Your Morning Brief for June 22, 2015.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images
Joe Raedle, Getty Images
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Republican Voters Feeling Better About Jeb Bush

A new NBC News/WSJ Poll finds that Jeb Bush has made big gains with Republican voters while Marco Rubio continues his popular streak. Back in March, only 49 percent of Republican primary voters were open to supporting Jeb Bush. Now, 75 percent could see themselves supporting Bush while 22 percent could not. The poll also shows that 74 percent of voters could support Rubio while only 15 percent said they could not. According to NBC News, one top-tier candidate still has a lot of work to do getting his name out.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is expected to announce his presidential bid next month, has plenty of upside with GOP voters: 57 percent could see themselves supporting him, versus 19 percent who couldn't (+38), but there's another 21 percent who say they don't know his name.

The most unpopular GOP presidential candidate in the poll? Donald Trump, who announced his White House bid last Tuesday (but who still has yet to file his "statement of candidacy" with the Federal Election Commission). Just 32 percent of Republican primary voters say they could see themselves supporting him, compared with a whopping 66 percent who couldn't (-34).

Below are the scores on this question for the full GOP field:

  • Marco Rubio: 74 percent-15 percent (+59)
  • Jeb Bush: 75 percent-22 percent (+53)
  • Scott Walker: 57 percent-19 percent (+38)
  • Mike Huckabee: 65 percent-32 percent (+33)
  • Ben Carson: 50 percent-21 percent (+29)
  • Rick Perry: 53 percent-31 percent (+22)
  • Ted Cruz: 51 percent-31 percent (+20)
  • Rick Santorum: 49 percent-40 percent (+9)
  • Bobby Jindal: 36 percent-28 percent (+8)
  • Rand Paul: 49 percent-45 percent (+4)
  • Carly Fiorina: 31 percent-29 percent (+2)
  • John Kasich: 25 percent-30 percent (-5)
  • Chris Christie: 36 percent-55 percent (-19)
  • Lindsey Graham: 27 percent-49 percent (-22)
  • George Pataki: 13 percent-44 percent (-31)
  • Donald Trump 32 percent-66 percent (-34)

Another take-away from the poll? Rand Paul is slipping big time. Rand Paul is not a top tier candidate and right now Rick Perry, Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, and Carly Fiorina all have a better shot at jumping into the top tier before Paul I believe.

Eyes on the Supreme Court

According to Reuters, the U.S. Supreme Court still has 11 cases to decide by the end of the month. Two of the biggest cases left could change the direction of the country and of the 2016 election.

Of the 11 cases left to decide, the biggest are a challenge by gay couples to state laws banning same-sex marriage and a conservative challenge to subsidies provided under the Obamacare law to help low- and middle-income people buy health insurance that could lead to millions of people losing medical coverage.

Many legal experts predict the court will legalize gay marriage nationwide by finding that the U.S. Constitution's guarantees of equal treatment under the law and due process prohibit states from banning same-sex nuptials.

The four liberal justices are expected to support same-sex marriage, and conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, the expected swing vote, has a history of backing gay rights.

In three key decisions since 1996, Kennedy has broadened the court's view of equality for gays. The most recent was a 2013 case in which the court struck down a federal law denying benefits to married same-sex couples.

During oral arguments in the gay marriage case on April 28, Kennedy posed tough questions to lawyers from both sides but stressed the nobility and dignity of same-sex couples.

As far as the case on Obamacare goes, no one can predict what will happen. We should find out soon though how the court has ruled. One thing is for certain, debate over gay marriage and health care will continue.

Other Must Read Links:

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