U.S. House passed Democrats' election infrastructure/security legislation, 225-184 (D 224-0, R 1-184). Includes paper-ballot requirement and would establish new standards for voting machines.
US House, in a 331-97 vote, passed bill that would ban sales of crude oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to China
Republicans 218-0
Democrats 113-97
US House, in 267-157 vote, passed bill that would recognize same-sex marriage in federal law and also formally repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
D 220-0
R 47-157
Sunak said he called Starmer to offer congratulations. "Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner, with goodwill on all sides. That is something that should give us all confidence in our country's stability and future."
U.S. population grew by just 0.1% in the year ended July 1, 2021, "the lowest rate since the nation's founding," per Census Bureau population estimates released today.
Maricopa County AZ: Biden 54%, Trump 45% after 1.47 million votes counted
In 2016, Maricopa voted 48%-45% for Trump and cast about 1.55 million votes
Maricopa typically casts about 60% of the AZ vote
U.S. House, in 97-328 vote, rejected amendment by Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) that would have allowed individuals serving a felony prison sentence to vote in federal elections.
Democrats 97-119 (or 45%-55% against)
Republicans 0-209
California's 48th: Harley Rouda (D) extended lead over Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R) to 7,328 votes/3.6 points from 4,756 votes/2.5 points after update in Orange County
#ca48
Miami-Dade County early votes and partial vote-by-mail:
#FLSen
: Rubio 53%, Demings 46% out of 478,436 votes
#FLGOV
: DeSantis 54%, Crist 46% out of 478,027 votes
#FL27
: Salazar 56%, Taddeo 44% out of 164,582 counted (FL27 is wholly within Miami-Dade)
True. Leahy has served with senators born in the 1890s (John McClellan, Milton Young, John Sparkman) and in the 1980s (Jon Ossoff)
Leahy's 48 years as senator is the 3rd-longest tenure in history, behind Robert Byrd (1st) & Dan Inouye (2nd)
Maine U.S. Senate fundraising
Susan Collins: $8.3 million raised Q3, $25.2 million raised for cycle, $6.6 million cash-on-hand
Sara Gideon: $39.4 million raised Q3, $63.6 million raised for cycle, $22.7 million cash-on-hand
#mesen
U.S. House, in 275-134 vote, passed bill for $2,000 individual direct payments. House considered bill under expedited "suspension of the rules" procedure requiring a 2/3rds majority for passage.
D 231-2
R 44-130
I 0-2
Hageman: "the press and certain people have obsessed over January 6th." Over 30,000 miles of campaign travel through Wyoming, "The only time that the J6 situation ever comes up is when people talk about how unfair this entire committee is."
@AaronBlake
Loved this 1987 Saturday Night Live when musician Paul Simon and Senator Paul Simon both emerged for the monologue and pretended there was a booking mix-up.
(starts at 4:05 mark)
February 2005: Patrick Mahomes II, 9, offered prediction in Tyler TX newspaper about Super Bowl XXXIX between the Patriots (QBed by Tom Brady) and the Eagles (coached by Andy Reid). Brady won his 2nd consecutive Super Bowl and 3rd overall.
U.S. House voted 228-175 for Rep.
@RoKhanna
(D-CA) amendment that would prohibit use of federal funds for military action in or against Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes it
D 223-3
R 4-172
Amash (I) Y
"I voted for Neil Gorsuch, so I know there are many other conservative judges who can fill this job without tearing our country apart." - Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota), explaining Kavanaugh vote in straight-to-camera TV ad airing today
#ndsen
#ndpol
(1/2)
Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), a first-term Democrat from a district Trump won, donated campaign funds this week to Democrats in competitive races including Hiral Tipirneni, Cameron Webb & Reps. Joe Cunningham, Kendra Horn, Anthony Brindisi, Max Rose, Peter DeFazio.
#nj03
U.S. House voted 230-198 to hold Attorney General William Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in contempt of Congress over 2020 census/citizenship question documents
D 229-4
R 0-194
Amash Y
Merry reapportionment day!
In a few hours U.S. states will learn their population counts (as of April 1, 2020), how many U.S. House seats they’ll have for the 2022-2030 elections, and their electoral vote allocations for the 2024 and 2028 presidential elections.
U.S. House voted 249-173 for bill that would require corporations and limited liability companies to reveal their true owners to the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) upon formation.
D 224-5
R 25-167
I 0-1
Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska) has resigned from the US Senate, effective noon eastern today. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen (R) will appoint Sasse's successor.
#NESEN
Maricopa County update: Trump netted 13,644 votes
Biden 887,457 (+30,322)
Trump 802,160 (+43,966)
Biden's lead in Arizona now 79,173 votes, down from 92,817 votes before.
100 years ago today (Aug. 18, 1920): Tennessee adopted what would become the
#19thAmendment
, giving supporters of women's suffrage the 36 states needed for ratification. 1/
Georgia U.S. Senate runoff (Perdue/Ossoff): new Perdue TV ad uses clip of Schumer saying “Now we take Georgia, then we change America!” Links Ossoff to Schumer and Pelosi.
#gasen
"Working with all of you and serving North Carolina in the U.S. Senate is such a great privilege and honor." - Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) farewell address, December 2014:
#ncpol
U.S. House, in 268-161 vote, passed
@RepBarbaraLee
bill that would repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that authorized military operations in Iraq.
D 219-1
R 49-160
#CA47
: Rep. Katie Porter (D) increased her lead over Scott Baugh (R) to 3,772 votes and 1.6 percentage points after an update in Orange County.
Porter won that batch of votes by 6,484 to 5,603, for a net gain of 881 votes
Maine official presidential results, per state elections office:
Biden 435,072 (53.1%)
Trump 360,737 (44.0%)
Other 23,652
Total 819,461
Clinton won Maine 47.8%-44.9% in 2016
U.S. House voted 285-120 for bill that would remove Confederate statues and busts from U.S. Capitol complex and also replace a bust of Dred Scott decision author Roger Taney with one honoring Thurgood Marshall
D 218-0
R 67-120
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.): "It's bullshit the way people grandstand for cameras in here. ... The Senate doesn't work. ... 90% of our committees are about people trolling for soundbites."
Biden currently leads in Nevada by 1.8 percentage points, which is greater than the final percentage-point margin of victory in 6 states in the 2016 presidential election.
Rand Paul: "I want people [lawmakers] to feel uncomfortable. I want them to have to answer people at home who said 'How come you were against President Obama's deficits, and then how come you're for Republican deficits?' Isn't that the very definition of intellectual dishonesty?"
#CA47
: Katie Porter (D) increased her lead over Scott Baugh (R) to 2,970 votes, up from 1,552 votes earlier, after Orange County counted 12,572 more ballots.
It was 20 years ago today
Capitol Hill had a turbulent display
December 19, 1998 (Sat.):
*House impeached President Bill Clinton
*Speaker-designate Bob Livingston made stunning resignation announcement
*Denny Hastert emerged as consensus pick for Speaker. 1/
Texas's 34th Congressional District is the 2nd most-Hispanic/Latino of the 435 districts nationwide -- 84.5% of the district population as of the 2020 census, after only California's 40th District (87.1% Hispanic/Latino) in the Los Angeles area.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed into law a Democratic congressional map that coverts Republican Rep. Yvette Herrell's southern 2nd District from Trump +12 to Biden +6 by adding D-leaning west Albuquerque and removing parts of R-heavy southeast NM.
#nm02
US House voted 290-137 for a measure that would avert a strike by freight-rail workers.
Democrats 211-8
Republicans 79-129
House now voting on a separate measure to add 7 days of sick leave annually.
"The slow rate of growth can be attributed to decreased net international migration, decreased fertility, and increased mortality due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic."
“I’m proud to be carrying the Clinton-Gore banner for San Diego’s 49th Congressional District.” – Peter Navarro at Democratic national convention 1996, when he was the Democratic nominee against then-Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA). Navarro lost 53% to 42%.
New Mexico redistricting: map introduced today by Dem legislators would target Rep. Yvette Herrell (R) in part by shifting a heavily Hispanic swath of Bernalillo County (Albuquerque) into her 2nd CD, which would become 52%-46% Biden (vs 55%-43% Trump now)
Having run for president in 1988, Joe Biden is one of the candidates included in the President Elect simulation game I used to play on my Commodore back then.
Pelosi, yielded one minute at 10:04, has spoken for more than 4 hours. House by tradition allows "courtesy of extended and unfettered debate" to Speaker, Majority Leader, Minority Leader:
Cedric Richmond (D-LA) has resigned from the U.S. House of Representatives as he prepares to join Biden White House as senior adviser.
House party division now 221 Democrats & 211 Republicans.
#LA02
(Richmond) &
#LA05
(Letlow) vacant,
#NY22
(Brindisi-Tenney) undecided
Dole received Presidential Medal of Freedom from Bill Clinton 2 months after they were opponents in 1996 election:
"I, Robert J. Dole ... do solemnly swear ... sorry, wrong speech."
More FL R dominance
#FL07
: Cory Mills up by 16 in Trump +6 district
#FL13
: Anna Paulina Luna +9 in a Trump +7 district
#FL15
: Laurel Lee +17 in a Trump +3 district
#FL27
: Maria Elvira Salazar +14 in a Trump <1 district
Rs leading in 20/28 FL districts; they hold 16/27 now.
Birch Bayh (1928-2019), architect of 25th and 26th Amendments, also sought to abolish Electoral College. In 1969, House 338-70 adopted constitutional amendment to switch to direct popular vote (w/ 40% needed to win and avoid top-2 runoff). Died in the Senate 1970 by filibuster
U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) resigned effective 11:59pm last night:
House now has 232 Democrats, 197 Republicans, and 1 Libertarian.
5 vacancies:
#ca50
(Hunter-R)
#ga05
(Lewis-D)
#ga14
(Graves-R)
#nc11
(Meadows-R)
#tx04
(Ratcliffe-R)
Maine's 2nd Congressional District ranked-choice-voting election result
Jared Golden (D) 139,231 votes (50.53%)
Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R) 136,326 (49.47%)
(24:45 mark)
#me02
#rcv
Election Night guidance, per Parks and Recreation: don't read too much into 1% of vote returns. Brandi Maxxxx did NOT win this election (spoiler alert: Leslie Knope beat Bobby Newport in a recount)
US House, in 103-321 vote, rejected a concurrent resolution that would have directed the president to remove all US troops from Syria within 180 days.
Republicans 47-171
Democrats 56-150