#elena has had to hold lupe back

[finehs]

canada is playing cuba in the copa oro and i can just picture the fight going down in the alvarez apartment right now

[gloriousstudentfury-love]

The Death of Mrs. Resnick ✰

y/n’s POV

I sat squished between Alex and his baseball gear, on the way to one of his games. I wasn't my plan to go, but Penelope and Alex didn't really give me much of a choice.

"Mom, I'm gonna miss the first pitch. Go faster!" Alex groaned

"Alex, you know Mrs. Resnick doesn't go faster. Unless we're going downhill, then she might not stop." Penelope sighed, grilling tighter on the steering wheel

"We are so late. Just try." He complained, slouching further down into his seat

She slammed the petal to go faster and the car started rattling. I held on to my seat with slight fear of stopping in the middle of LA traffic.

"Mom, I smell gas." Elena said

"All right." Penelope nodded, whipping out a bottle of air freshener to get rid of the smell

"Wow, That smells nice. What is that?" I asked, slightly sniffing the air

"It's Hawaii." She smiled

"Maybe the car's mad because papi stuck it with a name like Mrs. Resnick." Elena joked

"You know your papi named her after a hot teacher he had a crush on." Penelope informed her kids

"Our math teacher is pretty hot." I said16

Alex flicked me and I flicked him back. We got into a flicking war until he decided to speak up about the car, again.

"Yeah, but by now I bet Mr. Resnick's traded her in for a younger model." Alex said, making me smack off his hat

"That's not funny papito." Penelope snapped

"It's not funny. Society treats middle aged women shamefully. I read a study online-" Elena started, prepared to go on a full on rant

"Okay, who wants to hear some tunes?" Penelope interrupted

We all groaned, as she began to play a sappy live song. Penelope smiled at the song choice and began to sing along. Elena grew annoyed with the obnoxious music and paused it.

"Aw, right before the good part." Penelope complained

"There is no good part." I commented

"That CD has been stuck in this car my whole life." Elena said

"Uh, excuse me? It's a cassingle." Penelope said, offended by Elena's words

All of a sudden the car began to make sounds started slowing down. I looked out the window to notice the other cars attempting to pass the one we were in.

"Why are we slowing down? Who turned on the AC? You know Mrs. Resnick can't handle that!" Penelope freaked

"I'm sorry, but it's 90 degrees and you won't let us roll the windows down." Elena apologized with a small sigh

"Because then they don't go back up. And it's only a crime to leave children in a hot car if it's parked. I looked it up!" Penelope continued to rant

The car stopped and we all sighed as we sat in the middle of the street.

"Great. Okay, guys. You know the drill." Penelope spoke

We all held hands in prayer, while Penelope tried to fix the car the broken down car. She turned the key in the ignition and the engine started. We all cheered in happiness as the car began to more forward again.

"See? Mrs. Resnick's still got it." Penelope said

The engine sputtered one last time before it finally died out, with no chance of starting it up again.

"It's probably 20 minutes until the tow truck gets here. So, what should we do to pass them time?" Penelope asked after she'd called a company and let them know about where we were

She smirked before she started to play her music again. I sighed but ultimately let a smile take over my face when I realized that me and Alex were still holding hands from our prayer.. Maybe I do like my best friend, as much as I'd rather not admit.

____________

Later, we walked into the Alvarez apartment to find Lydia on the couch with a face mask on. I've used plenty of face masks before, so I wasn't to bothered to find the woman's face covered.

"Oh, hello." Lydia greeted

"What are you doing, Mami?" Penelope asked with a small laugh

"This is supposed to make your skin glow. It's called a shit mask." Lydia said

We all laughed at the way she pronounced it, while I took a seat in the arm chair besides the couch.

"Mami, 'sheet'. It's called a sheet mask." Penelope said, putting emphasis on the proper way to pronounce it

"That's what I said, shit." She repeated, finding no difference in the way we pronounced it vs the way she did

"So, would you say you are sheet-faced right now?" Elena joked

"Stop! Or the sheet will hit the fan." Penelope joined in

"You are back so late, I decided to have a little me time." Lydia commented

"Can you feel it working? Hey, guys." Schneider greeted, coming out from the kitchen wearing a similar mask.

His phone alarm went off, making me jump a bit. He took it out of his pocket, and smiled at the older woman on the couch.

"And we are 29 again." Schneider smiled as they took off their masks, "Where you guys been? And why didn't you text me?"

I knew his last question was pointed at me, so I gave him a small smile, "My phone died."

"Mrs. Resnick broke down again and had to be towed to the mechanic." Elena said, referring to the first question he had asked

"Hector's lookin at it now." Penelope said

"Oh, how is Hector? I feel like I haven't seen him in days." Lydia said

"Oh, papito. What happened to your pants?" Elena asked, smirking at the tear in Alex's pants

"I ripped them getting out of the trunk." Alex said, glaring at me as I laughed

"You keep him in the trunk now?" Lydia asked

"No, the doors got stuck again so we all had to climb out through the back." Penelope said

"It's terrible. Now the whole team calls me "Butt-Trunk Boy." Alex groaned

"They could've call you 'junk in the trunk.' It was right there." I added, still laughing at his accident

The cell phone rang and Penelope picked it up, letting us know it was Hector. Not wanting to bother myself with information about the car, I made my to the kitchen to get some food.

When I came back in, Penelope was in the middle of telling the story of her first date with their father.

"He even wrote our initials in a little heart in the bill. I still have it somewhere." She said, making me smile even though I hadn't heard the rest of the story

"Aw, you never take us to Malibu." Alex said

"That's what you got from that story?" I asked, popping some of the grapes I stole into my mouth

"Yeah, but the good news is you're getting a new car." Schneider said

"Oh, sure, I'll just have the butler pick it up." She sarcastically replied

"Oh, butlers work at the estate." Schneider said laughing, "Chauffeurs pick up the car."

"Lupe, if you need money for a car, I am here to help. I will teach dance again! It is a gift that I have withheld from the world far too long." Lydia declared with a large smile

"She taught me how to salsa. She was amazing." Schneider agreed

"I do it for the joy. You owe me $30." Lydia said, pointing at the tall man

"Okay, well, why don't we take public transportation and reduce our carbon footprint? It's the best way to save money, and besides, I don't want you to have to go into my college fund." Elena said

"College fund? You see that dish of change by the door? That's your college fund. Well, not the quarters, cause I need that for laundry." Penelope laughed

"Elena, mi niña, a family needs a car. In Cuba, my best memories are the long rides with my papi in a Chevy the size of this apartment. It was glorious. His beloved daughter on one side and on the other, his beloved bottle of rum." Lydia said

"That sounds dangerous." Alex commented

"No, no, no, no, we didn't have seatbelts back then. We would just roll out quick." Lydia insisted

"Well, I'm going to start taking public transportation, you know, to help atone for the environmental devastation that my ancestors and their gas guzzlers so cruelly left to this earth." Elena said

"Why does everything have to be a crusade that is also annoying?" Lydia asked

"Abuelita is right. We need a car, but we can't afford a car. Unless we get a crazy good deal, which means we're screwed, because... car salesman are scary." Penelope said

"But not to you. You were in the Army!" Alex said

"Yeah, you're always saying you're a badass." Elena agreed

"I am a badass! But I'm also kind of a scaredy cat, you know, because .... I never bought a car before, you know? That salesman is gonna see me coming a mile away. Then he's gonna do that thing where he talks to the guy. And then they're gonna day something about floor mats, and then blah blah blah, I wake up in an ice tub, because someone took my kidneys." Penelope said

I shut my eyes and zoned out the rest of their conversation.

____________

The next day, Schneider, Alex, and I all came back from Alex's baseball game. Again, I was dragged from ballet practice to the game, because Schneider insisted he needed moral support. Not for Alex, but himself.

"Mom, today was the best!" Alex grinned, slamming open the door

"Ooh!" Penelope cheered, noticing all of our happy expressions

"Everyone saw me in Schneider's Range Rover and thought I was a total pimp!" Alex laughed

I rolled my eyes at the boy's excitement. You'd think he'd be happy that they won the game, but he cared more for his bragging rights.

"Don't say pimp or you'll get grounded!" Penelope snapped

"Seriously, Mom. His car is amazing. The seats warm up. You wouldn't think you'd want a warm butt... but you totally do." Alex said

"It's all the best parts of peeing your pants without any wetness." Schneider said

"You should've seen Schneider. The other parents were obsessed." I said, finally joining in on their conversation

"Connie Merkelson told me she's never seen someone slice apples with such grace." Schneider said as me and Alex headed to his room.

______________

Schneider has fallen asleep after we finished watching a bunch of romantic comedies, so I decided to go see my friend. Knowing everyone else was probably asleep, I took Schneider's main key and quietly opened the door

"Alex!!" I whispered knocking on his door

"What?" He asked gently opening it, so I could come in

"Schneider fell asleep and.. I don't think that needs a further explanation." I said, taking a spot on the end of his bed

"That's not as bad as the signs that my Abuelita put around town." He said, shuddering at the memory

"Also, here's your sweatshirt back. I borrowed it that day you spilt food all over me, so here." I said handing him the grey hoodie

"Nah. Keep it. Looks better on you anyway." He smiled going back to the homework that sat on his desk

I blushed lightly at his comment, but brushed it off before composing myself once again

"Did your mom get a new car?" I asked, changing the subject

"Uh huh, it's no Range Rover but it's nice." He smiled

"Mhm." I said, flopping onto his bed, "Wake me up if I fall asleep."

______________

Yeet! Update! Also, what are some other shows you guys would like to see? I need ideas. 

[actuallylorelaigilmore]

I Believe In A Thing Called Love, Chapter 5: There's A Chance We Could Make It Now

Final chapter! Lydia’s keen eye and Elena’s sharp tongue lead to a confession.

Penelope x Schneider, One Day At A Time. Also on AO3.

“Do you love me?”

“You know I do,” he said, without hesitating. “You and Lydia and the kids, you’re my family.”

She shook her head. “No. Schneider. Are you in love with me?”

Lydia was pursing her lips, her narrowed gaze moving from Penelope to Schneider and back again. He was deep in a discussion with Alex about baseball, while Elena quizzed her mom at the table.

“What is going on here?” She interrupted both conversations sharply.

“What’s going on where, Mami?”

“Between you...and Schneider. You were both looking for your papers for a long time the other day. And you have been very happy lately. I think there is something you are not telling me.”

Schneider’s face froze along with his vocal cords. Wisely, he remained silent.

But Penelope could feel her happy place, the oasis of their secret relationship, slipping out of her grasp in the face of her Mami’s scrutiny. She forced a laugh. “Like what? You think there’s something happening between Schneider and me?”

“Oh, that’s a good one, Abuelita.” Elena rolled her eyes and grinned at Alex. “Mom and Schneider?”

“It is not so crazy,” Lydia replied. “He is handsome, kind. He is family.”

“You’re just perpetuating the societal cliche that men and women can’t have friendships that don’t lead to sex.” Elena geared herself up for a lecture and Alex huffed out a sigh.

“I’ll be in my room,” he declared. “Text me when she’s done.”

“It’s so completely antiquated, Abuelita,” Elena continued, “to assume that if two people are close, if they’re affectionate or spend time together, then they have to be having sex just because one is a man and one is a woman. First of all, that’s such a heteronormative way of looking at the world. And secondly--Schneider?!”

She kept talking, oblivious to his stricken expression. Penelope saw it, and scoured her brain for some way to stop Elena’s rant without outing them. Nothing was coming to mind, other than a dull, spreading terror.

It was either fear of losing the balance she and Schneider had found outside the rest of her life, or the growing feeling that holding her tongue was going to make things worse. Penelope couldn’t tell which.

“You’re right, he’s family,” Elena told Lydia. “But not that way. He is so not Mom’s type. You’ve seen the men she dates, badasses like her. They’re like, normal guys. Schneider’s a geek. And that’s why we love him,” she added quickly, smiling in his direction. “He’s fun and sweet and he’s kind of a big kid, but I mean, come on. Mom really isn’t somebody who goes for meaningless sex.”

Lydia, who was watching Schneider and Penelope as the rant progressed, held up a hand. “Elena. That is enough.”

“But I--”

“No. Enough.” She stood and crossed the room to Schneider, whispering something in his ear that the others couldn’t hear. Then she patted his hand and turned to Penelope. “Lupe, you need to talk to your daughter.”

“Yeah...I’m gonna go.”

Schneider’s face still had that frozen look to it, the one Penelope knew meant he was holding back whatever he was really feeling.

“Hey, wait. Elena, I’ll be right back.”

He was halfway down the hall before Penelope caught up. She couldn’t blame him for continuing to walk even when he heard her coming.

“Schneider, stop. Please?”

Shoulders braced for a blow, he halted. He didn’t turn to face her, so she stepped around him instead.

“I’m sorry. Seriously, Schneider, I am so, so sorry. She doesn’t mean it. You know Elena loves you. You’ve been incredibly there for her--for all of us. She’d be mortified if she realized she was insulting you.”

He sighed, looking past Penelope toward her apartment. “I know that.”

She took a chance and reached for his hands. He let her lace their fingers together, and a very small, scared part of Penelope relaxed.

“She’s not wrong, though,” Schneider added quietly.

“What?”

“I’m not your type. And you’ve never wanted a no-strings affair before. You said it yourself once. You can’t have sex without love...usually.”

“Hey, shut up.” She squeezed his hands, worried when he wouldn’t make eye contact. “Elena’s sixteen years old. She has no idea what she’s talking about. I don’t have a type. And what we've got is good. It’s working. Isn’t it?”

He smiled a little. “Yeah, we were having fun.”

Were? The past-tense set off alarm bells in Penelope’s head. With a flash of certainty, she knew what she had to do...and suddenly she wasn’t scared anymore.

“I have to go talk to Elena,” she told him, wrapping him in a quick hug, pulling back before Schneider had a chance to respond.

“Pen, you know I love her too, right? She’s an amazing kid.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Tell her I’m not mad at her. I don’t want her to worry about that. We’re good.”

Penelope nodded. “And you and me? Are we...good?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll see you in the morning for un cafecito.”

She watched him go, thinking over all the little moments that she had been content to let pass by. Things she would have obsessed over with another man, things that coalesced into a clear picture if only she was paying attention. 

Schneider had never held back from her, not his affection, or his support, no matter what else they were facing in their lives. He told her the truth, even when it was a risk.

It was time for her to return the favor.

****

Elena was still sitting on the couch when Penelope came home. 

“Abuelita left,” she told her mom. “She took Alex with her.”

“Ah. All right.” Penelope sat down, folding her hands in her lap and trying to figure out how to begin. This wasn’t like telling the kids that she was dating again. Schneider was important to all of them, and her decision to start something with him--one she had made without their knowledge--would affect their lives, too.

"Elena, what you said about Schneider before, you were way out of line. You owe him an apology.”

Her daughter frowned. “An apology for what? I wasn’t insulting him--I said how great he is.”

“You also went on a rant about how inferior he is to every guy I’ve ever dated. It doesn’t matter that he’s my friend--and yours, and Alex’s. That’s a really horrible thing to feel.”

Penelope watched Elena puzzle over that. “It would be like somebody talking about how bad a girlfriend you would be for Carmen, with you standing right there. Listing off the parts of you that you feel insecure about, things that maybe you don’t even like about yourself.”

“Oh, God.” Elena’s eyes widened. “Mom, I didn’t mean it like that! I didn’t--I was just trying to make Abuelita understand that men and women can be friends.”

“Which is true.” Penelope swallowed and dove in. “Except in this case, your Abuelita wasn’t wrong.”

“What?”

She almost laughed. “Listen. I know that you think you know absolutely everything about the world, and social justice, and even about me. But the older you get, Elena, the more you’re going to learn that nothing is black and white.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I’m your Mami, and I love who I am, as your Mami. But that’s not all that I am. The other parts of me, you can’t fully understand those yet. You may never be able to understand them--and that’s okay.”

“Mom. Are you trying to tell me that you're into Schneider?”

“I’m trying to explain to you that he and I like each other. We like each other a lot. And you don’t have to get it. But you need to keep in mind that who Schneider is to you, how you see him...that’s only a part of who he is, too.”

“I think Schneider’s great,” Elena protested. “He totally loves you. But he’s nothing like Papi, or Max. He doesn’t do relationships, and you only do relationships. So where does that leave you?”

“We’re still figuring that out.” She wrapped an arm around Elena, resting her cheek against the top of her daughter’s head.

“I’m really sorry I hurt his feelings,” Elena said.

“I know you are. He’s coming for coffee in the morning. I think you should tell him that.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Elena pulled back to face her. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“You should, too.”

“Should what?”

Elena smiled, in one of those moments Penelope was experiencing with alarming frequency. Her little girl was growing up to be a shrewd, intuitive woman. A lot like her Abuelita.

“You should tell him.”

****

Schneider opened the door mid-yawn, his hair sticking up in all directions while Penelope offered him a hesitant smile.

“I’m really not in the mood,” he told her, his voice rough with sleep. It made Penelope want to burrow under blankets with him and forget the ugly scene with her family, if only that were an option.

Unfortunately, they were long past cozy snuggling and late night drop-bys now.

“I didn’t come for that,” she replied. “I need to ask you something.”

Schneider sighed. “I’m not especially in the mood for that, either, Penelope. Can’t it wait until the morning?”

“No.” She walked past him into his dimly lit apartment, flicking the wall switch on her way. 

“Well, feel free to come on in,” he said, annoyed. 

“This isn’t a ‘coffee with my Mami’ conversation, okay? And it can’t wait.”

“It’s 3AM,” he replied, squinting in the bright light of his living room. “What’s so pressing that you had to interrupt my sleep, and yours? Don’t you have to work in five hours?”

Penelope sat on his couch, waiting until he joined her. “Today sucked, okay? It was bad. You didn’t deserve that, and Elena was way off base. But I couldn’t sleep, I need to ask you something, and when I’m done, you can go back to bed. I’ll leave you alone.”

He rubbed both hands over his face. “I told you, Elena and I are fine.”

“Yes, you did. You love her, and she loves you back and it’s all good. Right?”

Perplexed by her tone, he sat up straighter. “Right.”

“Do you love me?”

“You know I do,” he said, without hesitating. “You and Lydia and the kids, you’re my family.”

She shook her head. “No. Schneider. Are you in love with me?”

“I...” His forehead creased in the center when he paused. “That’s what you came here in the middle of the night to ask me?”

She nodded.

“Pen, what’s going on?”

“I love you.” 

Penelope let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Wow, that actually felt really good. Huh.” She smiled at him. 

“I’m in love with you, Schneider.”

He was staring at her, but with absolutely no expression--and his was one she could usually read easily. 

She waved a hand in front of him like maybe he was on screensaver. “You there?”

When Schneider’s smile bloomed, it took over his entire face, and Penelope almost couldn’t handle it. 

The slow spread of hope and joy, without any of the self-doubt she knew Schneider tried hard to cover...watching it felt like hitting the very top of a Ferris wheel and then swaying in place while that falling sensation settled into something brilliant.

That's what it was like, knowing before he said a word that Schneider loved her back. It was radiant.

“I’m in love with you, too, Penelope.” His grin threatened to blind her. “I still think this could’ve waited until morning, though. It’d be like our very own romantic Cuban coffee commercial.”

She laughed, muttering “payaso” under her breath as she moved in to kiss him.

“Even so,” Penelope said once her head was resting on his shoulder. “I thought it might be good to have the talk not in front of Mami and the kids.”

“Oh, God, your family,” he remembered. “What are we gonna tell them? I mean...we are going to tell them. Right?”

“Done with secrets,” she agreed firmly. “And we are so far past casual. But you can breathe, Schneider. They already know.”

“You--”

“I didn’t tell them,” she replied. “But you know my mom’s questions this morning weren’t exactly hypothetical. Though I didn’t get too deep into the details with Elena, she knows how I feel. And Alex...well, Mami took him out to dinner, and she must have told him something--he spent the night looking at me like he doesn’t recognize me anymore.”

Penelope kissed his cheek. “It’ll take him a minute, but he adores you. It’s going to be fine.”

“So, no more secrets, no more talking around our feelings...” Schneider blinked at her from behind his thick frames. “What now?”

“Well, I’ve got at least two hours before anybody realizes I’m not in bed where I belong.” She ran her fingers through his hair, enjoying how soft it was without product. “And I’m guessing you’ve got fresh sheets on your bed that smell like mint.”

Schneider grinned. “They’re Wonder Woman,” he whispered, brushing her mouth with his. “Maybe part of me was hoping you’d stop by.”

“Nice. That was a pretty good movie.” She pulled him closer for a deeper kiss. 

He rested his hand against her cheek. “I was talking about you.”

Penelope made that face he loved, where she was smiling but trying not to show it, which never worked--but it was cute that she tried. Like she wasn’t allowed to be soft, and open, and with him, she was anyway.

“Back massage?” She gazed up at him from under her eyelashes.

“Oh, like I don’t know what that means,” Schneider replied. “You just want to lure me to that luxurious Wonder Woman bed and take advantage of me.”

“Well, yes.” Penelope linked her hands behind Schneider’s neck while she settled herself on his lap and enjoyed his response. “But I thought I’d do you this time.”

“Ha. In that case...” Schneider stood, taking her with him in a surprisingly casual lift. “Might as well make the most of the two hours.”

****

He kept her a half hour longer than she meant to stay, emboldened by the truth coming out. 

“You can shower here,” he told her, nuzzling the back of her neck. “Save time.”

His shower was like staying in a fancy spa, but it took her twice as long to get clean once he stepped in after her. 

Schneider really was good with his hands.

When Penelope snuck into her own apartment, her Mami was already up and making the coffee. She just smiled and went back to dancing in the kitchen. 

Perhaps Berto was accompanying her in her mind; maybe she was happy enough alone. Penelope couldn’t be sure. But it meant something that the queen of passionate romance approved of her and the man who waited a whole two minutes before he followed her up.

Looking mussed and relaxed and not at all tired, Schneider took the cup of coffee Lydia handed him at the door, beaming as she kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes while he sipped to the salsa music playing cheerfully from behind the curtain. 

When Penelope crossed the room and kissed him next, with a nearly-indecent amount of heat, Schneider almost dropped the cup.

“Good morning, Schneider,” Lydia trilled from the kitchen, enjoying the way he reddened when he pulled back from her daughter. “Did ju have a good night?”

Was there any way he could answer that question? “I...”

“Mami.” Penelope rolled her eyes. “Don’t tease him.”

“I was just asking.” She smiled again, fondly this time, and held out a hand. “Come. You can help me make Papito’s breakfast.” 

“What about Elena?”

Lydia waved a hand. “I no longer know what that one eats or does not eat. You could make her toast.”

Still feeling a little self-conscious, Schneider kissed Pen quickly and went to join Lydia in the kitchen. 

She could hear the kids stirring as she headed for her room to change. Hopefully Alex would relax once he saw that Schneider was still...Schneider, she thought as she pulled on her scrubs. 

Elena would apologize over coffee, and Lydia would enjoy watching them eat her breakfast.

Schneider would aim that warm smile of his at her while the conversation flowed around them, and it would be just about perfect.

Which for Penelope these days was just perfect enough.

[everettwilkinson]

Dayton expected to pick lieutenant governor to replace Franken if he resigns

With Zach Montellaro and Elena Schneider

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

Story Continued Below

FRANKEN FALLOUT — Announcement coming from Franken today, his office announced. No word yet on the substance of the announcement after more than half of the Democratic Senate caucus called for him to resign Wednesday, in the wake of new sexual harassment allegations. Franken’s official Twitter account denied a news report saying that he had decided to resign, saying that no decision had yet been made. “Senator Franken is talking with his family at this time and plans to make an announcement in D.C. tomorrow. Any reports of a final decision are inaccurate,” the account tweeted.

— “Female lieutenant governor expected to replace Franken if he resigns,” by Campaign Pro’s Maggie Severns: “Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to appoint his lieutenant governor and close ally, Tina Smith, to Al Franken’s seat if the Democratic senator resigns [today], three people familiar with the Democratic governor’s thinking said. But that appointment would be just the start of a huge upheaval in Minnesota. Part of the reason Smith could be heading to the Senate, the sources said, is because she has indicated no interest in running for Congress in the past and would not run for the remainder of Franken’s term, which expires in 2020, in a 2018 special election. That would clear the way for a wide-open Democratic primary next year if Franken steps down. … [Smith] is a former marketing professional who served as chief of staff to former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. She worked at the mayor’s office in 2007, when the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, and played a role in helping rebuild the bridge in the months that followed.” Full story.

— “DNC chief Perez initially declined to call for Franken ouster,” by POLITICO’s Gabriel Debenedetti: “Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez declined late last week to call for Sen. Al Franken’s resignation, holding off after discussions with top aides who wanted him to do so, three senior Democrats with knowledge of the discussions told POLITICO. Perez called for Franken’s resignation on Wednesday, after Democratic senators started calling for his exit for the first time. But the move came days after a group of high-level DNC staffers, including CEO Jess O’Connell, last week spoke with Perez about the need to push for Franken’s ouster. After the chairman consulted with several senators and political allies, he opted against calling for the Minnesotan’s ouster over allegations of sexual misconduct before Senate Democrats did so.” Full story.

DAILY WAR EAGLE — “Jones mailer attacks racial double standard on Moore,” by Campaign Pro’s Daniel Strauss: “A mailer distributed by Democrat Doug Jones’ Senate campaign asks: ‘Think if a black man went after high school girls anyone would try to make him a senator?’ The mailer shows an African-American man wearing a skeptical look under that sentence. The mailer in the closing days of Alabama’s Senate special election references sexual misconduct and child molestation allegations against Republican Roy Moore. Moore has denied the allegations and recently won a re-endorsement by President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee.” See a picture of the mailer here. Full story.

— In Jones’ latest ad, he says to the camera: “I’ll never embarrass you.” Jones also pledges to work across party lines in the spot. See the ad here.

HE’S IN — “Bredesen running for Senate,” by Nashville Post’s Cari Wade Gervin: “Former Gov. Phil Bredesen is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to multiple sources, Bredesen began calling major donors [Wednesday] afternoon to confirm that he is in the race. He has been mum about a campaign since U.S. Sen. Bob Corker announced he would step down next year, only acknowledging that he was contemplating a run. A formal announcement of his intent to run has not yet been made. … Bredesen has not faced a seriously competitive race since 2002, when he narrowly beat out Republican Van Hilleary for governor, and the campaign landscape has changed dramatically even since his last race in 2006.” Full story.

NEW THIS MORNING — AAN promotes tax bill with TV, digital blitz: American Action Network is airing TV and digital ads, part of a $2 million ad effort, in 24 House districts in support of the GOP’s tax bill. The legislation “means a simpler, fairer tax code – that cuts middle-class taxes, boosts the child tax credit, and closes loopholes so everyone pays their fair share,” says the ad’s narrator. Check out the list of House seats here. Watch the TV ad here.

Days until the 2018 election: 334

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, dstrauss@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

JOIN POLITICO PLAYBOOK – LIVE: Join Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for a live taping of POLITICO Playbook. Featured guests include: Michael Barbaro, host of the New York Times’ ”The Daily” Podcast, DCCC Executive Director Dan Sena and NRCC Executive Director John Rogers, and Rachael Bade, Seung Min Kim, and Annie Karni. Sixth and I – Dec. 7 – Doors open 6 p.m. Get tickets here or watch the livestream here.

BLUE TO RED — “Indiana GOP Senate candidate voted Democrat until 2012,” by The Associated Press’s Brian Slodysko: “A wealthy Indiana Senate candidate who bills himself in television ads as a conservative Republican voted for more than a decade as a Democrat in the state’s primary elections, according to public documents obtained by The Associated Press. Records from the Dubois County Clerk’s office, where candidate Mike Braun is registered to vote, show the 63-year-old consistently cast Democratic ballots until 2012. … He began voting as a Democrat in at least 1996, according to county records that date back only 25 years. That continued through the 2008 primary, where Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Barack Obama.” Full story.

DEEP IN THE HEART… — “Dallas Sheriff Lupe Valdez announces she’s resigning to run for governor,” by The San Antonio Express-News’ Peggy Fikac: “Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez said Wednesday she is jumping into the Democratic race for governor, a day ahead of Houston businessman Andrew White’s formal announcement for the post. ‘Like so many hardworking Texans, I know it’s tough deciding between buying food, finding a decent place to live and setting aside money for college tuition. Opportunity in Texas ought to be as big as this great state, but it is out of reach for far too many, that’s why I’m running for Texas governor,’ Valdez said in a statement.” Full story.

KING CHALLENGER — “Trump wants LePage to challenge King in Maine Senate race,” by The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey: “President Donald Trump is pushing Maine Gov. Paul LePage to run for the U.S. Senate, according to White House advisers. Trump has told advisers he plans to call Mr. LePage, the bombastic governor who endorsed him in February 2016, and ask him to jump in against Sen. Angus King (I-Maine.) in 2018 — and that he would endorse him. King is an independent who often caucuses with Democrats. … LePage’s approval rating in Maine is 42 percent, according to Morning Consult, ranking him the seventh least popular governor in the country. He has caught flak in Maine for controversial statements about minorities, threatening comments to a lawmaker in a voicemail message and an assertion that he makes up stories to fool the political press, who he castigates in personal terms.” Full story.

GETTING THE NOD — VoteVets adds four House endorsements: VoteVets endorsed four new House Democratic challengers, including Gina Ortiz Jones (TX-23), Damon Martinez (NM-01), Conor Lamb (PA-18) and Maura Sullivan (NH-01).

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I think many people have been talking about this for some time. And we all responded with what we had been feeling today.” — Sen. Patty Murray after she called for Sen. Al Franken to step down.

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from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/dayton-expected-to-pick-lieutenant-governor-to-replace-franken-if-he-resigns/

[melindarowens]

Dayton expected to pick lieutenant governor to replace Franken if he resigns

With Zach Montellaro and Elena Schneider

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

Story Continued Below

FRANKEN FALLOUT — Announcement coming from Franken today, his office announced. No word yet on the substance of the announcement after more than half of the Democratic Senate caucus called for him to resign Wednesday, in the wake of new sexual harassment allegations. Franken’s official Twitter account denied a news report saying that he had decided to resign, saying that no decision had yet been made. “Senator Franken is talking with his family at this time and plans to make an announcement in D.C. tomorrow. Any reports of a final decision are inaccurate,” the account tweeted.

— “Female lieutenant governor expected to replace Franken if he resigns,” by Campaign Pro’s Maggie Severns: “Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is expected to appoint his lieutenant governor and close ally, Tina Smith, to Al Franken’s seat if the Democratic senator resigns [today], three people familiar with the Democratic governor’s thinking said. But that appointment would be just the start of a huge upheaval in Minnesota. Part of the reason Smith could be heading to the Senate, the sources said, is because she has indicated no interest in running for Congress in the past and would not run for the remainder of Franken’s term, which expires in 2020, in a 2018 special election. That would clear the way for a wide-open Democratic primary next year if Franken steps down. … [Smith] is a former marketing professional who served as chief of staff to former Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. She worked at the mayor’s office in 2007, when the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, and played a role in helping rebuild the bridge in the months that followed.” Full story.

— “DNC chief Perez initially declined to call for Franken ouster,” by POLITICO’s Gabriel Debenedetti: “Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez declined late last week to call for Sen. Al Franken’s resignation, holding off after discussions with top aides who wanted him to do so, three senior Democrats with knowledge of the discussions told POLITICO. Perez called for Franken’s resignation on Wednesday, after Democratic senators started calling for his exit for the first time. But the move came days after a group of high-level DNC staffers, including CEO Jess O’Connell, last week spoke with Perez about the need to push for Franken’s ouster. After the chairman consulted with several senators and political allies, he opted against calling for the Minnesotan’s ouster over allegations of sexual misconduct before Senate Democrats did so.” Full story.

DAILY WAR EAGLE — “Jones mailer attacks racial double standard on Moore,” by Campaign Pro’s Daniel Strauss: “A mailer distributed by Democrat Doug Jones’ Senate campaign asks: ‘Think if a black man went after high school girls anyone would try to make him a senator?’ The mailer shows an African-American man wearing a skeptical look under that sentence. The mailer in the closing days of Alabama’s Senate special election references sexual misconduct and child molestation allegations against Republican Roy Moore. Moore has denied the allegations and recently won a re-endorsement by President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee.” See a picture of the mailer here. Full story.

— In Jones’ latest ad, he says to the camera: “I’ll never embarrass you.” Jones also pledges to work across party lines in the spot. See the ad here.

HE’S IN — “Bredesen running for Senate,” by Nashville Post’s Cari Wade Gervin: “Former Gov. Phil Bredesen is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. According to multiple sources, Bredesen began calling major donors [Wednesday] afternoon to confirm that he is in the race. He has been mum about a campaign since U.S. Sen. Bob Corker announced he would step down next year, only acknowledging that he was contemplating a run. A formal announcement of his intent to run has not yet been made. … Bredesen has not faced a seriously competitive race since 2002, when he narrowly beat out Republican Van Hilleary for governor, and the campaign landscape has changed dramatically even since his last race in 2006.” Full story.

NEW THIS MORNING — AAN promotes tax bill with TV, digital blitz: American Action Network is airing TV and digital ads, part of a $2 million ad effort, in 24 House districts in support of the GOP’s tax bill. The legislation “means a simpler, fairer tax code – that cuts middle-class taxes, boosts the child tax credit, and closes loopholes so everyone pays their fair share,” says the ad’s narrator. Check out the list of House seats here. Watch the TV ad here.

Days until the 2018 election: 334

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, dstrauss@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

JOIN POLITICO PLAYBOOK – LIVE: Join Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for a live taping of POLITICO Playbook. Featured guests include: Michael Barbaro, host of the New York Times’ ”The Daily” Podcast, DCCC Executive Director Dan Sena and NRCC Executive Director John Rogers, and Rachael Bade, Seung Min Kim, and Annie Karni. Sixth and I – Dec. 7 – Doors open 6 p.m. Get tickets here or watch the livestream here.

BLUE TO RED — “Indiana GOP Senate candidate voted Democrat until 2012,” by The Associated Press’s Brian Slodysko: “A wealthy Indiana Senate candidate who bills himself in television ads as a conservative Republican voted for more than a decade as a Democrat in the state’s primary elections, according to public documents obtained by The Associated Press. Records from the Dubois County Clerk’s office, where candidate Mike Braun is registered to vote, show the 63-year-old consistently cast Democratic ballots until 2012. … He began voting as a Democrat in at least 1996, according to county records that date back only 25 years. That continued through the 2008 primary, where Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Barack Obama.” Full story.

DEEP IN THE HEART… — “Dallas Sheriff Lupe Valdez announces she’s resigning to run for governor,” by The San Antonio Express-News’ Peggy Fikac: “Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez said Wednesday she is jumping into the Democratic race for governor, a day ahead of Houston businessman Andrew White’s formal announcement for the post. ‘Like so many hardworking Texans, I know it’s tough deciding between buying food, finding a decent place to live and setting aside money for college tuition. Opportunity in Texas ought to be as big as this great state, but it is out of reach for far too many, that’s why I’m running for Texas governor,’ Valdez said in a statement.” Full story.

KING CHALLENGER — “Trump wants LePage to challenge King in Maine Senate race,” by The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey: “President Donald Trump is pushing Maine Gov. Paul LePage to run for the U.S. Senate, according to White House advisers. Trump has told advisers he plans to call Mr. LePage, the bombastic governor who endorsed him in February 2016, and ask him to jump in against Sen. Angus King (I-Maine.) in 2018 — and that he would endorse him. King is an independent who often caucuses with Democrats. … LePage’s approval rating in Maine is 42 percent, according to Morning Consult, ranking him the seventh least popular governor in the country. He has caught flak in Maine for controversial statements about minorities, threatening comments to a lawmaker in a voicemail message and an assertion that he makes up stories to fool the political press, who he castigates in personal terms.” Full story.

GETTING THE NOD — VoteVets adds four House endorsements: VoteVets endorsed four new House Democratic challengers, including Gina Ortiz Jones (TX-23), Damon Martinez (NM-01), Conor Lamb (PA-18) and Maura Sullivan (NH-01).

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I think many people have been talking about this for some time. And we all responded with what we had been feeling today.” — Sen. Patty Murray after she called for Sen. Al Franken to step down.

Source link

source https://capitalisthq.com/dayton-expected-to-pick-lieutenant-governor-to-replace-franken-if-he-resigns/ from CapitalistHQ http://capitalisthq.blogspot.com/2017/12/dayton-expected-to-pick-lieutenant.html