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| Supporting actors in 2014 election cycle already thinking about 2016 | Supporting actors in 2014 election cycle already thinking about 2016 |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| More than a month is left in the 2014 campaign season, but many candidates already seem to be moving on to the next one. | More than a month is left in the 2014 campaign season, but many candidates already seem to be moving on to the next one. |
| A host of Democrats and Republicans thinking about a presidential run in 2016 spent this week visiting diners, speaking at fundraisers and touring college campuses with the hope that the midterm candidates they are helping will return the favor in two years. | A host of Democrats and Republicans thinking about a presidential run in 2016 spent this week visiting diners, speaking at fundraisers and touring college campuses with the hope that the midterm candidates they are helping will return the favor in two years. |
| States that hold the earliest presidential primaries and caucuses are earning special attention. At least 10 would-be GOP candidates have visited Iowa or are coming soon, according to one tally. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has deputized at least seven out-of-state Republicans for her reelection campaign, aides said. The visits to New Hampshire are so frequent that a list maintained by local Republicans counts nearly 50 events with potential presidential contenders in attendance in the past 15 months. | States that hold the earliest presidential primaries and caucuses are earning special attention. At least 10 would-be GOP candidates have visited Iowa or are coming soon, according to one tally. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has deputized at least seven out-of-state Republicans for her reelection campaign, aides said. The visits to New Hampshire are so frequent that a list maintained by local Republicans counts nearly 50 events with potential presidential contenders in attendance in the past 15 months. |
| Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics & Political Library, noted that even obscure political figures are visiting the state, which will have the first primary in 2016. | Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics & Political Library, noted that even obscure political figures are visiting the state, which will have the first primary in 2016. |
| “George Pataki is coming in late October,” he said. | “George Pataki is coming in late October,” he said. |
| The former New York governor is one of several blasts from the political past in the mix. Former Republican governors Jim Gilmore of Virginia and Bob Ehrlich of Maryland also have New Hampshire on their schedules. So does former senator Jim Webb (D-Va.), who will visit this month to help Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). | |
| “The very best excuse for you to come into New Hampshire without declaring that you’re running for president is to say ‘Aww shucks, I’m just trying to help the Democratic or Republican candidate,’ ” Levesque said. | “The very best excuse for you to come into New Hampshire without declaring that you’re running for president is to say ‘Aww shucks, I’m just trying to help the Democratic or Republican candidate,’ ” Levesque said. |
| This week two big names from previous presidential contests — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Mitt Romney — launched aggressive, multi-state tours in other parts of the country. | |
| Clinton appeared at a closed-door fundraiser in the Miami area Thursday night for Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. She’ll stop next week in Chicago to campaign for Gov. Pat Quinn. (The visits to both cities also include paid speeches to private groups and plans to sign copies of her new memoir.) | |
| On Friday, Clinton’s campaign-in-waiting unveiled more details about her forthcoming schedule that include stops nationwide to boost House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates. | On Friday, Clinton’s campaign-in-waiting unveiled more details about her forthcoming schedule that include stops nationwide to boost House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates. |
| She’ll attend a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in California on Oct. 20, the same day that she’s attending a fundraiser — to benefit women running for Congress — with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Party officials familiar with her plans say Clinton intends to campaign in Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, New Hampshire and North Carolina for Democratic Senate candidates and help the Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. News of her plans was first reported by Politico. | |
| Romney, who told the New York Times this week that “we’ll see what happens” about a possible rerun in 2016, is in the middle of a a five-day tour through six states. Romney spent Thursday campaigning with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a horse farm in Lexington. | Romney, who told the New York Times this week that “we’ll see what happens” about a possible rerun in 2016, is in the middle of a a five-day tour through six states. Romney spent Thursday campaigning with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) at a horse farm in Lexington. |
| And there are many more: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will rally Friday with fellow Republicans in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a day after visiting Arizona for the state’s GOP gubernatorial candidate. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will be in New Hampshire next week. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) visited two colleges in South Carolina on Tuesday before traveling to North Carolina on Wednesday to campaign with Senate candidate Thom Tillis. | |
| Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is also weighing his options. He campaigned this week for Joni Ernst, the GOP candidate hoping to succeed retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). | Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is also weighing his options. He campaigned this week for Joni Ernst, the GOP candidate hoping to succeed retiring Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa). |
| “After the election, I am going to have serious discussions with people I respect and look at the field,” Portman said in an interview with The Washington Post while traveling in Iowa. | “After the election, I am going to have serious discussions with people I respect and look at the field,” Portman said in an interview with The Washington Post while traveling in Iowa. |
| After Clinton, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley maintains the most aggressive schedule among potential Democratic candidates. He appeared at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus gala Thursday night in Washington and recently has made stops in several states. | After Clinton, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley maintains the most aggressive schedule among potential Democratic candidates. He appeared at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus gala Thursday night in Washington and recently has made stops in several states. |
| In South Carolina, the Democratic Party announced Thursday that Vice President Biden will visit Oct. 14 for a voter registration event. Then there’s Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a self-described socialist, who is thinking about running for president as a Democrat. | In South Carolina, the Democratic Party announced Thursday that Vice President Biden will visit Oct. 14 for a voter registration event. Then there’s Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a self-described socialist, who is thinking about running for president as a Democrat. |
| Sanders is having a town hall meeting Friday at the University of New Hampshire before flying to Iowa to headline a Johnson County Democratic Party barbecue two days later. | |
| Levesque, who has tracked New Hampshire politics for years, said it’s difficult to compare the current political travel to previous cycles. | Levesque, who has tracked New Hampshire politics for years, said it’s difficult to compare the current political travel to previous cycles. |
| “This cycle has such an open field on the Republican side that there are so many candidates who say ‘Gee, with a few points, I can be pretty close to the bunch,’ ” he said. “It’s so spread out and there’s no preconceived front-runner.” | “This cycle has such an open field on the Republican side that there are so many candidates who say ‘Gee, with a few points, I can be pretty close to the bunch,’ ” he said. “It’s so spread out and there’s no preconceived front-runner.” |
| Kevin Madden, a top aide on Romney’s 2012 campaign, said party leaders with national profiles are always in high demand among candidates looking to make waves in the closing weeks of a campaign. | Kevin Madden, a top aide on Romney’s 2012 campaign, said party leaders with national profiles are always in high demand among candidates looking to make waves in the closing weeks of a campaign. |
| “What we’ve seen less of this cycle, though, is a more obvious effort to use these [visits] as a way to build a turnkey presidential campaign operation,” he wrote in an e-mail. “During the 2006 and 2010 mid-term cycles, there were more advanced and aggressive build-out efforts by prospective candidates.” | “What we’ve seen less of this cycle, though, is a more obvious effort to use these [visits] as a way to build a turnkey presidential campaign operation,” he wrote in an e-mail. “During the 2006 and 2010 mid-term cycles, there were more advanced and aggressive build-out efforts by prospective candidates.” |
| Ross Baker, a Rutgers University professor of U.S. politics and the presidency, said he fears that the legislative process in Washington is suffering with so many lawmakers relentlessly focused on presidential politics. | Ross Baker, a Rutgers University professor of U.S. politics and the presidency, said he fears that the legislative process in Washington is suffering with so many lawmakers relentlessly focused on presidential politics. |
| “This is the permanent campaign in the purest sense. The complete folding-in of the legislative process to campaigning is virtually complete,” he said. “Everything on the floor of the House and Senate is about messaging. They don’t legislate, they message. The line between governing and campaigning is pretty much dissolved.” | “This is the permanent campaign in the purest sense. The complete folding-in of the legislative process to campaigning is virtually complete,” he said. “Everything on the floor of the House and Senate is about messaging. They don’t legislate, they message. The line between governing and campaigning is pretty much dissolved.” |
| Last month, Congress made its earliest exit from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail in nearly five decades. The early departure was designed to give embattled incumbents more time to meet with voters — and to allow A-list party figures to help new recruits. | Last month, Congress made its earliest exit from Capitol Hill to the campaign trail in nearly five decades. The early departure was designed to give embattled incumbents more time to meet with voters — and to allow A-list party figures to help new recruits. |
| A handful of congressional candidates in early primary states have earned outsize attention from the potential 2016 field. Republican Scott Brown, the former Massachusetts senator hoping to unseat Shaheen, will be joined on the campaign trail next week by Rubio. He has already appeared with Romney and Paul. Marilinda Garcia, a Republican trying to unseat Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), has been visited by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and also will get Rubio’s help next week. | |
| In South Carolina, Haley has been backed up by Christie, Perry, Rubio, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, is visiting in a few weeks, aides say. Paul and Cruz have also made visits to help South Carolina Republicans. | |
| Few if any have received as much help as Ernst. She has been visited by at least nine top GOP figures, including Romney and Rubio, who were early supporters; Jindal, who has made three visits on her behalf; Indiana Gov. Mike Pence; and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who could be a 2016 vice presidential contender. | Few if any have received as much help as Ernst. She has been visited by at least nine top GOP figures, including Romney and Rubio, who were early supporters; Jindal, who has made three visits on her behalf; Indiana Gov. Mike Pence; and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, who could be a 2016 vice presidential contender. |
| Perry has done the most legwork by far in Iowa. He has campaigned for Ernst, and a tally by the Des Moines Register found that he has campaigned for 16 other GOP candidates and helped raise money for at least 17 county Republican organizations. | Perry has done the most legwork by far in Iowa. He has campaigned for Ernst, and a tally by the Des Moines Register found that he has campaigned for 16 other GOP candidates and helped raise money for at least 17 county Republican organizations. |
| Ernst’s opponent, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), is also being helped by out-of-state Democrats. Bill and Hillary Clinton attended an annual fundraising event hosted by Harkin at which Braley appeared. Webb did surrogate events for Braley in late August. O’Malley has helped Braley raise money and deployed some of his political staffers to the state. | Ernst’s opponent, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), is also being helped by out-of-state Democrats. Bill and Hillary Clinton attended an annual fundraising event hosted by Harkin at which Braley appeared. Webb did surrogate events for Braley in late August. O’Malley has helped Braley raise money and deployed some of his political staffers to the state. |
| Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — who many liberal Democrats would like to see run for president — hasn’t shown up for Braley in person but helped out via e-mail. “We’re in a tough battle to keep the Senate majority — and I’m doing everything I can between now and November to fight for it,” she wrote in a message to his supporters. | Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — who many liberal Democrats would like to see run for president — hasn’t shown up for Braley in person but helped out via e-mail. “We’re in a tough battle to keep the Senate majority — and I’m doing everything I can between now and November to fight for it,” she wrote in a message to his supporters. |
| Sean Sullivan and Chris Cillizza contributed to this report. | Sean Sullivan and Chris Cillizza contributed to this report. |
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