Today: Big Senate Primaries, And A Key House Special Election
Voters are headed to the polls today in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Kentucky to pick nominees for Senate. There is also a tight special election in PA-12, for the seat formerly held by the late Democratic Rep. John Murtha. The first polls will close at 6 p.m. ET in eastern Kentucky, followed by a 7 p.m. ET closing in western Kentucky. Poll will close at 8 p.m. ET in Pennsylvania, and at 8:30 p.m. ET in Arkansas.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama received the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m.ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10:30 a.m. ET. He will depart the White House at 11:20 a.m. ET, and depart form Andrews Air Force Base at 11:50 a.m. ET, arriving at 12:50 p.m. ET in Youngstown, Ohio. He will tour the facilities of V&M Star at 1:20 p.m. Et, and deliver remarks at 1:45 p.m. ET on jobs and the economy. He will depart from Youngstown at 3:20 p.m. ET, arriving at 4:25 p.m. ET at Andrews Air Force Base, and back at the White House at 4:55 p.m. ET. He will meet at 5:15 p.m. ET with Jewish Democratic members of Congress.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will travel in the morning to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. At 1 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks at a rally for Gov. Chet Culver. Biden and Culver will then meet with local works and residents of Cedar Rapids, to discuss economic issues such as health care reform and the Recovery Act. Afterwards, Biden will return to Washington.
Kagan To Meet With Graham, Cornyn, Franken, Whitehouse
Elena Kagan is headed back to Capitol Hill today to meet with Senators. Among those she court for their vote on her supreme Court nomination is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a Republican who voted last year to confirm Sonia Sotomayor. Other Senators she will meet with include John Cornyn (D-TX), Al Franken (D-MN) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
Kagan On Track For June Hearing, August Vote
Roll Call reports: “Short of a major misstep, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan appears to be on track to have her confirmation hearings wrapped up before the start of the July Fourth recess. Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) have not yet discussed a timeline for Kagan’s hearings and don’t plan to announce dates until they receive her answers to their questionnaire later this week. But Leahy has said he hopes Kagan’s nomination can be approved by the full Senate before the August recess.”
Jeremiah Wright: I Am ‘Toxic’ To Obama Administration
Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the former pastor to Barack Obama, wrote to a group raising money for African relief that the Obama administration would ignore any advice or plea that he gives them: “No one in the Obama administration will respond to me, listen to me, talk to me or read anything that I write to them. I am ‘toxic’ in terms of the Obama administration.”
Lieberman Undecided On Whether To Back Dem Or GOPer In CT-SEN Race
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told The Hill that is not sure which party’s nominee he will endorse in the Connecticut Senate race. “I’m not sure,” said Lieberman. “The first thing I’m going to do for now is to do what good Independents do, which is to wait and see who both parties nominate. And then I’ll decide what I want to do, either endorse somebody or stay out of it.”
