Impact2020: April 16, 2020
Welcome to your Impact2020 briefing for Thursday, April 16. The race to be Joe Biden’s running mate is underway, the national party conventions are charting different courses, and Florida Republicans receive more criticism for their coronavirus responses.
On the Ground
Jockeying for VP
With the primary in the rearview mirror, the next Democratic campaign is underway: the race to become Joe Biden’s running mate.
McClatchy’s David Catanese explores why the usually behind-the-scenes “veepstakes” process is playing out more in public in 2020. For one, Biden has taken the unorthodox step of saying he will select from a list of six to 10 women. And it also has a lot to do with the coronavirus pandemic that “halted traditional campaigning and limited face-to-face meetings.”
Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar, Stacey Abrams and Gretchen Whitmer have been among the most aggressive thus far in jockeying to be Biden’s VP. Catanese reports that Biden has been holding high-level conversations about his options, and plans to form a committee to begin the vetting process in earnest this month.
You can get the latest 2020 presidential campaign news from David Catanese via text. Impact2020 subscribers, sign up here.
‘Full steam ahead’
Republicans and Democrats are going about planning their presidential conventions amid the coronavirus pandemic in very different ways.
The Charlotte Observer’s Jim Morrill writes that “Republican officials are still moving ahead with plans for an August convention that would bring 50,000 people to Charlotte for the four-day gathering, including at least 1,200 related receptions and other events.” But COVID-19 “still could force dramatic changes.”
One new wrinkle: county leaders proposed using the city’s convention center as an emergency, 600-bed field hospital.
Convention CEO Marcia Lee Kelly raised the possibility that delegates may have to wear masks and social distance in the arena. “Four months from now is like a world, a universe, away,” she said. “We are moving full steam ahead to … a historic convention.”
Credit: Charlotte Observer, file photo
Meanwhile, former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said it’s “very unlikely” there will be a convention in Milwaukee, Daniel Bice reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
McAuliffe suggested that party officials, who have already pushed the convention back from mid-July to late August, will need to explore “creative” alternatives.
Florida, Florida, Florida
Biden’s campaign is once again targeting Gov. Ron DeSantis and ther Florida GOP leaders over their coronavirus response, the Miami Herald’s David Smiley reports.
At a virtual town hall with Americans who are still required to go into work despite the threat of COVID-19, Florida state Rep. Shevrin Jones specifically criticized DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott.
“Your characterization of what’s happened is absolutely correct, particularly the actions of your governor,” Biden responded. “The fact that this president has not had any sense of empathy or concern. There’s just a lot going on.”
Smiley also looks at how “Florida’s politicians are plotting a path to reopen society without reigniting the outbreak that has forced schools, businesses and transit hubs into a prolonged lockdown.”
Trail Mix
Battle for Congress
Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia raised nearly $1.2 million from donors in the first quarter, a similar total posted by her GOP rival Doug Collins, McClatchy’s Francesca Chambers and Ben Wieder report.
In Florida’s 26th congressional district, Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell outraised GOP Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez in the first quarter, the Miami Herald’s Alex Daugherty writes.
In Kansas’ 2nd district, Democratic Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla outraised GOP Rep. Steve Watkins in the first quarter, the Kansas City Star’s Bryan Lowry reports.
California Rep. Devin Nunes raised $4 million in the first three months of the year, almost doubling his total from the previous quarter, Kate Irby reports for the Fresno Bee.
Emma Dumain explores how South Carolina candidates are adapting to the coronavirus in The State newspaper.
Governor watch
“Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has spoken with Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s office and mayors in the Kansas City metro area about a strategy to relax stay-at-home restrictions in the region as Republicans pressure Kelly to outline plans for reopening the economy.” Jonathan Shorman and Sarah Ritter have more in the Wichita Eagle.
“The governors of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky have been in close contact throughout the coronavirus pandemic and are coordinating … on when to ease their stay-at-home orders,” Chris Sikich reports for the Indianapolis Star.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will veto a GOP-led bill that would have allowed a significant number of businesses across the state to reopen, Gillian McGoldrick and Cynthia Fernandez report in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Election disruption
New Mexico’s Supreme Court rejected a request to conduct the state’s June 2 primary elections primarily by mail, Algernon D’Ammassa reports for the Las Cruces Sun-News.
Louisiana GOP lawmakers “blocked an emergency election plan that would expand mail-in voting, early voting and make other changes to the state’s delayed presidential primary election,” Sam Karlin reports for the Baton Rouge Advocate.
A Texas judge said he will move forward with an order easing restrictions for voting by mail in the state, Alexa Ura writes for the Texas Tribune.
“The City of Milwaukee would mail absentee ballot applications to all of its roughly 300,000 registered voters under a new proposal from Ald.-elect Marina Dimitrijevic,” Mary Spicuzza reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Georgia’s election board is allowing voters to turn in their absentee ballots at drop boxes for the June 9 primary to avoid human contact, Mark Niesse reports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Number of the Day
3
Catanese notes that since 1940, all but three Democratic vice presidential picks have been U.S. senators.
For Planning Purposes
April 16
Biden appears on the DESUS and MERO show on Showtime. Sneak peek here.
April 17
Wyoming primary (done by mail)
April 28
Ohio (almost entirely by mail)
You can’t order this check from your bank
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert just had to poke fun at Trump’s name being on the stimulus checks going out to Americans. See how far they manage to take the joke here.
Want to see election news in your inbox every weekday? Sign up here for the rundown from McClatchy’s 30 newsrooms and other local journalists.