SCOTUS Enters Day 2 Of Marriage Hearings; Santorum Endorses Sanford Challenger; Johnson Will Retire

National Journal

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WHAT'S NEWS

  • Pres. Obama named career Secret Service employee Julia Pierson "to become its first female director," a year after the agency "was embroiled in a prostitution scandal" (Los Angeles Times).

  • SCOTUS will return "to the subject of same-sex marriage for a second day," with oral arguments scheduled concerning the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. The case is "modest" compared to the Prop. 8 case considered yesterday: "it asks whether married same-sex couples are entitled to federal benefits" (New York Times).

  • SC-01 Special: Ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) endorsed ex-Charleston Co. Councilor Curtis Bostic (R) and will campaign with him today (release).

  • KY SEN: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) "helped rake in" more than $200K for Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell's reelection campaign at a fundraiser on Monday (CNN).

  • MI SEN: Dr. Ben Carson said he will not run, during an interview on the "Kudlow Report" Monday. Carson: "People keep trying to put me into politics, and I really don't want to do it" (Detroit News).

  • SD SEN: Sen. Tim Johnson (D) confirmed that he will not seek reelection, turning attention to the two names Dems have touted as potential replacements: son/U.S. atty Brendan Johnson (D) and ex-Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D) (On Call).

  • IA-01: Businessman Rod Blum (R) plans to announce his campaign for Rep. Bruce Braley's (D) seat today (Cedar Rapids Gazette).

  • IL GOV: LG Sheila Simon (D), who will not run for a second term, would not commit to supporting Gov. Pat Quinn (D) in '14. Simon: "Way too early to say. We don’t even know who’s running for governor" (Chicago Magazine).

  • MI GOV: Ex-Rep. Bart Stupak (D) said that he is "'looking at'" a bid (MLive).

  • PA GOV: '10 LG candidate Scott Conklin (D) is "considering a run for the top of the ticket" (PoliticsPA).

  • RI GOV: Providence Mayor Angel Taveras (D) has hired SKDKnickerbocker and longtime Sen. Jack Reed (D) aide J.B. Poersch to consult "as he plans his campaign" -- another sign that he's "serious about running" (RIPR).

NUMBER BRUNCHING

  • According to a new CBS News poll of nat'l adults, conducted 3/20-24, 45% approve of the way Obama is handling his job as POTUS, while 46% disapprove. In the previous poll, conducted 2/6-10, 52% approved of Obama, and 38% disapproved (release).

  • VA GOV '13: A new Quinnipiac Univ. poll of RVs, conducted 3/20-25, shows AG Ken Cuccinelli (R) leading '09 candidate/ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D), 40-38%. In the previous poll, conducted 2/14-18, Cuccinelli and McAuliffe were tied, 38-38% (release).

  • Boston Mayor '13: A new Boston Globe poll of LVs, conducted 3/20-26, shows Mayor Tom Menino (D) leading Councilor John Connolly (D), 50-21% (release).

  • NJ SEN '18: According to a new Quinnipiac Univ. poll of RVs, conducted 3/19-24, 40% approve of the way Sen. Robert Menendez (D) is handling his job, while 37% disapprove. In the previous poll, conducted 2/13-17, 36% approved of Menendez, and 41% disapproved (release).

OUR CALL

Hotline editors weigh in on the stories that drive the day


• When the media discusses Dems' data or tech advantage, it has mostly focused on targeting and turning out voters at election time. In the meantime, though, Democratic groups are exploiting that edge in the fundraising world. Through two months, the DCCC has collected as much from small donors, many of them online, as the NRCC has from PACs and big member contributions.

• Michael Bloomberg's gun control ads look likely to backfire in the South, where they'll give vulnerable Democrats like Landrieu, Pryor and Hagan an opportunity to tout their support for the Second Amendment, thereby appealing to GOP voters, and distance themselves from the liberal Northerner special interests Republicans are sure to tie them to.

• Steve King seems in no hurry to decide on a Senate bid, but Kim Reynolds, Bill Northey, et al. might want to press him to make up his mind. The GOP's King alternatives can't match his ability to fundraise rapidly, and Bruce Braley's clear sailing on the Dem side gives him a solid head start as GOPers sort out their nominee.

• Sure, Curtis Bostic is a social conservative running against a guy who had an affair, but it's still a little odd to see a former presidential candidate getting involved in a Republican runoff for an off-year special election, particularly in such a GOP-friendly district. Then again, seeing Rick Santorum touring S.C. to stop a potentially flawed general election candidate isn't such an unfamiliar sight.

HAIR OF THE DOG

FRESH BREWED BUZZ

  • "I think we've seen in recent history that there's ample reason to be cautious about predicting outcomes in Supreme Court cases" -- WH press sec. Jay Carney, on speculation after yesterday's oral arguments on gay marriage (BuzzFeed).

  • Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "plans to huddle with some of his biggest donors" -- and potential WH hopefuls, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and NJ Gov. Chris Christie (R) -- "in June in Park City [UT] while also helping boost a venture capital fund founded by his son" (Salt Lake Tribune).

  • "Believe me, nobody's going to get naked if I'm spending the entire day with Prince Harry" -- Christie, referring to the prince's last trip to the U.S. (CNN).

  • '12 FL-26 candidate Justin Lamar Sternad's campaign mgr. Ana Alliegro, who has been missing since Sept. 6, may be in Nicaragua. Alliegro, a potentially "key witness in a federal investigation" of ex-Rep. David Rivera (R-FL) "fell off the map the same day she was reportedly scheduled" to meet with investigators (Talking Points Memo).

  • "The compelling argument is on the side of homosexuals. That's where the compelling argument is. 'We're Americans. We just want to be treated like everybody else' -- that's a compelling argument. And to deny that, you have to have a very strong argument on the other side. And the other side hasn't been able to do anything but thump the Bible" -- FNC's Bill O'Reilly, discussing the Prop. 8 case on his show last night (BuzzFeed).

  • Ex-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) has combined his former presidential campaign and American Legacy PAC to form "a new fundraising venture, Committee for America, to support conservatives and retire his 2012 campaign debt" (Roll Call).

  • "Most politicians, obligated to make the populace like them, tend to grin and bear their ways through the cheesy photo ops and of-the-people activities." NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I) does not (New Republic).

  • "Steele: Priebus 'crapping' on my legacy" (The Hill).

  • "An attorney says a disabled man was awarded $8,000 by Disneyland after the 'It's A Small World' ride broke, stranding him for a half hour while the theme song played continuously" (AP).

SWIZZLE CHALLENGE

  • Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward quarterbacked Florida State Univ. to their first National Football Championship and led their basketball team to the sweet sixteen in 1992 and the elite 8 in 1993 and was drafted in the 1st round of the NBA draft.

  • The winner is Fred Dombo, and here's his Swizzle Challenge: "Which current Member of the U.S. House of Representatives was a four-time state wrestling champion, and a two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion for the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he defeated for the NCAA title John Smith who went on to become a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion?" The 3rd correct e-mailer gets to submit the next question.

NJ'S EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

SHOT...

"It wasn't hard to track down copper thief: He left his wallet at crime scene" (Omaha World-Herald).

...CHASER

"Biden Scores 800 Feet Of Copper Wire" (The Onion).

Sarah Mimms, Editor