Trump signs coronavirus relief package
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** PENNSYLVANIA BECOMES LATEST STATE TO POSTPONE PRIMARY
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* Governor Tom Wolf (D) signed into law legislation postponing Pennsylvania's primary election, originally scheduled for April 28, 2020, to June 2, 2020. On the same day, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) signed HB 197 into law, rescheduling that state's primary election for April 28, 2020. To date, the following states have postponed primaries or elections that encompass federal offices: 

* Alabama: Primary runoff postponed to July 14
* Connecticut: Presidential preference primary postponed to June 2
* Delaware: Presidential preference primary postponed to June 2
* Georgia: Presidential preference primary postponed to May 19
* Indiana: Statewide primary postponed to June 2
* Kentucky: Statewide primary postponed to June 23
* Louisiana: Presidential preference primary postponed to June 20
* Maryland: Statewide primary postponed to June 2
* Mississippi: Republican primary runoff election for the state's 2nd Congressional District postponed to June 23
* North Carolina: Republican primary runoff for North Carolina's 11th Congressional District postponed to June 23
* Ohio: Primary postponed to April 28
* Pennsylvania: Statewide primary postponed to June 2
* Puerto Rico: Democratic presidential preference primary postponed to April 26
* Rhode Island: Presidential preference primary postponed to June 2
* Texas: Primary runoff elections postponed to July 14

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** TRUMP SIGNS THIRD CORONAVIRUS RELIEF PACKAGE
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* On March 27, President Trump signed a third coronavirus relief package after the U.S. House approved it by a voice vote earlier that day. The U.S. Senate voted ([link removed]) 96-0 to pass the package on March 25.  
 
* The legislation totals $2 trillion in relief funds, and includes $1,200 to individuals making less than $75,000 per year. The remaining money is earmarked for small businesses and large corporations in specific industries.
 
* Negotiations around the bill began last Thursday, when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) introduced S.3548 ([link removed]) , the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ([link removed]) (D-N.Y.), and Treasury SecretarySteven Mnuchin ([link removed]) negotiated for several days before an agreement was reached early Wednesday morning.
 
* In order to become law, the legislation must also pass through the U.S. House and be signed by President Donald Trump ([link removed]) (R). House Democratic leadership said that they hoped to vote on the legislation by the end of the week, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she wanted to introduce a fourth piece of legislation that would provide even more direct payments to individuals.

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** FOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TESTED POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS
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* Rep. Joe Cunningham ([link removed]) (D-SC) announced on March 27 that he tested positive for coronavirus. He is the third member of the House to report the diagnosis. U.S. Reps Mario Diaz-Balart ([link removed]) (R-Fla.) and Ben McAdams ([link removed]) (D-Utah) tested positive last week. 

* Sen. Rand Paul ([link removed]) (R-Ky.) is the first member of the Senate to contract the illness. Paul made the announcement on March 22. According to _The New York Times_, he was asymptomatic.  

* As of writing, at least 40 members of Congress opted to self-quarantine for coronavirus. Some of the more recent announcements include Sen. Seth Moulton ([link removed]) (D-Mass.), Rep. Katie Porter ([link removed]) (D-Calif.), Rep. Ayanna Pressley ([link removed]) (D-Mass.), and Rep. Lizzie Fletcher ([link removed]) (D-TX).

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** FOUR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES RAISE A COMBINED $80 MILLION IN FEBRUARY
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* Bernie Sanders ([link removed]) (I) led presidential candidates in fundraising ([link removed]) for February 2020, according to financial reports filed with the Federal Election Commission March 20. Sanders raised $47.7 million in February, while Joe Biden ([link removed]) (D) raised $18.1 million. On the Republican side, Donald Trump ([link removed]) (R) raised $14.2 million and Roque De La Fuente ([link removed]) (R) raised $50,000.
 
* As of the February 29, 2020, reporting cutoff, Trump led the four presidential candidates in cash on hand with $94.4 million. Sanders followed with $18.7 million, while Biden had $12.1 million and De La Fuente had $4.8 million.
 
* President Trump's $232 million in fundraising to date is 19.6% more than the inflation-adjusted $190 million President Obama (D) had raised at this point in his 2012 re-election campaign. According to Republican National Committee (RNC) finance reports filed Friday, Trump and the RNC have raised a combined $851 million. At this point in the 2012 election cycle, Obama and the Democratic National Committee had raised a combined inflation-adjusted $606 million.
 
* Looking back since the start of the election cycle, Biden and Sanders have raised a combined $270 million to Trump and De La Fuente's combined $246 million. Biden and Sanders have a combined $30.8 million in cash on hand to Trump and De La Fuente's $99.3 million. The four candidates have raised a cumulative $516 million since the beginning of the election.

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** SUPREME COURT ISSUES OPINIONS IN FIVE CASES
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* On March 23, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ([link removed]) issued decisions in five cases granted review during its October Term 2019-2020 ([link removed]) : 

* Comcast Corp. v. National Association of African American-Owned Media ([link removed])
* Allen v. Cooper ([link removed])
* Kahler v. Kansas ([link removed])
* Guerrero-Lasprilla v. Barr ([link removed])
* Davis v. United States ([link removed])

* THE CASE: Comcast Corp. v. National Association of African American-Owned Media ([link removed]) originated from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ([link removed]) and was argued before SCOTUS on November 13, 2019. It concerned race discrimination claims. 

* THE ISSUE: “Does a claim of race discrimination under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 fail in the absence of but-for causation?”
* THE OUTCOME: In a unanimous ruling, the court vacated and remanded the 9th Circuit's decision, holding that42 U.S.C. § 1981 ([link removed]) does not provide an exception to the _but-for_ legal principle, in which a plaintiff must prove that his or her injury would not have occurred but for the defendant's illegal conduct.

* THE CASE: Allen v. Cooper ([link removed]) originated from the 4th Circuit ([link removed]) and was argued before SCOTUS on November 5, 2019. It concerned copyright infringement. 

* THE ISSUE: "Whether Congress validly abrogated state sovereign immunity via the Copyright Remedy Clarification Act, Pub. L. No. 101-553, 104 Stat. 2749 (1990), in providing remedies for authors of original expression whose federal copyrights are infringed by States."
* THE OUTCOME: In a unanimous ruling, the court affirmed the ruling of the 4th Circuit, holding that Congress did not have the authority to abrogate—or take away—state sovereign immunity from copyright infringement suits under the Copyright Remedy Clarification Act.

* THE CASE: Kahler v. Kansas ([link removed]) originated from the Kansas Supreme Court ([link removed]) and was argued before SCOTUS on October 7, 2019. It concerned the insanity defense. 

* THE ISSUE: “Do the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments permit a state to abolish the insanity defense?”
* THE OUTCOME: The courtaffirmed ([link removed]) the decision of theKansas Supreme Court ([link removed]) in a 6-3 ruling, holding that due process does not require Kansas to adopt an insanity test that turns on a defendant’s ability to recognize that their crime was morally wrong.

* THE CASE: Guerrero-Lasprilla v. Barr ([link removed]) originated from the 5th Circuit ([link removed]) and was argued before SCOTUS on December 9, 2019. It concerned the authority of courts to review agency decisions in deportation cases involving people convicted of crimes. 

* THE ISSUES: (1) “Is a request for equitable tolling, as it applies to statutory motions to reopen, judicially reviewable as a "question of law?" (2) Whether the criminal alien bar, 8 U.S.C. §1252(a)(2)(C), tempered by §1252(a)(2)(D), prohibits a court from reviewing an agency decision finding that a movant lacked diligence for equitable tolling purposes, notwithstanding the lack of a factual dispute.”
* THE OUTCOME: SCOTUS ruled 7-2 that lower courts may review whether immigration agencies properly applied relevant laws to a given set of facts in such cases. Congress limited judicial review in those cases to _questions of law_ and the court concluded that whether courts should extend the time limit for immigrants to challenge their removal from the United States fell within the definition of a question of law.

* THE CASE: _Davis v. United States_ originated from the 5th Circuit ([link removed]) and concerned appellate court review of cases for plain error.

* THE ISSUE: "Whether factual error is categorically immune from plain error review?" 
* THE OUTCOME: The case was not argued before the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court released aper curiam ([link removed]) opinion vacating and remanding the5th Circuit ([link removed]) 's decision. The court held, according to SCOTUSblog, that "there is no legal basis for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s practice of declining to review certain unpreserved factual arguments for plain error."

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** CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD FOR CONGRESSIONAL RACES TO END IN SIX STATES 
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* The major party filing period for congressional races will end in six states over the next week:

* New Jersey ([link removed]) and South Carolina ([link removed]) : March 30
* Missouri ([link removed]) and South Dakota ([link removed]) : March 31
* New York ([link removed]) and Tennessee ([link removed]) : April 2 

* All six states will hold U.S. House elections ([link removed]) for each of their congressional districts. In addition, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee will hold elections for one seat each in the U.S. Senate ([link removed]) .
* These filing deadlines have so far not been moved in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ballotpedia is tracking changes to election dates and procedures here ([link removed]) .
* The general election in each state is scheduled for November 3, 2020. The primaries in New Jersey and South Dakota are scheduled for June 2. The remaining primaries are scheduled as follows:

* South Carolina: June 9
* New York: June 23
* Missouri: August 4
* Tennessee: August 6

These filing deadlines are the 26th through the 31st to take place in the 2020 election cycle. The next statewide filing deadline is on April 6 in Arizona.

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** CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD FOR CONGRESSIONAL RACES TO END IN SIX STATES 
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* The major party filing period for congressional races will end in six states over the next week:

* New Jersey ([link removed]) and South Carolina ([link removed]) : March 30
* Missouri ([link removed]) and South Dakota ([link removed]) : March 31
* New York ([link removed]) and Tennessee ([link removed]) : April 2 

* All six states will hold U.S. House elections ([link removed]) for each of their congressional districts. In addition, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Tennessee will hold elections for one seat each in the U.S. Senate ([link removed]) .
* These filing deadlines have so far not been moved in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Ballotpedia is tracking changes to election dates and procedures here ([link removed]) .
* The general election in each state is scheduled for November 3, 2020. The primaries in New Jersey and South Dakota are scheduled for June 2. The remaining primaries are scheduled as follows:

* South Carolina: June 9
* New York: June 23
* Missouri: August 4
* Tennessee: August 6

* These filing deadlines are the 26th through the 31st to take place in the 2020 election cycle. The next statewide filing deadline is on April 6 in Arizona.

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** REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OUTRAISES DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR 10TH STRAIGHT MONTH
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* The Republican National Committee ([link removed]) (RNC) outraised its Democratic counterpart ([link removed]) by more than two-to-one for a tenth consecutive month, according to March 2020 campaign finance reports filed with the FEC March 20. The reports showed that five of the six top party committees reported their largest per-month fundraising hauls of the cycle to date. The RNC's $26.2 million fundraising figure fell just short of the $27.3 million the group raised during September 2019.

* The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) raised $11.2 million and spent $6.0 million last month, while the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) raised $8.9 million and spent $8.7 million. So far in the 2020 cycle, the NRSC has raised 10.1% more than the DSCC ($88.9 million to $80.4 million). The NRSC's 10.1% fundraising advantage is up from 8.4% in February and 7.3% in January.

* On the House side, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) raised $17.1 million and spent $6.8 million, while the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) raised $15.1 million and spent $6.8 million. So far in the cycle, the DCCC has raised 30.9% more than the NRCC ($154 million to $113 million). The DCCC's 30.9% fundraising advantage is down from 33.4% in February and 37.8% in January.

* At this point in the 2018 campaign cycle, Democrats led in both Senate and House fundraising, although their advantage in the House was smaller than in this cycle. The DSCC had raised 23.0% more than the NRSC ($64.9 million to $51.5 million), while the DCCC had raised 17.1% more than the NRCC ($125 million to $106 million).

* Republicans continue to lead in national committee fundraising, with the Republican National Committee (RNC) raising $26.2 million and spending $25.4 million while the Democratic National Committee (DNC) raised $12.0 million and spent $7.8 million. So far in the 2020 cycle, the RNC has raised 88.4% more than the DNC ($295 million to $114 million). The RNC's 88.4% fundraising advantage is down from 89.8% in February and 90.2% in January.

* At this point in the 2016 campaign cycle, the RNC had a smaller 46.7% fundraising advantage over the DNC ($126 million to $78.5 million).

* So far in the 2020 cycle, the RNC, NRSC, and NRCC have raised 35.0% more than the DNC, DSCC, and DCCC ($496.3 million to $348.4 million). The Republican fundraising advantage is down from 35.3% in February but up from 34.1% in January.

* For more on party committee fundraising, click here ([link removed]) .

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** SANDERS WINS DEMOCRATS ABROAD PRIMARY
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* Sen. Bernie Sanders ([link removed]) (I-Vt.) is the winner of the Democrats Abroad presidential primary ([link removed]) , according to an official tally of results released Monday. Sanders received 57.9% of the vote to former Vice President Joe Biden's ([link removed]) (D) 22.7%. The two were the only candidates to receive the 15% of the vote required to be allocated delegates at the Democratic National Convention. Sanders will receive nine of the group's 13 delegates while Biden will receive the remaining four.
 
* Democrats Abroad is the official international arm of the Democratic Party. Registered voters who live outside of the United States and did not participate in a state or territorial primary were eligible to cast a presidential vote with Democrats Abroad between March 10-17. The group does not cast electoral votes for president in the November general election.
 
* Turnout was reported at 39,984 votes, the largest in Democrats Abroad history and a 15% increase from the turnout in 2016. Just under 15% of votes were cast from the United Kingdom (5,689), more than any other country. Germany followed with 5,268 votes, while Americans residing in Canada cast 4,691 votes. The primary reported votes from 180 countries.

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** CANDIDATE FILING PERIOD FOR CONGRESSIONAL RACES ENDS IN VIRGINIA
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* The statewide filing deadline passed to run for elected office in Virginia passed on Thursday. Candidates filed for congressional offices only, as no state-level offices are up for election in Virginia this year.

* U.S. Senate ([link removed]) : One Class II Senate seat is up for election. The incumbent, Mark Warner (D), announced his intention to seek re-election for the seat.

* U.S. House of Representatives ([link removed]) : All 11 of Virginia’s congressional district seats are up for election. Virginia has not yet released an official candidate list. As of publication, seven of the 11 incumbents announced their intention to seek re-election to their seats, leaving four open seats.

* The primary is June 9, and the general election is November 3, 2020.

* Virginia’s statewide filing deadline was the 25th to take place in the 2020 election cycle. The next statewide filing deadlines are March 30 in New Jersey and South Carolina.

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** IS CONGRESS IN SESSION?
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* Both the House and Senate will be in session next week. Click here ([link removed]) to see the full calendar for the second session of the 116th Congress.

 
** WHERE WAS THE PRESIDENT LAST WEEK?
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* On Monday, Trump had lunch with the Vice President.
* On Tuesday, Trump participated in a Fox News Virtual Town Hall from the White House.
* On Wednesday, Trump participated in a phone call with nonprofit organizations on COVID-19 response.
* On Thursday, Trump participated in a G20 Leaders’ video teleconference and in a video teleconference with governors on partnership to prepare, mitigate, and respond to COVID-19.
* On Friday, Trump received his intelligence briefing.

 
** FEDERAL JUDICIARY
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* The Supreme Court has postponed its March sitting and will not hear arguments this week. To learn about the current 2019-2020 term, click here ([link removed]) .

* Federal court updates:

* 80 federal judicial vacancies
* 42 pending nominations
* 8 future federal judicial vacancies

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The Lucy Burns Institute, publisher of Ballotpedia, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Donations to the Lucy Burns Institute or Ballotpedia do not support any candidates or campaigns.
 

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