Welcome to the Wednesday, July 15, Brew. Today is Tax Day, or the date when federal personal income tax returns are due to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service. On March 20, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin delayed the federal tax filing deadline from April 15 to July 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic. On June 30, the Treasury Department and the IRS announced that the tax deadline would not be extended further. Get more information on changes like this from our free email, Documenting America’s Path to Recovery.

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

1. Tuberville defeats Sessions to win Republican Senate primary runoff in Alabama
2. Checking in on presidential conventions, nominations
3. New Mexico state representative resigns, cites need to focus on full-time work

Tuberville defeats Sessions to win Republican Senate primary runoff in Alabama

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U.S. Senate primary in Alabama (R)

Tommy Tuberville defeated Jeff Sessions in the Republican primary runoff for Alabama’s U.S. Senate seat. As of 8:20 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, Tuberville had received 63% of the vote to Sessions' 37%. President Donald Trump endorsed Tuberville, a former college football coach. 

Sessions held the Senate seat for 20 years before Trump appointed him as U.S. attorney general in 2017. Club for Growth PAC and FarmPAC—the political action committee of the Alabama Farmers Federation—were among Tuberville's other endorsers. Sessions' endorsers included the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund, the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, and several U.S. senators. 

Tuberville will face incumbent Sen. Doug Jones (D) in November. Roll Call named Jones the most vulnerable incumbent senator up for re-election in 2020.

Texas’ 13th Congressional District (R) 

Ronny Jackson defeated Josh Winegarner in the Republican primary runoff for Texas' 13th Congressional District. As of 9:45 p.m. Central Time, Jackson had received 55.6% of the vote to Winegarner's 44.4%, with 90% of precincts reporting.

President Donald Trump (R), Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) endorsed Jackson. Incumbent Rep. Mac Thornberry (R), who did not seek re-election, endorsed Winegarner, along with U.S. Reps. Mike Conaway (R-Texas), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), and Kenny Marchant (R-Texas).

Thornberry, who was first elected in 1994, won the 2018 general election by a margin of 65 percentage points. Major independent observers rate the general election as solid Republican or safe Republican.

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Checking in on presidential conventions, nominations

The Democratic presidential nominating convention was originally scheduled to be held this week—July 13 through 16—before being postponed in April in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The convention is currently scheduled to take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the week of Aug. 17.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) issued a statement June 24 advising state delegations not to travel to Milwaukee. On July 10, the DNC announced that convention delegates would be able to vote virtually from Aug. 3 to 15 on convention business using individualized ballots. Presumptive nominee Joe Biden is expected to be in Milwaukee to accept the party's presidential nomination during that week.

In other presidential campaign updates:

• The Republican Party will hold its presidential nominating convention from Aug. 24 to 27. The first day will take place in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Jacksonville, Florida, for the event's final three days. The convention was originally scheduled to take place entirely in Charlotte, but statewide restrictions on the size of events and gatherings in response to the coronavirus pandemic led to the convention's relocation. The Jacksonville Host Committee announced July 6 that attendees would receive daily COVID-19 testing and temperature checks. Five Republican officials have announced they will not be attending the Republican National Convention, as listed here.

• Howie Hawkins formally became the 2020 Green Party presidential nominee at the party's convention July 11. His running mate is veteran and labor activist Angela Nicole Walker. Hawkins clinched the nomination on June 21 after winning more than 176 delegates in Green Party primaries and caucuses. Click here to read more about the nominee's policy positions.

• The Libertarian party held in-person portions of its national convention last week—from July 8 to 12—in Orlando, Florida. The party was originally scheduled to hold its convention in Austin, Texas, in May which was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Libertarian Party selected Jo Jorgensen as its presidential nominee in an online process May 23. Spike Cohen was selected as the Party’s vice-presidential nominee May 24. Click here to read more about the nominee's policy positions.

New Mexico state representative resigns, cites need to focus on full-time work

New Mexico state Rep. Linda Trujillo (D) resigned from the legislature July 9 citing a need to work full-time due to economic concerns resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Trujillo, an attorney, won the district's Democratic primary unopposed on June 2. No Republican candidate had filed to run for the seat this year. Trujillo was first elected in 2016 and was unopposed in both the 2018 Democratic primary and general elections.

In a statement announcing her resignation, Trujillo said, “It is with a heavy heart that I submit my resignation from the New Mexico House of Representatives...The virus has impacted every aspect of our lives, including finances. And we’re not alone. My neighbors are hurting. I have family members who are having a very difficult time making ends meet.”

In New Mexico, the governor fills vacancies in the state legislature from a list provided by the board of county commissioners representing the vacant seat. The governor is not legally required to appoint a member of the same political party as the previous incumbent.

New Mexico is the only state that does not pay a salary to legislators. Lawmakers receive a specific amount each day they are at the Capitol or attending committee meetings—known as a per diem. New Mexico is one of 14 states with a legislature that is considered part-time. The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates that legislators in such states devote 57% of a full-time job to their legislative duties. 

Fifty state legislators have resigned so far in 2020. Through mid-July 2019, 43 state legislators had resigned.

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