Welcome to the online version of From the policy deskevening bulletin that brings you the latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill from the NBC News Politics team.
In today’s edition, we report on Act I of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy’s revenge tour. Plus, senior political editor Mark Murray breaks down the polling gap between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on mercy vs. tough.
Sign up here to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday.
Kevin McCarthy’s first target on his revenge tour: Nancy Mace
By Ali Vitali, Bridget Bowman and Kyle Stewart
DANIEL ISLAND, SC – Rep. Nancy Mays is no stranger to infighting. Now, his role in last year’s big GOP fight — the ousting of Kevin McCarthy as House speaker — makes his primary job tougher on Tuesday.
Both a third-term candidate and his own campaign manager, Mays has drawn the ire of top Republicans in his few short years in Washington. In 2022, it was former President Donald Trump they’ve been fixing things ever since. Then, a year later, he voted in historic fashion to install a speaker of the House of Representatives from his own party.
Do you have news? Let us know
In fact, Mace is the first thing that comes to mind when asked about his stake in his latest political fight against a primary challenger running on McCarthy’s support.
“This is about revenge,” Mace told NBC News in an interview at his campaign headquarters. “It’s also about honesty and integrity. “My vote to oust Kevin McCarthy was about trust.”
Mace says he doesn’t regret the vote. McCarthy, in turn, said his support of GOP candidates who challenge several of the “crazy eight,” as he calls Republicans who voted against him, has nothing to do with political vendetta. Sources close to McCarthy note he is limited to what he can do directly outside of giving money and advice. His spokesman did not respond to a request for an interview.
But McCarthy-aligned operatives are channeling large sums of money into these races through outside groups. Tuesday’s challenge to Mace is the first test, followed by next week’s Virginia primary for House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Goode. Two other anti-McCarthy voters — Arizona’s Eli Crane and Florida’s Matt Gaetz — also face primary challengers this summer.
Catherine Templeton, in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, said Mason’s vote against McCarthy was “absolutely” what led him to run against Mace. Templeton is also a Trump supporter and served as labor secretary in South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s Cabinet at the time.
Before launching his bid, Templeton met with Brian O. Walsh, a GOP political strategist and McCarthy ally. But he He told “The Post and Courier” publication In a Charleston paper, he said McCarthy “didn’t talk about firing Congressman Mace, but I asked him for help in raising money.” McCarthy contributed to Templeton’s campaign through his leadership PAC.
However, Templeton downplayed the former speaker’s role in the race.
“His antics have consequences,” said Templeton Mace, although it is obviously related to the historic vote, an act defined as a larger race. “I’m sure we respect Kevin McCarthy, who is a wonderful person: Nobody pays attention to Kevin McCarthy in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.”
Read more ahead of tomorrow’s primary election →
The Development Dynamics of 2024: Trump’s Toughness vs. Biden’s Compassion
By Mark Murray
The latest national CBS News/YouGov poll There’s an illuminating set of numbers that go beyond the horse race of the 2024 election (it’s still super close) and Trump’s recent felony conviction (which most say is fair, but also won’t affect their vote).
The survey’s eyebrow-raising result: 66% of registered voters said they think Trump is “tough,” while only 28% of voters agree with President Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, a majority of voters — 52% — called Biden “compassionate,” compared to just 37% who said the same about Trump.
Call it Trump’s toughness and Biden’s mercy.
This frame plays inside NBC News’ own national survey since the beginning of this year. Trump beat Biden by 35 points on the question of which candidate is better at securing the border and controlling immigration. However, Biden was ahead by 17 points on the question of which candidate is better at treating immigrants humanely and protecting the rights of immigrants.
It has also been featured in focus groups such as NBC News recently observed Latino voters in Arizona with unfavorable views of both Biden and Trump. Their descriptions of Biden: “Too old,” “useless” and “incompetent.” As for Trump? “Rude”, “arrogant” and “ridiculous”.
It’s a useful way to distinguish the key weaknesses of both Biden and Trump. For Biden, it’s questions about his age. In a CBS News/YouGov poll, just 26% saw the president as “energetic,” compared to 28% who said they thought the president was “tough.”
And for Trump, his weaknesses are his rhetoric and legal problems, including his conviction in the New York hush money case, as well It is claimed that there are attempts to subvert The results of the 2020 presidential elections.
What do voters want more from their president – toughness or compassion? The answer to that question could very well determine who wins in November.
🗞️ The best stories of the day
- ⏰ Closing time: Jury deliberations began in the federal gun case against the president’s son after Hunter Biden’s defense team rested Monday without calling him to the witness stand. More →
- 🎙️Trump speech: Trump would be seated on Monday virtual interview with a probation officer As part of the New York hush money case. Since his historic conviction, Trump’s rhetoric has increasingly focused on vengeance and retribution. More →
- 🗣️ Bail negotiations: White House officials have suggested the possibility of reaching a unilateral agreement with Hamas for the release of American hostages held in Gaza if ongoing cease-fire talks with the participation of Israel fail. More →
- 🌴 Primary Choice in the Palmetto State: While Mace’s primary has gotten a lot of attention, it’s also worth looking at South Carolina’s 4th District, where GOP Rep. William Timmons is the latest lawmaker to be targeted by his hardline House colleagues. More →
- 👀 Watch this space: The New York Times reports that the deadlocked days of the Federal Election Commission are behind it, with a Democratic commissioner siding with Republicans on a number of issues that further regulate money in politics. More →
- 🐘 Veepstakes: Many of Trump’s potential running mates have issued scathing criticism of the former president, including calling him a “good job,” “reckless” and “disgraceful” and saying they would not do business with him. More →
- ⚖️ Full Court Press: The Supreme Court is expected to rule on two major abortion cases this month, including one over access to a commonly used abortion pill and another over Idaho’s near-ban. More →
- 💸 Expensive Claims: Right-wing media outlets that spread Trump’s false claims around the 2020 election have recently lost a number of legal challenges and continue to face new challenges. More →
For now, that’s it from The Politics Desk. If you have feedback – like it or not – send us an email politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com
If you are a fan, please share with anyone and everyone. They can register here.