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The Weekender (5/8/20)

Weekender

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Welcome to the Democratic Governors Association’s Friday newsletter, The Weekender.
Let’s get started.

North Carolina: ReOpen NC protesters in North Carolina were seen verbally assaulting frontline workers and law enforcement in startling video footage. GOP gubernatorial nominee Dan Forest has openly encouraged this group’s efforts and has spread misinformation about the severity of the crisis, at one point spreading the dangerous lie that the flu had killed more people than COVID-19. The DGA released a new video this week highlighting Forest’s ties to these extreme protesters. Meanwhile, recent polling shows “more than 75% of respondents support Gov. Roy Cooper’s extension of the stay-at-home order until May 8.”
Montana: Three GOP gubernatorial candidates took political shots at each other during a debate over the weekend. Tim Fox stepped up his attacks on Greg Gianforte – accusing him of trying to “buy this election”, ducking debates, and refusing interviews with the press. Fox also criticized Gianforte for his abysmal approval numbers and failed 2016 gubernatorial campaign.

“Terminate It”: What Trump’s Obamacare Repeal Will Cost Missouri
President Trump doubled down on his administration’s ultimate goal to “terminate” the ACA even as the country faces its worst public health crisis in history. The deadly effects that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act would cause are unquestionable. 
In Missouri alone:

  • 169,000 people would lose health care coverage, raising the state’s uninsured rate among its nonelderly population from 12.5 percent to 15.8 percent.
  • 2.5 million people with preexisting conditions could face higher premiums, face benefit exclusions, or be denied coverage altogether.
  • $1.2 billion in federal funding for health coverage would be lost.

See what would happen if the ACA was terminated in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Every State, Every Vote: Trump Campaign Pollsters Find Broad Support for Vote-By-Mail
A new poll released by Trump campaign pollsters Fabrizio, Lee & Associates found more evidence that Americans strongly support vote-at-home and access to safe in-person polling stations. 76% of voters said they “favor keeping polling locations open and also giving all voters the option to vote absentee.”
The poll also found broad support for increased election funding – 78% of voters said “it’s important for the federal government to provide additional funding to states and counties to cover the increased costs of conducting elections due to the Coronavirus outbreak.”
Every State, Every Vote Co-Chairs Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Stacey Abrams have been fighting for additional federal funding for vote-at-home and safe in-person voting provisions. They called on Congress to provide an additional $4 billion in election assistance to the states, and Gov. Brown wrote an op-ed in Newsweek calling for expanded vote-by-mail.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on CNN’s State of the Union, discussing the armed protestors at the state capitol and the importance of relying on epidemiologists and medical experts for advice.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Fox News Sunday, disputing Mitch McConnell’s idea that states should just declare bankruptcy. Murphy explains, “This is about firefighters, police, EMS, teachers at the point of attack.”
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, explaining the need for more federal direction in the pandemic and methodically reopening the economy so that Americans feel safe.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on CNN with Chris Cuomo, responding to Republicans’ biologically “ignorant” lawsuit against his stay at home order.



“Dennis’ donation, at the height of our country’s protective gear shortage, showed us the best in humanity when we needed it the most. I would like to thank Dennis for the example he’s set on how to serve – and how to be thoughtful and generous in an extraordinary way.”


“Of course, everybody wants to save every life they can — but the question is, towards what end, ultimately? Are there ways that we can… thread the middle here to allow that there are going to be deaths, and there are going to be deaths no matter what?”
Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!
If you guessed GOP New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu last week, you were right! Sununu said we shouldn’t “start writing checks to everybody for anything”. Apparently, he wants to let Granite Staters fend for themselves during the pandemic.