CNN: MITCH MCCONNELL “REVIEWS EVERY AD” FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. A CNN deep dive on Mitch McConnell’s struggles to maintain control of the Senate revealed this key fact: the Majority Leader “reviews every ad that hits the airwaves in the key races on a daily basis, providing counsel and advice to his colleagues about the messaging for his party.” It’s never been more clear that Republican candidates take all their orders from McConnell and are rubber stamps for his agenda.
SENATE REPUBLICANS DEFEND TRUMP AFTER HE ADMITS HE DOWNPLAYED CORONAVIRUS THREAT. After a bombshell report revealed that Trump knew how dangerous the pandemic was but “intentionally” misled Americans, Senate Republicans dodged questions and remained silent while some even attempted to “mount a defense” of the president. Senate Republicans have already refused to hold the Trump administration accountable for botching the response, ignoring warnings, failing to ramp up testing, and allowing the coronavirus to “silently spread” throughout the United States for weeks while telling Americans the virus will just “go away.” Instead, they’ve praised the president and bragged that they’ve worked “hand in glove” with the White House.
SENATE REPUBLICANS PUSH STUNT BILL AS NEARLY 30 MILLION AMERICANS REMAIN OUT OF WORK. After letting emergency unemployment relief expire and taking a month-long vacation while nearly 30 million Americans remain jobless, Senate Republicans today pushed a stunt bill that leaves working families out to dry and cuts federal unemployment relief in half while giving broad legal immunity to Republicans’ corporate donors. The bill stiffs cash-strapped state and local governments, lacks the resources students and teachers need as they try to safely return to the classroom, and underfunds the Postal Service. Read our statement on the sinister Republican bill here.
SUSAN COLLINS’ “PLIGHT GETS WORSE” AS RECORDS REVEAL SHE USED HER OFFICE TO ENRICH HERSELF AND HER HUSBAND. Senator Susan Collins is facing calls for an ethics investigation after financial records revealed in a new Salon report show that Collins used her office to financially benefit herself and her husband. Collins’ latest financial disclosure revealed that she and her husband have raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars from their investments in companies that reported huge gains and made billions of dollars in stock buybacks as a result of the GOP tax bill that Senator Collins supported –– yet another example of how much she’s changed after more than two decades in Washington. Salon: Exclusive: Susan Collins’ plight gets worse with new corruption allegation, possible ethics probe
PERDUE CALLED OUT FOR FALSELY CLAIMING HE’LL PROTECT PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS COVERAGE. An 11Alive report last night highlighted a recent PolitiFact ruling that found Senator David Perdue’s claims he’ll protect pre-existing conditions are “False” because his “record on preexisting conditions doesn’t match his promises.” The Atlanta TV station called out Perdue for his misleading claims (and noted that the vulnerable incumbent’s campaign did not respond to their request “to clarify his support for coverage for pre-existing condition.”) Watch the clip here. 11Alive: David Perdue ad on pre-existing conditions – fact-checking claims
GARDNER ALLY UNDER FIRE FOR ABUSING TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO START FAKE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP FEATURED IN GARDNER TV AD. An explosive new report from the Colorado Springs Independent reveals that an aide to Senator Cory Gardner’s Big Oil ally appears to have abused taxpayer dollars to start the fake environmental group featured in Gardner’s dishonest TV ad. The deceptively-titled ad was already under scrutiny for featuring a Republican staffer who founded a “hollow shell” sham organization just five months ago. Now, new documents reveal that the staffer was working on taxpayers’ time when she filed paperwork with the Secretary of State to start the group, which popped up the same day that Gardner introduced the legislation touted in his ad. Not the best look for a vulnerable incumbent who’s desperately trying to greenwash his abysmal record. Colorado Springs Independent: Sen. Cory Gardner campaign ad under fire, legislative aide in crosshairs
ERNST REFUSES TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE FOR RECKLESS CORONAVIRUS COMMENTS. After facing swift backlash for irresponsibly embracing debunked conspiracy theories, Senator Joni Ernst is refusing to publicly apologize for her reckless, disqualifying comments that “insulted” health care workers. The irresponsible comments were not the first time Senator Ernst has mishandled the public health crisis: she has previously downplayed the virus, spread misinformation, opposed the mask mandate despite White House task force and expert warnings, and was recently caught attending crowded events without wearing a mask. Iowa Starting Line: Ernst Privately Apologized For COVID Comments, Declines Public Apology
MICHIGAN CHRONICLE ENDORSES SENATOR GARY PETERS. The Michigan Chronicle endorsed Senator Gary Peters for re-election, writing that the choice in this race is “not even close.” In their endorsement, the Chronicle outlined how Peters has built “a reputation for bipartisanship, excellent constituent service, bringing home the bacon for Michigan,” is a “strong advocate” for the Affordable Care Act, and has proven himself as “a very able and highly effective, hardworking senator for all of Michigan.” It also notes that Republican challenger and failed politician John James has “no meaningful plan for replacing” the ACA. Read the full endorsement here → Michigan Chronicle: “Election 2020 – What’s Next? Michigan Chronicle Endorses U.S. Sen. Gary Peters For Re-election In November”
GEORGIA AFL-CIO ENDORSES WARNOCK FOR SENATE. Today, the Georgia American Federation of Labor, representing over 250,000 union members and retirees in the Peach State, announced its endorsement of Reverend Raphael Warnock to represent all Georgians in the U.S. Senate. In their endorsement, Georgia AFL-CIO State Federation President Charlie Flemming highlighted Warnock’s advocacy and history of fighting for working families. AJC: Warnock wins support from key Georgia union in Senate bid
AMY MCGRATH RAISES A RECORD BREAKING $8.7 MILLION IN AUGUST. Another Democratic Senate candidate has announced an eye-popping August fundraising haul –– Amy McGrath’s campaign announced that her campaign raised $8.7 million in August, “the most money she has raised in any single month since launching her bid.” Across the country, grassroots donors are fired up to support Democratic challengers. The eye-popping numbers are the latest example of how small-dollar donors are fueling our resource advantage across the Senate map this cycle. Newsweek: McGrath Campaign Raised $8.7 Million in August, Highest Monthly Total in Bid to Oust McConnell
WATCH: HARRISON, PERKINS HOLD GRAHAM, CASSIDY ACCOUNTABLE FOR TOXIC BILL TO DISMANTLE HEALTH CARE LAW. South Carolina and Louisiana Democratic Senate challengers Jaime Harrison and Mayor Adrian Perkins held a health care roundtable today to discuss the importance of protecting the Affordable Care Act in light of the third anniversary of the introduction of the infamous Graham-Cassidy health care repeal bill. Harrison and Perkins were joined by a Louisiana Republican and a South Carolinian who both live with pre-existing conditions. Watch the roundtable here. Yahoo News: 2 Black Senate hopefuls look to make history in the South — and fix healthcare while they’re at it
DEM AD WATCH
CO – Former Governor John Hickenlooper’s latest ad highlights his record of fighting climate change by working to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. Watch.
IA – Theresa Greenfield released a new ad highlighting her commitment to creating more good-paying jobs for Iowa’s hardworking families by making community college debt-free, expanding skills training and apprenticeships, and investing in manufacturing jobs. Watch.
MT – The DSCC released a new TV ad in Montana’s Senate race highlighting Senator Steve Daines’ record of putting himself and corporate special interests ahead of Montanans. Watch.
TX – Decorated Air Force veteran MJ Hegar released her first TV ad of the general election, highlighting her heroic military service. Watch.
IN THE STATES
AL – Selma Times Journal: Jones kicks off campaign with drive-in event
GA – Valdosta Daily Times: Campaign Trail: Warnock makes stop in Valdosta
GA – Q Magazine: Jon Ossoff: I’ll bring ‘deeply rooted’ LGBTQ inclusion to U.S. Senate
GA – NBC News: Rev. Warnock on his complicated race for the U.S. Senate in Georgia: ‘We are getting great momentum.’
KS – Kansas City Star: Health science website calls KS Senate race ‘surprisingly close.’ This issue is why
ME – Press Herald: Letter to the editor: Vote for Gideon to protect health care
MT – Bozeman Daily Chronicle (LTE): Bullock, not Daines, will protect our health care
NC – HuffPost: Sen. Thom Tillis Staffer Sums Up The GOP Stance On Health Insurance: Like Buying A Shirt
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