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:
After an at-times bumpy primary campaign, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper
John HickenlooperRepublicans uncomfortably playing defense Obama announces first wave of 2020 endorsements Gardner says GOP committee should stop airing attack ad on opponent Hickenlooper MORE won his state’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday, beating back a challenge from former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and setting him up to take on Sen. Cory Gardner
Cory Scott GardnerGroup of GOP senators back more money for airlines to pay workers OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Trump signs major conservation bill into law | Senate votes to confirm Energy's No. 2 official | Trump Jr. expresses opposition to Pebble Mine project Trump signs major conservation bill into law MORE (R-Colo.) in November.
The race was called quickly on Tuesday, with The Associated Press (AP) declaring Hickenlooper the winner only about half an hour after voting ended.
While he avoided the kind of close call that some political observers thought possible, Hickenlooper’s primary campaign didn’t go as smoothly as national Democrats had hoped.
The former governor faltered in recent weeks, stumbling over verbal gaffes and a run-in with Colorado’s independent ethics commission that resulted in a contempt finding after he failed to appear at a scheduled hearing. Republicans are poised to pounce on Hickenlooper’s ethics troubles as the general election campaign ramps up. Still, Hickenlooper’s win is likely to pose a threat to Gardner’s reelection prospects in November.
Tuesday’s primaries also yielded an upset for Rep. Scott Tipton
Scott R. TiptonProgressive Bowman ousts Engel in New York primary Hillicon Valley: QAnon scores wins, creating GOP problem | Supreme Court upholds regulation banning robocalls to cellphones | Foreign hackers take aim at homebound Americans | Uber acquires Postmates On The Trail: Trump, coronavirus fuel unprecedented voter enthusiasm MORE (R-Colo.) in Colorado’s 3rd District. Tipton, a five-term incumbent backed by President Trump
Donald John TrumpLincoln Project ad dubs Jared Kushner the 'Secretary of Failure' Pence: Chief Justice Roberts 'has been a disappointment to conservatives' Twitter bans Trump campaign until it deletes tweet with COVID-19 misinformation MORE, lost his primary bid to political newcomer Lauren Boebert, who challenged Tipton from the right. Boebert’s win drew immediate criticism from Democrats, who have pointed to her past comments apparently sympathizing with the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Meanwhile, in Utah, the closest-watched primary fight is still unresolved, with former Gov. Jon Huntsman trailing Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox by a slim 3-point margin in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
The news is striking given Huntsman's outsized profile in the state and the fact that he was previously elected to two terms in the governor’s mansion. But Cox had his own set of advantages heading into the Tuesday primary, including an endorsement from current Gov. Gary Herbert and unique leadership credentials stemming from his role in heading up Utah’s coronavirus response.
It’s been four decades since Utah elected a Democratic governor, and whoever emerges victorious from the GOP primary will be seen as the likely successor for Herbert.
—Max Greenwood
READ MORE:
Hickenlooper beats back progressive challenge in Colorado primary, by Max
Oklahoma voters narrowly approve Medicaid expansion, by Max
Utah Lt. Gov. Cox leads Huntsman in close governor’s race, by The Hill's Tal Axelrod.
Colorado GOP Rep. Scott Tipton defeated in primary upset, by Tal
Terry Neese, Stephanie Bice head to head to Oklahoma GOP runoff, by Abigail Mihaly.
FROM THE TRAIL:
Trump’s reelection campaign has announced a staff shake-up about four months before the general election as polls show him trailing Biden. Michael Glassner, who organizes Trump’s rallies, is being reassigned to a legal role within the campaign, and Jeff DeWit, a former Arizona state treasurer and Trump's 2016 Arizona chair, will come on as chief operating officer.
The shake-up comes after a rally two weekends ago in Tulsa, Okla., where the president garnered embarrassing headlines after being unable to fill the arena and several campaign staffers contracted the coronavirus. Tal reports.
Julia Manchester reports from Orlando: Democrats are seizing on the recent coronavirus spike in Florida, blaming it on the leadership of President Trump and GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis
Ron DeSantisOn The Money: White House warns there's likely no deal with no agreement by Friday | More generous unemployment benefits lead to better jobs: study | 167K workers added to private payrolls in July DeSantis blames Rick Scott for 'pointless roadblocks' in Florida unemployment system Trump notes GOP governor when asked why he backs mail-in voting in Florida MORE in a critical swing state that could help decide November's general election.
PERSPECTIVES
Steve Israel
Steven (Steve) J. IsraelThe Hill's Campaign Report: Biden closes in on vice presidential pick The Hill's Campaign Report: Colorado, Utah primary results bring upsets, intrigue The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - As virus concerns grow, can it get worse for Trump? MORE: Democratic leaders are much more progressive than you might believe.
Tucker Carlson
Tucker CarlsonTucker Carlson calls Fauci a 'fraud' after tense hearing Tucker Carlson calls Obama 'one of the sleaziest and most dishonest figures' in US political history Don't count out Duckworth in Biden VP race MORE: Democrats are steamrolling weak Republicans.
CONGRESS AND THE STATES
The New York City Board of elections will not start counting ballots that were mailed in for last week’s primaries until next week, likely delaying results in a number of competitive races that remain too close to call. Tal reports.
MONEY WATCH:
Hundreds of former members of the George W. Bush administration have formed a super PAC to Biden, saying they are alarmed by Trump’s conduct in office. Tal reports.
Jon Ossoff, the Democratic Senate nominee in Georgia, pulled in $3.45 million in the second quarter of 2020, his campaign announced on Wednesday, including $2.35 million in the three weeks following his primary win earlier this month.
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezProgressives soaring after big primary night 'Absolutely incredible': Ocasio-Cortez congratulates Cori Bush on upset victory over Lacy Clay Biden needs to bring religious Americans into the Democratic fold MORE (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar
Ilhan OmarTlaib wins Michigan Democratic primary The Memo: Biden faces balancing act Longtime Rep. Lacy Clay defeated in Missouri Democratic primary MORE (D-Minn.), Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna PressleyTlaib wins Michigan Democratic primary Longtime Rep. Lacy Clay defeated in Missouri Democratic primary Stimulus checks debate now focuses on size, eligibility MORE (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi TlaibThe Hill's Campaign Report: COVID-19 puts conventions in flux Progressives soaring after big primary night 'Absolutely incredible': Ocasio-Cortez congratulates Cori Bush on upset victory over Lacy Clay MORE (D-Mich.) are launching a joint effort to raise money for other progressive candidates.
POLL WATCH:
CNBC/CHANGE RESEARCH
ARIZONA PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 51%
Trump: 44%
FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 50%
Trump: 45%
NORTH CAROLINA PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 51%
Trump: 44%
MICHIGAN PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 48%
Trump: 43%
PENNSYLVANIA PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 50%
Trump: 44%
WISCONSIN PRESIDENTIAL
Biden: 51%
Trump: 43%
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
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
