Programming note: There will be no Federal Tap published on Sept. 5. The next issue will come out on Sept. 12. Enjoy your weekend!

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What's On Tap This Week

Saturday, August 22

Pennsylvania congressman, Puerto Rico congressional delegate test positive for coronavirus  

• Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), who represents Pennsylvania’s 9th Congressional District, announced on Aug. 22 he had tested positive for coronavirus.
• Rep. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (New Progressive Party), who represents Puerto Rico’s At-Large Congressional District, announced on Aug. 24 she tested positive for coronavirus.

Tuesday, August 25

Bice defeats Neese in Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District

• Stephanie Bice defeated Terry Neese to win the Republican nomination in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District. The two advanced to a runoff after no candidate won a majority of the vote in the June 30 primary. Bice received 53% of the runoff vote to Neese’s 47%.
• Bice, a two-term state senator with an endorsement from former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), said she would be a more effective legislator. Neese, a business owner who served as co-chairwoman of President Trump’s small business advisory council, said she would be a more effective ally to the president.  
• Bice will face first-term U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn (D), who was first elected in 2018. Horn is the first Democrat elected to the U.S. House from Oklahoma since 2010. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee are both targeting the district this year. Election forecasters say the race between Horn and Bice is a toss-up.

Thursday, August 27

Trump formally accepts Republican presidential nomination

• The 2020 Republican National Convention concluded after four days of events, including the renomination of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Trump accepted the nomination in a speech from the White House.
• Other featured speakers included First Lady Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Sens. Joni Ernst and Tim Scott.
• In June, the Republican National Committee Executive Committee voted to downsize the convention in Charlotte, reducing the number of in-person delegates from 2,500 to 336. The committee also decided to adopt the 2016 platform again since the Platform Committee would not be meeting. They passed a resolution on Aug. 22 noting the party's continued support for Trump's America First agenda.

What's On Tap Next Week

Monday, August 31

Final filing deadlines approach for independent presidential candidates

• Although there is no formal, national deadline to file to run for president of the United States, independent presidential candidates must keep a close eye on the election calendar as each state has its own filing requirements and deadline to qualify to appear on the general election ballot.
• These requirements may include submitting a petition with a certain number of signatures or paying a filing fee. Filing deadlines for independent presidential candidates have already passed in 43 states.
• During the week of Aug. 31, the final seven filing deadlines will pass:
  • August 31: North Dakota
  • September 1: Delaware
  • September 2: New Hampshire
  • September 4: Arizona, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Rhode Island

Tuesday, September 1

Voters to decide Massachusetts congressional primaries

• The statewide primary election for Massachusetts is on Sept. 1. The filing deadline to run passed on June 2. Candidates are running in elections for the following congressional offices:
  • One Class II seat in the United States Senate
  • Nine seats in the United States House of Representatives
• In the Democratic primary race for the Class II U.S. Senate seat, incumbent Edward Markey —first elected in 2013—faces challenger Joseph Kennedy III, while the Republican primary features candidates Shiva Ayyadurai and Kevin O’Connor. 
• Across the nine U.S. House district races in Massachusetts, eight incumbents filed for re-election. Only District 4 incumbent Joseph Kennedy III is not seeking re-election, opting instead to run for the U.S. Senate seat. The open District 4 seat has drawn a field of nine Democratic primary candidates and two Republican primary candidates. 
• In Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 9 the Democratic incumbents are running unopposed. In District 8, the Democratic incumbent faces one challenger. In Districts 2, 5, 6, and 9 the Republican candidates are uncontested, while the Republican primaries in districts 1, 3, 7, and 8 were canceled after no candidate either filed or qualified for the ballot.
• Ballotpedia identified three congressional primaries taking place in Massachusetts as battleground primaries:
  • Democratic U.S. Senate primary: Incumbent Ed Markey faces challenger Joe Kennedy III in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. Markey, who was first elected in 2013 after 37 years in the U.S. House, is backed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Kennedy, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 2012, has endorsements from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and John Lewis (D-Ga.).
  • Democratic 1st Congressional District primary: Incumbent Richard Neal faces challenger Alex Morse. Neal, who was first elected in 1988, has endorsements from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Human Rights Campaign. Morse, who has served as mayor of Holyoke since 2012, is backed by Our Revolution and the Justice Democrats.
  • Democratic 4th Congressional District primary: Six candidates are running for the seat currently held by Joe Kennedy III. Two other candidates—Dave Cavell and Chris Zannetos—withdrew but will still appear on the ballot. The district, located to the west and south of Boston, is rated solidly Democratic, meaning the winner of the primary is likely to win the general election.
• The next congressional primaries will be held on Sept. 8 in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

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