Guess We Better Pass Another Gas Tax!

The Joe Cunningham Show airs 3-4 p.m. every weekday on NewsTalk 96.5 KPEL. The daily show notes offer you a look into the topics of the day and the links to the top stories and Joe's own writings on the state of politics in Louisiana and around the country. Follow Joe on Twitter at @JoePCunningham and Like the Joe Cunningham Show on Facebook. You can also subscribe to the Joe Cunningham Show podcast on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, or Amazon.

Electric Vehicles Will Cost The State A Lot Of Money

State Legislative Auditor Michael Waguespack has a new report out about just how big of an impact the push for electric vehicles will have on state transportation funding. According to his report, money going into the transportation fund from gas taxes will drop by more than half a billion over the next ten years. If you listened to Moon Griffon yesterday, you heard him reference a report on the gas tax not being high enough. So, with the federal government pushing everyone to get an electric vehicle, and EV's apparently costing the state money down the road (literally), and a new tax on EV and hybrid owners, it looks like what you're going to be paying more regardless.

Unless, of course, our beloved state government decides we should focus on strategic cuts and better financial management than raising taxes.

The GOP's Feud Over Candidates And Money

Doug Mills-Pool, Getty Images

I mentioned this on the air yesterday, but the GOP's grifter problem is leading to a major rift between top Republicans like Mitch McConnell and Rick Scott. The latter's running of the NRSC has left the organization with little money to contribute to campaigns across the country, and as a result, McConnell is having to jump in with his Super PAC to supplement struggling campaigns. Meanwhile, their feud is dividing the GOP caucus, and it could lead to Republican disappointment in November.

Swing States Show Positive Signs For GOP

A few stories to tie together here that show the GOP (despite the Senate GOP's dysfunction) making some gains in other states. Stacey Abrams is struggling in Georgia while Raphael Warnock has resorted to saying "Debate me, coward!" to Herschel Walker for Senate. In fact, Walker has a great new ad that is going to make Democrats mad.

In New York, there is polling showing the governor's race there is tighter than you might expect (though Gov. Kathy Hochul is still likely to win). Then, there's the West and Midwest.

Democratic governors swept across the middle of the country in 2018, winning governorships in states like Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. And while all the races will be hyper-competitive in November, Democrats have piled up fundraising advantages and polling leads in those states, from Govs. Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan and Tony Evers in Wisconsin to open-seat Pennsylvania candidate Josh Shapiro.
Yet as some of those races have gotten tougher for the GOP, Republicans have grown increasingly bullish on a quartet of gubernatorial elections further west: Defending their open seat in Arizona, challenging incumbent Democrats in New Mexico and Nevada, and — most surprisingly — making a strong charge for the open seat in reliably blue Oregon, where an independent candidate has scrambled the usual electoral math.
Those dynamics — along with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision focusing more attention than ever on elections for governor — have seen Republicans get a boost in some places while also buoying Democratic hopes of beating back a wave in some of the key presidential battleground states.

The GOP does have some candidate quality issues, but the environment still favors the GOP in federal races. At the state level, though, it's trickier. But, you can expect Republicans to have a slightly better advantage than current polling indicates.

Headlines Of The Day

Lafayette Council Votes To Approve LUS Rate Hike In 2023 (KPEL)
Seattle Public School Students Miss Start of School as Teachers Go on Strike (RedState)
DOJ Considers Next Move After Judge Grants Trump’s Request for Special Master (Wall Street Journal)
Student loan forgiveness ‘is fiscal recklessness,’ Purdue University president says (Yahoo)
Europe Says Russia’s Gas Power Is Weakening (New York Times)

Tweet Of The Day

Ways to Avoid the Bite of Mosquitoes

It doesn't matter what time of year it is, Louisiana can experience a rapid change in weather in just a matter of twenty-four hours. With warming temperatures, it seems like we constantly have to deal with mosquitoes.

Look, whether it's getting rid of standing water or wearing insect repellent, there are several things you can do to get rid of mosquitoes.