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President Trump has not ruled out cancelling Congresss August recess to force votes on nominees that the administration says have been held up by unpretending obstructionism by Democrats.

Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, said Senate Democrats blocking of confirmation of key nominees was jeopardizing national security and denying Americans a fully staffed federal government.

The president has every right to call Congress back if necessary, Mr. Short told reporters at the White House.

Of the total 216 nomination for civilian positions, the Senate has confirmed 23 percent, or about 49 winning approval.

By comparison, the Senate confirmed 69 percent of President Obamas 454 nominees that were submitted by the August recess in 2009. Thats about 313 nominees confirmed in the same period of time.

Mr. Short said that Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, had run an unprecedented campaign of obstruction.

Democrats even walked out of committee hearings to deny quorums, like schoolchildren taking their toys from the playground, he said. But it is the American people who are being hurt.

Mr. Schumers office responded by saying the White House has only itself to blame for vacant administrative posts.

Thus far, the nomination process has been defined by the failure of the Trump administration to submit names for hundreds of vacant jobs, incomplete and delayed ethics and nominations paperwork from the nominees themselves, and repeated withdrawals of nominees for key positions, Mr. Schumers office said in a statement. If the White House is looking for someone to blame, they ought to look in a mirror.

Indeed, Mr. Trump has submitted about half as many nominations to the Senate as Mr. Obama at the same point in his presidency. But that does not explain the slow pace of votes on the names Mr. Trump sent over.

Mr. Schumer cited about 26 of Mr. Trumps nominees that he said were held up due to paperwork delays. With 49 confirmed, that leaves an unexplained backlog of about 141 nominees.

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Trump mulls cancelling Congress' summer recess to break Senate Democrat obstruction of nominees - Washington Times

Stacey Abrams speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Former House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams raised about $540,000 for her campaign for Georgia governor. But her campaign pointed as much to another number on her report: She netted donations from 3,000 contributors, and half were under $25.

Abrams, who formally entered the race in early June, has received a flood of national attention for her run. She would be the first black governor in Georgia and the first black female governor in the nation.

The Democrat has sought early funding from national sources, including a New York fundraiser hosted by Alexander Soros, the son of billionaire Democratic mega-donor George Soros. The Soros family gave her about $60,000 of her total, and more than half of her donors came from out of state.

The Democrats campaign said in a statement that she has spent the opening weeks hiring staff, traveling the state and building a get-out-the-vote effort. Her financial report shows she has spent more than half of her warchest about $320,000 on expenses. Roughly $120,000 was spent on staff salary and travel costs.

Her supporters are confident shell be able to tap into enough new fundraisers to float those costs. She sports endorsements from several prominent groups, including Democracy for America, Emilys List and several local unions who plan to marshal their resources behind her campaign.

Abrams faces state Rep. Stacey Evans, a Smyrna Democrat who has made improving the HOPE scholarship the centerpiece of her campaign, in next years primary. Evans, who is expected to dip into her own wallet to help finance the campaign, has yet to report her financial figures.

Four Republicans are in the race: Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Secretary of State Brian Kemp and state Sens. Hunter Hill and Michael Williams. Cagle reported raising more than $2.7 million, while Kemp netted about $1.7 million. Hill said he topped the $1 million mark.

The fundraising figures are an important early gauge of a candidates strength, and theyre watched closely by activists and donors who have yet to pick a side in the race.

Read more on MyAJC: How Trump is shaking up the governors race

And: Georgia governor race: Who is running in 2018

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Georgia 2018: Democrat Abrams nets $500K in governor bid - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

Jul. 10, 2017 at 10:31 AM

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill doesnt yet have a high-quality opponent in her 2018 Senate race. Shes not the only Democrat lacking a serious GOP challenger.

Is the GOP going to fail to take advantage of one of the best Senate playing fields in a generation? Last week, the chance that Republicans will enlarge their Senate majority in 2018 took a hit when Republican Rep. Ann Wagner declared that she would not challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in Missouri. Wagner was supposed to be a top recruit, and some outlets had even said she would get in the race in July. Instead, she said she would run for re-election to the House. McCaskill remains without a high-profile challenger for now.

Even with President Trumps low approval rating, Republicans have been hoping to increase their Senate majority. Although Republicans control 52 of 100 seats in Congresss upper chamber, they hold just eight of the 33 seats up for re-election in 2018. Yet McCaskills story is not unique in the 2018 cycle. Its still early, but so far Republicans have generally struggled to recruit high-quality candidates for the 10 seats Democrats are defending in states Trump won in 2016 though theres still time.

In those 10 states, only three races (Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia) have what could be deemed high-quality Republican challengers (officials, for example, who have been elected to big-city mayorships or statewide or federal office). Obviously, what makes a good challenger is a bit of a judgment call, but traditionally challengers who have held higher elected office run stronger than those who have little or no political experience.

In states Trump won, highest elected office for a declared Republican candidate running against a Democratic senator up for re-election in 2018

*State Rep. Paul Curtman is expected to announce this week that he is forming an an exploratory committee.

SourceS: Federal Election Commission, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Green Papers

Floridas Bill Nelson, Indianas Joe Donnelly, North Dakotas Heidi Heitkamp and Wisconsins Tammy Baldwin so far dont have any challengers who have held a notable elected office. That may not last, but its not a good sign for Republicans at this point. Youd think that Heitkamp, especially, who won election by just a point in 2012 and is running in a state Trump won by 36 points, would have at least one high-profile opponent.

Democrats have been far more successful at recruiting, despite facing a tougher map. In the only 2018 Senate race taking place in a state that Trump lost and that has a Republican incumbent up for election, Nevada Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen has already declared that shes going to oppose Republican Sen. Dean Heller. Rosen may face a primary challenge from Democratic Rep. Dina Titus. In Texas, where Trump won by less than 10 points, Democratic Rep. Beto ORourke is taking on Sen. Ted Cruz. Even Arizona Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, who so far has avoided any high-profile challengers, could potentially face Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton in a state Trump won by less than 5 points.

The fact that Democrats are enjoying more success in recruiting is a sign that the 2018 political environment favors Democrats. Elected officials usually dont like to get into races that they think theyll lose. And given that the Senate races are tilted toward Republicans already, it suggests that in the House, where every representative is up for election, Democrats will be on the offensive.

Although challenger quality can be overrated in determining election outcomes (i.e., a rising political tide can lift all boats), it has mattered in federal elections. In the House, we know that elected officials have had a much better success rate when it comes to knocking off incumbents than those with less experience. Even controlling for other factors, the FiveThirtyEight Senate election forecasting model, based off of past elections, gives the highest-end officeholders a net 6- to 7-point advantage versus those who have never held elected office.

Higher-end officeholders have a number of advantages over other types of Senate seekers. They tend to have better fundraising networks because theyve run for office before, which can make the difference in close races. They have higher statewide name identification, which can, at least initially, give them better poll numbers, which itself can lead to better fundraising. Finally, higher-end office seekers tend to have campaign experience and are less likely to make major boneheaded campaign mistakes or have skeletons in their closet.

Still, even if the GOPs poor recruitment continues, it is unlikely to cost Republicans control of the Senate in 2018. Democrats chances of picking up a net gain of at least three seats is probably only a little better than that of pulling an inside straight (about 1 in 10) given the Senate playing field. The most likely outcome ranges from a two-seat Democratic gain to a two-seat Republican gain. But such small differences could make a big difference in governing.

Lets say Republicans were to lose two Senate seats in 2018. That would give moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine a lot more power and could force Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to present more moderate pieces of legislation. If a Supreme Court justice decided to retire, a tighter Senate could also make it more likely that Trump would pick a moderate nominee. That could save Roe v. Wade, for example. Obviously, McConnell and Trump will have more power if Republicans slightly increase their majority.

Thats why its important to pay attention to whether better candidates join the fray over the next few months. Although Republicans have struggled so far, theres still time for top recruits to announce their candidacy. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner didnt announce that he was taking on then-Colorado Sen. Mark Udall until March 2014, eight months before Election Day, and had previously said he wouldnt run against Udall in the 2014 Senate elections. Indeed, three of the Republicans who picked up Democratic seats in the 2014 cycle waited until fall 2013 or later to announce their bids.

Still, we probably should see other Republicans entering races soon if this is going to be a good cycle for Senate Republicans. Six of the nine Republican candidates who took over Democrat-held seats in 2014 had announced their candidacies by the end of August 2013. These included Tom Cotton in Arkansas, Joni Ernst in Iowa, Bill Cassidy in Louisiana, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Mike Rounds in South Dakota and Shelley Moore Capito in West Virginia. That timeline was about normal, according to an analysis by Roll Calls Bridget Bowman.

While its certainly possible for one or two candidates to pull a Gardner, most wont have the ability to quickly fundraise or clear the primary field like he did. (Gardner was already running for re-election in the House, and the political environment was strongly in Republicans favor.) Theyll need months to build a campaign war chest and nail down endorsements to distinguish themselves from their primary competition. Moreover, the longer they wait, the less likely it is theyre going to win the seat. The national environment tends to get worse for the White House party the closer we get to a midterm.

If we end the summer without more Republicans declaring for the Senate in red states with Democratic senators, it may mean Republicans wont be able to take advantage of a good map.

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Red-State Senate Democrats Haven't Drawn Strong Opponents ... - FiveThirtyEight

(1 of ) A firefighter sprays water as flames from a wildfire consume a residence near Oroville, Calif., on Sunday, July 9, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (2 of ) Flames from a wildfire consume a shed near Oroville, Calif., on Sunday, July 9, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (3 of ) Firefighters battle a wildfire as it threatens to jump a street near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (4 of ) A firefighter battles a wildfire as it threatens to jump a street near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (5 of ) Flames from a wildfire consume a care near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, June 8, 2017. Evening winds drove the fire through several neighborhoods leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (6 of ) This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows smoke looming above Broadcast Peak behind a fire break along a ridge line east of Cachuma Lake in the Whittier Fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP) (7 of ) CalFire firefighter Jake Hainey, left, and engineer Anna Mathiasen watch as a wildfire burns near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said Saturday as blazes threatened homes around California during a heat wave. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (8 of ) Flames from a wildfire engulf trees near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fire south of Oroville was one of more than a dozen burning in the state as firefighters worked in scorching temperatures to control unruly flames. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (9 of ) A plane drops retardant while battling a wildfire near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fire south of Oroville was one of more than a dozen burning in the state as firefighters worked in scorching temperatures to control unruly flames. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (10 of ) Jim Berglund sprays water while defending his home as a wildfire approaches on Saturday, July 8, 2017, near Oroville, Calif. Although flames leveled Berglund's barn, his home remained unscathed as the main fire head passed. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (11 of ) Jim Berglund sprays water while defending his home as a wildfire approaches on Saturday, July 8, 2017, near Oroville, Calif. Although flames leveled Berglund's barn, his home remained unscathed as the main fire head passed. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (12 of ) The remains of a recreational vehicle rest in a clearing after a wildfire burned through the property on Saturday, July 8, 2017, near Oroville, Calif. The fire south of Oroville was one of more than a dozen burning in the state as firefighters worked in scorching temperatures to control unruly flames. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (13 of ) A charred desk rests outside a residence after a wildfire burned through the property on Saturday, July 8, 2017, near Oroville, Calif. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said Saturday as blazes threatened homes around California during a heat wave. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (14 of ) Trucks burned by a wildfire rest in a grove near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said Saturday as blazes threatened homes around California during a heat wave. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (15 of ) This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo released by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a DC-10 making a fire retardant drop on a ridge line along the eastern flank of the Alamo Fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP) (16 of ) This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo released by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows the moon rising over flames on a hilltop near Highway 166 east of Santa Maria, Calif., in what is known as the Alamo Fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP) (17 of ) This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo released by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows abandoned campsites at Cachuma Lake where visitors were forced to flee advancing flames of the Whittier fire east of Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP) (18 of ) This Saturday, July 8, 2017, photo released by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Vehicle burning on Highway 154 east of Cachuma Lake in the Whittier fire east of Cachuma Lake in Santa Barbara County, Calif. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP) (19 of ) This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows a warped satellite dish in the ruins of a structure at Camp Whittier east of Cachuma Lake in the Whittier fire in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes, forcing thousands to flee and temporarily trapping children and counselors at a California campground. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP) (20 of ) Inmate firefighters battle a wildfire near Oroville, Calif., on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The fast-moving wildfire in the Sierra Nevada foothills destroyed structures, including homes, and led to several minor injuries, fire officials said Saturday as blazes threatened homes around California during a heat wave. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (21 of ) Carole Grassie, recovering from recent knee surgery, rests outside an shelter for wildfire evacuees on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. Authorities issued a mandatory evacuation notice for Grassie's neighborhood Saturday evening as strong winds drove the fire through several communities leveling homes in its path. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (22 of ) This photo provided by KEYT-TV shows the smoldering entrance to a campground at Cachuma Lake after a wildfire swept through in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Sunday, July 9, 2017. Wildfires barreled across the baking landscape of the western U.S. and Canada, destroying a smattering of homes and forcing thousands to flee. Southern California crews hope slightly cooler temperatures and diminishing winds will help in the battle Sunday. (John Palminteri/KEYT-TV via AP) (23 of ) Josh Cornelison kisses girlfriend Sharon Reitan as she shows evacuation shelter volunteers video of their burned home on Sunday, July 9, 2017, in Oroville, Calif. A wildfire leveled their home, as well as several neighbor's residences, as it burned though a mountain community Friday. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS | July 9, 2017, 9:05PM

| Updated 3 hours ago.

OROVILLE Two major wildfires in California have sent nearly 8,000 people fleeing to safety.

About 4,000 people evacuated and another 7,400 were told to prepare to leave their homes as fire swept through grassy foothills in the Sierra Nevada, about 60 miles north of Sacramento, Cal Fire said Sunday.

The fire burned nearly 8 square miles, destroyed at least 10 structures and damaged critical infrastructure, leading Governor Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency to provide assistance to local authorities.

Fire spokeswoman Mary Ann Aldrich said additional homes were destroyed overnight. An inspection team is trying to determine the extent of the damage.

The area burning was about 10 miles south of Oroville, where spillways in the nations tallest dam began crumbling from heavy rains this winter and led to temporary evacuation orders for 200,000 residents downstream.

In Southern California, at least 3,500 people evacuated as two fires exploded in size at separate ends of Santa Barbara County and a third one threatened homes near a town in San Luis Obispo County.

One of the fires grew to 12 square miles, traversing a mountain range and heading south toward coastal Goleta.

There was minimal containment and flames shut down Highway 154, which is expected to remain closed for days. At least 20 structures burned, but officials didnt say if they were homes.

Sarah Gustafson, who moved from Washington to California seven months ago, was out running errands when she saw the pillar of smoke rising near her home. She rushed to retrieve her six cats and then spent the night at a Red Cross shelter.

It was terrifying, she told the Los Angeles Times. The sky was orange and black, you could see flames up on the ridge.

About 90 children and 50 counselors were stuck Saturday at the Circle V Ranch and had to take shelter until they could be safely evacuated. Buildings have burned but officials werent yet sure if they were homes.

Crews were also using an air attack against another blaze about 50 miles north that exploded in size to 37.5 square miles. About 200 rural homes east of Santa Maria were evacuated after the fire broke out Saturday and was fed by dry gusts.

Some of the firefighters working to contain that blaze were sent to nearby San Luis Obispo county when a fire broke out Sunday and threatened numerous structures near the town of Santa Margarita. Officials said the fire burned at least 200 acres.

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California wildfires force nearly 8000 to flee for safety - Santa Rosa Press Democrat

(1 of ) Members of TenTen Taiko perform a Shinto ritual dance called kagura Sunday at the Enmanji Buddhist Temple's 63rd annual Teriyaki Chicken Barbecue Bazaar. (Photo by Robert Digitale/The Press Democrat) (2 of ) Some of the crowd Sunday at the Enmanji Buddhist Temple's 63rd annual Teriyaki Chicken Barbecue Bazaar. (Photo by Robert Digitale/The Press Democrat) (3 of ) The Enmanji Buddhist Temple was originally part of the Japan pavilion at the Chicago Century of Progress in 1933. Its components were later brought to Sebastopol and dedicated in 1934. Sunday was its 63rd Teriyaki Chicken Barbecue and Bazaar. (Photo by Robert Digitale/The Press Democrat) (4 of ) Volunteers cook the Japanese dessert imagawayaki Sunday at Enmanji Buddhist Temples 63rd Teriyaki Chicken Barbecue and Bazaar. (Photo by Robert Digitale/The Press Democrat)

ROBERT DIGITALE

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT | July 9, 2017, 7:59PM

| Updated 3 hours ago.

Steven Saito took a bite of the traditional Japanese dessert imagawayaki and judged it worth the wait Sunday at Enmanji Buddhist Temples 63rd Teriyaki Chicken Barbecue and Bazaar.

To make the popular treat, volunteers poured batter into special cupped pans and at the proper time sandwiched sweet bean paste between two golden, biscuit-sized cakes. Saito, a San Mateo resident, said the cakes had a savory combination of warm, crispy edges and fluffy insides, while the red bean filling had just the right amount of sweetness for an adult palate.

The barbecue Sunday at the temple off Gravenstein Highway South in Sebastopol offered its own combination of culture, history and community. All day long volunteers served up big helpings of teriyaki chicken, rice and potato salad as part of the temples primary annual fundraiser.

The food is the main event, said Cara Kallen, whose husband Elliot had performed on stage as part of a local taiko group.

The events leaders Sunday planned to serve about 3,400 chickens, including about 1,200 sold in box lunches.

Were famous for the chicken, said Mike Uyeda, chairman of the event. The temple even opened a drive-thru at 8 a.m. for motorists to easily pick up the box lunches.

Don Edgar, a member of the Santa Rosa Junior College Board of Trustees, was among the crowd Sunday.

Edgar, whose mother was Japanese, said the barbecue matters to him because of its recognition of Japanese culture and the temples connection to the community.

Its a great event, he said. Its nice to see some of the older people.

The days entertainment included TenTen Taiko, a Petaluma group that combined taiko drums and the Shinto ritual dance kagura. One dance included two characters portraying Shinto deities dressed in kimonos, robes and wooden face masks.

A history exhibit Sunday included a replica camp barrack of the type used to house interned Japanese residents of the western U.S. during World War II. The sparse barrack included stories of some of the local Sonoma County families who were forced to spend the war in internment camps far from home.

One of the barracks docents Sunday was Gary Sugiyama, 68, of Santa Rosa, whose parents and older siblings had been sent to a camp in Colorado. When the war ended, the family stayed in Colorado long enough to earn travel money home and then returned to Santa Rosa.

Sugiyamas wife, Becky, said the barrack serves as a reminder that we should never let this happen again.

In retirement, Sugiyama returned to Sonoma County after spending much of his professional life in San Francisco. When he left the county, he said, he had family ties with about half the temples members, but while away seemingly all those relatives married into the remaining families.

Suddenly, he said, I was related to everybody.

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Crowds embrace Japanese culture at Sebastopol barbecue - Santa Rosa Press Democrat