“DUBIOUS” NRSC ADS KEEP LOSING FACT CHECKS AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR FALSE ATTACKS. With Republicans on defense in states across the country, the NRSC has launched increasingly desperate and flimsy attack ads against surging Democratic challengers. The problem for Senate Republicans is those attacks aren’t just failing to move the numbers, they’re also losing round after round of fact checks. Bottom line: their multi-million dollar summer counteroffensive is falling flat:
“IT’S A MESS”: REPUBLICANS STILL CAN’T EVEN AGREE ON THEIR OWN CORONAVIRUS BILL. After wasting a week bickering among themselves, Senate Republicans finally introduced a ‘plan’ that would gut the emergency unemployment relief that has been a lifeline for hardworking Americans and leaves cash-strapped state and local governments hanging with no new aid as they face “fiscal crisis.” However, the Republican caucus can’t even unite behind their own woefully inadequate bill and are still engaged in messy infighting. While millions remain out of work and America leads the world in coronavirus cases, Republicans *STILL* cannot put the well-being of their constituents first.
SENATE REPUBLICANS EXCLUDE EVICTIONS MORATORIUM FROM CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PLAN. Senate Republicans let the federal moratorium on evictions lapse last Friday, leaving Americans struggling to make ends meet out in the cold. And now, after rolling out a plan that would gut the emergency unemployment relief that has been a lifeline for hardworking families helping them pay the rent or mortgage and providing a bridge through this crisis, Senate Republicans are also refusing to include an extension of the eviction moratorium in their latest proposal.
HEALTH CARE THE “DEFINING ISSUE” IN ARIZONA SENATE RACE. A new report from the Arizona Republic takes a look at how health care is “dominating Arizona’s U.S. Senate race” and how the coronavirus pandemic has “given new urgency to the issue.” McSally has had to “defend her voting record” and “her past votes to undo the Affordable Care Act” again this cycle. While the vulnerable incumbent is trying to rewrite her toxic record, “national fact-checkers have noted she is misleading voters.” Arizona Republic: Pandemic, preexisting conditions, prescription drugs: Health care a defining issue in McSally-Kelly Senate race
AGAIN?! GRAHAM IS SECOND REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT TO OFFENSIVELY ALTER OPPONENT’S IMAGE. Senator Lindsey Graham’s campaign was caught running a Facebook ad featuring Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison with a “digitally altered darker skin tone” — and when confronted about it, Graham’s campaign called it “a non-story” and refused to apologize. The ad comes “at a time of nationwide reckoning over race” and as two new polls have found a tightening race, with Harrison pulling within just a few points of Senator Graham. This is the second time this week that a desperate and increasingly vulnerable GOP incumbent has been found manipulating photos of their opponent in an offensive way. CNN: Lindsey Graham campaign ad features image of opponent with digitally altered darker skin tone
“DOWNRIGHT FALSE”: MONTANA COMPANY ASKS REPUBLICANS TO TAKE DOWN ANTI-BULLOCK AD. The president of a Butte-based company has called on TV stations to pull down a “false” NRSC advertisement that claims the company received state funding due to ties to Bullock, stating that “nothing could be further from the truth, and to run an advertisement that implies this type of corruption and nepotism is insulting.” Brad Archibald, the president of Pioneer Technical Service said he was “appalled” to see the NRSC running the “offensive” and “downright false” ad. Great Falls Tribune: ‘Downright false’: Butte-based company asks TV stations to pull anti-Bullock ad
NEW #MESEN POLL SHOWS GIDEON LEADING COLLINS. A new Colby College poll shows Sara Gideon with a five-point lead over Senator Susan Collins, and “the overwhelming takeaway is that voters are angry” and Mainers feel like Collins “is too close to Donald Trump and that she has forgotten about Maine.” The new poll is just the latest bad sign for Senator Collins, who is facing her most difficult re-election campaign ever, which is rated as a Toss-Up by every major nonpartisan elections analyst for the first time in her political career.
37 DAYS & COUNTING: ERNST DODGING GREENFIELD’S CALL FOR EPA ADMIN WHEELER TO RESIGN. It’s been 37 days since Theresa Greenfield called on EPA Administrator Wheeler to resign and silence from Senator Joni Ernst, who refuses to follow Greenfield’s leadership. Even after reports showed that the EPA is considering even more of the RFS waivers that have devastated Iowa’s farm economy, Ernst did nothing to hold Wheeler accountable. Now, as Ernst faces an increasingly difficult re-election bid, she’s trying to change her tune for an election year, but Ernst voted for a fossil fuel lobbyist to head the EPA at the expense of Iowa farmers. Follow along at HasErnstCalledonWheelertoResign.com.
DEM AD WATCH
AZ – Mark Kelly is focused on protecting Social Security and Medicare, especially in the middle of the pandemic that’s hit seniors hard. Watch.
IA – Theresa Greenfield is fighting to protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, lower drug prices, and make high-quality health care affordable. Watch.
MT – Governor Steve Bullock brought Democrats and Republicans together to expand Montanans’ access to health care while Daines has voted to cut Medicare funding. Watch.
IN THE STATES
CO – Colorado Sun: Colorado doesn’t appear to be a presidential swing state in 2020. That could spell big trouble for Cory Gardner.
GA – The Hill: Anti-Semitism charges roil David Perdue’s reelection bid as polls tighten
MI – Detroit Metro Times: Biden’s lead over Trump widens in Michigan, while Sen. Peters tops John James
MA – Boston Globe: Editorial: Send Ed Markey back to the Senate
TN – POLITICO: The nastiest Republican primary in the country
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