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Heart of the Primaries 2020, Democrats-Issue 24 (June 24, 2020)

On the news

Where do Democratic and progressive pundits and commentators disagree? Each week, we bring you excerpts that highlight differing views.

On progressive and establishment candidates

“Schumer has long been more conciliatory toward the left wing of the party than other Democratic leaders. He backed now-Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for Democratic National Committee chair in 2016, gave both Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren roles in Senate leadership, and voted with Sanders and other progressive senators against a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada late last year. … 

“And Schumer’s long-term political goal of reclaiming the Senate majority is now within his grasp. President Donald Trump’s continued political decline has increased Democrats’ chances of winning Senate seats even in red-tinted states like Georgia and Iowa, and Schumer’s political operation has matched or outspent Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s in most states. … 

“Even if Schumer’s Senate picks survive, however, it’s clear the left is growing more capable of causing headaches for the establishment.” 

Kevin Robillard, HuffPost, June 23, 2020


“For years, Democratic party leaders have publicly insisted they follow a ‘just win, baby’ playbook that leads them to support any candidate — liberal or moderate — best positioned to win GOP seats. But activists have come to suspect that, in fact, party leaders are actually willing to prioritize crushing progressive candidates, even if that might risk losing general elections to Republicans. … 

 

“Why do Democratic leaders in Washington continue to intervene in local primaries and put their thumbs on the scales? … 

 

“The answer is obvious: it has nothing to do with a dispassionate analysis of general election viability and everything to do with money and ideology.”

David Sirota, Jacobin, June 19, 2020

Election results

Given the larger number of absentee ballots cast in the June 23 primaries due to COVID-19, several races have not yet been called. 

In New York, absentee ballots for the primary needed to be postmarked by June 23 and must be received by June 30. In Kentucky, several counties, including the state’s two largest counties—Jefferson and Fayette—are not releasing results until absentee ballots have been counted on June 30.  

New York’s 1st Congressional District: As of 9:15 a.m. ET on June 24, Perry Gershon led with 36% of the vote. Nancy Goroff was second with 34%, followed by Bridget Fleming with 28%. Four candidates were on the primary ballot. The winner will challenge incumbent Lee Zeldin (R) in the November election.

New York’s 9th Congressional District: As of 9 a.m. ET on June 24, incumbent Yvette Clark led with 62% of the vote. Adem Bunkedekko was second with 18%. Five candidates were on the primary ballot. Clark was first elected to the House in 2006. 

New York’s 10th Congressional District: As of 9 a.m. ET on June 24, incumbent Jerry Nadler led with 62% of the vote. Lindsey Boylan had 26%, and Jonathan Herzog had 13%. Nadler was first elected in 1992.

New York’s 14th Congressional District: Incumbent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated three challengers to win renomination. As of 9:15 a.m. ET on June 24, Ocasio-Cortez had 73% of the vote, followed by Michelle Caruso-Cabrera with 20%. Ocasio-Cortez was first elected to the House in 2018 after unseating incumbent Joseph Crowley in the Democratic primary. 

New York’s 15th Congressional District: As of 9:15 a.m. ET on June 24, Ritchie Torres led with 30% of the vote. Michael Blake was second with 19%, followed by Ruben Diaz with 15%, Samelys Lopez with 13%, and Ydanis Rodriguez with 12%. Twelve candidates were on the primary ballot. Incumbent Jose Serrano (D) is not running for re-election this year.

New York’s 16th Congressional District: As of 9 a.m. ET on June 24, Jamaal Bowman led with 61% of the vote. Incumbent Eliot Engel had 36%. Five candidates were on the primary ballot. Engel was first elected in 1988. 

New York’s 17th Congressional District: As of 9:15 a.m. Eastern on June 24, Mondaire Jones led with 45% of the vote. Adam Schleifer had 21% and David Carlucci had 13%. Eight candidates were on the primary ballot. Incumbent Nita Lowey (D) is not running for re-election.

New York’s 24th Congressional District: As of 9 a.m. ET on June 24, Dana Balter led with 65% of the vote. Francis Conole had 36%. The winner will face John Katko (R), first elected in 2014, in the general election. In 2018, Balter was the district’s Democratic nominee and was defeated by Katko 53-47 in the general election. The 24th is one of three House districts that elected a Republican representative in 2018 after favoring Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election.

U.S. Senate in Kentucky: As of 9 a.m. ET on June 24, Amy McGrath led with 45% of the vote. Charles Booker was second with 37%. Ten candidates were on the primary ballot. The winner will face Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), first elected to the Senate in 1984.

U.S. Congress

New satellite spending, ads in Senate primary in CO

Satellite groups recently spent $2.1 million on ads in the Democratic primary for Senate in Colorado.

The group Let’s Turn Colorado Blue—formed June 16 according to a Federal Election Commission filing—spent $1.1 million on an ad criticizing Andrew Romanoff for a 2006 vote in the state House. The ad said Romanoff “stood with the Republican governor, passing the nation’s harshest anti-immigrant laws.” Romanoff apologized for the vote in a 2019 Medium post.

Senate Majority PAC spent $1 million on an ad defending John Hickenlooper from a recent ethics violation ruling. (See our recent issue for more details on the ruling.) The ad says the allegations were politically motivated and that “Republicans know John Hickenlooper’s the one who will beat Cory Gardner.” 

Romanoff released an ad containing footage from one of Hickenlooper’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign ads, in which Hickenlooper showered with his clothes on and said he wouldn’t run negative ads. The Romanoff ad’s narrator says, “You gotta ask yourself: Why does John Hickenlooper take so many showers? I mean, he’ll never wash out the stain of oil and gas money. Maybe it’s the convictions for taking illegal gifts or being held in contempt. Scrub harder, Hick.”

Gov. Jared Polis (D), state Attorney General Phil Weiser (D), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D) criticized the ad. Polis said, “I’m disappointed that Andrew Romanoff has chosen to throw mud and attack John Hickenlooper instead of focusing on his own vision and record.”

At a June 16 debate, Romanoff questioned Hickenlooper’s electability, referring to the recent ethics violation ruling. Hickenlooper questioned Romanoff’s electability, saying he hadn’t won an election in 14 years.

Also last week, former U.S. Rep. John Salazar (D) endorsed Hickenlooper. Salazar had endorsed Romanoff in 2019 before Hickenlooper entered the race. Salazar said, Hickenlooper
“knows how to bring people together to get things done on behalf of all Coloradans, and he’s the right choice to defeat Senator Gardner and bring change to a broken Washington.”

Gardner (R) was first elected in 2014 after defeating incumbent Mark Udall (D), 48% to 46%. Gardner is one of two incumbent Republican senators running for re-election in a state Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.

The primary is June 30.

Valenzuela releases opposition ad, Olson responds in TX-24 runoff

Candace Valenzuela released an ad criticizing Kim Olson in Texas’ 24th Congressional District primary runoff. The ad features a retired teacher saying, “I remember when [Olson] fired hundreds of teachers after she mismanaged the budget.” Valenzuela said, “My work on the school board lifted teachers up, with better pay and keeping schools safe from guns.”

Valenzuela has served on the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District Board of Trustees since 2017. Olson was director of the Dallas Independent School District human resources department from 2007 to 2009. She also served on the Weatherford Independent School District Board of Trustees from 2007 to 2011.

The Olson campaign said that, as human resources director for the Dallas school district, “at no point did Olson have authority overspending or budget reconciliation. She simply managed the compensation budget approved by the Board.” The Olson campaign said the budget was drafted before Olson worked for the school district.

Seven candidates ran in the March 3 primary in Texas’ 24th. Olson received 41% of the vote to Valenzuela’s 30%. The runoff is July 14.

Incumbent Kenny Marchant (R) is not seeking re-election. Three race forecasters rate the general election Toss-up or Tilt Republican.

State executives

Jennifer McClellan files for governor of Virginia

State Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D) declared her candidacy for governor of Virginia in 2021 Thursday, becoming the second candidate to officially declare for the Democratic nomination. McClellan was first elected to the state Senate from a Richmond-area district in 2017 after 12 years in the state House. 

In her announcement video, McClellan said she was running to “keep leading progress into our future….we have to decide what kind of Virginia we’re going to be.”

McClellan’s only declared rival in the Democratic primary is state Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, who was first elected to the General Assembly in 2017. Other Democrats who have said they would consider running are Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, state Attorney General Mark Herring, and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Virginia is the only state to prohibit governors from serving consecutive terms, meaning incumbent Ralph Northam (D) is ineligible for re-election.

Virginia’s gubernatorial election will take place on Nov. 2, 2021. Virginia is currently a Democratic trifecta, where a Democrat is governor and Democrats hold majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly. Except for the 2013 election, every Virginia gubernatorial race since 1973 has been won by the party that lost the previous year’s presidential election.

Vermont gubernatorial candidates participate in forum on environment

Three of the four Democrats seeking their party’s nomination for governor of Vermont participated in a forum hosted by Vermont Conservation Voters and 350Vermont on June 18. Rebecca Holcombe, Pat Winburn, and David Zuckerman each discussed their environmental policies. The fourth candidate, Ralph Corbo, did not attend.

Holcombe, a former state Secretary of Education, said she would work alongside entrepreneurs to lead a transition in Vermont’s energy consumption patterns and called for the state’s minimum wage to be raised.

Winburn, an attorney in private practice, described low-cost housing as a cornerstone of his platform and said he considered homelessness a policy priority. Winburn called on the state to adopt small-scale solar-powered housing units, saying they had been successfully used in Scandinavian countries.

Zuckerman, the state’s current lieutenant governor, said he would partner with New Hampshire and Maine to implement a New England Green New Deal. He said the state should increase spending on education and economic development programs aimed at rural areas.

The Aug. 11 primary is open to all registered voters. Gov. Phil Scott (R), who was first elected in 2016, is on the ballot in the Republican primary with four declared challengers. Two election forecasters rate the general election as “Likely Republican” and a third rates it “Solid Republican”.

Legislatures

*The number of incumbents who did seek re-election is provided for the 37 states whose 2020 filing deadlines have already passed. The number of incumbents defeated in primaries is provided for the 19 states that have already held state legislative primaries in 2020.

Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce endorses challenger over incumbent in Florida House District 14 primary

On June 19, JAXBIZ, the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s political action arm, endorsed Angie Nixon (D) in the primary for Florida’s House District 14. Nixon is challenging incumbent Rep. Kimberly Daniels (D-14), who Andrew Pantazi with the Florida Times-Union called “perhaps the most conservative Democrat in the Legislature.” 

Daniels was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2018. She faced primaries in both races, winning 36 percent of the vote in a five-way primary in 2016 and defeating challenger Paula Wright (D) with 55 percent of the vote in 2018. In the current primary, Daniels has received campaign contributions from prominent Republican legislators like House Appropriations Chairman Travis Cummings (R-18) and Rep. Paul Renner (R-24), who is in line to become House Speaker in 2022 if Republicans maintain a majority.

In addition to the Jacksonville Chamber, Nixon received endorsements from Equality Florida, FL Planned Parenthood PAC, and the Democratic Environmental Caucus of FL. Between June 1 and 12, Nixon raised $26,146, passing Daniels in cash-on-hand for the first time in the primary. During that same period, Daniels raised no new funds. According to Florida Politics’ A.G. Gancarski, “Nixon has just over $60,000 on hand. Daniels … has just under $50,000 to spend.” 

District 14 has been reliably Democratic. Since 2012, there have been two contested general elections, with the Democratic candidate receiving over 65 percent of the vote in each. The winner of the Aug. 18 primary will face Nancy Lynn Kapetanovic (I), who is running as a write-in candidate.

Endorsements announced in final weeks of three-way primary for Colorado House District 6 seat

Within the past week, incumbent state Rep. Steven Woodrow (D-06) received endorsements from Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-31) and Denver city councilman Chris Hinds (D) in the Democratic primary for the Denver-area House District 6. Woodrow faces a three-way primary against Dan Himelspach and Steven Paletz on June 30. Both challengers have received notable endorsements.

Woodrow, a consumer rights attorney, was appointed to the seat in Feb. 2020 to fill a vacancy left by state Rep. Chris Hansen (D). In addition to Caraveo and Hinds, U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), the Colorado Working Families Party, and 23 incumbent legislators have endorsed his candidacy.

Himelspach founded a dispute resolution firm where he conducts mediations and arbitrations. Denver city councilwoman Amanda Sawyer (D) and former Colorado state Senate president, Brandon Shaffer (D), endorsed his campaign.

Paletz is an associate attorney at Fairfield and Woods, P.C. He received endorsements from U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, and Edward Barad, president of Hillel of Colorado.

The three candidates remain relatively close to one another in fundraising. As of June 15, reports showed Paletz raised $138,55, $80,000 of which was self-funded. Woodrow raised $95,172. Himelspach raised $55,625 and self-funded an additional $30,000 for a total of $85,625.

The winner of the primary will likely face William McAleb (R), who is running unopposed on the Republican side. This will be the first contested general election in District 6 since 2012 when former Rep. Lois Court (D) defeated Robert Hardaway (R), 67-30%.

Power players

“Over the past three years, Indivisible has gone from a spontaneous movement to a sophisticated network that combines national connectivity, partnerships, and support with local leadership and ownership.” – Indivisible website

Indivisible comprises the Indivisible Project, a 501(c)(4) organization, Indivisible Action, a hybrid political action committee, and Indivisible Civics, a 501(c)(3) organization. Indivisible was started with the publication of the Indivisible Guide, which the group describes as a “practical guide for newly engaged civic activists to take action in defending their progressive values within their local communities.” 

Indivisible Project says its mission is to “power and lift up a grassroots movement of local groups to realize bold progressive policies.” The group says, “We achieve state and national legislative victories by empowering grassroots activists with strategic guidance, tools, coordinated calls to action, and support for grassroots and direct advocacy.”

Indivisible Action says it “provides Indivisible groups access to voter contact software, along with a suite of canvassing, phonebanking, and texting tools in support of progressive candidates. Indivisible Action also makes endorsements of federal and gubernatorial candidates nominated by their local Indivisible groups, vetted by our political team, and voted on by our supporters in the states and districts the candidate wishes to represent.”

Indivisible Civics says it was started to support local Indivisible groups and is “committed to providing civic education, policy resources, strategic guidance, and targeted trainings for groups across the country.”   

To view Indivisible’s 2019 annual report, click here. To view a list of candidates endorsed by Indivisible, click here.



Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 23, 2020

Each day, we:

  • Track the status of reopening in all 50 states.
  • Compare the status of one industry or activity across the country.
  • Provide in-depth summaries of the latest reopening plans.
  • Give you the latest stories on other reopening plans and ideas.

Want to know what happened yesterday? Click here.

The next two days

What is reopening in the next two days? Which stay-at-home orders will expire?

June 24

  • New York (Democratic trifecta): The Long Island region is expected to move into Phase 3 of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) reopening plan on June 24. It will be the ninth region to move into that phase. The Mid-Hudson Valley region moved into Phase 3 on June 23. In that phase, indoor dining can resume at 50% capacity and indoor gathering limits can increase from 10 to 25 people.
  • Oregon (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Kate Brown’s (D) mandatory mask order will take effect in Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln counties on June 24. It will require individuals to wear face coverings at public indoor spaces (like grocery stores).

Since our last edition

What is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.

  • California (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he would consider reclosing portions of the state’s economy if positive case rates and hospitalizations continue to increase. Newsom confirmed that 54 of 58 counties had met the state’s criteria to proceed to Phase Two of reopening, but officials were closely monitoring metrics in 11 counties.
  • Kansas (Divided government): Gov. Laura Kelly (D) recommended the state remain in Phase Three of the reopening plan due to an upward trend in positive cases. In late May, Kelly delegated reopening decision-making authority to local governments.
  • Louisiana (divided government): Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) extended the state’s Phase Two order for 28 days, citing a rise in coronavirus cases.
  • Maine (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Janet Mills (D) announced bars in the state would not be able to reopen for indoor service on July 1 as part of Phase Three. Bars are allowed to continue outdoor service.
  • Massachusetts (Divided government): The Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved reopening plans for the state’s three casinos—Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park. No reopening dates have been set.
  • Michigan (divided government): Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced that most of the state won’t advance to the fifth phase of reopening this week. While the Upper Peninsula and the Traverse City Region are in phase five, the state’s six other regions will remain in phase four.
  • South Carolina (Republican trifecta): The state’s AccelerateED task force released final guidelines for reopening schools in the fall. Recommendations include mask requirements for students and faculty, social distancing measures, and 50% capacity limits for school busses.
  • Virginia (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced the commonwealth would enter Phase Three of the reopening plan on July 1. In Phase Three, gatherings of up to 250 people will be permitted, and retailers and restaurants will no longer have capacity restrictions.
  • West Virginia (Republican trifecta): Effective June 22, outdoor sporting events with spectators and youth sports games were allowed to resume as part of Week 9 of the reopening plan. Week 9 also permits outdoor equestrian events with spectators and summer youth camps.

Update on stay-at-home orders

Forty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not.

As of June 23, stay-at-home orders have ended in 39 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 20 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order).

The four states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):

  • New York (June 27)
  • New Mexico (June 30)
  • California (no set expiration date)
  • Kentucky (no set expiration date)

Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.

Tracking industries: Nursing home visitation

All 50 states are reopening in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states may you visit someone in a nursing home? This does not include end-of-life or other emergency-related visits. Visits limited to family members only, or that are only allowed outdoors, are counted as “visitors allowed” in the chart and map below.

This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan.

Alabama Delaware Iowa Montana Ohio Texas
Alaska Florida Maine Nevada Oklahoma Vermont
Arizona Georgia Maryland New Hampshire Oregon Virginia
Arkansas Hawaii Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania Washington
California Idaho Michigan New Mexico Rhode Island West Virginia
Colorado Illinois Minnesota New York South Carolina
Connecticut Indiana Missouri North Carolina Tennessee

 

On March 24, Gov. Gary Herbert (R) released the first version of “Utah Leads Together.” The first phase of the plan called for aggressive social distancing to reduce the person-to-person transmission rate to 1 to 1 within 30 days. On March 27, Herbert issued a “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive requesting that all Utahns practice social distancing and stay home whenever possible. The directive was not a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order. Herbert also issued several statewide directives and orders that placed restrictions on individuals and businesses.

On April 17, Herbert released “Utah Leads Together 2.0,” which clarified the stages of reopening first laid out in version 1.0. The plan instituted a color-coded health guidance system to move the state through different reopening phases.

Herbert released “Utah Leads Together 3.0” on May 20, focused on the state’s high-risk populations and multi-cultural communities. He released “Utah Leads Together 4.0” on June 17, which provides a plan for economic recovery over the next 100, 250, and 500 days.

Context

  • Although Gov. Herbert did not issue a stay-at-home order, he did issue a “Stay Safe, Stay Home” directive on March 27 that urged Utahns to stay home whenever possible and socially distance. On April 10, Herbert extended the directive through May 1.
  • As of June 23, Utah had 17,906 positive COVID-19 cases and 158 deaths. Utah’s population was an estimated 3,205,958 as of July 2019. For every 100,000 residents, Utah had 558.6 cases and 4.9 deaths.
  • Utah is a Republican trifecta. Republicans control the governor’s office and hold majorities in the House and Senate.

Plan details

When it was released on March 24, “Utah Leads Together 1.0” had three phases of recovery—an urgent phase, a stabilization phase, and a recovery phase. The urgent phase was estimated to last for 8-12 weeks. The stabilization phase was estimated to last between 10-14 weeks. The recovery phase was estimated to last 8-10 weeks.

“Utah Leads Together 2.0,” released on April 17, introduced a color-coded reopening. Each phase’s color corresponds to a level of risk. Each phase also gradually eased restrictions. The guidance system started at red (high risk), and then moved to orange (moderate risk), yellow (low risk), and ended at green (new normal).

As of June 23, only Salt Lake City remains in the orange phase of reopening. Nineteen counties have advanced to the yellow phase, and 10 counties have advanced to the green phase.

Red phase

On April 17, all of Utah was in the red phase (high risk), the most restrictive phase of the reopening plan. Gatherings were limited to 10 people or less, and out-of-state travelers were required to fill out a travel declaration upon entering the state. High-risk individuals, which the state defines as people over the age 65, people living in long-term care facilities, and people with certain underlying medical conditions, were subject to different guidelines developed by the Utah Department of Health through all phases of reopening.

On April 17, most Utah state parks reopened. On April 21, Herbert issued a public health order allowing some elective medical procedures to resume.

Orange phase

On April 29, Herbert signed an order moving Utah from the red phase to the orange phase of reopening effective May 1, instituting the first broad change in the restrictions imposed in March.

The move to orange eased a number of restrictions on businesses and individuals. The following businesses were allowed to reopen with restrictions:

  • Indoor dining at restaurants
    • Restrictions include face coverings for employees, frequent handwashing and use of disinfectant, and six feet of distance between tables or workstations
  • Gyms
    • Staff must disinfect equipment after each use
  • Personal services (barbers, nail salons, massage therapists, etc)
    • Symptom-checking all staff, appointments only, 6 feet of distanced maintained in waiting areas and whenever services aren’t being directly provided
  • Gatherings limited to 20 people or less

Yellow phase

On May 16, Herbert issued an order moving much of Utah to the yellow phase, further easing restrictions. Some cities and counties with high rates of coronavirus cases were required to remain in the orange phase, including Salt Lake City. Under the yellow phase, all businesses were allowed to reopen if they followed industry-specific guidelines, and gatherings of up to 50 people were permitted. Herbert wrote on Twitter that, under the yellow phase, “there are no economic activities that are categorically prohibited if common-sense precautions are in place.”

Although the guidelines under the yellow phase varied by industry, they generally required social distancing when feasible, symptom-checking employees, and face coverings for employees.

On May 21, Herbert signed an order moving Summit and Wasatch countries from orange to yellow. On May 22, Herbert moved the municipalities of Bluff and Mexican Hat from yellow to orange, reflecting a growing health risk in the surrounding area. On May 29, more counties were moved into the yellow phase.

Green phase

On June 12, Kane County became the first area in Utah to advance to the green phase. According to the overview of guidelines for the general public:

  • General public follows current federal and local public health precautions
  • Use of face coverings in businesses and social settings is encouraged when physical distancing is not feasible
  • All businesses are operating and encouraged to follow General Guidelines for Employers

On June 17, Herbert released “Utah Leads Together 4.0,” which builds on the previous three plans and provides a blueprint for economic recovery over the next 100, 250, and 500 days. The plan calls for Utahns to do three things:

  • Follow public health guidelines
  • Stay engaged with the economy
  • Assist those in need

According to the plan, Utah remains in the stabilization phase of the three-phase recovery plan first outlined in “Utah Leads 1.0.” However, the plan says Utah is nearing the recovery phase, which is a return to stability and positive growth.

In the 100-day horizon, the plan focuses on returning furloughed or inactive employees to work, connecting unemployed Utahs with jobs, and using CARES Act funding and other sources of stimulus to jumpstart economic recovery. In the 250-day horizon, the plan focuses on investment and productivity, including infrastructure and construction-ready projects. The 500-day horizon looks ahead at where the world economy is going and investigates steps necessary to ensure prosperity for Utah over the next 5,000 days.

Additional activity

In this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.

  • Washington D.C. entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan Monday, June 22, allowing restaurants to offer indoor service and gyms to reopen. Dining rooms are limited to 50% capacity. Gyms and workout facilities can only allow five people per 1,000 square feet.
  • Three Baltimore, Maryland attractions—the Maryland Zoo, B&O Railroad Museum, and the Baltimore Museum of Art—will open this week as part of Maryland’s Phase 2 reopening. The Maryland Zoo will open to members only on June 24, and to the general public on June 27. B&O Railroad Museum will reopen on June 25, and will ask patrons to wear face coverings or masks. The Baltimore Museum of Art’s outdoor sculpture garden will reopen on June 24, though the gallery will remain closed.
  • MGM National Harbor in Maryland is set to reopen on June 29 at 50% capacity.
  • Route 66 Casino and RV Resort in New Mexico announced plans to reopen at 50% capacity at the end of the week. The company will enforce social distancing measures, temperature checks, and require masks.
  • The 30 teams that make up the Major League Baseball voted unanimously on a plan to start a 60-game season around July 24. Spring Training could resume on July 1 if MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred formally implements the plan and players agree to a health-and-safety protocol.


University of Michigan withdraws from hosting Biden-Trump debate due to coronavirus concerns

Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
June 23, 2020: The Commission on Presidential Debates announced on Tuesday that the second presidential debate was being moved from Michigan to Florida. Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass is being vetted for vice president by the Biden campaign.

Daily Presidential News Briefing, Presidential poll highlights, 2019-2020 (Saint Anselm College • New Hampshire • June 13-16, 2020)


Daily Presidential News Briefing, Presidential poll highlights, 2019-2020 (Gravis Marketing • North Carolina • June 17, 2020)

Notable Quote of the Day

“Could a Black woman help boost turnout among Black voters, which dipped in 2016 compared to 2012? Maybe. Some political science research shows that Black people vote at higher rates when a Black candidate is on the ballot, although that finding is somewhat contested, and that research is about voting for a Black candidate, not a white candidate with a Black running mate.

That said, basically the only thing that Abrams, Bottoms, Demings, Rice and Harris have in common is that they are Black, women, and reportedly being considered as running mates by the Biden campaign. It’s really hard to claim that both Demings and Rice — the latter of whom has never even run for elected office — would obviously generate an electoral boost, and that those boosts would be of similar size. If the goal is to pick someone with skill in appealing to Black voters in particular, Abrams would seem to be head and shoulders above the rest of these Black women. She ran for governor and nearly won in a state with a huge Black population, in an election that saw a surge in Black voter turnout that was likely the result of her campaign.”

– Perry Bacon Jr., FiveThirtyEight

Election Updates

  • The Commission on Presidential Debates announced on Tuesday that the second presidential debate, scheduled for Oct. 15, is moving from the University of Michigan to the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami due to concerns with the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Joe Biden is vetting Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Karen Bass (Calif.) for vice president, according to CBS News.

  • Donald Trump is speaking in Phoenix on Tuesday at an event organized by Students for Trump. This is Trump’s third visit to Arizona in five months.

  • Retweeting a Breitbart article on election fraud, Trump wrote, “This will be the Election disaster of our time. Mail-In Ballots will lead to a RIGGED ELECTION!”

Flashback: June 23, 2016

Bernie Sanders delivered a speech, titled “Where We Go From Here,” to his supporters about the future of his movement.blank

Click here to learn more.



Trump and RNC raise $74 million in May

Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
June 22, 2020: Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) raised $74 million in May, marking the first time they underperformed Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee. Former Sen. Ted Kaufman (Del.) is leading Biden’s presidential transition team.        

The Cook Political Report updated its race ratings on Jun. 19:

  • Michigan moved from Toss Up to Lean Democrat.
  • Iowa moved from Likely Republican to Lean Republican.
  • Ohio moved from Likely Republican to Lean Republican.

Notable Quote of the Day

“Democrats could come to regret their lack of concern. In an interview this week, [Green Party candidate Howie] Hawkins said, “We’ve got Bernie Sanders refugees coming in bursts ever since Super Tuesday. …

As [Hillary] Clinton — and Al Gore before her — learned, even seemingly minor factors can sway a close election. Trump faces his own third-party challenge from the Libertarian Party, but may have dodged a more formidable threat when Rep. Justin Amash decided against pursuing that party’s nomination.

Some Democrats think they’ve also caught a break with Hawkins. Their sense is that even voters on the far left recognize that anti-Trump forces can’t afford to splinter, and so the era of Green Party spoilers may be coming to an end. The Green Party is on the ballot in swing states like Florida, but it has struggled to gather the required number of signatures in a few other battlegrounds, such as Arizona.”

– Alex Thompson and Holly Otterbein, Politico

Election Updates

  • Former Sen. Ted Kaufman (Del.) is leading Joe Biden’s presidential transition team. Former Obama White House staffer Yohannes Abraham is in charge of day-to-day operations.
  • Biden hired Chris Bolling, a former executive director of the Democratic Party of Virginia, to lead his campaign operations in Virginia.
  • Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee (RNC) raised $74 million in May, marking the first time they underperformed Biden and the Democratic National Committee—who raised $81 million in May—in monthly fundraising. Trump and the RNC have $265 million in cash on hand.
  • Trump discussed the coronavirus pandemic, policing, race relations, and Biden at his first campaign rally in months on Saturday in Tulsa. An estimated 6,200 people attended the event, according to Tulsa’s fire department. The venue had capacity for 19,000. Trump campaign adviser Mercedes Schlapp said 5.3 million people watched the event online.

What We’re Reading

Flashback: June 22, 2016

Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson and his running mate, Bill Weld, participated in a televised town hall on CNN.

Click here to learn more.



Bold Justice: SCOTUS releases opinions on Title VII, right-of-way, and DACA

Ballotpedia's Bold Justice

Welcome to the June 22 edition of Bold Justice, Ballotpedia’s newsletter about the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) and other judicial happenings around the U.S. As court watchers, we know that as summer heats up, so does the opinions calendar. Stay up-to-date on the latest news by following us on Twitter or subscribing to the Daily Brew.


We #SCOTUS so you don't have to

Arguments

The Supreme Court has finished hearing arguments for the 2019-2020 term. The court agreed to hear arguments in 74 cases, but heard arguments in only 61 cases due to the coronavirus pandemic. Click here to read more about SCOTUS’ current term. Click here to read more about SCOTUS’ upcoming 2020-21 term.

Opinions

SCOTUS has issued three opinions—ruling on seven cases—since our June 8 issue. The court has issued rulings in 45 cases so far this term.

Click the links below to read more about the specific cases SCOTUS ruled on since June 8:

  • June 15

    • Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia (consolidated with Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda and R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC) was argued on October 8, 2019.

      The cases: The three cases questioned whether sexual orientation and gender identity were included in Title VII’s prohibition of discrimination “because of … sex.”

      In Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, Gerald Bostock was a Clayton County employee whose employment was terminated. After his termination, Bostock sued the county for discrimination because of sexual orientation. Bostock argued his termination violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The U.S. district court dismissed the case and, on appeal, the 11th Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling.

      In Altitude Express Inc. v. Zarda, Donald Zarda sued Altitude Express after his employment was terminated. Zarda brought the suit under Title VII, alleging his employment was terminated because of his sexual orientation.

      In R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC, Aimee Stephens’ employment was terminated after she informed the funeral home’s owner that she would transition from male to female. Stephens filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which charged the funeral home with violating Title VII.

      The outcome: In a 6-3 ruling the court said that sexual orientation and gender identity were forms of sex discrimination under Title VII. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority: “Today, we must decide whether an employer can fire someone simply for being homosexual or transgender. The answer is clear. An employer who fires an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex. Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what Title VII forbids.”

      Justice Samuel Alito filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas. Justice Brett Kavanaugh also filed a dissenting opinion.

    • United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association (consolidated with Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association) was argued on February 24, 2020.

      The case: The U.S. Forest Service issued a permit in 2018 allowing Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC to construct a natural gas pipeline that would cross under the Appalachian Trail. Cowpasture River Preservation Association challenged the permit in the 4th Circuit. The 4th Circuit vacated the permit, ruling the Forest Service didn’t have the legal authority to grant right-of-way—strips of land in which natural gas pipelines are installed—on Appalachian Trail land.

      The Forest Service and Atlantic Coast Pipeline petitioned to the Supreme Court, arguing the 4th Circuit was wrong to vacate the permit.

      The outcome: The court reversed and remanded the 4th Circuit’s ruling in a 7-2 vote, holding that because the Department of the Interior’s decision to assign responsibility over the Appalachian Trail to the National Park Service did not transform the land over which the Trail passes into land within the National Park System, the Forest Service had the authority to issue the special use permit.

      Justice Thomas delivered the opinion of the court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Elena Kagan.

  • June 18

    • Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California (consolidated with Trump v. NAACP and Wolf v. Vidal) was argued on November 12, 2019.

      The case: In 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Regents of the University of California sued DHS in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging the decision violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and denied respondents’ right to equal protection and due process.

      The district court issued a preliminary injunction barring the government from rescinding DACA. The government filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit, which heard oral argument on May 15, 2018, but had not issued an opinion as of November 5, 2018, when the government asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.

      In its appeal, the government defended its decision to end DACA as a lawful wind-down of a discretionary policy because of the program’s dubious legal status.

      The outcome: The court ruled against DHS in a 5-4 opinion, holding that the agency’s decision to end DACA was reviewable under the APA and that its decision was arbitrary and capricious. The court found the decision unlawful because DHS “failed to supply the requisite ‘reasoned analysis'” at the time the agency chose to end the DACA program and failed to consider how to accommodate those who relied on the program.

      Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the opinion of the court, except for part IV. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Elena Kagan joined the full opinion. Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined the opinion except for part IV.

      Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in part, concurring in the judgment in part, and dissenting in part.

      Justice Clarence Thomas filed an opinion concurring in the judgment in part and dissenting in part, joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch.

      Justices Alito and Brett Kavanaugh each filed opinions concurring in the judgment in part and dissenting in part.


Upcoming SCOTUS dates

Here are the court’s upcoming dates of interest:

  • June 25: SCOTUS will conference. A conference is a private meeting of the justices.

  • June 29: SCOTUS will release orders and possibly opinions.


SCOTUS trivia

How many SCOTUS justices must be present to hear a case?


Federal Court action

Confirmations

The Senate has confirmed one new nominee since our June 8 issue.

Since January 2017, the Senate has confirmed 199 of President Trump’s judicial nominees—143 district court judges, 52 appeals court judges, two Court of International Trade judges, and two Supreme Court justices.


Nominations

President Trump announced two new Article III nominees since our June 8 edition.

The president has announced 262 Article III judicial nominations since taking office January 20, 2017. The president named 69 judicial nominees in 2017, 92 in 2018, and 77 in 2019. For more information on the president’s judicial nominees, click here.



Vacancies

The federal judiciary currently has 79 vacancies. As of publication, there were 47 pending nominations.

According to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, an additional six judges have announced their intention to leave active judicial status during Trump’s first term.

For more information on judicial vacancies during Trump’s first term, click here.


Committee action

The Senate Judiciary Committee has reported five new nominees out of committee since our June 8 edition.

  • John Holcomb, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Central District Of California

  • Brett Ludwig, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District Of Wisconsin

  • Shireen Matthews, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Of California

  • Todd Robinson, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Of California

  • Christy Wiegand, nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District Of Pennsylvania

Do you love judicial nomination, confirmation, and vacancy information? We figured you might. Our monthly Federal Vacancy Count, published at the start of each month, monitors all the faces and places moving in, moving out, and moving on in the federal judiciary. Click here for our most current count.

Need a daily fix of judicial nomination, confirmation, and vacancy information? Click here for continuing updates on the status of all federal judicial nominees.

Or, if you prefer, we also maintain a list of individuals President Trump has nominated.


Looking ahead

We’ll be back on June 29 with a new edition of Bold Justice, pending opinions.

Click here to learn more.



Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 22, 2020

Each day, we:

  • Track the status of reopening in all 50 states.
  • Compare the status of one industry or activity across the country.
  • Provide in-depth summaries of the latest reopening plans.
  • Give you the latest stories on other reopening plans and ideas.

Want to know what happened Friday? Click here.

The next two days

What is reopening in the next two days?

June 23:

  • New York (Democratic trifecta): On June 22, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that the Mid-Hudson region could move into Phase 3 of his reopening plan on June 23. It is the eighth of 10 regions to enter that phase. The Long Island region is on track to enter Phase 3 on June 24. New York City is entering Phase 2 of the plan on June 22, the last region in the state to do so. Phase 2 allows outdoor dining at bars and restaurants (50% capacity), the opening of hair salons and barbershops (50% capacity), and office-based jobs (50% capacity). New York City playgrounds also reopened on June 22.

Since our last edition

What is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.

  • Illinois (Democratic trifecta): Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced the state was on track to enter the fourth phase of reopening starting June 26. Phase 4 will allow gatherings of up to 50 people. Indoor recreation venues (like bowling alleys and theaters), indoor dining services, and outdoor spectator sports facilities will be able to reopen with limits.
  • Maryland (divided government): On June 19, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced that nursing home facilities could begin offering limited outdoor visits, provided that the facilities are not experiencing an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and have not recorded a facility-onset case of COVID-19 within the last 14 days.
  • Massachusetts (divided government): Effective June 22, Massachusetts moves into the second step of Phase 2 of its reopening. The following are allowed to reopen: indoor table service at restaurants; close-contact personal services (nail salons, tattoo parlors, etc.); retail dressing rooms (by appointment only); and office spaces (50% capacity).
  • Nebraska (Republican trifecta): Eighty-nine of 93 counties entered Phase 3 of Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) reopening plan on June 22. The following businesses and activities resumed: bars and restaurants (100% occupancy with social distancing measures); gyms and fitness facilities (75% occupancy); personal care services (75% occupancy); wedding and funeral receptions. Under Phase 3, indoor gatherings are limited to 50% occupancy with no more than 10,000 people, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 75% occupancy with no more than 10,000 people. Childcare facilities reopened with limits that vary by the age of children.
    • The remaining counties— Dakota, Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick—entered Phase 2 on June 22. Under that phase, bars and strip clubs may reopen at 50% capacity, host parties up to six people, and patrons are required to stay six feet away from entertainers. Games, such as darts and pool, are prohibited. Gatherings of up to 25 or 25% capacity (excluding staff) for indoor or outdoor attractions are allowed in Phase 2. For larger venues, no more than 3,000 people are allowed, even if that number is less than 25% occupancy. Weddings and funerals can also resume, limited to up to 25 people or 50% occupancy, excluding staff. Phase 2 allows limited, noncontact sports, such as baseball and softball, to resume practices. Games are allowed to resume on June 18. Basketball, tackle football, soccer, and wrestling remain prohibited in Phase 2.
  • New Jersey (Democratic trifecta): On June 22, modified, no contact practices for medium contact sports like baseball and high contact sports like football, public and private pools, and personal care services such as hair salons resumed. Outdoor gathering limits increased from 100 to 250 people, so long as six feet of social distance can be maintained. Protests and religious gatherings are exempt from limits on gatherings. On June 22, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced that indoor dining and casinos can reopen on July 2, both at 25% capacity.
  • North Carolina (divided government): Gov. Roy Cooper (D) vetoed House Bill 594 on June 19. The bill would have allowed gyms and fitness centers to reopen immediately—in advance of Cooper’s reopening plan. Bars would also have been able to open outdoor service spaces at 50% of the venue’s indoor capacity. Cooper said, “Tying the hands of public health officials in times of pandemic is dangerous, especially when case counts and hospitalizations are rising. State and local officials must be able to take swift action during the COVID-19 emergency to prevent a surge of patients from overwhelming hospitals and endangering the lives of North Carolinians. The bill could restrict leaders who need to respond quickly to outbreaks and protect public health and safety.”
    • This is the second time Cooper has vetoed legislation seeking to lift restrictions ahead of his reopening plan.  On June 5, Cooper vetoed House Bill 536, which would have allowed certain establishments to offer outdoor dining and beverage service.
    • A third bill, Senate Bill 599, won legislative approval on June 18. It would allow skating rinks and bowling alleys to reopen at 50% capacity immediately, and before they would have reopened under Cooper’s plan. SB599 was sent to Cooper for consideration on June 22.
  • Ohio (Republican trifecta): Contact practice for all sports, including football and lacrosse,  resumed on June 22.
  • South Dakota (Republican trifecta): The South Dakota Department of Health released a three-phase reopening plan for long-term care facilities, which have been closed since March. In phase one, outdoor visitation is generally permitted, while indoor visitation generally is not. To move from one phase to the next, nursing homes must engage in weekly randomized testing of staff and patients, and there must be no confirmed cases in the facility within the last 14 days.
  • Utah (Republican trifecta): On June 19, Gov. Gary Herbert (R) approved nine counties to move into the Green phase of Utah’s reopening plan. Green is the least restrictive phase of Utah’s color-coded reopening plan. To date, ten counties have advanced to the Green Phase. Nineteen counties are currently in the Yellow phase, the second phase in the plan. Only Salt Lake City is in the first and most restrictive phase.
  • Wisconsin (divided government): On June 22, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction released reopening guidance for schools. Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor said schools would reopen to in-person instruction for the fall. The guidance outlined several scenarios for physical distancing, including four-day school weeks, a two-day rotation, an a/b week rotation, and virtual learning.

Update on stay-at-home orders

Forty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not.

As of June 22, stay-at-home orders have ended in 39 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 20 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order).

The four states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):

  • New York (June 27)
  • New Mexico (June 30)
  • California (no set expiration date)
  • Kentucky (no set expiration date)

Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.

Tracking industries: State face covering requirements

All 50 states began to reopen in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: in which states must you wear a face covering in public?

This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan.

Alabama Delaware Maine Nevada Oklahoma Vermont
Alaska Florida Maryland New Hampshire Oregon Virginia
Arizona Georgia Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania Washington
Arkansas Idaho Michigan New Mexico Rhode Island West Virginia
California Illinois Minnesota New York South Carolina
Colorado Indiana Missouri North Carolina Tennessee
Connecticut Iowa Montana Ohio Texas

On May 18, Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) released a four-phased reopening plan, “Beyond Recovery: Reopening Hawai’i.” The phases correspond to varying levels of disruption to daily life. The state entered Phase 1, corresponding with the “Safer at Home” disruption level, on May 7.

Ige said on May 18, “Together, we took public health measures seriously and we flattened the curve in Hawaiʻi. Through our Safe Practices like handwashing, physical distancing, wearing face coverings, and staying home when sick, we achieved safe results. Because of this, we are now seeing a consistent downward trajectory of new cases, a 90% recovery rate, and our hospitals that were once bracing for the worst have significant surge capacity. We also have the lowest fatality rate in the United States.”

Counties must seek approval from the governor before reopening businesses and resuming activities. Reopening timelines have varied by county.

All counties have entered Phase 2, corresponding with the “Act with Care” disruption level. In this phase, most businesses can open with physical distancing and safety restrictions. Large venues, bars, and clubs may reopen in Phase 3.

The governor said there would be a minimum of 14 days between each phase. The plan includes public health criteria that must be met before each transition.

Context

  • Ige signed a stay-at-home order that took effect on March 25 requiring residents to stay home except for essential activities and essential business operations. It also established social distancing requirements in public places. The order was set to expire on April 30. Ige issued subsequent orders extending stay-at-home provisions until May 31, with modifications to allow some businesses and activities to reopen or resume on May 7. Customers of businesses and employees who interact with the public or come into contact with goods sold must wear face coverings.
  • As of June 20, Hawaii had 814 COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths. Hawaii’s estimated population as of July 2019 was 1.4 million. For every 100,000 residents, Hawaii had 57.5 cases and 1.2 deaths. According to The New York Times‘ analysis, Hawaii had the lowest per capita case rate and among the lowest death rates of any state.
  • Hawaii is a Democratic trifecta, with a Democratic governor and Democratic majorities in both chambers of the state legislature.

Plan details

Phase 1: Stabilization

Criteria

“The ‘Safer a Home’ impact level indicates that new COVID-19 cases may occur, but the overall trend is decreasing. During this impact level, Hawaii’s healthcare system is near maximum capacity for testing, hospital capacity, and/or contact tracing. This impact level means that businesses identified as low-risk begin to reopen and a mandatory 14-day quarantine for out-of-state and interisland travelers remains in place.”

See page 17 here for more specific criteria.

Social/individual

  • High-risk and elderly recommended to stay home
  • No gatherings over 10 people, and maintain at least 6 feet physical distance

Businesses

The following could reopen as part of Phase 1. See the safer-at-home order for social distancing requirements, sector-specific requirements, and county-specific exceptions. The Hawaii Department of Health’s Phase 1 reopening requirements are here.

  • Non-food agriculture, i.e., landscape, ornamental plant growers, nurseries
  • Auto dealerships
  • Car washes
  • Pet grooming services
  • Observatories and support facilities
  • Retail and repair services, i.e., apparel, florists, watch repair, surfboard repair (no fitting rooms)
  • Shopping malls, limited to retail and repair services

Phase 2: Reopening

Criteria

“The ‘Act with Care’ impact level anticipates some new COVID-19 cases, which are manageable, along with improved capacity utilization for testing, hospitals, contact tracing. This impact level means that businesses identified as medium to high-risk begin to reopen and there is consideration for lifting the mandatory 14-day quarantine for interisland travelers.”

See page 17 here for more specific criteria.

Social/individual

  • High-risk and elderly recommended to stay home
  • No gatherings over 10 people, and maintain at least 6 feet physical distance

Businesses/activities

  • Accommodations
  • Educational facilities
  • Indoor gatherings (i.e., places of worship)
  • Gyms/fitness centers
  • Museums and theaters
  • Personal services ( i.e., barbershops, salons, tattoo parlors)

Statewide reopenings/changes

June 8

  • State park beaches for passive use (such as sunbathing) in compliance with county orders

June 16

  • 14-day self-quarantine lifted for inter-island travelers

Phase 3: Long-term recovery

Criteria

“The ‘Recovery’ impact level occurs when new COVID-19 cases indicate sporadic activity and optimized capacity utilization for testing, hospitals, and contact tracing. This impact level means that businesses identified as highest-risk begin to reopen and there is consideration for lifting the mandatory 14-day quarantine for out-of-state travelers”

See page 17 here for more specific criteria.

Social/individual

  • High-risk and elderly recommended to stay home
  • No gatherings over 50 people, and maintain at least 6 feet physical distance

Businesses

  • Large venues, bars, and clubs

Phase 4: Resilience

Criteria

“The ‘New Normal’ impact level means that Hawaiʻi has adjusted to living safely with COVID-19 through a potential combination of effective treatments and containment methods, natural ‘herd immunity,’ and/or vaccines.”

See page 17 here for more specific criteria.

Social/individual

  • High-risk and elderly exercise caution in public
  • Maintain at least 6 feet physical distance at gatherings

Businesses

  • “Fully open with adjusted Safe Practices”

Reopening timelines by county

Timelines for reopenings beyond Phase 1 by county are below.

Hawaii County

May 30 reopening

  • Places of worship

June 1 reopenings

  • Indoor gathering places, i.e., bowling alleys, billiards halls, but not arcades or gaming places
  • Fitness centers and indoor pools
  • Museums and theaters
  • Outdoor spaces, i.e., ocean tours, outside pools, and summer camps
  • Personal services, i.e., barbershops, tattoo parlors, and acupuncturists
  • Real estate services, i.e., open houses and property viewing
  • Other retail and repair, i.e., rental of recreational and sports equipment
  • “Certain county park sites and recreational facilities will re-open with some exceptions. County swimming pools, gymnasiums and community centers will remain closed at this time.”
  • Restaurants

Honolulu County

May 23 reopening

  • Places of worship

May 28 reopening

  • Outdoor attractions, i.e., water parks, pools, campgrounds

May 29 reopening

  • Personal services, i.e., barbershops, nail salons, tattoo parlors

June 5 reopening

  • Restaurants
  • Other business/commercial businesses
  • Indoor residential, non-commercial gatherings of 10 or less (regardless of household)

June 19 reopenings

  • Education and care facilities
  • Indoor attractions, i.e., bowling alleys, arcades, museums, theatres
  • Outdoor organized team sports (two phases, with phase 1 beginning June 19)
  • Fitness facilities
  • Bars

Kauai County

May 22 reopenings

  • Public and private pools
  • Places of worship
  • Outdoor tour activities
  • Salons and barbershops
  • All cleaning and construction work
  • One-on-one personal services, i.e., fitness, tutoring, music lessons

June 1 reopenings

  • Indoor exercise and recreation facilities, i.e., gyms, fitness centers, recreation facilities
  • Outdoor spaces, i.e., playgrounds, skateparks, pavilions
  • Personal services, including spas
  • Restaurants

June 16 reopenings

  • Certain accommodations
  • Bars and bar top services

Maui County

June 1 reopenings

  • Restaurants
  • Fitness and recreational facilities
  • Personal services, i.e., tattoo parlors, aestheticians, massage therapists
  • Playgrounds and skate parks
  • Some county pools

County-level business guidance

The following counties released business guidance.

Additional activity

In this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.

  • On June 19, the Phoenix City Council voted to require face coverings while in public. The rule took effect at 6 a.m. on June 20. The vote came after Gov. Doug Ducey (R) said that city and county governments could enact their own health and safety measures for responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) announced plans to hold the PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco in August without fans in attendance.
  • Central District Health in Idaho announced that Ada County would return to Phase 3 of Idaho’s reopening plan on Wednesday, June 24. Bars and large venues will once again have to close, and gatherings will be limited to 50 people. Ada County is the most populous county in Idaho, containing Boise, the state’s capital.
  • On June 16, a group of eight Connecticut landlords sued Gov. Ned Lamont (D) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, seeking to block two executive orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Order 7G, issued on March 19, suspends non-critical court operations. Executive Order 7X, issued on April 10, prohibits landlords from initiating new evictions through July 1, provides an automatic 60-day grace period for April rent and a 60-day grace period for May rent upon request. It also mandates that landlords allow tenants who paid a security deposit in excess of one month’s rent be allowed to use that excess amount toward April, May, or June rent. The landlords argue in their complaint that these executive orders “illegally deprived them of their constitutional right to private contract, right to due process of law, right to equal protection under the law, and right against having their property taken for public use without just compensation.” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong defended the executive orders, saying they “have been very clearly constitutional and fully legally justified.” The case is assigned to Judge Victor Bolden, who was appointed to the court by President Barack Obama (D).


Documenting America’s Path to Recovery: June 19, 2020

Each day, we:

  • Track the status of reopening in all 50 states.
  • Compare the status of one industry or activity across the country.
  • Provide in-depth summaries of the latest reopening plans.
  • Give you the latest stories on other reopening plans and ideas.

Want to know what happened yesterday? Click here.

The next three days

What is reopening in the next three days? Which stay-at-home orders will expire?

June 22

  • Nebraska (Republican trifecta): Gov Pete Ricketts (R) announced that 89 of 93 counties would move into Phase 3 of his reopening plan on June 22. The following businesses and activities will be permitted to resume: bars and restaurants (100% occupancy with social distancing measures); gyms and fitness facilities (75% occupancy); personal care services (75% occupancy); wedding and funeral receptions. Under Phase 3, indoor gatherings will be limited to 50% occupancy with no more than 10,000 people, and outdoor gatherings will be limited to 75% occupancy with no more than 10,000 people. Childcare facilities can reopen with the following limits that vary by the age of children. Contact sports, like football and basketball, are permitted to resume practice and play games on July 1.
  • The remaining counties— Dakota, Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick—will enter Phase 2 on June 22. Under that phase, bars and strip clubs can reopen at 50% capacity, host parties up to six people, and patrons are required to stay six feet away from entertainers. Games, such as darts and pool, are prohibited. Gatherings of up to 25 or 25% capacity (excluding staff) for indoor or outdoor attractions are allowed in Phase 2. For larger venues, no more than 3,000 people are allowed, even if that number is less than 25% occupancy. Weddings and funerals can also resume, limited to up to 25 people or 50% occupancy, excluding staff. Phase 2 allows limited, noncontact sports, such as baseball and softball, to resume practices. Games are allowed to resume on June 18. Basketball, tackle football, soccer, and wrestling remain prohibited in Phase 2.
    • According to the Omaha-World Herald, Ricketts told local officials they would not receive funds from the federal CARES Act if they required people to wear face masks in county buildings. In May, Ricketts issued guidance to counties advising local officials to reopen government offices by June 15 to receive CARES Act funding. As part of the guidance, Ricketts said counties could implement social distancing measures, control access to buildings, and encourage but not require face masks. Rickett’s spokesperson Taylor Gage said, “The governor encourages people to wear a mask…but does not believe that failure to wear a mask should be the basis for denying taxpayers’ services.”
  • New Jersey (Democratic trifecta): On June 22, modified, no contact practices for medium contact sports like baseball and high contact sports like football, public and private pools, and personal care services such as hair salons may resume. On June 18, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) and Superintendent of the State Police Colonel Patrick Callahan announced an administrative order that will allow indoor portions of retail shopping malls to reopen on June 29 at 50% capacity. Restaurants located in shopping malls are restricted to take out or curbside delivery only, though they may provide in-person service at outdoor areas outside of shopping malls.
  • New York (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on June 19 that New York City will move into Phase 2 of his reopening plan on June 22. Phase 2 allows outdoor dining at bars and restaurants (50% capacity), the opening of hair salons and barbershops (50% capacity), and office-based jobs (50% capacity). New York City playgrounds will also be able to reopen on June 22. On June 18, Cuomo said he will issue an executive order strengthening enforcement of reopening rules and guidelines. Under the order, businesses that violate reopening regulations are subject to immediate loss of their liquor license and a shutdown order from the state. Cuomo will also expand enforcement authority of the State Liquor Authority, granting bars responsibility for areas immediately outside of the establishment.

Since our last edition

What is open in each state? For a continually updated article on reopening status in all 50 states, click here. For our last edition, click here.

  • California (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive order mandating residents wear face masks while in public or high-risk settings.
  • Georgia (Republican trifecta): Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said he would apply for a waiver from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to forgo standardized testing for the 2020-2021 school year. Georgia used such a waiver to forgo testing during the 2019-2020 school year.
  • Louisiana (divided government): On June 17, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) said state superintendent of education Cade Brumley would issue guidance within 10 to 14 days on reopening public schools in the fall.
  • Maryland (divided government): The following businesses were allowed to reopen at 5:00 p.m. on June 19: indoor fitness centers, gyms, martial arts studios, and dance studios; casinos; arcades; and malls. All reopenings are subject to local approval.
  • North Carolina (divided government): On June 18, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Senate Bill 599. SB599 would allow skating rinks and bowling alleys to reopen at 50% capacity immediately, and before they would have reopened under Gov. Roy Cooper’s (D) plan. The bill would also allow temporary outdoor seating at bars and restaurants at 50% capacity of current indoor seating or up to 100 customers (whichever is less). Currently, restaurants can have no more than 50% capacity indoors. Bars are closed. The bill allows Cooper to re-close those businesses if the number of coronavirus cases increases.
    • SB599 passed in the North Carolina House of Representatives 68-52 on June 16, with 65 Republicans and three Democrats voting to approve, and 52 Democrats voting against it. The state Senate passed a motion to concur on June 18 32-15, with 26 Republicans and six Democrats voting to approve and 15 Democrats voting against. The bill will be sent to Cooper for consideration.
    • This is the third bill the North Carolina General Assembly has passed seeking to lift restrictions ahead of Cooper’s reopening plan. On June 5, Cooper vetoed House Bill 536, which would have allowed bars and restaurants to temporarily expand service to outdoor spaces. On June 11, the North Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 594 69-50. Sixty-five Republicans and four Democrats voted in favor, and 50 Democrats voted against. HB594 would allow gyms, health clubs, and fitness centers to reopen at 50% capacity. Bars would be able to open outdoor service spaces at 50% of the venue’s indoor capacity ahead of Phase 3 of Cooper’s reopening plan, which is expected to begin June 26. The bill would take effect immediately and was sent to Cooper for consideration. As of June 19, Cooper has not signed or vetoed that bill. North Carolina is among seven states where a three-fifths vote of both chambers is required to override a gubernatorial veto. Republicans control 29 of the 30 seats required to override a veto in the state Senate and 65 of the 72 seats required in the state House.
  • Ohio (Republican trifecta): The following businesses were permitted to reopen on June 19: casinos and racinos (a combination of horse racing track and casino), amusement parks, water parks, and outdoor theaters.
  • Oregon (Democratic trifecta): Multnomah became the final county to enter the first phase of reopening on June 19, making Oregon the 39th state to lift a statewide stay-at-home order. Marion, Polk, and Hood River counties entered Phase Two.
  • Pennsylvania (divided government): Eight more counties moved into the green phase of the state’s reopening plan. Gov. Tom Wolf (R) announced twelve more yellow-phase counties will enter the green phase on June 26, leaving Lebanon as the only county in yellow. In May, Lebanon’s county commissioners voted to reopen against state orders. Wolf said a recent uptick in the county’s cases disqualified it from opening with the rest of the state. The green phase allows most businesses and functions to reopen under state restrictions, including salons, barbershops, spas, casinos, theaters, malls, and gyms. It also allows gatherings of up to 250 people.
  • Texas (Republican trifecta): Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the state’s schools would open to students in the fall. Morath said guidance for schools would be released in the future. Additionally, amusement parks and carnivals can reopen at 50% capacity across the state.
  • Vermont (divided government): Effective June 19, limited outdoor visits can resume at long-term care facilities. Each resident is permitted two visitors per day. At a press conference on June 19, Gov. Phil Scott (R) announced that event, arts, culture, and entertainment venues and restaurants can operate at 50% capacity beginning June 26.

Update on stay-at-home orders

Forty-three states issued orders directing residents to stay home except for essential activities and the closure or curtailment of businesses each state deemed nonessential. Seven states did not.

As of June 19, stay-at-home orders have ended in 39 states. Nineteen of those states have Republican governors and 20 have Democratic governors (including Wisconsin, where the state Supreme Court invalidated the stay-at-home order).

The four states with active stay-at-home orders have Democratic governors. They are (with expiration date):

  • New York (June 27)
  • New Mexico (June 30)
  • California (no set expiration date)
  • Kentucky (no set expiration date)

Here’s which stay-at-home orders have expired.

Tracking industries: Places of worship

All 50 states began to reopen in some way. Here, we give the status of one industry or activity across the states. Today’s question: which states place a capacity limit on churches and religious services?

This is an in-depth summary of one of the latest reopening plans. Is there a plan you’d like us to feature? Reply to this email and let us know. Click a state below to read a previous Featured Plan.

Alabama Florida Maryland New Hampshire Oregon Virginia
Arizona Georgia Massachusetts New Jersey Pennsylvania Washington
Arkansas Idaho Michigan New Mexico Rhode Island West Virginia
California Illinois Minnesota New York South Carolina
Colorado Indiana Missouri North Carolina Tennessee
Connecticut Iowa Montana Ohio Texas
Delaware Maine Nevada Oklahoma Vermont

On April 21, Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) announced he would ease restrictions on some businesses on Friday, April 24, beginning the first phase of a five-phase reopening plan.

Dunleavy said, “Through the public’s outstanding efforts to social distance and adhere to the health mandates set in place, we have witnessed a slow in the spread of COVID-19, effectively protecting the health of our families and loved ones. Compliance with the health mandates came with an economic slowdown and it is time to take a multi-phased approach to reopening our economy. Alaska’s many local businesses and industries are vital to the economic health of the state, and I am pleased that our efforts to protect the health and well-being of Alaskans are showing statistics that allow us to reopen business.”

The reopening overview listed four metrics that would determine progress between phases.

  • Disease activity: a consistently declining or stable level of COVID-19 activity in Alaska
  • Testing capacity: enough capacity and access for quick and sufficient COVID-19 testing
  • Public health capacity: enough capacity to investigate, contact trace, and monitor everyone with COVID-19, plus their contacts
  • Health care capacity: enough space, equipment, and supplies for personnel to safely and effectively care for everyone with COVID-19, plus everyone else who needs health care

 Context

  • On March 27, Dunleavy issued Health Mandate 011, which required Alaskans to stay home unless performing essential activities. Dunleavy also issued Health Mandate 012, which limited movement within the state to travel for essential needs or to support critical infrastructure. On April 9, Dunleavy extended the health mandates through April 21. On April 21, Dunleavy extended some restrictions, while also allowing businesses to begin reopening on April 24.
  • As of June 19, Alaska has reported 722 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 fatalities. Alaska had an estimated population as of July 2019 of 731,545. For every 100,000 residents, the state had 98.7 confirmed cases and 1.6 deaths.
  • Alaska has a divided government. Republicans control the governor’s office and the Senate, while the House is split as the result of a power-sharing agreement.

Plan details

Phase I

Phase I began on April 24. The following businesses and activities were permitted to resume:

  • Most non-essential businesses were permitted to reopen if they could meet requirements related to social distancing and capacity restrictions.
    • Retail stores were allowed to reopen at 25% of the maximum building capacity or 20 customers, whichever was smaller.
    • Restaurants could resume indoor dining if capacity was limited to 25% and groups were limited to household members only. Cloth face coverings were required for all employees.
    • Personal care services, including hair salons and tattoo shops, were prohibited from offering walk-in services and restricted to no more than 10 people in a shop at the same time.
  • Gatherings of up to 20 people.
  • Elective medical services.
  • Childcare and day camps, fishing charters, and lodging and overnight camping were also allowed to resume or reopen with social distancing and capacity restrictions.
  • Bars and entertainment venues were to remain closed.

Phase II

Phase II began on May 8. The following businesses were allowed to reopen or expand activity:

  • Most businesses allowed to reopen under Phase I could operate at 50% capacity, including retail, restaurants, personal care services, and offices. Personal care services continued to be limited to reservations only.
  • Gyms bars, libraries, and theaters were permitted to reopen at 25% capacity.
  • Swimming pools were permitted to reopen at 50% capacity.
  • Social gatherings could include up to 50 people, including non-household members.

Phase III/IV

Alaska moved up the timeline for adopting the Phase IV reopening guidelines, essentially skipping over the original Phase III restrictions. This phase, which the state refers to as “Phase III/IV,” went into effect on May 22.

Under Phase III/IV, all businesses and most activities were permitted to reopen at 100% capacity or resume without restrictions.

A few restrictions were kept in place, including:

  • Quarantine requirements for international and interstate travel.
  • Limited visitation access to senior centers and long-term care facilities.
  • Restrictions on K-12 public schools.

As of June 6, travelers coming to Alaska are asked to be tested at least 72 hours before arriving in the state. Travelers can avoid a 14-day quarantine requirement if they present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. Visitors without a test can also be tested at an airport. Once tested, they must quarantine until their test results come back.

The Reopen Alaska Responsibly Plan was originally supposed to unfold over five phases. As of this writing, the state has not released guidance on what a fifth phase of reopening might look like. Just before the state entered Phase III/IV, Dunleavy said “It will all be open, just like it was prior to the virus,” and “I think the people of Alaska get that they need to stay away from folks if they don’t want to get the virus. That they need to wash their hands and wipe things down. People get that.”

Additional activity

In this section, we feature examples of activities by other federal, state, and local governments and influencers relevant to recovering from the pandemic.

  • AMC Theaters issued a statement saying it would require patrons to wear masks nationwide. On June 18, CEO Adam Aron said the chain would not require patrons to wear masks or receive temperature checks when entering. He said that the policy was because the company “did not want to be drawn into a political controversy” by requiring patrons to wear masks.
  • Los Angeles County is allowing bars, wineries, breweries, personal care services, card rooms, wagering facilities, and racetracks (without spectators) to reopen on June 19. The businesses must meet county health requirements to reopen.
  • Vail Resorts announced its plan for reopening five Colorado resorts beginning June 26. The properties will have physical distancing and face-covering requirements, enhanced cleaning measures, cashless transactions, and employee health screenings.
  • In Florida, the Monroe County Commission voted to require all employees and customers to wear face masks at every establishment until June 1, 2021. The county covers the Florida Keys. The commission said it would revisit the mask requirement quarterly.
  • On June 19, the Oklahoma Supreme Court declined to take up a case filed by petitioners from Tulsa’s Greenwood District against the owner of the venue hosting a rally by the Donald Trump (R) campaign on June 20. The complaint sought a court order “to protect against a substantial, imminent, and deadly risk to the community” posed by the June 20 event. Plaintiffs, while not seeking to bar the rally outright, sought “limited relief based on Oklahoma’s public nuisance laws,” asking that the court mandate social distancing protocols and compulsory use of face-masks. On June 16, Judge Rebecca Nightingale of the District Court of Tulsa County (Oklahoma) denied a request for a temporary injunction
  • The City of Raleigh, North Carolina will require people to wear face masks or coverings in public or private spaces when in contact with people outside of their immediate household beginning June 19 at 4:00 p.m. 
  • The New York City Ballet canceled its upcoming 2020 fall season, including its annual five-week run of the “Nutcracker.” City Ballet is planning to return in January of 2021.
  • Oahu County, Hawaii is reopening bars, fitness facilities, indoor entertainment (like bowling alleys and arcades), and outdoor team sports practices on June 19.


Indiana attorney general issues opinion stating public-sector workers must be notified of rights before dues can be deducted from paychecks

On June 17, Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill (R) issued an opinion stating that, “to the extent the state of Indiana or its political subdivisions collect union dues from its employees, they must provide adequate notice of their employees’ First Amendment rights against compelled speech.”

Attorney general opinions are advisory. They do not constitute an enactment of state policy: “The Advisory Division [of the office of the Indiana attorney general] does not make or recommend policy. Rather, it guides officials in their efforts to understand specific state statutes, policies and procedures.”

What did Hill say in his opinion?

Hill wrote, “A public employer has an affirmative duty to make public employees aware of their First Amendment rights related to automatic payroll deduction for union purposes. An employee has a fundamental right to elect to financially support a union, thereby affiliating and promoting a union’s speech and platform, or an employee may retain his or her First Amendment right to not associate with a labor union.”

Hill said that an employee can only give voluntary consent to dues deduction if “he or she is adequately advised that paying unions dues is not a condition of employment and that agreeing to pay dues is a waiver of one’s First Amendment right.”

Hill discussed the times and methods for changing dues deduction arrangements:

“To ensure the deduction of union dues or fees from an employee comports with the Janus framework and does not occur without clear and compelling evidence that the employee freely consents to the deduction, the State and its political subdivisions must require that employees provide the necessary consent directly to them. To ensure an employee’s consent is up-to-date, as required for it be a valid waiver of the employee’s First Amendment rights, an employee must be provided a regular opportunity to opt-in and opt-out.” Hill said that the state and its political subdivisions must permit employees to opt out of dues deduction systems at any time. Employers must also provide for annual opt-in periods.

Have other attorneys general issued similar opinions?

Attorneys general in Alaska and Texas have issued similar opinions in the wake of Janus. In Alaska, Indiana, and Texas, the attorneys general are Republicans. The states’ governments are Republican triplexes (i.e., they have Republican governors, secretaries of state, and attorneys general) and trifectas (i.e., they have Republican governors and Republican majorities in both chambers of their respective state legislatures).

What we’ve been reading

The big picture

Number of relevant bills by state

We are currently tracking 96 pieces of legislation dealing with public-sector employee union policy. On the map below, a darker shade of green indicates a greater number of relevant bills. Click here for a complete list of all the bills we’re tracking.

Union Station map June 19, 2020.png

Number of relevant bills by current legislative status

Union Station status chart June 19, 2020.png

Number of relevant bills by partisan status of sponsor(s)

Union Station partisan chart June 19, 2020.png

Recent legislative actions

Below is a complete list of relevant legislative actions taken since our last issue.

  • New Hampshire HB1290: This bill would require the state public employee labor relations board to permit employees to vote by mail in certification elections.
    • Bipartisan sponsorship.
    • Introduced in the Senate and laid on the table June 16.
  • New Hampshire HB1322: This bill would prohibit university system funds from being used to oppose the formation of unions.
    • Democratic sponsorship.
    • Introduced in the Senate and laid on the table June 16.
  • New Hampshire HB1399: This bill would allow a bargaining unit to request certification of its union/representative.
    • Democratic sponsorship.
    • Introduced in the Senate and laid on the table June 16.
  • New Hampshire SB448: This bill would require the state public employee labor relations board to certify a union as a bargaining unit’s exclusive representative if that union receives a “majority written authorization.”
    • Democratic sponsorship.
    • Vacated from committee and laid on the table June 16.


Ballotpedia’s Weekly Presidential News Briefing: June 13-19, 2020

Ballotpedia's Weekly Presidential News Briefing
Every weekday, Ballotpedia tracks the news, events, and results of the 2020 presidential election.

Notable Quotes of the Week

“One might argue our digital age is immune to history’s lessons, or suggest that Biden’s low-key campaign is little match for his opponent’s ability to drive news cycles. Those still scarred by Hillary Clinton’s surprising defeat might additionally desire that Biden offer the bold agenda voters perceived her front-running campaign lacked. Bold stances invite critique, however. Bold stances also mean nothing until one takes power. The lesson offered by Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt is that quiet amid cacophony is what it takes to win the presidency during dire times. Avoiding hysteria or potentially divisive details of possible recovery plans will also enable maximum freedom of action once in office.”

– Jeffrey Engel, director of Southern Methodist University’s Center for Presidential History

“David Becker, director of the [Center for Election Innovation and Research], said in such an unprecedented election climate, it’s difficult to predict how the COVID-19 setbacks will hurt or help both candidates’ ground games.

Voter-registration drives may not be as instrumental as the changing nature of voting itself, how voters respond to expanded mail-in options spurred by COVID-19 social-distancing efforts, and the anticipated high voter enthusiasm for participating in this presidential election with so many contentious news events shaping it, he said.

Becker pointed to Georgia’s June 9 primary, which was postponed from March. Absentee ballots were sent to every voter, with 1.1 million returned. Total Democratic turnout surpassed the previous record of 1.06 million in the 2008 primary, when Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton in a landslide.”

– Susan CrabtreeRealClearPolitics national political correspondent

Week in Review

Trump returns to campaign rally circuit on June 20 in Tulsa

Donald Trump rescheduled his first campaign rally in months from Jun. 19—the annual holiday, often referred to as Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States—to Jun. 20 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The city was the site of a racially motivated massacre in 1921. Trump said he was moving the rally at the request of his black friends and supporters.

More than 50 Trump campaign surrogates will attend the rally, including Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), James Lankford (Okla.), and Tom Cotton (Ark.). Multiple camera crews will also be at the event, which Axios described as “a giant commercial for Trump’s re-election campaign, an answer to protests outside the White House and a trial run for Republican National Convention events in Jacksonville this August.”

An Oklahoma judge denied an emergency motion to block the rally unless the Trump campaign used social distancing guidelines at the event. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said guests at the rally will receive a temperature check, hand sanitizer, and masks before entering the venue. He also said 1 million tickets had been requested for the event; the venue’s capacity is 19,000 people.

Biden enters second round of veep vetting, Klobuchar withdraws

The Associated Press reported that Joe Biden’s vetting of potential vice presidential nominees has entered its second round with as few as six candidates still on the list. Among them are Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.) and former national security adviser Susan Rice.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) removed herself from consideration on Thursday night. She said, “This is a historic moment, and America must seize on this moment. And I truly believe as, I actually told the vice president last night when I called him, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket.”

Biden, Democrats launch general election ad campaigns

The Democratic National Committee launched a television and digital ad campaign against Donald Trump on Tuesday that focuses on employment, healthcare, race relations, and immigration. The clip, “Descent,” is the first television ad the DNC has run in four years.

Joe Biden is also launching a $15 million ad campaign featuring digital, radio, and print ads in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina. In two different clips, Biden speaks about racial injustice and the middle class. The campaign includes $1 million in Spanish-language ads in Florida and Arizona.

Biden and Democrats raise $81 million in May, Trump hits online fundraising record high

The Joe Biden campaign announced it raised $81 million with two associated Democratic committees in May, up from $60.5 million in April. The Biden campaign also raised $6 million in his largest single-event fundraiser on Monday night. The event was co-hosted by Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee raised $14 million on Sunday, marking the groups’ top online fundraising day.

Trump seeks fourth debate, Biden campaign declines

Donald Trump is seeking a fourth general election debate with Joe Biden. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is leading the push. Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield rejected the idea.

The Trump campaign is also requesting the debates begin before early voting.

Want more? Find the daily details here:

Poll Spotlight

Daily Presidential News Briefing campaign ad comparison feature, 2020

Staff Spotlight

Pete Kavanaugh is a Democratic staffer with experience in campaign strategy and political organizing. Kavanaugh graduated with a B.A. in government from Georgetown University.

Previous campaign work:

  • 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, Virginia senior advisor
  • 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, New Hampshire state director
  • 2009 Jody Wagner lieutenant gubernatorial campaign, advisor
  • 2009 Terry McAuliffe gubernatorial campaign, advisor
  • 2008 Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign, field director
  • 2008 John Edwards presidential campaign, New Hampshire deputy field director
  • 2006 Missouri Democratic Coordinated Campaign, deputy director
  • 2005 Scott Lang mayoral campaign, field director
  • 2004 Jim Stork congressional campaign, political director
  • 2004 John Edwards presidential campaign, New Hampshire political assistant

Other experience:

  • 2013-2019: Revolution Field Strategies, president
  • 2009-2019: Hilltop Public Solutions, partner 

What We’re Reading

Flashback: June 15-19, 2016

  • June 15, 2016: Jill Stein’s campaign announced that Stein had secured enough delegates to claim the Green Party presidential nomination after winning a majority of delegates in primaries in California, New York, and Maryland.
  • June 16, 2016: Rep. Raul Grijalva, the first member of Congress to endorse Bernie Sanders, switched his support to Hillary Clinton.
  • June 17, 2016: The Washington Post reported that at least 30 delegates to the Republican National Convention were planning an effort to block Donald Trump’s nomination.
  • June 18, 2016: Apple announced it would not provide funding or support for the 2016 Republican National Convention. The company previously contributed money and tech supplies to both Democrats and Republicans in previous conventions.
  • June 19, 2016: The California Democratic Party passed a resolution calling for limiting superdelegates to Democratic National Committee members, eliminating caucuses, and revising the primary calendar.

Click here to learn more.



Trump calls for fourth debate with Biden

Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing
June 19, 2020: Donald Trump is requesting a fourth general election debate with Joe Biden. Amy Klobuchar removed herself from consideration for Democratic vice presidential nominee.        

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

Pete Kavanaugh is a Democratic staffer with experience in campaign strategy and political organizing. Kavanaugh graduated with a B.A. in government from Georgetown University.

Previous campaign work:

  • 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, Virginia senior advisor
  • 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaign, New Hampshire state director
  • 2009 Jody Wagner lieutenant gubernatorial campaign, advisor
  • 2009 Terry McAuliffe gubernatorial campaign, advisor
  • 2008 Virginia Democratic Coordinated Campaign, field director
  • 2008 John Edwards presidential campaign, New Hampshire deputy field director
  • 2006 Missouri Democratic Coordinated Campaign, deputy director
  • 2005 Scott Lang mayoral campaign, field director
  • 2004 Jim Stork congressional campaign, political director
  • 2004 John Edwards presidential campaign, New Hampshire political assistant

Other experience:

  • 2013-2019: Revolution Field Strategies, president
  • 2009-2019: Hilltop Public Solutions, partner

​​

Notable Quote of the Day

“David Becker, director of the [Center for Election Innovation and Research], said in such an unprecedented election climate, it’s difficult to predict how the COVID-19 setbacks will hurt or help both candidates’ ground games.

Voter-registration drives may not be as instrumental as the changing nature of voting itself, how voters respond to expanded mail-in options spurred by COVID-19 social-distancing efforts, and the anticipated high voter enthusiasm for participating in this presidential election with so many contentious news events shaping it, he said.

Becker pointed to Georgia’s June 9 primary, which was postponed from March. Absentee ballots were sent to every voter, with 1.1 million returned. Total Democratic turnout surpassed the previous record of 1.06 million in the 2008 primary, when Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton in a landslide.”

– Susan Crabtree, RealClearPolitics national political correspondent

Election Updates

  • Joe Biden will accept the Democratic presidential nomination in Milwaukee, CNN reported. Democratic officials are in the process of organizing smaller events in battleground states. Since the convention will be primarily virtual, CNN said the “overarching goal now is to produce several hours of compelling programming each night that would be carried by the major TV networks.”
  • In response to the Supreme Court decision blocking the Trump administration from ending the DACA program due to procedural issues, Biden said he would make DACA permanent on his first day in office.
  • Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) removed herself from consideration to be the Democratic vice presidential nominee on Thursday night. She said, “This is a historic moment, and America must seize on this moment. And I truly believe as, I actually told the vice president last night when I called him, that I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that ticket.”
  • Donald Trump is seeking a fourth general election debate with Biden. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is leading the push. Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield rejected the idea. The Trump campaign is also requesting the debates begin before early voting.
  • Facebook removed a Trump campaign ad targeting Antifa on Thursday because it featured a red triangle associated with Nazism. A Facebook spokesperson said, “Our policy prohibits using a banned hate group’s symbol to identify political prisoners without the context that condemns or discusses the symbol.” Trump communications director Tim Murtaugh said the symbol was used by Antifa. He continued, “We would note that Facebook still has an inverted red triangle emoji in use, which looks exactly the same, so it’s curious that they would target only this ad.”

What We’re Reading

Flashback: June 19, 2016

The California Democratic Party passed a resolution calling for limiting superdelegates to Democratic National Committee members, eliminating caucuses, and revising the primary calendar.

Click here to learn more.