There aren’t many big 2016 stories today so here is a little rundown of what’s popping up in my presidential election news feeds.
Rick Santorum will be revealing his 2016 plans on May 27 with an announcement from his hometown in Pennsylvania:
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says he’ll hold an event at the end of May to announce his decision on a potential 2016 presidential campaign.
The Republican tells Fox News Channel he will make the announcement May 27 in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was raised.
Santorum ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, and surprised many by winning the leadoff Iowa caucuses. But his strong support among social conservatives was eventually no match for the organization and fundraising prowess of eventual nominee Mitt Romney.
Santorum says he was “clearly the underdog” in that race, and acknowledges he would be in the same position in 2016. But he says he is “very comfortable there.”
In other words, he’s in again for 2016. Not surprising since unsuccessfully running for president has become his professional career since 2008. He doesn’t want that record broken.
John Kasich has launched a political action committee to cover expenses while he travels the country in prepration for a likely 2016 run:
Need a sign of Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s seriousness about running for president? The Republican now has a political committee to help underwrite his travel and other activities as he considers a 2016 bid.
New Day for America, a non-profit advocacy group, launched yesterday with former New Hampshire senator John Sununu on its board of directors. The committee is organized under section 527 of the IRS code.
In a Fox News interview Monday night, Kasich said the committee will allow him to “put the resources together to continue and travel” and to be “even more robust than I’ve been.”
I think more than likely Kasich will run as well.
Jeb Bush mentioned his brother, former President George W. Bush, as one of his main advisers on the topic of Israel:
After spending months distancing himself from his family’s political legacy, Jeb Bush surprised a group of Manhattan financiers this week by naming his brother, former president George W. Bush, as his most influential counselor on U.S.-Israel policy.
“If you want to know who I listen to for advice, it’s him,” Bush said Tuesday, speaking to a crowd of high-powered investors at the Metropolitan Club, according to four people present. The Republicans in the room spoke on the condition of anonymity to divulge information about the private meeting.
The Democratic National Committee has announced six primary debates starting sometime this Fall:
Four debates have already been determined to be in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, all of which are early nominating states. The final two locations are still to be determined.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont are the only two candidates who have announced a run. Clinton is the overwhelming favorite to win the nomination.
In a tweet, Clinton said she is “looking forward to a real conversation” but did not specify how many debates she intends to attend.
Anything else not covered, feel free to bring it up in the comments.
