November’s general election (where there’s ranked-choice voting).
Murkowski’s opponent, the Trump-backed Kelly Tshibaka, issued a statement last night blasting Murkowski’s vote.
“When [Murkowski] visits Alaska, she pretends to be a friend of the 2nd Amendment, but when she’s in Washington, D.C., she sides with the elites and the insiders and votes against the interests of law-abiding Alaskans.”
Tweet of the day
Data Download: The number of the day is … 144%
That’s the increase in threats against members of Congress have since 2017, NBC News’ Ali Vitali and Kyle Stewart report. The Capitol Police told NBC News that the department tracked 3,939 threats in 2017, and 9,625 in 2021. The Capitol Police’s Threat Assessment Team opened roughly 1,820 cases in the first three months of 2022.
Vitali and Stewart note that the new data comes against the backdrop of a weekend of aggressive heckling at the Texas GOP convention and after GOP Missouri Senate candidate Eric Greitens released a video encouraging political violence against “RINOs.” Death threats came to Republicans and Democrats alike for voting for the bipartisan infrastructure package and to certify the legitimate election results in 2021.
Other numbers to know:
6.1: The magnitude of an earthquake that hit Afghanistan and caused massive devastation — at least 1,000 were killed and at least 500 more have been injured.
$1.6 million: How much Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder paid a woman who accused him of sexual harassment and assault in 2009 in a confidential settlement, according to the Washington Post (Snyder denies the accusations).
$3 million: How much Trump’s Save America PAC spent trying to boost two of his preferred candidates in May primaries, per recent campaign finance reports.
18.4 cents: That’s how much money is added to a gallon of gas due to the federal gas tax, which Biden will call to suspend amid price increases.
480,000: That’s how many premature deaths in America are due to cigarette smoking and tobacco smoke exposure each year. The Biden administration is aiming to reduce that with a new rule proposal to limit nicotine in cigarettes.
Midterm roundup: The results are in
Last night’s elections brought a number of key primaries to an end. Some key takeaways: Trump ultimately got on the right bandwagon in Alabama; his candidates didn’t do well in Georgia; a top, well-funded GOP recruit in GA-02 fell short; and Republicans nominated women with law enforcement/military backgrounds in key races in Virginia.
Here’s a look at the results of the major races (per NBC’s Decision Desk, with projections in parentheses):
Alabama Senate GOP runoff: Katie Britt 63% (winner), Mo Brooks 37%.
Alabama-05 GOP runoff: Dale Strong 63% (winner), Casey Wardynski 37%.
Georgia Sec. of State Democratic runoff: Bee Nguyen 77% (winner), Dee Dawkins-Haigler 23%.
Georgia-02 GOP runoff: Chris West 51% (winner), Jeremy Hunt 49%.
Georgia-06 GOP runoff: Rich McCormick 66.5% (winner), Jake Evans 33.5%.
Georgia-07 GOP runoff: Mark Gonsalves 70% (winner), Michael Corbin 30%.
Georgia-10 GOP runoff: Mike Collins 75% (winner), Vernon Jones 26%.
Virginia-02 GOP primary: Jen Kiggans 56% (winner), Jarome Bell 27%.
Virginia-07 GOP primary: Yesli Vega 29% (winner), Derrick Anderson 24%
Elsewhere on the campaign trail:
Arizona Senate: Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly released a new TV ad where he acknowledges inflation, saying he will “do whatever it takes to lower costs now.”
Wisconsin Senate: GOP Sen. Ron Johnson came up in Tuesday’s Jan. 6 committee hearing, when it was revealed Johnson’s chief of staff contacted former Vice President Mike Pence’s staff about Johnson giving Pence alternate slates of electors. Johnson dismissed the episode. Three of Johnson’s Democratic rivals — Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, state Treasurer Sarah Godlewski and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson — called on Johnson to resign.
Arizona Governor: An Arizona drag queen called GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake a “hypocrite,” saying she frequently attended his shows. Lake said she would sue for defamation.
Florida Governor: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, seen as a top 2024 presidential challenger, has no plans to ask Trump for an endorsement for his 2022 re-election, per Politico.
New York Lt. Governor: Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will endorse Ana María Archila’s bid for lieutenant governor over former Congressman and current Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, per the New York Times.
Texas-28: Democratic attorney Jessica Cisneros conceded her primary runoff race against Rep. Henry Cuellar, who defeated Cisneros by just 289 votes.
Ad watch: Hawley touts Hartzler
Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., is hoping an endorsement from Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., will help her come out on top in a crowded Republican field vying for the nomination to replace retiring Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.
In a new ad out from Hartzler, Hawley tells viewers, “There’s a lot of Republicans running for the Senate. I know all of them. I’ve decided to support Vicky Hartzler and I hope you will too.”
“I know Vicky’s character, her strong moral compass, her guts. We need a senator who’s not afraid, a true conservative who’s not in it for herself,” Hawley adds.
The ad comes the same week another candidate in the Republican primary race, former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, is under fire nationally for a new web video that called for people to take up arms and go “RINO hunting.” (RINO stands for Republican In Name Only.)
ICYMI: What else is happening in the world
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that public money can be used for religious education, saying that a program in Maine that barred families from using taxpayer funds for tuition at “sectarian” schools was “discrimination against religion.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland visited Ukraine on Tuesday.
South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg will be removed from office after he was convicted of two impeachment charges related to a fatal traffic incident in 2020.
