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04/12/2017 07:59 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

With an assist from Daniel Lippman

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN? SAY IT AIN'T SO - The White House is urging Republicans to take a hard line against illegal immigration in the spending bill due later this month, something that certainly won't fly with Democrats, complicating efforts to avoid a government shutdown. OMB Director Mick Mulvaney is pressing lawmakers to include language to restrict federal funding grants for sanctuary cities to bring the House Freedom Caucus on board, Burgess and Sarah Ferris report this morning.

But the idea would repel Democrats, whose votes will be needed in the Senate and possibly the House. On the Senate side, senior Republicans and members of the Appropriations Committee are trying to keep Mulvaney's proposal out of the bill, sources said. "The talks between congressional leaders are already delicate: Trump wants $1.4 billion for a border wall and security in the spending bill, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says his caucus won't support it." Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan have vowed there will be no shutdown.

"It would blow up any chance of a bipartisan deal. Getting [border] wall money is hard enough, and you get a guy pushing new riders out of nowhere," said a Republican congressional aide. "I don't see how catering to the Freedom Caucus votes help on [the] spending bill."

Just a friendly reminder: Congress returns in two weeks, giving lawmakers five days to avert a shutdown before funding expires on April 28. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac173aaa98a6eb5a0bd6fb9f6f9af69609dc2131773f979fd11a711b4d19649bd2ccb319ad05f3bfe3

THE SANDERS SWAY - For months, Democrats have been attacking Trump at every opportunity, the exact type of messaging they say dealt them big defeats in 2016. But now, Democratic leaders are gearing up to pivot to their own proactive jobs message due out this summer, Elana and I report this morning. The package will be "populist" (a nod to Bernie Sanders' influence) and designed to "unite both wings of both caucuses," one senior Democratic aide said. Infrastructure and trade are expected to be key components, another aide confirmed.

The timeline is a shift: Party leaders had originally expected to pivot to a campaign plank sometime next year, with aides suggesting messaging this year would be directed towards "slaying the dragon," aka Trump. But with Trump's approval rating in the toilet and Republicans flailing on health care, Democrats feel confident they can start selling their own ideas to voters. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50acbf4d4de69dd766d642cdc20f038539c7bb1f8a7331ca21001a6424b780c282b92ea600e58f41678a

DON'T STOP TIL YOU GET ENOUGH - Trump hasn't given up on repealing Obamacare, saying he still wants to dismantle the health care law before turning to tax reform. "We're going to have a phenomenal tax reform, but I have to do health care first," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network airing this morning. "Now, if it doesn't happen fast enough, I'll start the taxes," Trump added. "But the tax reform and the tax cuts are better if I can do health care first."

Meanwhile, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said Tuesday he plans to deliver his own repeal plan to House Speaker Paul Ryan soon and members could come back to Washington before recess is up for a vote. As always, Huddle cautions readers to approach any rumors of cutting recess short with a healthy dose of skepticism. We checked in with both House Republican and Democratic leaders and they had no scheduling updates to report.

The final countdown: Meadows said he is in 'final negotiations' with Ryan, Vice President Mike Pence and Tuesday Group leaders, Eliza Collins reports for USA Today. "Tuesday morning the vice president called Meadows numerous times but the congressman missed him because he was speaking to a high school civics class - the two were finally able to connect later in the afternoon."

RECESS WEDNESDAY IS WIDE OPEN. Welcome to April 12 and thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill.

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The audio of Trump's robocall for Kansas GOP candidate Ron Estes was the winner


MIRACLES OUT OF NOWHERE - Republicans were able to fend off a last-minute challenge from Democrats in deep-red Kansas with GOP candidate Ron Estes winning the race to replace CIA Director Mike Pompeo. "Estes took 53 percent of the vote to Democrat James Thompson's 46 percent in the race for Kansas' southern 4th District. But just five months ago, Trump won the district by 27 percentage points, a sharp turnaround driven by an energized Democratic base looking to strike back against Trump - and Kansas' unpopular Republican governor, Sam Brownback." Daniel Strauss with the story: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac64d1ea40a7a945002392ed557f12851f610b336353a3bc83cb912aad7778d4641b091817193d3d9d

"I probably shouldn't say this, Mr. Estes did not beat us," Thompson said at his election-night party. "It took a president of the United States, the vice president, the speaker of the House, a senator coming into our state, and a bunch of lies to try and drum up a vote." WaPo's Dave Weigel from Wichita: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ace05b483eeae9f9333896e4e59ffab9d47710b0a73e6b44b401fc34c76044c8de83a3a608b6a4e2d9

Georgia on my mind: The jungle primary to fill Tom Price's old seat will be decided in Georgia next Tuesday. Democrat Jon Ossoff is leading but has to get more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a June runoff.

NOT MUCH TO SEE HERE - Lawmakers on both sides have now reviewed the controversial intelligence reports revealing names of Trump aides cited by Rep. Devin Nunes weeks ago and have found nothing "unusual or illegal," Jim Sciutto, Manu Raju and Eric Bradner report for CNN. "One congressional intelligence source described the requests made by [former national security adviser Susan] Rice as 'normal and appropriate' ... And another source said there's 'absolutely' no smoking gun in the reports." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50acba201b782d2ffd21148ed6834879f0aa665c105a841690b999e8c78bd09c3dc868b31ab533f6aef0

MINORITY REPORT - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sizes up Republicans leadership during Congress' first 100 days in a new report out this morning: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac71dce557d8d0810556d0bd9778b1ebf7d92c26e8a0f6afe54e6f109b2bdcd181102d0fc00bd2435a

DONNELLY TO LIBERAL BASE: BACK OFF - Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly has some tough love for liberals who have been giving him heat for voting to confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, one of three Democrats to do so. "You love nine out of 10 of my decisions," he said during a meeting with the South Bend Tribune editorial board. "So on the last one, you're going to burn the house down?" More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac89467a6bd9c324938279313ee675220c4630bc6385369d8a4b5dd9382359ae6890d912d303d1b6d1

WHAT MITCH McCONNELL IS CELEBRATING: Today is Kentucky statesman Henry Clay's 240th birthday. The Henry Clay Center will be honoring the Great Compromiser, "arguably the greatest House speaker and the greatest senator all in one person," McConnell once said, on Twitter all day.

COMING TODAY: Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn is launching a Spanish-language version of his website, Kevin Diaz with the Houston Chronicle reports. Check it out (complete with an awesome picture of a cowboy-hat wearing Cornyn): http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50acd231e5ce6d3eff474327e2d911412f8086d9c9c97c3aa35fd2a9aa73f80ffb782dd7a2be4ca60245

COLLINS LEAVES GUV DOOR WAY OPEN - Sen. Susan Collins give her most definitive answer yet Tuesday about whether she'll run for governor of Maine in 2018 and it was a big ol' maybe. "So I'm trying to figure out where I can do the most good," she told local radio station WGAN. "I'm being totally honest with you - I truly don't know, I really don't, it's a hard decision." But as my in-house Senate experts Burgess and Seung Min point out, Collins really, really loves being a senator (more than most) and the governorship doesn't pay that well.

-Collins told the Portland Press Herald she plans to make a final decision in the fall. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50acb1a97735dbd574715165fc44f5b2b48ee97fd95ea5ed6a68bfcf5b4387eb5ae7e815f6b3ae7e05bd

BACK IN BOEHNER'S OLD DISTRICT... "Facing vocal liberal critics in a district that Donald Trump won by 34 percentage points, Republican Rep. Warren Davidson on Tuesday urged the president to seek congressional approval for further escalation of U.S. military involvement in Syria," Elana reports from Troy, Ohio. Davidson, a Freedom Caucus member, filled the seat vacated by former House Speaker John Boehner. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac643e1666486d1089073bf3cb749e9b54556c3aa5746a3cfcaffcde701a90264fc595e90d35b077b8

BORN TO RUN - Sen. Orrin Hatch is raising money like a man who's running for reelection next year, Burgess reports. Hatch raised about $1.5 million in the first quarter of this year and has about $3.5 million on hand for his safe GOP seat. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac2846ce0e1772414c92094b670842c9106d6f5f0df8059ffa598951085105a3fa19d9d6d32d1d7387

WARREN'S WAR CHEST - "Sen. Elizabeth Warren has nearly doubled her campaign account in the first quarter of 2017, according to new campaign finance data," Lauren Dezenski and Burgess report this morning. "Warren, who's been busy blasting President Donald Trump at every turn, raked in $5.2 million over three months, bringing her current cash on hand to $9.2 million, according to fundraising numbers released by Warren's campaign." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ace9e2cb6d40f50e62ec765bfe52a7d325c8cdf77180ad5bbf3039d4629c0245072af7ca4131dfee7d

ANOTHER HOUSE VACANCY? "Pennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino is expected to step down from his seat to take on a new role in the Trump administration," CBS reports. "Multiple sources tell CBS News that Marino will head up the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), assuming the informal title of drug czar." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac3eabee2202c89e226fec6a940311f8e29f428b7deba7c8e7868d588621d0f28fbfaa29b0a1d7f189

WOMEN RULE PODCAST: In a wide-ranging "Women Rule" exclusive, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao details her life as a child immigrant in America, including the experience of learning to use a fork instead of chopsticks. Chao also weighs in on her role in President Trump's Cabinet, "It's actually very reassuring to have been a cabinet member before, I'm a veteran... We're very surefooted, we're confident, we know what we're doing and we know what's important." Listen and subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud

DEPARTURE LOUNGE - Sarah Swinehart, director of media affairs for Speaker Ryan, is leaving the Hill after nine years. She was feted by friends and colleagues last night on the speaker's porch. Sarah starts a new gig with Edelman next week as VP of media services and strategies.

GOING TO THE CHAPEL - Lauren Hammond, digital director and press secretary for the Senate Commerce Committee, married John Huston, senior policy adviser for the House Republican Policy Committee, over the weekend. An intimate ceremony was held at Lauren's hometown church, Village Lutheran Church, in St. Louis. Lauren and John's D.C. pastor officiated. Pics via Playbook: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50aca565a3cf7f2225833aa56044db67c4fdb3ad65049285df9dc3d4f96448b91bd94d752f21034bfb14 and http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=3ebe158f021d50ac3dc97a59c0eacfd7eb719f2e1b32f70bb2a36e4c80d82563203c08aa0efecddd053a505ced0fdc9d

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate is out. The House meets in a pro forma session at 11 a.m.

AROUND THE HILL - Partly cloudy with a high of 75 degrees. A stray shower is possible this morning but it looks like you can still eat your lunch outside.

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - The White House's Ben Howard (former floor director for House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy) correctly guessed that the two portraits on the House floor are of George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette, heroes of the Revolutionary War.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Ben with today's question: Which member of the House currently occupies John F. Kennedy's congressional office? The first person to correctly answer gets a shout out in tomorrow's Huddle. And don't forget, send suggestions for trivia questions my way: hcaygle@politico.com

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