Mark Matthews, part our Washington bureau, updates on the story he wrote in today's Orlando Sentinel on a video Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) sent his constituents -- at their expense -- that was essentially a highlights film of his time in Congress so far.

Today one of his potential Republican opponents, state Rep. Kurt Kelly, called for an investigation of his billing taxpayers $73,000 for the mailer. He also wants Grayson to reimburse the Treasury from campaign funds.

"If Alan Grayson wants to record a liberal mix tape so he can get his own show on MSNBC after I beat him this fall, he's certainly entitled to do so, but not with our taxpayer dollars," said Kelly in a statement.

You can catch up on the story here.

by Mike Memoli

In a wide-ranging interview on "The View," President Obama said he has Jay-Z on his iPod, doesn't tweet, and is not invited to Chelsea Clinton's wedding. He knows that Lindsay Lohan is in jail, but confessed not to know who Snooki is (though he used her as a punch line at the White House Correspondents Dinner in May).

But for all the fluff, Obama also covered the major issues of his presidency thus far, including the economy, Afghanistan and health care. While acknowledging he's hit some rough patches, the president professed to taking a "long view" on the decisions he's made so far. He also bemoaned a political culture he ran on the promise of changing.

"I volunteered for this job, and politics is not bean bag. Politics is a contact sport and you expect people going at you," he said. "The one thing that does frustrate me sometimes is the sense that we shouldn't be campaigning all the time. There is a time to campaign and then there is a time to govern. What we've tried to do over the last 20 months is to govern."

Obama also criticized a media culture that focuses on conflict but not compromise. But critics argue that he has used a campaign-style approach to governing that has exacerbated the problem. For instance, he used a recent town hall meeting to go after House Minority Leader John Boehner for, as he described it, comparing the economic collapse to an ant.

And his comment about campaigning was of note given that immediately after the taping, he traveled elsewhere in New York for two major fundraisers.

by Tom Hamburger

Former RNC chair Ed Gillespie, now leading the charge for Republican efforts to win control of state legislatures, offered an upbeat assessment to reporters this morning, telling those at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast that Democrats are not likely not take control of any additional state legislative chambers in the country and that Republicans will pick up four chambers with 12 additional Democrat controlled chambers "solidly in play."

Redistricting occurs every decade, but this year may be particularly important because the country is trending Republican and winning this year could provide a lasting Republican edge as states redraw their federal congressional districts to match new census numbers.

Gillespie chairs the Republican State Leadership Committee, which backs GOP state legislative candidates. He says the group is on track to double the $22 million raised in the last redistricting effort.

He spoke to reporters along with former Rep. Tom Reynolds, the Committee's vice chair, who could not contain his enthusiasm about this year's prospects of retaking legislative chambers and governor's mansions.

"Whoever has the pen in hand has the opportunity," he said.

by Mike Memoli

The last time President Obama came to the Garden State, it was for his third campaign visit for Jon Corzine's embattled re-election effort. Today after he bounded down the steps of Air Force One at Newark Airport, he was greeted by the man he argued was unfit for the governor's office -- Republican Chris Christie.

The two men chatted for some time -- nearly two minutes -- on the tarmac. Christie seemed to get a rise out of the visiting president, who offered a few back slaps during the exchange. Perhaps Christie realized he had to make that moment count, because when Obama hosted local leaders and small business owners later in Edison, Christie was noticeably absent.

"We're not passing it up," Christie spokeswoman Maria Comella said when asked why the governor didn't join Obama at Tastee Sub Shop. "We weren't invited."

Deputy White House press secretary Bill Burton confirmed that Christie was not on the guest list for the intimate venue. As the president himself entered the shop, he said he had a fondness for mayors, though.

"They don't have a lot of time for political back and forth," Obama said.

Photo Credit: AP / Rich Schultz

by Mike Memoli

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) says she is filing an expedited appeal to today's court ruling barring certain provisions of Senate Bill 1070, saying she's willing to take the fight over state's controversial illegal immigration law to the Supreme Court if necessary.

"This fight is far from over. In fact, it is just the beginning, and at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens," she said in a statement.

Randy Pullen, chair of the Arizona Republican Party, predicted the case would ultimately end up at the Supreme Corut.

"The federal government's argument that SB 1070 would have placed and undue burden on them is as absurd as it is a complete dismissal of the tremendous burden placed on Arizona by the federal government not doing its job," he said.

You can read Brewer's full statement after the jump.

Photo Credit: AP / Ross D. Franklin

by Mike Memoli

A federal court in Arizona has blocked the most controversial provisions of the state's anti-illegal immigration bill from becoming law.

10-1413-87.pdf

Judge Susan R. Bolton, appointed by President Clinton in 2000, said in her ruling that "the United States is likely to suffer irreparable harm" if it did not block provisions requiring state law enforcement officials to check the legal status of any individual suspected of being an illegal immigrant.

"The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that the federal government has broad and exclusive authority to regulate immigration, supported by both enumerated and implied constitutional powers," the ruling states.

Nicholas Riccardi, reporting from Phoenix for the L.A. Times:

Bolton's ruling found that the Obama administration was likely to prevail at trial in proving the two provisions, and two other ones in the sweeping law, were an unconstitutional attempt by Arizona to regulate immigration. Arizona is expected to immediately appeal the decision to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

Tribune Supreme Court reporter David Savage says that if the state were to appeal, the 9th Circuit would likely defer to the lower court's ruling.

President Obama, traveling to New Jersey when the ruling was issued, was not expected to address the matter. He was due to hold a roundtable with small business owners at a sub shop in Edison.

by Mike Memoli

We will indeed have an all-women gubernatorial matchup in Oklahoma this November, as Rep. Mary Fallin (R) and Lt. Gov. Jari Askins (D) won their respective primaries in the Sooner State Tuesday. As noted yesterday, it's the second such matchup this year, and just the fourth ever.

Fallin's win is noteworthy for another reason. It ends a streak of losses this year for sitting members of Congress running for governor. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) and Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC) all failed in their respective bids, with angst toward Washington a factor in their state races.

Of course, Fallin has only been in Congress for two terms. Before that, she was Askins' predecessor as the state's lieutenant governor. In the House, she replaced Rep. Ernie Istook (R), who lost to incumbent Brad Henry in the 2006 gubernatorial race. Henry is now term-limited.

Looking ahead, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (R) should easily win his primary on August 3, but Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R) is locked in a tight primary battle for the nomination in Michigan the same day. Days later, Rep. Zach Wamp (R) will also be on the ballot in an increasingly bitter GOP race in Tennessee.

Photo Credit: AP / Swamp Composite

by Mike Memoli

President Obama today goes to a sub shop in New Jersey and a daytime talk show set in New York as he looks to sell his message on the economy. Now, we can add Internet pitchman to the ubiquitous president's resume.

Laptop ready, Obama stars in a White House video on the major health site WebMD to explain to visitors how the administration's HealthCare.gov page, launched at the start of this month, works.

It's just the latest in a series of digital media pushes the administration has done months after the health care reform law was signed to prop up the legislation. Earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius participated in an online town hall at WebMD, in addition to regular web chats at WhiteHouse.gov.

"The video comes as the Affordable Care Act is growing increasingly popular with the American people who are beginning to see the benefits of health reform," the White House advertised in announcing the video. A CNN poll last week found that 44 percent of Americans approved of Obama's handling of health care, while 54 percent disapproved.

Turns out the ad was just a teaser.

After suspending his campaign and then dipping his toe back in the water, former Rep. Rob Simmons is diving back fully into the Connecticut Senate race. Our partners at The Courant report:

Simmons, the former congressman and intermittent candidate for U.S. Senate, stated unequivocally at the start of a debate Tuesday night that he is in the race -- even though he curtailed his campaign and released his staff shortly after losing the GOP endorsement to Linda McMahon at a party nominating convention in May.

"I am running for the United States Senate because I love my country and I don't like where it's going,'' Simmons told an audience at Trinity College. "I don't like the bailouts, I don't like the unemployment, I don't like the rising deficits, I don't like the foreclosures and in particular, I don't like the ... spending that threatens to bankrupt out country."

Simmons' move comes just two weeks before the state's primary. Linda McMahon had won the endorsement of the Connecticut GOP at the convention and was pressing ahead with a general election strategy after Simmons seemed to drop out.

by Mike Memoli

Oklahomans head to the polls today for the first of three potential votes to choose a new governor. And for the second time this year, we could have a historic outcome -- two female nominees representing the two major parties.

On the Republican side, Rep. Mary Fallin, a former lieutenant governor, is considered the frontrunner in a multi-candidate field. Democrats are choosing between current Lt. Gov. Jari Askins and state Attorney General Drew Edmondson. Should Askins emerge as the Democratic choice, the state would be guaranteed to elect its first woman governor in November.

It would also be just the fourth time ever that two women would compete in a gubernatorial race. Earlier this year New Mexico voters nominated Susana Martinez (R) and Diane Denish (D).

Currently six women serve as governors. Three are term-limited this fall and likely to be replaced by men: Jodi Rell (R-CT), Linda LIngle (R-HI) and Jennifer Granholm (D-MI). Arizona's Jan Brewer (R), is seeking a full term this November, after succeeding Janet Napolitano (D) in 2009. But as many as 12 additional states could choose new women governors this November.

Photo Credit: Sue Ogrocki / AP

by Mike Memoli

A new poll in Missouri crystallizes something we've written about before -- how President Obama's sagging poll ratings will affect Democratic candidates this November.

Mason Dixon finds that in Missouri, Obama's job approval rating is just 34 percent, and 27 percent among independent voters. In a battleground state, even one that Obama lost in 2008, that's a remarkable figure and troublesome for someone like Robin Carnahan, running in the open-seat Senate race. The same poll finds her trailing Rep. Roy Blunt by six points.

Christi Parsons and Peter Nicholas had noted that while Obama would be active raising money and campaigning for Democrats, White House and party strategists would likely keep him out of areas where his numbers render him more of a liability than an asset. Obama did just appear with Carnahan, but with numbers like this, he likely won't be back.

Another case of this is in Pennsylvania, where we noted Obama's numbers have continued to slide. Rep. Joe Sestak (D) today was asked if he wanted the president to join him on the trail; he said he would welcome the president -- but prefers his wife, Colby Itkowitz of the Morning Call reports today.

Photo Credit: White House / Pete Souza

by Christi Parsons

President Obama will tour the Ford plant on the south side of Chicago next week to talk about the recovery of the auto industry and the importance of investing in energy-efficient vehicles.

The visit Thursday, Aug. 5 will include a conversation with workers at the plant, where Ford officials recently announced plans to add 1,200 new jobs.

The company has been retrofitting its Torrence Avenue plant to manufacture the redesigned Explorer sport utility vehicle for several months now. The new Explorer is supposed to go on sale later this year.

Ford is investing in its Illinois operations to help launch the smaller, more fuel-efficient SUV, assisted by Department of Energy loan guarantees to companies that invest in clean energy upgrades.

Photo Credit: AP / Lawrence Jackson

by Mike Memoli

Lisa Mascaro and I reported for today's papers on the new troubles of New York Democrat Charlie Rangel, former chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. He faces a hearing before the House ethics committee next Thursday, what amounts to a trial over allegations including improper use of official letterhead and failure to pay taxes on rental property in the Dominican Republic.

But the real political problem facing Democrats is here:

Rangel, 80, could face reprimand, censure or expulsion if the House Ethics Committee determines he violated rules. Any such sanction would be subject to a vote of the full House.

Only two members of the House have been expelled, and the last was Jim Traficant, who had already been convicted at the time of the vote of his peers. It is unclear if there is any criminal investigation underway of Rangel, but most of his charges here are for violating House rules only.

When Rangel surrendered his chairman's gavel earlier this year, he said it was because he didn't want to become an issue for fellow Democrats in an election year. This hearing now is scheduled to begin after the 100-day countdown begins toward election day. Don't be surprised, then, if others in the Democratic caucus are quietly pushing for Rangel to resign before the hearing, which is open to the public and TV cameras, begins.

Photo Credit: AP / Alex Brandon

by Mike Memoli

In his first public comments on the matter, President Obama said that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack "jumped the gun" in seeking the resignation of Shirley Sherrod.

Speaking with ABC News in an interview to be aired Friday, Obama blamed Vilsack's hasty decision on the current media environment.

"He jumped the gun, partly because we now live in this media culture where something goes up on YouTube or a blog and everybody scrambles," he said. "I've told my team and I told my agencies that we have to make sure that we're focusing on doing the right thing instead of what looks to be politically necessary at that very moment. We have to take our time and think these issues through."

Press secretary Robert Gibbs has rejected suggestions that Vilsack resign over the matter.

Obama also talked of lessons to be learned from the incident, saying that "rather than us jumping to conclusions and pointing fingers at each other, we should all look inward and try to examine what's in our own hearts and, as a consequence, I think we will continue to make progress."

by James Oliphant

ORLANDO, FL -- Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio brought his campaign to Central Florida Thursday, trying to maintain momentum in a closely-watched race that has become increasingly competitive.

Rubio's bid has lost some of the limelight it attracted earlier this year, when a surge in his support from state Republicans drove Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to pursue the same Senate seat as an independent. But his fundraising remains robust, and polls show he and Crist locked in a tight race. Potential Democratic nominees Jeff Greene and Kendrick Meek are lagging behind. (The Democratic Senate primary will be held Aug. 24.)

While Crist's exit from the GOP in April was viewed in some circles as a desperate gamble that would extinguish his senatorial hopes, the opposite appears to have occurred. The governor has benefited from his statewide name recognition and high approval ratings and has seized the lead in the race as a result. And the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has allowed Crist to assume an even higher profile; he's taken several trips to the economically-ravished Panhandle, soaking up media coverage.

Crist has also attacked Rubio over his support of offshore oil drilling, an issue that has become central to the race here. The governor called a special session of the Florida Legislature earlier this week to debate amending the state constitution to ban offshore drilling in state waters. (It's already illegal under state law.) But the Republicans in the House and Senate, many of whom are aligned with Rubio, scotched the session almost immediately, determined not hand Crist a political victory.

For Rubio, it's all complicated a path to the Senate that once looked clear, but he remains a darling of conservatives. He'll be back in Orlando on Saturday in an event with talk show host Laura Ingraham. And Crist's drift leftward in pursuit of Democratic and independent voters have given Rubio an effective line of attack.

by Christi Parsons

President Obama and his family plan to spend a weekend this August on the Florida coast, just days before they head to Massachusetts for their regularly scheduled summer vacation, a White House official says.

The addition to the schedule will put the first family on the Gulf of Mexico as oil spill clean-up and possibly containment efforts continue, underscoring the president's message that the beleaguered coastal state is still a nice place to visit.

The visit may also help ward off criticism that, while the president encourages others to go to the Gulf, he will spend his vacation among the elite set on the island of Martha's Vineyard. This is the second year that the Obamas are spending there.

White House spokesman Bill Burton said the administration will announce in coming days which beach city the Obamas will visit.

by Lisa Mascaro

The House passed legislation Thursday extending unemployment insurance for 2.5 million jobless Americans, sending the bill to President Obama who is expected to quickly sign it into law.

Continued aid for the unemployed had been stalled for weeks over Republicans' insistence that the $33.9 billion cost be paid from spending cuts elsewhere. Democrats have argued that extending jobless aid has typically been treated as an emergency and not required a funding source.

The vote was 272-152.

The Senate broke the stalemate earlier this week when two Republicans joined Democrats to pass the bill.

Obama plans to quickly sign the legislation into law, which would unleash the aid to those who had their benefits cut off in late May. The aid would be retroactive to the cut off and continue through November.

President Obama has called Shirley Sherrod to express his personal apology over the events of this week. The White House sends this readout:

The President reached Ms. Sherrod by telephone at about 12:35. They spoke for seven minutes.

The President expressed to Ms. Sherrod his regret about the events of the last several days. He emphasized that Secretary Vilsack was sincere in his apology yesterday, and in his work to rid USDA of discrimination.

The President told Ms. Sherrod that this misfortune can present an opportunity for her to continue her hard work on behalf of those in need, and he hopes that she will do so.

Our partners at the Hartford Courant write today about the fascinating developments in the Connecticut Senate primary -- a race that seemed all but over when former Rep. Rob Simmons suspended his campaign months ago.

Well this week Simmons used money left in his campaign account to run TV ads that remind GOP voters he's still on the ballot.

"Today, it's important to vote with your heart and your head," goes the script for the 30-second spot. "Bailouts and tax increases have crippled the economy and cost us jobs. ... National security must remain strong. Put your trust in the candidate who is and will be an advocate for veterans. ... In the Republican primary on Aug. 10, you do have a choice. I'm Rob Simmons, I'm still on the ballot, and I approved this message."

Simmons, in a press release, minimized the significance of what he called "a public service announcement."

But the announcement served to maximize the wacky-factor in a campaign that may set a Connecticut standard for unpredictability. The McMahon campaign called it "very strange and erratic" behavior.

Despite the controversy over his occasional misrepresentation of his military service, Democratic nominee Dick Blumenthal is still considered a strong favorite in the race. These shenanigans ahead of the GOP primary next month do little to change that.

Photo Credit: AP / John Woike