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First Read's Morning Clips: The GOP retirements are adding up

A roundup of the most important political news stories of the day.
Image:
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen stands with her husband, Dexter Lehtinen, left, at the podium Monday, May 1, 2017 as she gives her final statement regarding her retirement from Congress.Carl Juste / AP

MIDTERM MADNESS: All the GOP retirements are adding up

NBC's Alex Seitz-Wald sums up the consequences of the mounting GOP retirements.

And POLITICO reports that Republicans are worried that Paul Ryan's retirement will demoralize donors and prompt a new wave of departures.

The New York Times calls Ryan's retirement a "destabilizing blow."

A new NBC News | SurveyMonkey poll looks at the changing American South.

FL-15: Democrats think they have a shot at Florida's 15th district after the retirement of Dennis Ross.

IN-SEN: The Indy Star profiles Mike Braun.

MO-GOV: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports on that graphic report about allegations of sexual abuse by Gov. Eric Greitens.

MO-SEN: A new poll from Mason-Dixon shows a statistical tie between Claire McCaskill and Josh Hawley.

MN-GOV: Mark Dayton is taking on Tim Pawlenty's "abysmal" record.

WI-1: The Journal-Sentinel looks into the GOP scramble to replace Paul Ryan.

TRUMP AGENDA: Steve Bannon’s back

Here's the deal with the bipartisan bill that would bar Trump from firing Mueller, via Rebecca Shabad.

Steve Bannon is trying to push the administration toward a plan that would cripple the Mueller probe, writes the Washington Post.

The New York Times writes that Trump wanted to fire Mueller in December.

Here's Trump on Twitter, responding to the New York Times: "If I wanted to fire Robert Mueller in December, as reported by the Failing New York Times, I would have fired him. Just more Fake News from a biased newspaper!"

The AP previews Mike Pompeo's confirmation pitch.

The Washington Post's lede Trump headline: "Trump chooses impulse over strategy as crises mount."