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 HickenlooperThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Cook Political Report shifts Colorado Senate race toward Democrat Willie Nelson playing at virtual fundraiser for 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 GardnerBreaking the Chinese space addiction Trump dumbfounds GOP with latest unforced error Billionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden 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. TiptonLobbying world Five things we learned from this year's primaries Progressive Bowman ousts Engel in New York primary MORE (R-Colo.) in Colorado’s 3rd District. Tipton, a five-term incumbent backed by President Trump
Donald John TrumpBiden says voters should choose who nominates Supreme Court justice Trump, Biden will not shake hands at first debate due to COVID-19 Pelosi: Trump Supreme Court pick 'threatens' Affordable Care Act 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 DeSantisOvernight Health Care: New wave of COVID-19 cases builds in US | Florida to lift all coronavirus restrictions on restaurants, bars | Trump stirs questions with 0 drug coupon plan On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Florida to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, bars 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 - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - Trump, Biden intensify battleground focus as 2020 race tightens Biden allies express confidence as convention begins MORE: Democratic leaders are much more progressive than you might believe.
Tucker Carlson
Tucker CarlsonWill Chis Wallace's debate topics favor Biden over Trump? Judge tosses Karen McDougal's defamation suit against Tucker Carlson OVERNIGHT ENERGY: House passes sweeping clean energy bill | Pebble Mine CEO resigns over secretly recorded comments about government officials | Corporations roll out climate goals amid growing pressure to deliver 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-CortezWill Democrats attempt to pack the Supreme Court again? On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins MORE (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar
Ilhan OmarOmar urges Democrats to focus on nonvoters over 'disaffected Trump voters' Omar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE (D-Minn.), Ayanna Pressley
Ayanna PressleyEnding the Hyde Amendment is no longer on the backburner Fauci, Black Lives Matter founders included on Time's 100 Most Influential People list Trump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' MORE (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge 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
