March 13, 2020 Press Releases

DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: MCCONNELL LEAVES TOWN WITHOUT FINISHING CORONAVIRUS AID PACKAGE – GOP MAJORITY “IN DANGER”- BULLOCK PUTS MONTANA IN PLAY

GOP LEAVES TOWN FOR THE WEEKEND WITHOUT FINISHING URGENT CORONAVIRUS AID PACKAGE. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell adjourned the Senate for the weekend instead of keeping members here to finalize and pass an emergency aid package to address the public health and economic concerns. As families across the country confront challenges like missing work, school closures, and paying medical expenses, there is no excuse for Senate Republicans to have left town. Here’s what McConnell did instead:

“SENATE GOP BLOCKS EMERGENCY PAID SICK LEAVE BILL FROM MOVING FORWARD.” According to HuffPost: “The legislation put forth by Democrats would guarantee 14 days of paid leave for workers affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Democrats hoping to pass an emergency paid sick leave bill to deal with the fallout from the coronavirus were stymied by Senate Republicans on Wednesday.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also lobbied against paid sick leave, and “warned” lawmakers against supporting these provisions as a part of an emergency aid package. The Chamber has funneled money to pay for ads boosting vulnerable incumbents like Senators Susan Collins and Martha McSally.

ANALYSIS: “MITCH MCCONNELL’S SENATE MAJORITY IS IN DANGER.” A recent analysis from the National Journal confirms that Mitch McConnell’s Senate majority is increasingly in jeopardy in 2020, with vulnerable Republican incumbents losing in recent polls in the key battlegrounds of Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina, and two-term Governor Steve Bullock putting Montana in play. Democratic challengers are also expanding the map of competitive races to states like Iowa, Georgia, and Kansas. Read more about why the GOP Senate majority is increasingly at risk.

BULLOCK PUTS MONTANA IN PLAY. ICYMI: Montana’s successful two-term Governor Steve Bullock announced on Monday that he would run for U.S. Senate and officially filed his candidacy with his family by his side. In the first 24 hours after his launch, Bullock’s campaign raised $1.2 million – fueled by grassroots contributors and online and more than 1,250 donations from Montanans. The news puts yet another Senate seat in the competitive column in 2020, expanding the map again in Democrats’ direction. Read more on how Bullock’s campaign launch “puts Montana in play”:

Cook Political Report: Bullock’s Last Minute Entry Moves Montana Senate to Lean Republican

Inside Elections: Rating change: Bullock against Daines puts Montana in play

Washington Post: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock to run for Senate, boosting Democrats’ fortunes in their bid to claim Senate majority

Vox: Gov. Steve Bullock just made the Montana Senate race competitive for Democrats

CNBC: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock launches Senate bid, a boost in Democrats’ push for majority

BGOV: Former 2020 Contender Steve Bullock Jolts Senate Majority Fight

ERNST’S APPROVAL SLIPS 10 POINTS. Senator Joni Ernst’s approval has fallen 10 points in a year, according to a new Des Moines Register poll. The third most unpopular senator in the country, her approve/disapprove margin is now the smallest it’s been since 2015. More concerning: Independent voters are open to supporting someone else to represent them in the Senate. And the kicker? The news ran on Sunday’s front page:

GOP SENATORS VOTE AGAINST STUDENTS DEFRAUDED BY FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES. This week, 42 Senate Republicans — including SEVEN vulnerable incumbents — voted to keep in place a regulation that “makes it harder for defrauded students to have their education loans forgiven” pushed by for-profit college “savior” and GOP donor Secretary Betsy DeVos. Senators David Perdue, Kelly Loeffler, Mitch McConnell, Steve Daines, Thom Tillis, Lindsey Graham, and John Cornyn all chose to put DeVos’ harmful agenda above students — many of whom are veterans — who were misled and swindled by for-profit colleges and are left with tens of thousands of dollars in debt for degrees they say “no one takes seriously.”

Take a closer look at why these vulnerable Republicans put Betsy DeVos’ agenda over defrauded students in their states.

ROTHENBERG RIPS APART TILLIS CAMP MEMO ON #NCSEN. Read Roll Call’s Stuart Rothenberg on why you should ignore the Thom Tillis campaign’s “mostly useless” memo:

“There is no thoughtful analysis”
“Selective polls”
“Am I supposed to be impressed by this? I’m not”
“It’s pure campaign messaging, not analysis”
“Cash on hand ratio? Who uses that metric? Nobody”
“Here’s my advice: Ignore the Tillis memo. It’s mostly useless.”
“The North Carolina Senate race is… a Toss-up — and a top Democratic target — as it has been for months”

COLLINS HAS DISCLOSED HER PREFERENCE IN EVERY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION SINCE 1996, NOW REFUSES TO SAY IF SHE VOTED FOR TRUMP. In every presidential election since she was elected to the Senate in 1996, Senator Collins has answered questions from Mainers and reporters about who she would support for president. But with Donald Trump’s approval in Maine cratering and her campaign in trouble, Senator Collins is now refusing to answer the simple question of whether she voted for Trump in the primary. Instead, Senator Collins is dodging questions from reporters, refusing to answer follow up questions, and fleeing from reporters in the halls of the Capitol when asked. What changed?

DEMS ANNOUNCE VICTORY AGAINST UNLAWFUL GEORGIA BALLOT PROCEDURES.

Last weekend, the DSCC, DCCC and Democratic Party of Georgia announced victory in our lawsuit challenging Georgia’s absentee ballot procedures that lack enforceable standards and disenfranchise voters who cast absentee ballots. Georgia’s Secretary of State and State Board of Elections have now agreed to notify voters by email, phone, and mail within three days, or by the next business day during the 11 days before Election Day if their ballots are rejected and an opportunity to cure. They have also agreed to more reasonable standards for matching signatures on absentee ballots that prevent fewer absentee ballots from being wrongly thrown out. Gwinnett County has agreed to simplify their absentee ballot envelopes by printing clearer text on larger envelopes.

Statement from DSCC Chair Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto: “With more and more Georgians voting absentee, this is an important victory that will help ensure voters have an opportunity to correct any issues with their ballots and are not disenfranchised. We will continue to stand up for voting rights and win these fights so voters can make their voices heard and every ballot is counted fairly in 2020.”