October 11, 2019: Six Democratic candidates released policies on LGBT issues, foster care, housing, and athletics Thursday. President Trump headlined a rally in Minneapolis.
        

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

Rob Friedlander is a Democratic staffer with experience handling communications for campaign and government offices. He is a former staffer to O’Rourke’s opponent Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). Friedlander graduated from Bates College in 2010.

Previous campaign work:

• 2018 Beto O’Rourke U.S. Senate campaign, senior advisor
• 2012 Annie Kuster (D-N.H.) U.S. House campaign, communications director
• 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, field organizer

Other experience:

• 2015-2017: U.S. Department of the Treasury, spokesman
• 2014-2015: Office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), press secretary
• 2013-2014: Office of Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), communications director
• 2011-2012: White House Office of Management and Budget, press assistant
• 2010-2011: U.S. Department of Education, confidential assistant

Notable Quote of the Day

“With a crucial debate looming next week in the Democratic presidential primary, the party’s populist wing appears increasingly in control of the race — rising in the polls, stocked with cash and with only a wounded leading candidate, Joseph R. Biden Jr., standing in its way.

Several slow-building trends have converged to upend the race over the last few weeks: Senator Elizabeth Warren’s steady ascent in the polls has accelerated. Both she and Senator Bernie Sanders, a fellow progressive, have raised immense sums of money from small donors online, dominating the Democratic field and each collecting about $10 million more than Mr. Biden in the last quarter. And Mr. Biden’s numbers have gradually slipped in a way that has alarmed his supporters.”

— Alexander Burns, The New York Times

Democrats

• Michael Bennet unveiled his housing platform, calling for the construction of nearly 3 million new housing units over the next decade and funding programs to assist  low-income renters.
• Joe Biden issued a statement criticizing the removal of U.S. troops from northern Syria, accusing President Donald Trump of having “betrayed our word as a nation”.
• Cory Booker released a package of policy proposals related to college and professional athletes. Included was a requirement that college athletes be allowed to profit off of their name and image.
• Pete Buttigieg unveiled a policy related to LGBT issues ahead of Thursday’s CNN town hall. The platform calls for Senate passage of H.R. 5, called the Equality Act, as well as granting veterans’ benefits to former service members discharged on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Julián Castro released a foster care platform, calling for increased funding for foster care programs and allowing foster children the option to remain in foster care until they turn 21.
• Tulsi Gabbard criticized the Democratic primary debate process and said that she was considering not attending the upcoming October 15 debate. Marianne Williamson echoed Gabbard’s statement.
• Kamala Harris announced a set of policy proposals ahead of CNN’s LGBT town hall, including establishing the office of Chief Advocate for LGBTQ+ Affairs.
• In a letter sent Thursday, Amy Klobuchar called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission to open an investigation into President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.
• Bernie Sanders thanked supporters for their well-wishes and said he would soon return to the campaign trail in a video statement.
• In an interview with Fox LA, Tom Steyer predicted that Donald Trump would no longer be president at the time of the November 2020 election.
• Elizabeth Warren released a plan related to LGBT issues, calling for the passage of the Equality Act and increased federal funding for investigations into allegations of discrimination.
• In a statement provided to The Hill, Andrew Yang criticized the Chinese government for blocking the broadcast of National Basketball Association games.

Republicans

• Mark Sanford criticized the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria in an interview on MSNBC.
• Donald Trump held a rally in Minneapolis Thursday night. He criticized Biden and Rep. Ilhan Omar. At the rally, Trump predicted that he would carry the state in the general election.
• Bill Weld headlined an event at the University of New Hampshire.

What We’re Reading

• The Washington Post: “We could have record turnout in the 2020 election. We’re not ready for it.”
• The Wall Street Journal: “Political Campaigns Know Where You’ve Been. They’re Tracking Your Phone.”
• ABC News: “2020 candidates give more attention to climate change than in past elections”?

Flashback: October 11, 2015

CBS News released the results of a poll of Republican and Democratic primary voters. The CBS analysis of the Republican poll emphasized the decrease in favorability and support numbers for Jeb Bush (R-Fla.). The analysis of the Democratic poll highlighted Hillary Clinton’s support, which was unchanged relative to September but lower than in August.