Democrats see golden opportunity to take Georgia Senate seat

Democrats see golden opportunity to take Georgia Senate seat-thehill: Democrats are feeling bullish about their chances to win a Senate seat in Georgia in the wake of GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson’s decision to retire. The announcement, Democrats argue, gives them a golden opportunity to expand the Senate battleground map heading into 2020 and chip away at the GOP’s Senate firewall.

Democrats excluded from debate face battle for survival

Democrats excluded from debate face battle for survival-thehill: Democratic presidential candidates who are still struggling to introduce themselves to early state voters face a critical inflection point over the next several weeks, as they battle to keep their campaigns funded and operating even without the chance to participate in next month’s debate. Some have acknowledged that their hopes of mounting a strong campaign ended when they failed to meet the threshold to make the debate stage.

Kirsten Gillibrand exits presidential race

Kirsten Gillibrand exits presidential race-politico: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand dropped out of the presidential race Wednesday evening, pledging to help the eventual Democratic nominee beat President Donald Trump next year. The New York Democrat, who ran a distinctly feminist campaign, failed to meet the Democratic National Committee’s criteria for the committee's September presidential debate. A statement released by her campaign cited her lack of “access to the debate” stage as a reason she decided to end her run.

Georgia GOP abuzz about Senate vacancy

Georgia GOP abuzz about Senate vacancy-thehill: Sen. Johnny Isakson’s (R-GA) decision to resign at the end of the year set off a furious behind-the-scenes scramble among Georgia Republicans vying to curry favor with Gov. Brian Kemp (R), who will choose his replacement. Isakson kept his decision private from all but his closest advisers, sources with knowledge of his decision said. Some aides and allies, including Kemp, were told he would quit just hours before the announcement went out.

GOP Rep. Sean Duffy resigning on September 23

GOP Rep. Sean Duffy resigning on September 23-rollcall: Wisconsin GOP Rep. Sean Duffy announced Monday that he is resigning from Congress on Sept. 23, after news that the child his family is expecting will have a heart condition. “Recently, we’ve learned that our baby, due in late October, will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition,” Duffy wrote in a Facebook post. The child will be Duffy’s ninth.

Nervous Republicans focus energy on protecting Senate “firewall"

Nervous Republicans focus energy on protecting Senate “firewall”-thehill: The GOP majority in the Senate is shaping up as a firewall for Republicans who are worried that President Trump might falter and lose the White House next year. Republicans see winning back the House majority as a tough climb in 2020, and head-to-head matchups between Trump and various Democratic presidential contenders show the president behind his potential challengers.

Moulton drops out of presidential race after struggling to gain traction

Moulton drops out of presidential race after struggling togain traction-thehill: Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) announced Friday he will drop out of the 2020 presidential contest, making him the third candidate in a little more than a week to exit the Democratic primary. "Today, I want to use this opportunity, with all of you here, to announce that I am ending my campaign for president," Moulton is expected to say later in the day at the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting in San Francisco.