Ohio Gov. Kasich Officially Enters GOP Presidential Primary Race
Meanwhile, Wis. Gov. Scott Walker raised more than $20 million from a PAC named after his battle with the state's public-sector unions in which he proposed ending collective bargaining for most public workers and also wanted public employees to pay more for health insurance.
The Wall Street Journal:
Ohio Gov. John Kasich Enters Republicans’ Presidential Fray
The two-term Republican governor’s bid will test whether a candidate who has bucked the right flank of his party on issues ranging from Medicaid expansion to immigration can gain traction in a primary. (McCain Nelson, 7/21)
Fox News:
Gov. Kasich Enters GOP White House Race Touting 'Skills And Experience'
One of his biggest challenges will be getting into the top tier of Republican candidates to qualify for some early debates. And he must convince primary voters who question his conservative credentials that his decision to expand ObamaCare in Ohio was a moral imperative to help the poor. (7/21)
The Washington Post:
Groups Supporting Scott Walker Have Raised $26 Million
The Unintimidated PAC, which was started in April by two of Walker’s closest political advisers, has collected just over $20 million, The Washington Post has learned. The super PAC was named for Walker’s 2013 book that chronicled his highly visible fight with public-sector unions and is able to accept unlimited donations, although it is required to disclose its donor list. (Johnson, 7/21)
The Associated Press:
Groups Raise $32M To Support Gov. Walker's Presidential Run
Three groups supporting Scott Walker's run for president have raised $32 million, which is less than what two of his Republican rivals have collected but on target with the Wisconsin governor's goal for this point in the campaign. ... Walker was first elected governor in 2010 and within months proposed effectively ending collective bargaining for most public workers, coupled with requiring them to pay more for health insurance and pension benefits to help solve a budget shortfall. The fight led to a 2012 recall election against Walker, which he won, further raising his national political profile in advance of this year's announcement that he hopes to run for the White House. Walker won re-election last year. (7/21)
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders continues to draw headlines -
The Wall Street Journal:
Bernie Sanders’ Record Shows Knack For Voter Appeal
While most of his successes have produced incremental change, Mr. Sanders was responsible for the biggest legislative victory for Senate Democrats last year. At the time, he was chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and, after extensive negotiations with Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), the committee’s top Republican, and House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R., Fla.), he passed a measure to shorten wait times at the Department of Veterans Affairs after agency leaders were accused of abandoning patients and cooking the books to get bonuses. The agreement marked the largest expansion of government services since Republicans took control of the House in the 2010 elections. (Hughes, 7/21)
The Washington Post's Wonkblog:
Why Activists Think Sanders Is More Electable Than Hillary Clinton
It sounds odd to argue that by moving left, a Democratic candidate can capture disaffected voters in the center or even on the right. ... Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) ... She told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that Sanders wanted a single-payer system in insurance and more generous entitlements and that he opposed free trade. Polls suggest that support for a single-payer system is limited to liberals, and while polls on expanding Social Security suggest the idea could win the support of a large majority, most Americans think that free trade has been good for the country. (Ehrenfreund, 7/21)
