BIDEN HAS HIS RUNNING MATE. WILL HARRIS APPEAL TO DEMOCRATIC VOTERS?
By Daniel Bush, @DanielBush
Senior political reporter

As Joe Biden’s newly announced running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris adds star power to the Democratic ticket, and would make history as the first woman to serve as vice president if Biden beats President Donald Trump in November.

But choosing Harris is not without its risks for Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, who leads Trump in the polls heading into the Democratic National Convention next week. Harris — who is the first woman of color to make the ticket for either major party — stumbled as a presidential candidate in the primaries, and the former California attorney general remains unpopular with progressive voters because of her record on policing and criminal justice reform.

Harris faced stiff competition from a diverse field of potential running mates, among them several women of color. Those who reportedly made Biden’s short list included Rep. Karen Bass, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, and Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser to former President Barack Obama. But both had potential liabilities: Rice has never run for elected office, and Bass is not well known nationally.

Despite only entering the national political stage in 2016 when she was first elected to the Senate, Harris is already an established figure among Democratic voters after her White House bid and clashes with Trump’s judicial nominees on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Her performance as a presidential candidate may have been uneven, but Harris showed flashes of brilliance that reminded voters why she’s been a rising Democratic star since her days as an attorney general. She has a compelling backstory as a barrier-breaking law enforcement official who worked her way up through California politics, and can be a powerful orator. At her best, Harris is an electric debater — a skill set on display when she clashed with Biden over school busing policies during the Democratic primary debates last year.

And while Harris didn’t poll well with Black voters as a presidential candidate, her addition to the ticket could increase Black turnout this fall in critical battleground states Biden needs in order to win the election.

Beyond the issue of turnout, in choosing a woman of color as his running mate, Biden sent a strong signal about his commitment to having diverse leadership in the White House — an issue at the forefront for many Democrats at a time of deep racial division in the country. Harris has been an outspoken proponent of police and criminal justice reform in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Her place on the ticket helps Biden signal to voters that those issues will remain front and center through the election.
READ THE FULL STORY

FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Ian Couzens, @iancouzenz
Politics production assistant

Trump signs executive order requiring government to buy ‘essential’ drugs from U.S. companies Aug. 6. -- President Trump’s order requires the government to develop a list of “essential” medicines and medical supplies and only buy those from U.S. companies. Why it matters: The order removes some of the regulations U.S. pharmaceutical companies usually face in getting a drug to market, but fast-tracking the process won’t necessarily resolve shortages of critical drugs that the U.S. usually relies on other countries to provide. -- CNBC

Judge dismisses Republican lawsuit seeking to block proxy voting  Aug. 6. -- Republicans had challenged proxy voting measures House Speaker Nancy Pelosi implemented amid the pandemic to allow lawmakers to avoid having to travel, which could put them and others at risk of contracting COVID-19. Why it matters: The judge refused to even hear the case, saying it was out of bounds for the court to review legislative functions. Not only does this clear the way for sweeping adjustments to the legislative process without other branches of government weighing in, but in the short-term, it gives Pelosi the option of implementing remote voting. -- Politico

Most VA workers find racism 'moderate to serious problem' at facilities, survey finds -- Aug. 7. Nearly 80 percent of union employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs thought racism was a serious problem there, while 55 percent said they had witnessed racial discrimination towards veterans while working for the VA. Why it matters: Amid nationwide calls for lawmakers and other leaders to address systemic racism, the VA is pushing back against the survey’s findings, suggesting they aren’t credible and denying the existence of a problem. -- The Hill

Kansas Democrats excited about ex-GOP lawmaker’s Senate bid -- Aug. 8. Democrats have not won a Kansas Senate seat in more than 90 years. Why it matters: If State Sen. Barbara Bollier wins her election, it would not only signal changing political tides in once solid red parts of the country, but would also put Democrats one step closer to taking control of the Senate.--  The Associated Press

EPA to Rescind Methane Regulations for Oil and Gas Aug. 10. --  The new rules would get rid of most oversight tools the EPA uses to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, including a requirement that oil and gas producers have systems in place to monitor for methane leaks. Why it matters: Beyond the obvious potential climate impacts, the new rule could hurt U.S. gas sales in Europe, where leaders are tightening rules on emissions, putting U.S. oil producers at a competitive disadvantage. -- The Wall Street Journal

#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer

In honor of former Vice President Joe Biden selecting Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate today, here is some vice presidential trivia. One of the vice president’s constitutional duties is to receive the tally of electoral ballots cast for president and vice president and to open those certificates in the presence of Congress so that total votes can be counted.

Our question: How many vice presidents got to announce their own election to the presidency during this process?

Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.

Last week, we asked: Which 1920 presidential candidate campaigned from his front porch?

The answer: Warren Harding

Harding campaigned from his front porch in Marion, Ohio. Thousands of people gathered to hear him speak and he hosted Civil War veterans, political leaders and suffragists celebrating the ratification of the 19th Amendment.

Congratulations to our winners: Bradley Robideau and Robert Schmid!!

Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your Inbox next week.