Welcome to OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN, your daily rundown from The Hill on all the latest news in the White House, Senate and House races.
Democrats once shy about making an election issue out of gun control declared on Tuesday that they’d go all in for 2016, betting the issue will be a winner in November.
In an emotional address, a teary President Obama unveiled the actions he’ll take to curb gun violence. The efforts were lauded by all of the Democrats running for president, and panned by the GOP candidates, who accused Obama of being “obsessed” with gun control. The national gun lobby, meanwhile, lashed out at the president as “condescending.”
Republicans on Capitol Hill were left scrambling for a way to block the president’s moves, while the White House insisted that Obama’s actions did not circumvent the authority of Congress.
Expect gun control to be a major issue through the November election, as Democrats seek to highlight the recent spate of mass shootings across the country and the GOP condemns the encroachment of the federal government on the Second Amendment.
Meanwhile, Republicans have an intriguing pick for their response to President Obama’s forthcoming State of the Union address. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a potential vice presidential pick whose state was afflicted by a high-profile mass shooting in 2015, will give the party’s rebuttal.
Also, check back at The Hill on Wednesday for editor-in-chief Bob Cusack’s exclusive interview with Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump, and an analysis from Niall Stanage on what each GOP candidate needs to do in the weeks leading up to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.
RACE TO 1600 PENN:
EPIDEMIC: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports on Wednesday: Candidates have kicked off the New Year with a strong emphasis on addiction, an issue that will resonate particularly strongly in heroin-ravaged New Hampshire.
OVERHAUL: The Hill’s Peter Schroeder reports: In a major policy address on Tuesday, Bernie Sanders pledged to fundamentally change Wall Street if he’s elected president.
BEYOND IOWA: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: Sen. Ted Cruz has released a new campaign ad in New Hampshire focused on immigration.
ELECTABILITY: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: The Bernie Sanders campaign is making the case that he’s more electable against Republicans in a general election than Hillary Clinton is.
VOLATILITY: The Hill’s Peter Schroeder reports: The early 2016 stock market sell-off presents a risk for Hillary Clinton as she promises to build on President Obama’s economic legacy.
MORE BILL: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Former President Bill Clinton will stump for Hillary Clinton in Iowa this week, as he continues to play a more active role in his wife’s campaign.
ODDS AND ENDS:
CRACKS EMERGE: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Ted Cruz is staking out how his position on immigration reform differs from that of Donald Trump.
WHOOPS: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Sen. Marco Rubio may have given his rivals some ammunition, arguing that he’s missed so many votes in the upper chamber because “we’re not going to fix America with senators.”
ALL IN THE FAMILY: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Jeb Bush believes his brother, former President George W. Bush, is the most popular president among Republicans.
CONFRONTATION: The Hill’s Caitlin Yilek reports: A woman attended a Ben Carson rally in Staten Island and confronted the GOP candidate about whether he believes she chose to be gay.
POLL POSITION
STILL ROLLING: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump leads the next closest Republican presidential contender by 17 points, according to a new national poll.
GOLDEN STATE: The Hill’s Mark Hensch reports: Ted Cruz and Donald Trump are deadlocked in California, a new poll finds.
SKEWED: The Hill’s Mario Trujillo reports: Pollsters are struggling to keep up with the shift from landlines to cellphones.
THE DAILY TRUMP
A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUMP BAN: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: The British parliament will debate whether Donald Trump should be banned from entering the United Kingdom.
IN THE ROUGH: The Hill’s Caitlin Yilek reports: Donald Trump is hitting back at actor Samuel L. Jackson over allegations the businessman has cheated at golf.
NO APOLOGIES: The Hill’s Jesse Byrnes reports: Donald Trump’s lawyer acknowledged an error in the candidate’s first campaign ad. But Trump is defending the ad, reports The Hill’s Mark Hensch.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Will they like me? No. Will they begin to play by the rules if I’m president? You better believe it.”
— Bernie Sanders vowing to rein in Wall Street
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
MD SENATE: The Hill’s Jonathan Easley reports: Rep. Donna Edwards, who is running to replace retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski in the Senate, is accusing the media of glorifying white militiamen while demonizing black protesters.
MONEY WATCH
SUPER-PAC DOLLARS: The Hill’s Ben Kamisar reports: A super-PAC supporting Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld’s underdog primary challenge for Ohio’s Democratic Senate nomination has raised more than $700,000, the group announced Tuesday.
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW
(All times Eastern)
Donald Trump holds a rally in at 7 p.m. today in Claremont, N.H. He’s a guest on “Hannity” at 10 p.m. today on Fox News and on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday.
Hillary Clinton will appear on MSNBC’s “Hardball” with host Chris Matthews at 7 p.m. today. Bill Clinton will attend a reception on Wednesday in New York City.
Rand Paul and his wife (and author) Kelley are “Morning Joe” guests on MSNBC on Wednesday.
John Kasich holds a town hall in New Hampshire on Wednesday.
Ted Cruz is scheduled to make five appearances in Iowa on Wednesday.
Carly Fiorina has two Iowa campaign events on Wednesday.
Ben Carson has two town halls and a meet and greet in Iowa on Wednesday.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Write us with tips, suggestions and news: Jonathan Easley, Ben Kamisar, Jonathan Swan, Lisa Hagen.
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