SEIU endorses Biden, plans to spend $150M on voter engagement campaign


Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
July 10, 2020: The Service Employees International Union endorsed Joe Biden on Thursday. Donald Trump is campaigning in Florida on Friday and New Hampshire on Saturday.

Each Friday, we highlight a presidential candidate’s key campaign staffer.
Daily Presidential News Briefing, Staffer Spotlight - Julie Chávez Rodríguez

Julie Chávez Rodríguez is a Democratic staffer with experience in political engagement. Chávez Rodríguez graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a B.A. in Latin American studies.

Previous campaign work:

  • 2020 Kamala Harris presidential campaign
    • Traveling chief of staff
    • Co-political director

Other experience:

  • Office of Sen. Kamala Harris, California state director
  • White House Office of Public Engagement, special assistant to the president and senior deputy director of public engagement
  • Department of the Interior
    • Director of youth employment
    • Deputy press secretary to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
  • Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, programs director

Notable Quote of the Day

“Seeking a winning issue as he trails in the polls to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, the president aggressively pushed the issue this week, calling for in-person classes and blasting federal guidelines for reopening as too onerous. His campaign portrayed Mr. Biden as beholden to teachers’ unions, while Mr. Biden’s campaign said Mr. Trump has failed to give schools the funding and guidance they need to open safely.

While the Trump campaign argues these moves will pay dividends with voters, particularly suburban women, the issue is complex. Polling shows that parents are sharply divided on the subject, with Republicans more inclined to want their children returning to school full time. But some parents are worried about sending their children back to school during a pandemic, and teachers argue there is no way to truly ensure their safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics has urged schools to reopen, citing the developmental and health benefits for children of attending class in-person.”

– Alex Leary and Catherine Lucey, The Wall Street Journal

Election Updates

  • Service Employees International Union endorsed Joe Biden on Thursday. They plan to spend $150 million on a voter engagement campaign focused on people of color in battleground states who infrequently vote.
  • Biden hired two new senior staff members in Iowa: Jackie Norris as senior adviser and Lauren Dillon as campaign director. Donald Trump won Iowa in the 2016 election by 9.4 percentage points.
  • Biden also hired three aides to improve outreach to people of color: Pili Tobar as communications director for coalitions, Ramzey Smith as African American media director, and Jennifer Molina as Latino media director.
  • Donald Trump is traveling to Florida for both official and campaign business. He is meeting with the U.S. Southern Command to discuss its counternarcotics operations and attending a fundraiser in Hillsboro Beach.
  • On Saturday, Trump is holding an outdoor rally in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He last visited the state on Feb. 10.

What We’re Reading

Flashback: July 10, 2016

The Sun-Sentinel reported that Hillary Clinton was planning to launch a massive ground operation in Florida. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook emphasized the importance of Broward County.

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