The GOPAC Newsletter

News of Interest

Republican lawmakers mourn

American diplomat Henry Kissinger

The Hill | Miranda Nazzaro

November 29, 2023

Reactions poured in on Wednesday from several Republican lawmakers over the death of former diplomat and presidential adviser Henry Kissinger, with tributes highlighting the former stateman's legacy on foreign policy.

Kissinger passed away at his home in Connecticut on Wednesday at the age of 100.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Kissinger's contributions to U.S. foreign policy and global diplomacy are "immeasurable." Read more

WG Economy: Biden Returns To Price Gouging Allegations

WG Economy | David Winston

November 29, 2023

In an effort to deflect blame for inflation, President Biden has revived familiar themes of price gouging by corporations and retailers. At an event on Monday, the President Said, "Any corporation that has not brought their prices back down, even as inflation has come down, even as the supply chains have been rebuilt, it's time to stop the price gouging. Give the American consumer a break."

His claim about why corporations haven't reduced prices indicates a misunderstanding about the rate of inflation. As shown in the trend chart, year-over-year rate of inflation has come down to 3.2%, but this means the prices are increasing at a slower rate than they had been. This is not the same as a reduction in prices. Our latest President Inflation Rate tracking showed the cumulative rate of inflation since Biden has been in office is 17.6%. WG Economy, November 29, 2023.pdf

Ga. legislators begin court-mandated redrawing of maps

Proposed Georgia state house, senate districts by Republican lawmakers

Axios | Kristal Dixon

November 29, 2023

Georgia legislators return to the Gold Dome on Wednesday to draw new Congressional, House, and Senate district boundaries after a federal judge ruled the current maps violated the Voting Rights Act.

Why it matters: The judge wrote in the ruling that the maps adopted by the Republican-led legislature caused "significant harm" to Black residents "whose voting rights have been injured by the violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act."

The latest: The House Committee on Reapportionment and Redistricting will hold a hearing at 1m on the proposed state House district maps, which were released Tuesday, at the General Assembly. The hearing will also be live-streamed. Read more

N.J. Democrats big Election Day even more dominant after Republican concedes tight race

NJ.com | Brent Johnson

November 28, 2023

In the end, Democrats gained six seats- one more than originally projected - as they increased their control of the State Legislature in New Jersey's elections this year.

Democrat Andrea Katz has unseated Republican Assemblyman Brandon Umba with a razor-thin victory in South Jersey's 8th District, the last outstanding result in the state's legislative races. Read more

Hunter Biden Offers To Testify in Republican Probe

Free Beacon | Reuters

November 28, 2023

President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden on Tuesday offered to testify publicly next month to a House Republican impeachment inquiry of his father's Democratic administration, a dramatic escalation in a partisan brawl.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives launched an impeachment inquiry into Biden in September, which focuses on Hunter Biden's business dealings. House Republicans allege Biden and his family improperly traded access to Biden's office as vice president in President Barack Obama's administration. The White House denies wrongdoing. Read more

Republicans set for historic statewide control in Louisiana

Axios | Chelsea Brasted

November 28, 2023

When Jeff Landry takes the oath to become Louisiana governor in a little more than a month, it'll be the start of a historic hard-right turn in state politics.

The big picture: For the first time since the Reconstruction Era, Louisiana will have both a Republican governor and GOP supermajorities in the state Legislature. Plus, a Republican will lead every statewide elected office.

State of play: During his two terms, outgoing Democrat John Bel Edwards vetoed bills that would have criminalized approaching police, banned certain school vaccine requirements, and banned gender-affirmative care for transgender minors.

• Republicans will now likely face little opposition on such measures.

Read more

Gov. Greg Abbott jumps out of plane

with 106-year-old World War II vet

Abbott visited the San Marcos area to go skydiving with Al Blaschke, a 106-year-old World War II veteran who has already

broken records for his own aerial feats.

The Texas Tribune | Patrick Svitek

November 27, 2023

Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday traded in the year-long drama of the Legislature for a different kind of high-stakes activity - skydiving.

Abbott visited the San Marcos area to go skydiving with Al Blaschke, a 106-year-old World War II veteran who has already broken records for his own aerial feats.

The dive was a success, according to a video tweeted by former state Rep. Jon Cyrier, R-Lockhart. The video showed Abbott and Blaschke landing in separate tandem parachutes, attached to another person.

"Nice landing" for Abbott and Blaschke, tweeted Cyrier, who is a pilot himself. Read more

Statehouse maps cleared for 2024 use after Ohio Supreme Court dismisses lawsuits

Cincinnati Enquirer | Jessie Balmert

November 27, 2023

Republicans on the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed legal challenges to state House and Senate maps Monday, allowing the plan to take effect through 2030.

The court's four Repbulican justices, led by Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, ruled that the landscape had changed because Republicans and Democrats unanimously approved the latest House and Senate maps in September. They sided with GOP lawmakers who requested that the cases be dismissed.

The latest maps give Republicans an advantage in at least 62% of House seats and 70% of Senate districts, but redistricting reform advocates say the numbers could be even higher. The plan does not match the statewide voting preferences of Ohioans, about 54% of whom picked GOP candidates and 45% picked Democratic ones between 2012 and 2020. But mapmakers say the plan doesn't have to if it meets other technical requirements and Democrats sign off on it. Read more

'Send me reinforcements': U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance urges central Ohio Republicans to back Bernie Moreno

Ohio Capital Journal | Nick Evans

November 27, 2023

Ahead of Thanksgiving, Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance swung through New Albany to set up for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. Vance endorsed the Cleveland-area entrepreneur months ago, at least in part, to stave off the kind of protracted primary Vance had to navigate in 2022.

But while the Republican field in 2024 is narrower, the barbs have been just as cutting.

Moreno has repeatedly staked out maximalist positions, calling for an end to birthright citizenship and accusing his opponents of being "pro-amnesty." In truth, fellow GOP candidates ESEcretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan, and R-Chagrin Falls, both take a very conservative stance on immigration. But they acknowledge deporting the millions of people living in the U.S. without documents would be impractical.

Key information ahead of the next Republican presidential debate in Alabama

Alabama Political Reporter | Patrick Darrington

November 27, 2023

For viewers and voters intending to watch the upcoming Republican presidential debate, there are several important facts to keep up with.

The debate will be held on Dec. 6 in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama's Moody Music Hall Building. The event will begin at 7 p.m. CT and last until 9 p.m. CT.

The participants in the next debate have not been announced yet. The debaters have until Dec. 4 to qualify for the event. The Republican National Committee has increased the threshold to participate in each debate by setting more requirements.

For the Tuscaloosa debate, Republican candidates will need to have met the following requirements according to Tuscaloosa News: 

• Have at least 80,000 unique donors, with at least 200 unique donors per state or territory in 20 or more states or territories.
• Sign pledges not to participate in any non-RNC-sanctioned debates; to support the eventual nominee; agreeing to the RNC data-sharing agreement. All must be signed and turned in no later than 48 hours before Dec. 6.
• Participants must have reached at least 6 percent in two approved national polls, or 6 percent in one national poll with 6 percent in one early state poll from two separate early-voting states (Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina). Read more

Lawmakers are ditching Congress at a record pace

U.S. members of Congress not seeking re-election,

by month of announcement

Axios | Stef W. Kight, Hans Nichols, Andrew Solender

November 26, 2023

Lawmakers are fleeing Congress at a record clip, with 13 senators and representatives announcing this month they won't seek re-election -- the highest number in more than a decade, according to Ballotpedia.

Why it matters: Rancor and recriminations from the House speaker's battle, a surge in partisan censures and impeachments, and yet another government shutdown threat have created a perfect storm for retirements.

State of play: The routine infighting and childish behavior -- insults like "p***y" and "smurf were exchanged on Capitol Hill this month -- has exhausted some lawmakers. But the exits are also driven by ambition.

• On the Democratic side, nine House members are leaving to run for the Senate. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) announced over the weekend that he won't be seeking re-election after he launched a long-shot bid for the presidency.
• Age and health concerns are also contributing: The 118th Congress began the year with the oldest Senate in history, and 79% of Americans now support age limits for elected officials.

Read more

Wisconsin libraries would have to notify parents about the books their kids check out under GOP proposal

A separate bill would also repeal a protection for librarians related to distributing obscene materials

WPR | Anya van Wagtendonk

November 24, 2023

Young people's use of libraries would face increased scrutiny under Republican bills being considered in the Wisconsin Legislature.

At a time when some states are passing restrictions on the kinds of materials that students can access, the bill's author said she views her plan as a compromise between concerned parents and public libraries.

Opponents of such restrictions said they tend to target books that deal with LGBTQ+ themes or issues of diversity or discrimination.

The Wisconsin proposals would require librarians and school librarians to alert parents about what kids under 16 are checking out.

"I could just see the conflict brewing between certain camps and the libraries," said Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, in an interview with WPR. "I'ma huge supporter of libraries, I love our libraries, and literacy is important to me. And I thought, 'There's got to be an easier way to solve this problem.'" Read more

WG Discussion Points: Democrats Stand By Their Man

WG Discussion Points | David Winston

November 24, 2023

Democrats are worried about the President's weak standing and the waves of polls showing the President in trouble. Obama adviser David Axelrod has been publicly questioning Biden's decision to run for re-election, with many speculating about a Plan B. According to the Washington Post, former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain was asked about a "backup plan" at a late September gathering in Aspen.

Klain's rebuttal was swift, recalled one attendee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share candid details of the private event. The president is the party's nominee, Klain said, and a strong nominee at that. There is no backup plan.

Among Democrats, the major internal critique of Biden is his age, as the White House doesn't want to admit there could be a problem with his policies. The President has obviously had age-related difficulties, but his age seemed to emerge as a campaign problem once his poll numbers were in trouble. Democrats don't make an issue of the ages of other party octogenarians Bernie Sanders (age 82) and Nancy Pelosi (age 83) as they do about President Biden (age 81). But as we've been writing about since 2021, the Biden campaign problems are about more than his age;; voters have disagreed with is policies, as our research shows his economic policies are seen as incorrect (51%) rather than correct (30%). If his politics were seen as working well, his age wouldn't be nearly as much of an issue. WG Discussion Points, November 24, 2023.pdf

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