Friday, February 1, 2019: Sen. Cory Booker (D) announced he was running for president of the United States. Michael Bloomberg (D) is building a political organization to beat Trump, whether or not the former NYC mayor runs.
Share the latest from the campaign trail.
   
Democrats
-
Sen. Cory Booker announced that he was running for president of the United States Friday morning. His campaign headquarters will be in Newark, where he served as mayor for seven years. His campaign manager is Addisu Demissie, who worked on Booker’s 2013 Senate race and successfully ran Gavin Newsom's election for governor of California last year.
-
In an appearance on The View, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg questioned whether a congressman or a mayor was better prepared to lead the country. Watch the full interview here.
-
During a trip to Fort Dodge, Iowa, former Rep. John Delaney said on healthcare that he wanted to “create a government plan that everyone gets as a right” after fixing the Affordable Care Act. He said that his system would not be Medicare for All, however, since Medicare would remain a separate system.
-
Sen. Kamala Harris, former Vice President Joe Biden, and Booker are courting the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for an endorsement, Politico reported. “In addition to their clout on Capitol Hill, CBC members can be powerful surrogates in their home states — able to deliver financial and organizational support from union heads, state party chairs and other elected officials,” the article noted.
-
Harris is also attending two major Hollywood fundraisers this weekend hosted by Universal’s Jeff Shell and The Abbey founder David Cooley.
-
Author Marianne Williamson met with the editorial board of The Des Moines Register. Watch the interview here.
Republicans
On the Cusp: Tracking Potential Candidates
-
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (D) “is pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into a data-centric political operation designed to ensure one goal: crush Donald Trump,” The Atlantic reported. Read more here.
-
Sen. Sherrod Brown is making the argument that “he understands economically challenged Midwestern voters who helped make Trump president” as he conducts a listening tour through Iowa this week, according to the Associated Press.
-
Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D) has stopped fundraising since his unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid last year, The Atlantic noted. O’Rourke spokesman Chris Evans said, “Recurring gifts stopped on Election Day. Additionally, our ActBlue account has been turned off since then and, therefore, donations have not continued to come in.”
-
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to return the threshold for taxing assets transferred to an individual’s heirs to $3.5 million from $11 million.
What We’re Reading
Flashback: February 1, 2015
Indianapolis Monthly published a profile of then-Gov. Mike Pence (R) asking whether he would run for president in 2016. Pence never did enter the presidential race, although he became Trump’s running mate in July 2016.
|
