August 21, 2020 Press Releases

DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: GOP ENTERS WEEK 2 OF VACATION DESPITE NATIONAL CRISIS—GARDNER’S PRE-EX SHAM EXPOSED—MCSALLY WORRIED ABOUT TRUMP-KELLY VOTERS

SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN ON VACATION FOR MORE THAN A WEEK WHILE MORE THAN ONE MILLION AMERICANS FILE NEW JOBLESS CLAIMS. Senate Republicans created an “urgent crisis” by letting emergency unemployment relief expire nearly a month ago. Instead of taking action, they wasted weeks bickering among themselves and insisted they didn’t see “a big need” to extend emergency unemployment relief that has been a lifeline for millions of Americans. And despite Federal Reserve officials, economists, governors and mayors warning that “the risk to the economy grows every day that goes by without a deal,” Mitch McConnell and his caucus are refusing to negotiate, and are instead on day eight of their month-long vacation. New York Times: Unemployment Claims Rise as Rollout of $300 Benefit Lags

ARE MITCH MCCONNELL AND SENATE REPUBLICANS STILL BLOCKING URGENTLY NEEDED RELIEF? YES.

GOP LAWSUIT TO END PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS PROTECTIONS LOOMS OVER SENATE BATTLE. Senate Republicans have spent years enabling their party’s dangerous health care lawsuit and now the Supreme Court will be hearing oral arguments in the case to dismantle the entire ACA just one week after the November election. Every Senate Republican voted for the 2017 tax bill that “sparked” this toxic lawsuit, not one GOP incumbent or candidate has taken meaningful steps to stop it, and Republicans still have “no plan” to replace the health care law if their suit succeeds. And while vulnerable Republicans in competitive Senate races across the country are trying to rewrite their unpopular records on health care with false statements “lying about their records” on pre-existing conditions, the reality is they paved the way for their dangerous lawsuit to move forward.

DSCC POSTS RECORD JULY FUNDRAISING HAUL, MASSIVE COH ADVANTAGE. The DSCC had its best ever July, raising $13.1 million with nearly 77% coming from grassroots donors. The committee also entered August with $40 million cash on hand, $23.6 million more than what the NRSC had in the bank (more than double), marking “the largest cash-on-hand gap between the two bodies at any point in the 2020 cycle.” Democratic candidates across the country have also announced stunning fundraising numbers in July and August, following a monster Q2 where 13 Democratic challengers outraised their vulnerable Republican opponents.

AK – Dr. Al Gross nearly doubled Senator Dan Sullivan’s pre-primary haul.
CO – Former Governor John Hickenlooper raised $2.8 million online in July, their best fundraising month of the campaign by far.
GA – Jon Ossoff raised an eye-popping $2.9 million in July. Nearly 28,000 of the contributions came from first-time donors –– a sign of Ossoff’s growing grassroots momentum.
KS – Dr. Barbara Bollier raised $716,000 from 26,000 supporters in just the first week of the general election.
NC – Army veteran Cal Cunningham’s campaign announced that it raised $3.6 million from over 10,000 North Carolinians including nearly 4,500 new North Carolina donors.
TX – Decorated combat veteran MJ Hegar raised $1 million in less than a week after officially becoming the Democratic nominee for Senate in Texas.

DSCC CHAIR CORTEZ MASTO ADDRESSES DEM CONVENTION. DSCC Chair and Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto addressed the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, where she defended vote-by-mail as a safe option for voters, rebuked the president’s attacks on the Postal Service, and highlighted the importance of electing a Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate. Read Senator Cortez Masto’s remarks here or watch them here:

POSTMASTER GENERAL DEJOY “DONATED BIG” TO REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES – NOW THEY’RE “SILENT” ON USPS. New reports from Salon, Rolling Stone, and Roll Call this week looked at how Senate Republicans have benefited from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “massive political donations” and are now refusing to hold him accountable. DeJoy has been “a fountain of money” for vulnerable Republicans on the ballot this year — Senators Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis, Martha McSally and failed politician John James have all taken campaign cash from DeJoy. Unsurprisingly, not a single GOP politician “responded to questions…about whether they intend to keep DeJoy’s cash” and they’ve largely stayed silent as Trump blocks funding for the Postal Service, threatening to disenfranchise voters in 46 states and delaying delivery of important mail like prescriptions and Social Security benefits that millions of Americans rely on. While Democrats have consistently prioritized USPS funding, Senate Republicans have stood in the way.

MCSALLY “EXPRESSES CONCERN” ABOUT LOSING GOP VOTERS TO KELLY. A new AP report this week highlighted unelected Senator Martha McSally’s latest nightmare: losing Trump voters to Democratic challenger Mark Kelly. It’s not a new problem for the vulnerable and unpopular Republican incumbent – voters splitting their tickets were pivotal to McSally’s loss in 2018 when she “received 140,000 fewer votes than Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.” Fox News’ Dana Perino had this to say this week about McSally’s struggling campaign: “the Senate race…between Mark Kelly and Martha McSally…I can’t even say that it’s tight.” That’s probably not what McSally wanted to hear as her challenges continue to pile up in this race. Associated Press: McSally expresses concern about Trump-Kelly voters

GARDNER’S LATEST ATTEMPT TO REWRITE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS RECORD “IS JUST 117 WORDS OF ELECTION FODDER.” Senator Cory Gardner tried to rewrite his toxic record on health care this month with a new sham bill that would allow insurance companies “to deny insurance entirely to people who are sick” and “doesn’t actually protect people with pre-existing conditions.” The bill has already been called “a political stunt” by experts who say it is “motivated more by politics than substance.” Gardner waited a week and a half after sending a press release to release the bill text, which turned out to be “just 117 words of election fodder” that proves that Gardner “will never take responsibility for his terrible record of voting against protecting people with preexisting conditions.” Unfortunately for Senator Gardner, he can’t erase his toxic history on health care just because it’s an election year. Colorado Times Recorder: Gardner Proposal On Pre-Existing Conditions Looks Like a Political Maneuver, Say Experts

EDITORIAL CALLS OUT THOM TILLIS FOR BEING “MISSING IN ACTION” WHILE NORTH CAROLINIANS STRUGGLE. A brutal editorial from CBC in North Carolina eviscerated Senator Thom Tillis for being “missing-in-action” at a time “when North Carolinians need answers to feed their families, keep them safe and sheltered as well as pay for health care that may be needed.” As Senate Republicans continue to enjoy their time off instead of passing vital legislation to renew expired emergency unemployment relief, Senator Tillis is facing calls to actually “do the job” and pass needed assistance. The editorial points to Tillis’ work downsizing “the state’s unemployment system into one of the skimpiest in the nation,” leaving North Carolinians to rely on the additional federal unemployment assistance to help feed their families and keep a roof over their heads. Read the full editorial: CBC Opinion: Just doing enough won’t cut it when needs are great.

VULNERABLE INCUMBENTS PERDUE & CORNYN HIDING FROM PRESS & VOTERS AS THEIR RACES TIGHTEN. As the Georgia and Texas Senate races heat up, vulnerable incumbents David Perdue and John Cornyn have been hiding from their constituents and local press so they can avoid answering tough questions. It’s just the latest sign that Republicans are nervous as strong Democratic challengers have forced them on the defense.

GA – A blistering CBS46 report called out vulnerable Senator Perdue for hiding from the local press and ducking public town halls with voters. It’s clear from Perdue’s attempts to avoid any scrutiny that the vulnerable incumbent is nervous as recent polling shows a neck and neck race. Some highlights of this must-watch clip:

“We have tried to sit down with Senator Perdue for an interview. And although he says he wants an open dialogue with his constituents, we have found… that – for us anyway – that is not always the case.”
“Who is getting access to the senator these days? Donors.”
“Town halls? [as of May…] Senator Perdue had not held a single town hall in his five years in the Senate, in person or virtually.”
“The election is about 80 days away… so Senator, you have a standing invitation.”

TX – The Dallas Morning News called out Senator John Cornyn for “a two-month hiatus — by far the longest of his three terms” from holding regular press calls with local press so he can avoid answering tough questions. Cornyn’s newfound dodging comes as his lead slips, with recent polling finding Democratic challenger MJ Hegar down only one point to Cornyn, a weak three-term incumbent who’s stuck well under 50% support and getting mixed reviews from voters.

RATINGS CHANGE: COOK POLITICAL REPORT SHIFTS #SCSEN RATING (AGAIN) IN HARRISON’S DIRECTION. The nonpartisan election analysts at Cook Political Report shifted the South Carolina Senate race in Democrats’ direction again this week. Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison has outraised vulnerable incumbent Senator Lindsey Graham two quarters in a row, allowing his campaign to go up on TV early with positive advertising, and now a series of public and internal polls show the race is tightening. With Senator Graham posting an underwater approval rating in the state and losing independents, “it’s clear this race is becoming more competitive, and Graham faces an incredibly strong challenge.”

Cook Political Report: South Carolina Senate Moves From Likely to Lean Republican
The State: SC’s US Senate race between Graham, Harrison more competitive with new rating change
The Hill: Cook shifts South Carolina Senate race toward Lindsey Graham opponent

DR. AL GROSS MOUNTING STRONG CHALLENGE IN COMPETITIVE #AKSEN. Two analyses this week spotlighted how Alaska’s Senate race has become competitive because of a strong challenger in Dr. Al Gross. This is shaping up to be among “the toughest fights that incumbent Alaska Republicans have seen since 2008” and nonpartisan election analysts are saying they “wouldn’t sleep on the Senate race.” Gross “has steadily outraised” Senator Dan Sullivan this year and nearly doubled the incumbent’s fundraising haul in the pre-primary filing. Gross has emphasized “his longtime roots in the state” and focused on ensuring Alaskans have access to high quality affordable health care. Gross’ message is clear: “Alaskans want an independent voice in the Senate” — and his campaign momentum is the latest example of Democrats expanding the map and putting more Republican incumbents on defense.

Washington Post: In Republican Alaska, GOP incumbents face strongest challenges in decades amid the coronavirus pandemic
Vox: Why Alaska’s Senate and House races look competitive in 2020

NEW #LASEN POLL SHOWS “BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED” POLITICAL CLIMATE FOR LOUISIANA DEMOCRATS, SENATOR BILL CASSIDY IS A WEAK INCUMBENT. New polling released this week by Shreveport mayor and Army veteran Adrian Perkins’ campaign shows that Senator Bill Cassidy is a weak incumbent who is well below the 50% threshold needed in November to avoid a runoff election. The undefined incumbent has an unimpressive 39% favorability rating, while 30% don’t know him well enough to rate him. The polling also shows a more favorable political environment for Louisiana Democrats and that Perkins is already in second place before any paid advertising from his campaign. Read the full polling memo from ALG Research here.

IN THE STATES

AL – PBS NewsHour: Why Doug Jones thinks Alabama’s Democratic voters are ‘energized’ this year

AL – PolitiFact: Senate hopeful Tommy Tuberville fumbles the facts about COVID-19 and football

CO – Colorado Sun: Hickenlooper: Our plan to fight for a healthier future for all Coloradans

CO – HuffPost: John Hickenlooper Trolls Cory Gardner With Pro-Trump Facebook Ad

GA – AJC: Ossoff takes another swing at Perdue’s COVID policy in Senate contest

IA – KWWL: Theresa Greenfield calls out national media to cover Iowa derecho

IA – Iowa Public Radio: Iowa Senate Race Focuses On Trump Administration’s Rocky Relationship With Biofuels

ME – NewsCenterMaine: Gideon, Maine postal workers call on Postmaster General to resign

MI – Detroit Free Press: Peters, UAW official announce Michigan vote, praise Biden’s support for auto industry

MT – Billings Gazette: Bullock says fire fund full, state has $620M in reserves to manage crisis

SC – Esquire: A Lot of People Want Lindsey Graham Retired. Jaime Harrison Thinks He’s the Man to Do It.