Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Markey Wins in Massachusetts - Ed Markey has won the Massachusetts special Senate election, keeping both Bay State Senate seats in Democratic hands and denying Republican Gabriel Gomez’s bid to repeat Scott Brown’s stunning upset of 2010.
 
Markey led by 10 percentage points, 55 percent to 45 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.  Politico.com has more here.
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Watch Gallery Fibuster Supporting Texas state Senate Wendy Davis - There was an extraordinary scene overnight in the Texas state senate as a packed gallery of pro choice protesters showed their support for state Sen. Wendy Davis (D), who led a filibuster aimed at derailing what would have been the toughest abortion measure in the country.
 
Although the bill ultimately died anyway, Davis' filibuster fell three hours short after the chairman ruled that she had veered off topic. The ruling prompted the protesters to stage their own "gallery filibuster," cheering and chanting for more than ten minutes. TPM.com has more here.

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Strong Support Among Democrats for Obama Drops - Obama’s favorability stands at 53 percent, compared to 44 percent of Americans who view him unfavorably. While 85 percent of Democrats regard Obama favorably, the number of those who are strongly supportive of him has dropped since the start of the year. Just 58 percent of Democrats describe themselves as having a “strongly favorable” view of Obama, down from 72 percent who said the same in January. Obama’s numbers among liberal as well as moderate/conservative Democrats are also at their lowest levels in Post-ABC polling since prior to the Democratic National Convention in the summer of 2012.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Weiner Leads in Race for New York Mayor - Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner leads City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in the race for New York City’s Democratic mayoral nomination for the first time, snatching the frontrunner mantle as the contest heads into the final months before the primary, the latest survey from The Wall Street Journal-NBC New York-Marist showed.

Among registered Democrats, Mr. Weiner had 25% of the vote, compared with Ms. Quinn, who had 20%, marking her lowest level of support since polling of the race began. Trailing them were former Comptroller Bill Thompson, at 13%, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, 10% and city Comptroller John Liu, 8%. Fewer than one in five Democrats say they are undecided. The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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New Jersey Senate Candidate Corey Booker Releases First Campaign Ad - "I spent my career not running from challenges but toward them," Booker said in the ad titled "Run."

"Washington ducks our problems, I won't."

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Ted Olson and David Boise

Rulings on Same-Sex Marriage Expected from Supreme Court Today - The Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday in a pair of historic cases on same-sex marriage.

The court is set to rule in two cases on same-sex marriage. The first challenges the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — the federal law, enacted in 1996, that prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits, even if they live in a state where same-sex marriage is legal.

Most observers expect the court to strike down DOMA, but as an encroachment on the rights of states rather than those of same-sex couples.

The second and more complicated case is a challenge to California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Mursi to Address Egyptian People as Unrest Grows - President Mohamed Mursi will speak to the Egyptian people on Wednesday in a televised address that could determine his political survival as millions prepare to rally to demand his removal this weekend.

Fears of a showdown in the streets between Mursi's Islamist supporters and a broad coalition of the disaffected have led people to stock up on food and buy up fuel supplies.

The army and police are preparing to contain any trouble, adding men and barriers around important public buildings.  Reuters.com has more here.

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