The Missouri caucuses are tomorrow. Here are ten things you need to know today.
- Missouri caucuses on Saturday: Missouri will hold most of their Republican caucuses tomorrow (some have already been held), which will help to determine how their 52 delegates are awarded. The state already held a non-binding primary on February 7th, won by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who looks to do well in the state again.
- Campaign in Illinois focuses on economy: The next flashpoint in the Republican primary process is the Illinois primary, set for Tuesday March 20th. Over the last few days the squabbling in the campaign has been about economic issues as the campaigns move north again. Santorum sent out a release attacking former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, saying that his home state lost 12 percent of its manufacturing jobs while he was governor, and Romney has been attacking Santorum as a faux-economy conservative citing his record in the Senate.
- DNC web video calls Romney ‘wrong for Illinois’: The Democratic National Committee welcomed Mitt Romney to Illinois by blasting out a web video that calls him “wrong for women, wrong for Illinois.” The video focuses on various women’s rights issues, including the recent debate on contraception. Watch it here. US Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Carole Brite, President of Planned Parenthood of Illinois will also hold a conference call sponsored by the DNC to affirm the message.
- Romney says the economy is getting better: The 2012 general election will focus intently on the role of the federal government in the economy, but for now, even likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney is saying that the overall picture is getting a bit brighter. “I believe we’re in a recovery mode, finally,” Romney told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an interview on Thursday night. “I think it’s likely things will get better.” Romney still argues that President Obama’s Administration still took too much time to spark growth.
- Ackerman retires: US Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), who has represented a district including parts of Queens and Long Island, has decided to retire. “A leading voice on foreign affairs, few match his knowledge of the Middle East and South Asia, and no one could ever doubt his unwavering commitment to peace between Israel and her neighbors and to a strong and thriving relationship between the United States and India,” read a statement from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.
- Gingrich directly attacks Obama on gas prices: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has staked must of his campaign in the last few weeks on his promise of bringing gas prices down to $2.50 a gallon, and he’s also using it to needle President Obama. “To add insult to injury, the Obama administration asked Saudi Arabia this week to increase their oil production. What President Obama refuses to recognize is that we should haven’t to bow to the Saudis for energy. America has abundant energy resources here at home – an estimated 1.4 trillion barrels of recoverable oil that could power us for over 250 years,” wrote Michael Krull, Newt’s campaign manager in a fundraising email to supporters.
- Puerto Rico’s GOP delegates come into focus: Santorum and Romney are now fighting for the delegates from Puerto Rico’s caucus, to be held Sunday March 18th. Santorum stirred up trouble for himself by saying that Puerto Ricans should all learn English as a condition of statehood, an issue that island voters will face in an non-binding referendum in November. Romney fired back by saying he’d require no such thing from Puerto Ricans, bringing the issue fully into the Presidential campaign as the two men fight for the Commonwealth’s 23 delegates.
- Christie campaigning for Mitt in Illinois: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a favorite among suburban and moderate Republicans, will campaign for the candidate he has endorsed, Mitt Romney, in Illinois on Friday. Christie will be at the Founders Lounge at Elmhurst College.
- Romney going from Illinois to Puerto Rico today: Romney himself is holding a breakfast event at Pancakes Eggcetera in Rosemont Illinois before he hops a plane bound for Puerto Rico, where he will hold can event at the State Capitol building there.
- Santorum back to the midwest: Rick Santorum will try to lock down the Missouri caucuses with a campaign stop in Osage Beach before he treks across the state border into Illinois, making two stops in suburban Chicago’s Arlington Heights on Friday.
