Tipsheet: Dems shrug off recent good news for GOP

View in your browser     Dems shrug off recent good news for GOP By Amie Parnes and Mike Lillis   Democrats are shrugging off a series of favorable polls and news cycles for Republicans, arguing it has done little if anything to change the trajectory of a midterm election year they believe will end with losses for the GOP. They say the electorate is exhausted with President Trump, and in the end they predict that Republicans in Congress will feel the pain. Read the full story here     Listen: Trump weighs releasing Dem memo By Alexis Simendinger   The Hill's Jordan Fabian discusses a Democrat-authored House memo now in the hands of President Trump. Listen to The Hill's podcast here     Pressure builds on Trump to release Dem countermemo By Katie Bo Williams and Jordan Fabian President Trump is under mounting pressure to allow the release of a Democratic rebuttal to a GOP memo that alleges bias in the FBI’s handling of the Russia investigation. Read the full story here       Senate leaders say they're zeroing in on two-year budget deal By Alexander Bolton and Melanie Zanona Senate leaders on Tuesday said they are close to a two-year budget deal that could avert a government shutdown and set up a debate on immigration reform next week. Read the full story here     House passes stopgap spending measure with defense money By Melanie Zanona House Republicans passed a spending package on Tuesday night that pairs a full year of defense funding with a temporary patch for the rest of the government, even as Senate leaders pursue a different plan to avoid a shutdown when funding runs dry on Thursday. Read the full story here     McConnell: 'Whoever gets to 60 wins' on immigration' By Jordain Carney Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is pledging to begin a free-flowing immigration debate next week, saying any proposal that gets 60 votes could get through the upper chamber. Read the full story here     Pentagon planning grand military parade for Trump By Avery Anapol President Trump has asked the Pentagon to explore holding "a celebration" for Americans to show their appreciation for the armed forces, the White House said, amid reports that military leaders have begun planning a military parade at his request. Read the full story here     Abortion fights loom in states By Reid Wilson Both sides of the abortion rights debate are preparing for a busy year of fights over when and how abortions may be performed in states across the country — and both sides are developing a long-term strategy that could involve a new challenge to Roe v. Wade. Read the full story here     Dems pick up deep-red legislative seat in Missouri By Reid Wilson Democrats won an exurban St. Louis seat in the Missouri state House of Representatives on Tuesday, racking up another victory in a district carried easily by President Trump in the 2016 election. Read the full story here     GOP worries about top recruit facing McCaskill By Lisa Hagen and Ben Kamisar Republicans are grumbling about GOP Senate hopeful Josh Hawley's lackluster fundraising and recent controversial comments, prompting unease within the GOP that the Missouri Republican could cost his party a chance at unseating one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats.  Read the full story here     How to grow the economy in 2018 By Douglas Holtz Eakin OPINION | There is little debate that the United States needs faster economic growth. From the fourth quarter of 2015 to the fourth quarter of 2016, real gross domestic product (GDP) rose only 1.8 percent, while labor productivity grew only 0.9 percent. The fallout for American workers was devastating, as real incomes among those households who worked full time for all of 2016 saw no rise whatsoever in their real income. Read the full story here     Forget the Nunes memo — where's the transparency with Trump’s personal finances? By Robert Hockett OPINION | Last week’s flap over the Nunes memo has brought to light something interesting. I refer to the Republicans apparently newfound interest in “transparency” on the part of public officials. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Trump’s talk of unity replaced by ‘treason’ and ‘shutdown’ By Mark Landler President Trump’s call for bipartisanship at the State of the Union address lasted about a week before a sharp reversal in tone. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Trump continues to paint immigrants as criminals By Jill Colvin President Donald Trump is continuing his habit of painting immigrants as criminals, highlighting gang connections, calling family reunification a national security threat and bemoaning the death of a pro football player involved in a car accident with a man living in the country illegally. Read the full story here     Reuters: Key US Democrat suggests contempt proceedings for Bannon By Patricia Zengerle The top Democrat on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee said on Tuesday the panel should begin contempt proceedings if Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, continues to refuse to testify in an investigation of Russia and the 2016 presidential election. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: Democrats target GOP-held House districts that Hillary Clinton won By Julie Bykowicz   Donors give Democratic candidates a $4 million advantage over Republican incumbents in 23 districts as the opposition tries to win back the House in midterm elections. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: North Korea to face harshest US sanctions ever, Pence vows By Anna Fifield and Ashley Parker   The Trump administration plans to roll out the sanctions in the coming days, the vice president said. 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