REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES “GO MUM” ON HEALTH CARE. A new NBC News deep dive highlights how Republican senators up for re-election have gone “mum” on the Affordable Care Act, “conceding that attacking the ACA is no longer politically advantageous.” But as vulnerable incumbents try to hide their toxic records on health care, Republicans aren’t backing away from their support for dismantling the health care law and gutting coverage protections for pre-existing conditions — even in the middle of a pandemic. Not one Senate Republican has taken any meaningful steps to stop the GOP lawsuit to overturn 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 Republican attacks on the ACA are a massive “political liability” this cycle that “could help determine control of the Senate.” NBC News: What Obamacare? Republican candidates go mum on health care law
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION INTERFERED WITH CDC REPORTS ON COVID-19, BUT DON’T EXPECT SENATE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. A new POLITICO report details how Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on coronavirus in “an attempt to intimidate the reports’ authors and water down their communications to health professionals.” The report follows bombshell reporting this week that revealed that Trump knew that the novel coronavirus “was dangerous, airborne, highly contagious and “more deadly than even your strenuous flus,” and admitted to “intentionally misleading Americans.” Senate Republicans dodged questions and remained silent while some even attempted to “mount a defense” of the president, so don’t expect anything different after this latest report. POLITICO: Trump officials interfered with CDC reports on Covid-19
#MESEN DEBATE: COLLINS *AGAIN* REFUSES TO TELL MAINERS WHO SHE’S VOTING FOR. Sara Gideon and vulnerable Senator Susan Collins met for the first time on the debate stage last night, and the reviews are in: the debate “was a win for Sara Gideon.” Gideon delivered a clear, strong performance where she discussed her record of protecting Mainers with pre-existing conditions, tackling the opioid crisis, and putting Maine’s hardworking families first. Meanwhile, Collins refused to be honest with Mainers about her support for Trump (636 days and counting!) and showed how much she’s changed in Washington and become a rubber stamp for Mitch McConnell and the corporate special interests.
IOWA EDITORIAL BOARDS SLAM ERNST FOR REFUSING TO PUBLICLY APOLOGIZE FOR RECKLESS CORONAVIRUS COMMENTS. After Senator Joni Ernst refused to publicly apologize for her reckless, disqualifying comments that “insulted” health care workers, two Iowa editorial boards took the vulnerable incumbent to task. On Friday, the Des Moines Register Editorial Board said Senator Ernst “should focus on using her job in Congress to provide relief to Americans during this pandemic — not spread misinformation that downplays the devastation.” Today, the Ottumwa Courier Editorial Board eviscerated Ernst, writing “Ernst’s baseless comments followed by a refusal to firmly walk them back and apologize are another example showing she is not fit to represent Iowans in Washington, D.C.” Senator Ernst has consistently mishandled this public health crisis by downplaying the virus, spreading misinformation, opposing a mask mandate despite White House task force and expert warnings, and attending crowded events without wearing a mask.
REPUBLICANS SUE TO BLOCK ALL-MAIL VOTING IN MONTANA WHILE DAINES LOBBIES FOR ALL-MAIL BALLOTS IN BIG GOP COUNTIES. File under things you can’t make up: new reporting reveals that while Republicans are suing to stop all-mail voting in Montana’s November general election, GOP officials – including Senator Steve Daines – were also lobbying “officials in two big Republican-leaning counties to adopt mail ballots.” GOP officials told MTN News that the Daines campaign was “worried that voter turnout in the GOP-leaning counties could be reduced, in a tight election, if they didn’t use all-mail ballots.” In the middle of a pandemic, where voting by mail is a safe way for many Americans to cast their ballots, it’s another reminder that Senator Daines always looks out for himself, not what’s right for Montana. KTVH: GOP candidates lobbied for all-mail ballots in MT’s big GOP counties
“STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN”: PERDUE CLAIMS HIS PERFECTLY TIMED STOCK TRADES ARE COMPLETELY INNOCENT. A devastating new report from The Daily Beast today reveals that Senator David Perdue pushed to water down regulations on prepaid debit cards and then bought “stock in a company that stood to benefit from the rollback of those regulations.” Government ethics and securities law experts slammed Perdue’s “suspicious trading,” with one saying it “stinks to high heaven” and another saying Perdue’s activities “raise red flags” and “questions about what he knew and when he knew it.” This isn’t the first time Perdue has landed in hot water over well-timed stock trades –– as the pandemic was beginning to spread throughout the country, Perdue engaged in “heavy trading” of up to seven figures in stocks as “the markets took a turn for the worse.” The Daily Beast: Sen. David Perdue Says His Perfectly Timed Stock Trades Are Completely Innocent
REPORT: LOEFFLER HELPED BIG BANKS GET OFFSHORE TAX RELIEF AFTER THE GREAT RECESSION. A new Salon report details how unelected political mega-donor Senator Kelly Loeffler helped her company establish an “offshore tax dodge months after the Great Recession hit.” Loeffler’s actions “allowed some of the world’s biggest banks to avoid paying U.S. taxes on their risky Wall Street bets — including on the financial instruments that were key contributors to the global economic collapse.” This is just the latest scandal for Loeffler, who came under fire this spring for “controversial stock trades she made after a private Senate briefing.” Salon: Sen. Kelly Loeffler helped big banks get offshore tax relief after the Great Recession
GRAHAM FACES “TOUGHEST REELECTION” YET. Jaime Harrison continues to build momentum and put pressure on Senator Lindsey Graham in the competitive South Carolina Senate race. Harrison’s deep roots in the state, his compelling personal story, and his historic fundraising have made him a “formidable candidate,” surprising even Senator Graham with “his most challenging campaign for Senate yet.” In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Harrison talks about the work he’s doing to reach out to people across South Carolina and how his Rural Hope Agenda will help rural communities access to broadband, health care and other services.
KELLY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES “REPUBLICANS FOR MARK” WITH 100+ REPUBLICANS’ ENDORSEMENTS. The Mark Kelly for Senate campaign launched “Republicans for Mark” this week – a coalition of current and former Republicans from across Arizona and from all walks of life who are endorsing Mark in the upcoming election. They pointed to Kelly’s history of public service in the Navy and at NASA and his commitment to independent leadership that will put Arizona first. KTAR: Senate candidate Mark Kelly sees bipartisanship as politics’ best hope
REPORT: SMALL BUSINESSES SUFFER FROM USPS DELAYS. A USA Today report details how small businesses have been hit especially hard by mail delivery delays caused by Republican attacks on the Postal Service. Republican mega-donor and current Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s changes to the USPS have softened sales, weakened consumer confidence, and in some cases forced refunds. Despite an increasing number of reports detailing the detrimental effects of the recent changes to the USPS, Senate Republicans have repeatedly denied and downplayed the problems as DeJoy and President Trump have sabotaged the Postal Service by cutting overtime and removing high-speed mail sorting machines. USA Today: Small businesses: USPS delivery delays hit Main Street businesses hard
DEM AD WATCH
KY – Amy McGrath released a new ad about her military service as a Marine and being ready to respond to the terror attacks on 9/11. Watch.
MI – Senator Gary Peters’ latest ad shows why he is one of the most effective and bipartisan senators and how he delivers results for Michigan. Watch.
NM – Congressman Ben Ray Luján released a new ad highlighting the lessons he learned growing up and how they’ve informed his commitment to fighting for schools, community colleges, and job training. Watch.
IN THE STATES
AL – AL.com: Jones rips ‘Coach Clueless’ Tuberville on response to Trump-Woodward tape
AL – Fox10: Tuberville questioned about report Trump downplayed COVID-19
CO – MSNBC: Former Gov. John Hickenlooper on the people of Colorado: ‘What they need is action.’
CO – Colorado Times Recorder: Hickenlooper Calls Gardner’s Lack of Health Care Plan ‘Government Malpractice’
IA – Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Iowa Medical Society: Ernst’s COVID remarks ‘dangerous,’ ‘offensive’
MS – Mississippi Today: ‘Hurting her own people’: Mike Espy blasts Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith over COVID-19 response
NH – WMUR: NH Primary Source: Shaheen endorsed by American Postal Workers Union, Manchester Local 230
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