All Eyes on Georgia

The eyes of the political world are on the Georgia 6th congressional district, where a special election is being held to fill the House seat vacated by now-HHS Secretary Tom Price. Democrat Jon Ossoff is facing off against a field of more than 10 Republicans, including the GOP poll leader Karen Handel, in a race that has taken on national significance for both parties. The election is a jungle primary, meaning that unless one of the finishes with greater than 50 percent of the vote, the top two finishers will face each other in a run-off. Democrats see the race as evidence of a new generation of political leaders, activists and donors emerging after Hillary Clinton’s defeat last year. They hope a win in what is usually a heavily GOP-leaning district will amount to a poke in the eye for President Trump and have poured millions of dollars and tens of thousands of volunteer hours into the race. For Republicans, it’s the latest forum for the party’s ongoing civil war, with divided factions threatening to cost them a seat they should win. For Trump himself, he’s trying to avoid it becoming a black mark on his first 100 days. In a tweet late Monday he sought to lower expectations. “With eleven Republican candidates running in Georgia (on Tuesday) for Congress, a runoff will be a win. Vote ‘R’ for lower taxes & safety,” he tweeted. Polls show Ossoff pushing close to the 50 percent threshold, but both parties are expecting a deeply-contested run-off if it comes to that.

Trump aides are huddling Tuesday to determine the future of the U.S. participation in the Paris climate accord, with the dueling factions in the White House seeking to sway the president to their side of the issue. Meanwhile, the president is traveling to Wisconsin to sign an executive order calling for a review of federal visa and “Buy American” policies, as he looks to fulfill his campaign’s populist provisions. But Trump is falling short of his pledge to end the H-1B program, which is popular with big business.

Trump calls to congratulate Turkey’s Erdogan as international groups warn of possible malpractice. Ivanka’s business prospers. And Chelsea Clinton defends the Trump kids.

Here are your must reads:

Must Reads

In or Out? Trump Aides to Huddle on Climate Accord Tuesday
Fate of Paris deal may hang in the balance [Associated Press]

White House Argues That More Public Disclosure Is Unnecessary, Even Harmful
Drain the… [New York Times]

Georgia House Race Stokes GOP Identity Crisis — and Opportunity for Democrats
Trump steps up engagement at 11th hour [Washington Post]

He’s a Democratic Party Sensation. He Barely Mentions Donald Trump
Jon Ossoff’s campaign is in the spotlight [TIME]

Donald Trump’s Presidency Slows His Business’s Growth
Amid concerns over conflicts, son Eric Trump says company is forgoing some deals [Wall Street Journal]

Sound Off

“Now, what am I going to do? Start a trade war with China in the middle of him working on a bigger problem, frankly, with North Korea?…I haven’t changed my stance. China’s trying to help us. I don’t know if they’re going to be able to or not.” — President Trump to Fox & Friends when pressed on why he isn’t fulfilling his campaign pledge to label China a currency manipulator

“We’re following basically the same thing that members of Congress follow. You go in and you meet with a member of Congress right now, that there’s an option for people to go in and express their opinion. If they want to make it public, who’s meeting with them — and in a lot of cases we do, we bring in you guys to probably a greater extent than has happened before in terms of the pool spray. We list participant lists. But I think there’s an opportunity sometimes for American people who want to come in and have a conversation and not become — and be able to share their view.” — White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer defending the Administration’s decision not to release White House visitor logs

Bits and Bites

President Trump to Order Review of Visa Programs, ‘Buy American’ Provisions [TIME]

President Trump Congratulates Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Referendum Victory [TIME]

Chelsea Clinton Stands Up for President Trump’s Kids: Their ‘Protection Should Not Be Politicized’ [People]

Georgia special election: one local penny for every $10 in national cash [Center for Public Integrity]

Benghazi-obsessed Trump MIA on key security post [Politico]

Ivanka’s biz prospers as politics mixes with business [Associated Press]

Chris Christie Heads for the Door, Minus the Earlier Throngs [New York Times]

Vice President Mike Pence: U.S. Will Not Rest Until North Korea Gives Up Nuclear Weapons [Associated Press]

President Trump Defends Flip on China Currency Manipulation [TIME]