Christie, Romney, Bush - Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

With a House vote on Wednesday to block funding for President Obama’s immigration orders, Republicans armed themselves for a battle over deferred deportations for millions of illegal immigrants. The bill passed, 236 to 191, with 10 Republicans voting against it and two Democrats voting in favor. Democrats rallied against the bill, which would fund the Department of Homeland Security through September. Republicans amendments would halt funding for Obama’s executive action allowing some illegal immigrants to stay in the country and obtain work permits, as well as halt the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, which lifts deportation for some illegal immigrants who came to the US as children. Before voting began, Speaker John Boehner made a rare speech on the House floor in support of the bill, saying : “We are dealing with a President who has ignored the people, ignored the Constitution, and even his own past statements." Representative Mick Mulvaney, one of the co-sponsors of the amendment, said : "Law is not made because Congress fails to act. Law is made in this room when we do act," Mulvaney said during floor debate. Three other amendments would prioritize deportation for illegal immigrants convicted of sexual abuse and domestic violence, promote the hiring of US citizens above illegal immigrants, and express the sense of Congress that the administration should “stop putting the interest of immigrants who worked within the legal framework to come to the US behind those who came here illegally.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the upper chamber would take up the bill in February. The White House has already promised that President Obama would veto the bill if “ideological provisions” were tied to it." With the House vote to defund much of Obama's executive order that amended immigration law in what is seen as an unconstitutional overreach of executive power, the first shot has been fired in the 2016 presidential campaign. ~~~~~ Conservative GOP leaders took the opportunity to show indifference to sudden moves by Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney toward a 2016 GOP presidential candidate, saying the two establishment candidates are too far out of touch with grass-roots activists to win the Republican nomination. But, in a sudden re-ordering of campaign agendas, potential candidates with close ties to the GOP conservative base are moving to speed up their own campaigns in response to Bush and Romney. Senior advisors to several potential conservative candidates say that GOP 'longer-shots' will have to do more in 2016 than they did in 2012 to become serious contenders for the Republican nomination. Building a campaign chest and winning the support of mega-donors to fill the coffers of allied super PACs has become an urgent priority. ~~~~~ Former Senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum, a populist conservative, called his top donors and advisors Wednesday to join him in Scottsdale, Arizona, this weekend to plan his likely 2016 bid. Foster Friess, a wealthy conservative whose funds propelled Santorum’s last campaign, will host the gathering. Santorum associates said Friess would make a presentation about the need for the hard-charging Santorum to expand his financial operation. ~~~~~ Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, a winner of past Iowa GOP caucuses, has been busy calling evangelical leaders and conservative donors and readying a tour to promote his soon-to-be-published book, “God, Guns, Grits, and Gravy.” ~~~~~ Other possible conservative candidates, such as Maryland neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul, and Governors Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal and Rick Perry, are hiring staff, building fundraising capabilities and scheduling visits to early-primary states, all to gain attention and organizational strength for a tough race. Most will speak at the Republican National Committee meeting in San Diego, with Perry and Romney both on stage Friday. Brent Bozell, head of the conservative group ForAmerica, said a Bush - Romney fight would be good for the party : “It’s going to be the first time in a long time where you’ll see multiple candidates fighting over the moderate standard of the party, instead of only seeing the conservatives battle each other.” Steve Deace, a conservative radio host in Iowa, said the GOP base must eventually unite behind a single conservative candidate. “Some conservatives think Romney is self-delusional, but that doesn’t mean we should sit back,” Deace said. “Are we going to split our vote again? It’s time for us to find someone and say, ‘This is our son with whom we are well pleased.’" But not all conservatives are ready to rule out backing Bush or Romney. Representative Steve King of Iowa, an immigration hardliner, said he has invited Romney to speak later this month at a conservative gathering in Des Moines, and he urged activists to give the former nominee a fair hearing. “He may not be able to come to our event because of scheduling conflicts, but he knows the door is open and we made sure we rang the doorbell,” King said. Bush decided in December to bypass King’s event, citing scheduling issues. Bush is one of the rare Republican contenders to turn down King, who has sparked controversy for his comments about illegal immigrants. Cruz, Paul, Santorum and Christie, among many others, are planning to appear. ~~~~~ John Bolton, a hawkish former US ambassador to the UN who is considering a 2016 presidential run, said the moves by Bush and Romney would not have an impact on his deliberations. “I’m not dissuaded by the heavy hitters and the wall of money,” Bolton said in an interview. “They are factors, sure, but they are not the only factors. This is going to be a very large field and we’re going to see some robust debates where your judgment on a whole range of issues will be tested.” ~~~~~ And former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani told Fox News today that Jeb Bush is at the front of the pack of GOP presidential contenders : “He’s the guy everybody has to focus on.” But, according to Guiliani, it is increasingly likely that Bush will first have to arm wrestle two other well-funded establishment candidates, Romney and Christie, both of whom are moving towards a run. Giuliani criticized Romney’s 2012 campaign, saying he should have made a bigger issue out of the attack against the US consulate in Benghazi : “If he had made Benghazi a bigger issue, I think we would have had a better chance. He backed off it in the debate and he shouldn’t have -- I think he was advised to because he made one mistake about Benghazi that Candy Crowley was wrong about and I think he got shy about it.” (At an unprecedented moment in their 2012 debate, moderator Candy Crowley corrected Romney who said President Obama failed to call the Benghazi attack an act of terror. Crowley was wrong.) Giuliani argued that Romney will have to put forth a compelling argument about why he deserves another look in what would be his third consecutive run for President : “He’s going to have to convince his big supporters, many of whom have already gone to Bush or Christie...that it’s going to be a much more engaged campaign...he’s going to have to convince his supporters he’s going to be a very different kind of candidate." ~~~~~ But, amid the turmoil, one contender known for his in-your-face frankness and assertiveness is sending a surprising message to his top supporters and donors -- Relax. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie assures them that there is no need to rush into the Republican primary. There’s enough money to go around, his advisors and allies explain. Christie is trying to soothe anxious allies worried about the sudden emergence of two potent Christie rivals, Bush and Romney, and indications from donors that they are under pressure to pick a candidate soon. Christie plans to set up a leadership political action committee at the end of January as a first step toward a presidential campaign. The PAC could finance political travel, provide a fund-raising vehicle for would-be donors, and retain staff and consultants for a future bid. Privately, Christie is making it clear that he will not be dragged into any decisions or actions before he is ready. Ray Washburne, the departing Republican National Committee finance chairman who will lead fund-raising for a Christie campaign, says, “Why rush?” Next week, Kenneth G. Langone, the founder of Home Depot regarded as Christie’s top cheerleader in New York’s business community, will host a dinner for the Governor with prospective donors. A few days after Langone’s event, Christie will attend the Iowa Freedom Summit, co-hosted by Steve King, the Iowa congressman with deep grassroots support and a national profile with Tea Partiers. This will serve as the “soft launch” to Christie's exploratory campaign. ~~~~~ Dear readers, if I had to pick it today - it's Christie, not Romney or Bush, with a strong conservative VP running mate, maybe Rubio or Perry.