Post Politics Now: Trump-backed candidate booted from Tenn. ballot; Biden hosts military leaders – The Washington Post
Today, fallout continues from a decision by the Tennessee Republican Party to boot Morgan Ortagus, a congressional candidate backed by former president Donald Trump, from the primary ballot. The move underscores broader tensions this election cycle in the GOP between those beholden to Trump and more traditional Republicans. After the decision was announced late Tuesday, Ortagus, a former State Department spokeswoman, questioned the commitment of “party insiders” to Trump’s policies.
Meanwhile in Washington, President Biden convened with top military leaders, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in an annual White House gathering that has taken on added significance this year because of the war in Ukraine. The White House also announced Wednesday that Biden will be attending the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner later this month. His attendance had been in doubt amid the pandemic.
Adhering to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention request this evening, the Justice Department announced it had appealed a federal judge’s ruling that voided the mask mandate on public transportation. The Justice Department had said Tuesday it would appeal the ruling only if the CDC recommended it, seeking to protect the health agency’s authority during public health crises.
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On our radar: Biden traveling to West Coast; Pelosi will meet with Ukrainian prime minister
Biden is heading to the West Coast on Thursday to talk infrastructure. Meanwhile, Congress is still out on recess, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is back in Washington, with a few items on her schedule. Here’s what we’ll be keeping an eye on tomorrow:
- Pelosi will meet with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the U.S. Capitol. Shmyhal is the most senior Ukrainian official to visit the United States since the start of the Russian invasion.
- Biden is traveling to Oregon. The president will visit Portland, where he will talk about the bipartisan infrastructure deal. The president will also headline two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee while on the West Coast.
