2020 Dems release union, climate change, and housing policies


Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
July 26, 2019: Several 2020 Democratic candidates released major policy proposals on unions, climate change, housing, and indigenous communities. Elizabeth Warren received her millionth donation.



Each Friday, we’ll highlight a presidential candidate’s key campaign staffer.

Daily Presidential News Briefing Staffer Spotlight - Justin Buoen

Justin Buoen is a longtime Democratic campaign staffer who worked on two of Klobuchar’s Senate campaigns

Previous campaign work:

  • 2014 Mark Dayton Minnesota gubernatorial campaign
  • 2012 Amy Klobuchar U.S. Senate campaign, campaign manager
  • 2010 Mark Dayton Minnesota gubernatorial campaign
  • 2008 Tim Walz U.S. House campaign
  • 2008 John Edwards presidential campaign
  • 2006 Amy Klobuchar U.S. Senate campaign
  • 2004 John Kerry presidential campaign, field organizer

Other experience:

  • 2013-2019: New Partners, partner

What he said in 2018 about Klobuchar:

“Many people have approached Amy about running for president but right now she is still thanking people who helped her lead a major winning ticket in Minnesota. Her support in rural counties and ability to get things done are the reasons most often mentioned to me.”

Notable Quote of the Day

“Yang and Williamson might not have found supporters in the pre-podcast era, said Yphtach Lelkes, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

‘Some have called this the hidden primary,’ Lelkes said. ’The ability to easily share podcasts and other forms of new media allow fans to also act as conduits of information, getting past gatekeepers.’”

– Omar Sanchez, The Wrap

Democrats

  • CNN will host a climate change town hall on Sept. 4 in New York City. Candidates must have reached at least 2 percent support in four eligible polls by Aug. 28.
  • Michael Bennet will campaign in Iowa on Saturday and Sunday. He also participated in the NowThisNews “20 Questions for 2020” series, discussing education, social mobility, and discrimination.
  • In a radio interview Thursday, Joe Biden discussed his debate performance, civil rights, and mass incarceration.
  • Following a rise in cycling fatalities in New York City in 2019, Bill de Blasioannounced a $58 million bike safety plan that would create a citywide network of protected bike lanes.
  • Cory Booker wrote an op-ed on CNN.com about antitrust, agribusiness, and food mergers.
  • Steve Bullock spoke about emerging technology jobs at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Salt Lake City Thursday.
  • Pete Buttigieg released a workers policy plan Friday that would allow all workers, including gig economy workers, to form a union; seek to establish gender pay equity; and set the minimum wage at $15.
  • Julián Castro expanded his campaign staff Thursday, bringing on former Arizona Democratic Party finance director Joseph Czajkowski and two other finance team members. He also hired a digital director, creative director, and two deputy communications directors.
  • Castro also issued an indigenous communities policy proposal that would create tribal advisory committees within top government agencies and increase spending on healthcare, economic, and other programs for indigenous communities.
  • Tulsi Gabbard filed a lawsuit against Google Thursday, alleging the company violated her First Amendment rights by suspending her advertising account in the hours following the first Democratic presidential debate.
  • Kirsten Gillibrand and Kamala Harris will speak at a presidential forum Friday hosted by the National Urban League in Indianapolis, Indiana.
  • The New York Times profiled John Hickenlooper’s presidential campaign and messaging.
  • Jay Inslee announced his platform on unions and workers Friday. In addition to a $15 minimum wage, guaranteed paid family leave, and banning right-to-work laws, Inslee called for barring companies to hold meetings with individual workers to discourage them from unionizing or asking prospective employees for their salary history.
  • In her housing plan released Thursday, Amy Klobuchar said she would raise the capital gains tax rate for households making more than $400,000 to help fund additional spending on housing vouchers, rural housing assistance grants, and other housing programs.
  • WBUR News profiled Seth Moulton’s presidential campaign, military record, and four tours in Iraq.
  • Beto O’Rourke opened a South Carolina field office in Columbia.
  • Bernie Sanders posted a social media ad Thursday focused on women who support his campaign.
  • Tom Steyer issued his $2.3 trillion climate change platform focused on five pillars: reach a 100 percent clean energy economy by 2045, create a Civilian Climate Corps, provide assistance to communities dependent on the extraction economy, invest in infrastructure, and improve national security and disaster prevention processes.
  • The Elizabeth Warren campaign announced Friday it has received more than 1 million donations. Sanders is the only other candidate to have crossed this threshold in the 2020 election cycle.
  • Marianne Williamson will campaign in South Carolina Friday and Saturday.
  • Andrew Yang discussed A.I. technology and universal basic income in an interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

Republicans

  • Donald Trump held a meeting in the White House Thursday to discuss the Democratic primary, small donor platform WinRed, and field operations. Party and campaign officials identified Biden, Harris, and Warren as top challengers.
  • Bill Weld appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Thursday night.

What We’re Reading

Flashback: July 26, 2015

Hillary Clinton called for an increase in renewable energy production, including the installation of more than half a billion solar panels nationwide during her first term if elected.