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The Weekender (7/23/21)

Weekender

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

Let’s get started.

Virginia: Terry McAuliffe continues to spread his optimistic agenda for progress in Virginia across the Commonwealth — and he has President Biden’s support along the way. President Biden is set to visit Arlington today to hold a grassroots event alongside McAuliffe. Thus far, McAuliffe’s campaign has raised a whopping $7.5 million in the month of June, thanks to a grassroots flock of supporters. Meanwhile, Youngkin continues to get high praise from Donald Trump, whose endorsement Youngkin said he was “honored” to receive. Youngkin has fully embraced Trump and his dangerous agenda, even going so far as to name Trump as the reason he’s running. With Trump continuing to sing Youngkin’s praises and with McAuliffe and President Biden teaming up, the #1 question on our mind is: When’s the Trump-Youngkin rally?

New Jersey: Thanks to Gov. Phil Murphy, investors are head-over-heels for New Jersey. Murphy’s policies have delivered strong economic results for the state, turning it from the worst performer in the market for financial debt to “the nation’s most desired by investors.” While Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli threatens to drag New Jersey back to the failed economic policy and high state debt of Chris Christie’s administration, Gov. Murphy continues to lead the state forward. Gov. Murphy is “the only U.S. governor who promised and delivered” countless programs that support New Jerseyans, including paid sick leave and college financial aid.

Silent Schulz Hides From Spotlight as Maryland MAGA Primary Continues

It’s been three months, and it’s no surprise that Silent Kelly Schulz’s campaign is still silent and lacking substance. As the Maryland MAGA primary for governor ramps up, Schulz has declined to comment on several key issues, leaving voters wondering: is Schulz running for governor?Since we last checked in with her MIA campaign, she has continued to avoid revealing any significant positions. For Silent Schulz, mum’s the word on pandemic relief, abortion, and even Donald Trump’s dangerous conspiracy theories. If Schulz hoped to skate by the primary by dodging questions, her plans are being thwarted by far-right delegate Dan Cox, a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist who has dominated the news for speaking out against commonsense efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 and busing insurrectionists to Washington on January 6.

Govs. Newsom, Wolf Direct Federal Funds to Support Unhoused People in California and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is tackling a perennial issue with appropriately ambitious funding. On Tuesday, Gov. Wolf announced that nearly $1.5 million in Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act funding is being awarded to assist Pennsylvanians experiencing homelessness and prevent future homelessness across the commonwealth.Gov. Wolf is working with community-based organizations to provide local emergency shelters, rehousing assistance, and outreach programs. “All Pennsylvanians need a safe place to live,” he said, “and this critical funding will continue to help individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom implemented a similar initiative and signed the largest funding and reform package for housing and homelessness in California history as part of the $100 billion California Comeback Plan. The package includes $10.3 billion for affordable housing and $12 billion over two years towards tackling the homelessness crisis head-on – helping tens of thousands of people off the streets while also demanding greater accountability and more urgency from local governments.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak on MSNBC with Jonathan Capehart talking about the actions he’s taking to battle the ongoing wildfires in the West.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on CNBC Squawk Box discussing mask mandates and keeping kids safe for the 2021-2022 school year.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield sharing how he’s encouraging vaccination in his state.


“I’m running for reelection because there’s so much more that we can do to help Illinois families reach their full potential. We have work to do not only to make college more affordable, to help people save for retirement, to help people get better jobs. Those are all things that are kitchen-table issues, the things I talked about four years ago, that we’ve been steadily working on and making progress on, and I’m optimistic that we can do more.”

  • Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on his run for re-election.

“It’s a seasonal virus, and this is the seasonal pattern it follows in the Sun Belt states.”

Who said it? Send your answer to press@dga.net, and we’ll reveal the answer in the next Weekender!

If you said South Dakota’s GOP Gov. Kristi Noem last week, you are correct! In her speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Noem made an effort to draw distinctions between herself and other Republican governors across the country. She slammed fellow Republicans for protecting citizens from COVID-19 with shutdowns and mask mandates.