Impact2020: March 20, 2020
Welcome to your Impact2020 briefing for Friday, March 20. Michael Bloomberg decides what to do with his leftover campaign cash, senators are facing scrutiny for selling stocks, and more states delay their elections.
On the Ground
A cash infusion
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is transferring $18 million left over in his 2020 presidential campaign to the cash-strapped Democratic National Committee. McClatchy’s Alex Roarty reports that the money “will help the DNC hire hundreds of organizers in key general election states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — even as it’s sure to raise the hackles of some leaders on the left who want the party to break free from big donations from billionaires.”
Some of Bloomberg’s old field offices in several battleground states will also be used, as part of Bloomberg’s effort to help defeat President Donald Trump.”
Dumping stocks
U.S. senators are under fire for selling off stock as they were receiving coronavirus briefings earlier this year.
The Raleigh News & Observer’s Brian Murphy reports that Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina “sold up to $1.5 million in stocks, including hotel chains, in mid-February weeks before he warned a private group that the coronavirus was ‘akin to the 1918 pandemic’ and warned it to rethink European travel.” Murphy also notes that Burr voted against the STOCK Act, a 2012 bill “that explicitly prevents members of Congress and their staffs from using nonpublic information for insider trading.”
Burr has “asked Senate ethics officials for a ‘complete review’ of his February stock sales, even as a growing chorus of bipartisan critics called for him to resign.” Murphy and his Charlotte Observer colleague Jim Morrill have more here.
Burr would be up for re-election in 2022, but has stated in the past that he won’t seek another term.
In Georgia, Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler ”bought and sold stocks during the same time they were receiving briefings on the coronavirus outbreak, leading to questions about whether they used inside information to guide their financial dealings,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Tia Mitchell reports.
Perdue and Loeffler were already facing competitive elections this fall in Georgia, which is emerging as a battleground state.
More delays
Connecticut and Indiana became the latest states to delay their presidential primary due to coronavirus concerns.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced his state’s election will now take place June 2, rather than April 28, the Hartford Courant’s Daniela Altimari reports.
And in Indiana, Gov. Eric Holcomb moved the state’s contest from May 5 to June 2, Chris Sikich reports for the Indianapolis Star.
Those states join Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio in postponing elections this year.
Coronavirus can’t stop the primary or this podcast
McClatchy’s Beyond the Bubble podcast team recorded the latest episode from their homes, and spoiler alert: It’s still good.
Download the latest episode full of 2020 political news from: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
Trail Mix
March Madness
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand joined a slew of other former Democratic White House hopefuls in endorsing Joe Biden, Emily Ngo writes for NY1. Ngo notes that Elizabeth Warren “is the only major former 2020 presidential candidate who hasn’t made an endorsement.”
The Tampa Bay Times surveyed 160 of “Florida’s most plugged-in politicos,” and their consensus is that the coronavirus crisis is hurting Trump’s chances at a second term, reports Steve Contorno.
Spring to the polls
Delaware will go ahead with its primary on April 28, but election officials continue to monitor the situation. The decision to cancel or postpone an election would be up to Gov. John Carney, reports Sarah Gamard of the Delaware News Journal.
New Jersey is switching to mail-in ballots and delaying school board and special elections until May, reports Dustin Racioppi of the Bergen Record. But there are no plans at this time to postpone the June 2 presidential primary.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced a new date of June 2 for the state’s primary election on his website, without it being officially decided by the courts or the legislature, reports Tyler Buchanan of the Ohio Capital Journal. LaRose has also asked county boards of elections not to accept new voter registrations.
Battle for Congress
After two members of Congress tested positive for the coronavirus, more lawmakers asked congressional leaders to allow remote voting, reports McClatchy’s Emma Dumain. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has directed her leadership team to study options for remote voting, while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would extend time for votes on the floor so lawmakers can avoid being in large groups.
Number of the Day
$65,000
That’s how much McConnell is spending on his first TV ad buy since September, according to Advertising Analytics. He faces re-election in Kentucky in November.
For Planning Purposes
March 20
Bernie Sanders hosts a virtual roundtable on economic and health crises from his campaign office in Burlington, Vt., at 7 p.m. ET.
A push for #coronakindness
Former California Gov. and pet parent Arnold Schwarzenegger continues to bless us with these videos warning us to “spread kindness” while cooped up due to the coronavirus outbreak. He has even teamed up with TikTok and After-School All-Stars to “provide food and supplies to families impacted of COVID-19.”
No mini donkey or mini horse to keep you company?
Chat with Dave instead. Impact2020 subscribers can text with McClatchy’s David Catanese about the latest developments on the campaign trail.
If someone forwarded this to you, that’s great. Please consider signing up here for our daily rundown of 2020 election news from McClatchy’s 30 newsrooms and other local journalists.
If you’re one of our many regular readers who’ve continued to keep up with this briefing daily over the last 30 days, THANK YOU. We appreciate you.
This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 1:09 PM.