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: CAMPAIGNS RESPOND TO SCOTUS DECISION ON DACA
The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision on Thursday to block the Trump administration from ending the Obama-era program known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), arguing the administration did not give an adequate enough reason to terminate the program.
The ruling sparked reaction from both sides of the aisle, with Republicans and Democrats using it to galvanize their respective bases. President Trump
Donald John TrumpOklahoma venue management asks Trump campaign for health plan ahead of rally Pompeo slams Bolton account as spreading 'lies,' 'fully-spun half-truths' and 'falsehoods' Twitter flags Trump tweet featuring fake CNN chyron as 'manipulated media' MORE slammed the decision, calling for new justices in a tweet.
"The recent Supreme Court decisions, not only on DACA, Sanctuary Cities, Census, and others, tell you only one thing, we need NEW JUSTICES of the Supreme Court," the president exclaimed on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Democrats and immigration advocates celebrated the ruling. Democratic presidential hopeful and former Vice President Joe Biden
Joe BidenKlobuchar withdraws from Biden VP contention Biden campaign rebukes Trump effort to push for more debates Fox News poll: Biden's lead widens to 12 points over Trump MORE vowed to make the program permanent if elected president.
“The Supreme Court’s ruling today is a victory made possible by the courage and resilience of hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients who bravely stood up and refused to be ignored. As President, I will immediately work to make it permanent by sending a bill to Congress on day one of my Administration,” Biden said.
Former President Obama, who established the program through an executive order, also responded to the ruling, urging Americans to vote for Biden in November.
“We may look different and come from everywhere, but what makes us American are our shared ideals and now to stand up for those ideals, we have to move forward and elect @JoeBiden and a Democratic Congress that does its job, protects DREAMers, and finally creates a system that’s truly worthy of this nation of immigrants once and for all,” he added.
While the ruling comes amidst a politically turbulent time with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the shaky economy and nationwide protests over racial injustice, the ruling will likely be referenced on the campaign trail to November.
For Trump and the GOP, appointing conservative judges and justices has always been a top priority, and today’s decision reinforces the belief that more conservative judges are needed in the courts to defend conservative policies.
For Democrats, the ruling is good news as it is a slap in the face to Trump, who moved to dismantle it earlier in his administration. However, Democrats do not believe the fight over immigration is over. They understand that Trump will work to implement more stringent immigration policies, in addition to working to appoint conservative judges to defend them.
-- Julia Manchester
FROM THE TRAIL:
Trump’s reelection campaign is looking to press for more debates against Biden in the fall and have a say in who moderates them. The campaign has recruited former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Rudy GiulianiBiden campaign rebukes Trump effort to push for more debates The Hill's Campaign Report: Supreme Court ignites an election year battle over immigration Trump team to press for more debates against Biden MORE. Max Greenwood and Jonathan Easley report.
Biden’s campaign launched its first advertising blitz of the general election on Thursday, which consists of a $15 million dollar television, digital, radio and print effort focusing on Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Hill’s Tal Axelrod reports.
PERSPECTIVES:
Albert Hunt: Redistricting fight will define the next decade of democracy.
Tim Worstall: The economy is bouncing back and that’s good news for Trump.
Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala Devi HarrisKlobuchar withdraws from Biden VP contention Group of Democratic senators to propose making Juneteenth national holiday The Hill's Campaign Report: Supreme Court ignites an election year battle over immigration MORE: Democrats are fighting Trump to ensure Americans have health care.
CONGRESS & STATES:
Nationwide protests of racial injustice and police brutality are turning the tide in Kentucky’s Democratic Senate primary, giving progressive Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker a potential boost over establishment favorite Amy McGrath. Max reports. On Thursday, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) called on McGrath to donate her campaign war chest to Democratic efforts to defeat McConnell if she loses her primary next week. Her latest filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) shows her with more than $19 million in cash on hand.
Governors up for reelection in November are getting an approval-ratings boost as they handle the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and economic crises stemming from the pandemic have given the state leaders a larger platform where they have been allowed to demonstrate swift and assertive action. The Hill’s Reid Wilson reports.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) formally endorsed progressive Mondaire Jones in the race to replace retiring Rep. Nita Lowey
Nita Sue LoweyThe Hill's Campaign Report: Supreme Court ignites an election year battle over immigration Human Rights Campaign endorses Mondaire Jones in race to replace Nita Lowey in NY Democrats accuse SBA of stonewalling GAO's attempts to oversee lending program MORE in New York’s 17th District. Jones, who would be the first black openly LGBTQ member of Congress if elected, is facing off against seven other Democrats ahead of the primary next week. Julia Manchester reports.
The Cook Political Report shifted the Montana Senate race between Sen. Steve Daines
Steven (Steve) David DainesThe Hill's Campaign Report: Supreme Court ignites an election year battle over immigration Cook Political Report shifts Montana Senate race to 'toss up' Governors get reelection boost from COVID-19 responses MORE (R) and Gov. Steve Bullock
Steve BullockThe Hill's Campaign Report: Supreme Court ignites an election year battle over immigration Cook Political Report shifts Montana Senate race to 'toss up' Governors get reelection boost from COVID-19 responses MORE (D) to “toss-up” status. This is the latest sign that the state has come into play for Democrats. Max reports.
POLL WATCH:
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY – PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 49%
Trump: 41%
DATA FOR PROGRESS/CIVIQS – KENTUCKY SENATE PRIMARY
Booker: 44%
McGrath: 36%
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
June 23:
Kentucky primaries
New York primaries
Virginia primaries
Mississippi primary runoffs
North Carolina primary runoffs
South Carolina primary runoffs
June 30:
Colorado primaries
Oklahoma primaries
Utah primaries
July 7:
New Jersey primaries
Delaware primaries
July 11:
Louisiana primaries
July 14:
Alabama primary runoffs
Texas primary runoffs
Maine primaries
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
