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DNC and DNCC Chairs Announce Results of Presidential Nominating Petition Process and Opening of Virtual Roll Call on August 1; Only VP Kamala Harris Qualifies for Ballot

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From the DNC:

DNC and DNCC Chairs Announce Results of Presidential Nominating Petition Process and Opening of Virtual Roll Call on August 1
Today, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison and DNCC Chair Minyon Moore announced the results of the petitioning for the Democratic presidential ballot, with only Vice President Kamala Harris qualifying for the ballot. 3,923 delegates from across the country petitioned to put Vice President Harris on the ballot for the Democratic nomination, and Vice President Harris secured the support of 99% of participating delegates. The Chairs also announced today that voting on the virtual roll call – the process through which Vice President Harris will officially become the Democratic nominee – will begin on August 1 and end on August 5.

DNC Chair Harrison and DNCC Chair Moore released the following statement:

“Democratic delegates from across the nation made their voices heard, overwhelmingly backing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee. As we prepare to open the voting on our virtual roll call, we move to this final stage of our nomination process with unprecedented momentum and unity across our party. We stand united in our mission to elect a Democratic nominee who has the experience, the wisdom, and the bold determination to lead our country, and we stand united in our mission to defeat Donald Trump once again. 

“Our delegates have an important responsibility – and opportunity – in the days ahead to cast their history-making ballots for Vice President Harris, ensuring that she will be on the ballot in every state this November. 

“Our Party has met this unprecedented moment with a transparent, democratic, and orderly process to unite behind a nominee with a proven record who will lead us in the fight ahead. We look forward to celebrating together with all of our delegates in Chicago, where we will show up in full force as a strong, united Party laser-focused on defeating Donald Trump and JD Vance in November.” 

Highlights of the Democratic nomination process:

  • 3,923 delegates from across the country petitioned to put Vice President Harris on the ballot for the Democratic nomination, and Vice President Harris secured the support of 99% of participating delegates, with 84% of total delegates submitting a signature during the petitioning phase. No other candidate met the threshold of 300 delegate signatures to qualify for the ballot.
  • The DNC Chair and DNCC Chair announced today that the electronic roll call will commence at 9:00 AM ET on August 1, marking the official beginning of the 2024 Convention. Delegates will receive a secure ballot and support to cast their vote on a rolling basis starting at 9:00 AM ET. 
  • The roll call voting period will end at 6:00 PM ET on August 5, the deadline for delegates to return their ballot. 
  • Because Kamala Harris has the verified support of a number of pledged delegates equal to or greater than a majority of all pledged and automatic delegates, the votes of both pledged delegates and automatic delegates will be counted on the first ballot.

National Study: Undocumented Immigrants Contribute Almost $700 Million in Virginia Taxes a Year

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The following press release from the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis illustrates a point that is completely lost on xenophobes, Republicans, right wingers, etc. – that immigration is a *huge* net benefit to our country, almost any way one looks at it. And yes, that includes immigrants’ economic contributions, which are huge (e.g., just imagine who would plant/harvest our food supply, who would take care of the elderly, etc. without immigrants); the fact that undocumented immigrants commit crimes – including violent crimes – at a FAR lower rate than native-born Americans; etc. Of course, that won’t stop Trump and his ilk from demonizing immigrants, but the rest of us should be aware that that’s all it is – demonization, without any basis in fact whatsoever…and even worse, for calculated/cynical political purposes.

Party Led by Virulent Racist/Misogynist/etc. (Convicted Felon Donald Trump) Freaks Out Over Wildly Successful “White Dudes for Harris” Call, the Amazing Surge in Democratic Enthusiasm and Fundraising Over the Past 9 Days, etc.

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This tweet by the VA GOP (“Democrats are OBSESSED with dividing Americans by race and gender“) is really rich coming from a party whose Virginia General Assembly makeup is almost monolithically white (and overwhelmingly male), and whose U.S. House makeup from Virginia is – yep, all white/mostly male (Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, Bob Good, Ben Cline, Morgan Griffith), and whose national party leader (Donald Trump) is a virulent racist/misogynist/etc., and whose movement is comprised of many who proudly describe themselves as white nationalists, etc. (Meanwhile, Virginia Democrats look like the demographic makeup of Virginia, while national Democrats reflect the demographics of America)

Also, note that reactions like this one demonstrate that Republicans are freaking out over the success of VP Kamala Harris, the shift in polling/fundraising/enthusiasm levels (in the Democrats’ direction) since President Joe Biden passed the baton to Harris, etc. That includes a bunch of wildly successful Zoom calls, including last night’s “White Dudes for Harris” call, which raised over $4 million and had over 120,000 RSVPs after just a few days of organizing. Plus, can you even imagine Republicans having the type of lineup we saw on the “White Dudes for Harris” call? Hell, if they had a call like this, they’d have…what, Don Jr., Eric Trump, Tucker Carlson, Hulk Hogan, Charlie Kirk, David Sacks, etc? What a joke.

With that, see below for video and highlights of the amazingly successful “White Dudes for Harris” call…and just imagine the extremist weirdo/freak show the Republicans would have if they tried something like this (e.g., “White Dudes for Trump/Vance?”)! LOL

Jeff Bridges: “I’m white, I’m a dude and I’m for Harris!”

Pete Buttigieg: “to address this convening of dudes right after THE dude is definitely one of the honors of my life”

Bradley Whitford: “We’re really trying to stay OUT of the ‘Handmaid’s Tale'”

Mitch Landrieu: Trumpism is a “manifestation of what I think is the root of a poisonous tree…a complete rejection of really what America was about…essentially what they’re saying is…really some of us are created more equal than others”

President of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Jimmy Williams Jr.: “We’re proud to be united…to support VP Harris in what is absolutely the most important election of our lifetime…We cannot just sit by quietly…”

 

Josh Groban: “That very unity that I cherish in being able to perform is at risk in the country that I also live in…there is a real age-old drum that is being played on the other side right now that is oversimplifying something…based on fear…this idea that to celebrate the beauty of our similarities and…our differences is somehow a scary thing…”

Sean Astin: “Everyone is welcome” with Kamala Harris; “to me, there’s reverence…for women…when I think about smashing the donation button, I think of honoring them”

Sen. Gary Peters on the crucial important of unions – “that’s what freedom is about…to collectively bargain…to fight for fair wages…retire with dignity…that’s what Kamala Harris all about”

MN Gov. Tim Walz: “There’s one golden rule in a small town…mind your own damn business…Who’s asking for this crazy stuff that they’re pushing…to ban birth control…to raise the price of insulin…to cut veteran’s benefits like Project 2025 does…”

IL Gov. JB Pritzker: “Afterward, of course, there’s another Zoom that I invite you all to, called ‘Couches Against Trump’, better known as CATs” – lol

NC Gov. Roy Cooper: “Real men respect women – their decisions, their careers – and it’s pretty clear that Donald Trump and JD Vance don’t – from Trump’s sexual assaults to Vance’s misogynistic comments, it’s pretty clear that disrespect for women permeates Donald Trump land and MAGA Republicans”; “A DEI candidate? Here’s what [MAGA Republicans] are saying: that women and people of color don’t deserve to lead. We know better than that, guys.”

Rep. Adam Schiff: “There’s nothing inevitable…every generation…has to struggle to preserve democracy…all we need to do is get ourselves to the polls…participate in our democracy…what did we do when our democracy was at stake?”

Video: Harris for President Launches First Ad of $50 Million Paid Media Buy

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From the Harris for President campaign:

Harris for President Launches First Ad of $50 Million Paid Media Buy

$50 Million Battleground Campaign to Air in Run Up to Democratic National Convention

Vice President Harris: “This campaign is about who we fight for.”

Today, Harris for President is launching a $50 million paid media campaign ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago along with its first ad, “Fearless.” Featuring footage from Vice President Harris’ high-powered first rally in Milwaukee, “Fearless” reminds voters of who she is: a fighter who has never been afraid to take on the powerful and special interests on behalf of the American people.

As a prosecutor for over 20 years, Vice President Harris has spent her career putting murderers and abusers behind bars and taking on the big banks to win billions back for hard working families and drug companies to cap the cost of insulin for seniors.

The ad also outlines her vision for the future where every American has the ability not just to get by, but to get ahead. It puts a spotlight on the dangerous and extreme plan Donald Trump has for the country: giving tax cuts to billionaires, big corporations, and ending the Affordable Care Act. Vice President Harris closes the ad by demonstrating that this election is a choice between two starkly different visions for this country, calling out Trump for his extreme agenda, saying, “Donald Trump wants to take our country backwards… but we are not going back.”

Today’s announcement is the first ad of a $50 million flight across battleground states between now and the Democratic National Convention in August.

Fearless” will run on local and national broadcast, cable programming, streaming, and social channels. The buy will over-index for the audiences critical to winning this November, including running during high-audience events like the Olympic Games, as well as programs like The Bachelorette, Big Brother, The Daily Show, Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, and The Simpsons. As part of the campaign’s Olympics presence, Harris for President is planning to air ads both locally and nationally during the Olympic Games, which saw nearly 30 million US viewers for the opening ceremony — a more-than-60% increase over the Tokyo Olympics. Shorter fifteen-second and six-second versions of the ads will also reach voters on Connected TV, audio, and social platforms.

The following is a statement from Harris for President Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon:

“Throughout her career as a courtroom prosecutor, Attorney General, United States Senator, and now as Vice President, Kamala Harris has always stood up to bullies, criminals and special interests on behalf of the American people – and she’s beaten them. She’s uniquely suited to take on Donald Trump, a convicted felon who has spent his entire life ripping off working people, tearing away our rights, and fighting for himself. This $50 million paid media campaign, bolstered by our record-setting fundraising haul and a groundswell of grassroots enthusiasm, is one crucial way we will reach and make our case to the voters who will decide this election.”

WATCH

NARRATOR: The one thing Kamala Harris has always been: fearless.

As a prosecutor, she put murderers and abusers behind bars. As California’s Attorney General, she went after the big banks and won $20 billion for homeowners. And as Vice President, she took on the big drug companies to cap the cost of insulin for seniors.

Because Kamala Harris has always known who she represents.

KAMALA HARRIS: This campaign is about who we fight for.

We believe in a future where every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead. Where every senior can retire with dignity.

But Donald Trump wants to take our country backward. To give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations and end the Affordable Care Act.

But we are not going back.

I’m Kamala Harris, and I approve this message.

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Paid for by Harris for President

Tuesday News: “‘White Dudes for Harris’ call raises over $4 million”; “Republicans Want to Bring Women Back to the 1950s”; “Trump Explains Why He Told Crowd They Won’t Have To Vote, And Makes It Sound Worse”; Hung Cao “afraid of voters,” Won’t Commit to Debate Tim Kaine

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by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, July 30. Also, check out last night’s “White Dudes for Harris” call, featuring Roy Cooper, JB Pritzker, Pete Buttigieg, Steny Hoyer, Mitch Landrieu,  Adam Schiff, Tim Walz, Jeff Bridges, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Groban, David Hogg, Bradley Whitford, Rory O’Malley, Paul Scheer, Adam Conover, Sean Astin, Michael Kelly, Lance Bass, Tim Daly, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Hamill, Ben Wikler, Josh Gad, etc. Amazing call – raised around $4 million for the Harris campaign! A few great quotes include:

MN Gov. Tim Walz: “There’s one golden rule in a small town…mind your own damn business…Who’s asking for this crazy stuff that they’re pushing…to ban birth control…to raise the price of insulin…to cut veteran’s benefits like Project 2025 does…”

IL Gov. JB Pritzker: “Afterward, of course, there’s another Zoom that I invite you all to, called ‘Couches Against Trump’, better known as CATs” – lol

NC Gov. Roy Cooper: “Real men respect women – their decisions, their careers – and it’s pretty clear that Donald Trump and JD Vance don’t – from Trump’s sexual assaults to Vance’s misogynistic comments, it’s pretty clear that disrespect for women permeates Donald Trump land and MAGA Republicans”

Jeff Bridges: “I’m white, I’m a dude and I’m for Harris!”

Bradley Whitford: “We’re really trying to stay OUT of the ‘Handmaid’s Tale'”

Mitch Landrieu: Trumpism is a “manifestation of what I think is the root of a poisonous tree…a complete rejection of really what America was about…essentially what they’re saying is…really some of us are created more equal than others”

Sean Astin: “Everyone is welcome” with Kamala Harris; “to me, there’s reverence…for women…when I think about smashing the donation button, I think of honoring them”

Josh Groban: “That very unity that I cherish in being able to perform is at risk in the country that I also live in…there is a real age-old drum that is being played on the other side right now that is oversimplifying something…based on fear…this idea that to celebrate the beauty of our similarities and…our differences is somehow a scary thing…”

A Guide to Getting Out of a DUI Charge

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SPONSORED CONTENT

A Guide to Getting Out of a DUI Charge

The worst thing about alcohol-related crashes is that they are 100 percent avoidable, yet they continue to kill and ruin lives every year. 

Washington, DC, treats DUI offenses seriously, with convictions resulting in some pretty harsh penalties depending on the circumstances of your arrest.  

If you have been arrested for DUI, this guide can offer you tips on getting out of your predicament, so keep reading to learn more. 

Challenging Your DUI Stop and Arrest

Law enforcement has to follow protocol when stopping vehicles. The standard is reasonable suspicion. For example, if a law enforcement officer notices a driver overspeeding, weaving between traffic, tailgating, or driving too slow for the posted limit, they have reasonable suspicion for pulling you over. 

If the police can’t prove they had a reasonable suspicion for stopping you, your lawyer can use unlawful stop or arrest as a defense. 

Challenging The Validity of The Tests

Law enforcement officers rely on some standardized tests to prove a DUI.  The police can charge you with a DUI even when you are under the legal limit if they deem you too intoxicated to drive a car after a field sobriety test. 

If the tests involved deviated from the standards, then you can use the deviation as a defense. Police body cameras and dashcam footage can help prove your case under such circumstances. 

Challenging Breathalyzer Results

Most DUI charges are based on breathalyzer test results indicating blood alcohol level above the legal limits of 0.08 for drivers 21 or over, 0.02 for drivers under 21, and o.o4 for CDL drivers. 

Failing a breathalyzer test doesn’t mean you are guilty of DUI. You can challenge the results if there is evidence to show that the equipment was poorly maintained at the time of administration, the test was administered improperly, or you have a health condition that could influence the results. 

Get a Lawyer

It is almost impossible to use the defenses cited in this guide independently, so you should consider hiring a lawyer. 

“The court will assign you a lawyer if you can’t afford one. However, public defenders have huge workloads and may not have the time to investigate your case to give you the best outcomes,” says criminal defense lawyer David Benowitz

In most cases, public defenders are only there to satisfy the legal requirement. If you want specialized attention, go for a private lawyer.

Consequences Of a DUI Conviction

A conviction with DUI will result in criminal penalties that differ with the circumstances of your arrest, including your level of intoxication, whether or not your intoxication results in injury or death, and prior conviction with a DUI. 

First-time offenders can get a maximum of 180 days in jail, but jail time is not mandatory. You can also face fines not exceeding $1,000. For a second conviction, you will be looking at mandatory ten days in jail up to a maximum of one year and fines not exceeding $5,000. For a third and consecutive conviction, you get mandatory 15 days in jail and a maximum of one year with penalties reaching $10,000. 

Penalty enhancements also apply. For example, a first-time offender can get harsher penalties for higher BAC limits. Besides jail time and fines, you can also get a license suspension and be forced to install an ignition interlock device in your vehicle. 

A conviction can affect your life in ways beyond criminal penalties. For example, it can affect your chances of securing a job or getting child custody. These are more reasons you may want to hire a lawyer.

Team Harris Holds Weekend of Action, Capitalizing on Grassroots Energy Across Virginia

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From the Harris for President campaign:

Team Harris Holds Weekend of Action, Capitalizing on Grassroots Energy Across Virginia

This weekend, just days after Vice President Kamala Harris became the expected Democratic nominee for president, Harris for President and the Democratic Party of Virginia kicked off a weekend of action. As we marked 100 days until the election, Virginians of all ages and backgrounds – some of whom have never volunteered on a campaign before – knocked on doors, dialed phones, and gathered in offices across the Commonwealth to support Vice President Harris, Senator Tim Kaine, and Democrats up and down the ticket.

Team Harris and the Virginia Democratic coordinated campaign engaged over 2,300 volunteers and supporters at events this week across the Commonwealth, including canvass launches and press events. Last week, Team Harris had over 7,000 online sign-ups to volunteer, a 500% increase in volunteer sign-ups since Memorial Day.

Democratic leaders and advocates, including Congressman Gerry Connolly, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, Congressman Bobby Scott, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and President pro tempore of the Virginia Senate Louise Lucas joined the weekend of action to highlight the important role Virginia will play in electing Vice President Kamala Harris as President and to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.

See some of the coverage below:

On the Airwaves:

WIRC-RIC (ABC) – Richmond, VA:

Anchor: “Vice President Kamala Harris has hit the ground running, canvassing across the state. 8 News reporter Sara Molina was at a canvassing event in Highland Springs this morning.” […]  

Reporter: “Virginia Democrats organized a triple canvassing event Sunday in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Tim Kaine, and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan.”

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan: “First, I just want to reiterate how exciting this is.”

Reporter: “Virginia Democrats say voter registration and campaigning efforts are on the rise.”

4th Congressional District Democratic Committee Chair Alexsis Rodgers: “We had 7,000 new volunteers sign up to volunteer just in Virginia. 2,300 volunteers have been active this weekend, Saturday and Sunday.”

Reporter: “After the event, attendees went out to knock on doors for Harris.”

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan: “Having seen the Republican Convention, and seen, really, what is at stake if we aren’t successful, people are just fired up in a way that they weren’t before.”

WWBT-RIC (NBC) – Richmond, VA:  

Reporter: “Sunday afternoon, dozens of people gathered in the Highland Springs area of Henrico County, where Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan and other Democratic leaders came out to encourage volunteers before they set off to knock on doors in hopes of getting more people to vote for Kamala Harris to be the next president. The event officially announced the Harris-Kaine-McClellan partnership.”

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan: “What really wins elections is not TV ads. It’s the field organization. It’s knocking on doors. It’s making phone calls. It’s organizing your communities. And we’ve got so many amazing people fired up and ready to do that.”

WCAV (CBS) – Charlottesville, VA:

Reporter: “Today counts 100 days until the election, and Senator Kaine says Kamala Harris has a great chance of pulling off a win. He says Trump is yesterday’s chaos, and Kamala, tomorrow’s progress. He says that’s shown by all of the [Democratic coordinated campaign] offices in Virginia – which are now what Kaine calls Harris-To-Be-Determined offices – seeing a drastic increase in volunteers, donations, and interest.” […]

Reporter: “The reason that Kaine was in town today was for a campaign stop of his own. He visited small business owners to learn about what his office can do for them.”

In Print:

WRIC: 100 days until the presidential election: Democrats and Republicans mobilize

[Sara Molina, 7/28/24]

Virginia Democrats held a canvas launch in Henrico on Sunday, July 28, in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, Senator Tim Kaine and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan.

Virginia Democratic 4th District Committee Chair Alexsis Rodgers said voter registration and campaign engagements are rising since President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race last week.

“We had 7,000 new volunteers sign up to volunteer just in Virginia,” Rodgers said. “[And] 2,300 volunteers have been active this weekend, Saturday and Sunday.”

Following the event, volunteers hit the streets to knock on doors, spreading Harris’s message and rallying support [for Democrats up and down the ticket].

“Having seen the Republican Convention and seeing really what is at stake if we aren’t successful, people are just fired up in a way that they weren’t before.” said Congresswoman McClellan. […]

“We act like we’re a swing state because we understand what wins elections is going out and turning out voters, and so that’s what we’re doing,” McClellan said.

CBS19 News: Kaine on small business tour in Charlottesville

[Felicity Taylor, 7/26/24]

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine was in Charlottesville today on tour to find out what his office can do for small business owners. […]

While he was here, he addressed the titanic change at the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, where Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden.

Kaine said he thinks Harris has a great chance of pulling off the win. He said that Donald Trump is yesterday’s chaos and Kamala is tomorrow’s progress.

Of course, Harris has yet to choose a running mate. Kaine said he thought all of the names being floated have the background to succeed.

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Paid for by Harris for President

Video: On “Morning Joe,” Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07) Rips JD Vance’s “egregious statements related to access to abortion rights” and “on women who don’t have children”

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See below for video of Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA07)’s interview this morning on “Morning Joe.” The bottom line, as Rep. Spanberger puts it:

“Virginians understand the stakes of November’s election.

Virginians know that reproductive rights are on the line.

Virginians know that the jobs of thousands of our fellow Virginians are on the line.

And Virginians know that the future of our healthcare system is on the line.”

More from Rep. Spanberger:

“I’ve been out and about across my district and across the greater Commonwealth, and what I’m hearing on the ground is a lot of excitement…about the Harris candidacy and excitement about taking affirmative steps forward to protect things like abortion rights, to ensure protections of our health care systems, to avoid ever coming close to enacting the dangerous and terrible policies that the Trump-Vance administration would push through Project 2025. And so I think Virginians know what’s at stake, we’re going to get out to the the polls and we’re going to vote here in the Commonwealth for vice president Harris to become president…for so many of us who have heard Senator Vance’s egregious statements related to access to abortion rights, certainly his egregious attacks on women who don’t have children, the contrast is is a clear one.”

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison: “Democrats Head into 100 Day Stretch on Offense with Momentum, Grassroots Energy, and Infrastructure to Win Up and Down Ballot in November”

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From the DNC:

To: Interested Parties
FromDNC Chair Jaime Harrison
Date: July 29, 2024
Subject: Democrats Head into 100 Day Stretch on Offense with Momentum, Grassroots Energy, and Infrastructure to Win Up and Down Ballot in November


The DNC is crossing the 100 day benchmark on offense with robust infrastructure, booming grassroots fundraising, and unprecedented energy online and on the ground. From a surge in small-dollar donations to expansive organizing and data infrastructure across the states, Democrats are strong and only getting stronger. 

Meanwhile, Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican Party’s embarrassment of a convention put their unhinged extremism on full display earlier this month at the RNC. It’s no wonder the ratings were so bad as the MAGA GOP did their usual song and dance, platforming the extremism that has taken over their party – from January 6 insurrectionists to union busters, to Project 2025 authors, to their creepy VP nominee JD Vance. The RNC was the GOP’s opportunity to reach more voters ahead of November, and they failed tremendously, accomplishing nothing other than making clear to the American people that Trump’s promise of unity was another empty promise and spelling out the gravity of the threat the Trump-Vance ticket and their Project 2025 agenda poses to our communities and democracy.

100 days from Election Day, Democrats are strong and getting stronger: Under the leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the DNC has made unprecedented investments in the Democratic Party infrastructure, and as we ramp up ahead of Election Day, Democrats are poised to win big up and down the ballot in November with historic resources, robust infrastructure, a winning message (plus out-of-touch weirdos as opponents), and an unbeatable ground game – supercharged by an unprecedented and undeniable surge in grassroots energy, powered by our state parties, on-the-ground staff, and most of all our grassroots volunteers, donors, meme-makers, allies, and organizers.

Harnessing Grassroots Momentum with Record-Breaking Online Fundraising and Mobilization from Everyday Americans

  • The DNC broke its record for its best online fundraising day of all time, raising $6.5 million in grassroots donations on Sunday, July 21 with $1 million in the 5 p.m. hour alone.
  • The DNC has sustained more online donors than ever before, with people chipping in where they can, from $5/month. We’ve also seen record-breaking organic donations online.

Equipping our Grassroots Messengers Online and Beyond

  • We are doing more than ever before to equip our grassroots supporters with the training and tools to build and sustain the groundswell of enthusiasm for electing Democrats this November – from sharing content in our relational organizing app Reach; to creating organic graphics, memes, and TikToks; to hosting trainings to equip volunteer canvassers with the tools to become content creators activating their communities on platforms including WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Discord. 
  • Just this week, the DNC hosted our biggest online volunteer event of the cycle.

Reaching Voters through State-of-the-Art Data and Technology Infrastructure 

  • The DNC has developed and maintained data infrastructure for campaigns to store and leverage campaign data built up over decades, purchasing VAN centrally on behalf of all state parties and Democratic campaigns, and providing our state-of-the-art cloud-based data warehouse, Phoenix — a multi-million dollar annual investment.
  • We’ve invested more than $2.4 million in voter file data, models, and commercial data to help campaigns reach voters where they are, improving cell phone coverage on file from 30 percent of voters in 2016 to over 80 percent, including more than 24.5 million new cell phone numbers as of this month, with monthly releases planned for the rest of the election cycle.
  • The DNC has developed an algorithm to review over 330 million national voter file records, resulting in the de-duplication of more than 50 million voter records, saving time for organizers trying to contact voters who moved from one state to another.

Investing in all 57 State Parties to Win Up and Down the Ballot 

  • The DNC is investing a baseline of $8.3 million this year as part of our investments in all 57 state parties, a 25% increase since 2020. 
    • In June, the DNC announced grants totaling nearly $2 million to the Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and other Democratic state parties to build infrastructure and provide a boost in down ballot races.
    • Introduced in the 2022 midterm cycle, the DNC’s Red State Fund builds programs in traditionally Republican states and has already invested more than $4.5 million so far this cycle including investments in critical 2023 races.
  • This month, the DNC invested an additional $15 million in the battleground states – helping to fund new field offices, build data infrastructure, mobilize volunteers, and strengthen coordinated campaigns. These investments are at work in the battlegrounds – supporting 217 coordinated field offices and more than 1,100 staffers.

Building a Diverse Democratic Coalition to Win

  • Through community-centered outreach and education programs, paid media, translation services, and more, Democrats are reaching our diverse coalition to earn every vote. 
  • The DNC has made a seven-figure investment in paid media – print, digital, radio, and out-of-home advertising – to buttress direct voter engagement across key constituencies, including young and rural voters, Black, Native, AANHPI, and Latino voters, LGBTQ+ voters, and beyond.
  • The DNC has run advertising campaigns in eight languages so far this cycle, including an emphasis on Spanish-language outreach – with a six-figure paid media investment and more than 30 bilingual billboard campaigns during this cycle. 

Staying on the Offense with a Winning Message and Defining the Trump-Vance Project 2025 Agenda

  • Democrats are on offense, making clear to voters that the Trump-Vance ticket will ban abortion nationwide, give tax handouts to billionaires on the backs of hardworking families, gut Medicare and Social Security, and empower Trump to fulfill his promise to be a dictator on “day one.” 
  • In sharp contrast, Democrats’ forward-looking agenda – fighting to restore reproductive freedom for every American, build an economy that works for hardworking families, and defend our freedoms, rights, and democracy – has never waivered. 
  • Our message is resonating. The unfavorability rating of Project 2025 has increased 24 points since June, with most Americans now familiar with Project 2025 and just one in ten having a favorable view of it.
    • The more Americans learn about the Trump-Vance ticket’s Project 2025 agenda, the less they like it.
    • Americans know Project 2025 will disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans, CEOs, and big corporations – not working people.
  • As a result, Trump is desperately and unsuccessfully attempting to distance himself from the far-right blueprint written for him by extremists who include 140 staffers from his first administration under the leadership of the RNC sponsor and Trump-Vance booster, the Heritage Foundation.
    • plurality of Americans aren’t buying Trump’s weak attempts to distance himself from his toxic Project 2025 agenda.
  • As if the Republican Party needed another dumpster fire of their own creation, Trump and Republicans up and down the ballot are getting dragged even further down by JD Vance. Vance is making history as the most disliked VP nominee post-convention that our country has seen in decades – and Americans don’t think he’s ready to lead.

Democratic voters, volunteers, and grassroots donors are fired up. We are confident that in our battleground states, Democrats will win up and down the ballot in November. Tied to an unpopular and dangerous Project 2025 agenda, the GOP is struggling to establish a ground game or make inroads with voters. It seems that GOP infrastructure issues are a feature — not a bug — of the Republican strategy this year, and it will hurt them on Election Day. Democrats answer to working people, not billionaires, and we will continue to engage communities block by block. That’s how we’ll win in November.

Monday News: “Biden rolls out plan to overhaul the Supreme Court”; FAR From Being a New Man After Assassination Attempt, Trump Says He’s “Gotten Worse”; “Harris has super-charged Democratic hopes of taking the House”; “Congratulations to Arlington’s Torri Huske on winning gold”

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by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, July 29.