From someone close to the Blunt camp:
–”We are getting close. He’s making his calls and getting close to wrapping this up. It could happen as early as tonight.”
–”An issue that is emerging is immigration. We’re hearing about it from immigration folks on the outside and from the inside too. It’s an issue where there’s a stark difference.” Boehner voted against the immigration bill that just passed, pitting him against majority sentiment on the question among House Republicans.
–”Blunt has emphasized the momentous accomplishments of recent weeks. We passed a budget reconciliation bill for the first time since 1997. An immigration bill for the first time since 1996. We accomplished all that in two weeks.”
–”When it comes to the Boehner plan, calling for a task force for finding our vision–that’s not exactly action.”
–”Blunt’s support comes from across the conference, conservatives, moderates, and folks who probably wouldn’t identify themselves in either camp. Geographically, his support is coming from all over the place.”
–”No one has questioned Blunt’s conservative credentials. He’s been able to work with conservatives and moderates, [on an agenda] important to both groups. On something like the deficit reduction act, [which passed over unified Democratic opposition,] you have to be able to assemble a coalition.”