Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 6 March 2018
Dems head into primaries with a bumper crop of candidates

full public airing and could plan.
give party leaders less con- “People are not just voting
trol over who carries the for people because they
mantle in November. are Democrats,” Turner
Conversations with more adds. “They want to vote
than a dozen Democratic for people who are fighting
candidates, party offi- for their values.”
cials and strategists found In Washington, though,
confidence that a glut of there’s a hint of worry
crowded primaries won't about what kinds of can-
damage the party's over- didates can win in Repub-
all prospects for a big No- lican-leaning areas Demo-
vember. Yet Democrats crats may need to regain
acknowledged the lively majorities on Capitol Hill
nomination fights could and dent GOP advantages
result in victories for candi- in some statehouses. Even
dates with little experience, in Democratic strongholds,
scant scrutiny or political where partisan control isn’t
views that are out of step at play, the battles will help
with general electorate. determine the direction of
That's largely because it's the party.
the party's left flank that The tensions will get their
has provided much of the next test in Texas with pri-
Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, left, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. Two years enthusiasm since President maries Tuesday.
ago, just one Texas Democrat volunteered to run against Culberson in a metro Houston congres- Donald Trump's election The party has candidates
sional district. This year, not even that failed Democrat’s double-digit loss could scare seven Dem-
ocrats away from jumping in the race. As primary season opens in Texas on Tuesday, Democrats capped nearly a decade in every Texas congressio-
across the country are enjoying a bumper crop of candidates. of Democrats' losing more nal district — 36 of them —
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) than 1,000 federal and for the first time in 24 years.
state offices. There are 25 contested
By BILL BARROW seven Democrats away tories in state races around "Just any blue won't do," Democratic primaries, in-
ATLANTA (AP) — Two years from jumping in the race. the country — heading into says Nina Tuner, a former cluding in each of the five
ago, just one Texas Demo- As primary season opens midterm elections that look Ohio legislator who leads districts that appear on na-
crat volunteered to run on Tuesday with the Texas increasingly hopeful for the Our Revolution, the spinoff tional Democrats’ target
against Republican Rep. vote, Democrats across opposition party. of Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 list of 98 GOP-held seats.
John Culberson in a metro the country are enjoying But the abundance of vol- presidential campaign. Like Democrats need to flip
Houston congressional dis- a bumper crop of candi- unteers also comes with a Sanders, the group calls for 24 seats to win control of
trict. This year, not even dates. It's the latest sign of reality check: The crowded a $15 minimum wage, free the House. “We all agree
that failed Democrat's dou- enthusiasm — like massive primaries are giving the public university tuition and that our opponent is John
ble-digit loss could scare women's marches and vic- party's ideological divide a a national health insurance Culberson.”q

Roles reduced, Kushner and Ivanka Trump's fate uncertain

By JONATHAN LEMIRE of his top security clear-
CATHERINE LUCEY ance, raising questions how
Associated Press he can successfully ad-
WASHINGTON (AP) — They vance his ambitious agen-
spent their first year in Wash- da — including achieving
ington as an untouchable Mideast peace, a goal that
White House power couple, has eluded presidents for
commanding expansive generations.
portfolios, outlasting rivals Kushner's most powerful
and enjoying unmatched patron, the president him-
access to the president. But self, has wavered recently
Jared Kushner and Ivanka on whether his daughter
Trump have undergone a and son-in-law belong in
swift and stunning reckon- the White House anymore.
ing of late, their powers re- A frustrated Trump has
stricted, their enemies em- griped about the wave of
boldened and their future bad headlines generated
in the West Wing uncertain. by probes into Kushner's
Kushner, long the second- business dealings and the
most powerful man in the status of his security clear-
West Wing, is under siege. ance, according to two
President Donald Trump's people familiar with the
son-in-law has lost influen- president's thinking but not
tial White House allies. He authorized to publicly dis-
remains under the shadow cuss private conversations.
of the Russia probe and has In this photo taken Friday, March 17, 2017, Ivanka Trump, the daughter of President Donald Trump, The president also has won-
and her husband Jared Kushner, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, attend a joint news
seen his business dealings conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington. dered aloud if the couple
come under renewed scru- (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) would be better off return-
tiny. He has been stripped ing home to New York.q