*{box-sizing:border-box}body{margin:0;padding:0}a[x-apple-data-detectors]{color:inherit!important;text-decoration:inherit!important}#MessageViewBody a{color:inherit;text-decoration:none}p{line-height:inherit}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{mso-hide:all;display:none;max-height:0;overflow:hidden}.image_block img+div{display:none} @media (max-width:620px){.desktop_hide table.icons-outer{display:inline-table!important}.image_block div.fullWidth{max-width:100%!important}.mobile_hide{display:none}.row-content{width:100%!important}.stack .column{width:100%;display:block}.mobile_hide{min-height:0;max-height:0;max-width:0;overflow:hidden;font-size:0}.desktop_hide,.desktop_hide table{display:table!important;max-height:none!important}.reverse{display:table;width:100%}.reverse .column.first{display:table-footer-group!important}.reverse .column.last{display:table-header-group!important}.row-7 td.column.first .border,.row-9 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-11 td.column.last .border,.row-7 td.column.last .border,.row-9 td.column.last .border{padding:5px 20px 25px 5px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:0;border-left:0}.row-11 td.column.first .border{padding:5px 5px 15px 25px;border-top:0;border-right:0;border-bottom:15px solid transparent;border-left:0}} Welcome to The Hill's Campaign newsletter{beacon}
Campaign Report
Campaign Report
The Big Story
What the Haley protest votes mean for Trump
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley dropped out of the GOP contest for the White House more than a month ago, yet a sizable faction of Republicans keep voting for her.
© AP Photo/Chris Carlson
While much of the attention in Pennsylvania’s presidential primaries were focused on President Biden and a coalition urging Democratic primary voters to hold a protest vote over his administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, former President Trump was met with a sizable protest vote himself.
That protest vote came in the form of more than 157,000 ballots cast for Haley with 90 percent of the vote counted at time of publication. That amounts to more than 16 percent of the vote cast so far in the GOP primary while Trump saw close to 790,000 votes cast or about 83 percent of the vote.
While Trump handily beat Haley in the Keystone State, the number of votes his former rival received is raising questions around whether those Haley voters will ultimately come around to Trump in November, stay home or even back Biden.
Republican primaries in other states have underscored the GOP’s dissatisfaction with Trump: Haley notched 13 percent in Wisconsin, 13 percent in Georgia, 18 percent in Arizona and 27 percent in Michigan.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that Biden is safe, either. Biden is contending with votes across the country protesting his administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. A coalition urged Democratic primary voters in Pennsylvania to write-in “uncommitted” on their ballot, though it won’t be clear for some time how many votes have actually been cast this way.
But we’ve seen similar protest votes play out in other states such as Michigan and Minnesota – all sending a signal to change the White House’s direction of the conflict or risk losing voters in November.
That wasn’t the only thing happening on Tuesday night in the Keystone State: Voters headed to the polls to cast votes in several contested primaries – Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) prevailed in her Democratic primary while former local news anchor Janelle Stelson won the Democratic nomination to take on Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.).
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) fended off a primary challenge from the right and state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie won the GOP contest to take on Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.) in November.
Oh! And there were primaries for U.S. Senate – but you’d be forgiven for briefly forgetting those given the Senate race for Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) has been a snoozer so far. Casey and Republican Dave McCormick both won their respective primaries on Tuesday.
Hanna Trudo and Brandon Conradis have more on what you might have missed here.
Essential Reads
Key election stories and other recent campaign coverage:
Gallego nabs two key Latino endorsements
Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and the United Farm Workers (UFW), the union she founded alongside Cesar Chavez, on Wednesday endorsed Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) in his Senate bid. Endorsements from Huerta and the UFW, key players in the birth of Hispanic political power, hold a special significance for many Latinos, particularly in the Southwest. “Ruben is a stalwart advocate for immigration reform and his commitment to …
Full Story Biden leans into courting union workers by bashing Trump: ‘He looks down on us’
President Biden put his strategy of appealing to union workers on display Wednesday by painting himself as more like them and less like former President Trump. Biden has spoken to crowds of union workers twice in the past week, using each occasion to bash Trump about his upbringing in working to appeal to the critical voting bloc on a personal level. “Folks, we all know people like Trump who look down on us. Don’t we? We all …
Full Story Union leader endorsing Biden: ‘We’re not gonna waste a lot of time’ on Trump supporters
The president of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) said Wednesday his union will not “waste a lot of time” with supporters of former President Trump as it gives President Biden its endorsement. “We’re not gonna waste a lot of time talking to every American that supports Donald Trump, and we’re not gonna waste a lot of time with some of our members that support Donald Trump, because we’re …
Full Story The Countdown
Upcoming news themes and events we're watching:
- 81 days until the Republican National Convention
- 116 days until the Democratic National Convention
- 195 days until the 2024 general election
On Our Watch
Senate Dems launch ad attacking Dave McCormick
© AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File
Senate Democrats’ campaign arm launched a new digital ad on Tuesday attacking Republican Dave McCormick after the businessman officially became the nominee for Senate in Pennsylvania.
McCormick was unopposed for the Republican nomination to face Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), who is seeking his fourth term in what will be one of the most closely watched Senate races this year. The result could help determine which party will control the Senate in the next congressional session.
The ad from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) accuses McCormick of being “out for himself” and lying about his background, along with attacking him on a couple issues.
The narrator in the ad pointed to McCormick owning a home in Connecticut that he listed as his primary address until recently. They also noted a New York Times report that McCormick had said he grew up on a family farm, but actually spent much of his time as a kid living at the residence of the president of a university when his father served in that role.
McCormick’s campaign has said the candidate keeps the Connecticut house for while his children are completing school, and McCormick accused the Times of distorting what he has said about his upbringing. He said that he has said his family owned a farm and he spent summers baling hay and trimming Christmas trees.
The ad also attacks McCormick for investments he has made in China and comments he has made statements supporting abortion restrictions only with exceptions to protect the life of the mother. McCormick’s website states that he also supports exceptions for instances of rape and incest.
“Pennsylvanians know McCormick can’t be trusted – that’s why they’ll reject him in November,” DSCC spokesperson Maeve Coyle said in a release.
In Other News
Branch out with a different read from The Hill:
Biden speaks at national trade union conference: Watch live
Recorded earlier President Biden is addressing a conference Wednesday of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the latest of several major labor organizations to offer him its endorsement. As Reuters reports, NABTU President Sean McGarvey has thrown his support behind Biden and offered harsh condemnation of former President Trump. McGarvey said he believes Trump is “not a good man” and “very, very dangerous …
Full Story Lara Trump says RNC will have people ‘who can physically handle’ ballots on Election Day
Republican National Committee (RNC) co-Chair Lara Trump said the national committee will have both poll watchers and people “who can physically handle ballots” on Election Day. “We now have the ability at the RNC not just to have poll watchers — people standing in polling locations — but people who can physically handle the ballots,” Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of former President Trump, told Eric Bolling in a Newsmax …
Full Story Around the Nation
Local and state headlines regarding campaigns and elections:
- House Speaker Mike Johnson has changed his tune on Ukraine. It could cost him his job. (The Advocate)
- Pennsylvania’s redesigned mail ballot envelopes trip up many voters who left date incomplete (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
What We're Reading
Election news we've flagged from other outlets:
- Why narrow majorities and House gridlock are here to stay in 2024 (Politico)
- Homeless encampments are on the ballot in Arizona. Could California, other states follow? (Los Angeles Times)
Elsewhere Today
Key stories on The Hill right now:
Conservatives aim their fire at Texas Republican after ‘scumbags’ comment
The battle between Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) and the GOP’s right flank is heating up, with hard-line House conservatives throwing their support behind his primary opponent after the moderate Republican called two of them “scumbags” on national television. Gonzales kicked the hornet’s nest over the weekend when, during an interview … Read more
New Jersey Rep. Donald Payne Jr. dead at 65
Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D), who represented New Jersey in the House for more than a decade, has died at the age of 65. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) confirmed Payne’s death in a Wednesday statement. “Tammy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of our friend, and a steadfast champion for the people of New Jersey, … Read more
What People Think
Opinions related to campaigns and elections submitted to The Hill:
- Forget Trump — the American media is on trial in New York
- Speaker Johnson’s unflinching bravery can unite a House divided
- Our disaffected electorate is proof that the old model of politics isn’t working
You're all caught up. See you next time!
Close Thank you for signing up!
Subscribe to more newsletters here
The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Campaign and Election News newsletter Subscribe
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Mort Laitner
Donald Low
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
visit website
