Kevin Robillard
@robillard.bsky.social
2.6K followers 320 following 73 posts
HuffPost politics editor. Dad. Terp. Massachusetts native. Pitches, bookings, etc.: [email protected]
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
robillard.bsky.social
The strategy is also inherently causing conflicts with the party's insurgents, who want a clean break from unpopular party leadership + young, media-savvy candidates.

Platner is probably the candidate who best embodies the insurgency at the moment.
www.huffpost.com/entry/the-de...
robillard.bsky.social
Why are Senate Democrats recruiting 77-year-old Janet Mills? Because they're focused proven vote-winners: Everyone likes that they recruited Cooper + Brown.

But the same philosophy is leading them to back Mills, Stevens and Turek, which is causing grumbling.
www.huffpost.com/entry/the-de...
robillard.bsky.social
This is a noteworthy escalation from Sanders, who actually very rarely gets crosswise with the DSCC -- the only time he has endorsed against the DSCC's pick in his career was in Kentucky in 2020.

This cycle, he's backing both Platner + El-Sayed.
robillard.bsky.social
New Pew Research Center data:

66% say Trump has improperly used his office to punish people
62% say he's improperly encouraged fed'l investigation of his opponents
61% say he's improperly used his office to enrich himself.

www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
robillard.bsky.social
New: "Am I the Cuomo in this situation?"

Democrats' youth movement is heading to Arizona, where 25-year-old influencer Deja Foxx is making noise, but frontrunner Adelita Grijalva should make a tougher out than a certain former NY guv.

www.huffpost.com/entry/arizon...
A Race In Arizona Poses A Stiffer Test For Democrats’ Youth Movement
Not every front-runner is going to be Andrew Cuomo.
www.huffpost.com
robillard.bsky.social
New: I wrote about New Yorkers for Lower Costs, the partially grassroots-funded super PAC backing Mamdani that wouldn't make sense anywhere outside of NYC.

Their efforts provide some insights into Mamdani's broader strategy, and a contrast to Cuomo's super PAC: www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew...
Andrew Cuomo Has Bloomberg’s Cash. Zohran Mamdani Has These Guys.
How a small super PAC helped a progressive close the gap in the most-watched primary of the year.
www.huffpost.com
robillard.bsky.social
New: If it can happen to Cuomo, it can happen to them.

Why the former governor's struggles in the NYC mayor race should be a blaring alarm for establishment Democrats elsewhere.

www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew...
Andrew Cuomo’s Struggles Are A Blaring Alarm For The Democratic Establishment
If a spirited primary challenge can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.
www.huffpost.com
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
jamieson.bsky.social
The Senate's draft of the reconciliation bill is horrendous for federal workers. New hires would have to sacrifice 10% of their salary or else be classified as "at-will." A blatant scheme to undo job security and upend the civil service.
www.huffpost.com/entry/senate...
A Dangerous Plan From Senate Republicans Would Give Trump Even More Power
The proposal mirrors a House plan that would undermine civil service protections and give a president like Trump more power to fire whomever he wants.
www.huffpost.com
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
alannavagianos.bsky.social
NEW: Andrew Cuomo is mounting a stunning political comeback despite 12 women accusing him of sexual harassment just 3 years ago.

I spoke with several of the women whose claims were substantiated by three investigations. They feel betrayed & forgotten. www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew...
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
paulblumenthal.bsky.social
"The Government has apparently suggested to this Court — belatedly, and in sealed ex parte communications — that it was working to secure Abrego Garcia’s return"

What a filing in the Abrego Garcia case shows about sealed motions that led to a one week discovery stay www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-...
Trump Admin Reportedly Told Court A Different Story Than The Public In Sealed Communications
Lawyers for the wrongly deported man revealed a stark contrast to what Trump and his officials have been saying publicly.
www.huffpost.com
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
nytimes.com
Microsoft has dropped a law firm that settled with the Trump administration in favor of one that is fighting the president’s executive orders, in a sign that those firms can still attract clients.
Microsoft Drops Simpson Thacher & Bartlett Law Firm from a Case
The tech giant instead engaged a firm that is fighting the president’s executive orders, Jenner & Block, in a sign that those firms can still attract clients.
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
aedwardslevy.bsky.social
One other question we asked on our latest economic poll: Assuming pay was the same, would you rather have a manufacturing or office job?
73% office
26% manufacturing

s3.documentcloud.org/documents/25...
Crosstabs for the manufacturing vs. office work question described in post
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
ddayen.bsky.social
The House Education and Workforce section of the reconciliation bill would eliminate the Education Department's authority to cancel student debt for borrowers whose schools defraud them.
So if you're a victim of fraud by your college, you'd still have to pay that loan that was fraudulently derived.
robillard.bsky.social
New: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is moving to have his state boycott El Salvador in response to Bukele's assistance of Trump, ordering a review of pension investments and procurement contracts.

Allies hope other Dem states will follow suit.

www.huffpost.com/entry/democr...
Democratic Governor Moves To Boycott El Salvador For Aiding Trump
Illinois Gov. J.B. Prtizker is ordering the state's pension funds and procurement agencies to review any investments in the Latin American country.
www.huffpost.com
robillard.bsky.social
New: I reported out Democrats' intra-party battle on tariff messaging.

-This is partially/mostly a wonk fight about staffing the next D admin.

-Allowing space for some tariffs an average message in D polling.

-Tariff-friendly Dems are a mix of progs & moderates.

www.huffpost.com/entry/democr...
Democrats Are Fighting Trump’s Tariffs, And Each Other
Party members who allow space for tariffs when criticizing Trump's trade war have faced heavy criticism.
www.huffpost.com
robillard.bsky.social
Polis vs. Whitmer in the most explicit Democrat vs. Democrat argument we've seen so far on tariffs.
robillard.bsky.social
Trump approval going from -3 net to -8 net since last week in Economist/YouGov poll -->
today.yougov.com
NEW Economist/YouGov Poll, April 5-8
% who approve | disapprove of Trump's handling of his job as president
U.S. adult citizens 43% | 51% (last week: 46% | 49%)
Democrats 6% | 91%
Independents 32% | 56%
Republicans 90% | 8%
Men 48% | 48%
Women 38% | 54%
d3nkl3psvxxpe9.cloudfront.net/documents/ec...
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
paulblumenthal.bsky.social
Trump is copying the autocrats' playbook from Viktor Orban to end democracy in America. He's using autocratic legalism (or really autocratic illegalism) to turn the constitution and the law against themselves. Now's the time to stop this:
www.huffpost.com/entry/donald...
It Is Happening Here
Trump is following the playbook of autocrats around the world — and it could change America forever.
www.huffpost.com
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
fenitn.bsky.social
Hours after posting in support of measles vaccines, RFK Jr. praised two doctors who have criticized vaccines and tout alternative treatments.

One called the outbreak “God’s version of measles immunization.” The other was disciplined by medical regulators in 2003
Reposted by Kevin Robillard
ryanjreilly.com
Trump prosecutor compares use of Jan. 6 charge to internment of Japanese Americans:

www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...