Jonathan Martin

Senior political columnist @politico and host of ON THE ROAD. Best email for audio files, docs + tips: or DM for text/signal

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

Thrilled to return to the great team @politico to launch a reported column on politics

From the Hill and WH to state capitols and city halls, i’m going to write about both the inside conversation + big-picture trends

At the heart will be news

Send some: [email protected]

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

https://t.co/cA8MFoGMZ3

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

Great @TylerMJones SC history lesson

When Sen. Burnet Maybank died after winning the primary, the Democratic executive committee appointed Barnwell state Sen. Edgar Brown rather than hold another primary. In practical terms, party officials were selecting the next senator.

Strom Thurmond had been governor and the segregationist Dixiecrat presidential nominee in 1948. He recognized Brown's weakness: Voters hadn't chosen him.

When Sen. Burnet Maybank died after winning the primary, the Democratic executive committee appointed Barnwell state Sen. Edgar Brown rather than hold another primary. In practical terms, party officials were selecting the next senator.

Strom Thurmond had been governor and the segregationist Dixiecrat presidential nominee in 1948. He recognized Brown's weakness: Voters hadn't chosen him.

Thurmond ran as a write-in. Brown's was the only name printed on the Senate ballot, meaning Thurmond supporters had to write his name themselves. More than 63 percent of voters did, electing the first write-in candidate in U.S. Senate history.

In 1966, the arrangement was even more brazen. After Sen. Olin Johnston died, Gov. Donald Russell resigned so his successor, Robert McNair, could appoint Russell to Johnston's seat.

Fritz Hollings, a Charleston native and former governor elected at 36, challenged the newly appointed Russell — citing the peculiar arrangement — and won by almost 61 percent, beginning a Senate career that lasted almost four decades.

In 1974, Democrats appeared to have their next governor in Charles "Pug" Ravenel of Charleston, a 36-year-old former Harvard quarterback and Wall Street investment banker. His innovative television campaign and reform message energized Democrats. He defeated veteran Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn in the primary runoff with almost 55 percent of the vote and was considered a shoo-in in November.

Then a residency challenge reached the state Supreme Court, which ruled Ravenel ineligible. Democratic Party leaders installed Dorn, the man voters had rejected. Republican state Sen. James Edwards, a Charleston dentist, capitalized on the Democratic split and became South Carolina's first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

[TheIntelFrog @TheIntelFrog]

I have been to Arlington several times, and have seen members of the "Old Guard" do the exact same thing to anyone who loudly talks or laughs. The ONLY time I've seen them be less...vociferous...is with small children.

Still, I bet he's on a plane to Antactica by tonight. Better make it a heavy to compensate for the weight of his cojones.

[Teddy Schleifer @teddyschleifer]

When reached by phone Wednesday and asked about his relationship with Ms. Powell, Mr. Huang said, “I don’t think you should be talking to me directly.” He then hung up.

https://t.co/vVqb0ckU1l

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

NVDA 40 percent discount on deck

[Kevin Kiley @KevinKileyCA]

It’s clear the Texas redistricting scheme accomplished nothing more than giving Gavin Newsom an excuse to re-gerrymander California (and perhaps contributed to Gov. Abbott’s defeat). Similar schemes failed or backfired in other states.

Meanwhile, the legislators in Indiana and South Carolina who refused to join the redistricting war actually saved their party seats. I doubt the two sides will end this plague on our democracy anytime soon. But reasonable people of both parties should at least be working on a solution for after the next Census.

[Meredith Lee Hill @meredithllee]

NEW — A growing number of Republicans on Capitol Hill see a wide open 2028 GOP race for president after their midterms bloodbath.

They have some names in mind:

“Some of us are still hoping we can draft Marco,” one GOP senator said.

more w @Reporter_Mia
https://t.co/ZnKsjPoK1U

[Ryan Wrasse @RWrasse]

Leader Thune has locked in floor votes for every single federal judge who’s currently available. And we’ll continue to consider additional judges as they’re processed.

Senate Rs have already confirmed 56 Article III judges — at the fastest pace since the Reagan administration.

[Doug Landry @douglandry]

The USSS relies upon its host agencies a great deal when traveling abroad, particularly with former presidents, but there are gonna be some MEETINGS over how this went down

[Adam Wren @adamwren]

Palantir’s Alex Karp on ICE:

[Ken Bone @kenbone18]

Speaking of bloated, your ERA called

[Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal @BudKennedy]

Karl Rove to @texasgop: “Don’t nominate a crook to be the leader of your ticket.”

[Michael Beschloss @BeschlossDC]

After JFK's burial, Jacqueline Kennedy arrives at his Arlington grave, with view of Lincoln Memorial beyond:

[Samuel Benson @sambbenson]

Outgoing Rep. Chip Roy goes gloves-off re Ken Paxton

“I’m pissed off at a Republican establishment that embraced corrupt people at the top of the ticket too often. You can’t win an election and beat corruption when you put at the top of your ticket in Texas someone that we knew to have massive issues … we spent $500 million trying to chase winning that one race at the expense of all the others.”

[Scott Colom @scott_colom]

Another throwback video. As you can imagine, my two girls were REALLY excited to star in this one!

[ettingermentum @ettingermentum]

They won Flavio’s base dude I’m dead

[Marc Caputo @MarcACaputo]

In the White House situation room, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confronted Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over lack of action cracking down on Megaspeed, the company where a suspected Chinese spy was having an affair w/NVIDIA’s leader

@m_ccuri & I
https://t.co/oI6AUaIRJv

[Ron DeSantis @RonDeSantis]

It was the most lopsided debate in history.

C’mon, man!

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

Put some respect on @evanasmith

[Politics Watch @politics_watch1]

A Texas journalist’s live reaction as the election results came in on Election Night.

[Dade Phelan @DadePhelan]

👇🏻#txlege

[Jonathan Martin @jmart]

Poor guy already confronting his coming lived experience (tm)

Didn’t @JohnCornyn tell him about the DCA non stop !!!???

[Marky Mark @DCCelebrity]

SPOTTED @jamestalarico catching a flight out of @Dulles_Airport this morning after attending Congressional Orientation