Welcome to our weekly DC Wrap, where we write about Wisconsin’s congressional delegation. Sign up here to receive the newsletter directly: https://forms.gle/YLYZtJWHPSt24HhZ7

Quotes of the week

“The biggest threat to the HEROES package is the money to protect our elections and stand up for the post office, because Democrats are not going to compromise.”
-U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, on MSNBC discussing threats to the U.S. Postal Service.

“I realize people in Washington don’t like facts, they prefer rhetoric, and they love to spend money. But we don’t have an unlimited checking account.”
-U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, on a new federal stimulus package, pointing to the $26.5 trillion national debt.

 

This week’s news

— Dem strategist Matt Canter tells DC Wrap the Democratic Party will be “open to bringing the convention back (to Milwaukee) under better circumstances.”

“I think that the job that the host committee and the convention committee did in preparing for the convention before March — and then when the pandemic hit in the early stages, sort of preparing for any number of different scenarios — I think demonstrates that Milwaukee would make a first-class host for an event like this,” said Canter.

Canter is a former staffer for ex-Dem Gov. Jim Doyle and a Capitol Hill aide who is now a partner at Global Strategy Group. He also said he believes House Dems, Senate Republicans and the Trump administration will eventually come to a deal on a coronavirus relief package. 

But he added at the moment, “the sides are moving further apart, not closer together.”

See the interview below.

 

— President Trump is planning to visit Oshkosh on Monday as Dems kick off their virtual national convention in Milwaukee, according to a GOP source.

The stop is one of three the Trump campaign has planned for Wisconsin next week and comes as Dems have largely abandoned traveling to the swing state for their virtual convention. Presumptive nominee Joe Biden canceled his plans to accept the nomination in Milwaukee, citing health concerns over travel during the pandemic.

The planned visit also comes as Republicans have knocked Biden for not traveling to Wisconsin after Hillary Clinton failed to visit the state in 2016 after the spring primary.

The president’s campaign on Wednesday announced another “Women for Trump” bus tour that will stop Sunday in Pleasant Prairie. It will include Trump aides Mercedes Schlapp and Erin Perrine, along with former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

The GOP source said Trump’s campaign was looking at the EAA grounds in Oshkosh for Monday’s event.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mike Pence is also expected in the state next week with Dems meeting virtually for four days to formally nominate Biden for president.

State Dem Chair Ben Wikler knocked Trump’s planned visit as “a reminder of his utterly failed presidency at a moment when Democrats are celebrating the opportunity for something better.”

See more.

 

— Kanye West’s campaign insists his nomination papers were filed on time even if the person dropping them off entered the Elections Commission office slightly after 5 p.m. on the day they were due.

Responding to two challenges of the entertainer’s nomination papers, his campaign said the commission indicated the nomination papers were filed at 14 seconds past 5 p.m on Aug. 4. It argued if accurate, the papers were still on time because the state’s requirement that they be filed “no later” than 5 p.m. means the actual deadline is 5:01 p.m. before they’re considered late.

The response, filed just before the 4:30 p.m. deadline, also argued the commission accepting the paperwork “ratified the filing as timely.”

It also argued West attorney Lane Ruhland, who has numerous ties to GOP politics and has done work for President Trump’s campaign, was advised she would have to call the commission to get a staffer to open the door to the building where the agency is housed because the doors were locked. The filing said that process cost filers “at least 45 seconds.”

See more here.

 

— Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald cruised to the GOP nomination for the 5th CD, putting him in the driver’s seat to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Menomonee Falls.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse, will meet Derrick Van Orden, a retired Navy SEAL, in western Wisconsin’s 3rd CD. That race is likely the only congressional seat in Wisconsin that will get much attention this fall.

 

— Presumptive Dem nominee Joe Biden continued to lead President Trump among likely Wisconsin voters in the latest Marquette University Law School Poll with just slight movement in the numbers.

Forty-nine percent of likely voters backed Biden, while 44 percent supported Trump. In the June poll, Biden had a 6-point lead at 50-44.

Among registered voters, Biden had a 6-point advantage, compared to 8 points in June.

The poll was the first this year to begin focusing on likely voters in the presidential horse race.

It’s also the third survey this week to find Biden with a lead of around 6 points. The latest survey from the Elections Research Center at UW-Madison, released Monday, found 49 percent of registered voters backed Biden, while 43 percent supported the president.

See more here.

 

— U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin have all landed speaking spots at next week’s virtual Democratic National Convention.

Moore, D-Milwaukee, will speak Monday, while Evers will speak Aug. 19.

The DNCC also announced Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett will call the convention to order Tuesday, while Convention Secretary Jason Rae will direct the roll call vote from the Wisconsin Center. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes will lead the state’s delegation in voting to nominate Biden.

See more here.

 

— Baldwin sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence with questions about reports of federal diversions of testing supplies from Wisconsin.

The letter comes as Wisconsin has seen an increase in positive COVID-19 cases. The White House has also labeled Wisconsin as a coronavirus hot spot.

“The failure of leadership from the Trump Administration is resulting in a rationing of health care in Wisconsin and it is unacceptable,” Baldwin wrote. “Months into this crisis, and we do not have enough supplies available in the state of Wisconsin for the widespread testing that is needed to monitor and contain the virus.”

Baldwin also demanded information about future supply chain diversions be made public.

“I am urging the Coronavirus Task Force to make testing supplies, including reagent, available to both public and private labs in the state of Wisconsin,” she said.

See the release here.

 

— U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson introduced the Paycheck Protection Program Integrity Act, which would ensure PPP loans are forgiven for the businesses most in need of federal assistance and to ensure full transparency of PPP loan distributions.

See the release here.

 

— U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore has introduced a bill that would pause the federal timeframe set for states to file a petition to terminate parental rights for a child, and would guarantee that states do not receive federal funding cuts due to this change in policy.

See the release here.

 

Posts of the week

 

 

 

 

 

ICYMI

Sen. Ron Johnson explains subpoena of FBI Director Wray: ‘I finally ran out of patience’

Senator Tammy Baldwin touts Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’ plan

Fox River dredging project has finished, EPA announces

Gwen Moore Is Focused On The Future

Let’s hear from Tiffany

Rep. Ron Kind promotes river restoration and improved water infrastructure

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