Reps in the News: Air Force F-35s Coming to Madison Airfield

Congressman Mike Gallagher

Rep. Gallagher released the following statement on President Trump’s new National Security Strategy:  “After nearly a decade of leading from behind, the new National Security Strategy is an important step forward in restoring American leadership. It’s clear-eyed about our friends and adversaries, and sets a long-overdue framework for strategic competition with states like Russia and China. In order to fulfill the role envisioned by this strategy, Congress must act this week to end dangerous defense cuts that continue to damage our military and threaten our national security.”

Source:  Gallagher press release

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Outside spending against Democratic incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has so far exceeded the combined outside spending against the other 21 Democratic Party senators up for reelection in 2018 by a factor of five. There has been $3.1 million in outside spending against Baldwin, and about $532,000 against the other Democratic incumbents combined. Another $6,214 has been spent against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats. Baldwin is one of 10 Senate Democrats running for reelection in states that President Donald Trump carried in 2016. Nearly all of the conservative-aligned outside spending has targeted Baldwin, however. Baldwin has been a senator since 2013 and was formerly the representative for Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District. Among Democratic senators in Trump-carried states, the next largest amount was about $47,000 targeting West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin. About $42,000 has been spent against Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, according to FEC data.

Source:  opensecrets.org

Senator Ron Johnson

Sen. Johnson released the following statement after the United States Air Force chose Wisconsin’s 115th Fighter Wing at Truax Field in Madison to receive the F-35A Lightning II:  “This is great news for the future of the Wisconsin Air National Guard, the employees of Truax Field, and all of southern Wisconsin. I applaud the Air Force for recognizing the strategic importance of our state, and I look forward to Wisconsin playing a major role as the Air Force modernizes and enhances its capabilities to keep America safe and secure.” The Air Force used an objective selection process to identify candidate bases and ultimately selected Truax as one of the two Air National Guard bases to host the F-35A.

Source:  Johnson press release

President Donald Trump

President Trump is the first president in nearly a century to not hold a state dinner during his first year in office. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said there isn’t a “singular reason” Trump hasn’t held a state dinner. Anita McBride – a veteran of three Republican administrations who last served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush – said state dinners are occasions that “really go a long way to solidify and strengthen relationships.” During his presidential campaign, Trump made comments regarding state dinners when former President Obama held a 2015 state visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “I would not be throwing (Xi) a dinner,” Trump said. “I would get him a McDonald’s hamburger and say we’ve got to get down to work.”

Source:  thehill.com