Republicans

The Texas Tribune reports: Gov. Greg Abbott appeared this week to rebuff help from the federal government to give coronavirus testing to migrants before they are released from federal custody, saying it’s a federal responsibility to screen immigrants coming into Texas. The announcement came after Abbott, a Republican, repeatedly accused the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden of “releasing immigrants …

Florida Politics reports: Florida’s Governor started out his week on familiar turf: a friendly interview with Fox and Friends on the Fox News Channel. Gov. Ron DeSantis revisited an increasingly familiar topic:  a post-pandemic political future that could include a run for President of the United States. The Governor did not rule out a presidential bid in 2024, in what …

CNN’s Daniel Dale reports: Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, a Republican, is attacking Democrats for passing a pandemic relief bill that will send money to prisoners. Cotton’s attack on Democrats was echoed by North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn on Twitter on Sunday. Fox News, meanwhile, turned Cotton’s tweets into an ominous headline on the front page of its website: “FUNDING CONVICTED …

Fox News reports: Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt announced Monday plans to retire from the Senate, saying he will not run for re-election in 2022. Blunt made the announcement in a video posted on YouTube. “After 14 general election victories — three to county office, seven to the United States House of Representatives, and four statewide elections — I won’t …

The Associated Press reports: In his first public address since the end of the Trump administration, former Vice President Mike Pence is traveling to South Carolina, set to speak to a conservative Christian nonprofit in the state that plays a crucial role in the presidential nominating process. Next month, Pence will keynote a dinner hosted by the Palmetto Family Council, …

Playbook reports: We reported Saturday that Trump’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to the RNC, NRSC and NRCC telling them to stop using his name to fundraise or sell merchandise. But they don’t seem to be taking the warnings seriously. The NRSC advertised a T-shirt for “Trump Supporters ONLY!” with his face and the words “Miss Me yet?” on Facebook. …

Politico reports: Conservatives are taking a page from the playbook of former President Donald Trump by raising, without evidence, the specter that Democrats are trying to block a California recall election by manipulating the elections process. Recall organizers have expressed confidence in California’s system and believe they have enough valid signatures to qualify a recall election of Democratic Gov. Gavin …

“Donald Trump was my friend before the riot. And I’m trying to keep a relationship with him after the riot. I still consider him a friend. What happened was a dark day in American history, and we’re going to move forward. “I want us to continue the policies that I think will make America strong. I believe the best way …

Politico reports: Sen. John Barrasso said Sunday he’d back Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski for reelection, breaking with former President Donald Trump not long after he vowed to campaign against her. “I want to always make sure we nominate somebody who can win in November,” Barrasso, the No. 3 Senate Republican, said on NBC’s “Meet The Press” of the 2022 midterm …

Axios reports: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) defended his decision to revoke the state’s mask mandate on CNN, describing the move as backed by data and a necessary step to boost the state’s economy. Why it matters: Although hospitalizations have dropped, Mississippi had the largest increase in the average of new coronavirus cases over a seven-day period in the country …

“What we found out this week, is that the [team] just got rid of their cheerleaders. Apparently they didn’t have the decency to tell them face-to-face.The cheerleading squad was disbanded, but apparently they read about it on Twitter. They didn’t say, ‘Hey come to the office, we gotta talk.’ This is insanity guys. They didn’t even have the decency to …

“I will not be endorsing, under any circumstances, the failed candidate from the great State of Alaska, Lisa Murkowski. She represents her state badly and her country even worse. “I do not know where other people will be next year, but I know where I will be – in Alaska campaigning against a disloyal and very bad Senator. “Her vote …

The Texas Tribune reports: Texas’ utility regulator had an opportunity Friday to eliminate some of the $16 billion that the state’s grid operator erroneously overcharged power companies during last month’s deadly winter storm — but the board of the Public Utility Commission chose not to do so. Some Texas electricity customers could have benefited from a decision to readjust the …

The South Florida SunSentinel reports: Baptist Health on Friday disputed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ claim that his administration had nothing to do with the decision to send 1,200 COVID vaccine doses to Ocean Reef Club, the luxury Key Largo community at the center of controversy over whether the wealthy received privileged access to vaccines. The governor made the claim at a …

The Charleston Post & Courier reports: Gov. Henry McMaster is lifting his mask mandate for state buildings and restaurants and telling state employees still working from home to come back to their office. McMaster’s March 5 update means the Republican governor is no longer requiring face coverings to be worn in state buildings, by restaurant employees or by diners, who …

Law & Crime reports: The Utah House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would require cell phones and tablets sold in the Beehive State to contain filters to block pornographic material from reaching a user’s eyes. The bill had previously been approved by the state senate. The measure, HB72, applies to “smart phones activated in the state on …

The Hollywood Reporter reports: Former Vice President Mike Pence is coming to TV, or at least streaming. Pence will narrate a four-part limited series for Fox News Media’s streaming service Fox Nation. The series, Age of Rush, will look at the career of radio host Rush Limbaugh, who died last month at age 70. The series will include interviews with …

Mediaite reports: “I just got suspended by Twitter, so I’m part of the censored group because I did a tweet saying that having illegal immigrants come in without any controls is a public health issue in the time of Covid,” said Gingrich. “So I just want to report, I’m part of the same effort by Twitter to censor the country …

The Wisconsin State Journal reports: U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, who has taken center stage this week in the U.S. Senate debate over a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill, said he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll run for his seat in 2022, although he said keeping to his pledge to not seek a third term is “probably my preference now.” “That pledge …

The Texas Tribune reports: Decrying “a dangerous movement” to “silence conservative ideas [and] religious beliefs,” Gov. Greg Abbott touted a bill Friday that aims to crack down on the perceived censorship of conservative voices by social media companies. “They are controlling the flow of information — and sometimes denying the flow of information,” the Republican governor said at a press …