Welcome back to 10 Things in Politics. Sign up here to receive this newsletter. Plus, download Insider's app for news on the go – click here for iOS and here for Android. Send tips to [email protected] or tweet me at @BrentGriffiths.
- Programming note: We're off for the holiday on Monday, but will be back first thing Tuesday.
Here's what we're talking about:
- Meet 11 loyalists ready to help put Ted Cruz in the White House
- Joe Manchin said Democrats should "hit the pause button" on Biden's agenda
- Oklahoma ERs are overflowing with people overdosing on ivermectin
What we're watching today: President Biden will visit Louisana to see hurricane damage and meet with local leaders.
With Phil Rosen.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
1. ON THE TRAIL: Ted Cruz's allies are eyeing another presidential run. They view the Texas senator as a "formidable candidate" given the extensive network and name recognition he built in 2016 campaign that fell just short of the nomination.
But like everyone else, Cruz's decision isn't his alone: "Trump is his own orbit. If he runs, nobody else runs," said a former Cruz campaign staffer.
- History has been (mostly) kind to the GOP's silver medalists: George H.W. Bush, Bob Dole, John McCain, and Mitt Romney all later won the Republican presidential nomination after falling just short in previous cycles. But only Bush went on to be elected president.
A look at the key names to watch as Cruz weighs his options:
- Jeff Roe, Cruz's 2016 campaign manager: Cruz's Senate campaign is already a client of Roe's consulting firm. (He's up for reelection in 2024, meaning he'll be running for something no matter what.) Roe, a Missouri native known for his aggressive tactics, is the epicenter of Cruzworld.
- Catherine Frazier, Cruz's former national press secretary: Frazier has worked for Clout Public Affairs, a division of Roe's consulting firm, since 2019. She's well known by the DC press corps and is an alum of former Energy Secretary Rick Perry's 2012 presidential run.
- David Polyansky, Cruz's former Senate chief of staff: Polyansky, who was a senior advisor on Cruz's 2016 campaign and his successful Senate reelection campaign against Beto O'Rourke, was already spotted in Iowa during Cruz's latest swing through the caucus state. Polyansky comes loaded with Iowa ties as a former senior advisor to Sen. Joni Ernst's 2014 campaign.
Check out our list of 11 loyalists ready to help put Cruz in the White House.
2. At least 46 dead after Ida's remnants hammer the Northeast: It devastated New York, New Jersey, and two other states three days after it made landfall in Louisana, The New York Times reports. It is the region's deadliest storm since Hurricane Sandy. Officials say Ida illustrates the lethal ferocity of climate change.
- 5 people were killed in floodwaters at a New Jersey apartment complex: The building likely saw about eight feet of flooding.
WATCH: Streets turned into rivers as flash floods overwhelmed roadways.
3. Supreme Court's Texas abortion ruling upends politics: Activists on both sides of the debate say the court's decision to let the nation's strictest anti-abortion law go into effect could jolt supporters into action, The Washington Post reports. Democratic gubernatorial candidates in Virginia and Pennsylvania quickly made the fear over the future of abortion rights part of their fundraising pitches. More on how the decision is shifting next year's midterm elections.
- Republicans want to follow Texas' example: Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson told reporters that state lawmakers were working on their version of Texas' law. A lawmaker in Arkansas ordered up similar legislation for his state. And Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts pledged to closely watch Texas as he prepares his own anti-abortion proposals. More on how Republicans see Texas as the roadmap.
4. Manchin demands big cuts to Biden's agenda: Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, wants to "hit the pause button" on his party's massive $3.5 trillion spending plan, a move that could imperil the core of Biden's domestic agenda. Manchin, who has previously criticized the size of the legislation, came out firmly against its current price tag in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Manchin's opposition may force fellow Democrats to tear up their plans.
Here's how the $3.5 trillion spending plan would affect you.
5. Oklahoma ERs are overflowing with people ODing on ivermectin: The situation is so dire that people with gunshot wounds have to wait their turn to get treatment, Dr. Jason McElyea, an ER physician affiliated with multiple hospitals in Sallisaw, told a local TV station. The CDC and FDA have warned people against self-medicating with ivermectin for COVID-19 as many turn to a drug intended for livestock. Some patients have taken so much of the drug that their conditions are worse "than if they'd caught COVID," McElyea said.
6. Last US pilots to fly out of Afghanistan describe "apocalyptic" scenes: Pilots saw stray dogs on the tarmac and could even make out Taliban militants waving goodbye, the Associated Press reports. Air Force Lt. Col. Braden Coleman said it looked "like one of those zombie movies." More on the final moments of America's longest war.
Getty/Pool
7. Japanese prime minister to step down after one year in office: Yoshihide Suga will resign on September 30, The Times reports. Suga has tried to salvage his approval, but he's faced intense blowback over his handling of the pandemic and decision to press on with the Olympics. More on what lays ahead for Japan and why the nation could be headed for a period of political uncertainty.
8. GM is shutting down some production lines over chip shortage: General Motors is cutting production in plants across North America due to the semiconductor shortage that's been plaguing the automotive industry for months. The plants in Mexico, the US, and Canada are scheduled to resume production by the end of September. The chip shortage isn't expected to get better for another two years.
9. Housing crisis solutions differ on where you live: The US, Canada, and New Zealand all have wildly different strategies when it comes to eradicating home shortages and record-breaking surging prices. As remote work sparked an unprecedented demand for homes, prices spiked and supply evaporated. Here's how each of these countries plan to fix their housing dilemmas.
Chee Kee Teo/Comedywildlifephoto.com
10. The finalists for this year's Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards do not disappoint. The annual awards highlight animals at their funniest. This year's selections were particularly competitive, featuring otters, monkeys, bears, and more. Comical poses alternate with sass and gusto. See the hilarious moments of the 42 finalists yourself.
Today's trivia question: Should Ted Cruz run in 2024, he will try to defend his first-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. Historically, Iowans have not been kind to former caucus champs in a competitive year. Who is the only person who can claim to have won two competitive Iowa presidential caucuses outright? Email your guess and a suggested question to me at [email protected].
- Yesterday's answer: New York was home to the nation's first ATM.
That's all for this week. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!