Tuesday Must-Reads: Playing Catch-Up

We were taking a rest over Memorial Day weekend (themed polling: Veterans are more Republican), but the news was not. The biggest political story of the long weekend broke this morning, as word leaked of Obama’s first SCOTUS choice: Sonia Sotomayor The other focus for political writers is Obama’s fundraiser today in Las Vegas for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Reid is a top target for Republicans, but seems to be preparing well for the battle. Republicans have already been criticizing the senator, and one PAC is attacking with a decades-old quote from beloved President Ronald Reagan. The state’s Republican governor, insulted over an Obama comment about Vegas, has declined a meet-and-greet with the president. Another senator gearing up for a battle next year is Arlen Specter, who has been working the local Pennsylvania Democratic ranks to ensure support. Down in Virginia, former and likely future presidential candidate Mitt Romney is getting his face out there with a campaign run in support of Republican candidates running this fall. State Democrats are waging a battle for the gubernatorial nomination, and the race is focusing on one issue: Terry McAuliffe. Here’s a rundown of this weekend’s stories assessing the level of GOP crisis: As a more conservative politician is set to replace former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, the conservative-moderate battle has arrived in Utah; the party’s all-white, all-male ticket in Florida might not play well in an increasingly diverse state; the party’s dominance in the South may be masking their wider weaknesses. But in the good news department, crisis figurehead Michael Steele seems to have won over some of his critics. A few stories on political strategy: Politico offers up the 5 most coveted email lists in politics; more Republicans are turning to the left-leaning Huffington Post as a messaging outlet; one blogger bemoans fundraising calls masked as telephone surveys. Finally, a TV show that Politics readers should enjoy: John Brabender is working on a show depicting the behind-the-scenes drama of a U.S. Senate special election.