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Politico
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Democrats have ‘blue dot' dreams in Nebraska
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: Don't look now, but Democrats are suddenly full of optimism about their prospects … in Nebraska. The carmine-tinged state with its famous 'blue dot' around Omaha is suddenly looking like a legitimate battleground to zealous Democrats. They are buoyed by a key GOP retirement from Congress and a local electoral victory where a longtime Republican was toppled. And that was before last week's passage of Donald Trump's megabill, which his critics predict will add trillions of dollars to the national deficit and boot millions of people off Medicaid. 'There is so much anger at what is happening with all of the cuts, in particular in rural communities, that if there was ever an opening to win statewide, [2026] is the year,' Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb told The Recast. Practicality and coalition building is nonnegotiable for her party to compete in a state like Nebraska, Kleeb said. It's partly why she's not planning to recruit a candidate in next year's Senate race — an effort to help boost the chances of independent populist candidate Dan Osborn, who launched his candidacy Tuesday to compete against incumbent GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts, a low-key but ultra-wealthy former governor who is seeking a full six-year term. Kleeb met with Osborn last week. Among the topics they discussed was whether he would have voted for Trump's sweeping 'big, beautiful bill,' which Osborn affirmed he would not have — though he does agree with Trump that 'Biden failed us at the border.' To understand why Democrats are excited in Nebraska — a state where Republicans control the offices of governor, secretary of state, attorney general, the state Legislature and all three of the state's congressional seats — requires a look at recent trends in the 'blue dot,' otherwise known as Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr.'s decisive victory in May — a 13 percentage point walloping of three-term Republican Jean Stothert — made him the first Democrat to hold the post since 2013. Ewing is also the city's first Black mayor. In an op-ed, he cited not getting pulled into divisive national politics and focusing instead on kitchen table issues like crumbling streets and housing affordability as some of the reasons behind his victory. 'For too long, cities like Omaha have been ignored by national political strategists and the media,' he wrote. 'We're considered flyover country, not a political battleground. But that kind of thinking is short-sighted.' In addition to Ewing's victory, there was also last week's announcement from centrist U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) that he would not seek reelection, offering the best opportunity for Democrats in recent memory to compete for an open and winnable congressional seat. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report recently moved the seat from 'Toss Up' to 'Lean Democrat.' 'I think Nebraska has a real, real chance of being the center of a lot that goes on this political season,' said Ken Schilz, a former Republican state senator from Nebraska who suggested Democrats' excitement about making gains in the state might be warranted. He cautioned, though, that there might not be enough deep-pocketed donors to help compete for the seat Bacon is vacating and boost Osborn in his Senate run. 'If [Democrats are] going to win a statewide election in Nebraska, you've got to have the money from Omaha,' he said. 'And if all that money from Omaha is tied up in a congressional race, it'll be hard to find any of that for any other races.' The House contest, he added, 'could have the ability … to suck the air out of the room.' Kleeb pushed back on that assertion. 'We are clearly ready and focused on winning the 2nd Congressional District, and have a plan to do that, and we are definitely focused on helping win statewide as well.' All the best,The Recast Team DAVIS EYES SENATE RUN Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) is eyeing a bid for a North Carolina Senate seat in 2026. If he wins, Davis would become the Tar Heel State's first Black senator. Hannah Spengler, his chief of staff, told POLITICO that the second-term congressman is 'looking at all options and not ruling anything out,' while my colleagues Nicholas Wu and Jordain Carney also note that should Davis follow through on that Senate run, it would mean giving up a closely contested House seat in a district won by Trump last cycle. Davis, who has earned a reputation as a moderate who does not engage in fiery clashes with his GOP colleagues, is likely enticed by a potential run following last week's stunning announcement that incumbent GOP Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection. That announcement came on the heels of Tillis' refusal to vote for Trump's megabill and the president's subsequent threat to back a primary challenger for Tillis' seat. Last cycle, Davis faced fiercer competition than he did when he was first elected in 2022, thanks to the GOP-controlled state Legislature's redistricting that made the state's 1st Congressional District far more competitive. In the state's only true toss-up contest last cycle, Davis narrowly defeated his Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout by roughly 6,300 votes. With Tillis retiring at the end of his term, Democrats are bullish about their chances of winning a North Carolina Senate seat, which has been the party's white whale since Tillis defeated Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan in 2014. Democrats' hopes were dashed in 2022 when House Freedom Caucus member Ted Budd beat Democrat Cheri Beasley, a former state Supreme Court judge, in what had been an open contest to replace the then-retiring GOP Sen. Richard Burr. That loss extended Democrats' losing streak in North Carolina's Senate and presidential contests dating back to 2008, when both Hagan and Barack Obama carried the state. Aside from the potential bid from Davis, former Rep. Wiley Nickel announced his Senate campaign in April, becoming the first declared Democratic candidate. Popular former Gov. Roy Cooper is the biggest wild card on the Democratic side and would enter as the undisputed frontrunner for the nomination. He's expected to make his decision this summer. On the Republican side, RNC Chair Michael Whatley and Rep. Pat Harrigan are reportedly eyeing bids, as is Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who grew up in Wilmington. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK Gerontocracy watch — Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, a civil rights icon, has been steadfast in her public statements that she will seek reelection next year when she turns 89. Her staff, however, has contradicted those statements on multiple occasions, telling reporters that 'no decision has been made.' POLITICO's Michael Schaffer looks at the delicate dance of covering aging members of Congress. And more: TODAY'S CULTURE NEWS Mahershala Ali dodges questions about 'Blade' — The two-time Oscar winner, who also stars in this weekend's top box office earning 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' is done talking about his long-delayed star turn as the titular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Craig Robinson says he's quitting comedy — The former star of 'The Office' gives hints as to why in an Instagram post. Cardi B and her NFL boo on the outs? — It's fueling speculation after the 'I Like It' rapper scrubbed her social media posts of any mention of NFL receiver Stefon Diggs.
Politico
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Will rising utility costs help Dems win back Latinos?
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: A progressive civic engagement group is betting soaring utility costs will provide a jolt to Latino voters — particularly those who sat out last election cycle or those who broke for Donald Trump. In an exclusive, The Recast has learned Poder Latinx is launching a $300,000 ad campaign targeting Latino voters in the key battleground states of North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Their message is simple: Trump vowed to lower the cost of living — but he hasn't. Now he's attempting to gut legislation that could spike utility prices even higher. 'We're seeing a lot of folks whose frustration is building up,' said Yadira Sanchez, co-founder and executive director of Poder Latinx. 'Costs are skyrocketing during his administration and as a result of his actions.' The ad launch, which will run on Spanish and English television, kicks off Tuesday with the aim of reversing the significant inroads Trump made with Latino voters last cycle. The first $100,000 tranche will focus on North Carolina to underscore the dual threats Tar Heel State Latinos face. The group argues Trump's economic policies provide no relief for families, adding additional burdens to those still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene that walloped the state nine months ago. 'Trump wants to end the Clean Energy Plan,' the narrator said in one of the ads, referring to provisions passed in the Inflation Reduction Act under the previous administration that have been aggressively nixed from the House-passed legislative package commonly referred to as Trump's big, beautiful bill. '[It's] one of the only things helping us to save money now. … He should focus on lowering costs, like he promised.' That ad centers around an elderly Latino woman appearing to sift through a pile of bills interspersed with images of hurricane-ravaged buildings. Organizers believe what elevates this campaign above typical issue-based outreach attempts is leaning on Latino social media influencers, like Lisandra Vazquez. She's a content creator and comic with more than 800,000 followers on TikTok, where she's grown her audience with skits, including nearly daily parodies of Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. The digital ad Vazquez produced features her portraying two characters: a blond woman with a light Southern drawl taking occasional sips from a Stanley tumbler arguing the 'free market' should set energy prices, and a Latina who rails against Trump because he's going to 'raise bills and end jobs.' It ends with the blond woman being swayed. Vazquez told The Recast she didn't follow nuances of energy politics prior to her work with Poder Latinx but has a keen understanding of the importance of affordable, reliable energy sources. She's a native of Puerto Rico, where her parents still live under the uncertainty of the territory's malfunctioning electrical grid. Vazquez said lending her platform to educate Latino voters puts her 'on the right side of history' and hopes it breaks through to those not constantly glued to the news. 'My hope is that I can provide information through a more palatable way that's enjoyable and a place where people can experience a little bit of levity,' she said. 'When you're in survival mode, you can't make big plans, you're struggling, you're trying to keep your head above water. I can help by giving people small actions to take … or point them to smarter people that have information that I can relay.' While there's no direct mention in the ads, Trump's return to the White House was aided by his overperformance with Latino voters last fall, earning approximately 46 percent overall, according to one exit poll. His message of improving Americans' economic fortunes, addressing immigration and providing more opportunities in education endeared him to many Latino voters. 'I think right now the Latino community is sort of seeing through the bullshit a bit. I think that's a good thing,' said Adrian Maldonado, who chairs the North Carolina Democratic Party's Hispanic Caucus. He's not affiliated with the ad push but sees the upside in Democratic-aligned groups building bridges with the community long before the midterm elections, when Republican Sen. Thom Tillis is up for reelection. 'It's very apparent that [Democrats] can't earn trust at the last minute with a last minute ad in Spanish, right?' Maldonado said. 'What Latino voters [said] their biggest motivations were, I think a lot of that revolves around the sort of economic populist message. The more ways [the party] can kind of tap into that, I think the Latino community would feel a lot more heard.' National Democrats are keenly aware the party must do more to engage Latino voters, particularly in a state like North Carolina. According to statistics compiled by Way to Win, a group that tracks sentiments of Democratic voters and is not affiliated with the ad buy, Latinos had the highest 'skip rate' between those who voted in 2020 and sat out last fall across four battleground states. A quarter of Latinos in North Carolina skipped last year's election, which according to that survey was a higher percentage than Latinos in Arizona, Nevada and Georgia — all states Trump won. 'It's critical that Democratic and Democratic-aligned groups start investing and talking to Latino voters very, very early in the cycle,' said Kevin Munoz, who served as spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign. 'Democrats need to do that a lot more, because these voters require an intense amount of persuasion, an intense amount of communication to reach them where they are … because they're not going to be voters that we can tap late in the game.' Poder Latinx is aiming to roll out a similar campaign in Pennsylvania, arguably the nation's most important swing state, and Virginia, which holds statewide elections later this year. Dominion Energy, Virginia's largest utility company, proposed a 15 percent residential rate hike over the next two years citing factors including inflation and rising fuel costs. All the best,The Recast Team JUNETEENTH UNDER TRUMP SPARKS ACTIVISM Thursday marks the fourth year Juneteenth is observed as a federal holiday and the first since Trump was swept back into the Oval Office. I was initially cynical about the celebration, warning four years ago in this very newsletter about the commercialization of the holiday, which marks the end of slavery in the nation. Since Trump's return to power, there's been an obvious paradigm shift. The commercialization has given way to a predictable retreat — both in pledged dollars from corporate America and in how both political parties engage with Black voters and other voting blocs of color who traditionally have broken for Democrats but have begun to fall away. There's evidence of new efforts on the political left to reengage these voters. Baltimore on Thursday is the final stop of the 'State of the People' tour, spearheaded by Angela Rye, a former staffer with the Congressional Black Caucus who is now a television pundit and podcaster. After kicking off in Atlanta in April, the tour has hit other cities with large Black populations including Richmond, Virginia, Detroit, Louisville, Kentucky, and Birmingham, Alabama, in an effort to reignite a national call to action and to reimagine future possibilities for Black communities. 'We have the ability to survive these really challenging times,' Rye told The Recast, adding that participants of the tour are engaging in dialogue on policies to better unite against Trump's agenda. Separately, there's a push to continue withholding Black spending power as a means to bring corporate America back to the table to engage with the community. Atlanta-based pastor Jamal Bryant, one of the leaders in the boycott of Target after it adhered to the current administration's push to eradicate DEI policies, is expanding the effort to other retailers like Dollar General for not doing enough business with Black vendors. Charles Walker, founder and CEO of Friends of the Movement and a collaborator with Bryant, created a tool called the Conscious Spending Ticker that encourages socially conscious consumers to 'vote with their wallets.' The tool is dubbed the 'Black Wall Street Ticker' and lists companies on their national boycott registry. In all, it aims to redirect $7 trillion in consumer spending to send a clear message about the impact of dual voting: both at the ballot box and at the cash register, Walker said, adding that it is incumbent on Democrats, especially, to take notice. 'We have voted [for the party], but we still haven't achieved the results,' said Walker, who noted there are roughly 160,000 registered for this service so far. 'They don't have the House, nor the Senate, nor the White House,' he said, adding that the goal is to apply pressure on every front. 'If they're not out there telling people to support companies that support [our] values, then what are they doing?' WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK Mother Emanuel anniversary — Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and his wife, former Rep. Gabby Giffords, will take part in a gun violence prevention town hall Tuesday evening in Charleston, South Carolina, marking the 10th anniversary of the Mother Emanuel church shooting where nine people were killed by a white supremacist. The event takes place as the nation is still reeling from the attacks on Minnesota state elected officials over the weekend. And more: TODAY'S CULTURE RECS Jurors shown 'freak off' clips in court — The sex trafficking trial continues for disgraced music mogus Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Get caught up with the latest and see why a juror was dismissed. New cast additions — A slew of stars have been added to the upcoming Netflix upcoming comedy '72 Hours.' Find out who made the cut. Hoops dreams — The Oklahoma City Thunder took a commanding 3-2 lead Monday night in the NBA Finals, leaving them one game away from clinching the franchise's first championship. The series goes back to Indianapolis, where the Indiana Pacers have to win Thursday to keep their season alive. Hoops biz — Angel Reese, one of the biggest stars of the WNBA, may be laughing all the way to the bank, appearing to take a phrase used by her social media trolls and making moves to trademark it.
Politico
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
It's Election Day in the Big Apple
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: The eyes of the political world are intensely trained on the race to become the next New York City mayor. Technically, Tuesday is the last day of voting in the city's Democratic primary, which is always a marquee contest and is typically a formality given the city's significant Democratic lean. But that's far from the case this year. (More on that later.) Heading into primary day, upstart candidate Zohran Mamdani, the Ugandan-born Indian American who immigrated to the U.S. as a child and is running as a democratic socialist, continues to defy expectations. In a recent poll, his campaign's late surge has him defeating Andrew Cuomo, a political scion and former New York governor who resigned from his post four years ago after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment. The Emerson College Poll released Monday showed Mamdani trailing Cuomo early on, but as the crowded field of 11 candidates gets whittled in a series of rounds of ranked-choice voting, he eventually overtakes the ex-governor in Round 8 by clearing the 50 percent threshold. As my POLITICO colleague Jason Beeferman points out, a Mamdani win would send shockwaves through the Democratic Party. Cuomo, 67, had been seen as the undisputed front-runner in the contest early on with his near-universal name recognition and through the backing of the Democratic establishment — and that was reflected in the financial assist from the city's billionaire former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Most polls, including one from Marist last week, had Cuomo prevailing over Mamdani and the rest of the field in later rounds of the ranked-choice vote. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. In recent weeks, Cuomo has been criticized for bullying his way through the governorship and his mayoral campaign. As Mamdani begins to lap Cuomo, some question whether the 33-year-old leftist is up to the task of governing a complicated and sprawling bureaucracy after serving less than five years in the state Assembly. And Cuomo is putting himself front and center of that debate. 'As mayor, I will bring experience in government, leadership to NYC, and a strong stance on antisemitism,' Cuomo said in a recent post on social media. While Cuomo has made Mamdani's thin resume central to his closing argument, he's also kept his public appearances and interactions with the media at a minimum. He also touted a last-minute endorsement from former President Bill Clinton. By contrast, Mamdani's surge has opened up new opportunities for exposure, including an appearance Monday evening on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' where he appeared alongside rival-turned-cross-endorser Brad Lander, 55, the New York City comptroller. (Lander made headlines earlier this month when he was arrested by federal agents at an immigration court.) 'It's exciting to know that while each of us think we'd make the best next mayor of New York City, we also understand it's time for a politics of the future,' Mamdani told Colbert as he gestured to Lander, suggesting his would-be administration would focus on collaboration. Neither Cuomo nor Mamdani ruled out continuing their mayoral bid if they came up short in the Democratic primary with an option to run on a third-party line in the general election. Eric Adams, the city's embattled incumbent mayor — who became the second Black mayor to serve the nation's most populous city four years ago — announced in the spring he'd seek reelection as an independent, aiming to avoid the crowded Democratic primary he likely could not have won. (Adams, who was indicted on corruption charges which were later dismissed, has faced criticism that he was too cozy with President Donald Trump.) Other Democratic mayoral candidates include: Adrienne Adams, the New York Council speaker; Michael Blake, the former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee; state Sen. Zellnor Myrie; state Sen. Jessica Ramos (who endorsed Cuomo); former New York Comptroller Scott Stringer; and former hedge fund executive Whitney Tilson. Polls close tonight at 9 p.m. local time, though results may not be known for several days or longer. All the best,The Recast Team HOUSE OVERSIGHT LEADERSHIP FIGHT It's Election Day on Capitol Hill today, too, but unlike the New York mayoral race, we have results. In a widely anticipated, closed-door vote by House Democrats on Tuesday morning, Rep. Robert Garcia of California cruised to victory in his bid by a vote of 150-63 to become the ranking member of the Oversight Committee. His win wasn't a big surprise: Heading into the vote early Tuesday, the second-term lawmaker appeared to have the momentum needed to best his three challengers The contest to become the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee was triggered by the death of Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia, who died from esophageal cancer last month. As my colleagues Nicholas Wu and Haily Fuchs reported Monday night, Garcia locked up a key endorsement from the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, getting the nod over Reps. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, his closest competitor in the contest, Kweisi Mfume of Maryland and Jasmine Crockett of Texas. While the Steering panel's recommendation was far from a guarantee on how the wider caucus would vote, it added fresh momentum to Garcia's bid to overtake Lynch and Mfume, who both have more seniority than him on the panel — and it's traditionally a barometer by which Democrats dole out leadership posts. Central to his pitch to the powerful committee: Garcia sold himself as a consensus candidate who could successfully unify divisions in the party. Democrats have been split between those who want to be more confrontational in their dealings with Trump and those — particularly among some of the party elders — who want to take a more measured approach. In December, the House Democratic Caucus elected to elevate Connolly to the post, just a month after he publicly announced his cancer diagnosis, over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Connolly, an experienced investigator, had previously lost out on previous bids to be the top Democrat on the panel, but received an opening when Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland decided to step down to serve as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. AOC's decision to pass on another run for the leadership post opened up opportunities for others. What a difference a few months makes. There's been a public reckoning within the Democratic Party since Trump was inaugurated in January and Democrats faced the stark reality of being locked out of power in federal Washington. As they look for a path out of the political wilderness, parts of their base have been angered by the lack of message cohesion to thwart Trump's agenda. House Democrats were also grappling with the fact that their slim minority has widened in the nearly seven months since the new Congress was sworn. Reps. Sylvester Turner of Texas and Raúl Grijalva of Arizona also died this year. The issue of age was a factor heading into the election as well. Garcia and Crockett, 47 and 44 respectively, are a generation younger than Mfume, 76, and Lynch, 70. They're also thought to be thought to be more media-savvy lawmakers in this era of social media virality. Crockett, who announced earlier this morning that she was dropping out of the race, had pitched herself as best positioned to be the Democratic face of the Oversight panel. She's built a national following through frequent television appearances and her heated exchanges with Republican firebrands on the panel — particularly with GOP Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Majorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Last year, her contretemps with Greene produced a viral moment where she referred to her colleague as a 'bleach-blond, bad-built, butch body.' Crockett even hawked a 'Clapback Collection' featuring merch with the alliterative tongue twister plastered on it. The caucus, however, ultimately decided to go in another direction, perhaps in a move to head off attacks from Republicans that Crockett was elevated to be the de facto leader of the Democratic Party. She also did not win the endorsement of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus — which remained neutral in the contest to avoid picking between her and fellow caucus member Mfume, who once led the NAACP. Garcia had no such issue getting the endorsement of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. And he reportedly met with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, a fellow Californian, last month as he was seeking endorsements — which likely carried some sway among many in the Democratic caucus on his way to snagging the top spot on the panel. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK Trump declares ceasefire — Trump announced a ceasefire after a 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Trump wrote on his Truth Social social media platform: 'This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn't, and never will!' POLITICO's Megan Messerly, Eli Stokols and Eric Bazail-Eimil break down the latest and ever-changing positions the administration has on the latest Middle East conflict following this weekend's U.S.-led airstrikes of Iranian nuclear sites. And more: TODAY'S CULTURE NEWS Cardi B teases new album — Hip-hop star Cardi B has been a fixture on the charts, reality TV and gossip sites for years, and she finally dropped hints about when she's releasing her sophomore album, aptly named 'Am I the Drama?'. Congrats to OKC Thunder — The NBA completed their championship season by defeating the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Game 7. Today the city will honor them with a championship parade. NBA Draft tips off tomorrow — Yes, the season just ended. Now the NBA's other 31 teams get their shot at drafting a prospect to help compete to topple the newly crowned champs. Get caught up on the league's top prospects.
Politico
03-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
Group urges tactical change to win back Latinos
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: FIRST IN THE RECAST — Campeones PAC blasted Democratic donors today for not doing enough to stem the rightward shift of Hispanic voters, particularly in the South and Southwestern regions of the U.S. 'We must find a way to learn from the mistakes of the past cycle in order to reach Latino men and women who we cannot afford to continue losing support from,' the group wrote in a memo. 'To do this we will utilize narratives focused on the economy to galvanize our community against the Republicans who are destroying economic opportunity for our communities.' Among the action items called for in the memo is ending the 'over-reliance' on polling and analytics that the PAC said has proven ineffective in reaching these targeted communities. Democrats, the memo said, need to increase their focus on younger Latinos under 30 who are more likely to rent, more tech savvy, and more likely to change jobs with regularity. Reached for comment, Chuck Rocha — who launched Campeones PAC along with former Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) earlier this year — declined to say how many donors the memo was sent to but said it reached across 'the Democratic donor diaspora … so from everyone from George Soros to Henry R. Muñoz,' name-checking some of the biggest donors in the Democratic Party. Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. 'We're sending out a siren,' Rocha told The Recast. 'We have to fix this now or the Democratic Party's gonna be the minority forever, because without the Latino vote, you can't win Arizona, Nevada, Texas.' Not everyone agrees that Campeones has its focus in the right area to win back Latinos. 'If we are going to really be focused on reaching Latinos, let's look at the entire country and not just a segment,' said a longtime Hispanic Democratic strategist who worked on the Kamala Harris presidential campaign. The strategist was granted anonymity to discuss their critiques of the memo. 'This is how we lose — in our silos, with culturally relevant perspectives that only target some of the Latino population.' The strategist continued: 'We lose because no one is listening to each other. Recycled strategies won't get us a win anytime soon.' Rocha pushed back, saying his strategy is focused on winning back first- and second-generation Latinos in the South and Southwest but that it can apply to other regions in some cases. 'Let me eat this elephant one bite at a time,' he said. The memo comes amid apparent shifts in Latino perceptions of Donald Trump's first months back in the White House. Latino voters shifted dramatically to Trump in last fall's elections, but a new survey shows his support has cratered. According to a poll from Global Strategy Group and commissioned by Somos Votantes, a Democratic-leaning group that focuses on Latinos, Trump's approval from February to May dropped 14 points among Latino independents, from 43 percent to 29 percent. Among Latinos overall, the drop was less muted — it fell by just 4 percentage points during that same February-to-May time frame. We'll keep tabs on this issue and see how things change in the coming months. All the best,The Recast Team MOORE'S MEA CULPA Wes Moore is facing new questions about his backstory. The first-term Maryland governor took steps to elevate his national profile at South Carolina Democrats' Blue Palmetto Dinner over the weekend. His keynote address was well-received by the state's party insiders Friday as he exhorted Democrats to become 'the party of action' and take a page out of Trump's playbook. '[It would] be foolish not to learn from his impatience' when enacting their policy agenda when the party returns to power, Moore told the sold-out event. But the governor, who is among the brightest up-and-comers in Democratic politics, made an unforced error when he sought to play up his familial connection to the state. He described his late grandfather, whom he said was born in Charleston, as having 'a deep Jamaican accent his entire life, but had South Carolinian grit in his bones.' But public records indicate Moore's grandfather was born some 200 miles away — in a part of the state that's culturally and politically very different from Charleston. 'I was always told by my mother that my grandfather was born in Charleston, South Carolina. However, this past weekend I was made aware that he was actually born in Greenville County, South Carolina,' Moore said in a statement to The Recast on Monday. 'While this was what was told to me, after doing my due diligence, I can confirm that the information is true.' His office said he learned of the discrepancy in family lore during a private event in Columbia the following day. That event was a gathering hosted at the Columbia-area home of Democratic fundraiser Rick Wade. On the surface, passing along an error in family history isn't a big deal. But for Moore, a potential White House hopeful, it represents a recurrence of awkward questions surrounding the details of his life, which has followed an improbable trajectory — he's gone from being put in handcuffs at 11 years old to becoming the nation's only sitting Black governor. Last year, The New York Times reported that Moore, in an application for a prestigious White House fellowship program in 2006, claimed to have received a Bronze Star for his military service in Afghanistan. He told the newspaper at the time it was 'an honest mistake' and that he did so at the urging of a mentor who assured him the paperwork for the award had been filed and anticipated Moore would have received it before the fellowship began. Moore eventually received the honor several months after the controversy was ignited. He has brushed off questions about why he failed to correct interviewers who introduced him as a 'Bronze Star recipient,' saying in an interview last September with NPR host Michel Martin that he doesn't have time for 'foolishness' and he's working to better the lives of Marylanders. Moore also faced similar criticism during his 2022 gubernatorial campaign about details of his coming-of-age story in Baltimore and receiving a football award in the state that does not exist. Moore is up for reelection next year. And while he repeatedly said he's not running for the White House in 2028, many anticipate that detail about his public life may change, too. TAKING BETS ON 2028 VEEPSTAKES In an early betting line that's sure to raise eyebrows, one bookmaker has a pair of firebrand House members currently tied for the best odds to secure the No. 2 spot on a presidential nominating ticket — some three years before Democratic primary voters have even selected a standard-bearer. Two women of color, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Jasmine Crockett of Texas, are the 'co-favorites' at 7-1 odds to be the next Democratic vice presidential nominee, according to political statline maker BetOnline. 'It's a wide open market,' Paul Krishnamurty, BetOnline's political oddsmaker, told The Recast. He adds that the buzz around the two lawmakers is about their proven ability to raise big money, as well as something else Democratic voters say they value. 'Voters who are open to voting Democrat don't want someone to be timid,' he said. 'They don't want someone to forge alliances or have anything to do with Trump. Trump's the enemy.' Krishnamurty, a British professional gambler by trade who writes about U.S. and U.K. politics, noted that the field of vice presidential picks is fluid given the 2028 presidential nominating contests have yet to get underway. And since, aside from Harris, the leading Democrats thought to be seeking a 2028 White House bid appear to be largely men at the moment, Ocasio-Cortez and Crockett would add the gender diversity that has been a hallmark of the last three Democratic presidential tickets. Rounding out the top Democratic picks for vice president in this early betting line are Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear at 8-1 odds; Govs. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania who are tied at 10-1; and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 12-1. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK Delgado takes on boss for her job — New York's Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado launched an insurgent campaign to topple the woman who appointed him to his job, Gov. Kathy Hochul. Delgado, as POLITICO's Nick Reisman and Emily Ngo point out, has been reaching out to Black elected officials to make his pitch, casting Hochul as a weak top-of-the-ticket candidate who could put down-ballot Democrats at risk. And more: TODAY'S CULTURE RECS NBA Finals stinker — The NBA Finals kick off on Thursday and it's a matchup of two small-market franchises, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. One oddsmaker predicts this finals match up will be among the most lopsided in NBA history. Star Advice — Michael B. Jordan, star of this year's critically acclaimed film 'Sinners' got advice from Denzel Washington about how social media kills movie stars. Cynthia Erivo gets personal — June is Pride Month, and in a recent interview for Billboard, the 'Wicked' star opens up about her queerness.
Politico
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Wes Moore's reparations moment
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore faces an early test of his viability on the national stage as he is set to headline a dinner and fundraiser for South Carolina Democrats on Friday. The opportunity to address party insiders of an early presidential nominating state comes as Moore is facing some headwinds back home — and, perhaps, increasingly from other parts of the Democratic base — over his recent decision to veto a reparations bill in Maryland. The bill called for a study of historic race-based inequality in the state. The veto surprised many of Moore's supporters, especially his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature who presumed Maryland's first, and currently the nation's only, Black governor would sign the bill. It comes at a fraught moment for Moore, as he looks to bolster his national standing within the party and position himself as a potential presidential candidate. (Why else would he be traveling to South Carolina?) That's despite the fact that he's repeatedly said he's not looking to make a White House run, for now. The veto also prompted one South Carolina Democrat, state Rep. John King, to lobby state party officials to disinvite Moore from the Blue Palmetto Dinner. Writing in an open letter on Facebook, King characterized Moore's veto this way: 'It was a rejection of the very acknowledgment that the wounds of slavery still bleed into the lives of our people today.' In an interview with The Recast, King took it a step further, explaining that while he would be open to supporting Moore should he run for president in the future, the governor's veto of a reparations bill sends the message that the historic pain suffered by Black Americans, who make up the base of the Democratic Party, can easily be ignored. 'His decision to veto a bill that simply studies reparations, gives political cover, in my opinion, to opponents of racial justice, not just in Maryland, but across the country,' he said. 'It sends a message that even Black leadership at the highest level sees reparations as politically untenable, and that makes it even harder for us as Black legislators to introduce or defend, and in many cases advance, meaningful legislation on reparational justice.' Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. The reparations issue has gained traction in a handful of states in recent years, including in California, New York, Illinois and the District of Columbia, which have each enacted commissions to study the long-term effects of slavery on Black Americans. Some local municipalities including Providence, Rhode Island, have also established similar bodies. But the issue has gone nowhere on the federal level, having been introduced every session of Congress since 1989 without being passed. Most recently, Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) introduced a 'Reparations Now' resolution earlier this month, which is not expected to be taken up by the GOP-controlled House. Reparations remains a politically fraught issue nationally, with Black and white survey respondents expressing markedly different opinions. In a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, some 77 percent of African American respondents supported reparations, while just 18 percent of white respondents said the same. A person familiar with Moore's thinking granted anonymity to speak candidly told The Recast it is unclear to them whether Moore will address the reparations veto directly in his South Carolina remarks but expects the governor to point to efforts during his time as governor that have addressed racial disparities in the state, echoing sentiments in the governor's veto letter. 'Because while I appreciate the work that went into this legislation, I strongly believe now is not the time for another study,' Moore wrote in his May 16 letter, listing items including increasing the number of mortgages to help first-time homeowners, which has helped some 1,500 pursue homeownership, and investing more than $1.3 million in the state's historically Black colleges and universities. 'We've made real progress both to undo bad policies of the past and craft good policies that will lead us toward a brighter future,' Moore continued in his letter, promising to introduce more policies in the next legislative session, which convenes in January 2026. Maryland Democrats, who enjoy a supermajority in the state Legislature, are already floating talks of overriding the governor's veto. We'll continue to monitor this space and report back on how it will be playing out — both in South Carolina and in Maryland. All the best,The Recast Team REMEMBRANCES FOR CHARLES RANGEL The political world continues to mourn the death of the legendary Harlem, New York, Congressman Charles Rangel. During a congressional career that spanned nearly half a century, he came to be known as the 'Lion of Lennox Avenue' and was one of the founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, which included other towering political figures like the late Reps. John Conyers of Michigan, Ron Dellums of California and fellow New Yorker Shirley Chisholm. He also became the first Black lawmaker to chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee, first taking the gavel in 2007. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black party leader of either chamber, remembered Rangel as 'friend and mentor,' while also praising him as 'change agent and champion for justice.' He listed numerous accomplishments, including being a Purple Heart and Bronze Star recipient fighting in the Korean War, establishing the Low Income Housing Tax Credit that helped usher in new and affordable housing units across the country and, in the late 1980s, established the so-called Rangel Amendment, which blocked foreign tax credits to U.S. businesses investing in South Africa, which at the time was ruled by the apartheid system. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who prior to serving in that post was elected twice as New York senator, also praised Rangel for his military service and helping to urge her to enter politics after eight years of being first lady. 'He was a proud veteran who loved serving his Harlem constituents,' Clinton said on X. 'He urged me to run for the Senate and later was an invaluable colleague.' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York also added on X: 'The list of his accomplishments could take pages, but he leaves the world a much better place than he found it.' While many of his mourners focused on his many achievements, there were less rosy moments of his career, including when his colleagues in the U.S. House overwhelmingly voted to censure him in 2010 for several ethics violations, including receiving gifts and improper use of influence. Still, voters in his Harlem district reelected him the following cycle by a wide margin, and he didn't retire until after his 17th term, when he decided not to seek reelection in 2016. Rangel was 94 years old. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK California GOP would love a Harris run — Republicans in the Golden State love to hate the former vice president. But what they would love even more is if she would run for California governor. Kamala Harris is still reportedly months away from a decision on that race — as she mulls a gubernatorial run or a perhaps another go at the White House in 2028 — but for California's GOP the mere prospect of her running for governor is seen as beneficial, as the party expect it to energize donors and the conservative rank and file, reports POLITICO's Jeremy B. White. What else we're watching: TODAY'S CULTURE RECS Hoop Dreams — The NBA's Eastern and Western Conference playoffs have been a ratings bonanza, according to one metric, which is likely making that 'cha-ching' sound' for the league's new partners including NBCU, Amazon and Disney, which inked massive deals set to kick in when the new league season tips off in the fall. Take me back — Every genre has 'em, every decade loves 'em. Rolling Stone is out with their ranking of the 50 best one-hit wonders of the 2000s. See who topped the list and who missed the cut. Janet Jackson takes center stage — The American Music Awards was this past weekend. Didn't watch? No problem. Here's a list of winners, snubs and surprises. And a look at icon Janet Jackson's performance.
