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The Federal Tap: Primary preview--top two and then some

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June 1, 2018Issue No. 115

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Week in review
On tap next week

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Here's what happened in federal politics last week. To see what happened in state and local politics, click here.

Saturday, May 26

American missionary released from Venezuelan prison

  • Joshua Holt, a Mormon missionary from Utah, was released from a Venezuelan prison after being held for nearly two years. Holt was accused of stockpiling weapons in his wife's family's apartment. The State Department called the weapons charges questionable, according to NBC News. While meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Holt said, "I'm just so grateful for what you guys have done — and for thinking about me, and caring about me, just a normal person. So it really touches me, and thank you." Trump thanked Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), and Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) for working to secure Holt’s release.

No Labels opposes Shantel Krebs in South Dakota House GOP primary

  • No Labels, a centrist organization that supports candidates likely to join the Problem Solvers Caucus in the U.S. House, spent $140,000 opposing South Dakota Secretary of State Shantel Krebs, who is running in the June 5 Republican primary for the state’s at-large U.S. House seat.
  • Krebs’ vocal support for Donald Trump contrasts with the demeanor of her major opponent, Dusty Johnson, who says he agrees with some of Trump’s policies but focuses on the congressional budget process and agricultural policy instead of the president. Johnson said he met with No Labels in 2017, but he did not commit to joining the Problem Solvers Caucus.
  • Johnson, Krebs, and state Sen. Neal Tapio are the Republicans running to replace Kristi Noem (R), who is running for governor in 2018, as South Dakota’s sole member of Congress. Johnson, the former chief of staff for South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R), leads the race in fundraising and was endorsed by Daugaard and the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Krebs is second in fundraising and was endorsed by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) and the Republican Main Street Partnership.
  • No Labels previously supported U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) when he faced progressive Marie Newman in his Democratic primary and John Morganelli (D-Pa.), who ran to replace Charlie Dent (R) in Pennsylania’s 7th District. Both are conservative Democrats who oppose abortion and are to the right of their parties on immigration. Lipinski won his primary, and Morganelli was defeated. Prominent No Labels funders include former Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

Tuesday, May 29

John Conyers III challenges removal from MI-13 ballot in court

  • John Conyers III (D), the son of former U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D), filed a lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court Tuesday challenging his removal from the Democratic primary ballot for Michigan’s 13th Congressional District, the Detroit-based seat that his father resigned from in December 2017 after being accused of sexual harassment.
  • Conyers III said that Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett improperly disqualified him when she disqualified at least 188 valid petition signatures he gathered. Garrett announced May 21 that because Conyers III failed to gather 1,000 valid petition signatures, he would be removed from the Democrat ballots for the regularly-scheduled election to fill the 13th District from 2019-2020 and the special election to fill the rest of the 2017-2018 term to which Conyers Jr. was elected. The regularly-scheduled and special elections are being held concurrently, with the Democratic primaries scheduled for August 7 and the general elections on November 6.
  • State Sen. Ian Conyers (D), the great-nephew of John Conyers Jr., filed the challenge against Conyers’ III signatures. According to Politico, he would have been his great uncle’s choice as his successor, but he prematurely told the press of Conyers’ Jr. intent to resign, which angered the congressman and led him to endorse his son. Other top Democratic candidates for the seat are former state Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Westland Mayor Bill Wild, Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones, and state Sen. Coleman Young II. The winner of the Democratic primary is likely to win the general election as forecasters rate the seat as safely Democratic.

Wednesday, May 30

Trump endorses Dan Donovan in NY-11 Republican primary

  • President Trump is backing incumbent Dan Donovan in the June 26 Republican primary for New York’s 11th District. Donovan’s challenger is former incumbent Michael Grimm, who resigned from the seat in 2015 after pleading guilty to felony tax evasion and was replaced by Donovan in a special election.
  • Both men have closely aligned themselves with Trump. Although Donovan voted against Republican plans to replace the Affordable Care Act and defund sanctuary jurisdictions, he has touted his support for Trump’s trade policies and was backed by Trump lawyer and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Grimm launched his campaign with an endorsement from former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and later picked up the support of former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. He has criticized Donovan from voting against Trump’s priorities and called him “"the Republican New York congressman with the most anti-Trump voting record."
  • The campaign has also been defined by personal attacks, with Grimm calling Donovan “Desperate Dan” and Donovan calling Grimm “the convict congressman.” Notable incidents include Grimm allegedly filing an ethics complaint against Donovan claiming he improperly intervened when his domestic partner’s son was arrested for heroin possession and a Grimm campaign staffer submitting an incorrect Reform Party voter petition for Donovan so that he would be removed from the party line. The New York Board of Elections referred the latter incident to criminal prosecutors.
  • The seat is a potential Democratic pick-up in 2018, leading Republicans like Trump and Giuliani to worry that a win by Grimm might make it more vulnerable in November. In April 2018, the DCCC released a poll showing Grimm leading Donovan by 10 percentage points. Donovan’s campaign responded by saying, “Of course the DCCC is desperate for Michael Grimm because they know he has zero shot of winning in November.” The seat voted for Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2016.

Arizona filing deadline

  • The filing deadline for candidates seeking election to state and federal offices in Arizona passed on May 30. The primary election is August 28, 2018, and the general election will take place November 6, 2018. Offices up for election in 2018 include one U.S. Senate seat, nine U.S. House seats, seven state executive seats, all 30 state senate seats and 60 state house seats, two state supreme court seats, and five appellate court seats. Ballotpedia is also covering elections in one county, six cities, and 43 school districts.

Final ads in Democratic primary for VA-10 focus on progressive policies and call out Trump

  • With two weeks until the June 12 primary for the toss-up seat in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, Democratic candidates are making their final appeals to voters in new campaign ads released this week.
  • Army veteran Dan Helmer (D) launched a $500,000 media buy that includes a television ad introducing him to voters. VoteVets is boosting his presence on TV with another $170,000 ad buy describing Helmer as a "true blue patriot" who will challenge the NRA and President Donald Trump.
  • State Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D) expressed her support for universal background checks and Medicaid expansion in her latest ad. She says, "I'll show Donald Trump how progressive we are in Virginia."
  • Alison Friedman (D), a former State Department official under the Obama administration, released an ad focusing on her background in human rights advocacy. "I'm not your typical politician, but these aren't typical times," she says in the clip. "But we'll never see the change we need with the same old approach."
  • The winner of the Democratic primary is expected to face incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) in a key race this November. The district simultaneously backed Hillary Clinton (D) by 10 points while re-electing Comstock by six points in 2016.

Trump signs Right to Try bill

  • President Donald Trump signed S 204—the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act of 2017. The law allows terminally ill patients to use unapproved, investigational drugs after all approved treatment options have been tried. During a signing ceremony, Trump said, "With the Right to Try law I’m signing today, patients with life-threatening illnesses will finally have access to experimental treatments that could improve or even cure their conditions. These are experimental treatments and products that have shown great promise, and we weren’t able to use them before. Now we can use them. And oftentimes they’re going to be very successful. It’s an incredible thing. The Right to Try also offers new hope for those who either don’t qualify for clinical trials or who have exhausted all available treatment options. There were no options, but now you have hope. You really have hope."
  • It passed the House on May 22, 2018, by a vote of 250-169. Two hundred and twenty-eight Republicans and 22 Democrats voted for the bill. One hundred and sixty-nine Democrats and no Republicans voted against the bill. The Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent on August 3, 2017.
  • More than 100 advocacy groups, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and Friends of Cancer Research, opposed the bill because they said it could give patients false hope that their disease could be cured by an experimental drug. They also said that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) compassionate-use program allows terminally ill patients access to experimental treatments.
  • Supporters of the bill said that terminally ill patients should have access to any treatment that could potentially save their lives. They also said that the FDA’s program to approve experimental treatments on a case-by-case basis was not efficient enough for patients with life-threatening illnesses.

Thursday, May 31

Trump pardons conservative political commentator Dinesh D’Souza

  • President Donald Trump granted a pardon to Dinesh D’Souza, a conservative political commentator and filmmaker. In 2014, D’Souza pleaded guilty to making illegal contributions in a 2012 Senate race. The White House said in a statement, “Mr. D’Souza was, in the President’s opinion, a victim of selective prosecution for violations of campaign finance laws. Mr. D’Souza accepted responsibility for his actions, and also completed community service by teaching English to citizens and immigrants seeking citizenship.” D'Souza’s pardon is the fifth granted by Trump.

Vermont filing deadline

  • The filing deadline for candidates seeking election to state and federal offices in Vermont passed on May 31. The primary election is August 14, 2018, and the general election will take place November 6, 2018. Offices up for election in 2018 include one U.S. Senate seat, one U.S. House seat, and six state executive seats.

Friday, June 1

Alaska filing deadline

Kansas filing deadline

  • The filing deadline for candidates seeking election to state and federal offices in Kansas passed on June 1. The primary election is August 7, 2018, and the general election will take place November 6, 2018. Offices up for election in 2018 include four U.S. House seats, seven state executive positions including governor, 125 state house seats, and eight seats on the state court of appeals. Ballotpedia will also cover local elections in Sedgwick County.

Wisconsin filing deadline

  • Candidates seeking election to Wisconsin state and federal seats filed for the ballot. The primary is scheduled for August 14, 2018, and the general election will take place November 6, 2018. Ballotpedia will cover a total of 130 state and federal seats; one U.S. Senate seat, eight U.S. House of Representative seats, 17 state senate seats, all 99 state assembly seats, and state executive offices for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and treasurer.

Wyoming filing deadline

  • The filing deadline for candidates running in Wyoming’s August 21 primary is June 1. The general election will be held on November 6. Elections for one seat in the U.S. Senate, one seat in the U.S. House, 15 seats in the state senate, 60 seats in the state house, and two seats in the state supreme court will be on the ballot along with the state executive offices of governor, secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and superintendent of public instruction.

Trump administration imposes steel and aluminum tariffs on EU, Canada, and Mexico

  • President Donald Trump’s administration imposed tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from the European Union (EU), Canada, and Mexico beginning Friday. The Trump administration initially announced the tariffs on March 8, 2018, but delayed their implementation in order to give negotiators time to work out agreements to permanently exempt the countries from the tariffs. The U.S. reached exemption agreements with Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea, but was unable to do so with the EU, Canada, and Mexico. In response, the EU, Canada, and Mexico said that they would impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
  • Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said, “The U.S. leaves us no choice but to proceed with a [World Trade Organization] dispute settlement case and the imposition of additional duties on a number of U.S. imports. This is protectionism, pure and simple.” The EU released a list of possible goods that could be subject to $3.3 billion in tariffs, including Kentucky bourbon, jeans, and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
  • Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said that Canada would impose $6.6 billion in tariffs starting on July 1, 2018. A 25 percent tariff will be placed on U.S. steel; a 10 percent tariff will be placed on U.S. aluminum; and a 10 percent tariff will be placed on other U.S. goods, including toilet paper, whiskey, and orange juice.
  • In a statement, the Mexican government said, "Mexico deeply regrets and condemns the decision of the United States to impose these tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum from Mexico from June 1, at the discretion of national security. Mexico has indicated repeatedly that such measures under the criteria of national security are not adequate nor justified.” Mexico said that it would impose tariffs on U.S. steel, lamps, pork, sausages, apples, grapes, blueberries, and various cheeses, among other goods.

Trump-Kim summit back on

  • After meeting with North Korean General Kim Yong Chol in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump said that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would meet on June 12, 2018, as previously scheduled. He said, “I think it's going to be very successful. They're incredible people. I think it's going to be a very great success. But we'll see what happens. We'll see you on June 12.” The announcement came one week after Trump canceled the June 12 meeting. Read more about the summit negotiations and the Trump-Kim relationship here.

Congress is in session

The Senate will be in session Monday through Friday. The House will be in session Tuesday through Friday.

SCOTUS is in session

The Supreme Court has finished its argument scheduled for the term. To learn more about this term, read our review.

WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK

Here's what is happening in federal politics this week. To see what happened in state and local politics, click here.

Tuesday, June 5

Hawaii filing deadline

Minnesota filing deadline

  • In 2018, Ballotpedia will be covering Minnesota elections at the federal, state, and local levels. On the ballot will be 10 congressional seats, including one special U.S. Senate election, five state executive seats, a special election for the Minnesota State Senate District 13 seat, all 134 Minnesota House of Representative seats, five state supreme court seats, and six appellate court seats. Ballotpedia will also cover local municipal and judicial elections in Hennepin and Ramsey counties.
    • Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Hawaii share the June 5 filing deadline, which is one of the last filing deadlines for the midterm elections and the last filing date to include multiple states. Five states will have filing deadlines after June 5: Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Louisiana.

Massachusetts filing deadline

California to hold top-two primary election

  • California will hold a top-two primary election for state and federal offices on June 5. The two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary, regardless of party, will advance to the general election on November 6. One U.S. Senate seat, 53 U.S. House seats, nine state executive offices, 20 state senate seats, and 80 state assembly seats will be on the ballot.
    • A number of local primary, general, and runoff elections will also be on the ballot on June 5. Ballotpedia is covering elections in 11 counties, 11 cities, and five school districts.
    • The primary for the 45th Congressional District, currently held by Mimi Walters (R), is a battle between Walters and four Democratic candidates. As the only Republican running, Walters is expected to advance. The top Democrats vying for the second spot are Dave Min, who was endorsed by the state party; Katie Porter, who is backed by progressive influencers; and Brian Forde, the fundraising leader who is backed by leaders in the cryptocurrency industry.
    • Incumbent Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), seeking her sixth term in office, faces 31 challengers in the primary for U.S. Senate in California. State Sen. Kevin de Léon (D) is fighting for the second spot, but it is possible Republican Patrick Little or another Democrat may slip in given the large field could split the vote in unexpected ways.
    • In California’s 10th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Jeff Denham (R) faces six challengers and the prospect of an election rematch. Farm manager Michael Eggman (D) is challenging Denham for the third time; Eggman ran in the last two elections cycles and lost to Denham in 2016 by 3.4 points. Also running is venture capitalist Josh Harder (D), who was named to NewDemPAC’s Candidate Watch List in March.
    • Incumbent Rep. Steve Knight is the sole Republican in the race for California’s 25th, a district that Hillary Clinton won in 2016. Bryan Caforio (D)—who Knight defeated by 6 points in 2016—is challenging him again. Caforio and nonprofit executive Katie Hill have emerged as Democratic frontrunners in the race, having each stockpiled dozens of endorsements from across the progressive sphere.
    • In California's 50th Congressional District, five-time incumbent Rep. Duncan Hunter (R) faces well-financed primary challenges from both parties. Small business owner Ammar Campa-Najjar (D) and former Navy SEAL Josh Butner (D) are challenging Hunter from the left. Campa-Najjar leads all candidates in fundraising, including Hunter, and he won the endorsement of the state party.
    • Incumbent Anne Marie Schubert and homicide prosecutor Noah Phillips face off for district attorney in Sacramento County, California. In the wake of several law enforcement incidents, the election has centered on accountability and how fatal law enforcement incidents in the county have been handled.

Mississippi primary preview

  • Primaries for one U.S. Senate seat and four U.S. House seats will be on the ballot in Mississippi on Tuesday, June 5. Sen. Roger Wicker (R) is running for re-election and will face Richard Boyanton in the Republican primary. Six candidates are running on the Democratic side: David Baria, Jensen Bohren, Jerone Garland, Victor Maurice Jr., Omeria Scott, and Howard Sherman.
  • Mississippi’s four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives is currently represented by three Republicans and one Democrat. Three of four incumbents are seeking re-election this year; Rep. Gregg Harper (R) announced in January that he would not run for another term. There are three contested primaries across the four districts—both the Democratic and Republican primaries are contested in District 3 and the Republican primary is contested in District 4. The most crowded race is for the Republican nomination in District 3, which is the open race. Six candidates are running in that Republican primary.

Alabama primary preview

  • Tuesday, June 5, is the primary election in Alabama. The state has seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are currently represented by six Republicans and one Democrat. All seven incumbents are running for re-election. Three are facing primary competition: District 2 Rep. Martha Roby is facing four challengers in the Republican primary, and Reps. Robert Aderholt of District 4 and Mo Brooks of District 5 are each facing one Republican opponent.

Montana primary preview

  • Montana’s primary election is on June 5. Ballotpedia is covering elections for U.S. Congress, two seats on the state’s public service commission, the state legislature, and judgeships on the state supreme court. Independent and minor party candidates had until May 29 to submit signed petitions to county election officials.
    • The Republican primary to take on Montana Sen. Jon Tester (D) features three major candidates: State Auditor Matt Rosendale, former Judge Russ Fagg, and businessman Troy Downing. In the final weeks of the campaign, satellite groups allied with Rosendale have focused on attacking Fagg with the Club for Growth spending almost $1 million opposing him. Fagg is relying on his state connections, including endorsements from three former governors, and his characterization of Rosendale as a Maryland transplant who only came to Montana to start a political career. Downing is a largely self-funded businessman who has touted his support for President Trump in a series of TV ads.

New Mexico primary preview

  • New Mexico’s primary election is on June 5. Ballotpedia is covering elections for U.S. Congress, governor and eight other state executive offices, the state House, judgeships on the state court of appeals, and local elections in Bernalillo County.
    • Six Democrats are vying for a shot at the open seat in New Mexico’s 1st, a safe Democratic district. Federal officials have coalesced around former New Mexico Democratic Party Chairwoman Debra Haaland (D), while the Latino Victory Fund and People for Bernie Sanders have backed Antoinette Sedillo Lopez. Veteran satellite groups VoteVets and With Honor Fund have spent more than $770,000 on former U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez (D).
    • In the Republican primary for New Mexico’s 2nd District, state Rep. Yvette Herrell, a favorite of the House Freedom Caucus, faces former state GOP Chairman Monty Newman, the fundraising leader who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). The winner will aim to replace U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce (R), who is running for governor in 2018.

South Dakota primary preview

  • South Dakota’s primary election is on June 5. Ballotpedia is covering elections for U.S. Congress, governor and seven other state executive offices, and the state legislature.
  • In the race for U.S. Representative, if no candidate receives 35 percent of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to a primary runoff on August 14. Runoff rules in South Dakota only apply to races for U.S. Congress and governor. The governor’s race cannot head to a runoff because less than three candidates filed in each major party primary.
    • The Republican primary for South Dakota’s at-large U.S. House seat has become unexpectedly heated in recent weeks as the centrist group No Labels began attacking Secretary of State Shantel Krebs in an apparent attempt to boost her more moderate rival, Dusty Johnson. The winner will likely go on to replace Kristi Noem (R), a candidate for governor in 2018.

Iowa primary preview

  • Iowa’s statewide primary is on Tuesday, June 5. All four U.S. House seats, governor and six other state executive positions, 25 of 50 state senate seats, and all 100 state house seats will be on the ballot. The general election will be held on November 6, 2018.
    • Small business owner Cindy Axne, political organizer Pete D'Alessandro, and teacher Eddie Mauro are competing in the Democratic primary for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, running campaigns focused on the economy, healthcare, and renewable energy.
    • The Democratic primary in Iowa’s 1st District will determine who takes on potentially vulnerable incumbent Rod Blum (R) in November. State Rep. Abby Finkenauer leads the field in fundraising and has the backing of the DCCC and unions in the district.

New Jersey primary preview

  • New Jersey’s statewide primary is on Tuesday, June 5. Ballotpedia is covering elections for one U.S. Senate seat, 12 U.S. House seats, and local elections in Essex County.
    • Party officials have rallied around state Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District. In the Republican primary, engineer Hirsh Singh (R) won Atlantic County's party line, which comprises 40 percent of the district, but the three other candidates in the race have also nabbed at least one party line each.
    • The Republican primary in New Jersey’s 5th District has been a battle between Steve Lonegan and John McCann to show who is more closely aligned with President Trump and his agenda. The winner will face incumbent Josh Gottheimer (D) in a district that was once thought to be competitive but has now been rated as “Likely Democratic” by election forecasters.
    • June 5 is also the deadline for independent candidates seeking election in New Jersey on November 6, 2018

Where was the president last week?

 

  • On Monday, President Donald visited Arlington National Cemetery to commemorate Memorial Day.
  • On Tuesday, Trump had lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson. He also met with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Francis Collins to discuss NIH research initiatives. In the evening, he spoke at a rally in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • On Wednesday, Trump signed the Right to Try Act. He also met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and spoke at the White House sports and fitness day event.
  • On Thursday, Trump traveled to Texas to meet with family members and community leaders affected by the shooting at Santa Fe High School.
  • On Friday, Trump presided over the Change of Command Ceremony for the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Federal Judiciary

 

  • 146 federal judicial vacancies
  • 85 pending nominations
  • 31 future federal judicial vacancies


About

The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.

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