Chris Crucial: The growing list of "never Trump" GOP Senators

PLUS: More good economic news!

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1. The “Never Trump” Senate caucus: The big story of the week was the Republican establishment — led by Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell — lining up behind Donald Trump as the party’s presidential nominee.

But, not everyone in the party was singing out of that same song book. On Thursday, Indiana Sen. Todd Young reiterated his past assertions that he would not be endorsing or voting for Trump in the fall.

That news came less than 24 hours after former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who is running for the Senate in his state, made clear he would not be a Trump voter in the general election either.

“I'm like 70% of the rest of people in America who do not want Joe Biden or Donald Trump to be president,” Hogan told Axios. (Hogan said he wouldn’t vote for Biden either.)

There’s been a recent spate of prominent Republican Senators taking that position.

Less than a week ago, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she “could not” vote for either Trump or Joe Biden. And just last month, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney told reporters he would not be voting for the party’s nominee this fall either.

“I must admit that I find sexual assault to be a line I will not cross in the people I select to be my president,” said Romney.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins endorsed Haley prior to the Super Tuesday primaries but has made no announcement of whether she would consider endorsing or voting for Trump in the fall. Collins did say in 2016 that she could not support Trump.

Do I expect lots more of their colleagues to follow the lead of Young, Murkowski and Romney? I do not! It takes considerable political bravery to oppose the guy who just walked to the Republican presidential nomination. Especially when that person is deeply vindictive and has shown an ability to run other Republicans who cross him out of their jobs.

But, for all the time we spend focused on elected GOP officials who have slammed Trump but now are meekly endorsing him (McConnell, John Thune, Kim Reynolds, Chris Sununu), I think it’s worth taking note of the people willing to buck Trump within the GOP as well.

It’s a MUCH smaller crowd. But they deserve recognition for standing on principle.

2 . MORE good economic news: The February jobs report was released Friday morning — and with it came more signs that the economy is strengthening.

Here’s the New York Times on the report:

If the economy is slowing down, nobody told the labor market.

Employers added 275,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported Friday, in another month that exceeded expectations even as the unemployment rate rose.

It was the third straight month of gains above 200,000, and the 38th consecutive month of growth — fresh evidence that four years after going into pandemic shutdowns, America’s jobs engine still has plenty of steam.

And here’s a look at job growth and loss over the last year — in chart form:

As I’ve previously noted, most — not all but most! — leading economic indicators suggest that the economy has avoided a much-predicted recession and is showing considerable signs of health and growth.

But, remember: Perception matters hugely when it comes to the economy. And while consumer confidence is rising, it’s still nowhere close to where Biden and his campaign team want.

Remember this chart from last Friday’s Chris Crucial — detailing the University of Michigan consumer confidence measure?

The hope — among the Biden team — is that a few more stronger-than-expected monthly jobs report will help convince people that despite inflation still being somewhat high, the economy (and their own economic situation) is looking up. And that change is because of what Biden has done as president.

3. SOTU (Re)Watch party: Missed the State of the Union speech? Or just want to re-live it? I am here for you! I hosted a SOTU watch party on my YouTube channel. It was great. And you can watch it from beginning to end — with my occasional commentary! — here.

NOTABLE QUOTABLE

“She was picked as a housewife, not just a senator, somebody who sees it from a different perspective.” — Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville on home state colleague Katie Britt’s response to the State of the Union. Ugh.

ONE GOOD CHART

Donald Trump’s victories on Super Tuesday — and Nikki Haley’s subsequent departure from the Republican race — came 244 days before the November 5 general election. That’s the 2nd fast clinching of a competitive nomination — and 2nd shortest primary campaign — in the last 5 decades, according to this Pew chart.

SONG OF THE DAY

Here’s a conundrum: I don’t love Jack Antonoff personally but I do love his band, Bleachers. Weird, right? Regardless of my mixed feelings, I spent the day listening the hell out of Bleachers self-titled new album. Here’s “Tiny Moves” from it.