Welcome to The Hill’s Campaign Report, your daily rundown on all the latest news in the 2020 presidential, Senate and House races. Did someone forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.
We’re Julia Manchester, Max Greenwood and Jonathan Easley. Here’s what we’re watching today on the campaign trail.
LEADING THE DAY:
Former Vice President Biden addressed supporters in Wilmington, Del., on Tuesday, detailing the fourth installment of his “Build Back Better” economic plan.
The plan works to combat racial inequity, focusing on improving communities of color that have faced longstanding economic inequality and, more recently, fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
Biden also took part in a wide-ranging question-and-answer session where he touched on a number of topics including the coronavirus pandemic and the search for his vice presidential pick.
The former vice president weighed in specifically on whether professional sports should be allowed after a number of Miami Marlins baseball players tested positive for the coronavirus this week.
“It seems to me that it’s probably not going to be able to happen based on what the leagues themselves are saying,” he said, referring to a recent outbreak of the virus on the Miami Marlins baseball team.
“I mean you have the Marlins saying, we can’t do it. So I think they should probably just follow the science.”
Biden also confirmed to reporters that he would pick a running mate in the first week of August, which is next week.
“I’m going to have a choice the first week in August and I promise I’ll let you know when I do,” Biden said.
—Julia Manchester
READ MORE:
Biden rolls out plan to combat racial inequity in economy, by Julia
Collins trails Democratic challenger by 5 points: poll, by Jonathan Easley
Demings: I’m ‘chomping at the bit’ to answer questions about Biden’s running mate search, by Julia
Biden presses science and caution on pandemic, by Julia
FROM THE TRAIL:
Sen. David Perdue’s (R-Ga.) campaign is under fire after it pulled an advertisement on Facebook that included a photo of his opponent, Democrat Jon Ossoff, with an enlarged nose — an apparent alteration seen as an anti-Semitic trope. Max Greenwood reports.
Trump plans to accept the Republican presidential nomination in North Carolina next month after all, he told a local news outlet on Monday. The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant reports.
Biden’s campaign has added five senior staff members in Georgia, a sign the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee intends to compete in the traditionally red state that Democrats believe is up for grabs in November. Jonathan reports.
Also this week, the Biden campaign released new ads Monday making the case that Trump’s handling of the coronavirus has hurt older voters most of all. The $14.5 million ad buy is the most forceful example yet of the Biden campaign’s belief that seniors can be peeled away from Trump. The Hill’s Niall Stanage reports.
FROM CONGRESS AND THE STATES:
The Boston Globe’s editorial board endorsed Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in his race against Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) in the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary. The board pointed to Markey’s calls for environmental advocacy stemming back to the 1980s and argued Kennedy had not made a “persuasive case” for voting Markey out of office, saying he “lacks the chops and track record“ on climate issues. Julia has more.
Meanwhile, Kennedy received endorsements on Tuesday from a number of Democratic members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus including Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar, California Rep. Norma Torres, Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, and New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat.
A new poll shows overwhelming public support in Senate battleground states for Congress to provide up to $1 trillion in fiscal relief to state and local governments whose budgets have been drained by the coronavirus pandemic, putting pressure on vulnerable GOP senators. The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports.
More than 120 Black or multi-racial Black women filed to run for Congress in 2020, the highest number seen in more than a decade, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics. The Hill’s Aris Folley reports.
MONEY WATCH:
A nonpartisan watchdog filed a complaint with the Federal Election Committee (FEC) on Tuesday alleging President Trump’s reelection campaign broke the law by “laundering” $170 million in spending in an effort to conceal payments to people close to the Trump family and campaign. Jonathan reports.
The Committee to Protect Medicare PAC, a group made up of medical professionals, is putting six figures behind a new ad praising Biden as an ally in the push for universal health care. The new ad will run in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and will target voters that cast ballots for Trump or third party candidates in 2016. Watch the ad HERE.
“As a doctor, I’ve found that the ability to empathize with my patients in times of crisis is the most important part of my job. With our country in crisis, having a President who has seen tragedy and can internalize the pain of others is critical. Joe Biden is the person to steer us back to a country with empathic leadership.” — Michigan emergency room doctor Rob Davidson, executive director for the group.
PERSPECTIVES:
Jonathan Tasini: Progressives misfire on Medicare for all again.
Jesse Jackson: We don’t need Trump’s thugs in Chicago.
Joseph DiGenova and Victoria Toensing: Only Trump can restore law and order.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
Aug. 4:
Arizona primaries
Kansas primaries
Michigan primaries
Missouri primaries
Washington primaries
Aug. 11:
Connecticut primaries
Minnesota primaries
Vermont primaries
Wisconsin primaries
Georgia primary runoffs
Aug. 18:
Alaska primaries
Florida primaries
Wyoming primaries
Aug. 17-20:
Democratic National Convention
Aug. 24-27:
Republican National Convention
Sept. 1:
Massachusetts primaries
Sept. 8:
New Hampshire primaries
Rhode Island primaries
Sept. 15:
Delaware primaries
Sept. 29:
First presidential debate
Oct. 7:
Vice presidential debate
Oct. 15:
Second presidential debate
Oct. 22:
Third presidential debate