thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-30--Schumer-aligned PAC portrays Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner as hobnobbing with the rich amid coronavirus

The super PAC affiliated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is targeting Colorado voters with a digital advertisement that accuses Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of ignoring the rising danger of the coronavirus back home so that he could mingle with wealthy `` socialites '' in Florida .
Senate Majority PAC , or `` SMP , '' is investing “ five figures ” with Facebook and Google to run the spot as Democrats attempt to oust Gardner after just one term .
The ad highlights a trip to Palm Beach in late February before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But SMP is using Gardner ’ s attendance at an opulent champagne and dinner reception to charge him with negligence as the coronavirus spread .
“ Cory Gardner has shown time and again his loyalty is to the millionaires lining his campaign coffers and President Trump , not to his constituents , ” Matt Corridoni , SMP spokesman , said in a statement .
The Gardner campaign countered that Democrats are using the pandemic to play politics .
`` It 's disgusting to see Chuck Schumer 's dark money super PAC attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ score political points , '' Gardner campaign spokesman Jerrod Dobkin told the Washington Examiner .
Gardner is running for reelection in a swing state that has voted Democrat for president in three consecutive elections and is expected to do so again this year .
With President Trump ’ s weakness among the suburban voters that predominate in metropolitan Denver , Gardner is facing a particularly tough campaign .
The tens of millions of dollars Democratic groups are spending against the senator are compounding his challenge .
This latest attack from SMP combines press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dinner at a tony South Florida mansion with an ethics complaint filed by a Democratic state representative that claims the senator ’ s participation in the event amounted to a violation of the law regulating how much money in gifts federal lawmakers can accept .
However , Gardner did not accept any gifts from the hosts of the event , and his campaign covered the costs of his attendance , said Dobkin , his spokesman .
The event , organized by Krug Champagne , was not a fundraiser .
The digital ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the senator has been laser-focused on defeating the coronavirus .
`` Senator Gardner called for the first COVID-19 Congressional briefing , and has secured masks , ventilators , and testing kits to save lives in Colorado , '' Dobkin said .
`` This ethics complaint has already been called 'frivolous ' because the Gardner campaign complied with FEC regulations and paid for Senator Gardner ’ s attendance at the event .

The super PAC affiliated with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is targeting Colorado voters with a digital advertisement that accuses Republican Sen. Cory Gardner of ignoring the rising danger of the coronavirus back home so that he could mingle with wealthy "socialites" in Florida.
Senate Majority PAC, or "SMP," is investing “five figures” with Facebook and Google to run the spot as Democrats attempt to oust Gardner after just one term. The ad highlights a trip to Palm Beach in late February before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic and prior to social distancing and business closures. But SMP is using Gardner’s attendance at an opulent champagne and dinner reception to charge him with negligence as the coronavirus spread.
“Cory Gardner has shown time and again his loyalty is to the millionaires lining his campaign coffers and President Trump, not to his constituents,” Matt Corridoni, SMP spokesman, said in a statement.
The Gardner campaign countered that Democrats are using the pandemic to play politics. "It's disgusting to see Chuck Schumer's dark money super PAC attempt to use a public health crisis to score political points," Gardner campaign spokesman Jerrod Dobkin told the Washington Examiner.
Gardner is running for reelection in a swing state that has voted Democrat for president in three consecutive elections and is expected to do so again this year. With President Trump’s weakness among the suburban voters that predominate in metropolitan Denver, Gardner is facing a particularly tough campaign. The tens of millions of dollars Democratic groups are spending against the senator are compounding his challenge.
This latest attack from SMP combines press reports of Gardner’s attendance at the dinner at a tony South Florida mansion with an ethics complaint filed by a Democratic state representative that claims the senator’s participation in the event amounted to a violation of the law regulating how much money in gifts federal lawmakers can accept.
However, Gardner did not accept any gifts from the hosts of the event, and his campaign covered the costs of his attendance, said Dobkin, his spokesman. The event, organized by Krug Champagne, was not a fundraiser. The digital ad from SMP implies otherwise.
Dobkin said the senator has been laser-focused on defeating the coronavirus.
"Senator Gardner called for the first COVID-19 Congressional briefing, and has secured masks, ventilators, and testing kits to save lives in Colorado," Dobkin said. "This ethics complaint has already been called 'frivolous' because the Gardner campaign complied with FEC regulations and paid for Senator Gardner’s attendance at the event.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-30--Battered during health briefings, Trump pivots to post-coronavirus economy

The doctor is out , and the economic repairman is in , as the White House shifts its coronavirus messaging away from managing public health expectations toward reopening the economy amid falling poll numbers .
Gone for now are the lengthy daily coronavirus briefings .
In their place are feel-good roundtables with businessmen led by President Trump , who is about to take this pitch on the road with his first significant to states slowly digging out from the quarantines .
Trump has also been meeting at the White House with governors about safely reopening their states .
This moves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical advice from the podium , a source of controversy that peaked with musings about the hypothetical effects of disinfectant on the lungs , toward his perceived strengths in business and showmanship .
It also changes the subject to what Trump wants to be talking about as he seeks a second term : getting the economy , until recently the crown jewel of his case for reelection , moving again .
“ We built the greatest economy anywhere in the world , ” Trump said .
“ And we 're going to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build it fast .
It 's going to go very quickly.
” Trump huddled Wednesday with larger companies , including Toyota and Waffle House , for a discussion of this topic .
An event on protecting seniors , who are , is scheduled Thursday .
On Tuesday , it was small businesses such as Ford ’ s Fish Shack and Bitty and Beau ’ s Coffee .
In both cases , the emphasis was on what the federal government ( and by extension , the Trump administration ) had done to help and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs , at least , ” Trump said on Tuesday .
“ And last week , Congress answered our call to replenish the [ Paycheck Protection ] program , and I was honored to sign an additional $ 320 billion for American workers into law.
” Drs .
Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx , the science advisers who became the stars of the recently discarded briefings , still make their appearances .
They were in the room for the on-camera portion of Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bel Edwards .
Fauci about a coronavirus drug trial .
Public confidence in Fauci and Birx remains high , according to polls , and Trump ’ s own when the briefings started .
“ I 'm glad that the administration is erring on the side of overcommunications , ” said Republican strategist Alex Conant .
“ There 's a lot of information that needs to be shared with the public , and repetition is important.
” But the press conferences have since come to be seen as a liability .
Former White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Washington Examiner the freewheeling sessions should be made shorter and focus on the experts .
Things headed in the opposite direction , and after the press and public got the message on social distancing , so did Trump ’ s numbers .
“ The briefings have been a farce since the beginning .
What little useful information they provided was overwhelmed by misinformation , contradictions , mixed messages , and messages that were completely off-topic , ” said Republican strategist Rick Tyler , a Trump critic .
“ The light-disinfectant-therapy debacle was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the longest-running daily shit show to ever originate from the White House .
Republican elected officials and donors have finally had enough.
” “ I do like this shift from going out and just talking about the virus , ” said Jason Miller , a former Trump communications adviser who remains close to the White House .
“ The entire nation is at the point where they ’ re going stir-crazy.
” Trump ’ s communications team has been reshuffled , with the return of Hope Hicks to the West Wing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But even the more carefully laid plans can easily be disrupted by a presidential tweet .
“ Many of the stations will tune out when they are doing the third-party validators , then they tune back in when they pick up the Q & A part , ” Miller said of Trump 's roundtables with business leaders .
“ It ’ s either feed or be eaten .
If you can ’ t feed reporters new information for their stories , you are going to start to look like food.
” But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get any easier .
For now , the administration is betting on this comment made at Wednesday 's event with business leaders by Vice President Mike Pence : “ America works when America is working . ''

The doctor is out, and the economic repairman is in, as the White House shifts its coronavirus messaging away from managing public health expectations toward reopening the economy amid falling poll numbers.
Gone for now are the lengthy daily coronavirus briefings. In their place are feel-good roundtables with businessmen led by President Trump, who is about to take this pitch on the road with his first significant post-coronavirus travel to states slowly digging out from the quarantines. Trump has also been meeting at the White House with governors about safely reopening their states.
This moves the president away from appearing to give medical advice from the podium, a source of controversy that peaked with musings about the hypothetical effects of disinfectant on the lungs, toward his perceived strengths in business and showmanship. It also changes the subject to what Trump wants to be talking about as he seeks a second term: getting the economy, until recently the crown jewel of his case for reelection, moving again.
“We built the greatest economy anywhere in the world,” Trump said. “And we're going to build it again. We're going to build it fast. It's going to go very quickly.”
Trump huddled Wednesday with larger companies, including Toyota and Waffle House, for a discussion of this topic. An event on protecting seniors, who are worried about reopening , is scheduled Thursday. On Tuesday, it was small businesses such as Ford’s Fish Shack and Bitty and Beau’s Coffee. In both cases, the emphasis was on what the federal government (and by extension, the Trump administration) had done to help and signs that things were improving.
“Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs, at least,” Trump said on Tuesday. “And last week, Congress answered our call to replenish the [Paycheck Protection] program, and I was honored to sign an additional $320 billion for American workers into law.”
Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, the science advisers who became the stars of the recently discarded briefings, still make their appearances. They were in the room for the on-camera portion of Trump’s meeting with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards. Fauci expressed optimism about a coronavirus drug trial.
Public confidence in Fauci and Birx remains high, according to polls, and Trump’s own approval ratings rose when the briefings started. “I'm glad that the administration is erring on the side of overcommunications,” said Republican strategist Alex Conant. “There's a lot of information that needs to be shared with the public, and repetition is important.” But the press conferences have since come to be seen as a liability. Former White House press secretaries for presidents of both parties told the Washington Examiner the freewheeling sessions should be made shorter and focus on the experts. Things headed in the opposite direction, and after the press and public got the message on social distancing, so did Trump’s numbers.
“The briefings have been a farce since the beginning. What little useful information they provided was overwhelmed by misinformation, contradictions, mixed messages, and messages that were completely off-topic,” said Republican strategist Rick Tyler, a Trump critic. “The light-disinfectant-therapy debacle was the final straw that broke the credibility of the longest-running daily shit show to ever originate from the White House. Republican elected officials and donors have finally had enough.”
“I do like this shift from going out and just talking about the virus,” said Jason Miller, a former Trump communications adviser who remains close to the White House. “The entire nation is at the point where they’re going stir-crazy.”
Trump’s communications team has been reshuffled, with the return of Hope Hicks to the West Wing and Kayleigh McEnany becoming his latest press secretary. But even the more carefully laid plans can easily be disrupted by a presidential tweet.
“Many of the stations will tune out when they are doing the third-party validators, then they tune back in when they pick up the Q&A part,” Miller said of Trump's roundtables with business leaders. “It’s either feed or be eaten. If you can’t feed reporters new information for their stories, you are going to start to look like food.”
But the questions from reporters won’t get any easier. For now, the administration is betting on this comment made at Wednesday's event with business leaders by Vice President Mike Pence: “America works when America is working."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-30--Following Hillary Clinton endorsement, where's Bill?

Former Vice President Joe Biden has earned the endorsement of his former boss and the last two-term Democratic president , Barack Obama , along with the party 's failed 2016 nominee , Hillary Clinton .
One Democratic luminary , however , is conspicuously absent from Biden 's endorsement list : former President Bill Clinton .
While endorsement by Hillary Clinton 's husband , president from 1993-2001 , is still possible , Bill Clinton 's relative silence today reflects changing circumstances in the Democratic coalition .
Acquitted by the Senate in his 1999 impeachment trial over perjury and obstruction of justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill Clinton years later has become a pariah figure in some Democratic quarters .
And comparisons with Biden 's sexual assault allegations , by former Senate staff member Tara Reade , make a public appearance by the former president particularly uncomfortable .
Nonetheless , Hillary Clinton , the former secretary of state , senator , and first lady defeated by President Trump in 2016 , recently offered effusive praise for Biden , who was vice president for eight years after 36 years as a Delaware senator .
“ I ’ ve not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ ve been a friend , and I can tell you that I wish he were president right now , but I can ’ t wait until he is if all of us do our part , '' she said Tuesday in a livestream with Biden .
Earlier this month , Obama announced his support for Biden as well , shortly after Sen. Bernie Sanders said he was ending his campaign .
Questions about Obama 's endorsement lingered throughout the entire primary , but following Biden 's South Carolina win , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former 2020 Democratic rivals such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg to back Biden .
Bill Clinton has largely avoided having to make difficult choices in the last few presidential cycles , backing his wife in 2016 and in 2008 .
In 2012 , he gave the headliner speech at the Democratic National Convention , officially nominating Obama for reelection .
In 2004 , the Democratic nomination wrapped up relatively early , with John Kerry winning 52 contests .
Although recovering from heart surgery , Clinton lent his support to Kerry in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the oldest surviving Democratic president , has stopped short of endorsing any candidate but has given veiled criticisms of Biden 's campaign .
In September 2019 , he said he would have been `` too old '' to be president at 80 — the age Biden would be in his first term .
In 2017 , Carter revealed that he voted for Sanders over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary .
But Carter 's 1977-1981 presidency is part of a distant past for many voters , while Bill Clinton , for many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brand of center-left politics that was supposed to endure in popularity for decades .
`` Carter is an unpopular and failed president , do you want to be associated with him ?
I think there ’ s some of that with Clinton , you have the issue with his impeachment , but he leads his office very popular , '' said presidential historian Barbara Perry , who has done extensive work on presidential endorsements .
`` He ’ s popular , but in recent times because of the # MeToo movement , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scholar at the University of Virginia 's Miller Center , said Bill Clinton 's drawbacks as a surrogate had lingered since 2000 , when his vice president , Al Gore , sought as the Democratic nominee to distance himself from the president in the wake of impeachment .
Although the mark of impeachment on his legacy still remains , much of Clinton 's absence is likely due to the massive culture changes surrounding allegations of sexual assault , including the most recent one lobbied against Biden by Reade .
None of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to the campaign trail , particularly since he and Biden occupy similar wings of the party ideologically .
And the pair have a long history .
During Clinton 's first two years as president , Biden , as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman , shepherded through the confirmation of two Supreme Court nominees , Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Steven Breyer .
And Biden fought for passage of the Clinton administration 's crime bill , which ultimately became law .
Bill Clinton 's backing could still help Biden , said Democratic strategist Scott Ferson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with better political timing .
Hillary didn ’ t get much play '' in her announcement video for Biden , Ferson told the Washington Examiner .
`` As a former president , I think there ’ s a time for him to critique Trump , but after we get through this [ health crisis ] . ''

Former Vice President Joe Biden has earned the endorsement of his former boss and the last two-term Democratic president, Barack Obama, along with the party's failed 2016 nominee, Hillary Clinton.
One Democratic luminary, however, is conspicuously absent from Biden's endorsement list: former President Bill Clinton.
While endorsement by Hillary Clinton's husband, president from 1993-2001, is still possible, Bill Clinton's relative silence today reflects changing circumstances in the Democratic coalition. Acquitted by the Senate in his 1999 impeachment trial over perjury and obstruction of justice charges in the Monica Lewinsky affair, Bill Clinton years later has become a pariah figure in some Democratic quarters. And comparisons with Biden's sexual assault allegations, by former Senate staff member Tara Reade, make a public appearance by the former president particularly uncomfortable.
Nonetheless, Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, senator, and first lady defeated by President Trump in 2016, recently offered effusive praise for Biden, who was vice president for eight years after 36 years as a Delaware senator.
“I’ve not only been a colleague of Joe Biden's, I’ve been a friend, and I can tell you that I wish he were president right now, but I can’t wait until he is if all of us do our part," she said Tuesday in a livestream with Biden.
Earlier this month, Obama announced his support for Biden as well, shortly after Sen. Bernie Sanders said he was ending his campaign. Questions about Obama's endorsement lingered throughout the entire primary, but following Biden's South Carolina win, he worked behind the scenes to consolidate former 2020 Democratic rivals such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg to back Biden.
Bill Clinton has largely avoided having to make difficult choices in the last few presidential cycles, backing his wife in 2016 and in 2008. In 2012, he gave the headliner speech at the Democratic National Convention, officially nominating Obama for reelection.
In 2004, the Democratic nomination wrapped up relatively early, with John Kerry winning 52 contests. Although recovering from heart surgery, Clinton lent his support to Kerry in press releases and interviews.
Jimmy Carter, the oldest surviving Democratic president, has stopped short of endorsing any candidate but has given veiled criticisms of Biden's campaign. In September 2019, he said he would have been "too old" to be president at 80 — the age Biden would be in his first term.
In 2017, Carter revealed that he voted for Sanders over Hillary Clinton in the presidential primary. But Carter's 1977-1981 presidency is part of a distant past for many voters, while Bill Clinton, for many, represented a "third way" brand of center-left politics that was supposed to endure in popularity for decades.
"Carter is an unpopular and failed president, do you want to be associated with him? I think there’s some of that with Clinton, you have the issue with his impeachment, but he leads his office very popular," said presidential historian Barbara Perry, who has done extensive work on presidential endorsements. "He’s popular, but in recent times because of the #MeToo movement, there are those issues."
Perry, a scholar at the University of Virginia's Miller Center, said Bill Clinton's drawbacks as a surrogate had lingered since 2000, when his vice president, Al Gore, sought as the Democratic nominee to distance himself from the president in the wake of impeachment.
Although the mark of impeachment on his legacy still remains, much of Clinton's absence is likely due to the massive culture changes surrounding allegations of sexual assault, including the most recent one lobbied against Biden by Reade.
None of that is to say Clinton won't ever return to the campaign trail, particularly since he and Biden occupy similar wings of the party ideologically. And the pair have a long history. During Clinton's first two years as president, Biden, as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, shepherded through the confirmation of two Supreme Court nominees, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Steven Breyer. And Biden fought for passage of the Clinton administration's crime bill, which ultimately became law.
Bill Clinton's backing could still help Biden, said Democratic strategist Scott Ferson.
"There’s no one with better political timing. Hillary didn’t get much play" in her announcement video for Biden, Ferson told the Washington Examiner. "As a former president, I think there’s a time for him to critique Trump, but after we get through this [health crisis]."


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-30--Pelosi snaps at reporter: 'I don’t need a lecture' on Biden assault allegation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lashed out at a reporter who asked about the disparate treatment of sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and former Vice President Joe Biden .
“ I respect your question , and I don ’ t need a lecture or a speech , ” Pelosi told a Washington Examiner reporter who asked the California Democrat about Democrats supporting Biden following a sexual assault allegation by a former Senate aide .
“ I have a complete respect for the whole # MeToo movement , ” Pelosi said .
“ I have four daughters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of excitement around the idea that women will be heard and be able to be listened to . ''
Pelosi was asked about criticism that Democrats are using “ a different standard ” for Biden .
Democrats called for investigations into the allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party when the two were teenagers in the 1980s .
The inquiry included hearings and an FBI review of the claim , delaying and nearly derailing Kavanaugh ’ s confirmation to the high court .
So far , no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over an allegation by Tara Reade that Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , sexually assaulted her decades ago when she worked for him in the U.S. Senate .
“ There is also due process , and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden , ” Pelosi said Thursday during her weekly news conference .
“ There 's been statements from his campaign , not his campaign but his former employees who ran his offices and the rest , that there was never any record of this , there was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came forward or nobody came forward to say something about it apart from the principle involved.
” Pelosi told reporters she remains a full supporter of Biden ’ s candidacy .
She said Biden has long been an advocate for women , dating back to his time as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 1990s and as an author of the Violence Against Women Act .
“ I am so proud , that happiest day for me this week was to support Joe Biden for president of the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I believe that he will be a great president of the United States .
He is the personification of hope and optimism and authenticity , for our country , a person of great values .
So I 'm going to remove all doubt in anyone 's mind .
I have great comfort level with the situation as I see it , with all the respect in the world for any woman who comes forward , with all the highest regard for Joe Biden , and that 's what I have to say about @ @ @ @ @ @

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lashed out at a reporter who asked about the disparate treatment of sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and former Vice President Joe Biden.
“I respect your question, and I don’t need a lecture or a speech,” Pelosi told a Washington Examiner reporter who asked the California Democrat about Democrats supporting Biden following a sexual assault allegation by a former Senate aide.
“I have a complete respect for the whole #MeToo movement,” Pelosi said. “I have four daughters and one son. And there's a lot of excitement around the idea that women will be heard and be able to be listened to."
Pelosi was asked about criticism that Democrats are using “a different standard” for Biden.
Democrats called for investigations into the allegations by Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party when the two were teenagers in the 1980s. The inquiry included hearings and an FBI review of the claim, delaying and nearly derailing Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the high court.
So far, no prominent Democrat has called for similar scrutiny over an allegation by Tara Reade that Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, sexually assaulted her decades ago when she worked for him in the U.S. Senate.
“There is also due process, and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden,” Pelosi said Thursday during her weekly news conference. “There's been statements from his campaign, not his campaign but his former employees who ran his offices and the rest, that there was never any record of this, there was never any record, and that nobody ever came forward or nobody came forward to say something about it apart from the principle involved.”
Pelosi told reporters she remains a full supporter of Biden’s candidacy. She said Biden has long been an advocate for women, dating back to his time as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 1990s and as an author of the Violence Against Women Act.
“I am so proud, that happiest day for me this week was to support Joe Biden for president of the United States," Pelosi said, adding, “I believe that he will be a great president of the United States. He is the personification of hope and optimism and authenticity, for our country, a person of great values. So I'm going to remove all doubt in anyone's mind. I have great comfort level with the situation as I see it, with all the respect in the world for any woman who comes forward, with all the highest regard for Joe Biden, and that's what I have to say about that. Thank you.”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-04-30--Biden campaign operatives have accessed sealed Senate archive, which may contain Tara Reade file

Operatives connected to Joe Biden 's presidential campaign have accessed his Senate records stored at the University of Delaware , which remain sealed from the public , according to a new report .
The revelation comes as Biden faces pressure to release some or all of the records to the public to search for information that corroborates or refutes Tara Reade 's allegations that Biden sexually assaulted and harassed her when she worked in his Senate office in 1993 .
A University of Delaware spokeswoman told Business Insider that Biden campaign operatives accessed the archive in the spring of 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , but stressed no one had accessed it since the university 's library closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus .
That would mean no operatives have accessed the archive since Reade went public with her allegations of sexual assault in late March but accessed it after Reade and several other women came forward with complaints of inappropriate touching from Biden shortly before he announced his presidential candidacy .
Biden donated his Senate records to the University of Delaware in 2011 .
It was expected to be made public sometime in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the collection would be until two years after Biden “ retires from public life ” or two years after Dec. 31 , 2019 , whichever is later .
Reade suspects that a sexual harassment complaint she filed with an outside Senate personnel office in 1993 may be stored in the archives , or that it could include notes from meetings she said she had with top staff members about harassment or information about retaliation she said she suffered after coming forward with the claims .
Three top staffers vehemently deny hearing about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have said they remember Reade abruptly losing intern supervision duties .
Ted Kaufman , Biden 's then-chief of staff , who later became a senator and is now heading up putting together a Biden transition team in case he wins in November , `` took notes when I spoke with him , '' Reade told Business Insider .
`` He 's now denying that we ever had the meeting , and I watched him take notes .
Those notes would be in my personnel file , along with sick days or any kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
There is no guarantee that the archive contains information about Reade .
It is up to each former senator what they choose to make public from their personal files .
“ If anything is in the Senator ’ s papers , they ’ re his property , there ’ s no federal rule there , ” Donald Ritchie , historian emeritus of the Senate , told the Washington Examiner earlier this month .

Operatives connected to Joe Biden's presidential campaign have accessed his Senate records stored at the University of Delaware, which remain sealed from the public, according to a new report.
The revelation comes as Biden faces pressure to release some or all of the records to the public to search for information that corroborates or refutes Tara Reade's allegations that Biden sexually assaulted and harassed her when she worked in his Senate office in 1993.
A University of Delaware spokeswoman told Business Insider that Biden campaign operatives accessed the archive in the spring of 2019 after he announced his candidacy on April 25, but stressed no one had accessed it since the university's library closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus.
That would mean no operatives have accessed the archive since Reade went public with her allegations of sexual assault in late March but accessed it after Reade and several other women came forward with complaints of inappropriate touching from Biden shortly before he announced his presidential candidacy.
Biden donated his Senate records to the University of Delaware in 2011. It was expected to be made public sometime in 2019, but the university said last year that the collection would be sealed from the public until two years after Biden “retires from public life” or two years after Dec. 31, 2019, whichever is later.
[Related: Could a closed archive hold answers on Biden sexual misconduct claim?]
Reade suspects that a sexual harassment complaint she filed with an outside Senate personnel office in 1993 may be stored in the archives, or that it could include notes from meetings she said she had with top staff members about harassment or information about retaliation she said she suffered after coming forward with the claims. Three top staffers vehemently deny hearing about her allegations, but two former interns have said they remember Reade abruptly losing intern supervision duties.
Ted Kaufman, Biden's then-chief of staff, who later became a senator and is now heading up putting together a Biden transition team in case he wins in November, "took notes when I spoke with him," Reade told Business Insider. "He's now denying that we ever had the meeting, and I watched him take notes. Those notes would be in my personnel file, along with sick days or any kind of extra notes that I turn in."
There is no guarantee that the archive contains information about Reade. It is up to each former senator what they choose to make public from their personal files.
“If anything is in the Senator’s papers, they’re his property, there’s no federal rule there,” Donald Ritchie, historian emeritus of the Senate, told the Washington Examiner earlier this month.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--'Never happened': Joe Biden denies Tara Reade sexual assault allegations

Joe Biden for the first time personally addressed Tara Reade 's allegations that he sexually assaulted and harassed her , issuing a firm denial .
`` I recognize my responsibility to be a voice , an advocate , and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished .
So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago , '' Biden said in a statement released Friday morning .
`` They aren ’ t true .
This never happened . ''
The former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on MSNBC 's `` Morning Joe '' to deny the allegations .
He revealed that his cam '' I do n't remember any type of complaint she may have made .
It was 27 years ago .
I do n't remember , nor does anyone else that I 'm aware of . ''
Biden also said that there is no information that could be hidden in a non-disclosure agreement .
`` There is no NDA signed .
I 've never asked anyone to sign an NDA , period , in my case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm not going to question her motive .
I 'm not going to get into that at all .
I do n't know what she 's saying this , '' Biden said `` I 'm not going to attack her . ''
When asked about his previous statement that that women accused of sexual assault should be believed , Biden answered carefully .
`` Look , women are to be believed given the benefit of the doubt .
If they come forward and say something that they said happened to them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are telling the truth , then you have to look at the circumstances and the facts , '' Biden said .
`` The facts in this case do not exist . ''
Biden 's campaign had previously addressed Reade 's allegations with a blanket denial , but Biden had faced growing pressure to address Reade himself after more than a month of revelations and increasing media coverage about her allegation .
Reade , 56 , worked in Biden 's Senate office as a staff assistant in 1993 , during which time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by inappropriately touching her hair and neck and sexually assaulted her by forcibly kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers in a semi-private area of the Senate office building complex .
Biden in his statement said that Reade 's story has `` inconsistencies , '' and has `` changed repeatedly in both small and big ways . ''
Reade revealed harassment allegations in spring 2019 , but did not accuse Biden of assault until the end of March .
Biden also brought up the fact that Reade says she complained to top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harassment , and their denials in news reports .
`` She has said she raised some of these issues with her supervisor and senior staffers from my office at the time , '' Biden 's statement said .
`` They — both men and a woman — have said , unequivocally , that she never came to them and complained or raised issues .
News organizations that have talked with literally dozens of former staffers have not found one — not one — who corroborated her allegations in any way .
Indeed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an office that would not have tolerated harassment in any way — as indeed I would not have . ''
Friends and family members of Reade have corroborated her story by saying she told them about the assault or harassment in Biden 's office inn the 90s .
Reade says that she filed a complaint with an outside Senate personnel office about the alleged harassment , but does not have a record of the complaint .
She has called on Biden to open his sealed archive of Senate files in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other information that could corroborate her story .
According to Biden , there is nothing in those files .
`` The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993 .
But she does not have a record of this alleged complaint .
The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files .
It is the practice of senators to establish a library of personal papers that document their public record : speeches , policy proposals , positions taken , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's statement said .
Biden suggested that her complaint may be somewhere else , and that those records should be opened up .
`` There is only one place a complaint of this kind could be — the National Archives .
The National Archives is where the records are kept at what was then called the Office of Fair Employment Practices .
I am requesting that the Secretary of the Senate ask the Archives to identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such complaint , the record will be there , '' Biden said .

Joe Biden for the first time personally addressed Tara Reade's allegations that he sexually assaulted and harassed her, issuing a firm denial.
"I recognize my responsibility to be a voice, an advocate, and a leader for the change in culture that has begun but is nowhere near finished. So I want to address allegations by a former staffer that I engaged in misconduct 27 years ago," Biden said in a statement released Friday morning. "They aren’t true. This never happened."
The former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee also appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to deny the allegations.
"I don't remember any type of complaint she may have made. It was 27 years ago. ... I don't remember, nor does anyone else that I'm aware of."
Biden also said that there is no information that could be hidden in a nondisclosure agreement.
"There is no NDA signed. I've never asked anyone to sign an NDA, period, in my case. None," Biden said.
"I'm not going to question her motive. I'm not going to get into that at all. I don't know why she's saying this," Biden said. "I'm not going to attack her."
When asked about his previous statement that women accused of sexual assault should be believed, Biden answered carefully.
"Look, women are to be believed given the benefit of the doubt. If they come forward and say something that they said happened to them, they should start off with the presumption that they are telling the truth. Then, you have to look at the circumstances and the facts," Biden said. "The facts in this case do not exist."
Biden's campaign had previously addressed Reade's allegations with a blanket denial, but Biden had faced growing pressure to address Reade himself after more than a month of revelations and increasing media coverage about her allegation.
Reade, 56, worked in Biden's Senate office as a staff assistant in 1993, during which time she alleges that Biden sexually harassed her by inappropriately touching her hair and neck and sexually assaulted her by forcibly kissing her and penetrating her with his fingers in a semiprivate area of the Senate office building complex.
Biden in his statement said that Reade's story has "inconsistencies" and has "changed repeatedly in both small and big ways."
Reade revealed harassment allegations in spring 2019 but did not accuse Biden of assault until the end of March.
Biden also brought up the fact that Reade says she complained to top staff members in Biden's office about harassment and their subsequent denials in news reports.
"She has said she raised some of these issues with her supervisor and senior staffers from my office at the time," Biden's statement read. "They — both men and a woman — have said, unequivocally, that she never came to them and complained or raised issues. News organizations that have talked with literally dozens of former staffers have not found one — not one — who corroborated her allegations in any way. Indeed, many of them spoke to the culture of an office that would not have tolerated harassment in any way — as indeed I would not have."
Friends and family members of Reade have corroborated her story by saying she told them about the assault or harassment in Biden's office in the '90s.
Reade says that she filed a complaint with an outside Senate personnel office about the alleged harassment but does not have a record of the complaint. She has called on Biden to open his sealed archive of Senate files in order to search for her own personnel file or other information that could corroborate her story.
According to Biden, there is nothing in those files.
"The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993. But she does not have a record of this alleged complaint. The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files. It is the practice of senators to establish a library of personal papers that document their public record: speeches, policy proposals, positions taken, and the writing of bills," Biden's statement said.
Biden suggested that her complaint may be somewhere else and that those records should be opened up.
"There is only one place a complaint of this kind could be — the National Archives. The National Archives is where the records are kept at what was then called the Office of Fair Employment Practices. I am requesting that the Secretary of the Senate ask the Archives to identify any record of the complaint she alleges she filed and make available to the press any such document. If there was ever any such complaint, the record will be there," Biden said.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Can a president win reelection with historically high unemployment?

President Trump faces the unenviable task of trying to win reelection with unemployment rates unseen since the Great Depression , but there is precedent for incumbents surviving increased joblessness .
A jobs report released Thursday showed another 3.8 million people in the United States filing for unemployment , totaling roughly 30 million in the six weeks since states began the coronavirus lockdowns .
Those numbers constitute the worst job losses in history , with the unemployment rate now hovering around 20 % .
During the Great Depression , unemployment hit an all-time high of just short of 25 % and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1940 .
March 2020 was the largest one-month increase in the unemployment rate since 1975 , with the number of unemployed people rising from 1.4 million to 7.1 million .
Some economists predict unemployment rising to 30 % or even higher , a grim reality as states signal they 'll begin taking steps to reopen businesses in order to avoid further economic hardship .
Traditionally , a higher unemployment rate spells doom for an incumbent president .
Franklin D. Roosevelt , who was elected in 1932 , did not see unemployment rate drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although it spiked again in 1938 to just below 20 % .
Roosevelt went on to win a third term in 1940 , carrying 38 states .
Barack Obama was elected in the throes of the Great Recession and saw the unemployment rate climb to nearly 10 % in his first year .
In November 2012 , unemployment had dropped to 7.1 % — a rate higher than the country had seen since 1984 .
When Obama first took office , the unemployment rate stood at 7.8 % .
Despite the broken promises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his policies would more significantly curb unemployment , he handily won reelection against Mitt Romney .
Political analysts at the time said much of his win was attributed to a general feeling by the public that things were improving , even if they fell short of what many had anticipated .
When Ronald Reagan won reelection by 18 points in 1984 , unemployment topped 7.2 % .
That was down from 10.8 % at the peak of the 1982 recession .
Unemployment also increased during Richard Nixon 's first term , although that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from winning a landslide victory in 1972 .
Both George W. Bush and Dwight D. Eisenhower also saw the unemployment level rise and their opponents using the economy as a key talking point against them , but they still won reelection , with Bush increasing his margin of victory from 2000 by nearly 3 percentage points .
Plenty of data exists that suggests the unemployment rate could spell trouble for Trump in November .
Three presidents in recent times , Gerald Ford , Jimmy Carter , and George H.W .
Bush , lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % .
In the case of Ford , the number of jobless people rose by 2.9 % from the beginning of his term .
For Carter , the number remained unchanged at 7.5 % .
The elder Bush saw it climb to 7.4 % from 5.4 % .
Although most economists predict the unemployment rate will continue rising in the short term , Trump 's approval rating does n't appear to be particularly tethered to the number of people with a job .
On Thursday , a Gallup poll found Trump with one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency so far at 49 % approval versus 47 % disapproval .
A RealClearPolitics averag e of surveys from April 14 through April 29 has 45 % of the public approving of his performance , with 51.4 % disapproving .

President Trump faces the unenviable task of trying to win reelection with unemployment rates unseen since the Great Depression, but there is precedent for incumbents surviving increased joblessness.
A jobs report released Thursday showed another 3.8 million people in the United States filing for unemployment, totaling roughly 30 million in the six weeks since states began the coronavirus lockdowns. Those numbers constitute the worst job losses in history, with the unemployment rate now hovering around 20%.
During the Great Depression, unemployment hit an all-time high of just short of 25% and remained above 14% from 1931 to 1940. March 2020 was the largest one-month increase in the unemployment rate since 1975, with the number of unemployed people rising from 1.4 million to 7.1 million.
Some economists predict unemployment rising to 30% or even higher, a grim reality as states signal they'll begin taking steps to reopen businesses in order to avoid further economic hardship.
Traditionally, a higher unemployment rate spells doom for an incumbent president. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected in 1932, did not see unemployment rate drop until a year into his presidency, although it spiked again in 1938 to just below 20%. Roosevelt went on to win a third term in 1940, carrying 38 states.
Barack Obama was elected in the throes of the Great Recession and saw the unemployment rate climb to nearly 10% in his first year. In November 2012, unemployment had dropped to 7.1% — a rate higher than the country had seen since 1984. When Obama first took office, the unemployment rate stood at 7.8%.
Despite the broken promises by Obama and his economic advisers that his policies would more significantly curb unemployment, he handily won reelection against Mitt Romney. Political analysts at the time said much of his win was attributed to a general feeling by the public that things were improving, even if they fell short of what many had anticipated.
When Ronald Reagan won reelection by 18 points in 1984, unemployment topped 7.2%. That was down from 10.8% at the peak of the 1982 recession.
Unemployment also increased during Richard Nixon's first term, although that 1.9% rise didn't stop him from winning a landslide victory in 1972. Both George W. Bush and Dwight D. Eisenhower also saw the unemployment level rise and their opponents using the economy as a key talking point against them, but they still won reelection, with Bush increasing his margin of victory from 2000 by nearly 3 percentage points.
Plenty of data exists that suggests the unemployment rate could spell trouble for Trump in November.
Three presidents in recent times, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush, lost their reelection bids when unemployment topped 7%. In the case of Ford, the number of jobless people rose by 2.9% from the beginning of his term. For Carter, the number remained unchanged at 7.5%. The elder Bush saw it climb to 7.4% from 5.4%.
Although most economists predict the unemployment rate will continue rising in the short term, Trump's approval rating doesn't appear to be particularly tethered to the number of people with a job.
On Thursday, a Gallup poll found Trump with one of the highest approval ratings in his presidency so far at 49% approval versus 47% disapproval. A RealClearPolitics average of surveys from April 14 through April 29 has 45% of the public approving of his performance, with 51.4% disapproving.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Biden asks secretary of Senate to search for Tara Reade sexual harassment complaint

Joe Biden officially requested Senate officials search for a complaint allegedly lodged by a former aide claiming he sexually harassed her almost three decades ago .
Biden wrote to Julie Adams , the secretary of the Senate , on Friday afternoon after a tumultuous day in which the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee , 77 , publicly and directly addressed accusations made by Tara Reade , 56 , for the first time .
`` I am writing to request your assistance in determining whether 27 years ago a staff member in my United States Senate office filed a complaint alleging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The two-term vice president and Delaware 's 36-year senator encouraged Adams to `` take or direct whatever steps are necessary to establish the location of the records of this Office , and once they have been located , to direct a search for the alleged complaint and to make public the results of this search . ''
`` I would ask that the public release include not only a complaint if one exists , but any and all other documents in the records that relate to the allegation , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ penetrated her with his fingers , as well as inappropriately touched her hair and neck , when she worked for him in 1993 .
She says she submitted a contemporaneous complaint to the Senate that covered only her sexual harassment accusations , but she did not receive a copy of it .
She later suggested evidence of the complaint could be in Biden 's Senate files , which were donated to the University of Delaware in 2011 yet have not been disclosed .
On Friday , Biden tried to cast doubt on Reade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened . ''
He noted that none of his aides at the time were aware of her story and that there were inconsistencies in her retellings .
He also said the University of Delaware collection did not contain personnel information and that those documents were held by the National Archives on behalf of what was once known as the Office of Fair Employment Practices .
A National Archives spokeswoman pushed back Friday , saying the agency did not store old paperwork from that office .
Biden 's letter to Adams Friday coincides with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Delaware materials .
The cache was due for disclosure in 2019 , but the university announced last year there would be a delay until Biden “ retires from public life ” or two years after Dec. 31 , 2019 , whichever came later .
`` The idea that they would all be made public while I was running for public office , they could really be taken out of context , '' Biden said on MSNBC during a Friday morning interview .

Joe Biden officially requested Senate officials search for a complaint allegedly lodged by a former aide claiming he sexually harassed her almost three decades ago.
Biden wrote to Julie Adams, the secretary of the Senate, on Friday afternoon after a tumultuous day in which the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee, 77, publicly and directly addressed accusations made by Tara Reade, 56, for the first time.
"I am writing to request your assistance in determining whether 27 years ago a staff member in my United States Senate office filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment," Biden wrote.
The two-term vice president and Delaware's 36-year senator encouraged Adams to "take or direct whatever steps are necessary to establish the location of the records of this Office, and once they have been located, to direct a search for the alleged complaint and to make public the results of this search."
"I would ask that the public release include not only a complaint if one exists, but any and all other documents in the records that relate to the allegation," he added.
Reade claims Biden forcibly kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers, as well as inappropriately touched her hair and neck, when she worked for him in 1993. She says she submitted a contemporaneous complaint to the Senate that covered only her sexual harassment accusations, but she did not receive a copy of it. She later suggested evidence of the complaint could be in Biden's Senate files, which were donated to the University of Delaware in 2011 yet have not been disclosed.
On Friday, Biden tried to cast doubt on Reade's allegations, insisting they "never happened." He noted that none of his aides at the time were aware of her story and that there were inconsistencies in her retellings. He also said the University of Delaware collection did not contain personnel information and that those documents were held by the National Archives on behalf of what was once known as the Office of Fair Employment Practices. A National Archives spokeswoman pushed back Friday, saying the agency did not store old paperwork from that office.
Biden's letter to Adams Friday coincides with mounting pressure that he release his University of Delaware materials. The cache was due for disclosure in 2019, but the university announced last year there would be a delay until Biden “retires from public life” or two years after Dec. 31, 2019, whichever came later.
"The idea that they would all be made public while I was running for public office, they could really be taken out of context," Biden said on MSNBC during a Friday morning interview.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--GOP insiders defend Brad Parscale amid reports Trump blames campaign manager for woes

Republican insiders are siding with Brad Parscale after reports surfaced that President Trump blames his campaign manager for declining support ahead of the November contest versus Joe Biden , quietly hoping the incumbent makes no sudden moves to overhaul his reelection operation .
Trump has denied that any friction exists with Parscale , tweeting an endorsement of his longtime adviser .
Parscale also downplayed the report , which stated that the president yelled at him during a meeting about the campaign and held him responsible for Biden 's lead in national and battleground state polls .
Republican strategists and lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are hopeful that the ties between Trump and Parscale have not frayed .
“ The campaign is doing the right things technically and is adroit , ” a veteran Republican strategist told the Washington Examiner .
“ The problem is above the manager ’ s pay grade.
” Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , leads Trump by more than 5 percentage points nationally in the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls .
The former vice president also holds an edge in Florida , Pennsylvania , and Wisconsin .
Trump was expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outset of the 2020 contest .
But his vulnerability appears more acute amid a coronavirus pandemic that has crashed the economy and thrown more than 30 million people out of work .
Republican insiders , generally supportive of Trump , were hesitant to comment for this story , fearing the president ’ s wrath and not wanting to cause blowback for Parscale .
That was especially the case for GOP strategists who credit the president ’ s current troubles to his habit of using daily coronavirus briefings from the White House to squabble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focusing on reassuring the public .
“ I don ’ t think anyone attributes any of the ‘ problems ’ with the president or his decline in the polls to problems with the campaign operation , ” a GOP consultant said in an email .
Immediately following midterm elections that saw Republicans lose the House majority , some GOP insiders were critical of the Trump campaign .
But those concerns were quickly assuaged last year as the campaign , in conjunction with the Republican National Committee , deployed an extensive ground game and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans crowed , was not simply good compared to the president ’ s tumultuous 2016 effort ; it was possibly the best the party had ever fielded and finally on par with , if not better than , anything the Democratic Party had to offer .
Some Republican operatives , while careful not to criticize Trump , commended Parsacle for this development .
“ Brad Parscale continues to get high marks and is showing that he ’ s especially adept at navigating uncharted waters and leading further into the digital world , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Pennsylvania .
“ Parscale has made himself available to party leaders — that ’ s smart and engages folks , ” added Saul Anuzis , a former RNC member from Michigan .
“ I haven ’ t heard any complaints from the consulting class either.
” Parscale ’ s association with the president began prior to the 2016 campaign as a vendor for the Trump Organization , designing websites and other digital products .
Then based in Texas , Parscale was brought on to the first Trump campaign to run digital operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Parscale emerged as among his most trusted advisers , with a hand in all aspects of his political operation .
With that influence and public profile has come criticism .
Some Republicans are unhappy with the millions Parscale has earned from his involvement with Trump ’ s campaign and related GOP entities .
These critics argue that Parscale ’ s primary skill set has nothing to do with political know-how but rather that Trump and his most trusted White House confidant , son-in-law Jared Kushner , trust him .
The Trump campaign is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Parscale ’ s deputies who run the field and digital departments .
Yet given how impatient and demanding Trump can be with personnel , some Republicans say Parscale ’ s relationship with both the president and Kushner should not be undervalued .
“ Being able to keep Jared and Trump happy while still making the trains run on time is not a small task , ” a Republican ad writer said .
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request to comment for this story .

Republican insiders are siding with Brad Parscale after reports surfaced that President Trump blames his campaign manager for declining support ahead of the November contest versus Joe Biden, quietly hoping the incumbent makes no sudden moves to overhaul his reelection operation.
Trump has denied that any friction exists with Parscale, tweeting an endorsement of his longtime adviser. Parscale also downplayed the report, which stated that the president yelled at him during a meeting about the campaign and held him responsible for Biden's lead in national and battleground state polls.
Republican strategists and lawmakers, impressed with the Trump campaign machinery, are hopeful that the ties between Trump and Parscale have not frayed.
“The campaign is doing the right things technically and is adroit,” a veteran Republican strategist told the Washington Examiner. “The problem is above the manager’s pay grade.”
Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, leads Trump by more than 5 percentage points nationally in the RealClearPolitics average of recent polls. The former vice president also holds an edge in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Trump was expected to face a competitive reelection challenge from the outset of the 2020 contest. But his vulnerability appears more acute amid a coronavirus pandemic that has crashed the economy and thrown more than 30 million people out of work.
Republican insiders, generally supportive of Trump, were hesitant to comment for this story, fearing the president’s wrath and not wanting to cause blowback for Parscale. That was especially the case for GOP strategists who credit the president’s current troubles to his habit of using daily coronavirus briefings from the White House to squabble with reporters and criticize governors rather than focusing on reassuring the public.
“I don’t think anyone attributes any of the ‘problems’ with the president or his decline in the polls to problems with the campaign operation,” a GOP consultant said in an email.
Immediately following midterm elections that saw Republicans lose the House majority, some GOP insiders were critical of the Trump campaign.
But those concerns were quickly assuaged last year as the campaign, in conjunction with the Republican National Committee, deployed an extensive ground game and advanced digital program. The campaign, Republicans crowed, was not simply good compared to the president’s tumultuous 2016 effort; it was possibly the best the party had ever fielded and finally on par with, if not better than, anything the Democratic Party had to offer.
Some Republican operatives, while careful not to criticize Trump, commended Parsacle for this development.
“Brad Parscale continues to get high marks and is showing that he’s especially adept at navigating uncharted waters and leading further into the digital world,” said Charlie Gerow, a Republican strategist in Pennsylvania.
“Parscale has made himself available to party leaders — that’s smart and engages folks,” added Saul Anuzis, a former RNC member from Michigan. “I haven’t heard any complaints from the consulting class either.”
Parscale’s association with the president began prior to the 2016 campaign as a vendor for the Trump Organization, designing websites and other digital products. Then based in Texas, Parscale was brought on to the first Trump campaign to run digital operations. After Trump won the presidency, Parscale emerged as among his most trusted advisers, with a hand in all aspects of his political operation. With that influence and public profile has come criticism.
Some Republicans are unhappy with the millions Parscale has earned from his involvement with Trump’s campaign and related GOP entities. These critics argue that Parscale’s primary skill set has nothing to do with political know-how but rather that Trump and his most trusted White House confidant, son-in-law Jared Kushner, trust him. The Trump campaign is top-flight, some Republicans say, because of Parscale’s deputies who run the field and digital departments.
Yet given how impatient and demanding Trump can be with personnel, some Republicans say Parscale’s relationship with both the president and Kushner should not be undervalued.
“Being able to keep Jared and Trump happy while still making the trains run on time is not a small task,” a Republican ad writer said.
The Trump campaign did not respond to a request to comment for this story.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Trump campaign and allies ready to weaponize Biden archive

Should Joe Biden lose in November , partisan Democrats can be expected to scream `` but his archive ! ''
— echoing what they saw as overcoverage during the 2016 campaign of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton 's private email server .
President Trump 's reelection campaign , a GOP super PAC , and other Republican groups intend to use Biden 's sealed archives at the University of Delaware as a primary line of attack in the general election .
Those archives , which house potentially hundreds of thousands of personal files from the former vice president 's decades of time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the public .
On Friday , Biden asked the National Archives to `` identify any record of the complaint '' Tara Reade alleges she filed in 1993 after facing harassment in Biden 's Senate office .
`` As a presidential candidate , I ’ m accountable to the American people .
We have lived long enough with a president who doesn ’ t think he is accountable to anyone and takes responsibility for nothing , '' Biden said in a statement .
`` That ’ s not me .
I believe being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even when they are uncomfortable .
People need to hear the truth . ''
During an interview with MSNBC in the morning , Biden said he would not call on the University of Delaware to unseal his archive , citing `` confidential conversations '' contained in the documents and saying they could be misinterpreted .
Despite Senate archivists claiming the opposite , Biden said the only location of an alleged complaint would be in the National Archives .
`` The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993 .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this alleged complaint , '' Biden told MSNBC .
`` The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files . ''
That same day , emails from the National Republican Congressional Committee began streaming into the inboxes of reporters asking whether certain Democratic candidates in swing districts will call on Biden to release `` all Senate documents related to Tara Reade . ''
`` So , does Cisneros believe Tara Reade or the candidate he ’ s endorsed for president , Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NRCC , in reference to California Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros .
`` And like his colleague , Democrat Eric Swalwell , does Cisneros think Biden should release all Senate documents pertaining to Tara Reade ? ''
President Trump 's reelection campaign joined the chorus of GOP officials calling for access to the Biden archive , calling his unwillingness to give public access to the documents a `` double standard . ''
`` Biden has a different definition of transparency than he sets for others .
While he called for the complete release of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaints against him , Biden made clear he does not want his University of Delaware records released because they could be used against him in the campaign , '' said Trump 2020 Deputy Communications Director Erin Perrine in a statement .
`` He also falsely said those records are not ready to be made public . ''
On Thursday , a pro-Trump PAC filed a public records request for access to the University of Delaware archives , although it will likely be denied as the school has denied similar requests from media outlets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national media can try to protect Joe Biden by ignoring this serious allegation , the University of Delaware can not do the same , ” Ed Rollins , chairman of the PAC , said in a statement .
“ As a publicly funded university holding public records , they must immediately release these critical documents in the public interest .
Furthermore , since Joe Biden claims the allegations are false , he should want these records released to help clear his name .
If Biden blocks their release , what is he hiding @ @

Should Joe Biden lose in November, partisan Democrats can be expected to scream "but his archive!" — echoing what they saw as overcoverage during the 2016 campaign of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's private email server.
President Trump's reelection campaign, a GOP super PAC, and other Republican groups intend to use Biden's sealed archives at the University of Delaware as a primary line of attack in the general election. Those archives, which house potentially hundreds of thousands of personal files from the former vice president's decades of time in the Senate, have remained inaccessible to the public.
On Friday, Biden asked the National Archives to "identify any record of the complaint" Tara Reade alleges she filed in 1993 after facing harassment in Biden's Senate office.
"As a presidential candidate, I’m accountable to the American people. We have lived long enough with a president who doesn’t think he is accountable to anyone and takes responsibility for nothing," Biden said in a statement. "That’s not me. I believe being accountable means having the difficult conversations, even when they are uncomfortable. People need to hear the truth."
During an interview with MSNBC in the morning, Biden said he would not call on the University of Delaware to unseal his archive, citing "confidential conversations" contained in the documents and saying they could be misinterpreted.
Despite Senate archivists claiming the opposite, Biden said the only location of an alleged complaint would be in the National Archives.
"The former staffer has said she filed a complaint back in 1993. But she does not have a record of this alleged complaint," Biden told MSNBC. "The papers from my Senate years that I donated to the University of Delaware do not contain personnel files."
That same day, emails from the National Republican Congressional Committee began streaming into the inboxes of reporters asking whether certain Democratic candidates in swing districts will call on Biden to release "all Senate documents related to Tara Reade."
"So, does Cisneros believe Tara Reade or the candidate he’s endorsed for president, Joe Biden?" read one email from the NRCC, in reference to California Democratic Rep. Gil Cisneros. "And like his colleague, Democrat Eric Swalwell, does Cisneros think Biden should release all Senate documents pertaining to Tara Reade?"
President Trump's reelection campaign joined the chorus of GOP officials calling for access to the Biden archive, calling his unwillingness to give public access to the documents a "double standard."
"Biden has a different definition of transparency than he sets for others. While he called for the complete release of Mike Bloomberg’s documents related to complaints against him, Biden made clear he does not want his University of Delaware records released because they could be used against him in the campaign," said Trump 2020 Deputy Communications Director Erin Perrine in a statement. "He also falsely said those records are not ready to be made public."
On Thursday, a pro-Trump PAC filed a public records request for access to the University of Delaware archives, although it will likely be denied as the school has denied similar requests from media outlets.
“While Democrats leaders and the national media can try to protect Joe Biden by ignoring this serious allegation, the University of Delaware cannot do the same,” Ed Rollins, chairman of the PAC, said in a statement. “As a publicly funded university holding public records, they must immediately release these critical documents in the public interest. Furthermore, since Joe Biden claims the allegations are false, he should want these records released to help clear his name. If Biden blocks their release, what is he hiding?”


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Biden lies again about New York Times report on sexual assault allegation against him

On Friday , Joe Biden responded for the first time to the allegation that he sexually assaulted one of his Senate aides , Tara Reade , in 1993 .
The presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee ’ s on-the-record remarks came during an interview with MSNBC ’ s Mika Brzezinski .
She , at one point , cited a New York Times investigation , whose authors reported they could not find any former Biden Senate staffers to corroborate Reade ’ s claim .
The former vice president tried to take it further , however , suggesting that this same report said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has explicitly stated this week that its reporting shows no such thing .
“ The New York Times has investigated this exhaustively , ” Brzezinski said Friday .
“ They didn ’ t find any of your former staff members who were able to corroborate the details of this allegation.
” This is true .
The New York Times found no former Biden aides who could confirm Reade ’ s allegation .
The paper did , however , find at least two sources who offered contemporaneous corroboration .
Other witnesses have come forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times report with additional corroborating evidence .
Brzezinski mentioned none of these individuals .
Later , as Biden repeated his central claim that Reade ’ s version of events “ did not happen , ” he leaned on the New York Times 's reporting as evidence of his innocence .
“ I ’ m not going to attack [ Reade ] , ” Biden said .
“ She has a right to say whatever she wants to say .
But I have a right to say look at the facts , check it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it — what she says is asserted or true.
” He added , “ And based on the investigations that have taken place so far , to the best of my knowledge , by two major papers , they interviewed dozens of my staff members , not just senior staff but staff members , I ’ m told .
At least that ’ s what they said , and nobody — this was not the atmosphere in my office at all .
No one has ever said anything like this .
No one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though this is true about Biden 's former staffers , it is also true that the New York Times made clear this week that its investigative report is not exactly exculpatory for the former vice president .
“ Our investigation made no conclusion either way , ” a spokeswoman for the paper told the Washington Examiner .
“ [ O ] ur story found three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously , all of whom either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included former interns who remembered Reade suddenly changing roles and no longer overseeing them , which took place during the same time period that Reade said she was abruptly reassigned .
The New York Times also spoke to a friend , who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time ; another friend and Reade ’ s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden . ''
In other words , it is cherry-picking to cite the report only to note that former Senate staffers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is a lot more to the New York Times report than just former aides , and Biden and his campaign team know that .
The New York Times must really regret having allowed Biden 's campaign to take editorial control over some of the phrasing in its investigative report .

On Friday, Joe Biden responded for the first time to the allegation that he sexually assaulted one of his Senate aides, Tara Reade, in 1993.
The presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee’s on-the-record remarks came during an interview with MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski. She, at one point, cited a New York Times investigation, whose authors reported they could not find any former Biden Senate staffers to corroborate Reade’s claim.
The former vice president tried to take it further, however, suggesting that this same report said he is innocent.
The New York Times has explicitly stated this week that its reporting shows no such thing.
“The New York Times has investigated this exhaustively,” Brzezinski said Friday. “They didn’t find any of your former staff members who were able to corroborate the details of this allegation.”
This is true. The New York Times found no former Biden aides who could confirm Reade’s allegation. The paper did, however, find at least two sources who offered contemporaneous corroboration. Other witnesses have come forward since the publication of the New York Times report with additional corroborating evidence. Brzezinski mentioned none of these individuals.
Later, as Biden repeated his central claim that Reade’s version of events “did not happen,” he leaned on the New York Times's reporting as evidence of his innocence.
“I’m not going to attack [Reade],” Biden said. “She has a right to say whatever she wants to say. But I have a right to say look at the facts, check it out, find out whether any of it — what she says is asserted or true.”
He added, “And based on the investigations that have taken place so far, to the best of my knowledge, by two major papers, they interviewed dozens of my staff members, not just senior staff but staff members, I’m told. At least that’s what they said, and nobody — this was not the atmosphere in my office at all. No one has ever said anything like this. No one has ever said anything like this.”
Though this is true about Biden's former staffers, it is also true that the New York Times made clear this week that its investigative report is not exactly exculpatory for the former vice president.
“Our investigation made no conclusion either way,” a spokeswoman for the paper told the Washington Examiner. “[O]ur story found three former Senate aides whom Reade said she complained to contemporaneously, all of whom either did not remember the incident or said that it did not happen.”
She added, “The story also included former interns who remembered Reade suddenly changing roles and no longer overseeing them, which took place during the same time period that Reade said she was abruptly reassigned. The New York Times also spoke to a friend, who said Reade told her the details of the allegation at the time; another friend and Reade’s brother say she told them of a traumatic sexual incident involving Biden."
In other words, it is cherry-picking to cite the report only to note that former Senate staffers could not corroborate Reade's allegation. There is a lot more to the New York Times report than just former aides, and Biden and his campaign team know that.
The New York Times must really regret having allowed Biden's campaign to take editorial control over some of the phrasing in its investigative report.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Trump campaign pollster finds increased demand for more absentee voting

A new survey conducted by a pollster for President Trump 's reelection team showed broad support for more absentee voting and other mail-in options amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The survey , led by Tony Fabrizio and David Lee for the nonpartisan elections group Secure Democracy , found voters overwhelmingly supported keeping in-person voting open as long as polling stations complied with health and safety guidelines administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , but they also largely supported expanding absentee voting .
The survey , which was obtained by Axios , found : • Voters favored keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 11 % margin as long as polling places comply with the CDC for safety .
• Voters favored keeping in-person voting open and allowing absentee voting as an option by a 76 % -16 % margin .
• Seventy-six percent of voters were in favor of allowing voters to request an absentee ballot , and 73 % were in favor of allowing online absentee ballots .
• Seventy-six percent of voters favored states and localities providing postage-paid return envelopes for those who choose to vote absentee .
• Seventy-four percent of voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballots .
• Sixty-four percent of voters were in favor of sending every voter an absentee ballot application .
Trump has criticized the option for mailing in ballots , calling the process a `` recipe for fraud . ''
`` Mail ballots , they cheat , '' Trump said last month .
`` Mail ballots are very dangerous for this country because of cheaters . ''
Trump 's comments came amid Wisconsin 's decision to hold an in-person Election Day in April despite major pushback from the state 's Democratic leadership .
Gov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election and allow expanded mail-in voting as an alternative method while the pandemic brought a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state .
The governor 's executive order was met with GOP resistance in the state legislature and , ultimately , a state Supreme Court decision to hold the election in-person on its originally intended date .
The poll , which was conducted with 1,000 registered voters between April 17 and April 20 , surveyed demographics that identified as 31 % Republican , 36 % Democrat , 31 % independent , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ margin of sampling error was 3.1 percentage points at the 95 % confidence interval .

A new survey conducted by a pollster for President Trump's reelection team showed broad support for more absentee voting and other mail-in options amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The survey, led by Tony Fabrizio and David Lee for the nonpartisan elections group Secure Democracy, found voters overwhelmingly supported keeping in-person voting open as long as polling stations complied with health and safety guidelines administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but they also largely supported expanding absentee voting.
The survey, which was obtained by Axios, found:
Voters favored keeping in-person voting open by an 81% to 11% margin as long as polling places comply with the CDC for safety.
Voters favored keeping in-person voting open and allowing absentee voting as an option by a 76%-16% margin.
Seventy-six percent of voters were in favor of allowing voters to request an absentee ballot, and 73% were in favor of allowing online absentee ballots.
Seventy-six percent of voters favored states and localities providing postage-paid return envelopes for those who choose to vote absentee.
Seventy-four percent of voters favored having secure drop-off locations for absentee ballots.
Sixty-four percent of voters were in favor of sending every voter an absentee ballot application.
Trump has criticized the option for mailing in ballots, calling the process a "recipe for fraud."
"Mail ballots, they cheat," Trump said last month. "Mail ballots are very dangerous for this country because of cheaters."
Trump's comments came amid Wisconsin's decision to hold an in-person Election Day in April despite major pushback from the state's Democratic leadership.
Gov. Tony Evers supported efforts to delay the election and allow expanded mail-in voting as an alternative method while the pandemic brought a rise in COVID-19 cases in the state. The governor's executive order was met with GOP resistance in the state legislature and, ultimately, a state Supreme Court decision to hold the election in-person on its originally intended date.
The poll, which was conducted with 1,000 registered voters between April 17 and April 20, surveyed demographics that identified as 31% Republican, 36% Democrat, 31% independent, and 2% other party affiliation. The margin of sampling error was 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Trump campaign unleashes new ad ripping Biden over sexual misconduct allegations

President Trump 's reelection campaign is n't shying away from hitting Joe Biden over his handling of allegations that he sexually assaulted and harassed a former Senate aide in 1993 .
The incumbent 's campaign team , in particular , seized on accusations of hypocrisy over how the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee and other prominent members of the party supported the women who made sexual misconduct claims against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and their reaction to Biden 's accuser , Tara Reade .
“ The double standard exhibited by Biden , prominent liberal women ’ s groups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom want to be Biden ’ s running mate — is glaring and can not be allowed to stand , '' Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine wrote in a statement .
Perrine added , `` There will be a great temptation among Biden ’ s supporters to take his lackluster interview performance and declare ‘ case closed ’ and move on .
We do not know what , if anything , was done to Tara Reade , but there can not be one set of rules for Joe Biden and another set for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released at the same time as a new digital advertisement featuring comments on the # MeToo movement by 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Sens .
Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California , among others .
The almost two-minute video also includes footage of the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator seeming to make Delaware Sen. Chris Coons 's daughter uncomfortable during his 2015 swearing-in ceremony .
The Trump campaign 's offensive is in reaction to Biden , 77 , addressing Reade 's allegations directly and publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In an interview with MSNBC , he reiterated remarks shared just before his appearance , vehemently denying the 56-year-old 's claims that he forcibly kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers , as well as inappropriately touched her hair and neck .
`` They aren ’ t true .
This never happened , '' Biden wrote in the statement .
In the nationally televised spot , Biden appeared to struggle to explain why Reade 's claims were different from those of Kavanaugh 's accusers .
`` Because the facts are — look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting she had no right to come forward .
And I never — and I 'm not saying — any woman , they should come forward .
They should be heard .
And then , it should be investigated , '' he said .
The Trump campaign 's attack also alluded to a collection of documents from Biden 's Senate years gifted to the University of Delaware in 2011 .
Reade says evidence of an official complaint she lodged against Biden could be stored at the university , a possibility he has downplayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is coming under increasing pressure to make the papers public , which he fears may be weaponized against him in the coming general election fight while Trump , for example , refuses to disclose his tax returns .
“ While he called for the complete release of Mike Bloomberg ’ s documents related to complaints against him , Biden made clear he does not want his University of Delaware records released because they could be used against him in the campaign , '' the Trump team wrote .

President Trump's reelection campaign isn't shying away from hitting Joe Biden over his handling of allegations that he sexually assaulted and harassed a former Senate aide in 1993.
The incumbent's campaign team, in particular, seized on accusations of hypocrisy over how the presumptive 2020 Democratic presidential nominee and other prominent members of the party supported the women who made sexual misconduct claims against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and their reaction to Biden's accuser, Tara Reade.
“The double standard exhibited by Biden, prominent liberal women’s groups, and Democrat elected officials — some of whom want to be Biden’s running mate — is glaring and cannot be allowed to stand," Trump campaign spokeswoman Erin Perrine wrote in a statement.
Perrine added, "There will be a great temptation among Biden’s supporters to take his lackluster interview performance and declare ‘case closed’ and move on. We do not know what, if anything, was done to Tara Reade, but there cannot be one set of rules for Joe Biden and another set for everyone else.”
Perrine's statement was released at the same time as a new digital advertisement featuring comments on the #MeToo movement by 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Kamala Harris of California, among others. The almost two-minute video also includes footage of the two-term vice president and 36-year Delaware senator seeming to make Delaware Sen. Chris Coons's daughter uncomfortable during his 2015 swearing-in ceremony.
The Trump campaign's offensive is in reaction to Biden, 77, addressing Reade's allegations directly and publicly for the first time Friday morning. In an interview with MSNBC, he reiterated remarks shared just before his appearance, vehemently denying the 56-year-old's claims that he forcibly kissed her and penetrated her with his fingers, as well as inappropriately touched her hair and neck.
"They aren’t true. This never happened," Biden wrote in the statement.
In the nationally televised spot, Biden appeared to struggle to explain why Reade's claims were different from those of Kavanaugh's accusers.
"Because the facts are — look, she — I’m not suggesting she had no right to come forward. And I never — and I'm not saying — any woman, they should come forward. They should be heard. And then, it should be investigated," he said.
The Trump campaign's attack also alluded to a collection of documents from Biden's Senate years gifted to the University of Delaware in 2011.
Reade says evidence of an official complaint she lodged against Biden could be stored at the university, a possibility he has downplayed. The likely Democratic standard-bearer, however, is coming under increasing pressure to make the papers public, which he fears may be weaponized against him in the coming general election fight while Trump, for example, refuses to disclose his tax returns.
“While he called for the complete release of Mike Bloomberg’s documents related to complaints against him, Biden made clear he does not want his University of Delaware records released because they could be used against him in the campaign," the Trump team wrote.


thewashingtonexaminer--2020-05-01--Trump facing fight to keep Georgia in GOP column: Internal poll

President Trump and Joe Biden are in a statistical tie in the once heavily Republican bastion of Georgia , according to a poll commissioned by the state 's GOP .
Trump attracts 45.1 % support to Biden 's 44 % , separated by roughly a single percentage point , Cygnal pollsters found in the survey released Friday .
An additional 4.5 % of voters are undecided , while 6.5 % would cast a ballot for a third-party candidate .
The research also bore bad news for Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp , who is under fire for his slow response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ease stay-at-home restrictions even though Georgia is still reporting new COVID-19 cases .
A majority of Georgians disapprove of how both Trump and Kemp are handling the crisis , but Kemp is n't up for reelection until 2022 .
Aside from the presidential contest , Georgia voters will decide two Senate races in November 's elections as well .
Doug Collins , the House Judiciary Committee 's top Republican who had a pivotal role during Trump 's impeachment , has a double-digit advantage on nearest rival Democrat Matt Lieberman in the jungle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seats , 29.4 % to 12 % , although 31.4 % remain undecided .
Incumbent GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler , appointed to the position by Kemp after Johnny Isakson 's resignation , trails at 10.5 % as she fights off scrutiny over stock transactions she and her husband , Jeffrey Sprecher , made following a private briefing Loeffler received on the COVID-19 outbreak .
Sprecher is the New York Stock Exchange 's chairman .
The poll found Georgia 's other sitting senator , Republican David Perdue , in a more comfortable matchup against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled race .
Perdue leads Ossoff , who unsuccessfully ran in 2017 for a House seat , 45.3 % to 39.4 % , but respondents were n't asked about Perdue 's other challengers , and 11.8 % were undecided .
Cygnal , a Republican-aligned political polling and research firm , surveyed 591 likely Georgia voters between Saturday and Monday for the study .
The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points .

President Trump and Joe Biden are in a statistical tie in the once heavily Republican bastion of Georgia, according to a poll commissioned by the state's GOP.
Trump attracts 45.1% support to Biden's 44%, separated by roughly a single percentage point, Cygnal pollsters found in the survey released Friday. An additional 4.5% of voters are undecided, while 6.5% would cast a ballot for a third-party candidate.
The research also bore bad news for Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who is under fire for his slow response to the coronavirus pandemic and his decision to ease stay-at-home restrictions even though Georgia is still reporting new COVID-19 cases. A majority of Georgians disapprove of how both Trump and Kemp are handling the crisis, but Kemp isn't up for reelection until 2022.
Aside from the presidential contest, Georgia voters will decide two Senate races in November's elections as well.
Doug Collins, the House Judiciary Committee's top Republican who had a pivotal role during Trump's impeachment, has a double-digit advantage on nearest rival Democrat Matt Lieberman in the jungle primary special election for one of the seats, 29.4% to 12%, although 31.4% remain undecided.
Incumbent GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler, appointed to the position by Kemp after Johnny Isakson's resignation, trails at 10.5% as she fights off scrutiny over stock transactions she and her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, made following a private briefing Loeffler received on the COVID-19 outbreak. Sprecher is the New York Stock Exchange's chairman.
The poll found Georgia's other sitting senator, Republican David Perdue, in a more comfortable matchup against Democratic contender Jon Ossoff in the regularly scheduled race. Perdue leads Ossoff, who unsuccessfully ran in 2017 for a House seat, 45.3% to 39.4%, but respondents weren't asked about Perdue's other challengers, and 11.8% were undecided.
Cygnal, a Republican-aligned political polling and research firm, surveyed 591 likely Georgia voters between Saturday and Monday for the study. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.