Impact2020: March 16, 2020
Welcome to your Impact2020 briefing for Monday, March 16. I’m your new host, Meta Viers. Of note today: Joe Biden made a verbal commitment about his vice presidential pick during a coronavirus-focused debate, and COVID-19 continues to take its toll on upcoming elections.
On the Ground
‘Anything but a typical debate’
Concerns about the coronavirus continue to permeate the Democratic presidential primary as four states prepare to vote Tuesday.
Take Sunday’s debate, the first head-to-head showdown between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. Even when the two candidates weren’t directly talking about COVID-19, it was often top of mind. For instance, there was this moment when they took the stage:
Credit: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
But some non-coronavirus moments managed to break through as well.
Alex Roarty and David Catanese wrote how Sanders continued to pressure Biden about his policy proposals and voting record even as the former vice president has taken form control of the race. “Without the coronavirus, the substantive arguments debated during the second hour might have received more attention and scrutiny, potentially to Sanders’ benefit,” they wrote, but ultimately, it “will forever be remembered as the coronavirus debate.”
Biden also notably committed to picking a woman to be vice president. Sanders wouldn’t go as far, but said “in all likelihood, I will.”
And as the Miami Herald’s Alex Daugherty noted, Sanders “refused to back down from his comments praising Fidel Castro’s literacy programs,” an issue that has haunted the Vermont senator ahead of the Florida primary.
‘Everything is closing in Florida but the polls’
Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledged that Florida was experiencing “community spread” of coronavirus. But that didn’t lead to an extension for early voting, and the primary is expected to go on as planned on Tuesday.
The Miami Herald’s David Smiley reported how an unusual joint statement was issued from election chiefs in Florida, Arizona, Illinois and Ohio “stressing that voting remains safe.”
Officials in Florida have moved some of the precincts at facilities that seniors frequently use to other locations. Voter turnout is already down from 2016.
Reminder: 577 pledged delegates are up for grabs Tuesday. Florida has 219 of them.
An uncertain future
Smiley and Steve Contorno of the Tampa Bay Times detailed the scandal that rocked the political future of 2018’s “almost Florida governor,” Andrew Gillum, and its potential complications for the state Democratic Party.
Last week, the rising star was found “too-inebriated-to-talk” in a South Beach hotel room with a “collapsed companion.” Gillum announced Sunday night that he would enter rehab for alcohol abuse. The announcement dashed hopes that he’d have a 2022 rematch with DeSantis or run against Sen. Marco Rubio.
Gillum had promised to campaign for down-ballot Democrats and launched an organization to provide $1 million in funding to voter registration groups, but Florida Democrats will have to fill that gap as he steps away. Groups who received money don’t expect the situation to dampen their efforts, Smiley and Contorno report.
Trail Mix
March Madness
The presidential primary in Georgia has been moved from March 24 to May 19 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Greg Bluestein and Mark Niesse of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution report.
Similarly, the Wyoming Democratic Party canceled county conventions and the in-person part of its presidential caucuses. The process to assign delegates will happen via mail instead, Nick Reynolds of the Casper Star Tribune reports.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill is seeking a postponement of the state’s March 31 runoff elections, Bryan Lyman reports for the Montgomery Advertiser.
After saying he’d stay out of Democratic primary, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker endorsed Biden for president, Tina Sfondeles reports for the Chicago Sun-Times. Pritzker’s team said “the governor was making the endorsement, in part, to remind voters elections are still important, even as the nation and state grapple with the coronavirus outbreak.”
Could an Ohio primary win for Biden on Tuesday mark the end of Sanders’ campaign? Darrel Rowland explores that question for the Columbus Dispatch. Biden seems confident he will win in the state. In an earlier interview with The Dispatch, Biden says Ohioans, especially those from the working class, know that he identifies with them. “These are the folks who always supported me,” Biden said.
Swing state watch
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin postponed the Founders Day dinner that usually includes national candidates in a presidential election year, report Bill Glauber and Patrick Marley of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Candidates for office in Wisconsin are also making changes due to the virus, much like their counterparts across the nation.
Before the next primary…
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“Stay at home as much as possible”
California’s former governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, demonstrates how to stay at home flanked by two animals I didn’t think you could have in your house.
“No more restaurants, okay? Forget all that,” he said. But don’t forget to take care of your companions!
Number of The Day
20
Biden leads Sanders by 20 points, 51% to 31%, in the Arizona Democratic primary, according to a new Monmouth University poll.
For Planning Purposes
March 16
Biden holds tele-town halls with voters in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio.
Sanders holds a digital rally at 7 p.m. ET.
Early in-person absentee voting starts in Milwaukee ahead of Wisconsin’s April 7 primary election.
March 17
It’s primary election day in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio.
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This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 12:24 PM.