Thursday's Campaign Round-Up, 1.5.17

Today's installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.* After mocking Democrats this morning, Donald Trump called for bipartisanship moments later, urging Republicans and Democrats to "get together and come up with a health care plan." I assume that means the president-elect doesn't have a plan of his own?* Trump added that he's a "big fan" of "intelligence." Why he put the word "intelligence" in quotes wasn't clear.* In a bit of a surprise, former Rep. Tom Perriello (D) is launching a gubernatorial campaign in Virginia today, setting up a big primary against Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam (D), whom many thought would run unopposed. Note, Virginia is one of only two states that will hold gubernatorial elections in 2017. In both Virginia and New Jersey, the incumbent cannot seek re-election.* Trump will sit down this week for a sworn deposition "that could stretch for as long as seven hours." It's part of an ongoing civil dispute between the president-elect and chef Jose Andres.* Senate Democratic leaders said this morning they want an investigation into Rep. Tom Price's (R-Ga.) health-care stock trades before his HHS nomination moves forward.* Omarosa Manigault, a reality-show personality who'll work in Trump's White House, claimed yesterday there's a "huge movement" of African-American voters joining the Republican Party. To date, there's no evidence to support the assertion.* Iowa State University professor Steffen Schmidt claimed his focus-group research told him Hillary Clinton's election defeat stemmed from her outreach to women and minority communities. It turns out, however, that Schmidt "routinely made misleading claims suggesting he has gleaned unique political insight from a focus group, when he actually just discusses issues with acquaintances and contacts, the Associated Press has found."