October 24, 2019: Amy Klobuchar became the ninth candidate to qualify for November’s Democratic presidential debate. MSNBC announced Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker will moderate the event.
“And so far, the 2020 campaign has seen more than twice as many television ad spots as the 2016 race. … One underappreciated difference between 2016 and 2020 that can help explain what’s going on (in addition to Steyer’s well-lined pockets) is that super PACs are playing much less of a role this year. At this point in 2015, outside groups were behind 69 percent of all spots that had been aired, but here in 2019, campaigns have accounted for 98 percent of the spots so far. (This also might explain why TV spending is lower in 2019 than in 2015 even though more spots have been aired — campaigns get better rates than super PACs.)”
– Nathaniel Rakich, FiveThirtyEight
Democrats
MSNBC announced that Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker will moderate the fifth Democratic presidential debate on Nov. 20.
In a PBS NewsHourinterview Wednesday, Michael Bennet discussed the Kurdish-Turkish conflict in Syria, healthcare, and the impeachment inquiry.
Joe Biden focused on the economy in a hometown rally Wednesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Cory Bookerspoke about the Democratic coalition at the National Press Club Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Steve Bullockdiscussed his Montana upbringing as part of WMUR’s “Candidate Café” series.
Pete Buttigieg will campaign in New Hampshire Thursday and Friday, marking his eleventh trip to the state. Buttigieg also released his plan focused on gender equity. It calls for making women at least half of his Cabinet and judicial nominees, spending $10 billion to end workplace sexual harassment and discrimination, and preventing domestic abusers from purchasing firearms.
Castro released his criminal justice platform, “The First Chance Plan,” Wednesday. His proposals focus on housing, education, job training, and foster care policy, in addition to ending cash bail, solitary confinement for punitive purposes, and for-profit prisons.
Kamala Harris filed a FOIA request for Trump administration documents related to Ukraine with Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Sheldon Whitehouse Wednesday.
Amy Klobucharqualified for the fifth Democratic presidential primary debate Thursday morning after reaching 3 percent support in a Quinnipiac University poll. She is also airing her second ad in Iowa and New Hampshire that presents her “optimistic agenda for all Americans.”
Wayne Messam will deliver the State of the City address Thursday evening for Miramar, Florida.
The Christian Science MonitorprofiledJoe Sestak, interviewing him during his walk across New Hampshire.
Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney endorsedElizabeth Warren Wednesday, marking her first endorsement from a major city mayor.
Mark Sanford, Joe Walsh, and Bill Weld will participate in a session about the Republican primary during the Citizen by CNN annual conference Thursday.
Donald Trump spoke at an energy conference in Pittsburgh Wednesday.
On the Cusp: Tracking Potential Candidates
Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack is considering launching a third-party presidential campaign, Politico reported.
