Former Vice President Joe Biden (photo via campaign) New data from the latestNew York Times/Siena College poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading Donald Trump in the vital battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin. Trump won the two northeastern states in 2016 with less than one percent each.
Overall, Mr. Biden led Mr. Trump by eight percentage points in Michigan, 48 percent to 40 percent, among likely voters. His lead in Wisconsin was slightly larger, 51 percent to 41 percent.
The new results, along with recent Times/Siena surveys from elsewhere in the Northern battlegrounds, suggest that the president has not yet managed to reassemble his winning coalition across the region. He faces modest but significant defections among white and independent voters, while facing a groundswell of opposition from those who voted for a minor-party candidate or didn’t vote at all in 2016.
The president’s path to re-election is narrow if he doesn’t win either Wisconsin or Michigan. If Mr. Biden puts those two states in his column, along with the states carried by Hillary Clinton in 2016, he will hold 258 electoral votes, putting him on the doorstep of the 270 needed to win.
(image via NY Times)Click here for a breakdown of where Trump is losing support among voters in the battleground states. Note – This report is not meant to condone complacency or think it’s safe to not participate in the 2020 presidential election. I share this information in an attempt to encourage citizens to VOTE.
The New York Times updates its average of polls (national and battleground states) every day. The latest data shows Joe Biden leading nationally by 7 points, but national polls can be vague. The important thing to watch are the polls in battleground states. Knowing Donald Trump won the presidency by flipping usually true-blue states Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on that trio. As of today, the NYTimes average of polls in those states puts Biden ahead by 7 points in all three. If Biden flips all three back to his column, he wins. The other state I’m keeping my eye on is Arizona which Trump won in 2016 by 3.5 points. Today’s polling average shows Biden leading by 4 points. Also worth noting that Democratic Senate candidate Mark Kelly is leading the incumbent Sen. Martha McSally in the Real Clear Politics average of polls by 5.2 points, which also bodes well for Biden. The Times also explores various outcomes based on the state of today’s polling. For instance, if you were to assign electoral votes based on the states where a candidate is currently leading by 3 points or more, Biden would be projected to win with 291 electoral votes. If you translated the polls directly into electoral votes (won’t happen) Biden would win with 359 electoral votes. And IF we assumed the polls are as wrong as they were in 2016, Biden would still squeak by with 280 electoral votes. It’s all hypothetical until the votes are counted, but it’s interesting to keep up. (graphic via NY Times)
(graphic via CBS News) A new poll from CBS News/YouGov shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading Donald Trump in the battleground state of Wisconsin by 6 points. According to the survey, 50 percent of likely Wisconsin voters say they plan to vote for Biden while 44 percent indicated Trump will get their vote. With the ongoing protests across the country, Biden is apparently seen as a more calming figure while Trump is viewed as ‘encouraging’ the angry situations.
Though neither candidate gets rave reviews for what they’ve said about the demonstrations, Biden is seen by more as trying to calm the situation, while the president is perceived by slightly more as encouraging fighting, rather than calming things down. And the larger notion that violence could come to “the suburbs” finds little concern among those who actually reside in the suburbs.
The RealClearPolitics average of polls in Wisconsin puts Biden ahead by 4.4 percent. Head over to CBS News for a more in-depth look at the recent polling results.
Multiple reports this morning that Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot in the back 7 times by police after he broke up a fight between two women. In a video clip shot from across the street, you can see Blake walking away from police and attempting to get in his SUV where his three small children were when the officer grabs Blake’s t-shirt and begins shooting. From CBS News:
A large crowd of protesters gathered following the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. He was identified by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as Jacob Blake. The county declared a state of emergency overnight curfew, according to CBS Milwaukee affiliate WDJT-TV.
The man was transported to the hospital in serious condition, according to police. His father said on Facebook that his son is alive and in stable condition. Family friend Daniel Poneman tweeted that Blake is out of surgery, in the ICU and is “expected to make it.”
Graphic video that purportedly shows the shooting began circulating on social media. The video, which appears to have been taken from across the street, shows the man walking around an SUV as police yell at him with weapons drawn, with one officer closely following him.
As the man opens the driver-side door of the vehicle, the officer grabs the back of the man’s shirt and appears to fire several shots into the man’s back. At least seven shots are heard in the video, but it was unclear how many officers fired.
The Police knew that Jacob Blake’s children were in the hot car. They could have easily tackled him before he opened his car door if they were afraid he had a weapon in there. THERE IS NO EXCUSE! #blacklivesmatterpic.twitter.com/yGezwta3sM
The police officers who shot Jacob Blake 7 times in the back did not have body cameras. If nobody took that cell phone video, Jacob would not just be fighting for his life right now in the ICU but would be facing multiple charges by the cops and years in prison. Video everything.
Jacob Blake wasn’t committing any crime. Instead of asking why he didn’t comply, ask why an officer who was called to the scene for 2 white women fighting somehow shifted his attention to this Black man, drew his gun on him, and shot him 7 times in the back.
As I’ve pointed out in the past, while national polls may provide a snapshot of the mood of the American electorate, it’s polling in about seven swing states (Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Minnesota) that you would want to keep an eye on. A new Fox News poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading Donald Trump by 9 points in the vital swing state of Wisconsin.
Majorities of Wisconsin voters rate the economy negatively and are concerned about coronavirus. That helps explain Democrat Joe Biden’s gains in the presidential race, in a Fox News Poll of Wisconsin registered voters released Wednesday.
Biden has a 9-point edge over President Donald Trump, 49-40 percent. That’s up from a 5-point advantage in January, and is outside the poll’s margin of sampling error. Another 11 percent are uncommitted.
A big reason Trump trails Biden is lack of party support: 85 percent of Republicans back him, while 93 percent of Democrats support Biden. Eight percent of Republicans defect to Biden. In addition, only 87 percent of those who approve of Trump’s job performance support his reelection.
Biden leads Trump by 14 points on job handling of the coronavirus health threat and 22 points on race relations. Only 22 percent view the economy in a positive light, while 76 percent rate it as fair or poor. Biden’s favorable rating (52 percent) is 8 points higher than his unfavorable (44 percent). Trump, however, is upside down by 12 points (43 favorable, 55 unfavorable). Trump’s strongest backing comes from (no surprise here) white men without a college degree (+19 points), white evangelical Christians (+29), and self-described very conservatives (+81). But Biden scores stronger support among women (+20 points), suburban voters (+14), and independents (+8). Of those voters who describe themselves as ‘extremely interested’ in the upcoming election, Biden holds a 15 point lead over Trump (55-40 percent). Also – there are more Biden supporters who say they are ‘extremely motivated’ to vote in the upcoming election (71 percent) than Trump supporters (63 percent) who say the same.
Wisconsin saw a record number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported in a single day on Wednesday, two weeks after the state’s Supreme Court struck down its statewide stay-at-home order.
The state reported 599 new known COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with 22 known deaths, according to Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, the highest recorded daily rise since the pandemic began there. As of Wednesday, the state had more than 16,460 known cases and 539 known deaths, according to the department.
The previous record in new coronavirus cases was 528 the week prior.
Gov. Tony Evers (D) implored his constituents to wear face masks when out in public to keep others safe from the coronavirus. “One of the most important things you can do to help others is to wear a mask or other face-covering in public,” he said. “Wearing a mask shouldn’t be a political statement. It isn’t controversial, and it’s not hard to do.” Immediately after the state Supreme Court struck down the stay-at-home order, the media reported Wisconsinites flocking to bars. Of course, none of those folks chose to wear a face mask or practice any health guidelines.
Wisconsin’s Supreme Court has struck down the state’s stay-at-home orders from behind the safety of remote video conferencing. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ order shutting down daily life to limit the spread of coronavirus — marking the first time a statewide order of its kind has been knocked down by a court of last resort.
The state’s highest court, which is controlled by conservatives, sided with Republican lawmakers Wednesday in a decision that curbed the Evers administration’s power to act unilaterally during public health emergencies.
The 4-3 decision was written by four of the court’s conservatives – Chief Justice Patience Roggensack and Justices Rebecca Bradley, Daniel Kelly and Annette Ziegler.
The court’s fifth conservative, Brian Hagedorn, wrote a dissent joined by the court’s two liberals, Ann Walsh Bradley and Rebecca Dallet.
The ruling, for now, immediately throws out the administration’s tool to control the disease for which there is no vaccine and comes at a time when Evers has already begun lifting some restrictions as the spread of the virus slows down for now.
During oral arguments, Justice Rebecca Bradley reportedly compared Wisconsin’s stay-at-home orders to the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Seriously. Chief Justice Patience Roggensack downplayed a flare-up of coronavirus cases at a major meatpacking plant in the state saying it didn’t impact “regular folks.” As of Tuesday, Wisconsin had over 10,902 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 421 confirmed deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tally of cases in the United States.
Wisconsin Supreme Court reverses governor’s stay-at-home mandate — in a hearing held remotely so the justices wouldn’t run the risk of getting ill by meeting together. #CovidIronyhttps://t.co/i0UzThIVlY
Millionaire-at-birth who’s never had a job that didn’t come from his rich dad cheers big govt forcing working Americans to risk their lives as the death toll rises past 83,000.
Seriously, #MAGA, y’all can stop pretending you’re Christian.
If the Wisconsin Supreme Court wanted to overturn Governor Tony Evers’ stay-at-home order, the judges should’ve had the guts to make their ruling in person. Instead they did it by remote video conference to protect themselves while telling the people of Wisconsin to go risk death
Ansel Elgort (image via IMDB) Some news items you might have missed: • Entertainment Weekly: Actor Ansel Elgort (above) left the internet shook Tuesday night when he shared a revealing photo via social media with the caption, “OnlyFans LINK IN BIO.” Turns out the link actually directed his fans to a crowdfunding campaign “Brooklyn For Life!” to help feed those working on the frontlines at hospitals in Brooklyn, New York. • Radio.com: During an appearance on “I’m Listening: Stay Connected,” Walking Dead star Daniel Newman shared that, thanks to homophobia, sexuality played a deeply negative role in his life growing up as a gay man. He said he was told from childhood “that sex is private, you don’t talk about it, gay people are weird, it’s gonna ruin your career if you say anything. And on top of that, it’s nobody’s business, so just keep your mouth shut. So I felt the weight of that since I was a child.” • The Hill: Nineteen people who either voted in-person or worked at a polling location during Wisconsin’s state elections have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the state’s health department told The Hill. • SiriusXM: From Blythe Danner to Demi Lovato, the “Will & Grace” cast shares stories on guest stars during a virtual town hall with Jess Cagle.
• The Daily Beast: A company Trump personally championed — even as it’s under investigation by the Defense Department inspector general – has been awarded a $7.6 million contract to build “800 linear feet” bollard barrier—that slatted design Trump favors—for the wall in Yuma, Arizona. • Washington Post: Former vice president Joe Biden said he intends to name a panel of advisers by May 1 to help him select a running mate. He says that he wants the public to be able to see his pick as “capable of being president of the United States tomorrow.” • Texas Tribune: El Paso Mayor Dee Margo on Tuesday said city officials should probably consider suing President Trump’s campaign to recoup more than $500,000 in expenses incurred during a rally last year. The city spent about $470,000 on security and other costs for a Trump rally in South El Paso in February 2019. Thirteen other cities are also waiting on repayment from the Trump campaign. • Out Music: Randy Report favorite Tom Goss drops this fun, light-hearted new music video, “Dancing In My Room,” with Natalie Jane, Sam Renascent, and Max Emerson. “This infectious, feel-good video features people of all ages and backgrounds across 10 different countries and 5 continents — and reminds those struggling and in need of community that they are not alone,” says Goss. “The single is available in English, Spanish, and French with rap features in different languages from artists on different continents. All proceeds from “Danser dans ma chambre Dancing in My Room” will go to United Way Worldwide.
A week after Wisconsin voters were forced to choose between staying safe from the COVID-19 threat and voting in their state’s election, the results are finally being tabulated. First, former Vice President Joe Biden has been declared the winner of the Democratic primary there. With 63 percent of the vote counted, he currently has 64 percent of the vote versus Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) with 31 percent. Republican lawmakers in the state forced the elections last week and refused to extend any mail-in vote deadlines primarily because a state Supreme Court seat was being decided and the GOPers know lower turnout favors their side. But not in this instance. Even though polling sites in Milwaukee (a Democratic stronghold) were cut from 180 to only 5, the voters did turn out, they stood in line, and they chose the liberal in the race, Dane County Circuit Judge Jill Karofsky. Her victory marks the first time in a dozen years a Supreme Court challenger beat an incumbent.
Love this. So sorry Wisconsin GOP. Your diabolical plan backfired. Bless these voters in Wisconsin for showing up and waiting in long lines to vote during a pandemic❤️❤️❤️ #Heroes
This is remarkable. Wisconsin GOP forced an in-person election during an unfolding epidemic for a highly infectious disease because they were sure a low turnout election wld ensure a state supreme court win. Unconscionable. And they lost. Amazing. https://t.co/4gcltwaz3L
Mike Yerxa (image via Instagram) Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: Who else is baking during this coronavirus thing? Toronto hottie Mike Yerxa (above – serious beard goals!!!) shows his pride in his newly-baked banana bread. • The Hill: Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, whose net worth is estimated at $3.3 billion, announced Tuesday that he will donate $1 billion to the newly-founded Start Small Foundation to support “global COVID-19 relief” efforts. Dorsey ranks 168 on the Forbes 400 list, so there are 167 American billionaires with more money than him. Will they pony-up as well? • MSNBC: Donald Trump thinks mail-in voting is “horrible,” but he voted by mail in Florida’s election last month. “Because I’m allowed to.” In 2016, there were nearly 33 million absentee votes counted, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. More than 600,000 military and other overseas voters cast ballots in 2016.
President Trump: "I think mail-in voting is horrible, it's corrupt."
Reporter: "You voted by mail in Florida's election last month, didn't you?"
• Washington Blade: At a press conference last Friday, Donald Trump was asked about the FDA easing its outdated blood donation rules for gay and bisexual men from a 12-month wait to 3-months. The Donald, who frames himself as ‘good for the gays’ admitted he didn’t know anything or have anything to do with the new guidelines. • Variety: Netflix is releasing an extra episode of the hit docu-series Tiger King next week, according to zoo owner Jeff Lowe from the show. “Netflix is adding one more episode,” said Lowe in a video posted on Twitter by Justin Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. “It will be on next week. They’re filming here tomorrow.” #ItsNotOver • NewNowNext: Lady Gaga and advocacy group Global Citizen teamed up to raise $35 million in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, and will celebrate with a talent-filled TV special honoring health care workers on April 18, starting at 8pm EST. In the United States, it will be shown simultaneously on CBS, NBC, and ABC. The special will include appearances by Elton John, Lizzo, John Legend, Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, David Beckham, Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Maluma, Idris Elba, and more. • Talking Points Memo: Clad in gloves, a mask and full-length gown, Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos (R) assured voters that it is “incredibly safe to go out” on Election Day despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Vos and his fellow Republicans were behind the push to keep Wisconsin’s elections as scheduled, in part, because there’s a state Supreme Court seat on the ballot and conservatives do better when fewer folks show up. Vos looks silly telling people “incredibly safe” wearing all his hospital gear…
