The Hill’s Campaign Report: Minneapolis protests rock the nation

Welcome to The Hill’s Campaign Report, your daily rundown on all the latest news in the 2020 presidential, Senate and House races. Did someone forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.

We’re Julia Manchester, Max Greenwood and Jonathan Easley. Here’s what we’re watching today on the campaign trail. 

 

LEADING THE DAY: 

The political world is reacting to the demonstrations taking place in Minneapolis this week in the wake of the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died Monday after a police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest. 

President Trump made headlines on Friday after he threatened on Twitter to deploy the military and denounced “thugs” in the midwestern city. Twitter labeled the president’s post, saying the tweet violated the platform’s rules about glorifying violence. 

Trump’s rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, was quick to denounce the tweet, accusing Trump of calling for violence. 

“I will not give him that amplification. But he is calling for violence against American citizens during a moment of pain for so many,” Biden said in a tweet. 

The White House denied Trump was glorifying violence, and said he condemned it. 

The week’s events involving Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests have put the spotlight once again on police violence and racial tensions in the U.S. The issue will likely be widely talked about on the campaign trail, with many in the U.S. calling for police reform and nationwide conversation about race. 

Biden said Friday in an online address to supporters that he spoke to George Floyd’s family. 

“We are a country with an open wound. And none of us can turn away. None of us can be silent. None of us can any longer, can we hear the words ‘I can’t breath’ and do nothing,” Biden said. “The original sin of this country still stains our nation today, and sometimes we manage to overlook it.” 

The Hill’s Amie Parnes and Scott Wong report that the death of Floyd and the subsequent protests has also prompted greater scrutiny over Biden’s vice presidential pick. 

“I think this definitely makes him think twice and a third time about it,” one longtime Biden ally close to the campaign told Parnes and Wong.

“He’s definitely going to get increased pressure from the black community. You’re already seeing that with new hires.” 

–Julia Manchester 

 

READ MORE: 

Biden: Trump ‘calling for violence against American citizens’ by Julia. 

Biden says he had a conversation with George Floyd’s family by Julia. 

FROM THE TRAIL:

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign canceled a fundraiser featuring a former top prosecutor with Robert Mueller’s special counsel team that investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. The event, billed as a “Fireside Chat” with Andrew Weissmann, was supposed to take place on June 2, and moderated by former New Jersey Attorney General Anna Milgram.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) sent a letter to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) on Thursday outlining safety protocols the party is ready to adopt so it can hold a full in-person national convention in Charlotte this August. The letter comes amid a standoff between Cooper, who has not committed to allowing a full in-person convention, and Trump, who has threatened to pull the convention out of North Carolina and take it elsewhere if there are restrictions imposed on attendance due to the coronavirus outbreak. Jonathan Easley reports.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) has pulled out of consideration to be Biden’s running mate. Justine Coleman reports.

 

FROM CONGRESS & THE STATES:

Democrats and Latino-focused outside groups are gearing up to use the forthcoming Supreme Court ruling on the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program against vulnerable Senate Republicans. The decision could affect races for a number of seats Democrats are hoping to flip, such as those of Sens. Martha McSally and Cory Gardner. Max Greenwood and Julia report.

The race between progressives Sara Jacobs and San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez to replace retiring Rep. Susan Davis (D-Calif.).is heating up and getting expensive. The Hill’s Rafael Bernal reports.

PERSPECTIVES:

Timothy O’Brien: Twitter has little to fear from Trump.

John Davidson: Stop pretending Twitter is neutral.

 

MONEY WATCH:

The America First Action PAC is putting $7.5 million behind ads taking aim at Biden’s economic policies that will begin running on June 4 in targeted districts in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The total includes digital, cable, broadcast and mail ads. It’s the first round of spending in those districts by the super PAC, which is the only sanctioned pro-Trump outside group.

Meanwhile, Priorities USA, the largest Democratic super PAC, is launching an updated version of its battleground ad attacking Trump’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. Priorities USA has spent nearly $11 million in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania since the beginning of April.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

 

(Keep in mind these dates could change because of the outbreak.)

 

June 2:

District of Columbia primaries

Indiana primaries

Maryland primaries

Montana primaries

New Mexico primaries

Pennsylvania primaries

Rhode Island primaries

South Dakota primaries

 

June 9:

Georgia primaries

West Virginia primaries

 

June 23:

Kentucky primaries

 

July 7:

New Jersey primaries

Delaware primary

 

July 11:

Louisiana

 

July 14:

Alabama Republican Senate primary runoff

 

August 11:

Connecticut primary

 

August 17-20:

Democratic National Convention

 

August 24-27:

Republican National Convention

 

ONE HOPEFUL THING

Chef Emeril Lagasse is the latest celebrity to pledge his support to combat the coronavirus pandemic. His foundation, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, is donating $500,000 toward coronavirus relief efforts to support youth programs and families of hospitality industry workers in Louisiana, Nevada and Florida. 

“The need to support the youth in our community is a priority of Alden and I through the work of our Foundation. The need is more overwhelming than ever,” the chef said in a statement earlier this week.  “We are committed to our mission of helping disadvantaged youth during this extraordinary time.” 

The foundation says it will give out grants in a multi-tiered response, giving immediate funding to some causes as well as long-term funding to others. 

The most recent round of rapid response grants is aiding organizations that provide essential services to vulnerable communities. The organizations include Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, Covenant House, Café Reconcile, Café Hope, Liberty’s Kitchen, Youth Empowerment Project and Three Square Food Bank of Las Vegas.

We’ll see you next week for more campaign news and updates. Have a great weekend!