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:
The Gettysburg Address might be about to take on a whole new meaning.
President Trump
Donald TrumpSenators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Democratic fury with GOP explodes in House Georgia secretary of state withholds support for 'reactionary' GOP voting bills MORE said Monday he plans to deliver his Republican National Convention acceptance speech either at the White House or “the great battlefield” in Gettysburg, Penn., the site of a Civil War battle and President Abraham Lincoln’s famed address.
As The Hill’s Brett Samuels reports — both locations could pose potential legal challenges. The GOP convention is just two weeks away.
EVERYTHING IS UNCERTAIN
Where Trump speaks isn't the only uncertainty in one of the strangest campaign seasons in memory.
The coronavirus has rocked the plans of Trump and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden
Joe BidenKlain on Manchin's objection to Neera Tanden: He 'doesn't answer to us at the White House' Senators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Overnight Defense: New Senate Armed Services chairman talks Pentagon policy nominee, Afghanistan, more | Biden reads report on Khashoggi killing | Austin stresses vaccine safety in new video MORE, whose own convention is to begin next week.
Another big unknown — when will we know the results of the November elections?
Check out these remarks today from Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Commissioner Ellen Weintraub:
“Let me just tell everybody, we’re all going to need to take a deep breath and be patient this year because there’s a substantial chance we are not going to know on election night what the results are. Probably for the presidency, but maybe for many other races that are important to people, and that's OK. If it takes a little bit longer to count all the votes accurately, that's what we need to do in order to ensure that everyone's vote counts.”
BIDEN PICK NEARS
Biden is expected to announce his veep ticket any time now.
Charlamagne Tha God, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Nick Cannon and a number of other Black men urged Biden to pick a Black woman as his running mate in an open letter, warning that he will lose the election if he does not. Among the women of color Biden is believed to be considering: Former national security adviser Susan Rice, Sen. Kamala Harris
Kamala HarrisEmhoff reflects on interracial marriage case: Without this 'I would not be married to Kamala Harris' WHO: Coronavirus deaths down 20 percent worldwide last week Collins: Biden's .9T coronavirus package won't get any Senate GOP votes MORE (D-Calif.), and Reps. Val Demings
Valdez (Val) Venita DemingsHouse Judiciary split on how to address domestic extremism Demings on possible Senate, Florida governor run: 'I'm keeping that door open' Lawmakers remember actress Cicely Tyson MORE (D-Fla.) and Karen Bass
Karen Ruth BassGeorge Floyd police reform bill reintroduced in House Six ways to visualize a divided America Lobbying world MORE (D-Calif.).
But...friends like these?
Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown (D) wrote an editorial advising Harris to "politely decline" being the vice presidential candidate if Biden offers it to her. Brown argued that Harris would have far more influence and a brighter political future if she were attorney general in a Biden administration.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS:
We are on the eve of yet another primary night, this time in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Georgia, Vermont and Connecticut.
Squad member and Rep. Ilhan Omar
Ilhan OmarSix ways to visualize a divided America Jamaal Bowman's mother dies of COVID-19: 'I share her legacy with all of you' To address global fragility, we must start locally MORE (D-Minn.) is competing in the most intriguing primary race of the night. Minnesota Democrats are expecting a tight race to the finish between her and Attorney Antone Melton-Meaux in Minnesota’s 5th District.
- The race is expensive — Omar had $1.1 million cash on hand as of June 30, while Melton-Meaux had roughly $2 million in the same time period. Melton-Meaux raised more than $3 million in the second quarter, compared to less than $500,000 for Omar. Incumbent House members are rarely outraised by those margins.
- Additionally, the super PAC Americans for Tomorrow’s Future spent more than $600,000 against Omar late last month. But Omar has endorsements from all the biggest names in Democratic and progressive politics, including Sen. Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersKlain says Harris would not overrule parliamentarian on minimum wage increase Romney-Cotton, a Cancun cabbie and the minimum wage debate On The Money: Senate panels postpone Tanden meetings in negative sign | Biden signs supply chain order after 'positive' meeting with lawmakers MORE (I-Vt.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiSenators given no timeline on removal of National Guard, Capitol fence Democratic fury with GOP explodes in House House Republican attempts to appeal fine for bypassing metal detector outside chamber MORE (D-Calif.). The state party has been pulling out all the stops to boost Omar, and her progressive allies are marshaling their resources to get her reelected. - Omar’s fellow squad members, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezMore than 700 migrant children in Border Patrol custody: report Democratic fury with GOP explodes in House Budowsky: Cruz goes to Cancun, AOC goes to Texas MORE (D-N.Y.) and Rashida Tlaib
Rashida Harbi TlaibSix ways to visualize a divided America Jamaal Bowman's mother dies of COVID-19: 'I share her legacy with all of you' Democrats urge Biden FDA to drop in-person rule for abortion pill MORE (D-Mich.) have both fended off well-funded primary challengers in recent weeks.
Down south, Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene and John Cowan are facing off in Tuesday’s run off Republican primary in Georgia’s 14th District
- Greene’s bigoted remarks and support for conspiracy groups, like QAnon, have thrust the race into the national spotlight
- Greene and Cowan won 40 percent and 19 percent of the primary vote on June 9, respectively
- An internal poll conducted by Cowan’s campaign last month showed the race tied at 38 percent
- The winner of tonight’s runoff stands a good chance of winning the solidly Republican district in November.
