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03/07/2018 08:04 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill)

TRUMP FINDS SUPPORT FOR TARIFFS -- President Donald Trump is finding that his proposal to impose steel and aluminum tariffs has some support on Capitol Hill after all -- from red-state Democrats. "As Republicans howl that new tariffs could cause an economic meltdown, a handful of Rust Belt Democrats are giving the president a rare serving of praise," Elana reports. "His stance could give the trio -- Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, all top GOP targets -- a chance to tout their bipartisan credentials and defend their home-state metals industries all at once."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) broke his silence on the proposed tariffs on Tuesday, telling reporters that Senate Republicans are concerned the tariffs could metastasize into a larger trade war. "Many Democrats agree," Elana adds. "But some of the ones siding with the president are among the most politically vulnerable in the chamber." Had Trump's rollout been smoother, the president might have secured broader support from Democrats in states where turnout from blue-collar manufacturing workers catapulted him to the White House. But his handling "has left other electorally endangered Democrats from manufacturing states holding off or raising questions about the broader
economic impact of the planned tariffs." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdcb048abf11d6c3b8b2ce9af23eda05f7b1fe0f35080e03ad76705f1318e49a5d9347667a5773e15d1

REPUBLICANS VENT AT WHITE HOUSE -- Eight Republican lawmakers met with chief of staff John Kelly on Tuesday for breakfast. "The meeting was dominated by Trump's decision to impose a 25% tariff on steel imports and 10% on aluminum, sources inside the room said, with multiple senators expressing their concern that the trade decisions would hurt businesses that use those products as well as consumers," CNN's Dan Merica and Lauren Fox report. One senator said the breakfast "mainly" focused on trade but included other topics. "The senator couldn't say if there was any indication of whether Trump would change his mind," they write.

A White House official said attendees included Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and John Thune (R-S.D.). Young said Trump "is right to address unfair trade practices, but I am hopeful that the measures imposed will be balanced and implement a targeted approach that reflects the degree to which individual countries have violated international rules and thereby protect essential global supply chains with key U.S. allies." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdcb103088afdb98ac47a85d0ce080dbc95ab9d752025425891f253afe4696248cf0b1d72d0de34ab3d

Republicans over the past week have gotten a glance of the president they hoped they'd never see. "On gun safety and, more significantly to many of them, trade, the president has loudly broken with longstanding party orthodoxy and reminded Republican leaders on Capitol Hill that they can never be 100 percent certain of what they are going to get with the onetime New York Democrat," The New York Times' Carl Hulse adds. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdca01a98bc7c5c61c0a5f84c9a9f8d5eae4e3d3b4400de8a23702d5ede357cd05b060acda5bb775756

Related reads: "How Trump's trade war finally broke Gary Cohn," by Ben White: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdceaaaa3227f070a67f8b7bcd8ab0f8c353a2ad0c49e8fcd7d878d2b9bfe28be621d5bd9d746857e3e "'It means disaster': White House aides fear more policy chaos after Cohn departure," from Andrew Restuccia and Nancy Cook: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc0561292f2d1d07dd0c420ac656d1855ba50e97ad3ccaf50bd05249422f8a348e847753b1d83f20e8 and "Mnuchin: Canada, Mexico likely exempted from tariffs," via Patrick Temple-West: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc7717eb0424928906c12c1ad36555c341c1a1ef6304fef043ae24ef83c948977e1b72c9ae95c50b01

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this March 7.

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Scott Wong's report in The Hill on the possibility of a Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in the next Congress was the winner.

NATIONAL DEMS' STRATEGY FALLS SHORT IN TEXAS -- Democratic congressional candidate Laura Moser finished second in Tuesday's primary, despite opposition from the DCCC. "She will face attorney Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, the leading vote-getter," Steven Shepard and Elena Schneider report. "But because Fletcher did not win a majority of the vote -- she led Moser, 30 percent to 24 percent, when The Associated Press called the race -- the two will advance to a runoff on May 22." The race for the GOP-held Houston-area seat, they write, "was just one of three dozen congressional contests on the ballot... Voters also chose nominees for governor and a U.S. Senate seat." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) will
face Rep. Beto O'Rourke in the general election. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdcc1d17393cb853e459753feeb4aae4c700ab6d701845f1acef9f9c352ecd6288070ca669ed09c36e4

In other election news: Top takeaways from the Texas primary: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc63a48e2e2d689825b86f577738421c0865d077da6847fdb5ad68bf2177a6fa7cdc9fc4dcf3e51b4f Rafael Cruz mocks Robert O'Rourke over his name: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc3576960771db0865eb5622d3d7085d24eee14481e6257ef895de4df703a4e21a3607582dd3ad0345 Donna Shalala running for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's (R-Fla.) seat: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdca264ddf5430ac6580f76083763216467be239997120b600d52d7cfa5da46b2f70e3eea5690844888 and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant will not appoint himself to Thad Cochran's (R-Miss.) Senate seat: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc1a4962aae53d58424d0d5dde03e1674ea6af7408a258e8afb6ac9f4f8aa5b37ecb63830e979e91d2

PELOSI DONATING HISTORIC SPEAKER'S GAVEL -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who became the first female speaker of the House in 2007, will donate her speaker's gavel in a special ceremony today at the National Museum of American History. The California Democrat will also donate the "burgundy pantsuit she wore to her swearing in and the original speech she gave on the morning of Jan. 4, 2007," the museum announced.

Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) are among several lawmakers expected to attend this morning's ceremony. In a statement to Huddle, Slaughter said of Pelosi: "Not only is she the first woman to ever lead the House, she is one of the most effective people ever to hold the title of Speaker. I'm glad to see these important items will be available to the public so the world can recognize the major barrier that was broken for women and our entire country on January 4, 2007."

NO REGRETS ON RUSSIA RESPONSE -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday dismissed Democratic criticism "that he single-handedly diluted a bipartisan push in September 2016 for states to safeguard their election systems from Russian disruption," Elana reports. "McConnell told reporters that he had no regrets about the volume of the warning that state election officials received about the threat of Russian interference in 2016." McConnell said he was "perfectly comfortable with the steps that were taken back then," despite charges from former President Barack Obama chief of staff Denis McDonough, who on Sunday blamed McConnell for "dramatically" watering down a joint
statement from congressional leaders in September 2016. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdcf01582dabc3ae7fd9dc2c86ccc92d4d9fcf2aaac7e40a8b11ac1137c366aa496514a976b2fc4ea56

Related: "Trump floats idea to secure elections: 'It's always good to have a paper backup,'" from Ayanna Alexander: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc109e9ee5f7d339c6293f6036125da4976d54af2973f57848f2f4e271cbc1d8ee08ac27893802a0de "Top Republicans urge Sessions to appoint special counsel to probe FBI," by Kyle: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc4949c511db0ca53be677cb3e0c6d49b98ad5e83a5de4098f382d244581bc37e7eef53f333b92abf9 and "Nyet, thanks: Congress greets new Russian envoy with closed doors," via Nahal Toosi: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc2903a462909d0277324bc954b4117f7a53370762771ed946990daf678791fb54dfd97d3584a9fc13

SENATE ADVANCES BANK BILL -- The Senate voted 67-32 to begin debate on a wide-ranging deregulation bill, with 16 Democrats ignoring warnings from progressives. The vote opens the door "to the first major overhaul of banking regulations since Democrats enacted the Dodd-Frank law in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis," Zachary Warmbrodt reports. "A deep rift between Democrats over banking industry oversight will be on full display on the Senate floor over the coming days, exposing to voters a clash of progressives and centrists that has been building for several years." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc3bd56fb06b379d124ab45b378ccdbe7dd3befdde9e13c4d51ca5301b9f9d63bda9fc30fbb35b12ce

COLLINS LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR JUDICIARY CHAIR RUN -- Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) isn't second in seniority on the House Judiciary Committee, but that's not stopping him from running for retiring Rep. Bob Goodlatte's (R-Va.) chairmanship. "Collins has notified leadership of his intention to run, and he's going public with his sales pitch," Rachael reports. Senior GOP sources tell Rachael that Collins has a strong shot at getting the job. "Collins is already trying to demonstrate his lawmaking chops on two major bills that could see floor action this year," she writes. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc8186f71fe45b6a1e561727441bd9f47ae3e4caff868e9477f3e1756c057283e7af4f7a0628f59882

TRUMP ADMIN EYES CONSERVATIVE GOALS IN HEALTH CARE MARKET CHANGES -- The Trump administration wants any congressional plan to prop up Obamacare markets to include conservative goals, according to a memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. "The memo encourages lawmakers to pass measures including allowing insurers to charge older people five times as much as younger people, expanding access to health savings accounts and increasing the amount of money that people can contribute to them, as well as supporting a permanent congressional appropriation for subsidies to insurance companies who decrease deductibles and copays for lower-income consumers in exchange for explicit exclusions on
abortion coverage by those insurers," Stephanie Armour and Louise Radnofsky report.

"Federal courts are still wrestling with questions over whether insurer subsidies for low-income buyers' cost-sharing are lawful without an explicit congressional appropriation in the 2010 health law," they continue. Trump ordered his administration to stop paying the subsidies, but "[t]he memo is clear that Mr. Trump's administration will back lawmakers if they opt to fund the payments, but that the administration sides with conservatives insisting that such a move include shields on abortion coverage." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=67960a57a4801bdc2d6274080e12a63021cc74bea9adb4fadf9cb71f5fcc8e0462f18bad71090fbde7b1cd82b7c1ce2e

LAWMAKERS ROAST WASHINGTON -- House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), retiring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) entertained a roomful of journalists with their comedic performances at Tuesday's annual congressional dinner. Pelosi took shots at the White House, joking that for someone who doesn't drink, President Donald Trump "really seems to like his White Russians." Pelosi, who will be a guest judge on "RuPaul's Drag Race," also wondered aloud whether Vice President Mike Pence can dine with a man in drag and quipped about the "look of panic in Mitch McConnell's eyes when I told him I was being made a judge."

Scalise told Pelosi that it's always great to break bread with her, and he promised not to leave too many "crumbs." Ros-Lehtinen outlined the stages a lawmaker goes through, from first being elected to retiring, and jabbed Floridians and her congressional colleagues along the way. With so many GOP retirements, she joked, "Republicans haven't deserted something this fast since Jeb Bush ran for president." Meanwhile, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) prays "for those teenage bullies to pick on someone their own size," she said. She loves the Freedom Caucus, though. "I just wish they gave us the freedom to pass a bill."

Coons touted himself as the beneficiary of a witch hunt, unlike the president, whom Coons said was fixated on his power. Trump, he continued, takes the credit for low unemployment and the rising stock market. "I guess Adam Smith was wrong. It's not an invisible hand that guides our markets," he joked. "It's just an abnormally small one." The annual Washington Press Club Foundation dinner brings lawmakers and journalists together for a night of humor while also honoring distinguished journalists and raising funds for internships and scholarships.

DEPARTURE LOUNGE -- Francisco Bencosme, a legislative aide on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee covering Asia-Pacific issues and former president of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, is heading to Amnesty International as its Asia-Pacific advocacy manager.

Emily Cashman has left her job as a legislative aide for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) to become senior manager of government affairs at Thorn, a nonprofit that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse.

Kristen Allen has been named communications director for Mahlon Mitchell, a Democratic candidate for governor in Wisconsin. She previously served as communications director for Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).


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TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 10 a.m. with first votes expected between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. and last votes expected between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m. to resume consideration of a banking bill.

AROUND THE HILL -- House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), Vice Chairwoman Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) will hold a media availability at 10:15 a.m. in HVC-Studio A.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) will hold a news conference on the National Park Restoration Act at 10:30 a.m. in 430 Dirksen.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) will hold a news conference to unveil an infrastructure investment proposal that would roll back tax cuts for the wealthy to fund infrastructure at 10:45 a.m. in the Senate Radio/TV Gallery.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-Calif.) will hold a meeting with the Armenian parliamentary delegation at 1:30 p.m. in 2200 Rayburn.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and other Senate Democrats will hold a hearing on protecting children from gun violence with students and parents from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Sandy Hook and Virginia Tech, and other officials at 4 p.m. in SVC-203.

Reps. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Ted Poe (R-Texas), Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) will hold a briefing and reception on uprising and the Iranian New Year at 5 p.m. in H-207.

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Shelby Boxenbaum was first to correctly guess that Edwin Edwards is the former Louisiana congressman who later ran for governor in 1984 and famously hosted a fundraiser at Versailles that was attended by more than 600 supporters who paid $10,000 each to fly to Paris with him.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Shelby: Congress passed the National Prohibition Act in 1919, making it illegal to produce, sell or transport "intoxicating" liquors. What state was first to put prohibition in its state constitution? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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