Today's Brew highlights states that lifted business and activity restrictions on Monday, June 15 + reviews West Virginia’s state Supreme Court elections  
The Daily Brew
Welcome to the Tuesday, June 16, Brew. Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
  1. Five states have active stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus outbreak
  2. West Virginia voters re-elected two state Supreme Court justices on June 9
  3. Good defeats Riggleman at convention to become Republican nominee in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District

Five states have active stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus outbreak

New Hampshire's stay-at-home order expired Monday, June 15. As outlined in Gov. Chris Sununu's (R) June 11 announcement, a range of businesses in the state are allowed to reopen although gyms, fitness centers, indoor recreational facilities, and most in-restaurant dining is limited to 50% capacity. Funeral homes may reopen and weddings may resume. Subscribers to our Documenting America’s Path to Recovery daily email received this information in Monday’s issue. Click here to subscribe and get each day’s edition sent directly to your inbox.

Forty-three states issued stay-at-home orders which closed businesses deemed nonessential and directed residents to stay at home except for trips for essential supplies. Five states—California, Kentucky, New Mexico, New York, and Oregon—currently have active stay-at-home orders. Each of those states has a Democratic governor.

Status of orders

Here are other states that lifted some restrictions on Monday:

  • Arkansas (Republican trifecta): The state entered Phase Two of its reopening plan, which allows open businesses with a capacity limit to increase that limit, although they are not allowed to operate at full capacity.

  • Delaware (Democratic trifecta): Delaware entered into Phase Two of its reopening plan. Restaurants, retail stores, and malls can increase from 30% to 60% capacity. Personal care services and gyms remain at 30% capacity.

  • Indiana (Republican trifecta): Casinos and charity gaming sites can reopen, subject to Indiana Gaming Commission approval.

  • Michigan (divided government): Overnight residential, travel, and troop camps are allowed to reopen. Select K-12 school sports and other extracurricular activities are also allowed to resume.

  • Nevada (Democratic trifecta): Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles reopened with limited service. Some state museums reopened on June 15 and others have announced plans to reopen through July 3.

  • New Jersey (Democratic trifecta): The state moved into Stage 2 of its reopening plan, enabling outdoor dining and retail to reopen at 50% capacity. Places of worship may reopen indoor services if they comply with the state’s guidelines on mass gatherings. Gyms and fitness centers (limited capacity), limited in-person government services, museums, libraries, and child daycare centers may also resume in Stage Two, although no dates for reopening have been set. 

  • New Mexico (Democratic trifecta): Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced indoor service at restaurants could resume at 50% capacity on June 15. Parties are limited to six people and must be spaced for social distancing. Bar and counter service remains closed.

  • Vermont (divided government): Starting yesterday, out-of-state travelers will need to complete either a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative COVID-19 test result.

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West Virginia voters re-elected two state Supreme Court justices on June 9 

Voters decided races for three of West Virginia's five Supreme Court justices on June 9. These elections, as well as West Virginia’s presidential and statewide primaries, were originally scheduled for May 12 but Gov. Jim Justice (R) postponed them in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Both incumbent justices who ran for a new term—Tim Armstead and John A. Hutchison—were re-elected. Armstead, who currently serves as chief justice, won re-election with 41% of the vote over Richard Neely, who received 36%, and David W. Hummel Jr., who received 23% 

Hutchison won re-election with 39% of the vote over Lora Dyer, who finished second with 36%. Justice appointed both Armstead and Hutchison to the court in 2018 to fill vacancies. 

A third justice—Margaret Workman—did not seek re-election. William Wooton—a former Democratic state legislator—received 31% of the vote and defeated three other candidates for that seat.

West Virginia Supreme Court justices are elected to 12-year terms in nonpartisan elections. Before 2016, judges were elected in partisan elections. This changed after Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) signed legislation in 2015 making judicial elections in the state nonpartisan. Governors appoint replacements in case of vacancies. Those newly appointed justices must. run in the next scheduled election following their appointment to serve the remainder of their predecessor's term. 

Justice, a Republican, originally appointed three of the current justices. The other two were elected to the court in partisan elections. One is a Democrat one is a Republican.

• Evan Jenkins appointed by Gov. Justice
• Beth Walker Elected after running as a Republican
• Margaret Workman Elected after running as a Democrat
• Tim Armstead appointed by Gov. Justice
• John A. Hutchison appointed by Gov. Justice 

A total of 344 justices serve on state supreme courts nationwide and 165 of those positions—48%—are chosen through partisan or nonpartisan elections. Another 167—48.5%—are appointed. Two state legislatures—in South Carolina and Virginia—elect state supreme court justices. 

Twenty-nine states will hold elections for 67 state supreme court judges on Nov. 3. Voters in five states—Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, West Virginia, and Wisconsin—have already decided elections for state supreme court justices. Click here to learn more about these elections.

Good defeats Riggleman at convention to become Republican nominee in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District

Virginia’s 5th Congressional District Republican Committee announced that Bob Good defeated incumbent Rep. Denver Riggleman at the district's Republican convention on June 13. Good received the support of 58% of 2,537 convention delegates. The Roanoke Times reported that the convention was held in a church parking lot with delegates casting ballots from their cars due to the coronavirus pandemic,.

After the results were announced, Riggleman said he was concerned with how the voting was conducted. On June 13, he tweeted, "Voting irregularities and ballot stuffing has been reported in multiple counties in the #VA05. Voter fraud has been a hallmark of this nomination process and I will not stand for it. @VA_GOP needs to reevaluate their priorities. We are evaluating all our options at this time."

The convention was originally scheduled for April 25 but was rescheduled to June 13 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Riggleman is the third member of the U.S. House to lose his bid for his party's nomination for re-election this year. Marie Newman defeated Rep. Dan Lipinski in the Democratic primary for Illinois' 3rd Congressional District in March and Randy Feenstra defeated Rep. Steve King in the Republican primary for Iowa's 4th Congressional District June 2. In 2018, four members of the House were defeated in primaries.

Riggleman was first elected in 2018, defeating Democrat Leslie Cockburn 53-47 in the general election. Good will face the Democratic nominee who will be selected in Virginia's June 23 statewide primary. 

It's not the first time an incumbent House member has failed to win renomination in Virginia. In June 2014, David Brat defeated then-House majority leader Eric Cantor (R) in a primary election in the 7th Congressional District, 55.5% to 44.5%. Cantor had represented the district since 2000.

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