Ali Vitali

NBC got an exclusive look at virtual training sessions that the party hopes will reach thousands.

South Carolina GOP Senator Tim Scott’s campaign is lobbying the Republican National Committee to more heavily weight state polling — specifically from Iowa — in their debate qualification and podium-placement thresholds, according to letters obtained by NBC News. “Relying on national polling results for the podium placement simply would not represent where the candidates actually stand in relation to where we are in the process with the voters,” campaign manager Jen DeCasper writes to the RNC, a…

DES MOINES, Iowa — While Nikki Haley was on the debate stage in Milwaukee last month, her Iowa state director’s phone was blowing up. “Just from start to end during the debate, I got more than 400 texts and emails from different people saying, ‘I’m in,’” Bill Mackey told NBC News, saying he heard from many Iowa voters that saw her standout performance as “their moment of saying ‘OK, I’ve seen enough.’” It’s with that new level of attention and expectation that Haley returns to Iowa Friday — her…

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — Sen. Tim Scott is beloved by congressional colleagues, complimented by voters who see him as “really nice,” and even praised by his rivals — including barb-trader-in-chief Donald Trump. But being Mr. Nice Guy might be one reason why Scott struggled to break through at last month’s GOP presidential debate. And Wednesday’s second debate is going to be another test of Scott’s bet that the nice guy won’t finish last — a bet he’s answering for on the campaign trail, too. At rece…

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Jordan said Thursday that he has spoken about his bid to be the next speaker with Donald Trump and that he would not support ousting Rep. Matt Gaetz from the Republican caucus even amid anger by some lawmakers after he led Kevin McCarthy’s removal. “I talked to the president about this and all kinds of issues,” Jordan, a staunch ally of the former president, said in an interview with NBC News on Thursday. Asked if Trump supports his bid for speaker, Jordan said: “I don’t wa…

WASHINGTON — A Republican congresswoman who initially supported Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker before she backed another GOP lawmaker said she received death threats and threatening phone calls after she cast her vote Wednesday. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, revealed the death threats in a statement just hours after Jordan failed to secure enough votes in the second round of balloting for House speaker. “Since my vote ... I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threat…

WASHINGTON — An effort backed by Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to empower interim Speaker Patrick McHenry of North Carolina collapsed Thursday after it became clear it wouldn’t get enough support from House Republicans. Jordan, the GOP’s latest nominee for speaker, who lost two rounds of votes this week, had floated the idea of temporarily empowering McHenry while he worked to shore up enough support for his own candidacy, according to three sources. The plan would have empowered McHenry until Januar…

WASHINGTON — As Republicans remain stalled on picking the next House speaker, nearly a dozen men have looked in the mirror and — despite little to no name recognition or the possibility of getting the job — imagined themselves as the most powerful person in the House. Zero women within the GOP’s ranks have moved to do the same. That’s not because there aren’t options. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York serves as the No. 4 Republican in leadership. Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan and Stephanie Bice o…

WASHINGTON — Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is floating a plan that would reinstall him as House speaker and make a conservative Trump ally, Rep. Jim Jordan, the assistant speaker, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The pitch comes amid a prolonged impasse among Republicans, who have been unable to coalesce around a House leader for the past three weeks. Follow live updates on the speaker race The proposed alliance aims to unite warring factions of the House Republican Conferen…

Less than 24 hours after a surprise announcement that he was dropping his presidential bid, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is visiting with staff at the campaign’s Charleston headquarters, according to a campaign official — following a short Sunday night call with bewildered campaign workers who were surprised by the end of Scott’s 2024 run. Scott acknowledged to his staff that the announcement — made during an evening appearance on Fox News — “may have caught you by surprise.” But he argued t…