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Three convention scenarios can emerge after 56 states and territories choose their delegates between Feb. 1 and June 7: There will be a clear winner, a bunched up field of several candidates, or a leader who can’t get a majority of delegates on the first ballot. The latter two scenarios would make Cleveland uncharted territory.
— Ben Ginsberg, the former counsel to both Mitt Romney’s and George W. Bush’s presidential bids, detailing the possible scenarios for the Republican convention in the Wall Street Journal.
69%
Of Americans are “at least somewhat angry with the way things are going” in the U.S., according to a CNN/ORC poll. Majorities of voters among both Democrats and Republicans express dissatisfaction and anger; 90% of Republicans are dissatisfied with the way the U.S. is being governed, 82% express anger with the way things are going in the U.S.
Among Donald Trump backers, 97% are dissatisfied with government, 91% are at least somewhat angry.
$26.6 million
Amount super PACs have spent on the Republican primary in Iowa — with minimal effect, the Des Moines Register reports. “The groups, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on behalf of candidates, have spent $26.6 million to benefit candidates’ Iowa campaigns through Dec. 12. But many of them have little to show for their investment. … More than a third of that money has gone to support candidates who have dropped out of the race, and another third has gone to support former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican who is polling in single digits.”
I’m just hoping that as we go forward he’s going to be a unifier. Because I’m going to tell you, you can’t win the White House without winning Ohio. If we have a candidate that comes into Ohio who is a divider, there’s no chance they’re going to win it.
— Gov. John Kasich, quoted by The Hill, noting that Donald Trump has “toned down the rhetoric” lately.
3rd
Where Donald Trump placed on Gallup’s “Most Admired” poll, after Barack Obama (1st) and Pope Francis (2nd). Hillary Clinton placed first on the Most Admired Women for the 20th time in a row.
He’s completely playing on an emotional level – and so beautifully. I mean, it’s one of the reasons why I just can’t do that old character anymore, because he’s doing it better than I ever could, because he’s willing to drink his own Kool Aid and manufacture and distribute it, because he’s got all the cash. … I’m not the first person to say this, but I completely agree that he’s my old character with $10 billion.
— Stephen Colbert, saying Donald Trump is playing his old character better than he ever could, The Hill reports.
$32 million
Amount Carson Enterprises has brought in through the end of September — “more than any other 2016 Republican candidate,” according to Politico. “That fundraising prowess continues, even as [Ben Carson’s] poll numbers decline. His campaign manager Barry Bennett said Thursday they raised about $20 million since the beginning of October, matching their extraordinary summertime pace. Speaking fees over a nearly two-year period raked in $4.3 million. And his nonprofit continues to raise money.”
A liberal Democrat would say Barack Obama has been a pretty influential president. He got Dodd-Frank, the stimulus, the deal with Iran. All these things that they were able to get done, they’d look at it and say, ‘This guy’s been pretty consequential.’
— Sen. Marco Rubio, quoted by the New York Times, embracing the comparison many make between him and Obama.
We had roughly 20 minutes with him on Monday, and it was like watching a computer algorithm designed to cover talking points. He said a lot, but at the same time said nothing. It was like someone wound him up, pointed him towards the doors and pushed play. If there was a human side to senator, a soul, it didn’t come across through… Marco Rubio is a man so stuck on script it doesn’t even matter when the cameras are off.
— Erik Eisele, reporter for the Conway Daily Sun.
15
Number of states that will likely gain or lose House seats after the 2020 census, the Wall Street Journal reports, according to a new U.S. Census release of state-by-state population changes. “If those trends hold up, 15 states would gain or lose districts after the 2020 census. The biggest gains would come to Texas, which is projected to clinch three more House seats, and Florida, a gainer of two seats. Arizona, North Carolina, Colorado and are all poised to grab one seat after 2020. … Nine states are projected to lose districts: Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.”
