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WASHINGTON House Speaker Kevin McCarthy released a debt limit bill Wednesday that he hopes to pass with Republican support, triggering a frantic push to gather the votes in his narrow majority.

We are introducing the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, McCarthy, R-Calif., said on the House floor, adding that it would responsibly raise the debt limit into next year and save trillions of dollars.

The proposal to avert default would be tied to conservative policies, including cutting federal spending to 2022 levels, limiting growth to 1% per year, repealing enhanced IRS enforcement funding, undoing President Joe Biden's student debt forgiveness and rescinding unspent pandemic relief funds, McCarthy said.

McCarthy told reporters it will lift the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or extend it through March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. The 320-page bill, published moments after his speech, will be led by House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the speaker said.

It's not clear the plan will get the votes to pass the House. It is the biggest test for McCarthy since his long battle to become speaker.

Republicans have a narrow majority and can afford only four defections before the legislation collapses, with Democrats expected to vote against it en masse. McCarthy said he hopes to put the bill to a House vote next week and expressed confidence it will pass.

Were going to work through it, but yeah, were going to get there, he said. I never give up. Well get them.

McCarthys move represents an attempt to pressure Biden to make policy concessions in order to avert a calamitous debt default as early as June. Biden has refused to negotiate and said Congress should allow the U.S. to pay its bills without conditions, a position McCarthy has blasted as irresponsible.

Even if McCarthys bill were to pass the House, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said its dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled chamber, telling reporters on Tuesday that a clean debt ceiling is the way to go.

But if the House passes a measure, that could raise the pressure on Senate Democrats to craft their own competing bill.

Biden, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke by phone Tuesday and the three agreethat we wont negotiate over defaultand Republicans should pass a clean billlike they did three times in the previous administration, the White House said.

A memo Tuesday by Goldman Sachs economic research team said the debt limit deadline could come earlier than it had expected.

While the data are still very preliminary, weak tax collections so far in April suggest an increased probability that the debt limit deadline will be reached in the first half of June, the memo read. We have been projecting that Treasury could operate without a debt limit increase until early August.

The Treasury Department has set a June 5 deadline for Congress to extend the debt limit or risk default for the first time in U.S. history.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Kyle Stewart is an associate producer covering Congress for NBC News.

Garrett Haake and Alexandra Bacallao contributed.

View original post here:
McCarthy releases Republican bill to lift debt ceiling. Its not clear it has the votes. - NBC News

With an assist from Anthony Adragna and Jordain Carney

The House Judiciary Committee will meet Wednesday to mark up a border package, but Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), who sits on the House Homeland Security committee, has made clear he wont support the bill on the floor as-is. | Alex Wong/Getty Images

BORDER BATTLE Rep. Tony Gonzales is standing his ground on efforts to change a border security bill that he says doesnt take the right approach and hes willing to jeopardize other key pieces of legislation, including the debt limit, to do it.

Im so dug in against any bill that comes to the floor thats a bad vote for our members that won us the majority that Im willing to use everything I have to prevent it, Gonzales (R-Texas) said in an interview Tuesday afternoon. Including voting no against a debt ceiling package.

The House Judiciary Committee will meet Wednesday morning to mark up a border package, but Gonzales, who sits on the House Homeland Security committee, has made clear he wont support the bill on the floor as-is. The legislation being taken up in the Judiciary Committee pieces together proposals from several Republicans, but its also getting pushback from moderate GOP lawmakers (and Democrats).

At issue is a section of the bill that some see as too similar to a proposal from Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) that would, among other provisions, authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security to prohibit migrants from entering the country if they think it is necessary in order to achieve operational control over such border. Moderates are further concerned that the asylum policies are too narrow making the path to legal immigration more difficult.

I think it is a terrible idea to give Secretary Mayorkas more power when he has proven that he has failed at the border. We should be doing the exact opposite, Gonzales said. I think its a terrible idea to think that Mayorkas is going to be the one that solves this problem.

Though Gonzales said he would be willing to vote against Speaker Kevin McCarthys (R-Calif.) proposal to raise the debt ceiling (remember, McCarthy only has a four vote margin), the timing may not work in the Texas Republicans favor. McCarthys debt ceiling bill could come up for a vote as soon as next week, while a border security package isnt expected to reach the floor until mid-May at the earliest.

Gonzales position signals the divide between the staunch conservatives in the conference, many of whom who sit on the Judiciary committee, and the more moderate members of his conference (including Gonzales), who argue theyre the reason Republicans won the majority in the first place.

Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in an interview that hes worked to ease concerns with moderate members of his conference but the committee markup is moving forward Wednesday.

Our members have worked really hard in putting this together in a way that is good policy, good immigration enforcement policy that would truly secure the border and doing it in a way that also will get 218 votes, Jordan said. So I think were close.

And House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) teased on Tuesday evening that he thought the Judiciary proposal was in good shape, even despite Gonzaless concerns. But Green declined to share specifics, predicting negotiations over the legislation would play out in due time.

Roys bill was part of House Majority Leader Steve Scalises (R-La.) original list of legislation that Republicans wanted to pass the first two weeks of their majority.

The Judiciary Committee wont have the final say on what the House GOPs final border bill will look like. Greens committee is expected to hold a vote on its piece of the legislation next week, after which the two bills will be forged together by the Rules Committee.

Also worth noting: Even if the bill passes the House, it will never be taken up by the Democratic-led Senate.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, April 19, where your Huddle hosts are very excited because its hump day.

EXPECTATIONS YET TO COME Lawmakers come into todays classified briefings on leaked sensitive Pentagon documents with some specific desires understanding the full extent of the leak, answering how the 21-year-old accused leaker got access to the records in the first place and what steps are being taken to prevent it from happening again, according to interviews with more than half a dozen senators. They know they wont get all the answers at once I still think theyre learning about it, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, told POLITICO but expect as much information as possible from administration officials.

Its just the first step. Theres a lot we have to work on, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chair of the Intelligence Committee, said.

Remember, these briefings havent always gone super smoothly. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) threatened to slow down confirming all of President Joe Bidens nominees after a particularly unsatisfying one in January over records recovered at presidential residences. I look to hear about half as much as I can read about in whatever you write, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) quipped. Theres been a lot of frustration presented at previous hearings on things like the spy balloon. I dont think any of it compares to what will happen tomorrow if high-ranking officials dont come with some significant information and some solutions.

Department of real world consequences: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said the classified document leak came up directly at her recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His response was, you know, I had a plan. And now people know what the plan is. So I gotta do what I gotta do, she said in an interview.

JUDICIARY STALEMATE As promised, Senate Republicans nixed a speedy roster swap for Democrats to temporarily replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) blocked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-N.Y.) Tuesday afternoon request for unanimous consent to add Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) temporarily to the Judiciary Committee.

In theory, that could tee up a floor vote on the matter, but Democrats dont have the 10 GOP votes theyd need to move forward. More from Burgess, Jennifer Haberkorn and KTM.

NOT SOLD ON SU Julie Su, President Joe Bidens choice for Secretary of Labor and current Acting Labor Secretary, faces the Senate HELP Committee Thursday for a hearing on her nomination.

Su was making the rounds on the Hill Tuesday, even stopping in the Senate basement to chat with Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) plans to meet with Su on Thursday following the HELP Committee hearing and said hed be tuned in to see what questions her testimony raises.

Im very ambivalent. I voted for her before. I dont have a problem with her right now, but he suggested the hearing could bring up concerns. Tester, Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) all voted in favor of Sus confirmation to be deputy labor secretary in 2021.

FIRST IN HUDDLE Ian Sams, a spokesperson for the White House Counsels office, released a memo Wednesday ahead of the House Oversight hearing on the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan, slamming Republicans ahead of what is expected to be a contentious debate on the withdrawal.

These MAGA House Republicans are hoping to distract from their own failure to even agree upon, much less act on, solutions that are desperately needed today to protect the progress the Biden Administration has made to safely evacuate tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan at the end of the war, the memo states. You can read the full memo here.

DOUBLE, TRIPLE BOOKED Is there a way to keep House members from being double, triple, quadruple booked with different committee commitments in the same time slot? The House Modernization Committee, sure thought so and now the House Digital Service is making it happen. The new tool is called Deconflict and its all in the name. The initial version is only available to House GOP committee staff, for now. But there is a plan to expand usage.

WORTH A WATCH If youre one of the 17 House members, more than 500 members of Hill staff (along with hundreds more dependents) whose personal data was compromised in the breach of DC Health Link, heres a hearing for you. Mila Kofman, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Health Benefit Exchange Authority will testify, as will House Chief Administrative Officer Catherine L. Szpindor. Their written testimony is already out, read Kofmans and Szpindors.

DURBIN UPDATE Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) signaled on Tuesday that hes trying to honor the blue slip courtesy for Scott Colom President Joe Bidens judicial nominee for the Northern District of Mississippi whose nomination came under turmoil after Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) indicated she would formally block it. Were still talking, he told Nancy when pressed for further clarification. The nomination was effectively halted after the Mississippi Republican said she would not return a blue slip for Colom a legislative maneuver that gives senators a de facto veto over appointments to district court seats within their home states.

CAUGHT IN THE HATCH The Office of Special Counsel found that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra violated the Hatch Act when he expressed support for Sen. Alex Padillas (D-Calif.) election at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event in the fall.

ANOTHAH ONE, THANK YOU A former White House official has launched his bid for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.). That makes 14 (!) candidates for the Ocean State seat, so far.

BOARDING UP Donna Shalala, the former Health and Human Services Secretary and Florida House Democrat, is joining the Board of Directors for a growing Medicare navigation platform: Chapter. Shalala touted Chapter as the only Medicare advisor to put the interests of beneficiaries above all else, adding in her statement that she is delighted to support Chapter and help them expand their services to more organizations and consumers.

SANTOS SPEAKS Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) has a very *ahem* honest conversation about how he sees Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) after that infamous moment during the State of the Union.

TWIN TUESDAY: Playbooks Rachael Bade accidentally matched with Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).

The subway train stopped on its tracks during votes Tuesday and Sen. Mitt Romney ribbed some senators stuck inside.

How sweet it is to be the new steward of the Senate Candy Desk tradition.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver managed to compare the debt ceiling standoff to Blazing Saddles.

QUICK LINKS

GOP drops $1M on Manchin as Justice preps run, from Burgess Everett and Holly Otterbein

DeSantis gets warm words at GOP Hill event, but few endorsements, from Sarah Ferris, Ally Mutnick and Burgess Everett

Key Republican Tells Donors He Will Pursue Impeachment of Mayorkas, from Karoun Demirjian at the New York Times

Anti-corruption Rep. Dan Goldman made hundreds of stock trades after saying hed create a blind trust, from Dave Levinathl at Raw Story

George Santos left out of McCarthy fundraising group to help NY GOP candidates, from Caitlin Oprysko

TRANSITIONS

Catalina Tam is now the nominations director for Schumer. She previously was a legislative aide for Schumer.

Samuel Wojcicki is now senior director of climate policy at the National Audubon Society. He most recently was legislative director for Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.).

Will Bowen is now press secretary for Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.). He most recently was McHenrys regional director.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. First and last votes are expected at 4:30 p.m.

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. with two amendment votes at 11:30 a.m.

AROUND THE HILL

9:30 a.m. House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the National Science Foundation. Director Sethuraman Panchanathan testifies. (H-309 Capitol)

10 a.m. Democratic Whip Clark, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the Pro-Choice Caucus and Democratic Womens Caucus lead a presser on Democrats fight to protect access to abortion medication. (House Triangle)

10 a.m. House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the CDC, NIH and Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky testifies. (2358C Rayburn)

10 a.m. House Armed Services Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Army. Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth testifies. (2118 Rayburn)

10 a.m. House Homeland Security Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for DHS. Mayorkas testifies. (310 Cannon)

10 a.m. House Natural Resources Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the Interior Department. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland testifies. (1324 Longworth)

10 a.m. Senate Appropriations State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for USAID. USAID Administrator Samantha Power testifies. (138 Dirksen)

10 a.m. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for the IRS and the 2023 filing season. IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel testifies. (215 Dirksen)

10 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) at 20: Achieving and Sustaining Epidemic Control. Sir Elton John testifies. (419 Dirksen)

11 a.m. Reps. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Gerry Connelly (D-Va.) urge Congress to strengthen pay for federal wildland firefighters. (House Triangle)

1:30 p.m. House Appropriations CJS Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for NASA. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testifies. (2359 Rayburn)

12 p.m. Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), et al to unveil legislation to end qualified immunity. (House Triangle)

2 p.m. House Administration Oversight and House Oversight Cybersecurity, Information Technology and Government Innovation subcommittee joint hearing on the D.C. Health Exchange data breach. (2154 Rayburn)

2 p.m. House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2024 budget request for Customs and Border Protection. Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller testifies. (2008 Rayburn)

2:15 p.m. Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will hold a press conference on a Resolution Condemning the Russian Kidnapping of Ukrainian Children. (House Triangle)

TUESDAYS WINNER: Ben Wainer correctly answered that then Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kennedy was the third Democrat who did not vote to censure Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wis.) in 1954. Kennedy was in the hospital for back surgery.

TODAYS QUESTION from Ben: Which former senator became the first cabinet nominee of a newly elected president to be rejected from serving?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [emailprotected]

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.

Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus

See the article here:
The Republican 'dug in' against his party's border bill - POLITICO

FIRST ON FOX: A Pennsylvania Republican is looking to clean up the streets of Pittsburgh and restore law and order by launching a campaign to represent one of the state's more progressive districts in the U.S. House.

James Hayes, an economist and the son of a steelworker, will launch a campaign Wednesday to represent the Keystone State's 12th Congressional District, a southwestern portion of the state that encompasses Pittsburgh, a large portion of Allegheny County, and parts of Westmoreland County.

"What is happening in Pittsburgh? Why aren't we growing? Why are people getting shot right here on the street where I'm standing, downtown in broad daylight," Hayes asked rhetorically in a video announcing his candidacy for the 2024 congressional election. "We're falling apart, standing still."

Attributing his educational career to hard work and unions, Hayes earned degrees in economics from Georgetown University and Princeton. Hayes also attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a degree in finance, and Case Western Reserve University, where he obtained a doctorate degree in management.

TYPO FORCES PENNSYLVANIA COUNTY TO REPLACE OVER 18K BALLOTS

James Hayes, a Republican and Keystone State native, will seek the GOP nomination to represent Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District. (James Hayes)

"You don't need an economist to tell you that the economy is upside down," Hayes continued in the video. "Allegheny County is the only county in Pennsylvania that had a net loss of jobs. I'm a businessman and I've studied economics. I know what it takes to create jobs, to rebuild the region, and to fund the services we need."

Hayes, a Black man, also pointed out in the video that he is a Republican. "That's right. A Republican," Hayes said as he described himself in four words.

Hayes is seeking to replace incumbent Rep. Summer Lee, a Democrat who has represented the 12th District since January and received support from several high-profile members of her own party.

Among the Democrats who endorsed Lee are Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, as well as "Squad" Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Cori Bush of Missouri, and Jamaal Bowman of New York.

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., has represented Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District since January 2023. Lee previously represented the state's 34th District in the house from 2019 to 2022. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

THE NEXT AOC? SUMMER LEE IS DEM SOCIALIST BACKED BY BERNIE, WARREN

"Let's face it, our current congresswoman, Summer Lee, is an extremist. She actually ran as a declared socialist and the first thing she did when she got to D.C. was join the Squad," he said in the campaign ad. "Extremism is not the answer to our problems. The Squad and Summer Lee want to defund the police, abandon Israel, raise our taxes, and attack our good paying jobs."

Lee, who defeated GOP nominee Mike Doyle to represent the 12th District by more than 40,000 votes in 2022, also received an endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

First elected to the House to represent Pennsylvania's 34th Congressional District, Lee has openly endorsed several socialist policies including the redistribution of wealth as well as controversial progressive policies like abolishing prisons.

"So far, since reaching Washington, Summer Lee has joined AOC and the squad, called for us toabandon Israel, and has opposed the energy economy that is our one growth sector," Hayes told Fox News Digital. "Im notsure who Summer Lee is representing in Congress, but it isnt the people of Pittsburgh."

Hayes said the "Squad" and Lee want to "defund the police, abandon Israel, raise our taxes, and attack our good paying jobs." (James Hayes)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Hayes' decision to run for Congress, according to his team, was driven in large part due to the unsolved killing of his son, James Michael Hayes.

Hayes who has held top positions with Fortune 500 companies, as well as a six-year stint with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va. is the father of four children with his wife, Brenda, and resides in the city's Shadyside neighborhood.

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Black Republican launches campaign against 'Squad'-backed Summer Lee in Pennsylvania: 'We're falling apart' - Fox News

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pushed back at Democrats' effort to temporarily swap in another Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., recovers from shingles. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pushed back at Democrats' effort to temporarily swap in another Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee as Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., recovers from shingles.

Senate Republicans blocked an effort by Democrats to replace ailing California Sen. Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Judiciary Committee temporarily as she recovers from shingles at home.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., asked to move a resolution replacing her, at her request, until she can return, with Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. The top Republican on the Judiciary panel, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R- S.C., objected and blocked the measure.

Graham said he hoped Feinstein would be back soon, but that adding a Democrat to her place while she is away would allow support for "a handful of judges that I think should never be on the bench."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier on Tuesday signaled that Republicans opposed the effort by Democrats to replace Feinstein on the committee. He said the bulk of President Biden's judicial nominees have bipartisan support and replacing Feinstein would allow Democrats to approve nominees he labeled "unqualified."

"So let's be clear: Senate Republicans will not take part in sidelining a temporary absent colleague off a committee just so Democrats can force through their very worst nominees," McConnell said Tuesday.

Feinstein, 89, has not voted since February, and says she needs more time to recuperate after a diagnosis of shingles. Democrats have raised concerns that without her vote, Biden's nominees are stalled in committee. California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna called on Feinstein to resign last week, telling NPR she was an "absentee" senator. Another House Democrat, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, agreed.

In response, Feinstein released a statement saying her recovery was taking longer than she anticipated, and she requested that Schumer replace her on the Judiciary panel until she can return for votes in Washington.

McConnell called the request by Schumer to replace Feinstein on one committee "extremely unusual" and called Feinstein "a dear friend," a "Titanic figure" and a "stateswoman."

McConnell specified that there were "a small fraction" of nominees that cannot get any Republican votes in the committee. "The far left wants the full Senate to move a senator off a full committee so they can ram through a small sliver of nominees who are especially extreme or especially unqualified."

Any move to change committee assignments would need 60 votes to pass and Democrats are operating with a slim 51-49 majority.

Senate Democrats have broadly supported Feinstein's request to give her more time to recover. But without GOP support to replace her, there will likely be new pressure on Feinstein.

Schumer sidestepped a question Tuesday on whether Feinstein should step down, telling reporters, "I spoke to Senator Feinstein just a few days ago and she and I are very hopeful that she will return very soon."

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a member of the GOP leadership team, told reporters Monday, "I would not support [a replacement] at all. We're not going to help the Democrats with that."

Another Republican, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, criticized Democrats, saying Feinstein has "been an extraordinary senator and she's a good friend of mine. During the past two years, there's been a concerted campaign to force her off of the Judiciary committee and I will have no part of that."

Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, a member of the Judiciary panel, said Monday, "I hope she comes back soon. I respect her a lot. Her voters voted her in for six years and I do think this is a decision that Dianne and her constituents should make."

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a member of the Judiciary committee, told NPR that the committee should press ahead with nominations and "we will use all of the rules and tools available." He declined to give details but said Democrats have options. He also said Feinstein could be back "in a couple of weeks."

Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow told reporters, "I think that she's anxious to come back and so we'll have to see. I think that she has been such over the years such a force, such a role model for me and that I just want her to be treated with respect, like everybody else. She'll make the right decision."

It's unclear what next steps Democrats will take. GOP lawmakers have also recently had absences due to medical issues. Maine independent Sen. Angus King told NPR he could see how "the situation may be reversed at some point in the reasonably foreseeable future."

McConnell recently missed several weeks in the Senate after falling and suffering a concussion and minor rib fracture in early March.

See the article here:
Republicans block effort to replace Feinstein on Judiciary panel - NPR

Ron DeSantis

Thomas Peterffy says Florida governor seems to have lost some momentum in undeclared bid for 2024 presidential nomination

A top Republican donor said he had paused plans to fund Ron DeSantiss expected presidential run because of the Florida governors stance on abortion and book banning.

Thomas Peterffy, founder of Interactive Brokers, a digital trading platform, told the Financial Times: I have put myself on hold. Because of his stance on abortion and book banning myself, and a bunch of friends, are holding our powder dry.

Peterffy also noted that DeSantis seems to have lost some momentum.

DeSantis has not declared a run but is widely expected to do so. He is the closest challenger to Donald Trump in polling of the Republican primary field but despite winning re-election in a landslide and signing into law a succession of hard-right policies, he has not closed on the former president.

Last week, DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban. Nationally, Democrats seized on the move, threats to abortion rights having worked to Republicans disadvantage in numerous recent elections.

DeSantis has also tried to remove books dealing with LGBTQ+ issues from Florida public schools, while other laws have loosened gun rights and targeted Black voters.

After Peterffys intervention, the New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, a leading voice on Trump and Republican electoral politics, noted: A major donor finally goes on record with what has been a whisper: donors are getting worried.

But as Haberman also noted, Peterffy still gave himself a lot of wiggle room to resume with DeSantis without fully breaking from him.

Peterffy said he still supported DeSantis in his fight with Disney, one of the largest employers in Florida, over LGBTQ+ rights.

The company has pushed back against DeSantis over a dont say gay law pertaining to the teaching of sexuality and gender in public schools.

DeSantis retaliated by attacking Disneys self-governing powers in the state. The entertainment giant responded, seeking to block the move.

Petterfy said: I think its insane that a company would take a stand on gender issues.

Nor did he say he would not support DeSantis at all.

I am more reluctant to back him, he said. We are waiting to see who among the primary candidates is most likely to be able to win the general, and then put all of our firepower behind them.

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Republican donor pauses Ron DeSantis funding over abortion and book banning - The Guardian US