Ballotpedia's Daily Presidential News Briefing - April 4, 2019

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April 4, 2019

Sanders will appear on Fox News town hall   April 4, 2019: Beto O’Rourke raised $9.4 million in the first 18 days of his campaign. Bernie Sanders will appear on a Fox News town hall Apr. 15. Share the latest from the campaign trail.         Notable Quote of the Day “The Mayor Pete boomlet is real. The question is whether he’s on the edge of a breakthrough in the Democratic race—or likely to just be the butt of future jokes. … There’s one former boomlet candidate who suggests otherwise. He was widely viewed by pundits as another [Herman] Cain-style curiosity who would flame out. Like Buttigieg, he was able to harness social-media buzz to grab more attention. But this candidate didn’t use it to build a robust campaign team or ground game. Nor did he flame out as the campaign wore on. Instead, he surprised expectations and become President Donald Trump in January 2017.” – David Graham, The Atlantic Democrats Julián Castro, Beto O'Rourke, and Andrew Yang spoke at the conference for National Action Network—a civil rights organization founded by Rev. Al Sharpton. The following presidential candidates will also speak at the event Thursday or Friday: Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, John Delaney, Kamala Harris, John Hickenlooper, Kirsten Gillibrand, Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. Tulsi Gabbard tweeted that she needed 3,971 more new donors to qualify for the Democratic presidential debate stage. While campaigning in Nevada, Harris said she would oppose efforts to renew the licensing process for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. Hickenlooper’s episode of WMUR's "Conversation with the Candidate” will air Thursday, with topics including the economy, climate change, and tax policy. Jay Inslee spoke at the Foley Institute in Washington state about climate change and his vision for transitioning to carbon-free energy. The Atlantic profiled Klobuchar and her focus on “heartland economics” and a Midwest campaign strategy. Wayne Messam was interviewed by Cheddar, where he discussed student loan debt, fighting climate change, and preparing for the growing gig economy. O'Rourke raised $9.4 million in the first quarter of 2019. The figure represents 18 days of fundraising since O’Rourke formally entered the race on March 14. The average donation was $43. Sanders will be the first Democratic candidate to participate in a town hall televised by Fox News. The event will be filmed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and air on April 15. Warren wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post on her new bill to criminalize the actions of negligent corporate executives. Yang said that he would legalize marijuana and pardon anyone convicted of a nonviolent drug-related offense on April 20, 2021. On the Cusp: Tracking Potential Candidates Michael Bennet announced Wednesday that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgical treatment next week. He said in a statement, “This unanticipated hurdle only reinforces how strongly I feel about contributing to the larger conversation about the future of our country.” Joe Biden released a video discussing allegations that he had inappropriately touched several women. “Social norms are changing. I understand that, and I’ve heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. That’s my responsibility and I will meet it,” Biden tweeted along with the video. What We’re Reading The Atlantic: The Buttigieg Boomlet Isn't Like the Others Bloomberg: 'Virtual Caucuses' Could Skew Iowa's 2020 Electorate Even Older Chicago Tribune: What Chicago's mayoral election reveals about the 2020 presidential race Flashback: April 4, 2015 Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted that at least five presidential contenders—Ted Cruz, Rick Perry, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul, and Carly Fiorina—had ties to Texas, making the state more competitive in the primary season.