Today’s notice: Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing for the world after Nov. 5. That’s tomorrow by the way.
Demsday Prepping
Fearing retribution if Donald Trump wins — or violence if he loses — Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing for a post-2024 world in all sorts of ways.
One Democratic member told NOTUS that he and about a half dozen other lawmakers had taken out legal insurance to pay for lawyers in case Trump tried to sue or arrest them. This member also said he had heard Democrats make jokes about getting another passport in front of foreign officials, in only a sort of joking kind of way.
Some members have also discussed hiring private security out of concern that their opposition to Trump could make them a target.
“No one thinks these are idle threats,” Rep. Jared Huffman told NOTUS.
One of the most remarkable anecdotes: A member told NOTUS they had put together an “insurrectionist getaway costume” complete with tactical pants, tactical boots and one key part of the disguise that the lawmaker asked NOTUS not to disclose.
“Insurrect me once, shame on you. Twice? No thanks,” one senior aide told NOTUS.
The Final Countdown
As the campaign comes to a close, NOTUS’ Riley Rogerson and Reese Gorman caught up with DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene and NRCC Chair Richard Hudson to get their final readouts.
Roses and thorns: DelBene said she’s feeling good about California, New York and Alabama — all places Democrats are poised to flip seats. She also pointed NOTUS to the DCCC’s analysis of battlegrounds with significant Puerto Rican populations. The top five includes three seats Democrats are defending — Susan Wild’s in Pennsylvania, Jahana Hayes’ in Connecticut and Pat Ryan’s in New York — as well as two pick-up opportunities in Florida Republican Maria Elvíra Salazar’s seat and New York Republican Mike Lawler’s.
Hudson is feeling “very confident” that Republicans will hold the House majority. Three races he pointed to as pick-up opportunities: Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola’s contest against Nick Begich, Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s race against Joe Kent and Rep. Jared Golden’s race against Austin Theriault in Maine.
He didn’t think Tony Hinchcliffe’s “garbage” comments would have much effect at all. “Most people realize a comedian’s joke doesn’t reflect Donald Trump’s true beliefs,” Hudson said. “And I think President Trump’s poised to make historic gains with Latino voters.”
Hudson declined to name specific races he’s worried about but noted the “four toss-up incumbents in New York and five in California.”
On their final campaign swings: DelBene’s final days on the campaign trail are telling. She called NOTUS on Friday from Omaha, Nebraska, as Democrats brawl to take out Rep. Don Bacon, and said she was “just in” New York and was swinging through Iowa, where the DCCC is bullish about two races. (The trip was planned before the Saturday night Ann Selzer poll.) As for her Election Day plans, DelBene said she’ll be back at DCCC HQ in D.C.
On Monday, Hudson said he’ll be in his home state of North Carolina campaigning alongside Speaker Mike Johnson for Laurie Buckhout, who is running against Rep. Don Davis. On election night he says he’ll be up in D.C. at the NRCC headquarters.
Honorable mentions: Hudson specifically named House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan — who’s rumored to be eyeing a leadership position — and Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith for going above and beyond this cycle. He also said there’s been “record participation from across the conference.”
For her part, DelBene declined to pick top Dem surrogates, instead praising the “collective.”
Front Page
- Democratic Candidates Are ‘Backtracking’ on Their Support for Trans Rights, Advocates Say: A muted response to anti-trans attack ads.
- Republicans Are Finally Making Good Spanish-Language Ads: Even Dems see it.
- Democratic Infighting Over an Abortion Rights Measure in New York Turns Ugly: State Dems “pretty much dropped the ball from the beginning,” one lawmaker said.
- Political Disinformation Is Getting Harder to Track on Social Media: Companies are changing how their data can be accessed.
NOTUS Exclusive: Who Owes the DCCC What
We’ve scored a rare look at the DCCC’s dues spreadsheet through September. Some notables: Josh Gottheimer, with $20 million in the bank, hadn’t made headway on his $275k dues goal. (Gottheimer’s spokesperson commented after publication to say the congressman “proudly paid his dues,” but did not specify when.) Emanuel Cleaver, Bill Foster and Lucy McBath had also paid little despite their big war chests. And Raúl Grijalva, in the midst of lung cancer treatment, had only paid 5% of his dues. despite his seniority.
From the Battlegrounds
NOTUS reporters are dispatched around the country as Election Day approaches. Here’s what we heard as candidates in nail-biter races close out their campaigns.
Michigan: NOTUS’ Jasmine Wright was with Kamala Harris as she campaigned at Michigan State. Harris addressed students’, and Arab Americans’, frustrations head on. “The last year has been difficult,” Harris said, adding: “As president I will do everything in my power to end the war.” There were chants of “USA” as the crowd shouted down protesters after Harris made the remark.
Ohio: NOTUS’ Alex Roarty checked in on Sherrod Brown’s Senate race, and found that Dems aren’t really talking about all the industrial policy they passed to help places like Ohio. “It comes from an inability to really communicate on the ground what was happening between ‘21 and ‘23 and taking credit for it,” says former state Dem chair David Pepper.
Pennsylvania: NOTUS’ Katherine Swartz attended Donald Trump’s rally in Lancaster County, where high turnout is essential for his campaign. Trump was totally unscripted. He said he “shouldn’t have left office” and told the crowd he wouldn’t mind if someone had to “shoot through the fake news” to get to him. Democrats say they are making inroads in the area.
Texas: NOTUS’ Casey Murray ran into Beto O’Rourke hustling for Democrats in south Texas, where he seemed to be the only big name Dem out on the trail in the border counties that have swung toward Trump. “We will chase the white soccer mom in suburban Dallas, and she’s important too, but she’s not more important than the people here,” he told Casey.
BONUS! Pokemon Go To Tampa: Hillary Clinton stumped in Florida over the weekend. “I hope that when [Harris is] elected, people who have been totally caught up in Trump-mania will be able to exhale,” Clinton said, per NOTUS’ Claire Heddles.
Not Us
We know NOTUS reporters can’t cover it all. Here’s some other great hits by… not us.
- Inside the Ruthless, Restless Final Days of Trump’s Campaign by, friend of NOTUS, Tim Alberta at The Atlantic
- ‘Weird’ newspaper shows up in North Dakota mailboxes attacking Dakota Access protests as Greenpeace trial looms by Miranda Green at Floodlight and Michael Standaert at the North Dakota News Cooperative
- ’Bush-league trolling’: Harris supporters receive fake campaign mailers about hosting migrants by Ross Cristantiello at Boston.com
Be Social: Democracy Is At It Again
Sunday in Philadelphia.
the ppl who hold the fate of america in their hands are already six surfsides deep in a south philly parking lot
— kos (@kostancaaa__) November 3, 2024
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