GOP Win in Kentucky Sets Up Affordable Care Act Fight

Feeling the pressure to turn his campaign around, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush stepped off his new campaign bus in Rye, N.H., with energy he has yet to display on the campaign trail. Nearly shouting his way through the opening of a town hall, Bush deployed new lines like, “The government is a parasite. We’re the host,” and “We’re Americans, dammit,” responding to the defeatist attitude of some of his rivals. Bush followed it up with a McCain-esque move of inviting reporters tor ride along with him to his next stop, where he was even more animated. The move comes as Bush’s poll numbers in New Hampshire and nationally have cratered and he prepares to run a far different campaign than the one he envisioned when he first decided to run for president 11 months ago.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is seeking to take advantage of Bush’s slide, seeing more of an opening for an outspoken governor in the race. With a scrappy team and a refocused message highlighting his “tested” record amid scrutiny, Christie is hoping to edge out the senators and outsiders in the race, while rising above Bush with a more engaging performance on the stump. Meanwhile Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is under renewed scrutiny from Democrats and Republicans, most recently for his use of a party credit card for personal purposes. The controversy has long been covered, but is resurfacing as his surging candidacy draws the attention of opposition researchers and the media, and is only the first in a line of old vulnerabilities likely to be trotted out.

Kentucky Gov-elect Matt Bevin has promised to undo the state’s healthcare reform efforts, turning the state into the first experiment of what a national win by a Republican in the White House could looking. The state’s program had frequently been championed by President Obama but now is on the chopping block.

Donald Trump calls on Bush to get out of the race. Bush jokingly apologizes to France and explores the limits of his “fix it” powers. And Ohio rejects legalizing marijuana.

Here are your must-reads:

Must Reads

Chris Christie Seeks Comeback As Jeb Bush Slides
An emboldened makes moves to rise [TIME]

Donald Trump Pitches New Book (and a Campaign, Too)
The book tour comes to him [New York Times]

GOP win in Kentucky Sets Up Unprecedented Affordable Care Act Fight
Governor-elect promises to undo state’s health reforms [Washington Post]

Ben Carson’s Medicare Muddle
Under attack from his rivals, the former neurosurgeon backed away from his original Medicare plan. The details of a promised new plan are a little hazy [Politico]

Marco Rubio Spent Lavishly on a GOP Credit Card, But Some Transactions Are Still Secret
An old scandal resurfaces for the surging candidate [Tampa Bay Times]

Sound Off

“Look, Jeb is a nice guy. He’s a stiff, okay? He’s a nice guy. He doesn’t have a chance, alright. He ought to do what Walker did … Jeb is not a man that’s going to make it. He’s wasting his time, he’s wasting a lot of money.” — Donald Trump to ABC Tuesday

“This is not the problem of a president…I’m not going to solve your septic problem.” —Jeb Bush on the limits of his “Jeb Can Fix It” message at a town hall in Raymond, N.H.

Bits and Bites

Prominent Hispanic Intellectuals Criticize Trump Campaign [TIME]

Jeb Bush Says He Was Wrong about France’s Workweek [TIME]

Ohioans Reject Legalizing Marijuana [Columbus Dispatch]

To Save Campaign, Jeb Bush Hires TV Wizard Who Trains Fox News Anchors [New York Magazine]

The Weaponization of ‘Truther’ [New York Times Magazine]

2016 Legislative Calendars Leave Plenty of Room for Campaigning [New York Times]

Obama Will Decide on Keystone Pipeline Before He Leaves Office [Washington Post]

Clinton Proposes $12 Federal Minimum Wage [Washington Post]

Sen. Bob Corker Profits on Quick Stock Trades [Wall Street Journal]