How Mcconnell Outfoxed Cruz GOP Methodically White House and Isolated the 2016 Republicans Weighing Presidential Hopeful Big Budget Talks

VOL. 9 • NO. 103 | wednesday, september 30, 2015 | Politico.com

GOP plots fast-track budget Biden backers The Gavel: Inside the Matt move for Obamacare repeal target Bay State Leadership Scramble Wuerker House Republicans are planning to pass Massachusetts supporters McCarthy draws contrast with Boehner The cartoonist’s a largely symbolic repeal bill under of the vice president seek while Republican Study Committee daily take on the budget reconciliation rules. an alliance with Deval Patrick. prepares to host debate. world of politics. Page 19 Page 12 Page 4 Page 26 How McConnell outfoxed Cruz GOP methodically White House and isolated the 2016 Republicans weighing presidential hopeful big budget talks

By Burgess Everett By Seung Min Kim Ted Cruz called out Mitch Mc- As President Barack Obama and Connell seven times by name on top congressional leaders prepare Monday night. Afterward, the to launch negotiations on a two- Senate majority leader barely year budget deal, Senate Majority uttered a word about his chief Leader Mitch McConnell is ma- Republican adversary. neuvering to cut key Democrats Asked about Cruz’s diatribe on out of the talks, according to the Senate floor, during which the sources familiar with the nascent Texas Republican suggested Mc- negotiations. Connell is a puppet for Democratic The ambitious budget goal, leaders and a foe of conservatives, outlined by McConnell on Tues- McConnell couldn’t conceal his day, could help ease the threat of smile on Tuesday. repeated government shutdowns “I have tried very hard to stay until after the 2016 elections. But out of the presidential race, and I drama is already unfolding behind think that’s probably a good rule the scenes with McConnell’s pri- for me,” he said with a chuckle. vate suggestion that the discus- McConnell may not like to talk sions be limited to just him, Presi- about Cruz, but he and his leader- dent Barack Obama and Speaker ship lieutenants have quietly and John Boehner (R-Ohio), according methodically worked to isolate the to Democratic sources — a pro- conservative senator and mini- posal that the president and out- mize his effect on the critical fall going speaker have rejected, the spending debate. The end result, sources said. in spite of Cruz’s invective toward On Tuesday, McConnell de- Republican leaders, is music to tailed the talks, which are focused McConnell’s ears: no government on top-line budget numbers for shutdown. fiscal 2016 and 2017. The discus- “We had to be prepared,” said sions, which included McConnell, John Thune of South Dakota, the Obama and Boehner, began with No. 3 Senate Republican. “He’s an initial phone conversation running for national office. He’s among the three men nearly two got a different endgame than we JOHN Shinkle — Politico weeks ago. do. There are things we have to do Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (center) has been determined to head off conservative firebrand Ted The discussions are prelimi- cruz on page 14 Cruz’s attempt to spark another budget showdown — and possible shutdown. budget on page 15 House Republicans want GOP’s glass ceiling on Hill other leadership options shows no sign of cracking By Jake Sherman Price (R-Ga.): Few in the House Re- By Anna Palmer McMorris Rodgers will remain It’s well-known that Rep. Trey publican Conference are satisfied and John Bresnahan as House Republican Conference Gowdy doesn’t love being in with them as the only choices for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers chair, but that looks like as high as Washington. the No. 2 leadership post. found out what generations of Re- she’ll go in the GOP pecking order. He often ducks around report- As Republicans try to turn a new publican women before her have It’s also as high as any woman has ers. He scoffs when people urge page and do away with the inter- discovered: The glass ceiling on ever reached. him to run for leadership, saying necine fighting, a lingering sense Capitol Hill is real. While there are more women it’s about the last thing he wants to of discontent is hanging over the The Washington Republican’s serving in Congress than ever be- do. And he openly wonders when House Republican leadership race. bid for House majority leader was fore, for female Senate and House he can catch the first flight back to Conservatives are trying to draft over before it even started. After Republicans, there is no sign that his home state of South Carolina. one of their own to run for one CLIFF OWEN — AP just a few days of phone calls, Mc- any of them will be party leader Yet this is the man many Repub- of the top positions, and moder- Many Republicans tried to Morris Rodgers, 46, formally de- anytime soon. licans tried to pressure into the race ates are agitating about whether pressure Rep. Trey Gowdy into cided against running for the No. 2 The frustration among some fe- for House majority leader. And that they’ll go unrepresented in the running for majority leader, but the leadership slot, virtually ensuring male Republican lawmakers that underscores a scary reality for new leadership. South Carolina Republican is not the top three posts will be held by they haven’t broken through to the Reps. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Tom leadership on page 18 interested. white men. glass ceiling on page 17