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02/20/2018 08:02 AM EDT


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

NEW PA MAP BOOSTS DEMS IN MIDTERMS -- The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Monday released a new congressional-district map that could help the Democratic Party pick up several seats in the battleground state. State GOP legislative leaders are expected to appeal the court's map. The state Supreme Court ruled last month that the previous map, which was drawn by a Republican Legislature in 2011 and approved by a GOP governor, was a violation of the state's Constitution, and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican legislative leaders failed to agree on a new map, leaving it up to the court to draw, with help from Stanford University law professor
Nathaniel Persily.

"Democrats need to pick up 24 seats in November to win the majority. The new map -- along with the retirements of two GOP incumbents -- creates two golden opportunities in Pennsylvania," Elena Schneider reports. Retiring Reps. Pat Meehan (R-Pa.) and Charlie Dent's (R-Pa.) districts turned bluer, as did Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.), who is running for reelection. "The new map renumbered the state's congressional districts," Elena adds. "The old numbering scheme had defied both geography and logic." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67ddccf1c20d2baf6bd362fbb133396c1492137a971fd0e8cddf409d7868828111544f2fb5ec0096692

BUT...

DEMS WORRIED ABOUT 2018 -- Despite their good fortune in Pennsylvania, Democrats aren't brimming with optimism that they'll retake the House. In one sense, not much has changed for House Democrats since the 2016 election: President Donald Trump still dominates the news cycle, Democrats' message -- whatever that is -- is still struggling to break through and intraparty divisions about how to fix it still exist. "There are still widespread disagreements within the diverse 193-member caucus about what campaign message Democrats should rally around in the final months before the midterms and even who should be the party's chief messenger," Heather reports this morning.

"Some Democrats worry a rerun of the Republican playbook employed in the past several cycles -- painting House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as the GOP's central villain -- will again be successful in denying them the House majority," she writes. "Other members say the caucus' main problems are internal. Democrats on the far ends of the party's ideological spectrum continue to battle over what their focus should be in the election -- and how much of it should center on President Donald Trump." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67dd6b22c981f3fbefe8db3125bb7105fa9c3e57c1951f2cf18201092139450c0c144a964623e51aee6

Democrats, however, are winning the fundraising battle. That fact prompted House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) last week to urge GOP lawmakers to step up their fundraising efforts. "Two House Republicans in attendance said that Ryan was particularly direct in his remarks and told incumbents that it was unacceptable they were being outraised and they would need to work harder," Alex Isenstadt reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67dc8a9ed634f117192ca3de986d1ac8117c1aefb4515e4a23b8d11af495baab7a194b66263541d4fab

Related read: "Republicans race to reverse midterm recruitment failures," from Gabriel Debenedetti: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67ddc408187c66c04f97b821035f3d21aed6bfcbb9cb3a56cbbfa0fec577f5093e4adb6029c0810ddb5

TRUMP SUPPORTS STRONGER BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR GUN PURCHASES -- The White House on Monday said the president supports laws to strengthen the background check system for gun purchases, a statement that came in the wake of last week's school shooting in which 17 people died and more than a dozen others were injured. Trump visited a Florida hospital on Friday where some of the victims were being treated. He also spoke to Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) on Friday "about the bi-partisan bill he and Sen. [Chris] Murphy introduced to improve Federal Compliance with Criminal Background Check Legislation," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

"While discussions are ongoing and revisions are being considered, the President is supportive of efforts to improve the Federal background check system," Sanders said. The bill also has the support of Senate leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Schumer. "This is the latest push for gun legislation in Trump's tenure," Matthew Nussbaum reports. "The first came after a shooter in Las Vegas killed 58 people in October. There was bipartisan outcry and calls to more stringently regulate bump stocks, which the shooter used to increase his rate of fire, but the effort went nowhere." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67defea430fa38f7b3a1f3faf7cc0f8bd06c5781527c44bc450099e5d76df9d868ee0d8391f092163d2

Trump, who spent the weekend in West Palm Beach, "surveyed Mar-a-Lago Club members about whether he ought to champion gun control measures in the wake of last week's school massacre in nearby Parkland, telling them that he was closely monitoring the media appearances by some of the surviving students," Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker report for The Washington Post: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d0557571d221130c07de7067b98307563b6bba620259b8fe87118a3329b94e5b794bd492fa238a1f5

WELCOME BACK FROM A LONG WEEKEND. Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Feb. 20.

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Boston.com's report on the history of Sen. Ed Markey's (D-Mass.) made-up acronyms was the winner.

STUDENTS SEEK LEGISLATIVE CHANGE -- Students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people and injured more than a dozen others, are continuing to stand up and speak out as advocates of gun-control measures. "The teens plan a trip to Tallahassee this week to lobby legislators for gun control," Brian Ballou and Larry Barszewski report for the Sun Sentinel. "They are organizing a March in Washington, D.C., on March 24. They are appearing on national TV to question why the country's leaders have not done something to end the violence."

The students have created social media accounts for a movement they're calling "Never Again." The #NeverAgain hashtag has gone viral, and students have used the @NeverAgainMSD Twitter account to promote what they're calling the March For Our Lives in Washington. "The details are being shared on another Twitter account created by the students, @AMarch4OurLives," they note. "They've been in contact with organizers of last year's Women's March to plan the trip to Washington." The White House will hold a listening session with students and teachers on Wednesday, and CNN will host a town hall Wednesday night with Stoneman Douglas students. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67dba8514936540c92c424f63bdf2bdc005d069b8bbc0cfa1a1353d4c46efa9998260f273fddf76d288


DEMS WANT ELECTION PROTECTION AFTER MUELLER INDICTMENTS -- Democrats called for action to shield November's midterms from foreign influence following special counsel Robert Mueller's charges Friday against 13 Russian nationals for meddling in the 2016 election. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged President Donald Trump to immediately implement sanctions against Russia that overwhelmingly passed both chambers of Congress and called on the administration "to be far more vigilant in protecting the 2018 elections." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), meanwhile, criticized Trump and the GOP-led Congress for their inaction.

"Since this Congress began, Republican leaders have looked to their intelligence committees to conduct investigations that would inform future legislation, with mixed results," Elana reports. "The Senate's probe remains on a bipartisan track, with Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) eyeing initial recommendations on election security as soon as this month. Their House counterparts, however, have become mired in partisan warfare over a GOP memo alleging misconduct at the FBI in its investigation of the Trump camp's ties to Russia." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d429fabd928bc8a593e8b0dffc8fe62fddf2d36ab138a1f1606fd1dc4484d891b6ac1909c55f7e167

FLAKE'S FALLBACK STILL ALIVE -- The Senate's immigration debate may have died on the floor last week, but Sen. Jeff Flake's (R-Ariz.) push to preserve DACA protections for Dreamers is still alive. "The retiring Arizona Republican said he plans to go to the Senate floor as soon as the chamber returns from ... recess and will demand a vote on his plan to provide $7.6 billion in border wall money spread over three years in exchange for three years of codification of the expiring Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals program," Burgess reports. Flake expects bipartisan co-sponsors.

But the White House's new preference is a bill sponsored by Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) "that would provide $25 billion in exchange for permanently extending DACA," Burgess adds, citing an administration official. "Enrollees would have to reapply every two years under that plan." Both proposals were introduced after the Senate rejected immigration amendments last Thursday. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d1a07521314610656bf8b9043679b31fd35ae6edc84a12d75ff6e33e778c9fbb14262e6f2fc46ccf6

SENATE DEMS DIVIDED ON BANK RULES ROLLBACK -- Senators are planning to mark the 10th anniversary of Wall Street's meltdown with a bill that would undo regulations put in place after the financial crisis. While the proposed rollback is bipartisan, it's also driving a wedge between Democrats. "On one side are moderate Democrats such as Sens. Heidi Heitkamp and Jon Tester from Republican-leaning states who support the legislation because they say it will provide relief to small and regional banks and boost rural economies. On the other are progressives like Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Sherrod Brown and their activist allies, who argue that the bill will put consumers at risk," Zachary Warmbrodt
reports.

"They're working to undercut the party's centrists before the vote, with several of the moderates -- as well as Brown -- facing tough reelection campaigns this year," Zachary continues. "That the legislation is coming a decade after the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression has fueled passions around the debate." The legislation would reduce regulations Democrats pushed in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, a sweeping statue that rewrote the rules of the financial industry. Republican and Democratic lawmakers say the law should ease restrictions on lenders, particularly the smallest banks. Democratic infighting isn't expected to sink the bill in the Senate, but House Republicans who want
more dramatic rollbacks could pose a threat. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67dff7617b52196cb1054a2fd9706367d2ff40cbdb545cc8b2bb372562f48805c671414a8d1af61df36

TRUMP ENDORSES ROMNEY -- Trump endorsed Utah Senate candidate Mitt Romney late Monday, tweeting that the 2012 GOP presidential nominee "will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!" For his part, Romney thanked the president and added that he hopes he earns the support and endorsement of Utahans over the course of the campaign. "By endorsing Romney, the president is lining up behind an all-but-certain winner," Alex Isenstadt reports. "Romney is likely to have only marginal opposition during his campaign. Trump and Romney have long had a tense relationship." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d4710ed282362f2befe67b96cf8be92fb276465cf9b1ee6b6ef3eb21e8534e8faa16f2a9040bd9517

Almost two full years ago, Romney was delivering a scathing rebuke of Trump -- in Utah, of all places -- calling him a "phony" and a "fraud" while encouraging fellow Republicans to vote for anybody but him in the remaining primaries. Trump, of course, fired back, saying Romney "choked like a dog" in 2012. After winning the election, Trump considered Romney as a secretary of state candidate but attempted to block the outspoken Trump critic in December from entering the race by urging Hatch not to retire.

Related: "Trump Should Get Behind Romney's Candidacy, McConnell Says," via The New York Times' Jonathan Martin: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67da82375e1f91cc2426409f9b67adaebd7312f4c3b53d772ac39c47aab62935706f8b75bbc69b096d1 and "Romney, favored in Senate bid, could take on outsized role," by The Associated Press' Matthew Daly: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d82544561a8773f7d007e25afa9c8bb2b5ba5a24aa6307ae51004fe7c5fee5072dc0bcb745aac9bfc

PARTISANSHIP THREATENS HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE WORK -- The House Intelligence Committee has drawn unusual attention to itself as it's conducted its investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign. Republicans and Democrats have feuded, the president has accused the top Democrat of leaking and the panel is even building a wall to separate the parties. "The friction over the Russia probe is so intense, some committee members say, that it is interfering with the panel's basic job of overseeing the U.S. intelligence community on issues ranging from terrorism to North Korea's nuclear program to Chinese espionage," Kyle reports this morning.

"One recent committee briefing on global hotspots was sparsely attended because members were busy spinning reporters about a Russia-related dispute," Kyle writes, citing Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.). "The acrimony has built for months, but exploded in recent weeks after committee Republicans, led by [House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin] Nunes, released a once-classified memo alleging misconduct among Justice Department and FBI officials seeking an October 2016 surveillance warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page as part of their investigation into possible Russian influence over the Trump campaign." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67d1ffbf0a7f31f447433500f6aafe2bda2547109cc42938e66885868cbd4cb6dbfc4af20593b27e9b3

ROONEY RETIRING -- Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) will not seek reelection, he announced Monday, "creating an open seat that is sure to generate significant interest and scramble Southwest Florida's political landscape," Zac Anderson reports for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Potential contenders for Rooney's seat, which leans strongly Republican, include state Rep. Joe Gruters, Sarasota County Sheriff Tom Knight, state Sen. Greg Steube and state Reps. Julio Gonzalez, Michael Grant and Ben Albritton. "Depending on the contenders, it could open up a series of other seats and prompt a big change in the region's elected leadership," Anderson writes. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4abd5b55f954d67defd55c62e9020f107a8966958f3dc77cf5fa47f579dda2776e3e4d9fce520bbfe6e8c6dd1bde05c4

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House and Senate are out.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Dan Cohen was first to correctly guess that Sen. Everett Dirksen (R-Ill.) was known as "The Wizard of Ooze" and wanted the marigold as the national flower.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- While the tradition in the House is for members' bills to be numbered in the order in which they are submitted, during this former member's years of service, the House reserved H.R. 144 for him every session. Who was the member, and why that bill number? 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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