MARSHALL STUMBLES INTO KANSAS GENERAL ELECTION. After a divisive and expensive primary, Washington politician Roger Marshall stumbled into the GOP nomination for the Kansas U.S. Senate race. Republicans are now stuck having to prop up an underwhelming candidate who is a weak fundraiser with a shady past – like using his political ties to erase a conviction. Election forecasters and Republicans admit Congressman Marshall could still lose the general election — which is one reason Republicans courted Pompeo to run in the first place. For more, read the DSCC statement on the primary results here.
DR. BARBARA BOLLIER STARTS GENERAL ELECTION NECK-AND-NECK WITH MARSHALL. Dr. Barbara Bollier advanced to the general election in Kansas, setting up a fight that worries Washington Republicans. Bollier is widely recognized as a “strong candidate” who has built a reputation as an independent voice focused finding common sense solutions, particularly to improve the quality and cost of health care. She’s outraised the entire Republican field combined, has $4.5 million cash on hand going into the general, and is running neck-and-neck with Marshall according to a recent poll.
NBC’S STEVE KORNACKI: DEMOCRATS HAVE “A LOT” OF PATHS TO MAJORITY. NBC analyst Steve Kornacki broke down the Senate map, discussing how Democrats have forced Republicans on defense in several GOP-held seats and have expanded their paths to flip the Senate. Like we said in our 100 days memo, strong Democratic candidates have expanded the map and added paths to the majority. Watch the segment here.
WNBA PLAYERS PLAN TO “VOTE WARNOCK.” WNBA players from across the league — including the Atlanta Dream team co-owned by Senator Kelly Loeffler — made a powerful statement yesterday evening, wearing “Vote Warnock” t-shirts to their games in a show of support for Reverend Raphael Warnock and as a direct response to Loeffler’s attacks on the social justice and Black Lives Matter movements taking place across the country.
ANOTHER RACE RATER MOVES IOWA TO TOSS UP. Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the Iowa Senate race in Democrats’ favor today, changing the rating to “Toss-Up”. Sabato’s Crystal Ball is now the third nonpartisan elections analyst to rate Iowa as a “Toss-Up” –– both Cook Political Report and Inside Elections shifted the race to “Toss-Up” in July, a recognition of the strong campaign that Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield is running. Greenfield has been breaking Iowa records for a Senate challenger all cycle, outraising vulnerable incumbent Senator Joni Ernst for two consecutive quarters, and polling since the primary has shown Greenfield ahead by a slim margin as Ernst’s lead has evaporated.
HICKENLOOPER HAS BEST FUNDRAISING MONTH OF THE CAMPAIGN. Former Governor John Hickenlooper’s campaign announced that it raised $2.8 million online in July, the best fundraising month of the campaign by far. This latest fundraising news comes as polls have consistently shown Hickenlooper leading Gardner by double digits, and Trump struggling in Colorado. Hickenlooper has outraised Gardner for three quarters in a row, most recently posting a record breaking haul in Q2.
CUNNINGHAM RAISES $3.6 MILLION IN JULY. After raising a record breaking $7.4 million in Q2 and outraising vulnerable incumbent Senator Thom Tillis by nearly $5 million, Army veteran Cal Cunningham announced that his campaign raised $3.6M in July. Cal has already nearly erased Tillis’ cash on hand advantage and in July alone, Cal received donations from over 10,000 North Carolinians including nearly 4,500 new North Carolina donors and 94% of contributions were under $100.
NEW POLL SHOWS THAT AMERICANS FAVOR RENEWING EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. A new HuffPost/YouGov poll found that “public support for renewing expanded unemployment benefits far outweighs opposition.” Despite its overwhelming popularity, Senate Republicans let the the expiring emergency unemployment relief that was a lifeline for millions of hardworking Americans lapse last weekend after months of insisting that the expanded unemployment relief was a “mistake” and that they didn’t see “a big need” to extend the lifeline. Their inaction has left millions of Americans without a lifeline they depend on to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads as the coronavirus continues to surge across the country. HuffPost: Poll: Americans Favor Renewing $600 Unemployment Benefits
GARDNER AND DAINES TRY AND GREENWASH RECORDS TO SAVE STRUGGLING ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. Vulnerable incumbent Senators Cory Gardner and Steve Daines tried to take a victory lap yesterday for passing a long overdue conservation measure in an attempt to greenwash their abysmal environmental records and save their struggling re-election campaigns after having “backed Trump’s anti-conservation agenda at every turn.” Both senators have both voted to cut funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and supported appointees who have overseen the largest rollback of protected public lands in U.S. history and dismantled major policies to fight climate change.
FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FAILED POLITICIAN JOHN JAMES. Failed politician John James spent the first year of his campaign hiding – going literally hundreds of days without speaking to Michigan print and TV outlets. He can’t dodge voters now that we’re in the general election. Here are the four things you need to know about James and read more from the Michigan Democratic Party here:
DEM AD WATCH
AK – Dr. Al Gross is highlighting his experience as a doctor and how that informs his commitment to providing high quality affordable health care to all Alaskans. Watch.
KS – Dr. Bollier is focused on working across the aisle to get things done for Kansans because that’s what she’s done in Kansas. Watch.
IN THE STATES
AZ – The Hill: Mark Kelly clinches Democratic Senate nod in Arizona
GA – Thomasville Times-Enterprise: Ossoff confident anti-corruption campaign will hit home with voters
ME – Maine Beacon: Following flip on abortion rights, Planned Parenthood launches campaign against Collins
NC – Carteret County News-Times: In campaign event, Cunningham sees ‘clear path’ to US Senate seat
SC – Salon: Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has voted by mail, claims the practice is prone to fraud
SC – USA Today: Sen. Lindsey Graham holds one-point lead in tight SC race for reelection, poll finds
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