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By Burgess Everett | 04/05/2016 07:23 AM EDT


(@burgessev or beverett@politico.com)

GOING BLUE IN CHARM CITY - Maryland has historically sought its senators from around the Beltway -- the Baltimore Beltway. But this month it's two Washington-area members of Congress, Donna Edwards and Chris Van Hollen, who are locked in a tough contest for the nomination to succeed Sen. Barbara Mikulski. As Lauren French explains, the race is still in many ways about Charm City. "Six months ago, Edwards was an afterthought in the Democratic primary to succeed retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski. The race was Rep. Chris Van Hollen's to lose ... But as the April 26 primary approaches, Edwards has pulled even or possibly slightly ahead of Van Hollen in one of the most hotly contested Democratic
primaries of 2016. She has moved the needle with an explicit appeal to African-American voters, who typically make up about two-fifths of the electorate in Maryland Democratic primaries."

Targeting votes: Lauren hung out with Edwards as she canvassed B-More rowhouses, with Edwards telling her: "What people are saying is that I walked in their shoes. I walked in their shoes as a working person ... as an African-American woman ... as a mom." Still, the identity politics isn't making everyone happy. The Congressional Black Caucus is staying neutral and many officials from Edwards's home of Prince George's County have backed Van Hollen. "Baltimore City Council President Bernard 'Jack' Young, a Van Hollen supporter, called Edwards' emphasis on 'identity politics' misplaced. 'I don't think skin color should matter when you're looking at who can get things done,' he said in an
interview. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a9b13d1d78147c5c0aad773426b028a344275f118262a8288

CONSERVATIVES GO RED OVER GARLAND: Jerry Moran is still hearing it from the right -- and now John Boozman is too as he prepares to meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland today. Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas, a Republican from Moran's state, unleashed an unusual and blistering statement on Moran's previous calls to move Garland through the process, then declined to say if he's interested in running for Moran's seat this fall. And Boozman is taking flak from FreedomWorks over merely meeting with Garland, fears he says are misplaced. "I'm meeting with him to tell him I'm not in favor of the process moving forward," Boozman said. "The White House called me and said, 'Will you meet with
him?' I meet with the White House on many occasions when I don't agree with the issues that come up." SMK and I: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a9fdac6997eb4a2961ee2e7e50395cffc3b3abfe15af05483

What to watch for today: Garland will meet with both Sen. Susan Collins of Maine today as well as Boozman, who is preparing far less fanfare than other senators that are meeting with Garland. There's no planned media availability and Boozman's office hasn't yet provided the time that he's meeting with Garland either. It will be a packed day for Garland, who's meeting with at least four senators today.

IRON GRASSLEY: The Senate Judiciary chairman took plenty of heat while back home in Iowa -- but could lots of props for sticking with his position to deny Garland a hearing, too. "'If you're going to be a farmer, you have to have nerves of steel," [a woman at a recent town hall named] Donna said. 'This is regarding the pressure you and many other elected officials are under from the president to do something about the Supreme Court. I hope you will stand firm.' Cheers erupted from the crowd. 'Well, I will,' Grassley pledged." WaPo's Kelsey Snell takes a closer look at Grassley's tough stance back home: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795ade8e1d5669d9aac90ebcae00fbd6c5cc108c8aca78357ac0

Breaking bread: Grassley spoke to Garland on Monday evening and invited him to breakfast, "where they could discuss the nomination and why the Senate will not consider a nominee until the next President takes office," per an aide.

ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE: In a ruling that empowers urban areas that have tilted Democratic over the years, the Supreme Court upheld the precedent that states count all residents in their efforts to draw districts, not just eligible voters. NYT: "Counting all people amplifies the voting power of places that have large numbers of residents who cannot vote legally - including immigrants who are here legally but are not citizens, illegal immigrants and children. Those places tend to be urban and to vote Democratic. Had the justices required that only eligible voters be counted, the ruling would have shifted political power from cities to rural areas, a move that would have benefited Republicans."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795af28f49d6e9f7e0681b28a682580c111a2d0a5c21956ad10e

The last frost? Welcome to the Huddle, your play-by-play guide to everything Capitol Hill, where the weather is far less predictable than an election-year Congress. Please send tips to beverett@politico.com and follow along on Twitter @burgessev.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and is beginning work on an FAA reauthorization bill. The House is still on recess.

AROUND THE HILL - At 11 a.m. Sen. Susan Collins meets with Merrick Garland in Dirksen 401. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen meets with Garland at 1 p.m. in Hart 506 and Sen. Joe Manchin meets with him at 4 p.m. in Hart 306.

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: 'Twas our story on the Democrats infinitesimal progress on prodding the GOP on the Supreme Court.

AFP GOE$ IN FOR RON JOHNSON: As other Republican senators up this fall have picked their spots to tack toward the center, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin has stayed mostly in his conservative lane despite his state's Democratic leanings. And now he's getting a reward: More than $1 million from Americans for Prosperity on his behalf. AFP is launching a seven figure ad campaign with this rousing number that says Johnson is delivering "real solutions to Wisconsin. AFP isn't just throwing in with any GOP incumbent; they've soured on Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire for her environmental positions, so this is a coup for Johnson. Watch the ad: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a37beb1fa5f4dbd3dc3648d2a62159f8feab650a8714cff2f

RUBIO'S FUTURE: My old buddy Manu Raju takes a look at Marco Rubio's immediate, and long-term, future and finds that people are still investing in the charismatic pol who will become a "private citizen" in January. Rubio is likely to be active and vocal on the campaign trail for down ballot Republicans looking to find separation from a Trump or Cruz ticket and will launch himself headlong into Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera's bid to succeed him. "In an interview, Lopez-Cantera would only say the two have discussed the race and 'there may be some news coming up in the next 30-60 days. I think he wants to ensure good Republicans get elected to office in Congress and the Senate.'"
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a0afb2efa51c2b675756851119f56f3eee39225f111ae93e8

McCONNELL LEADS CHARGE AGAINST OBAMA ACTIONS: The Senate GOP has issued an amicus brief challenging PResident Barack Obama's unilateral actions on immigration, with 43 senators endorsing the brief and 11 Republicans keeping their name off. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell led the push in a Dear Colleague letter last month that read: "Not only is the President's blatant refusal to follow those laws an extraordinary and virtually unprecedented power grab, it is a direct attack on our constitutional order." SMK has it here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a22f036c2d1a11d9d5126b57f8562d74509cc3c50df71596e

CONNECTICUT GOP SWITCHES GEARS: They couldn't land Larry Kudlow, but the Connecticut GOP now has a choice in their long, longshot efforts to take on Sen. Richard Blumenthal. Dan Carter, a state representative, jumped into the race from the snowy steps of the state Capitol "Carter expressed confidence that he will win the nomination. In recent days he has lined up support of the state's top Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano and House Republican Leader Themis Klarides." August Wolf is also in the race. Hartford Courant: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795ac5fcb0e5994263eb5d19a267539bc00e63ffd86257779cf6

STRING MUSIC: The Washington Examiner sits down with Katy Summerlin, a Scottish fiddler who also happens to be the communications director for Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia. On nice days she says, you can catch her shredding down on the waterfront in Alexandria. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e94a705c37b1795a950035d5e2f94faf09c4b351392255a1d2a120705656ef87

OH YEAH: There's a critical presidential primary in Wisconsin tonight. Here's five candidates to watch: Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, John Kasich and Ted Cruz.

MONDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Jon Deuser was the first to answer that Mitch McConnell's portrait appears in the first floor of the Frances Perkins building in D.C. because he's married to former Labor Sec. Elaine Chao.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Jon has today's question: When was the last time the GOP convention needed more than one round of voting to select a nominee, how many rounds were there and who was the ultimate nominee? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. Email me at beverett@politico.com

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