Marco Rubio: I endorsed Mitt Romney because of Obama’s ‘hot mic’ moment
Marco Rubio explains his Romney endorsement, Santorum touts a new Pennsylvania poll, Paul Ryan doesn’t believe the generals, and Jon Huntsman’s daughter wants him to run for Senate.
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EARLIER ON THE FIX:
“Sweet 2016” finals: Andrew Cuomo vs Marco Rubio
Resolved: Supercommittees and debt commissions don’t work
Why Marco Rubio’s endorsement matters to Mitt Romney
Rick Santorum allies up Wisconsin ad buy
Rick Santorum’s ‘Win or go home’ states
WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
* Obama’s hot mic moment in Russia inspired Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to endorse former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, the rising conservative star told the Daily Caller. “The stakes are so high,” he said. “We have to win this election in November.” Obama told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev he would have more “flexibility” in his second term.
* Countering a Franklin & Marshall poll showing a tie in Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum’s campaign is touting a new poll from GOP-affiliated Wenzel Strategies for the PAC Citizens United, showing the former senator leading Romney 46 percent to 26 percent.
* Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said today that he didn’t think military leaders were being honest when they presented their budget. “We don’t think the generals are giving us their true advice,” Ryan said at a National Journal forum, hours before the House passed a budget with hundreds of billions more in defense spending than the Pentagon proposed.
* Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) has endorsed State Sen. Rob Garagiola today in the April 3rd primary for the redrawn seat currently held by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R). But an internal poll from the campaign of financier John Delaney (D) suggests the race is already over — Delaney leads 49 percent to 23 percent. It’s the only competitive House seat in Maryland, and lots of big-name politicians have lined up on both sides of the Democratic primary.
* Abby Huntsman Livingston suggested a new job for her Dad today — senator from Utah, noting that a local alt-weekly voted Jon Huntsman “best Utahn” and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R) “worst,” adding, “Maybe time to pass the torch?”
* New Quinnipiac polls finds two vulnerable Democratic senators leading their GOP opponents. In Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D)leads state Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) 46 percent to 36 percent. In Florida, Sen. Bill Nelson (D) leads Rep. Connie Mack (R) 44 percent to 36 percent.
WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS:
* VoteVets.org is putting $200,000 behind an ad supporting embattled Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), the left-leaning group’s first ad of the 2012 cycle. In the ad veterans thank McCaskill, a top Republican target, for fighting cuts to veterans’ services and for the new G.I. Bill. The ad will air in the St. Louis and Kansas City market.
* Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning is out with a new ad touting his opposition to Obamacare, saying that “if the founding fathers could see what Barack Obama is doing to our country and our Constitution, they would turn over in their graves.” It will run statewide.
* Wisconsin election officials said in a memo today that enough signatures were collected to trigger recalls against Gov. Scott Walker (R) and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. The Government Accountability Board will meet Friday to certify the election. The result was never in serious doubt, as Democrats collected far more signatures than were necessary.
* Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has endorsed Maine state treasurer Bruce Poliquin (R) for the seat held by retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R). Five other Republicans are vying in the primary. Poliquin has faced scrutiny for his real estate holdings and involvement in a beach club, which Democrats argue constitute commerce in violation of the state Constitution.
* Retiring Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) has endorsed state Sen. Derek Kilmer (D) to replace him in the House. Kilmer was the first candidate to announce for the 6th district seat and has been racking up support.
THE FIX MIX:
The ballad of Justin Bloody Bieber.
With Rachel Weiner
- Spam
- Obscene
- Duplicate
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Chris Cillizza
Chris Cillizza is founder and editor of The Fix, a leading blog on state and national politics. He is the author of The Gospel According to the Fix: An Insider’s Guide to a Less than Holy World of Politics and an MSNBC contributor and political analyst. He also regularly appears on NBC and NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show. He joined The Post in 2005 and was named one of the top 50 journalists by Washingtonian in 2009.
Juliet Eilperin
Juliet Eilperin covers the White House for the Washington Post. She served as the Post's House of Representatives reporter from 1998-2004, covering the impeachment of Bill Clinton, lobbying, legislation, and five national congressional campaigns. Since 2004 she has been one of the country’s leading reporters covering the environment, reporting on science, policy and politics in areas including climate change, oceans, and air quality. She is the author of two books, "Fight Club Politics: How Partisanship is Poisoning the House of Representatives," and "Demon Fish: Travels Through the Hidden World of Sharks." Follow her on Twitter.
Ed O’Keefe
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Scott Clement
Scott Clement is a survey research analyst for Capital Insight, the independent polling group of Washington Post Media. Scott specializes in public opinion about politics, election campaigns and public policy. He helps design and analyze all Washington Post polls, including the Washington Post-ABC News poll. Follow Scott on Twitter.
Rachel Weiner
Rachel Weiner covers national politics for Post Politics and The Fix. She came to the Washington Post in 2010 as a political web editor and anchored the Post's 2012 election blog. She was previously a web editor at The Huffington Post. Follow her on Twitter.
Latest Tweets
Another fan of pleading the Fifth: Dave Chapelle -- http://t.co/4G3YCo3ICF
As @AaronBlakeWP notes, Senate hearings generally include fewer theatrics compared to House hearings: http://t.co/MFIOAuVVnm
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