The Shadow Republican Campaigns

Plus: GOP senators block Democrats' far-reaching voting legislation [View this email online]( [NPR]( [The former president has left the door wide open to running again.]( Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images The Big Picture: Shadow Campaigns On Saturday night in Ohio, former President Donald Trump is set to appear at his first rally since leaving office. The event will be for an opponent of Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, a Republican who [voted for]( Trump’s impeachment following his role in inspiring the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Trump is expected to hold many score-settling rallies ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. But the rally Saturday will be a test of whether Trump, who is leaving the door open to running for president again in 2024, has still got it. So far he still has tremendous popularity with the GOP base, and that’s put several other potential 2024 Republican presidential candidates in an awkward position. But many are running shadow campaigns, hoping to gain popularity of their own without gaining so much as to draw the ire of Trump. This week, some were making the news, testing out messages and currying favor, as they jockey for position -- if Trump doesn’t run. - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed controversial education-related bills into law that hit cultural GOP touchstones. - Former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, who had landed on Trump’s bad side for criticizing his role in the Jan. 6 violence, was in Iowa. She praised Trump and tested some key lines on how she’s trying to thread the needle between Trump and her own ambitions. - Former Vice President Mike Pence called it “un-American” to think one person has the power to elect a president -- in response to Republicans who think he should have overturned the election results in his ceremonial role in confirming the winner of the 2020 contest. - Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been speaking before religious broadcasters, criticizing the Biden administration’s foreign policy, stumping with a GOP congressional candidate and trying to win favor with New York donors. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Gen. Mark Milley]( Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images ICYMI: Top Stories Supreme Court latest: The Supreme Court delivered opinions in a number of key cases this week, including a major student speech case and a case involving the future of the NCAA. - The court issued [a narrow but potentially transformative ruling in favor of student athletes]( in a case centered on NCAA rules that limit educational benefits for college players as part of their scholarships. - The court sided 8-1 with a former high school cheerleader, saying [her online profanity about her school is protected speech]( under the First Amendment. - The court ruled that police [cannot always enter a home without a warrant]( when pursuing someone for a minor crime. Bipartisan infrastructure deal: President Biden and a bipartisan group of senators announced [an infrastructure deal that will focus on traditional infrastructure investment]( items like roads, bridges and rail, along with broadband internet and water systems. But Biden also said he expects congressional Democrats will pass a second measure through Senate reconciliation that will include more priorities of progressive members. Pelosi announces Jan. 6 committee: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced [she would create a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection]( at the U.S. Capitol. The move comes after Senate Republicans blocked the creation of an independent commission to investigate the attack. Top general defends “critical race theory”: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley [pushed back sharply against questions from House Republicans about the examination of critical race theory]( in the U.S. military. "I've read Mao Zedong. I've read Karl Marx. I've read Lenin. That doesn't make me a communist. So what is wrong with understanding — having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend?" he said. Republicans block voting rights bill: [Senate Republicans blocked a massive voting rights]( and election reform measure from passing this week. After Republicans blocked the bill, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the vote "was the starting gun, not the finish line" on voting rights. And on Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice [sued the state of Georgia over its controversial new voting law]( alleging that it's discriminatory. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Nestor and his father Melvin were separated at the border]( Jessica Pons for NPR Going Deeper Impact of border separations: Néstor and his father Melvin are among the migrant families who were split apart at the U.S.-Mexico border by the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy in 2018. [They shared with NPR some of the details of their story]( as they continue to process what happened to them. You can find [a Spanish-language version of the reporting]( too. How we vote: New York City’s mayoral primary election could have consequences for how millions of Americans vote in the future. The city is using ranked-choice voting for the first time in decades, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference rather than selecting just their top choice. [Read about the process and its potential impact here](. — Dana Farrington, NPR Politics digital editor --------------------------------------------------------------- [Flora Dillard of Cleveland]( Ryan Kellman/NPR The Shot: Helping The Climate And People, Too In Cleveland, the government is helping to pay for home improvement projects. It’s part of a “climate equity” effort to both help make houses more energy-efficient and to improve quality of life in predominantly Black neighborhoods, which have suffered from discrimination and redlining. The Biden administration is hoping to replicate these initiatives nationwide through infrastructure legislation. — Dana Farrington, NPR Politics digital editor [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Saturday%20Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]