Here are ten things you need to know today.
- Obama campaign raised over $53 million in March: The Obama campaign used a video of grassroots donors to reveal its impressive March fundraising numbers. The video touts 190,000 first time donors, for over 567,000 donors in March. That total includes Obama for America, the Obama Victory Fund, and the DNC numbers together.
- Romney reveals tax policy details at private fundraiser: In Florida, Mitt Romney revealed details of his tax plan at a private fundraiser, overheard by reporters on a public sidewalk outside. Romney has been silent on what deductions he would eliminate from the tax code, but on Sunday he told the group of donors they included mortgage interest deduction for second homes for wealthy Americans. He also said he would look at cuts for the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Romney says Republicans need their own Dream Act: At a private fundraiser in Florida Sunday, Mitt Romney said the Obama campaign would use the immigration issue against him and that the GOP needed its own version of the Dream Act to appeal to Latino voters. “We’re going to be able to get Hispanic voters,” Mr. Romney said. “We’re going to overcome the issue of immigration.”
- RNC launches new attack on Obama in video: The RNC wants voters to hold President Obama responsible for the slow recovery, setting a high bar for his re-election. On Monday, the RNC released a video showing Obama giving reasons why the economy is sluggish — or as the RNC says, making excuses and refusing to take responsibility.
- Polls shows Tea Party gender gap: Overall, Americans are losing interest in the Tea Party, a trend that is particularly pronounced among women, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds. “In 2010, a plurality of independent women said they liked the movement increasingly as they learned more,” but ” today, they say they like it less by 2 to 1.” The poll highlights yet another challenge for Mitt Romney and the GOP as they try to narrow the gender gap.
- Adelson donates to Congressional GOPers: Sheldon Adelson, the casino mogul who poured millions into Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign, donated $5 million in February to Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC backed by House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders, which is also dedicated to re-electing establishment GOP members of Congress, reports Politico.
- EMILY’s List endorses Hochul and Slaughter: EMILY’s List announced Monday that the group is endorsing Reps. Kathy Hochul and Louise Slaughter in New York’s 27th and 25th Congressional districts.
- Connie Mack’s underwhelming campaign: Many Republicans are frustrated that U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, a promising Senate candidate a few months ago, has run a poor, underwhelming campaign thus far. As a weaker candidate, he hasn’t consolodated GOP support in the state. If he wins his Republican primary, he’ll face Sen. Ben Nelson in the fall.
- Gingrich campaigns in Texas and Rhode Island: Newt Gingrich is still plugging away with a town hall event in Dallas Monday and college visit in Rhode Island Monday evening. Gingrich will remain in the region all week, with events in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New York.
- Romney to address Tea Party group: Mitt Romney’s public schedule today is pretty empty, but after a weekend of fundraising in Florida, he is scheduled to speak to the Tri-State Tea Party Caucus in Philadelphia Monday night.
