WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s Zelenskyy warns about new Russian attacks… Secretary Of State Blinken said the U.S. is discussing a ban on Russian oil imports… Covid deaths exceed 6 million worldwide… Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), states that there are no formal legislative discussions regarding Biden’s legislative agenda… GOP leads in IA-GOV poll… Conor Lamb wins congressional endorsement… and DC Beltway overpowers truckers
BUT FIRST… Do you want to see the changes in the Republican Party since Donald Trump’s presidency ended?
Compare the GOP primary TV ads from 2010 with what you see now, especially in the largest battleground states.
Here is Pat Toomey’s primary advertisement in Pennsylvania 2010: “Trillion dollar bailouts and deficits. Health care provided by the government. Record unemployment. “Enough?
Here’s a 2022 primary advertisement by David McCormick. McCormick is one of the Pennsylvania Republicans who are vying for Toomey’s seat in the Senate. “I’m anti woke, anti illegal immigration, anti political correctness, anti socioalism, and anti-Joe Biden.
Similar to the previous ad, this primary commercial from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) was one of the most controversial of the 2010. McCain said, “Complete the Danged Fence,” during a tour of Mexico’s southern border.
Check out this advertisement from Jim Lamon (one of the Arizona Republicans running to Senate in 2020): “If your angry about the direction of the country, let’s get on with it. Let’s get started if you are ready to protect the border and stop the invasion. It’s now. Let’s go, Brandon.”
Compare this 2010 TV ad from Ron Johnson, Wisconsin: “This 234 year-old experiment that is America, it’s something incredibly valuable and it’s being squandered through unsustainable debt, unsustainable spending — my concern is that we have reached that tipping mark.” We will lose the idea and promise of America if we don’t get back to that tipping point.
This 2022 ad by Johnson: “Democratic policies are weakening America. They have open borders, increased crime, and rising inflation. In 2016, I had hoped to run for a second term, and then return home. Today, however, our nation is on an extremely dangerous path.”
Is there a trend? Spot a trend? The GOP has certainly changed over the past decade, at least according to their TV ads.
Data Download: The number for the day is… 6,000,000
According to Johns Hopkins University’s latest data, this is the total number of people who have been affected by Covid in the world.
With almost 963,000 deaths worldwide, the United States is at the top of the list. Brazil has 652,000, India has 515,000 and Russia has 349,000. Mexico has 320,000.
Globally, there have been 446.4 million cases of Covid. The highest number was in the U.S.A., India and Brazil.
You should also be familiar with the following numbers
More Than 200,000: This is the estimated number of children who have lost a parent or caretaker to Covid in America.
2.5 – The average number of new Covid hospitalizations per 100, as noted by Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner on Twitter, is “the lowest level since July last year.”
141 per cent: This is the rise in GOP primary turnout between 2018-2022 in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, a change that occurred while Democratic turnout remained largely steady. The Texas Tribune has more.
4: The number days left before the March 11 government funding deadline.
2,762 – The number of children who were separated from their parents at border under Trump’s administration and have been reunited with them, per NBC’s Jacob Soboroff. More than 1,000 children are still not reunited with their families.
57: The number of years since the Bloody Sunday march at Selma in Ala. and the second anniversary of the death of John Lewis, a civil rights icon who became a Georgia Democratic Congressman.
Roundup of the midterm
Republicans want to increase the gains made in Hispanic voting in 2020 and are seeking a growing bloc of Colombian Americans. NBC’s Carmen Sesin reports. Marc Caputo, NBC’s Marc Caputo reports that a new Spanish-language conservative radio station with ties to former President Donald Trump’s campaign will launch tomorrow. This is in line with Democratic fears about disinformation targeting Latino voters.
Ex-Vice President Mike Pence maintains a careful distance from Trump. He told GOP donors Friday night, “Cannot win by fighting yesterday’s battles or by relitigating past.” Pence’s advocacy group plans to spend $10M on ads targeting vulnerable House Democrats, “on energy policy, and Ukraine,” according to Axios.
Super PACs and Democratic donors are now refocusing their attention on governors’ elections, Politico reports. They view the contests as part a “existential” fight to win the White House in 2024, and democracy at large.
GOP Gov. won Iowa’s governor race. In a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll, Kim Reynolds led Democrat Deidre DeJear by 8 points — 51% to 43%.
Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) endorsed his fellow Rep. Conor Lamb during the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate Primary, becoming the first Democratic member to participate in the contest.
Recently, the GOP-controlled Florida Senate passed a package new voting laws that included a requirement for the governor to establish a police force focusing on electoral crimes. Similar legislation is being considered by the state House.
Ad watch: Buckeye Brawl
As Ohio’s GOP Senate primary ad war continues, Mike Gibbons, an investment banker, is out with another ad targeting two of his opposition: author J.D. Vance and Jane Timken, former chair of the state GOP party.
The ad’s narration says that Timken and Vance claim to be conservative but they become irritable under pressure. Next, the narrator points out Gibbons’ similarity to Trump, saying that Trump and Gibbons “are businessmen with a backbone.”
Gibbons has attacked Vance and Timken twice in less than one month, but is notably leaving out other contestants like Josh Mandel, former state Treasurer. Mandel is with a new ad this morning to highlight his time as treasurer.
ICYMI – What Else is Happening in the World?
Russia offers a ceasefire and safe passage from Kyiv to allow civilians to flee to Russia or Belarus , an offer rejected by Ukraine.
New satellite photos have shown the first construction in many years at a North Korean nuclear test site. NBC News exclusively reports.
Former Trump Attorney General Bill Barr claims that he would not have prosecuted the ex-president over the 2021 Riot at the Capitol and for taking classified documents.
The Washington Post reports Trump made a reference to the possibility of American planes flying Chinese flags in an attempt to confuse Russia , while bombing the country.
The Associated Press reports on “unforced mistakes” which could hinder the GOP’s return to the Senate majority.
