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 HickenlooperSenate swears-in six new lawmakers as 117th Congress convenes Democrats frustrated, GOP jubilant in Senate fight Chamber-endorsed Dems struggle on election night 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 GardnerOvernight Defense: Joint Chiefs denounce Capitol attack | Contractors halt donations after siege | 'QAnon Shaman' at Capitol is Navy vet Lobbying world Senate swears-in six new lawmakers as 117th Congress convenes 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. TiptonDemocrats press to bar lawmakers from carrying guns in the Capitol House Republicans who didn't sign onto the Texas lawsuit Newly elected Colorado Republican wants to carry her gun in the Capitol: report MORE (R-Colo.) in Colorado’s 3rd District. Tipton, a five-term incumbent backed by President Trump
Donald TrumpFacebook temporarily bans ads for weapons accessories following Capitol riots Sasse, in fiery op-ed, says QAnon is destroying GOP Section 230 worked after the insurrection, but not before: How to regulate social media 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 DeSantisFlorida Republicans close ranks with Trump after Capitol siege Once the slam-dunk nominee, Trump's 2024 aspirations already toast after Capitol chaos State and federal officials wrestle over vaccine rollout, delays MORE in a critical swing state that could help decide November's general election.
PERSPECTIVES
Steve Israel
Steven (Steve) J. IsraelThe Hill's Morning Report - Trump impeached again; now what? Democrats need a post-Trump message The Hill's Morning Report - Biden inches closer to victory MORE: Democratic leaders are much more progressive than you might believe.
Tucker Carlson
Tucker CarlsonFox's Brit Hume rips 'radioactive' Trump: 'Utter balderdash' was fed 'into the veins of his supporters' Glenn Beck compares tech's ban on Trump to Nazis putting 'Jews behind the wall' Sacking the Capitol proves free speech is in trouble 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-CortezOcasio-Cortez: Facebook, Zuckerberg 'bear partial responsibility' for insurrection Belfast's Troubles echo in today's Washington AOC's Ministry of Truth MORE (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar
Ilhan OmarDemocrats poised to impeach Trump again Pence opposes removing Trump under 25th Amendment: reports Pelosi vows to impeach Trump again — if Pence doesn't remove him first MORE (D-Minn.), Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna PressleyBelfast's Troubles echo in today's Washington Federal government carries out 13th and final execution under Trump The Hill's Morning Report - Biden asks Congress to expand largest relief response in U.S. history MORE (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi TlaibBiden and the new Congress must protect Americans from utility shutoffs Overnight Energy: EPA rule exempts many polluting industries from future air regulations | Ex-Michigan governor to be charged over Flint water crisis: report | Officials ousted from White House after papers casting doubt on climate science Ex-Michigan governor to be charged over Flint water crisis: report 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
