KARL ROVE

Harry Whittington, the man who former Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot while they were hunting quail on a Texas ranch 17 years ago, has died.

A Wisconsin appeals court is refusing to block a lower court’s ruling prohibiting voters who already submitted an absentee ballot from voiding it and voting again, a rarely used practice known as ballot spoiling.

The lawyer for the ex-wife of Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Eric Greitens says the family has been subjected to “serious threats” in the days since Greitens released a violent campaign video in which he declares he’s hunting RINOs, or Republicans in Name Only.

Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, whose ex-wife recently accused him of physical abuse, says he will not drop his political comeback bid for the U.S. Senate.

Just a year ago, many Republicans joined Democrats in reacting with horror to the Capitol insurrection.

(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)LOS ANGELES – California Republicans eager to recall Democratic Gov. The head of the state Republican Party, Jessica Millan Patterson, is being challenged at a GOP convention this weekend by longtime conservative activist Steve Frank, who says the state party is attempting to silence conservative voices. Ad“This is California’s version of the national battle for the soul and the future of the Republican Party,” said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. But “just when the Republican Party in California is showing signs of life, it’s deciding to cannibalize itself,” Kousser added. For long-suffering California Republicans, party infighting could divide their ranks and make it more challenging to oust Newsom.

Violent protesters, loyal to President Donald Trump, storm the Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK – Media outlets that appeal to conservatives offered condemnations, explanations and deflections following the U.S. Capitol riot by President Donald Trump's supporters, but little introspection. Several figures in conservative media suggested liberal politicians and mainstream media outlets are more outraged when Trump supporters are violent than they were about civil rights demonstrations last summer. “Were left-wing provocateurs leading the way into the Capitol?” questioned Thomas Lifson of American Thinker. Many conservative media figures have sold themselves as truth-tellers and admitting error isn't good for business, said Brian Rosenwald, author of “Talk Radio America” and a scholar in residence at the University of Pennsylvania.

Fix It.’ I’ve liked the day-in, day-out challenges of governance.”President Ronald Reagan appointed Thornburgh attorney general in the waning months of his administration. He was asked to stay on as attorney general when George H.W. When Thornburgh left the U.S. attorney general post in 1991, he made a run for U.S. Senate, losing to Harris Wofford in the general election. In 2002, the Justice Department tapped Thornburgh to help investigate WorldCom for mismanagement, irregularities and fraud. Three years later, Thornburgh married Ginny Judson, who raised his three sons and bore another, William.

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)ATLANTA – The Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs don't take place until Jan. 5. And President Donald Trump has complicated the contest by claiming baselessly that the November election in Georgia was beset by fraud. Already, $329 million in advertising has been spent or reserved in the state since Election Day, according to data from the ad tracking firm Kantar/CMAG. While Biden’s campaign ran operations in Georgia until the Nov. 3 election, Senate Democrats’ campaign arm is in charge now. “People are very inspired by the Stacey Abrams magic,” said Michael Smith, a Los Angeles donor who has given to several groups raising money for the Georgia Democrats.

Bess and a colleague were going door-to-door to encourage people to vote for the conservative candidates in Georgias Jan. 5 runoff elections for U.S. Senate. The two Georgia races will decide which party controls the Senate, and that has infused voter turnout efforts by the parties and outside groups with new urgency. “Everyone in Georgia knows the candidates,” said Janae Stracke, a colleague of Bess’ who also canvassed the subdivision. She raised millions of dollars to organize and register hundreds of thousands of voters in the state — efforts credited with helping Democrat Joe Biden win Georgia. The Republican candidate has beaten the Democrat in seven out of eight runoff elections since 1992, including two U.S. Senate races.

“I told her, ‘I’m looking at you and I can tell you want to do the right thing,’” recalled Barram, who declined to reveal any details of what Murphy told him. But Murphy has yet to certify Biden as the winner, stalling the launch of the official transition process. Trump administration officials also say they will not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official. It doesn’t appear to be the case.”Barram, the Bush-Gore-era GSA administrator, said he felt sympathy for Murphy. But they could make it easier if five or 10 of them come out and say: ‘Biden’s won.

The GOP governor acknowledged Thursday that Biden's lead is getting "bigger and bigger by the day” and Trump’s legal options are dissipating. Many Trump allies in Washington see no path to a Trump victory but remain wary of crossing the outgoing Republican president — or his supporters — especially with control of the Senate still uncertain. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested Thursday that Biden doesn’t need intelligence briefings because Trump might remain president in the new year. Spencer Cox wrote on Twitter, citing the significant number of Democrats who doubted the legitimacy of Trump's 2016 election victory. “Joe Biden is the president-elect.”George W. Bush, the only living former Republican president, acknowledged Biden's victory on Sunday.

The GOP governor acknowledged that Biden's lead is getting "bigger and bigger by the day” and Trump’s legal options are dissipating. That's a departure from the overwhelming majority of Republican officials who still refuse to publicly accept Biden's victory. Biden's victory is not actually an open question. Spencer Cox wrote on Twitter, citing the significant number of Democrats who doubted the legitimacy of Trump's 2016 election victory. “Joe Biden is the president-elect.”George W. Bush, the only living former Republican president, acknowledged Biden's victory on Sunday.

This year alone, state supreme courts have been thrust into the spotlight to decide politically charged cases over voting rights, race and governors' coronavirus orders. State supreme court races have become similarly partisan and often attract millions of dollars in campaign spending, much of it from groups outside the state. Among other hot button issues, the coming year could see state high courts decide matters on eviction moratoriums, private school vouchers, abortion and redistricting. In Ohio, a 5-2 Republican majority is at stake on the state high court in two races that are attracting outside money. Millions of dollars are being spent in Texas, where all nine state supreme court justices are Republicans and the high court has not had a Democratic justice since 1998.

LOS ANGELES The Democratic and Republican conventions will lack for crowds but not television coverage. The Democratic meeting will be virtual, with Biden planning to make his acceptance speech from Wilmington, Delaware. Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC plan an hour of nightly coverage of the conventions at 10 p.m. EDT. CNN's commentators for the Democratic meeting include Van Jones, Jennifer Granholm, Andrew Yang, and Scott Jennings. Commentary for the Republican convention will be handled by Rick Santorum, David Urban, Amanda Carpenter and Granholm.

(AP Photo/Dan Sewell)CINCINNATI During a background briefing with reporters in December, President Donald Trump's reelection campaign team gave only passing mention of Ohio. Trump's campaign has budgeted $18.4 million in television advertising in Ohio for this fall, second only to Florida, according to campaign advertising tracking data. Trump won Ohio by 8 percentage points four years ago. In nearby Hilliard, Democrats won their first seat on the City Council in three decades. Even as Trumps standing began to fall after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Ohio was not seen as a concern, campaign officials said.