Notable Quote of the Day

“U.S. politics is not a national contest. Victories in Congress, state politics and the Electoral College all depend on winning majorities or hefty pluralities in heartland states and areas that are not big cities. Hillary Clinton lost in 2016 mainly because she was whomped in non-urban areas where Obama had lost by far smaller margins. Media commentators and lefty advocates often speak as if the United States is one big national polity, where appeals to one demographic slice or another are decisive. But it just isn't so. Piling up votes on the liberal coasts matters not at all, if party candidates lose in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Carolina.”

– Theda Skocpol, Harvard University professor of government and sociology

Democrats

• Michael Bennet spoke about healthcare and his rural policy while campaigning in Iowa. He also discussed the death penalty in an interview on The Insiders with Dave Price.

• Joe Biden released lists of new endorsements in Florida and Tennessee.

• Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, and Julián Castro spoke at forums hosted by the New Leaders Council Convention Friday and Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa.

• Booker passed the 130,000-donor threshold for the third presidential debate, reaching both the grassroots fundraising and polling requirements to qualify.

• In an interview on Up with David Gura, Steve Bullock discussed Democratic party leadership and said he did not support impeachment at this time.

• Buttigieg campaigned in Michigan, speaking in Detroit about racial justice, climate change, and education.

• John Delaney announced a plan to establish a mandatory national service program for Americans turning 18 years old or graduating from high school. They would receive at least two years of free tuition at a public college or university or tuition for vocational or technical training. The plan would apply to those born after 2006 and would be phased in.

• The Washington Post profiled Tulsi Gabbard, including her candidacy, lawsuit against Google, and campaign messaging.

• Kamala Harris released a plan to spend $10 billion on laboratories and other infrastructure at historically black colleges and universities and $50 billion in scholarships, internships, and curriculum in STEM fields. Harris also called for spending $12 billion on entrepreneurship programs.

• John Hickenlooper wrote an op-ed about gun violence and mass shootings for CNN.com.

• Jay Inslee issued his community climate justice platform focused on climate inequality. His plan includes tracking pollution hotspots and climate change effects, establishing an Office of Environmental Justice, spending $1.2 trillion on frontline communities, and creating a universal clean energy service fund to address energy insecurity.

• Amy Klobuchar met with AFSCME Council 61 members while campaigning in Iowa over the weekend.

• Seth Moulton participated in a meet and greet in the Hamptons as part of the Common Good’s presidential candidate series Saturday.

• CNN profiled Beto O'Rourke’s political journey from city council to 2020 presidential candidate.

• Fletcher Smith and Brandon Brown, who helped lead Biden’s 2008 presidential campaign in South Carolina, announced they were endorsing Tim Ryan.

• Ryan released his industrial and manufacturing plan on Saturday. He called for doubling union membership, expanding apprenticeship programs, raising the minimum wage to $15, and increasing infrastructure funding.

• Bernie Sanders appeared on Pod Save America Friday to discuss democratic socialism, Medicare for All, and the Israeli government.

• Sanders joined Type 1 diabetes patients traveling to Canada for cheaper insulin Sunday and criticized pricing in the pharmaceutical industry.

• Joe Sestak held a campaign event focused on Iran and national security in Iowa Saturday.

• Tom Steyer advocated impeachment on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday.

• CNN published a video profile of Elizabeth Warren on her law professor years and transition from conservative to progressive.

• USA Today interviewed Marianne Williamson about her performance in the Miami debate.

• Andrew Yang wrote an op-ed on CNN.com about why he started Venture for America and his support for a universal basic income.

Republicans

• The Washington Post reported on Jared Kushner’s role in Donald Trump’s re-election campaign, describing him as a “de facto campaign manager.”

• Bill Weld criticized Trump’s rhetoric in an interview on MSNBC’s Weekends with Alex Witt.

Flashback: July 28, 2015

Politico examined the fundraising and organizational challenges faced by Rand Paul’s presidential campaign.