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11/20/2018 07:59 AM EDT

By NOLAN D. MCCASKILL (nmccaskill@politico.com; @NolanDMcCaskill)


PROGRAMMING NOTE: Huddle will not publish on Thursday, Nov. 22, and Friday, Nov. 23, but will be back in your inbox on Monday, Nov. 26.

PATH TO 218 -- Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has a math problem. Sixteen incumbents and newly elected members signed onto a letter vowing to oppose the Democratic leader for speaker on the House floor. "Our majority came on the backs of candidates who said that they would support new leadership because voters in hard-won districts, and across the country, want to see real change in Washington," the Democrats wrote. "We promised to change the status quo, and we intend to deliver on that promise." Eleven incumbents and four freshmen signed the letter. Ben McAdams, who has declared victory over Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) in a still uncalled race, is the final signatory.

"Pelosi needs 218 votes among lawmakers present and voting to be elected speaker on Jan. 3. House Democrats have won 233 seats, meaning Pelosi can currently afford to lose only 15 votes," Rachael, Heather and Bres write. "The letter does not include at least three additional Democratic lawmakers or members-elect who have confirmed to POLITICO that they intend to oppose Pelosi on the floor: Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia and Jason Crow of Colorado. That would bring Pelosi's opponents to a total of 19 members or members-elect committed to voting against her -- enough to keep her from becoming speaker should those members refuse to budge." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe677120804e19cf624c024342e48872f3ab7c5f0658fde54691e88979898d5536fa17790cb75de79ad7dd829c

MOULTON FACES PUSHBACK -- Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) faced protestations at a town hall last night over his opposition to Pelosi and insistence that Americans voted for change in the midterms. "Dozens among the 150 people crowded into the Amesbury Town Hall pushed back against Moulton's comments," Stephanie Murray reports. "The hourlong question-and-answer session rarely strayed from the speakership question. Constituents pressed Moulton on his plan for who should replace Pelosi as party chief in the House, while a few thanked him for calling for change." Moulton told constituents no candidate has emerged to challenge Pelosi because it's best to wait until after the anti-Pelosi contingent
has proven she doesn't have the votes to become speaker. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208072635ac2bfbf30fa9ec34bd2b215f0452acd8e30a5e0bf869faf9638afb08aa993d81e2a39d7533e

Nine Democratic military veterans endorsed Pelosi in a letter Monday, a move a Democratic aide told Huddle should be interpreted "as a direct rebuke of" Moulton's opposition. Moulton, a former Marine Corps officer, is a leader of the effort to block Pelosi from becoming speaker. "As we emerge into the 116th Congress, we need a speaker who has a proven record of serving our veterans and advancing policies that enhance our national security interests," the members wrote. "Nancy Pelosi has that record. That is why we are asking you to join us in supporting Nancy Pelosi for speaker of the House." The letter: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe67712080876ed493b087b4c88c07c95d748b05d5a4ce44a7fbbcc3433d733ed9440097f2e621b4d74d593786

LEE VS. JEFFRIES -- The next chair of the House Democratic Caucus will come from the Congressional Black Caucus, joining incoming House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) in leadership. While it's rare to see two CBC members going head to head for a Democratic leadership post, CBC members say it's good for the black caucus, whose members are also poised to chair five congressional committees. Democrats say neither Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) nor Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has emerged as a clear front-runner. The two represent opposite sides of the country and different generations of the party.

"Lee, 72, has paid her dues, playing the waiting game before seeking a jump into leadership. But Jeffries, 48, a rising star in the Democratic Party, is already ready to soar," Bres and I write. Lee predicts she will win. She launched her campaign in June and began securing commitments well before Jeffries announced his candidacy after Election Day. The caucus chair post is a launchpad for the future that puts the member in the room where key decisions are made. But members say the choice between Lee and Jeffries is tough, even those who stand by their pledge to back Lee. "I told Barbara I was for her," one member told me. "But I won't be sad if he wins." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208018b23690629660fd812e500dfbead69634cf57140030e8f0707ca6ede7464b7de596c3b55e4dc2e3

Related: "Elijah Cummings endured two painful years. Soon he'll be more powerful than ever," by The Washington Post's Ben Terris: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208048be01501fb51eb266a5887613c17b59919ced20aa6a0b8fb7f312338398f67fb4d5e4bc92d99f40

GOOD MORNING! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Nov. 20.

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Sabrina Rodriguez's report on the president's trade deal with Canada and Mexico hitting trouble in Congress was the winner.

The adage "work hard and get ahead" is a waning reality in America today. The question is: What can Washington do to foster more opportunity and prosperity in struggling communities across the country? POLITICO convened a bipartisan group of 14 business leaders, thinkers and policymakers to explore the problem and identify solutions that have a realistic path forward with political leaders of both parties. Read the latest issue of The Agenda to learn more.

DEGETTE WITHDRAWS -- Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) has ended her bid for majority whip, clearing the way for Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) to return to the No. 3 leadership slot in the incoming Democratic majority. DeGette said many of her supporters were concerned about "pressure" they were getting to keep the same senior leadership team in place without opposition. "DeGette said she expects to be selected chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee," the Denver Post's Nic Garcia writes. "That would give her subpoena power over the Trump administration, including the EPA. She also will remain chief deputy whip." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe677120800f44cb4c741f7a4cde11d7d6730650af321c98202ad48df3a94bb5c961e17d4d7e6ec5d8d7592fa8

Related read: "Pelosi Endorses Hoyer, Clyburn for Nos. 2 and 3 Leadership Positions," from Roll Call's Lindsey McPherson: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208002b3bdf2593e730ad85aeb5ed9208c89c35bffad4bb41d9f672de41f76e933d999c4f53440555cdf

MISSISSIPPI MELEE -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith's (R-Miss.) recently exposed rhetoric about "a public hanging" and voter suppression has shaken up the special election runoff against Democrat Mike Espy. "Democrats and allied outside groups have seized on Hyde Smith's musings to spur black voters to the polls and paint her as an embarrassment to the state," Daniel Strauss reports. "They're trying to crack open a narrow path for ... Espy -- a Cabinet secretary under Bill Clinton who would be the first African-American to represent Mississippi in the Senate since Reconstruction -- as a viable alternative."

Senate Majority PAC is spending a half-million dollars to help Espy, who is also being boosted by the Black Voters Matter Fund's organizing to get out the vote. Another group, PowerPACPlus, has released an ad that puts an image of Hyde-Smith next to hanged black men in nooses. "Democrats are working to keep Hyde-Smith's comments in the spotlight while Espy stays mostly above the fray, campaigning on pocketbook issues like health care and college affordability," Strauss adds. "Hyde-Smith is the undisputed favorite to prevail in the Nov. 27 runoff, but the GOP's stunning loss in a special election for Senate last year showed nothing is guaranteed." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe677120809302c9cf0f5847534bcbd2d674ba4373389c09110be120bae2202b27fc097569e33cd74e7e828ad8

Related: "In Mississippi, Issues of Race Complicate a Senate Election," via The New York Times' Astead W. Herndon and Alexander Burns: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe67712080e426671e009630d5485cc3863c34e6c686846bd6b772b250453d5ca2c017e1db7d2caa358fc8cf86

MCCONNELL PITCHES MCSALLY -- Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is trying to persuade Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to tap outgoing Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) to succeed Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who could leave his seat in January. "CNN has since learned that McConnell and other national Republican powerhouses are asking Ducey to name McSally as Kyl's replacement," Devan Cole and John King report. "If chosen, McSally would fill the position through the end of 2020, at which point the state would hold a special election to fill the remaining two years of [the late Sen. John] McCain's term. The seat would then be on the ballot in 2022 to be filled for the following six years." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe677120808345b60d990a751edbaebe239b6781c85fcb3f59d1afa0bc05de7415aee470430f4cc08090810ba5

TRUMP PROPERTIES WON 2018 -- Republicans may have lost the House, but President Donald Trump's properties won big this cycle. "The Trump Organization took in $4.2 million from GOP candidates and campaign committees during the last two-year election cycle," The Washington Post's David A. Fahrenthold, Jonathan O'Connell and Anu Narayanswamy report. Trump was his best customer: His reelection campaign spent $743,781 at his properties since his inauguration. "[A]t least 117 other Republican lawmakers and candidates spent campaign or PAC money at Trump properties," they note, adding that "spending at the president's properties did not guarantee success in the midterms -- or even a Trump
endorsement. Out of the 10 House or Senate candidates who spent the most at Trump properties, four lost, and one retired." Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208034b97e92df952604bc3fedea3ef80bf6726f5e20410561cab4dc9feaf0342e04028ceda3f8d992ea

ENZI ASKS VA FOR ANSWERS -- America's veterans deserve better, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) wrote in a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. Enzi said he is "troubled" by reports that the VA's IT systems have stopped hundreds of thousands of vets from receiving their full GI benefits. "[M]any of these veterans have gone without money to pay for basic necessities like food and rent, with some facing potential eviction or the prospect of getting kicked out of school," Enzi wrote. "One report estimates that the VA hired 202 additional employees and spent $4.5 million since August to address this problem... And yet a significant backlog remains."

"Further complicating this matter is that veterans are still only being paid the 2017 rate," he added. "Worse yet, the VA cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary changes fully implemented in time for the spring 2019 semester." Enzi requested answers to a series of questions "to ensure that the VA is taking appropriate action to address this significant problem." He asked for a written response by Nov. 30. The letter: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe67712080b689abe07226c7b16a8895c8bae50b3f6ab388a3702902b8a80d6c38780e98e79d43af62a0944344

GOP SENATORS' CRIMINAL JUSTICE QUARREL -- Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) accused Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) of spreading "100% Fake News" about the Senate's criminal justice bill. Lee helped write legislation to overhaul sentencing laws. Cotton "asserted that the bill would prematurely release violent criminals from prison," The Washington Post's Seung Min Kim writes. He also "protested that there had been no hearings on the legislation and speculated that the bill's proponents were afraid of letting the measure come under public scrutiny." Lee challenged Cotton to "welcome a full and open debate on the Senate floor where he can offer amendments to provisions he finds objectionable." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe677120804291a1e2a28afd67221f74d52124e704d296b2558a0854167335500a65df563a65b25b2c97e318a7

SENATE DEMS SUE -- Three Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are challenging the president's appointment of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) "filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, claiming that Trump violated the Appointments Clause of the Constitution by choosing Whitaker for a Cabinet-level position even though Whitaker has never been Senate-confirmed for a position," Caitlin Oprysko writes. "The complaint seeks to block Whitaker from serving in the role, which includes overseeing special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian
interference in the 2016 election." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe67712080f4bf8f5d4f76d666bb890c65ed00053e0ca528df5c423ff838356719a1e71329523ac493c6c0d50f

Related reads: "Mueller says powers still intact amid DOJ overhaul," by Darren Samuelsohn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe6771208041d2458b85d66f2190a5bbb41efe976f8684bdf599b6061ff41ab3ddd0db010b1f5e46e147eca267 and "Trump to give Mueller written answers by Thanksgiving," from Eliana Johnson and Darren Samuelsohn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=bb191efe67712080a5842c01a9c4d3e37678772067713420697c28cc2e02ca2c71f082f33c886fb5f41d8f3d58452806
TRANSITIONS


Thomas Hudson has joined the Biden Foundation as policy associate for LGBTQ Equality. He most recently was an intern for Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.).

Jackie Schutz Zeckman will be Sen.-elect Rick Scott's (R-Fla.) chief of staff. She most recently was Scott's campaign manager.

Roscoe Jones Jr. will be Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger's (D-Va.) chief of staff. He currently serves as Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-Calif.) legislative director.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD
Jacky Usyk, deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), and Andrew Usyk, legislative assistant for Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and a Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) alum, welcomed Lillian Robin Usyk. Pic
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House and Senate are out.
AROUND THE HILL
Rep.-elect Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.) and others will hold a conference call briefing on urging the Democratically-controlled House to pass and send to the Senate legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers and temporary Protected Status holders within the first 100 days of the 116th Congress beginning at noon. The call-in number is 877-876-9176, and the password is LETTER.
TRIVIA
MONDAY'S WINNER -- Cory Bisbee was first to correctly guess that the last time the House resolved a prolonged speakership contest by allowing for a plurality to elect the speaker was 1856, when Nathaniel Banks was elected speaker after 133 roll call votes.

TODAY'S QUESTION -- From Cory: Nathaniel Banks was the last speaker to hail from Massachusetts until this member of Congress took the gavel 100 years ago next May. Who was he? And in the nearly 68-year period between his win on the first ballot and Tip O'Neill's retirement, how many years went by without someone from Massachusetts serving as president, speaker or House majority or minority leader? 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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