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Speaker Donald Trump

Lawmakers have their eyes on governors’ mansions

Schiff gets key spot for AI, IP fight

Miller hosting major fundraisers for Hill Republicans

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Speaker Donald Trump

Happy Thursday morning.

Donald Trump has been president for just three days. And in that time, he’s only tightened his grip on House Republicans.

Let us introduce to you Speaker Donald Trump.

We don’t say this to denigrate Speaker Mike Johnson. Yet there’s no question that Johnson wouldn’t have survived the speaker vote in early January without Trump’s direct intervention. Since then, Johnson has only aligned himself more closely with Trump. No speaker in recent memory in either party has so thoroughly committed themselves to executing a president’s agenda or showed such unwavering loyalty. Trump proposes and Johnson approves, to offer a new twist on the old Washington adage.

Here are some examples:

– Trump is getting involved in the minor details of legislative strategy. Just last month, Trump directed Johnson to insert a debt limit provision into a bill to avert a government shutdown, only to see hardline GOP conservatives rebel. Now, Trump is again wading into detailed discussions about how Republican leaders should seek to raise the debt limit, structure an aid package to respond to California’s devastating wildfires and just how GOP lawmakers should fund federal agencies this coming year. Trump has a right to do so, of course, but in his previous term, Trump avoided much of the detailed work of governing. That may not be the case this time around.

– Trump is roughly halfway through his plan to meet face-to-face with every House Republican. He plans to finish this outreach during the next month.

– Next week’s House GOP retreat is at Trump National Doral Miami, the president’s club. Trump is scheduled to meet with House Republicans on Monday.

– Johnson has said as recently as Sunday that Trump shouldn’t pardon violent Jan. 6 offenders. When Trump did just that, Johnson said he wouldn’t “second guess” the president. “We’re looking forward,” Johnson said on Wednesday, clearly uninterested in discussing the reversal.

Later in the day, Johnson announced he was reappointing a select committee to “uncover the full truth” of what happened during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Which, of course, occurred four years ago.

– Trump is setting committee assignments. On the brink of Trump returning to office, Johnson fired Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, citing pressure from “Mar-a-Lago.” Johnson said Trump didn’t direct him to fire Turner.

– Trump freely admitted that he knowingly whittled down Johnson’s slim House Republican majority in order to staff up the incoming administration. Standing next to Johnson on Inauguration Day, Trump declared, “We gave [Johnson] a majority of almost nothing and then I said to make it tougher on him, let me take two or three of the people, right? I said he’ll only have to suffer with that for about three months.”

– Johnson spends much of his free time with Trump, including nights and weekends. Johnson was with Trump on Nov. 6 as he declared victory in his bid to return to the White House. Johnson spent New Year’s Day with Trump. Johnson and Trump held a joint press conference last year at Mar-a-Lago where the speaker announced the House would take up election integrity legislation Trump wanted. Johnson was even on his way to Mar-a-Lago when Secret Service agents thwarted a second assassination attempt against Trump in mid-September.

Of course, Trump has had an iron grip on the GOP for years now. He’s used to that fealty from Republican lawmakers. Yet after serving as president for four years — and observing Congress from a distance for the last four — Trump seems to feel much more comfortable exerting direct influence over members of the House. We’ll see how much he tries to do this with Republican senators as well.

With the rise of the modern speakership — say Tip O’Neill — speakers became national figures in their own right. Not peers with a president; no one is in the American system. But not subservient either.

During Trump’s first term, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi became in many ways the Democratic party leader by challenging Trump, at least until Joe Biden emerged as the party’s presidential nominee.

Along with facing down challenges from conservative hardliners, Johnson must now deal with a president looking to vastly expand executive-branch power at the expense of Congress. For instance, Trump and his top aides want to “impound” funds that Congress has already approved, as well as other dramatic steps. How far can Johnson go in defending his institution against a wildly ambitious president and still keep his own job?

The other major issue for Johnson is that if rank-and-file Republicans see Trump as the ultimate arbiter of what happens in the House, why wouldn’t they go to the president directly instead of the speaker? Go cut a deal with the guy who sees himself as the ultimate dealmaker. And if Trump likes it, Johnson will go along with it.

Attention Johnson and Thune. Trump said on “Hannity” Wednesday night that he’d like FEMA to stop helping states rebuild after disasters.

Here’s Trump:

The top two House Republican leaders are from Louisiana, a frequent beneficiary of FEMA after hurricanes.

— Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan

Join us on Thursday, Feb. 13 for a half-day summit on tax policy in the new administration. The event will include an interview with Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), a member of the House Republican leadership, and a fireside chat with Danielle Rolfes, partner in charge, Washington National Tax at KPMG. Afterward, we will have an expert panel discussion with Kodiak Hill-Davis, senior vice president of government affairs at the Niskanen Center, Paolo Mastrangelo, co-founder of American Policy Ventures and Portia Allen-Kyle, interim executive director of Color Of Change. Finally, we will conclude with a networking session focused on engaging the perspectives of leaders from Capitol Hill and the financial services community. RSVP today!

STATEWIDE STARDOM

Lawmakers have their eyes on governors’ mansions

We’re only a few weeks into the 119th Congress, and a slew of lawmakers are already looking to leave Capitol Hill to run statewide back home.

Nearly 20 lawmakers are taking active steps or exploring a bid for governor in their home states, according to interviews with over a dozen sources. Even though Republicans have unified control of Washington, the prospect of leading an entire state — and being a more direct governing partner to President Donald Trump during his second term — can be more appealing than serving in Congress. That’s especially true if you’re just one of 435 members of the House.

There are 10 states where Republican governors are term-limited in 2026, paving the wave for open races. These include Alabama, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, became the latest member of Congress to make their intentions for higher office known. The Arizona Republican submitted a “letter of intent” this week to seek the governorship, although he’s not launched a formal campaign.

Aside from Biggs, at least two other HFC members are looking to use their House seats as potential launching pads for the governorship: GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, who is almost certain to run, and Rep. Ralph Norman (R) of South Carolina, who told us he’s thinking about it. GOP Rep. Nancy Mace (S.C.) said she’s also strongly considering running in the Palmetto State as well.

In Ohio, both Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) are said to have aspirations for the governor’s mansion. In Tennessee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said she’s seriously running for governor, while Rep. John Rose (R-Tenn.) has also been floated as a potential candidate. And in Alabama, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) hasn’t ruled out a bid for the governorship.

Kentucky won’t have an election for governor until 2027, but Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) confirmed he’s “interested.” Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) is also seen as a potential contender, although some sources think Barr is more likely to run for Senate if there’s an open seat in 2026.

Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is running for reelection this cycle, but she could still face some challenges from House members on both sides of the aisle: Reps. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) are both exploring whether to run.

Democrats. On the Democratic side, there are six states where the current Democratic governors will be term-limited in 2026: California, Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Michigan and New Mexico.

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) has been floated as potentially throwing his hat in the ring for New Mexico governor, while Democratic Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) is supposedly considering taking a look at Maine governor or a future Senate bid. Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) has also received encouragement to launch a statewide run.

Meanwhile, two House Democrats — Reps. Josh Gottheimer (N.J.) and Mikie Sherrill (N.J.) — are already running for governor in New Jersey, which will have an election this fall. And Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) still isn’t ruling out running for the Virginia governorship this year, which means he’d have to face former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) in a primary, as we previously reported.

– Melanie Zanona and Mica Soellner

THE MONEY GAME

Miller hosting major fundraisers for Hill Republicans

Jeff Miller, the Republican lobbyist who founded the Miller Group, is hosting back-to-back major fundraisers for House and Senate Republicans, with both events slated to bring in more than $1 million.

On Feb. 3, Miller is hosting an event for Senate Republicans featuring Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton, NRSC Chair Tim Scott, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.).

The get-in-the-door price is $10,000, and tickets range from $50,000 to $289,100. The event will benefit the NRSC.

On Feb. 4, Miller is hosting a dinner featuring Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, NRCC Chair Richard Hudson, Vice Chair Blake Moore, Conference Secretary Erin Houchin and Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler.

In addition to the leadership, the House GOP event will feature almost every House committee chair.

Tickets for this event will be quite pricey. Tickets range from $10,000 to $500,000 to be listed as a host for the event.

Miller was the finance chair for the presidential inaugural committee and is a top fundraiser for Capitol Hill Republicans. Miller has long been a key House GOP fundraiser, but now he’s raising cash for the Senate GOP as well.

— Jake Sherman

… AND THERE’S MORE

Nominations latest: Senate Republicans are chugging away with confirming President Donald Trump’s nominees despite Democratic roadblocks blocking quick consideration.

The Senate will vote at 11 a.m. today on cloture for John Ratcliffe’s bid to be CIA director. If cloture is invoked, there will be up to two hours of debate on the nomination. Then the Senate will vote on Ratcliffe’s confirmation.

Following that, the Senate will vote at roughly 1:30 p.m. on cloture for Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be secretary of defense. If cloture is invoked, there will be up to 30 hours of debate on the nomination. Assuming Democrats don’t yield back time, the confirmation vote on Hegseth will take place Friday night.

It’s still unclear what impact the late flurry of negative headlines will have on Hegseth’s chances of getting confirmed. Several Republican senators, including Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Mitch McConnell (Ky.), haven’t said how they’ll vote, although the White House and top Senate GOP leaders remain confident Hegseth will be confirmed.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has also filed cloture on Kristi Noem to be secretary of homeland security and Scott Bessent for treasury secretary.

Dem fundraising: The New Dem Coalition raised $1.4 million at their annual New Dems and DCCC dinner. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Minority Whip Katherine Clark, as well as DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene, were in attendance along with New Dems Chair Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) and New Dem Coalition Action Fund Chair Haley Stevens (D-Mich.).

Michigan news: EMILYs List, the Democratic group aimed at electing female candidates, is endorsing Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in the state’s gubernatorial race. Benson launched her campaign earlier this week and has been supported by EMILYs List in previous cycles.

Presser Watch: Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) is going to be a key speaker at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus press conference today, talking about his experience in flipping a Trump district on the border.

Vasquez will urge Democrats to push back on Trump’s hardline executive orders on immigration and border security while also finding ways to compromise with Republicans.

“There are opportunities for us to work with Republicans, such as fighting cartels and coyotes who traffic women and children, provide an endless supply of drugs, and hurt our border communities,” Vasquez will say, according to prepared remarks.

Vasquez will cite several bipartisan bills he has introduced and highlight that Democrats need to link the economy with immigration.

The press conference comes as House Democrats seek ways to better their message on immigration and the border. We wrote about all that in Tuesday’s AM edition.

— Mica Soellner and Max Cohen

Correction: In Wednesday’s AM edition, we got Rep. Jeff Hurd’s (R-Colo.) name wrong.

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