A NIGHTMARE WEEK FOR RICHARD BURR. TGIF for Senator Richard Burr, because the last full week before Election Day went about as bad as it could have gone for the Senator. Let’s take a look at the week that was –
DISTURBING AUDIO. Audio of a Senator Burr making disturbing comments about gun owners shooting Hillary Clinton and promising to block any Supreme Court nominee for an entire Clinton presidency surfaced on Monday in a brutal CNN story that shook up the race. Burr received widespread condemnation for his comments, including from President Barack Obama, who called his rhetoric “troubling.” Six front pages this week featured Burr’s despicable comments and President Obama’s response, and five editorial boards slammed Burr’s remarks.
Raleigh News & Observer: Editorial: A tape reveals the real Sen. Burr
Winston Salem Journal: Editorial: We condemn Burr’s ‘bull’s eye” comment
Charlotte Observer: Editorial: Richard Burr puts bull’s-eye on Constitution
WRAL: Editorial: If Burr won’t fill judicial vacancies, pick someone new to fill his Senate seat
News & Observer: Editorial: Stalled court should be unthinkable
BLACKLISTING NEWSPAPERS. Talking about violence against Hillary Clinton wasn’t the only Trump-like thing Senator Burr did this week. He also banned the Raleigh News & Observer from attending his campaign events because he didn’t like their coverage of the race.
News and Observer: Richard Burr bans N&O from receiving notices of campaign events
AP: US Sen. Burr bans newspaper from notice of campaign events
CBS NEWS: NC Senator Burr battles with state newspaper week before election
Morning Consult: Burr Campaign Feuds With Local Newspaper
The Huffington Post: GOP’s Richard Burr Blacklists Local Paper In Tough Senate Race
Politico: Media blacklist heads down-ballot
Washington Post: When it comes to blacklisting the media, Sen. Richard Burr trumps The Donald
OH WAIT, THERE’S MORE. But there was more to Senator Burr’s nightmarish week! A group of North Carolina veterans held a press conference in Charlotte where they called out Senator Burr for missing nearly 70% of his Armed Services Committee hearings and implored Burr to release his schedule to explain his absences. Watch WSOC and WBTV’s coverage of the news conference. AND a blockbuster report from McClatchy details how Senator Burr once helped ease export controls over bomb-grade uranium.
WHIPLASH ALERT! HECK’S LATEST TRUMP POSITION. Congressman Joe Heck supported Donald Trump for months, only pulling his support at the last minute when his political prospects were suffering. But Heck’s decision was seen correctly as a political calculation by Nevada voters, so now he’s trying to take his fifth stance on Trump in the past month. See here for a timeline from the Cortez Masto campaign on Heck’s Washington double speak on Trump. Warning…it’s sure to make your head spin.
MUST WATCH – TOOMEY DODGES TRUMP QUESTIONS TEN TIMES. There are only four days until Election Day, but Senator Pat Toomey is still doing everything he can to avoid giving Pennsylvania voters a straight answer on whether he’s voting for Donald Trump. In a disastrous interview that made waves yesterday, Toomey dodged questions about whether he’s voting for Trump TEN TIMES. Watch it here – and try not to cringe (bet you can’t.)
Washington Post: Watch a GOP senator spend 10 painful minutes ducking questions about Donald Trump
TPM: GOP Sen. Toomey Repeatedly Refuses To Say If He’ll Vote For Trump
AP: Senator Pat Toomey maintains mystery over Trump vote
CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE – TRUMP AGENDA OR CONTINUED GRIDLOCK AND OBSTRUCTION. This week, Senate Republicans laid out a preview of what it will be like if they hold on to the Senate majority. Some Republicans are advocating for continuing the unprecedented gridlock and obstruction that’s defined their time in the majority by openly admitting to blocking the Supreme Court through an entire Hillary Clinton presidency, sending our country into a constitutional crisis. And yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell outlined how a Republican-led Senate will be standing at the ready to take marching orders from Donald Trump. Regardless of which path they choose, a Republican Senate majority would be devastating for our country’s middle class families.
AS SEEN ON TV. The week in ads.
ILLINOIS. The Duckworth campaign released its closing ad in the 2016 campaign, highlighting how in the Senate, Tammy will fight for Illinois’s working families. Watch “Simple” here.
INDIANA. The Bayh campaign released two new ads, highlighting Evan’s commitment to putting Hoosier families first. “6 Years” features Evan saying he’ll take on the special interests that are attacking him and hurting Hoosiers. “Susan” focuses on Evan’s wife and how Evan was devoted to and cared for her when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Watch “Susan” here.
MISSOURI. The DSCC released two new ads in Missouri this week which focused on how Senator Roy Blunt is a Washington insider who looks out for himself and his lobbyist family members. The ads highlight how during his 20-year career in Washington, Blunt’s voted twelve times to raise his own pay and has put the interests of his lobbyist family members ahead of Missouri. Watch “Gold” and “Career.”
NEVADA. The DSCC released a new ad in Nevada reminding voters why Congressman Joe Heck is wrong for Nevada women and hard-working families. The ad highlights Congressman Heck’s ten votes to defund Planned Parenthood, and his support for privatizing Social Security. Watch “Remember” here.
NEW HAMPSHIRE. The Hassan campaign released its closing ad this week, where Governor Maggie Hassan contrasts her fights for the people of New Hampshire with Kelly Ayotte’s fights for her special interest backers. Watch “The Choice” here. The DSCC also released an ad, highlighting how Granite Staters are paying the pirce – literally – for Ayotte’s votes with her special interest backers. Watch “More” here.
NORTH CAROLINA. The Ross campaign released a new ad this week, featuring North Carolina veterans speaking about why they support Deborah Ross and calling out Senator Richard Burr for disrespecting veterans groups and attempting to distort Deborah’s record. Watch “Freedom.” The DSCC also released a new ad on the 26 special interest-funded trips Burr has jetted off on during his 22-year DC career. Burr’s taken extravagant trips to European cities, while his special interest allies footed the bill, and then voted against an ethics reform bill that would’ve cracked down on such trips. Watch “Paid For” here.
PENNSYLVANIA. The McGinty campaign released a new ad featuring Katie speaking about how unlike Senator Pat Toomey, she’ll work for hard-working Pennsylvanians. Watch “Coming Home” here. This morning, the McGinty campaign released two other ads that both feature First Lady Michelle Obama speaking about Katie’s commitment to Pennsylvania’s values and priorities. Watch “Leader” and “What’s Important.”
WISCONSIN. The Feingold campaign released a new ad featuring Wisconsinites and Russ speaking about how Senator Ron Johnson has failed them and how Russ will fight for them. Watch “Bigger Van” here. The campaign also released a new ad this morning, “At Our Expense” that highlights the choice facing Wisconsinites in this election.
HOME STATE PAPERS ENDORSE DEMOCRATS
TAMMY DUCKWORTH…won the endorsement of multiple Illinois newspapers. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said that Tammy is “more deserving of the Senate seat,” and the State Journal Register touted her as “a strong voice for Illinois.” The Daily Illini also endorsed Tammy, saying she “simply represents the values of students more than Sen. Kirk.”
EVAN BAYH…was endorsed by the Terre Haute Tribune Star and the South Bend Tribune. The Tribune Star praised Evan as representing “a far more moderate, constructive approach to legislating” and the South Bend Tribune said he has “long record of level-headed, bipartisan work” and avoids “hyperpartisan bickering and firefights.”
JASON KANDER…received the endorsement of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which highlighted how he can help “quell the partisan extremism ripping Washington apart.”
MAGGIE HASSAN…was endorsed by the Valley News, which slammed Senator Kelly Ayotte as “a loyal foot soldier in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s obstructionist army” and touted Maggie’s “solid credentials.”
KATIE MCGINTY…won the endorsement of the Sunbury Daily Item, saying it “cannot and will not endorse” Pat Toomey because he “twice failed to show the principles for which voters sent him to Washington.”
RUSS FEINGOLD…was endorsed by a slew of Wisconsin papers this week. The Shepherd Express endorsed Russ in what it said was “a very easy endorsement to make,” touting him as a “principled, trustworthy and independent public servant.” He also won the endorsement of the Wisconsin State Journal, which praised his “independence and proven ability to work across party lines.” The Cap Times also penned another editorial praising Feingold, after endorsing him last week, saying that “by voting for Feingold, Wisconsinites can elect a great senator AND signal that our votes are not for sale to the highest bidder.”
BONUS MUST READS. Things you may have missed while watching the Cubs win the World Series or reading about the upcoming Hamilton Mixtape.
McClatchy: Missouri senator took campaign cash from schools accused of ripping off students (The must read of the week in #MOSEN)
AP: Finance records contradict Indiana Senate candidate’s image (Young’s record is filled with instances of trying to skirt the rules for his own benefit)
NPR: A Week From Election Day, Democrats Have Many Paths to a Majority (Yeah we do!)
Pittsburgh City Paper: U.S. Senator Pat Toomey attacked by left and right in final week before election (This lede – “It’s been a bad week for US Senator Pat Toomey”)
IN THE STATES.
WISCONSIN – In the final days of his Senate campaign, Senator Ron Johnson is scrambling to explain an investment in an Irish company that he may have made to avoid paying taxes. Read more here.
MORE WISCONSIN – Eric Trump campaigned with Ron Johnson yesterday, where Trump praised Johnson as someone who will help enact his father’s policies in the Senate. Scary!
FLORIDA – President Barack Obama headed to Florida this week, where he repeatedly bashed Senator Marco Rubio for not showing up to work and for his continued support of Donald Trump. After Rubio tweeted months ago that “Friends don’t let friends vote for con artists,” President Obama slammed Rubio saying, “Guess who just voted for Donald Trump a few days ago? Marco Rubio. Obviously he didn’t have good enough friends.”
MORE FLORIDA — Patrick Murphy joined civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis on Tuesday to march from Bethune-Cookman University to an early vote location in Daytona. Patrick spoke about the importance of getting out and voting in what is “one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes.”
INDIANA — Indy Star’s Truth Squad confirmed that Congressman Todd Young accepted illegal campaign contributions and evaded paying property taxes. Young took $94,000 in contributions that violated federal law in 2010, and in 2012, Young received a tax break on a house he did not own, attempting to save himself thousands of dollars. Read more here.
MORE INDIANA – Evan Bayh stopped in Anderson this week, speaking with voters about how he is focused on fighting for them in the Senate. He said that he will put partisan bickering aside and reach across the aisle to do what’s best for Hoosiers.
NEVADA — Vice President Joe Biden campaigned in Las Vegas and Reno for Catherine Cortez Masto this weekend, and spoke with KOLO about why Catherine will make a great Senator, saying she has “the intellectual, the compassionate side.” Watch here.
TWEET OF THE WEEK – This week’s Tweet of the Week goes to MSNBC’s Michael LaRosa for highlighting just how disastrous Senator Pat Toomey’s interview where he dodged Trump questions was: “@MichaelLaRosaDC: Utterly painful to watch. 5 days out and a U.S. Senator from a swing state doesn’t know who he’s voting for #pasen”
Well folks, this is the one last Takeaways before the Election! It’s been a pleasure being in your inbox every Friday – we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. See you on the other side!
Sadie Weiner
@sadieweiner|
Lauren Passalacqua
Sam Lau
Lara Sisselman
