The Point: Donald Trump for...Speaker of the House?

View this email in your browser   June 8, 2021  | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski Donald Trump for ... speaker of the House? Want to hear a crazy idea? Of course you do! Let's go step by step.   1. Florida gained another seat in its congressional delegation thanks to faster-than-the-national-average growth over the last decade.   2. Republicans control both chambers in the state Legislature as well as the governorship, meaning they will have total control over the redistricting process and where the new seat will be drawn.   3. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is a BIG friend of former President Donald Trump.   4. Trump makes his permanent home in Palm Beach, Florida.   Which brings me to this exchange between the former President and conservative radio talk-show host Wayne Allyn Root late last week as recounted by the Washington Times:   ROOT: "Why not instead of just waiting for 2024, and I'm hoping you run in 2024, but why not run in 2022 for the United States Congress, a House seat in Florida, win big, lead us to a dramatic landslide victory, taking the House by 50 seats, and then you become the speaker of the House?"   TRUMP: "You know, it's very interesting. That's so interesting. And people have said, run for the Senate, OK, run for the Senate, but you know what? Your idea might be better. It's very interesting."   Now that idea doesn't seem so crazy, does it?!   Well, OK, it's still very unlikely to happen. Mostly because Trump doesn't really seem like the kind of guy who would be cool serving in the House after he had been president. (John Quincy Adams he is not!) Too small potatoes for him -- even as speaker!   And because every poll I've seen (and Trump has seen) shows him romping the potential 2024 GOP presidential field, it's hard to imagine him deciding to run for a House seat in 2022 -- no matter how easily he might be able to win a district drawn for him by pliant Florida Republicans.   But before we foreclose the idea of House Speaker Donald Trump in 2023, let me remind you that the speaker does not have to be an elected member of Congress. It can be anyone who a majority of House members choose. Could that person be Trump? Probably not. OK, almost certainly not. But let's remember this is a guy who thinks he might be reinstated as president this summer. There's nothing -- and I mean nothing -- so outlandish that he wouldn't at least consider it. The Point: This speculation is just that: speculation. Of course, it's speculation that the former President called "very interesting" not once but twice less than a week ago. So ...   -- Chris   QUOTE OF THE DAY "Now, I loved that name but some people thought it had to do with covered wagons or something." -- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on why the amended Endless Frontiers Act's name was changed to the US Innovation and Competition Act, or USICA. IT'S AN ELECTION NIGHT (FOR SOME) Welcome to Election Day for gubernatorial primaries in Virginia and New Jersey.   Virginia's voters can weigh in on the Democratic gubernatorial primary -- a five-way race to replace current Gov. Ralph Northam, also a Democrat.    CNN's Dan Merica has a great preview of the contest:    The governor's race features five candidates, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is vying to be the first person in decades to serve multiple terms as top executive of a commonwealth that bars governors from serving consecutive terms. Former Virginia Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy and Del. Lee Carter have challenged McAuliffe from the left, while state Sen. Jennifer McClellan and Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax have argued they are more prepared to succeed Gov. Ralph Northam.   In New Jersey, four Republicans candidates are battling over their ties to Trump in the GOP gubernatorial primary, to ultimately take on Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in November.   Here's a very helpful big-picture look from CNN's Eric Bradner:   Murphy is the favorite in this year's race, well-positioned to break a New Jersey streak that began in 1989 of electing a governor from the party opposite of the sitting president, a year after Joe Biden won the state by 16 percentage points.   But the Republican contest will offer a window into how the party's primary voters are weighing loyalty to Trump against questions of experience and electability -- potentially an instructive preview of the 2022 midterm elections.   Though public polling is limited, former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli is the favorite in Tuesday's GOP contest. He is by far the best-funded candidate in the Republican race, raising $7 million while none of his rivals have reached the $1 million mark. With endorsements from all 21 county Republican organizations in the state, he'll also benefit from prime placement on the ballot.   Follow CNN.com's coverage tonight as election returns roll in. TOP TWEETS 1. Rudy, Rudy, Rudy 2. Houlahan, out! 3. An amazing 🧵on the anniversary of RFK's death in 1968 3. You'll never unsee this 4. Three years gone 5. Happy birthday "Highway 61"!!! 6. Smiths > Morrissey CHRIS' GOOD READS This ProPublica report on what the richest among us pay in taxes is eye-opening. And it's worth explaining the publication's reasons for publishing the information too. The Capitol Police had intelligence weeks early about a possible January 6 insurrection, The Washington Post reports. Ross Douthat of The New York Times is instructive on talk of a Trump 2024 coup.   Loved this from CNN's Brian Stelter on how Fox News' viewers helped to push FNC more to the Trump right.   RIP, "Millennial Lifestyle Subsidy."   I am WAY psyched for "Loki." Especially after reading this from the BBC. MUSICAL INTERLUDE I'm a little bit of a late arrival to Japanese Breakfast (aka) Michelle Zauner, who has been a music critic favorite for years.  But "Jubilee," her new album, really got its hooks into me. I've been listening to it nonstop for the last few days.   -- Chris TRUMP IS *ACTUALLY* GETTING WORSE Former President Trump reportedly really believes he'll be reinstated as president this August -- but will any GOP leaders tell Trump the truth?    Chris explains how Trump's ongoing denial about the 2020 election results continues to distort and foster a conspiracy theory-riddled political landscape.   Stick with The Point on YouTube and subscribe! ONE BIG THING 13 Thirteen states have reached the Biden administration's goal to vaccinate 70% of adults with at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine by July 4, according to data published Monday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

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