Gabbard suspends campaign, endorses Biden


Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
March 20, 2020: Tulsi Gabbard suspended her campaign and endorsed Joe Biden. Connecticut moved its presidential primary from Apr. 28 to Jun. 2.

Ballotpedia is monitoring changes made to election dates and procedures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are the presidential primary updates you need to know:

  • Connecticut: Gov. Ned Lamont announced on Thursday that Connecticut would move its presidential primary from Apr. 28 to Jun. 2.

        

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

Cristóbal Alex is a Democratic advisor with experience in politics, philanthropy, and law. Alex graduated from the University of Washington School of Law in 2001 with a J.D.

Previous campaign work:

  • 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, deputy director of voter outreach and mobilization

Other experience:

  • 2014-2019: Latino Victory Project, founding president
  • 2011-2014: Ford Foundation, program officer
  • 2009-2011: Open Society Foundations, program officer
  • 2006-2009: National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights, director
  • 2003-2006: MacDonald Hoague & Bayless, senior litigation associate
  • 2001-2004: Washington Court of Appeals, law clerk​

Notable Quote of the Day

“Illinois was the one state that voted this past Tuesday that does not make extensive use of early voting or voting by mail. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that turnout was lower in Illinois than it was four years ago. Only about 1.5 million people turned out to vote in Illinois’ Democratic primary. Four years ago, a little over 2 million people voted.

That’s a turnout drop of 25%. Taking into account the change in the number of eligible voters, as compiled by Michael McDonald of the United States Elections Project, the drop was still 25%. Illinois had the worst turnout relative to 2016 of any state that has voted so far.”

– Harry Enten, CNN Politics senior writer and analyst

Democrats

  • Former 2020 presidential candidate and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) endorsed Joe BidenThe Steady State, a group of 80 Democratic, Republican, and independent national security officials, also endorsed Biden.
  • Tulsi Gabbard suspended her presidential campaign on Thursday and endorsed Biden. “Today, I’m suspending my presidential campaign, and offering my full support to Vice President Joe Biden in his quest to bring our country together,” she said in a statement.
  • Bernie Sanders proposed the government cover 100% of small- and mid-sized businesses’ payroll if they do not lay off employees during the pandemic. He also said all student loan payments should be canceled during this period.

Republicans

  • The pro-Donald Trump super PAC, America First Action, said it is focusing on earned media during the coronavirus pandemic rather than spending any of its $300 million on negative ads against Biden.

What We’re Reading

Flashback: March 20, 2016

John Kasich said he believed that the Republican National Convention would be a contested convention.

Click here to learn more.