Daniel Inouye Won’t Campaign Against Dick Lugar

Sen. Daniel Inouye has given close to $900,000 to Democratic candidates so far this cycle. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) has contributed almost $900,000 so far this cycle in support of the party’s efforts to retain control of the Senate. But there’s one race the most senior Democrat in the chamber has decided to avoid: He won’t campaign against Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.).

Lugar faces a very competitive May 8 primary against state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Democrats are hoping to put the race in play if Lugar loses renomination, which polls indicate is an increasingly likely possibility.

“If Sen. Lugar somehow does not make it past the Republican primary, Sen. Inouye will re-evaluate,” an Inouye aide said.

Rep. Joe Donnelly, the Democrat running for Senate who raised a paltry $313,000 in the first quarter of the year, could no doubt use the financial assistance of Inouye and his DANPAC, which have contributed a combined $881,000 to Democratic candidates and causes this cycle.

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John Boehner Fully Backs Mitt Romney

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Speaker John Boehner broke his silence on the GOP presidential nomination today and endorsed presumptive nominee Mitt Romney.

At a press conference, the Ohio Republican said, “I’ve not taken a position on his presidential campaign because, as chairman of the convention, I wanted to make sure that all candidates had a fair process and fair opportunity.”

But now with Romney’s ascent to the GOP nod all but certain, Boehner offered his full backing of the former Massachusetts governor.

“I think Mitt Romney has a set of economic policies that can put Americans back to work and frankly contrast sharply with the failed economic policies of President [Barack] Obama,” Boehner said. “And I will be proud to support Mitt Romney and do everything I can to help him.”

Boehner had declined to back anyone in the GOP field, reiterating to reporters that he remains focused on his work in the House and promising that he would back whomever primary voters selected to run against Obama. Other GOP House leaders, notably Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), as well as Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (Wis.), endorsed Romney earlier in the cycle.

Arizona: Club For Growth Threatens to Intervene on Schweikert’s Behalf

Club for Growth President Chris Chocola sent a letter this morning to Republican House leadership threatening to mobilize his group on behalf of Rep. David Schweikert should they show favoritism to Rep. Ben Quayle in what is going to be a brutal primary in Arizona’s 6th district.

Chocola urged neutrality, citing concerns about Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) backing Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R) in an Illinois primary over Rep. Don Manzullo. Kinzinger defeated the veteran lawmaker Tuesday. Chocola then noted that Speaker John Boehner’s (Ohio) leadership political action committee made a donation to Quayle’s campaign prior to the release of Arizona’s redistricting map and the formation of the Schweikert-Quayle race.

“In the name of neutrality, we urge Speaker Boehner to contribute the same $10,000 to Rep. Schweikert that he has already given to Rep. Quayle,” Chocola wrote in the letter. Full story

Illinois: Eric Cantor Backs Adam Kinzinger Over Don Manzullo

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (center) waded into a Member-vs.-Member primary fight today. (Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call)

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor today threw his weight behind freshman Rep. Adam Kinzinger in his primary fight against fellow Republican Rep. Don Manzullo in Illinois’ 16th district.

The Virginia Republican endorsed Kinzinger in a joint statement with Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.). “Adam Kinzinger is hands down the candidate the conservative cause needs to win the primary for Congress on March 20th and he has our enthusiastic endorsement for a second term in Congress,” the two lawmakers argued.

Although the statement does not directly name Manzullo, who has served 10 terms in the House, Cantor and Shimkus take a glancing shot at their colleague. Full story

Nebraska: Reid Won’t Give Details on Kerrey Decision

Amid speculation that former Sen. Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) is reconsidering a run for his old seat, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) today acknowledged that he has had extensive conversations with Kerrey, but gave no other details.

“There is a lot of speculation out there; number one is whether Bob is going to be running,” Reid said at a press conference. “I have had, over the last several weeks, lots of conversations with Bob Kerrey and none of those am I going to talk about here.”

Other Democrats were also quiet about Kerrey including Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) who is chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Full story

Florida: Boehner to Appear at Fundraiser With Vern Buchanan

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will appear at a fundraising event Saturday hosted by Florida GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan, who is reportedly under investigation by federal authorities.

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Ted Cruz Unsure on Backing John Cornyn if Elected

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 6:55 p.m. | A controversy is stirring up in Texas about leadership, conservatism and state loyalty.

It began last night, when the Dallas Morning News published an interview with former Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Cruz said he was undecided on whether he would vote for Sen. John Cornyn for GOP Senate Whip in November, should he be elected to the Senate.

Cruz “won’t decide his vote for GOP whip, one step below party leader, until November — once it’s clear how many ‘constitutional conservatives’ got elected,’ Todd Gillman of the Dallas Morning News wrote.

“I’m not going to prejudge,” Cruz told the paper.

Cruz walked back the comments today on Lubbock radio station KFYO, questioning the context of the statements.

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Maryland: Hoyer to Endorse Garagiola

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer will endorse Maryland state Sen. Robert Garagiola this week. (Douglas Graham/ CQ Roll Call)

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) is set to endorse Maryland state Sen. Robert Garagiola this week, Roll Call has confirmed.

Garagiola has been running as the party establishment candidate in the state’s 6th district Democratic primary, and the Hoyer endorsement will further add to his frontrunner status.

Garagiola is seeking to challenge Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R). Bartlett has cruised to re-election in recent cycles, but redistricting put his seat in danger. Full story