TPM’s special look back at the 90 days when Donald Trump marauded through presidential politics.

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) will not run for the open seat held by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), according to Major Garrett.

Meanwhile, former Gov. Tommy Thompson is going to throw his hat in the ring for the Senate seat, Politico reports.

As many of you know, the Obama health care reform law, far from being some radical piece of legislation, was actually something of a historic compromise: the decades-long progressive goal of universal health care coverage but achieved by what was essentially a Republican or at least a centrist policy approach.

So it’s little surprise that a number of key Republicans had endorsed the basic approach in the past. And a few were candid and courageous enough to endorse it in the heat of the health care debate in 2009 — though most ones who probably didn’t plan on running for office again. One of those was former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) who is reportedly about to announce he’s running for senate.

After the jump, I’ve included the joint statement Thompson released with Dick Gephardt in November 2009 — one of several. This was before the law took its absolute final form. But the gist was already clear. And Thompson’s endorsement doesn’t provide any wiggle room for him now to oppose it, without completing recanting his earlier stance.

I’ll be very curious to see how Thompson’s support plays out in the context of the highly polarized environment in Wisconsin today.

Statement after the jump … Read More

Freshman Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) tried to sell constituents on the Republican plan to save Medicare by killing it at a town hall meeting in her district last night. It didn’t go over so well.

(Thanks to TPM Reader SD for flagging.)

The right-wing backlash against Newt Gingrich for criticizing the entire House GOP conference for its budget plan is exposing some old fault lines, like the legendary one between Gingrich and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey.

The NRCC is having to spend money to hold what should be a relatively safe Republican seat in the NY-26, according to new FEC filings, thanks in part to the wildcard Tea Party-wannabe candidacy of Jack Davis, which is splitting the conservative vote and leaving Democrat Kathy Hochul in a position to pull an upset.

At this rate, Newt Gingrich’s presidential candidacy will be a distant memory by June.

Newt Gingrich is now explaining to conservative bloggers that he didn’t go into his Meet the Press interview Sunday prepared for the grilling he would get from that notorious attack dog David Gregory. Because, you know, Newt just isn’t that experienced with TV interviews.

We just confirmed with NBC that Sunday’s was Newt’s 35th appearance on MTP.

The thing about Newt that I admit I had forgotten from the ’90s is that he was more often a political blessing to Democrats than a bane. He was the perfect foil for Clinton then, and today Democrats on the Hill admitted to TPM they couldn’t be happier with the TV ad fodder Newt is now providing them to use against his fellow Republicans.

Senate Republicans successfully filibuster oil company subsidy repeal bill.