Obama Raises More Than $53 Million in March; Republicans Pounce

The Obama campaign announced today in a Web video that its collective March fundraising total was “over $53 million.”

The video featured various campaign supporters announcing their small donations to the campaign, followed by a message from campaign manager Jim Messina. The figures include fundraising from the Democratic National Committee.

Poll: Independent Voters Like Barack Obama but Prefer Mitt Romney’s Message

(Saul Loeb/AFP/Pool)

With campaign polling so ubiquitous, I’m not often driven to report on a survey this far out from Election Day. Horse race polling this early can be deceiving and the volume of surveys produced has made it more difficult to identify significant trends.

But every rule has an exception, and the poll of battleground independents conducted for Third Way, a centrist Democratic think tank, merits discussion. The organization’s latest poll reveals the complexity of choices before independent voters — a crucial demographic that could determine the outcome of the Nov. 6 elections — and the subtle nuances that could influence whom they might ultimately support.

Third Way surveyed independent voters in a dozen battleground states, including Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

Perhaps the poll’s most informative findings in terms of educating us on the direction of the 2012 presidential race and what might affect the outcome: Third Way reports in a memo discussing the survey that it has refined its data to identify the 38 percent of independent voters that are still “up for grabs” — voters it designates as “swing state independents” — and discovered that while this demographic has more positive feelings toward President Barack Obama than his presumptive Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, these voters are “closer ideologically” to the former Massachusetts governor.

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Barack Obama Vs. Mitt Romney: The Campaign Begins

(Scott Olson/Getty Images)

If former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney defeats President Barack Obama on Nov. 6, his road to victory might lead all the way back to the speech he delivered Friday in Appleton, Wis.

In that address, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee presented his philosophy on the economy and its relationship with the federal government as a vision. And more importantly, he provided a moral underpinning for his viewpoint that attempted to connect his ideas to average Americans. Voters might reject Romney’s vision and opt for Obama’s. The president has been quite adept at framing his policies on taxes and government spending in terms of “balance” and “fairness” for the “middle class,” and polling data has shown that voters have reacted favorably. Full story

Rubio on Romney: ‘I’m Excited About My Support for Him’

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Sen. Marco Rubio explained in greater detail today why he waded into the Republican presidential primary to endorse former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

“I think Mitt Romney has won this primary,” the Florida Republican told reporters. “I think the primary’s over now, by the admission of his opponents.”

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) and ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), who Rubio was referring to, might take issue with that assertion given that Romney has yet to win the 1,144 delegates he needs to secure the nomination. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) might also quibble. Rubio, who knows what it’s like to challenge the Republican establishment’s preferred candidate in a primary, acknowledged that some conservatives might be upset with his decision to declare the race over and back Romney. But he didn’t back down, and in fact, he used the words of Gingrich and Santorum against them in explaining his decision and its timing. Full story

Biden Back to Iowa on Wednesday

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Vice President Joseph Biden will deliver remarks in Iowa on Wednesday for the second time this month.

Biden will speak at PCT Engineered Systems in Davenport about the administration’s efforts to improve the economy and the importance of manufacturing. It’s the third in a series of speeches Biden is delivering on the economy, which kicked off two weeks ago in Toledo, Ohio. Full story

Supreme Scenes: The Health Care Arguments (PHOTOS)

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The Supreme Court kicked off the widely anticipated arguments over President Barack Obama’s health care law today. You can read Steven Dennis‘ roundup from the opening day arguments here.

Today’s proceedings were more procedural than anything, with both sides in agreement that the case should be heard now and not in three years’ time.

Justices on both the liberal and conservative wings of the court pressed attorneys for ways around an 1867 law that prohibits people from filing a lawsuit against tax provisions until after they have already paid the tax in question. Both sides of the lawsuit agree that an exemption should be granted, but for different reasons, although the court appointed an attorney to defend the notion — held by a lower court — that the case won’t be ripe until 2015.

Tuesday’s arguments over the constitutionality of the individual mandate are expected to be much more heated. Indeed, on this first day there was more drama outside the court than inside the chamber. Full story

Obama Campaign Staffs Up Biden Team

President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign has hired senior staff to aid Vice President Joseph Biden.

Sheila Nix has been named chief of staff to the vice president; Scott Mulhauser has been named deputy chief of staff; Sam B. “Trip” King III has been named political director; Amy Dudley has been named press secretary; Nora Cohen has been named deputy director of advance; and Virginia Lance has been named scheduler. Full story

Political Climate Improving for Obama

(Saul Loeb/AFP/Pool)

President Barack Obama “is making strong inroads” with independent voters in 12 swing states that will likely decide his re-election, according to a new “PurplePoll” from the bipartisan firm Purple Strategies. Full story

Virginia: Obama’s Numbers Up; Senate Race Still Tied

There is no doubt that President Barack Obama's performance in Virginia will have some degree of effect on Tim Kaine's (left) Senate campaign, either positive or negative. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

With no end in sight for the GOP presidential nomination fight, President Barack Obama’s numbers are on the rise in the Old Dominion.

A Quinnipiac University poll released today found Obama’s support in Virginia reaching new heights, while the Senate race remains within the margin of error.

In a race with Mitt Romney, Obama hit 50 percent support and led the likely GOP nominee by 8 points, up from a 4-point margin last month. Likely Senate nominee Tim Kaine (D) has not received the same kind of boost against George Allen (R), as the battle of the former governors remains a statistical tie, where it’s been since Kaine entered the race last April. Full story

House, Senate Democrats Post Record February Fundraising

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, chaired by Patty Murray, had a banner month of fundraising in February. President Barack Obama's campaign also released its monthy fundraising totals today. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Democrats’ House and Senate campaign arms recorded their best February fundraising hauls ever, the committees announced this morning.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $5.3 million last month, leaving it with $19 million on hand as of the end of February. That impressive monthly total helped the DSCC get closer to its strong 2008 cycle, when it ended February with $32.8 million on hand.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced its February take on Twitter. DCCC Deputy Executive Director Jennifer Crider announced that the committee raised $6.3 million last month, leaving it with $16.4 million on hand. Full story

For the GOP, It’s Back to the Future

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Given the protracted battle for the Republican presidential nomination and the regional, ideological and political underpinnings of the four remaining candidates, one might think the GOP is engaged in a pitched battle for the direction, future and soul of the party.

Except it’s not — at least not as a matter of policy and generational leadership.

Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) represents the only attempt of any candidate to drag the Republican Party in a distinctly different direction than that which has defined it at least since Ronald Reagan was elected president in 1980. But Paul is not, and never has been, considered a possible winner of the nomination. Of the three remaining candidates who are, or have been considered, viable at one time or another — former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) — virtually nothing separates their plans for the country should they win their party’s nod and defeat President Barack Obama in November. On matters of domestic and fiscal policy — nothing; on matters of social policy — nothing; on matters of foreign policy and national defense, again, nothing. Full story

Super Tuesday Analysis: The Long Slog Continues

(Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images)

Several hours removed from the final Super Tuesday contest being called in Alaska for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the long, drawn-out, momentum-less Republican presidential primary campaign appears as protracted as ever.

Romney won six of the 10 contests, but only narrowly survived in Ohio with a 38 percent to 37 percent victory over former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.) — and the results of the Buckeye State campaign are shaping the political analysis of events. Romney could have delivered a symbolic knock-out blow to Santorum with a victory in the realm of 4 points or more. But the tight outcome there, combined with Santorum’s wins in North Dakota, Oklahoma and Tennessee have revived the narrative — one somewhat quashed last week after Romney victories in Arizona and Michigan — that Romney can’t close the deal and that at least one of his opponents is well-positioned for an upset. Full story

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to Chair Democratic Convention

(Scott J. Ferrell/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.) will nominate Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to chair the party’s national convention in Charlotte, N.C.

“Mayor Villaraigosa has dedicated his career to civic engagement and empowering people at the grassroots,” Wasserman Schultz said in a statement released this morning by the Democratic National Convention Committee. “And that’s exactly what we need to be successful at this convention — input and engagement from Americans across the country.” Full story

Obama, House Republicans Try to Put Points on the Board

Rep. Patrick Meehan, delivering the GOP's weekly address, said Congress should extend the payroll tax cut for a full year. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

In their weekly addresses, both President Barack Obama and House Republicans tried to put some legislative points on the board.

As the 2012 elections heat up, both the White House and its Republican opponents are pushing targeted legislative initiatives that could pass — or at least put the other side in a tough spot.
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Rubio Accuses Obama of Making U.S. Like Places People Flee

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

With Florida at the center of the Republican presidential campaign this week, its Cuban-American Senator took to the airwaves to accuse President Barack Obama of trying to make America “like the countries people come here to get away from.” Full story