The Trump bump still a factor

NEWS AND OPINION:

Former President Donald Trump’s old election magic lives on. According to multiple news reports, all 22 candidates endorsed by Mr. Trump won their primary elections in Ohio and Indiana on Tuesday.

Author J.D. Vance triumphed in his quest to win the Republican Senate primary in Ohio and was perhaps the most high-profile victory — and evidence that Mr. Trump has maintained his prowess as an influencer and kingmaker.

The press offered surprisingly positive coverage of the phenomenon.

“The primary was the first Senate contest of the year to test the power of his endorsement,” CNN noted in the aftermath.

“Vance’s victory deals a body blow to a small but noticeable resurgence of anti-Trump — or post-Trump — sentiment in the GOP,” declared Axios.

“The races featured an early test of Trump’s influence,” said Vox.

“J.D. Vance’s victory in Ohio is more proof: Trump has already won,” noted Sarah Longwell — executive director of the Republican Accountability Project and the publisher of The Bulwark — in an opinion piece for The New York Times.

The election tussle is just beginning though, according to some.

“Vance’s Ohio win showcases Trump’s endorsement power. Trump-backed candidates have all prevailed thus far, advisers said, but big tests loom in Pennsylvania and Georgia,” cautioned NBC News.

“Donald Trump won Ohio for J.D. Vance. Can he score victories in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia?” echoed USA Today.

“Donald Trump proved again Tuesday he remains the strongest political force within the Republican Party,” the news organization said.

ANOTHER OHIO HOPEFUL

Another fan of the aforementioned Mr. Trump also won in the Buckeye State primary. That would be Madison Gesiotto Gilbert, who describes herself as “a Christian small business owner, attorney, and wife who is disgusted with the same failed leadership in Washington” — and a “Day One supporter of President Trump.”

She is also a former Miss Ohio, is married to former NFL offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, was a former columnist for The Washington Times and has won support in her bid for office from, among others, Rep. Elise Stefanik and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

SO, ARE YOU TIRED YET?

Voters have very mixed feelings about the presence of politics in their lives. For some, it is a chore to follow the highs, lows and oddities of the political forces in the U.S. Other voters appear to get a beneficial charge out of the political process.

Where are you in the mix? Fox News has conducted a poll on this complex sentiment, and here’s where everyone stands:

• 48% of registered U.S. voters say they are tired of politics and want political issues to “go away”;

• 39% of voters say they are “energized” by politics and want to be more involved;

• 9% say politics makes them both energized and tired, depending on the circumstances.

• 4% overall don’t know how they feel about the matter.

Yes, there were differences among the respondents: 43% of Republicans, 42% of Democrats and only 24% of independents felt energized, for example. 

And while 46% of both GOPers and Dems admit they are tired of politics, that sentiment was felt by a considerably bigger slice of independents — 55%.

Who was the most fatigued of all? That title belongs to moderates. The poll found that 57% of them were tired of the whole thing.

The source is a Fox News poll of 1,003 registered U.S. voters conducted April 28-May 1.

GEARING UP

The sensational news leak from the Supreme Court — which suggested the highest court would consider overturning Roe v. Wade — continues to rattle the press and pundits.

For others, it has been a motivational moment.

“If the implications of the leak hold up, this will be a momentous moment in American history. The courts will rightfully strike down the precedence of Roe v Wade and allow states to determine pre-viability abortion restrictions. Many states will ban abortion, protecting the right to life of preborn children. Other states like Colorado will seek to restrict the human rights of preborn children so they can be killed at any point in gestation without consequence,” said Jeff Hunt, director of the Centennial Institute, in a written statement to the Beltway.

“The pro-life community in Colorado is gearing up for major battles ahead. Tens of millions of dollars from outside Colorado are pouring into the state to expand Planned Parenthood abortion facilities. It will be our job to meet women who are traveling to Colorado for the purpose of abortion and to show them alternatives to the death of their child,” Mr. Hunt said.

“The battle for the right to life is entering a new chapter, and conservatives across America need to show their support to states that will be on the frontlines,” he advised.

The Centennial Institute, by the way, is a public-policy think tank at Colorado Christian University. Find the organization at Centennial.ccu.edu.

THE ANTICIPATION BUILDS

An eyewitness has news of what appears to be a buildup of would-be immigrants on the southern border, arriving in anticipation of a landmark date.

“Video from one of our photographers shows large groups of Haitians arriving in Nuevo Laredo, MX, right across from Laredo, TX. They are gathering by the hundreds as we approach the May 23rd repeal date of Title 42,” tweeted Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin, sharing a new video that captured current images of the situation in the area.

His video indeed reveals lengthy lines and anxious crowds of new arrivals who are ready to cross the border once Title 42 is lifted. For those who need a refresher, Title 42 was the Trump administration order that barred illegal immigrants from entering the U.S. during the pandemic; it was deployed over 1 million times during that era.

The Biden administration announced in early April that the order would go dormant on May 23. Analyses from several sources predict that border apprehensions will rise to 18,000 per day, — or 14.8 times as many as during the entire eight years of the Obama-Biden administration, according to the Center for Immigration Studies, a nonprofit research group.

“The Biden administration says they want to secure the border, but their actions show otherwise,” observed Torunn Sinclair, spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, in a statement shared with the Beltway.

POLL DU JOUR

• 52% of U.S. adults say the cost of gas is now a “hardship” for them; 38% describe their personal situation as “only fair”; 61% of Republicans, 58% of independents and 33% of Democrats agree.

• 38% of U.S. adults describe their personal situation as “only fair”; 37% of Republicans, 42% of independents and 29% of Democrats agree.

• 36% overall describe their financial situation as “good”; 38% of Republicans, 31% of independents and 44% of Democrats agree.

• 16% overall say their financial situation as “poor”; 18% of Republicans, 17% of independents and 10% of Democrats agree.

• 10% overall say their situation is “excellent”; 7% of Republicans, 9% of independents and 16% of Democrats agree.

Source: A Gallup poll of 1,018 U.S. adults conducted April 10-19 and released April 28.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on Twitter @HarperBulletin.

Correction: An earlier version of this report incorrectly identified The New York Times.