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Good Friday morning.

In today’s Daily Kickoff, we look at the coalition coalescing around New York City Mayor Eric Adams as he launches his independent bid for reelection, facing off against presumptive Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, and talk to senators following yesterday’s classified briefing on U.S. strikes on Iran. We report on Kentucky MAGA PAC’s seven-figure ad blitz targeting Rep. Thomas Massie, and spotlight basketball players Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf following their drafting by the Brooklyn Nets. Also in today’s Daily Kickoff: Peter Orszag, Gen. Dan Caine and Karen Paikin Barall.

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For less-distracted reading over the weekend, browse this week’s edition of The Weekly Print, a curated print-friendly PDF featuring a selection of recent Jewish Insider and eJewishPhilanthropy stories, including: Schumer struggles to live up to ‘shomer’ designation amid pressure from his party; Sharansky: ‘The Iranian regime was exposed before its people as a paper tiger; and As Israeli staff delayed by sky closure, Jewish camps scramble for (hopefully) temporary replacements. Print the latest edition here.

Mainstream political and business leaders in New York City, including the organized Jewish community, will soon need to decide whether to coalesce against far-left presumed Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani — by rallying behind the candidacy of scandal-plagued Mayor Eric Adams despite his significant political baggage.

Adams, who is running as an independent in the race, appears to be the only alternative candidate capable of putting together a campaign rallying anti-socialists across the city to stop Mamdani. It won’t be easy, given Adams’ own low approval ratings and record of alleged corruption, but the makings of an anti-Mamdani coalition are there — at least on paper.

For Adams to win plurality support in a general election, it would require most Republicans to put partisanship aside and vote for Adams to stop the socialist, and hold onto most of the Black, Jewish voters and moderate Democratic voters who voted in large numbers for former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the primary. Adams benefits from the name recognition of incumbency, and the potential to receive support from outside centrist groups spending on his behalf.

Keeping a bipartisan coalition of that nature will be challenging, especially given the mayor’s own unpopular record. It would require a number of lucky breaks, from Cuomo opting not to run in the general election (he appears to be staying on the ballot without an active campaign) to Republicans effectively nudging their voters to back Adams when there’s a Republican already on the ballot. But if the campaign is less about Adams and more about stopping left-wing radicalism on crime, the economy and antisemitism, it’s not implausible to see a campaign coalescing around a “block socialism, vote Adams” type of message.

Here’s the political math: Adams would have to win over most New York City Republicans — President Donald Trump won 30% of the citywide vote in 2024 — while remaining competitive with Democrats and winning over independents who weren’t eligible to participate in the Democratic primary. 

Read the rest of 'What You Should Know' here.

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Days after New York state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani’s stunning upset in the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, an emerging effort to block his path to Gracie Mansion is now beginning to materialize among a coalition of Jewish community leaders, business executives and Republican donors who have expressed alarm about his far-left policies and strident opposition to Israel. While still in its nascent stage, the anti-Mamdani coalition is coalescing behind Eric Adams, the embattled mayor who skipped the primary to run as an independent and launched his reelection bid on Thursday, Jewish Insider’s Matthew Kassel reports.

Proactive push: Some opponents of Mamdani view Adams as the most effective vehicle to stop the presumptive Democratic nominee from winning in November, and are readying for a fight. Among other possible efforts now in the works is a “big push” to create an independent expenditure committee backed by real estate executives and other donors to boost Adams’ campaign, according to one consultant familiar with the matter. “That’s definitely going to happen,” the consultant told JI on Thursday, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing private deliberations. “People aren’t going to be taking this easy and just dealing with Mamdani,” he explained, noting the pro-Israel donor community could join the outside spending effort. “I’m sure some people are, but the people who have a lot to lose aren’t.”

Read the full story here.

Speaking out: Former Obama administration OMB Director Peter Orszag, the CEO of Lazard, sounded an alarm Thursday morning over the leftward direction of the Democratic Party, especially when it comes to its handling of antisemitism. “I’m saddened to say the Democratic Party is becoming increasingly antisemitic and anti-capitalism… Turning away from your principles and towards antisemitism never works,” Orszag said on CNBC’s “Money Movers” yesterday afternoon, Jewish Insider’s Jake Schlanger reports.

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Senators remained divided about the success of the American military strikes on Iran’s nuclear program following a classified briefing on the subject from Cabinet officials on Thursday, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod and Emily Jacobs report.

Split response: Several Republicans hailed the strike as a success that had set Iran’s program back by a year or more, while some Democrats said it had barely set Iran’s nuclear program back and many others on both sides said that it’s too soon to accurately judge the attack’s success. The briefing, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, also does not appear to have dissuaded Democrats from pursuing plans to call up a war powers resolution to block further military action against Iran.

Read the full story here with comments from Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mark Warner (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Chris Coons (D-DE), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Speaking about the sanctions: Two Senate Republicans are urging the administration not to lift any sanctions on Iran in absence of real concessions from the regime, following comments from Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff indicating the U.S. had already rolled back some sanctions, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.

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A new super PAC launched by aides to President Donald Trump aimed at unseating Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) placed its first ads in a $1 million blitz in Kentucky targeting the isolationist lawmaker for his refusal to support key parts of the president’s agenda, Jewish Insider’s Emily Jacobs and Marc Rod report. The Kentucky MAGA PAC was launched earlier this month by Chris LaCivita, who co-managed Trump’s 2024 campaign, and Tony Fabrizio, the president’s pollster, with the goal of defeating Massie in the GOP primary for his House seat next May. LaCivita told Axios at the time that the PAC would spend “whatever it takes” to defeat the Kentucky lawmaker.

Background: Trump and those in his orbit have been discussing the idea of primarying Massie for months, as the congressman criticized the president’s reconciliation package and his approach to foreign policy. Most recently, Massie decried Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities as part of Israel’s military operation to destroy the regime’s nuclear program as unconstitutional. 

Read the full story here.

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President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to terms to end the war in Gaza and advance other shared interests in a telephone call held shortly after the U.S. struck nuclear sites in Iran earlier this week, according to a new report by Israel Hayom. A source familiar with the conversation told the right-leaning Israeli daily that Trump and Netanyahu were joined on the call by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, where the four determined that Israel would end the war in Gaza within two weeks, Jewish Insider’s Danielle Cohen reports.

Details: This process would include the exiling of what remains of Hamas’ leadership from Gaza, voluntary emigration for Gazans who elect to leave the territory and the release of the 50 hostages remaining in Gaza, less than half of whom are thought to be alive. Under the terms of the agreement, the UAE and Egypt, along with two other Arab countries, would jointly govern the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ removal. In addition, the Abraham Accords would be expanded to include Syria and Saudi Arabia, as well as additional Arab and Muslim states. The plan would also see U.S. recognition of “limited” Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, while Israel would express support for a future two-state solution premised on reforms within the Palestinian Authority. 

PMO comment: After releasing a general statement soon after the publication of the report saying that Israel’s victory against Iran “opens up an opportunity for a dramatic expansion of the peace agreements,” Netanyahu’s office denied the report this morning, saying, “The conversation described in the ‘Israel Today’ report did not happen. The diplomatic proposal described in the article was not presented to Israel and Israel obviously did not agree to it.”

Read the full story here.

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The House Education and Workforce Committee requested additional information about campus antisemitism from DePaul University, California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) and Haverford College on Thursday, weeks after bringing their presidents before the committee for a hearing on campus antisemitism, Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod reports.

Insufficient answers: Rep. Tim Walberg’s (R-MI) letter to Haverford President Wendy Raymond — who repeatedly dodged questions from committee members throughout the hearing, refusing to discuss specifics — called out those evasive responses. “While the Committee appreciates your appearance on May 7th to discuss these concerns, your lack of transparency about how, if at all, Haverford has responded to antisemitic incidents on its campus was very disappointing.”

Read the full story here.

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Brooklyn, if it’s possible, got even more Jewish on Wednesday night, when two members of the tribe were picked back-to-back by the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the NBA draft. The Nets tapped 6-foot-6 Israeli point guard Ben Saraf and Israeli American 7-footer Danny Wolf, who starred at the University of Michigan, with the No. 26 and 27 picks, marking the first time since 2006 that two Jewish players were selected in the same NBA draft, Jewish Insider’s Haley Cohen reports.

Tribe rising: “Picking two Jewish players back-to-back is at worst a pretty kismet coincidence. They know what they’re doing,” James Hirsh, host of the Jewish sports podcast “Menschwarmers,” told JI, referring to the Nets’ front office. “This is a pretty cool thing to happen.” Hirsh said that the picks reflect a “growth of professional Jewish athletes in New York,” pointing to Max Fried, who signed with the New York Yankees as a starting pitcher last December. “It makes sense to have talent that your fan base is going to automatically support.”  

Read the full story here.

Palestinian Rights, Palestinian Wrongs: In The Atlantic, Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib looks at the ways in which the Palestinian rights movement has been damaged by its support for Iran. “The Islamic Republic of Iran will never cease its meddling in the Palestinian issue, because Tehran needs the conflict to feed its propaganda machine. The reality is that a secure, stable, independent Palestine will remain a remote possibility as long as the Islamic Republic exists in its current form and is allowed to maintain its pro-Palestine pose. Only by calling out this evil regime and distancing from it can the pro-Palestine movement hope to be effective. … Many Iranians inside Iran today view Israel as their only hope of overthrowing the mullahs. Unfortunately, but understandably, many Iranians have come to resent the Palestinian cause — precisely because the regime has used it as a pretext to squander the country’s precious resources on its militia proxies in the name of fighting Israel.” [TheAtlantic]

The B-2s That Bind: In The Jerusalem Post, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee reflects on the U.S. role in attacking Iran’s nuclear program. “Like many others living in Israel, including some 700,000 Americans, we slept for an entire night for the first time in almost two weeks, not rousted from slumber by the piercing sounds of sirens or the booms of Iranian ballistic missiles flying in with the intention of fulfilling an Iranian promise to ‘wipe Israel off the face of the earth.’ They failed in THEIR promise. President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu succeeded in fulfilling THEIR promise that Iran would never have a nuclear bomb. Israel and America, and their two unflappable leaders, delivered more than a good night’s sleep to the people living in Israel. They delivered the gift of a humbled Iran to the world and celebrated in the capitals of every sane nation on earth. And they launched something bigger than destructive bombs. They launched what will be a realignment of the Middle East.” [JPost]

The Case for Raw Power: The New York Times’ David Brooks considers the ways in which the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities were a “force for good” in the region. “For decades, both Israel and the United States were willing to tolerate the noose. Dismantling it seemed too hard and risky. That changed on Oct. 7. Israel learned, to its shock and dismay, that it lacked the capacity to anticipate and prevent murderous attacks. Suddenly the looming noose began to appear intolerable. … Occasionally I see lawn signs asserting that ‘war is not the answer,’ but here was a circumstance in which war was the answer. Here was a circumstance in which the raw power really mattered. Israel was able to beat the once feared Hezbollah because it is more effective and more powerful. Iran has responded feebly to the bombing raids not because of the kindness of its heart but because it is ineffective and less powerful.” [NYTimes]

Corbyn on the Hudson: The Jewish News’ Daniel Sugarman compares the ascension of Zohran Mamdani in New York to that of former U.K. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and delivers a message to American Jews about what the future may portend. “Mamdani is a brilliant public speaker and a natural media performer; Corbyn is the opposite. Corbyn always appears fundamentally uncomfortable when speaking to those who do not agree with him; Mamdani, by contrast, seems to have an ability to connect with almost any audience – even a hostile one. But for the purposes of the Jewish community, the similarities hold. An anti-Zionist with a history of deeply troublesome public statements has won an important internal party contest. They have done so despite the publicly aired concerns of many Jews. If they win a forthcoming election, they will have a great deal of influence over aspects of day-to-day life.” [JewishNews]

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President Donald Trump threatened to sue CNN and The New York Times over the publication of a leaked Defense Intelligence Agency assessment that said the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran only set the country’s nuclear program back by a few months…

The Atlantic looks at the increasing divide between Trump and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, finding that the former Hawaii congresswoman “has so alienated Trump that she may be endangering the existence of her office altogether”...

The Wall Street Journal profiles Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who played a key role in the U.S.’ weekend strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities…

Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) introduced a bill to suspend assistance to South Africa and impose sanctions on South African officials over the country’s antisemitic and anti-Israel activity…

Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ashley Moody (R-FL) introduced a resolution honoring the four-year anniversary of the building collapse in Surfside, Fla….

Reps. French Hill (R-AR), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Tom Kean Jr. (R-NJ), Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) introduced a bill to create a new designation for countries or non-state entities that wrongfully detain Americans, and require the administration to consider sanctions and other measures to respond…

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is preparing to launch a campaign for governor of New York as polling shows her leading the Republican primary field…

The New York Times reports on preliminary partnership talks that took place earlier this year between Eric Trump, who runs the Trump Organization, and the owners of a hotel in Tel Aviv’s Sarona neighborhood; the neighborhood, located near Israel’s Defense Ministry headquarters, suffered damage during Iran’s ballistic missile attack on June 13…

France confirmed that it participated in efforts to intercept Iranian drones fired at Israel earlier this month…

The Wall Street Journal explores the “dramatic realignment” of the Middle East following Israeli and American strikes on Iran…

The New York Times looks at the U.S.’ Logistical Support Area Jenkins in Saudi Arabia, a little-known base in the Red Sea that has seen an influx in activity over the last year…

Israel’s Finance Ministry estimated that the 12-day war with Iran caused $3 billion in damage, largely costs associated with rebuilding or repairing damaged buildings and paying compensation to affected businesses…

“We Will Dance Again,” a documentary about Hamas’ attack on the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023, won the Outstanding Current Affairs Documentary at the 46th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards…

The State Department approved $30 million in funding for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; the newly created aid group tapped Israeli restaurateur Shahar Segal as its Israeli media spokesperson…

The Sweden Democrats party apologized for its past Nazi affiliations and “clear expressions of antisemitism” as it seeks to align itself with mainstream parties ahead of next year’s national elections…

Karen Paikin Barall, who was previously vice president of government relations at the Jewish Federations of North America, is joining the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law as chief policy officer…

The New York Times spotlights the wedding of Jackie Hornung and Ben Jacob, childhood sweethearts who met at summer camp, whose dog, Lumi, has become an internet sensation…

Ad man Mortimer Matz, the co-founder of Nathan’s annual hot dog eating contest, died at 100…

Young adult author Susan Beth Pfeffer, whose more than six dozen books included themes about sensitive subjects for teenagers, died at 77…

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Elon Gold (left), Hilary Helstein, Lorna Wolens, Jay Leno and Jonah Lees attended the opening night gala premiere last night of "Midas Man" at the 20th Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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British historian and award-winning author, he is a great-great-nephew of Sir Moses Montefiore, Simon Sebag Montefiore turns 60... 

FRIDAY: Co-founder of Taglit Birthright, the first chairman of the United Jewish Communities and former owner of MLB's Montreal Expos, Charles Bronfman turns 94... One-half of the husband-wife screenwriting and television production team, Richard Allen Shapiro turns 91... Technion graduate, he is regarded as the founding father of unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) technology, Abraham Karem turns 88... Brooklyn resident, Meyer Roth... Former member of both houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature, Constance Hess "Connie" Williams turns 81... Former commander of the Israeli Navy, head of the Shin Bet and member of Knesset, Amihai "Ami" Ayalon turns 80... First woman ordained as a rabbi by HUC-JIR, Sally Jane Priesand turns 79... Author of fiction and nonfiction books, she is the founding president of the Mayyim Hayyim mikveh in Newton, Mass., Anita Diamant turns 74... New Jersey resident, Kenneth R. Blankfein... Minority leader of the Florida State Senate, Lori Berman turns 67... Managing director at Osprey Foundation, Louis Boorstin... and his twin brother, principal at Panther Works and senior advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group, Robert O. Boorstin, both turn 66... Southern California-based accountant, Susan M. Feldman... Creator of multiple TV series including "Felicity," "Alias," "Lost" and "Fringe," and director and producer of many films, Jeffrey Jacob (J.J.) Abrams turns 59... President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland (Oregon) since 2010, Marc N. Blattner turns 56... South Florida resident, Gordon M. Gerstein... Reporter for The New York Times on the climate desk, Lisa Friedman... Member of the Knesset for the United Torah Judaism alliance, Yoel Yaakov Tessler turns 52... Senior fellow and director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute, Ilya Shapiro... Israeli judoka, best known for his default victory at the 2004 Summer Olympics when his Iranian opponent refused to fight him, Ehud Vaks turns 46... Director of stakeholder advocacy at Ford Motor, Caroline Elisabeth Adler Morales... Singer and musician, best known for being Avril Lavigne's lead guitarist, Evan David Taubenfeld turns 42... Executive talent partner at Greylock Partners, Holly Rose Faith... National security advisor to U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Charles Dunst…

SATURDAY: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award-winning actor, movie director, composer and comedian, born Melvin James Kaminsky, Mel Brooks turns 99... Laguna Woods, Calif., resident, she is a retired hospital administrator, Saretta Platt Berlin... Owner of NYC's United Equities Companies and retired chairman of Berkshire Bank, Moses M. Marx turns 90... Former member of Congress for 16 years and now a distinguished fellow and president emerita of the Wilson Center, Jane Harman turns 80... Political consultant, community organizer and author, he is married to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Robert Creamer turns 78... Novelist, journalist, conservative commentator and senior fellow of the Claremont Institute, Mark Helprin turns 78... Author of crime fiction for both adults and children, Peter Abrahams turns 78... Documentary producer and adjunct associate professor at USC, James Ruxin turns 77... Professor of mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, Kenneth Alan Ribet turns 77... Shareholder in the Tampa law office of Carlton Fields, Nathaniel L. Doliner turns 76... Rabbi and historian, he is the author of a 2017 book Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court: From Brandeis to Kagan, David G. Dalin turns 76... Former member of the California state Senate following two terms in the state Assembly, Martin Jeffrey "Marty" Block turns 75... Retired partner at Chicago-based accounting firm of Morrison & Morrison, Mark Zivin... Founding partner of NYC law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres, Marc Kasowitz turns 73... Journalist for Haaretz, Amira Hass turns 69... Chairman and CEO of Comcast Corporation, Brian L. Roberts turns 66... Rabbi of the Har Bracha community in the Shomron and Rosh Yeshiva of the hesder yeshiva there, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed turns 64... U.S. special envoy for Holocaust issues at the State Department, Ellen J. Germain turns 63... Principal of GPS Investment Partners, Marc Spilker turns 61... Actress and singer, Jessica Hecht turns 60... Former diplomatic correspondent for Al-Monitor, now reporting on Substack, Laura Rozen... Novelist and short story writer, Aimee Bender turns 56... Israeli actress residing in Los Angeles, Ayelet Zurer turns 56... Centibillionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, owner of X, Elon Musk turns 54... Former member of Knesset as a member of the Labor party / Zionist Union, Michal Biran turns 47... Toltzy Kornbluh... and her twin sister, Chany Stark... Founder and CEO of NY Koen Group, Naum Koen turns 44... Associate at Latham & Watkins, Molly Rosen... Mark Winkler...

SUNDAY: Baltimore area gastroenterologist, he is an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Marshall S. Bedine, M.D.... Chairman of Carnival Corporation and owner of the NBA's Miami Heat, Micky Arison turns 76... Rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Brisk in Jerusalem, Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik turns 76... Former assistant surgeon general of the U.S. and deputy assistant secretary of HHS for women's health, Susan Jane Blumenthal, M.D. turns 73... Former SVP and counsel at Columbus, Ohio-based L Brands, Bruce A. Soll... CEO of two firms including Aliya Marketing Group, Joshua Karlin... Israeli actress, screenwriter, playwright and film director, Hanna Azoulay-Hasfari turns 65... Attorney general of Israel from 2016 to 2022, Avichai Mandelblit turns 62... Founder and president of Medallion Financial Corp., Andrew Murstein turns 61... Screenwriter, director and producer, he has won nine Emmy Awards for his work on AMC's "Mad Men" and HBO's "The Sopranos," Matthew Hoffman Weiner turns 60... Senior rabbi of Toronto's Beth Tzedec Congregation, Rabbi Steven C. Wernick turns 58... Theater, film and television screenwriter, his credits include the 2017 film “Wonder Woman,” Allan Heinberg turns 58... Israeli political consultant and former chief of staff to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ari Harow turns 52... Consultant, facilitator, trainer and coach, Nanette Rochelle Fridman... Rabbi of The Young Israel of Bal Harbour (Florida), Gidon Moskovitz... Film and television director and writer, she is known for writing and directing the films “Obvious Child” and “Landline,” Gillian Robespierre turns 47... Former member of the UK Parliament for the Labour party, she is now a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Ruth Smeeth turns 46... Israeli actor and model, Yehuda Levi turns 46... President and dean of Phoenix-based Valley Beit Midrash and author of 28 books, Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz... Partner at FGS Global, Andrew Duberstein... Pitcher for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he then played in the Mexican League until last month, Charles Irvin "Bubby" Rossman turns 33... Campaign finance consultant, David Wolf... Steven Kohn... Sara Sansone... Fred Gruber...