The GOPAC Newsletter

News of Interest

Iowa's Mariannette Miller-Meeks has a primary challenger, Davenport's David
Pautsch

Des Moines Register

November 16, 2023

A Republican businessman and minister from Davenport says he's running for
Iowa's 1st Congressional District, launching a primary challenge to U.S.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in southeast Iowa.

David Pautsch, the longtime organizer of the annual Quad Cities Prayer
Breakfast, told the Des Moines Register he was running for the seat out of
a desire to expand the role of faith in government and to ost Miller-Meeks,
whom he criticized as "out of step" with the Republican Party. His
candidacy was first reported by the Quad-City Times.

"She just doesn't act like a team player," Pautsch said in an interview.
"She's off doing her own thing. We'll, I don't know if she's a Democrat or
Republican. I'd like to find out." [1]Read more

WG Economy: The Trust Gap In University

Handling Of Campus Protests

WG Economy | David Winston

November 15, 2023

In our latest survey for Winning the Issues following the October 7 attacks
(October 18-19), we asked voters how they viewed college and university
handling of demonstrations related to the attacks in Israel. At the time of
fielding, campus controversies had started but have escalated since then.
The survey shows bipartisan dissatisfaction with how colleges and
universities have handled the controversy so far. Only 18% said they
approved of how campuses were handling these situations, with 40%
disapproving and 42% unsure. [2]WG Economy, November 15, 2023.pdf

A secret weapon in the fight for abortion rights?

Fed-up Republican women

USA Today | Savannah Kuchar & Karissa Waddick

November 15, 2023

Abortion rights proponents may have had a secret weapon - fed-up Republican
women - when they notched a big win in Ohio last week. Analysts say that
could spell trouble for the GOP in 2024.

Ohio's Issue 1, a hard-fought referendum that enshrined abortion rights in
the ruby-red state's constitution despite the opposition of the state's
powerful Republican party and leading churches, passed Nov. 7 with more
than 56% of the vote.

While it's too soon to have any concrete data, Republican strategist Susan
Del Percio said the Ohio ballot measure is a strong indication that some
GOP women are breaking from the party on key issues. [3]Read more

The Utah House has a new speaker. Here's how it shuffles GOP leadership in
the Legislature

Rep. Mike Schultz was elected by Republican lawmakers

to lead the Utah House

The Salt Lake Tribune | Bryan Schott

November 14, 2023

Rep. Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, took another step in his meteoric political
rise on Tuesday evening, winning the election to succeed Brad Wilson as
speaker of the Utah House of Representatives.

House Republicans met behind closed doors to pick a replacement for
outgoing Wilson, who is resigning to focus on his campaign for the U.S.
Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mitt Romney. Romney revealed in
September he would not seek another term in Congress next year. Schultz
defeated Rep. Melissa Garff-Ballard, R-North Salt Lake, to become speaker.
[4]Read more

House votes to prevent a government shutdown as GOP Speaker Johnson relies
on Democrats for help

Associated Press | Lisa Mascaro & Stephen Groves

November 14, 2023

The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to prevent a government shutdown
after new Republican Speaker Mike Johnson was forced to reach across the
aisle to Democrats when hard-right conservatives revolted against his plan.

Johnson's proposal to temporarily fund the government into the new year
passed on a bipartisan 336-95 tally, but 93 Republicans voted against it.
It was the first time the new speaker had to force vital legislation
through the House, and he showed a willingness to leave his right-flank
Republicans behind - the same political move that cost the last House
speaker, Kevin McCarthy, his job just weeks ago.

For now, Johnson of Louisiana appeared on track for a better outcome. His
approach, which the Senate is expected to approve by week's end,
effectively pushes a final showdown over government funding to the new
year. [5]Read more

Democrats Plan to Spend Millions to

Weaken Republican Supermajorites

The party is targeting states with Democratic governors but overwhelming
Republican legislative control, effectively battling to win back veto
power.

The New York Times | Nick Corasaniti

November 14, 2023

Democrats are planning to spend millions of dollars next year on just a few
state legislative elections in Kansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, and
Wisconsin - states where they have little to no chance of winning control
of the chamber.

Yet what might appear to be an aimless move is decidedly strategic:
Democrats are pushing to break up Republican supermajorities in states with
Democratic governors, effectively battling to win back the veto pen
district by district. Such supermajorities result when a single political
party has enough votes in both chambers of a legislature to override a
governor's veto, often, though not always, by controlling two-thirds of the
chamber. [6]Read more

Perfect predictions: Virginia Tech senior

from Newport News correctly forecasts

every race result of Virginia elections

Chaz Nuttycombe hopes the website he created, CNalysis can grow into a more
powerful political forecasting tool

13News Now | Alex Littlehales

November 14, 2023

As the county watched Democratic candidates take control of both chambers
of the Virginia General Assembly in the high-profile state elections,
Virginia Tech senior Chaz Nuttycombe knew he had beaten everyone else to
the punch. Nuttycombe, a political science major, correctly forecasted the
results of every one of the 140 General Assembly races on the ballot this
November.

Nuttycombe has ties to Hampton Roads. He was originally born in Newport
News before his family moved outside of Richmond. Much of his extended
family resides in, or has resided in Newport News for years. [7]Read more

74: The number of votes that separate Virginia Del. Kim Taylor (R) and
Democratic challenger Kimberly Pope Adams in a battleground district that
covers Petersburg, Dinwiddie, Prince George and Surry, a difference of
0.26% — inside the margin under which state law allows for a recount.

Courtesy Pluribus News
[8][link removed]
ty-at-religious-sites/

Michigan Dems to lose majority for months;

quick special elections unlikely

Bridge Michigan | Jonathan Oosting

November 14, 2023

A push to fill vacant Michigan House seats by late February is not
realistic, Speaker Joe Tate said Tuesday, indicating Democrats are bracing
to lose their majority voting power for longer than originally anticipated.

Democrats are expected to eventually win back both seats made vacant when
state Reps. Kevin Coleman and Lori Stone last week won mayoral elections in
Westland and Warren, respectively.

Party leaders had hoped to hold a special election primary in early January
to set up a general election coinciding with the Feb. 27 presidential
primary. But "I don't see that as feasible," Tate told Bridge Michigan on
Tuesday, indicating that it's "highly probable" that the 54-54 tie in the
state House will last beyond February. [9]Read more

Kari Lake offers solution to Republican election losses, predicts GOP
voters will 'show up' for one major name

Lake called on Republicans to invest in families,

women as a strategy to combat abortion

FOX News | Brandon Gillespie

November 13, 2023

Conservative firebrand and Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake is
offering a solution to her own party following its multiple election losses
last week, telling Fox News Digital that success at the polls would come to
the GOP in 2024 because its voters would "show up" to vote for one major
name on the ballot.

"When we get President Trump on the ticket, we get some great people who
are going to put the citizens of their states and the country first," Lake
said, just days removed from an election night that saw Republicans lose a
gubernatorial race in deep-red Kentucky and Democrats winning total control
of the Virginia state legislature. [10]Read more

Tim Scott suspends 2024 GOP primary bid

The Hill | Caroline Vakil

November 12, 2023

Republican presidential contender Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) has dropped out
of the 2024 GOP primary, the latest high-profile exit from the race.

Scott made the announcement on Fox News' "Sunday Night in America with Trey
Gowdy," the host himself a former Republican South Carolina congressman who
wrote a book with Scott.

"I love America more today than I did on May 22nd, but when I go back to
Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my
campaign," Scott told Gowdy. "I think the voters who are the most
remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they're telling
me not me, not now, Tim.". [11]Read more

House Republicans elect Gilbert as minority leader

The current speaker managed to fend off a challenge by

Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, for the House GOP's

top job after last week's Democratic victory

Cardinal News | Markus Schmidt

November 12, 2023

House Republicans on Sunday elected Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah
County, as their next minority leader when the new General Assembly
reconvenes under a Democratic majority in January.

Gilbert managed to fend off an intra-party challenge from Del. Terry
Kilgore, R-Scott County, the current House majority leader who sought the
House GOP's top job after Republicans lost their control of the chamber
after last week's election.

"I'm honored that my colleagues have once again put their trust in me to
lead our Republican team for the coming term," Gilbert said in a statement.
"I look forward to working with our caucus to advance our shared Republican
values and serve as a check on the worst far-left policies put forward by
the incoming Democratic majority."

Del. Amanda Batten, R-James City County, was reelected caucus chair, and
Del. Michael Webert, R-Fauquier, was reelected Republican whip. [12]Read
more

NewsNation to host fourth 2024 GOP

presidential primary debate

KRON4| Devan Markham

November 10, 2023

NewsNation announced Thursday it will host the fourth 2024 Republican
presidential primary debate at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa,
Alabama.

The live debate will air on NewsNation, at 8 p.m. ET on December 6. It will
be broadcast simultaneously in the eastern and central time zones on the
company's broadcast television network, The CW.

"NewsNation's mission is to provide fair and unbiased news coverage, and
that's the way we will approach this important debate. We take this
responsibility very seriously and are proud to help inform and educate
voters and to contribute to the democratic process," Michael Corn,
president of news at NewsNation, said.

The debate will also be live-streamed on NewsNation's website.

Elizabeth Vargas, the Peabody award-winning anchor of NewsNation's
Elizabeth Vargas Reports; Megyn Kelly, host of The Megyn Kelly Show on
SiriusXM; and Elaina Johnson, editor-in-chief of the Washington Free
Beacon, will moderate the December debate. [13]Read more

GOPAC in the News

PAC to pump $4.5M into House elections for

'pragmatic governing conservatives'

Washington Examiner | Reese Gorman

November 8, 2023

A super PAC focused on electing pragmatic conservatives with proven
successes at the state level laid out a multimillion-dollar investment in
key congressional races.

GOPAC plans to raise $4.5 million to support GOP congressional candidates
this cycle, according to a new memo obtained by the Washington Examiner.

The money would go "directly in our endorsed candidates through a mix of
contributions and independent expenditures, including polling, research and
mixed media campaigns of television, digital, mail, etc., to key primary
voter universes."

"We have a long history of helping to elect Republicans to not only state
office but also helping them go on to federal office," said David Avella,
the chairman of GOPAC. "Our independent expenditure efforts are more
focused on expanding the number of pragmatic governing conservatives who
serve in Congress." R[14]ead more

WG Discussion Points: Were Tuesday's Elections An Outlier Or Harbinger For
Republicans

WG Discussion Points | David Winston

November 10, 2023

This week's elections were disappointing for Republicans, most notably
Virginia and Kentucky. Despite voter dissatisfaction with Biden policies
and worries about inflation, Republicans weren't able to translate those
issue opportunities into winning elections. One year ago this week, there
was another election with Republicans being disappointed over an absence of
a Red Wave. Given the timing, many Republicans are feeling a bit of deja
vu.

This week began with Democrats panicking over the New York Times/Siena
poll, with some suggesting Biden should drop out. Democrats are right to
panic with what the survey showed: a generic Republican candidate winning
all six battleground states by double-digit margins, and Trump winning the
cumulative six states by four points. After Tuesday's election, Democrats
are bullish again and think abortion can overcome Biden's challenges. We
don't agree with Democrats' assumptions about Tuesday's elections and
believe Democrats don't do enough to evaluate their strategies and current
messaging. However, Republicans should ask themselves - if the same
disappointing outcomes continue to happen, what needs to be done
differently on the Republican side? This week's result should give
Republicans pause and an opportunity for any course corrections needed.
[15]WG Discussion Points, November 10, 2023.pdf

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