Impact2020: June 17, 2020
In your Impact2020 briefing for Wednesday, June 17, we take a look at Joe Biden’s latest campaign stop, a senator getting support from black leaders to become Biden’s VP pick, and Trump’s executive order for police reform a few days before his Oklahoma rally.
On the Ground
Biden takes reopening talk to PA
Joe Biden is visiting the battleground state of Pennsylvania today, with plans to deliver a speech in Darby about how communities can safely reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. As for why the Biden campaign chose this location, CBS Philly’s Joe Holden notes that “the sting of a pandemic shutdown in this blue-collar borough is undeniable. Empty storefronts along Main Street and other downtown routes were here long before the coronavirus.”
Councilwoman Elaine Schaefer said she believes the decision has something to do with the area being expected to move to the green phase of reopening soon. Schaefer said “it’s my understanding that that’s going to be the message of the vice president tomorrow, that, ‘Great job, Pennsylvania, but continue to be vigilant.’”
Prior to his speech in Darby, Biden is scheduled to meet with small business owners in nearby Yeadon.
Credit: Matt Slocum, AP
A serious contender
The pressure on Biden to select a Black woman as his running mate has intensified in recent weeks, but as McClatchy’s Dave Catanese reports, there is one notable exception among Black and progressive leaders: Elizabeth Warren.
After a series of virtual appearances with Black leaders, Warren has proven to be a serious contender “who is showing a unique capacity to energize African Americans … as other white candidates have lost traction in the current climate,” Catanese writes.
“There needs to be a certain energy brought to the campaign and she has a different kind of energy,” said Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin’s first African American lieutenant governor. “Areas where Biden would have difficulty communicating, I think that’s a gap that she could close.”
“Warren is certainly the most acceptable white candidate that could be chosen,” said Steve Phillips, founder of Democracy in Color who just recorded a podcast with Warren.
Excitement for Trump
Despite the city health director’s concern about spreading the coronavirus, people are camping outside the BOK Center ahead of President Donald Trump’s June 20th rally in Tulsa, Okla. The Trump campaign has said there will be masks available as people come in, but they’re not mandatory.
News 9’s Joseph Holloway reports that Tulsa attorneys Clark Brewster and Paul DeMuro filed a lawsuit that would’ve required attendees to wear a mask to the rally and practice social distancing, but the request was denied. They’re considering whether to file an appeal.
In the meantime, Oklahoma State Health Commissioner Lance Frye is asking Trump supporters to get tested for COVID-19 before and after the rally, and has suggested attendees wear face masks, reports News On 6’s Katelyn Ogle.
Hand sanitizer will also be available. Ogle reports, “The BOK Center said installation begins Wednesday on more than 500 hand sanitizer stations for Saturday’s rally. That’s enough for 500,000 uses.”
Those who did buy tickets had to sign a waiver agreeing not to sue the BOK Center if they contract COVID-19. The arena holds 19,000 people and the Trump campaign says they are expecting tickets to sell out. “Gov. Kevin Stitt said he’s asking Trump to choose a second overflow venue at an outdoor location,” reports Evan Onstot for KOCO.
Trail Mix
Election disruption
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will sign an executive order restoring voting rights to people with past felony convictions, making it the last state to get rid of its lifetime ban on felon voting, report Des Moines Register’s Stephen Gruber-Miller and Ian Richardson.
The Texas Democratic Party asked the U.S. Supreme Court to expand mail voting to all voters in the state, James Barragán reports for the Dallas Morning News.
Nearly 27% of registered voters in Kentucky have requested an absentee ballot or already cast their vote ahead of the June 23 primary, the Lexington Herald-Leader’s Daniel Desrochers reports.
Battle for Congress
Nebraska Democrats are asking U.S. Senate candidate Chris Janicek to quit the race after he sent staffers text messages that the state party described as “sexually inappropriate.” The Omaha World-Herald’s Aaron Sanderford has the details.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Greg Bluestein and Tia Mitchell report that the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee dismissed complaints from watchdog groups questioning whether Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia engaged in “potential insider trading” after reviewing stock trades made on her behalf.
North Carolina’s 8th district congressional candidates are split over whether or not to rename the Fort Bragg military base, Brian Murphy reports for the Raleigh News & Observer.
Battleground state watch
Polls indicate Biden could have a shot at winning Texas. The Texas Tribune’s Abby Livingston and Alex Samuels take a look at how a Democratic victory could reshape the state’s politics.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are calling for the impeachment of Gov. Tom Wolf over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the Allentown Morning Call’s Stephanie Sigafoos reports.
Protest fallout
The president vowed to work “hand-in-hand” with Republicans in Congress on a police reform package, but “Trump has offered little indication that a bipartisan push for reform will be successful during this election year,” McClatchy’s Francesca Chambers and Michael Wilner report.
North Carolina Republican and Democratic lawmakers unanimously passed criminal justice reforms aimed at mandatory minimums for nonviolent drug crimes and criminal record expunctions, the Raleigh News & Observer’s Will Doran reports.
The Charlotte Observer’s Jim Morrill reports that North Carolina state Rep. Larry Pittman called Black Lives Matter protesters “ignorant thugs” and said if they resist and attack police, he said they should “shoot them.”
Number of the Day
13
The lead Biden has over Trump in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. It’s the biggest margin in the survey so far during the 2020 campaign.
For Planning Purposes
June 17
Biden visits Pennsylvania to deliver remarks on the U.S. reopening
June 18
Vice President Mike Pencewill travel to Michigan for a tour of Chardam Gear Company and deliver remarks at Casadei Structural Steel, Inc.
June 20
Trump holds a rally in Tulsa, Okla.
May fundraising reports are due to the Federal Election Commission
June 23
Kentucky and New York hold primaries
June 28
Pence travels to Dallas to visit First Baptist Church and participate in the Celebrate Freedom Rally
July 7
Delaware and New Jersey hold primaries
July 11
Louisiana primary
A sneak peek
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert has fun with the buzz surrounding the upcoming tell-all book from Trump’s niece, Mary L. Trump.
Download the latest episode of the Beyond the Bubble podcast to hear the team debate whether Trump can rebound from his recent dip in the polls on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts.
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