NEW REPORT: PANDEMIC LAYOFFS MAKE JOB REDUCTIONS PERMANENT… AND SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE STILL BLOCKING EMERGENCY JOBLESS RELIEF. A new Wall Street Journal report details how “a new wave of layoffs is washing over the U.S.” as “thousands of furloughed workers are told they won’t be coming back” and experts warn that “more pain is ahead.” Despite the new grim reports, Senate Republicans are on their third week of vacation after blocking efforts to fully extend emergency unemployment aid and continue to refuse to bring the Senate back in session to vote on additional relief. Here’s a timeline of how Senate Republicans blocked emergency unemployment relief and went on recess. Wall Street Journal: New Covid-19 Layoffs Make Job Reductions Permanent
ARE MITCH MCCONNELL AND SENATE REPUBLICANS STILL BLOCKING EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF? YES.
NEW SURVEY SHOWS HALF OF AMERICANS CONCERNED MAJOR HEALTH EVENT COULD LEAD TO BANKRUPTCY. A new study from Gallup found that “half of all U.S. adults are concerned that a major health event among those in their household could lead to bankruptcy.” And while hardworking American families are concerned about health coverage in the midst of a pandemic, Republicans are doubling down on their efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and gut coverage protections for pre-existing conditions, including COVID-19. Not one Senate Republican has taken any meaningful steps to stop the Republican-led lawsuit against the ACA –– and they still have “no plan” if the increasingly popular health care law is struck down by the Supreme Court. It’s no wonder that GOP attacks on the ACA are a massive “political liability” that “could help determine control of the Senate.”
DSCC BREAKS ANOTHER ONLINE FUNDRAISING RECORD. Need more evidence that grassroots donors are fired up to elect a Democratic Senate? After breaking online fundraising records four days in a row earlier this month, the DSCC finished off August breaking *another* fundraising record: our first $1 million day online in committee history. It’s the latest example of how small-dollar donors are fueling our resource advantage across the Senate map this cycle.
NEW POLL: #AKSEN TIED. A new PPP poll found that the Alaska Senate race is a dead heat as challenger Dr. Al Gross is tied with the Republican incumbent, Senator Dan Sullivan. The poll follows a string of analyses that spotlighted how Alaska’s Senate race 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’ message is clear: “Alaskans want an independent voice in the Senate” — and his campaign momentum is the latest example of how Republican incumbents have been forced further on defense.
GOP ATTACKS FALLING FLAT: LOST ANOTHER THREE FACT CHECKS IN 24 HOURS. It’s been a rough summer for Senate Republicans losing fact checks on increasingly desperate claims, and that was especially true yesterday. In the last 24 hours, three desperate and flimsy attacks against Democrats were debunked as false and misleading. Unfortunately for Republicans, their failing multi-million dollar summer counteroffensive is just the latest sign that they’ve been forced on defense as Democrats continue to expand the map. Check out what nonpartisan fact checkers are saying about the latest desperate claims and misleading attacks from Republicans:
DEM AD WATCH
AZ – Mark Kelly’s latest ad calls out unelected politician Martha McSally for trying to mislead voters and distort her record on health care. Watch.
IA – The DSCC released a new TV ad in Iowa highlighting how Senator Joni Ernst has turned her back on Iowans and sided with the corporate special interests funding her campaign. Watch.
MT – The DSCC released a new TV ad in Montana focusing on Senator Steve Daines’ toxic record on health care as he sold out Montanans to side with the drug and insurance industries. Watch.
NM – Congressman Ben Ray Luján released a new ad that highlights his record of fighting for health care workers during the pandemic. Watch.
IN THE STATES
CO – Aurora Sentinel (Opinion): GUEST COLUMN: Sen. Cory Gardner is no friend to Dreamers
IA – Des Moines Register: Iowa’s secretary of state banned pre-filled ballot request forms. Democrats are suing.
KS – Dodge City Daily Globe: Barbara Bollier visits Ford County Feed Yard
ME – HuffPost: Democrats Take Aim At Susan Collins’ Lobbyist Husband As Maine Race Heats Up
SC – Axios: Lindsey Graham challenger Jaime Harrison wants to usher in the “new South”
TX – Dallas Morning News: Texas Democrats announce massive voter registration drive aimed at flipping the state
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