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01/08/2018 07:54 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill) and Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

GOP TOUTS OLD WINS IN NEW YEAR - With no clear direction on what's next for the Republican Party's 2018 legislative agenda, Republicans who attended the congressional leadership retreat at Camp David over the weekend recounted their 2017 wins. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters Saturday "2017 was the most consequential year" of his time in Congress, and President Donald Trump shared a similar sentiment, acknowledging that after December's passage of a massive tax-cut bill that repealed Obamacare's individual mandate and opened up parts of Alaska's Arctic for oil drilling, "It's going to be tough to beat the year we just left because what we had last year was
something very special."

After last year's partisan pushes to repeal Obamacare and slash taxes, Republicans signaled that this year could bring some bipartisanship. "For weeks, party leaders have debated whether they should tack right and pursue red-meat legislation like entitlement reform, or take on subjects they believe can win bipartisan support such as infrastructure," Andrew Restuccia, Rachael and Seung Min report.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has narrowed his push for an overhaul of welfare programs such as work requirements for food stamps, housing and Medicaid, framing the issue Saturday as "poverty reform" that gets unemployed people off welfare and into the workforce. Though popular with the GOP base, McConnell and some House leaders worry the proposal could hurt swing-state Republicans in the midterm elections and cripple their majority. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43ea5f0ce9c14bb5ce732701a89db2f882a6a577b7976ee3b8fbcea598f2f1c734fceb629199014d26

Related read: "Mixed signals on infrastructure plan emerge from Trump retreat," by The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e4357dad81a96bf6e9b5f094cfa61064456bb6402bd6fc170bcc887cf7d89aa2aea16757900868a6752

TRUMP'S $18 BILLION WALL FUNDING REQUEST IMPERILS IMMIGRATION TALKS - The Trump administration's request for nearly $18 billion to build more than 700 miles of new and replacement barriers between the U.S. and Mexico threatens bipartisan talks on a deal on spending caps and undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. Remember, lawmakers face a Jan. 19 deadline to keep the government open. Trump wants restrictions on so-called "chain migration" and an end to the diversity visa lottery program. It's not clear, however, if the administration will demand all the changes laid out in a Department of Homeland Security document sent to Congress last week or the full wall
funding in a deal for Dreamers, Laura Meckler reports for The Wall Street Journal.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) accused the White House of undercutting "months of bipartisan efforts" by pushing what he called a "wish list of hardline anti-immigrant bills ... on the backs of these young people." "President Trump has said he may need a good government shutdown to get his wall," Durbin said in a statement. "With this demand, he seems to be heading in that direction." Seung Min with more on the immigration impasse: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43e0ddc81b2134f1761171544269aee4681cae6c2b7d667417a488a147c521c38dc1b8158d9534a2ac

What's next? The White House will host a bipartisan meeting with congressional leaders on Tuesday to discuss a path forward on immigration, per The Washington Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e432deedb8e3e67c4bbdca5e60869d08cbf91d80be8fea73437e683e410e9b321f881f3c336e11561c2

HAPPY COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP MONDAY. Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Jan. 8. Alabama kicks off against Georgia at 8 p.m. Roll Tide!

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Alex Isenstadt's report on the GOP meeting at Camp David over the weekend was the winner.

MANDEL DROPS OUT OF OHIO SENATE RACE, LEAVING VOID - Republican Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel has pulled out of the state's Senate race against incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), leaving the party without a top-tier candidate in a state Trump won by more than 8 percentage points in 2016. Mandel said his wife is facing a health issue that requires him to be there for her. Her health, he said, "is more important to me than any political campaign."

"Republicans won't have long to recruit a replacement," Kevin Robillard and Daniel Strauss report, noting Ohio's filing deadline is Feb. 7, and the primary is May 8. Mandel's exit leaves Mike Gibbons, a self-funding businessman who has never run for office, as the only remaining GOP candidate. Other potential Republican candidates include Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor and Rep. Jim Renacci, both of whom are running for governor. Self-funders J.D. Vance, a former venture capitalist who wrote "Hillbilly Elegy," and Todd Leebow, CEO of Majestic Steel, could also enter the race. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43b6465981e53c4561f5ce0897389175cd6cf0e0fd9754482ecd5b9a70cad4276502a8bbf2a71c2b6c

MUELLER CAMP IN TALKS TO INTERVIEW TRUMP - FBI investigators are in talks with the president's lawyers about interviewing him as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia investigation, although the discussions are still "preliminary and ongoing," NBC News reports. "Trump's legal team is seeking clarification on whether the president would be interviewed directly by Mueller, as well as the legal standard for when a president can be interviewed, the location of a possible interview, the topics and the duration. But the president's team is also seeking potential compromises that could avoid an interview altogether." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43a72b8de5b33ecf2f418c3600db280314330e4c8c86327682d3f012863b36818da6e89959c1e8e6cb

2018 PRIMARY PREVIEW: FIGHTS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PARTY - Before voters cast ballots in November, Republicans and Democrats will face off against themselves in primaries across the country - from March 6 in Texas to Sept. 18 in Massachusetts - over who they are in the Trump era. "Races that Democrats once left uncontested are now brimming with candidates. Races in which Republicans had hoped to clear the field have grown crowded," Dave Weigel and Michael Scherer report for The Washington Post. "And the power of national parties on both sides to moderate the conflicts remains low, as populist passions roil both the liberal and conservative grass roots." Much more:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43175920412470fa1b20e43bdb97a070278650a1dffcc02b3cc93c4ef0045dce9a7caa2f1af14698f0

Trump, for his part, plans to protect incumbents, a decision that follows the loss of a Senate seat in deep red Alabama and the president's public breakup with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. "We're going to be very involved," Trump told reporters over the weekend, "in fact not only with the Senate but also with the House." More from Roll Call: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43d0dc0bf5c9da58a369158434b19106dcc4d9787baa83309ba8bd8555f2628b99f121ffec54129e7e

With Bannon seemingly neutralized, McConnell's team believes its job to retain its Senate majority is much easier. But Bannon's fall "doesn't change a primary environment in which any tie to Washington or McConnell can be poisonous," Kevin and Eliana Johnson report: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e434e6c65aea962fbb4d56c3ec5291be415a12238a344a40f99cdec1fa7029e603ef3bafeed5230a056

ACLU TO DIVE INTO 2018 MIDTERMS - The American Civil Liberties Union plans to spend more than $25 million this year promoting ballot initiatives and issues such as voting rights, the travel ban and immigration in contested races, Edward-Isaac Dovere reports. The ACLU's online fundraising spiked in the 12 months since Trump's election, from $5.5 million to $93 million, and its membership has quadrupled to 1.6 million. "The group aims to rival the National Rifle Association as a force on the left and become a hub of the anti-Trump movement," Isaac writes.

A large portion of the ACLU's spending will be aimed at Republicans. The group could also indirectly target Democrats they believe are on the wrong side of their issues, but it will not form a PAC or endorse candidates. Either move would result in a loss of its 501(c)(4) nonprofit status. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e435fe5d9ae526b941def587a241b2bedddf38063da49612ef497e553e0453438c7770c2c9e6bf01798

DEMS PLOT OBAMACARE OFFENSIVE - After defending Obamacare from Republican attempts to repeal Obamacare in 2017, Democrats this year intend to go on offense. "With Republicans unable to agree on a vision for health care, Democrats are debating ideas that range from single-payer, government-run care for all, to new insurance options anchored in popular programs like Medicare or Medicaid," Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar reports for The Associated Press. Democrats hope to limit their options during the 2018 campaign season to shape the eventual Democratic nominee's position in the 2020 presidential race. Much more on Democrats' ideas: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43651599f00e18353536d7235b19623e2fc9b98bb26efe72c8733f589e478ac7e7f28ce0c22e7aec94

CORKER TRAVELING WITH TRUMP TO TENNESSEE - Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) will join Trump on Air Force One today to Nashville, Tennessee, where the president will deliver remarks for the American Farm Bureau Federation's 99th Annual Convention. "It's not unusual for presidents to offer a ride about the presidential jet to members of Congress whenever the commander-in-chief travels to their home state," Michael Collins reports for USA Today. "But Corker's recent history with Trump could make for a bumpy, or at least interesting, ride." Reps. Diane Black, who is running for governor, and Phil Roe will join Trump and Corker on the president's plane. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43d3b074e71d188c024d1b6155884253f50440c5cd94664f6b322794577b0c334cd5e22eadbec0a56b

Related: "Trump, in speech to farmers, aims to shore up rural support," by Catherine Boudreau: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=6ef9b79227a78e43dcd6af8a352e2ca3ece3662b53023b99911d5189ade09cb0e8cc029f88ba5d2fa9433038e06b3054

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House gavels in at 2 p.m. to establish a quorum for the second session of the 115th Congress with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. The Senate meets at 3 p.m. to resume consideration of judicial nominee William Campbell Jr., with a procedural vote related to his nomination scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

MOVING UP AND MOVING ON - Cherie Paquette has joined House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers' (R-Wash.) team from Fox News, where she was an associate producer for "America's Newsroom." She will serve as the GOP conference's media affairs and events manager, making her the primary contact for booking House Republicans on national TV, radio, print and online media outlets.

Erik Sperling has joined Rep. Ro Khanna's (D-Calif.) office as a senior policy adviser and counsel with a focus on economic policy. He previously served as legislative counsel to now-former Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) for nearly four years. Kamau Marshall has left Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) office, where he served as communications director.

AROUND THE HILL - It's a fly-in day, so things are quiet.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Kevin Petroccione, a legislative correspondent for Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), correctly guessed that Reps. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) and Jody Hice (R-Ga.) are the two lawmakers whose districts include the two teams playing in tonight's college football championship, Alabama and Georgia. Roll Tide!

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Kevin with today's question: President Trump is slated to attend the championship game tonight. Name the last sitting president to attend a national championship game, the year, and the two teams who played in the game. The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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