csmonitor--2020-04-09--Last men standing: November ballot set to read Biden vs. Trump

The stage is all-but set for November .
At this point , Joe Biden will likely represent the Democratic Party against President Donald Trump this fall , the former vice president 's place on the general election ballot cemented by Bernie Sanders ' decision to end his campaign Wednesday .
Mr. Biden likely won ’ t secure the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination until June .
But without any Democratic rivals left , a general election campaign that will almost certainly be the most expensive and among the nastiest in U.S. history is underway .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s confused about that .
But we are ready for the general election .
We are ready for our standard-bearer , '' Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said .
`` I ’ m confident because Joe Biden 's values reflect the values of the majority of the American people that we can win . ''
In Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump , voters will choose between two white septuagenarians with dramatically different prescriptions for health care , climate change , foreign policy , and leadership in an era of extreme partisanship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party presidential nominee in modern history .
And having spent most of his life as an elected official in Washington , no nominee has had more experience in government .
But in Mr. Trump , Mr. Biden is up against an adversary the likes of which he has never faced in his decades-long political career .
The Republican president opens with a massive cash advantage and a well-established willingness to win at any cost .
Mr. Trump 's campaign is moving forward with a multi-pronged attack that mixes legitimate criticism with baseless charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theories .
It 's similar to the unconventional playbook Mr. Trump used against Hillary Clinton four years ago with unexpectedly devastating success .
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said Mr. Biden will be portrayed as too liberal for most Americans , weighed down by questions about his son 's overseas business dealings and about questionable mental acuity at his age .
Brad Parscale , Mr. Trump 's campaign manager , predicted Mr. Trump would `` destroy '' Mr. Biden , whom the president and his allies have nicknamed `` Sleepy Joe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , while Biden represents the old , tired way and continuing to coddle the communist regime in China , '' Mr. Parscale said .
Mr. Trump 's team also believes he can win over disaffected Sanders supporters who see Mr. Biden as a consummate insider .
Shortly after Mr. Sanders ' announcement Wednesday , the president charged without evidence that Democratic leaders were plotting against Mr. Sanders .
The Republican National Committee has already assembled an extensive research book on Mr. Biden .
The GOP has devoted 10 researchers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom of information and public records requests to gather additional damaging material .
Before Mr. Biden can shift his entire focus to Mr. Trump , the former vice president is tasked with winning over Mr. Sanders ' skeptical far-left supporters , who have trashed Mr. Biden 's record on trade , criminal justice , corporate America , and foreign policy .
The party 's most progressive wing also fears that Mr. Biden 's policies on health care and the environment , among others , do n't go far enough .
For example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but unlike Mr. Sanders , he would preserve the private insurance system and offer Americans a government-backed `` public option '' instead of Mr. Sanders ' signature `` Medicare for All . ''
Biden advisers note that he had already begun reaching out to Mr. Sanders ' aligned progressive organizations , including those focused on young people like the Sunrise Movement and the March For Our Lives .
Mr. Sanders suggested that any full-throated endorsement of Mr. Biden would come with strings attached .
`` We are talking to Joe , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can work together , '' he told CBS `` Late Show '' host Stephen Colbert .
In a sign of what he hopes will come from those talks , Mr. Sanders said , `` I hope to be able to work with Joe to move him in a more progressive direction . ''
Perhaps Mr. Biden 's most powerful ally , former President Barack Obama , was quiet on Wednesday .
Still , the former president and first lady Michelle Obama are ultimately expected to help rally the party behind Mr. Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Obama 's vice president .
Mr. Trump tried to raise suspicion about why Mr. Obama had yet to endorse Mr. Biden , saying : `` When is it going to happen ?
Why isn ’ t he ?
He knows something that you don ’ t know . ''
Former presidents typically don ’ t interject themselves in the primary process , and Mr. Obama had long maintained he wouldn ’ t get involved until a nominee had been selected .
Mr. Biden 's status as the presumptive nominee affords him the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selecting a running mate .
He ’ s already started vetting potential vice presidents , but he had to tread gently with Mr. Sanders still in the race .
The campaign ’ s general counsel , Dana Remus , and an outside adviser , Bob Bauer , are leading the early weeks of the search process .
Mr. Bauer served as White House counsel to Mr. Obama and is married to Anita Dunn , Mr. Biden ’ s top campaign strategist .
Mr. Biden acknowledged during a virtual fundraiser Wednesday that his team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his running mate , which traditionally comes on the eve of the national convention .
But , he added , `` It ’ s going to take a while to get through the usual vetting . ''
Meanwhile , both candidates are staring down the coronavirus pandemic , which has turned 2020 campaign logistics on their head .
With peak infection rates still several weeks away for many parts of the country , the outbreak and related economic devastation will play a major role in shaping voter attitudes and campaign logistics .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are effectively stuck at home like much of America .
Mr. Biden 's team suggests that his empathy and experience are right for the moment , yet he has struggled to be heard from the makeshift television studio in the basement of his Delaware home .
The campaign has committed to at least one virtual event each day , while Mr. Trump has starred in widely viewed daily White House briefings about the coronavirus outbreak .
Despite the challenges , Mr. Biden will move into the fall with a broad coalition comprised of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and even disaffected Republicans who have been alienated by Mr. Trump 's GOP .
The Lincoln Project , a collection of former Republicans , formally endorsed Mr. Biden shortly after Mr. Sanders ' announcement .
`` As America contends with unprecedented loss , we need a leader who can steady our ship of state , bind up our common wounds , and lead us into our next national chapter , '' said group co-founder Reed Galen .
`` Joe Biden has the humanity , empathy and steadiness we need in a national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Associated Press .
AP writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report .

The stage is all-but set for November.
At this point, Joe Biden will likely represent the Democratic Party against President Donald Trump this fall, the former vice president's place on the general election ballot cemented by Bernie Sanders' decision to end his campaign Wednesday.
Mr. Biden likely won’t secure the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination until June. But without any Democratic rivals left, a general election campaign that will almost certainly be the most expensive and among the nastiest in U.S. history is underway.
"It won’t be easy. Nobody’s confused about that. But we are ready for the general election. We are ready for our standard-bearer," Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said. "I’m confident because Joe Biden's values reflect the values of the majority of the American people that we can win."
In Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump, voters will choose between two white septuagenarians with dramatically different prescriptions for health care, climate change, foreign policy, and leadership in an era of extreme partisanship.
Mr. Biden becomes the oldest major party presidential nominee in modern history. And having spent most of his life as an elected official in Washington, no nominee has had more experience in government.
But in Mr. Trump, Mr. Biden is up against an adversary the likes of which he has never faced in his decades-long political career. The Republican president opens with a massive cash advantage and a well-established willingness to win at any cost.
Mr. Trump's campaign is moving forward with a multi-pronged attack that mixes legitimate criticism with baseless charges and, in some cases, outright conspiracy theories. It's similar to the unconventional playbook Mr. Trump used against Hillary Clinton four years ago with unexpectedly devastating success.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said Mr. Biden will be portrayed as too liberal for most Americans, weighed down by questions about his son's overseas business dealings and about questionable mental acuity at his age. Brad Parscale, Mr. Trump's campaign manager, predicted Mr. Trump would "destroy" Mr. Biden, whom the president and his allies have nicknamed "Sleepy Joe."
"President Trump is still disrupting Washington, D.C., while Biden represents the old, tired way and continuing to coddle the communist regime in China," Mr. Parscale said.
Mr. Trump's team also believes he can win over disaffected Sanders supporters who see Mr. Biden as a consummate insider. Shortly after Mr. Sanders' announcement Wednesday, the president charged without evidence that Democratic leaders were plotting against Mr. Sanders.
The Republican National Committee has already assembled an extensive research book on Mr. Biden. The GOP has devoted 10 researchers to Mr. Biden and sent hundreds of Biden-related freedom of information and public records requests to gather additional damaging material.
Before Mr. Biden can shift his entire focus to Mr. Trump, the former vice president is tasked with winning over Mr. Sanders' skeptical far-left supporters, who have trashed Mr. Biden's record on trade, criminal justice, corporate America, and foreign policy. The party's most progressive wing also fears that Mr. Biden's policies on health care and the environment, among others, don't go far enough.
For example, Mr. Biden supports universal health care, but unlike Mr. Sanders, he would preserve the private insurance system and offer Americans a government-backed "public option" instead of Mr. Sanders' signature "Medicare for All."
Biden advisers note that he had already begun reaching out to Mr. Sanders' aligned progressive organizations, including those focused on young people like the Sunrise Movement and the March For Our Lives.
Mr. Sanders suggested that any full-throated endorsement of Mr. Biden would come with strings attached. "We are talking to Joe, and we are talking to his team about how we can work together," he told CBS "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert.
In a sign of what he hopes will come from those talks, Mr. Sanders said, "I hope to be able to work with Joe to move him in a more progressive direction."
Perhaps Mr. Biden's most powerful ally, former President Barack Obama, was quiet on Wednesday. Still, the former president and first lady Michelle Obama are ultimately expected to help rally the party behind Mr. Biden, who served for eight years as Mr. Obama's vice president.
Mr. Trump tried to raise suspicion about why Mr. Obama had yet to endorse Mr. Biden, saying: "When is it going to happen? Why isn’t he? He knows something that you don’t know." Former presidents typically don’t interject themselves in the primary process, and Mr. Obama had long maintained he wouldn’t get involved until a nominee had been selected.
Mr. Biden's status as the presumptive nominee affords him the freedom to move forward more openly with selecting a running mate. He’s already started vetting potential vice presidents, but he had to tread gently with Mr. Sanders still in the race.
No more.
The campaign’s general counsel, Dana Remus, and an outside adviser, Bob Bauer, are leading the early weeks of the search process. Mr. Bauer served as White House counsel to Mr. Obama and is married to Anita Dunn, Mr. Biden’s top campaign strategist.
Mr. Biden acknowledged during a virtual fundraiser Wednesday that his team has discussed a faster timeline for announcing his running mate, which traditionally comes on the eve of the national convention. But, he added, "It’s going to take a while to get through the usual vetting."
Meanwhile, both candidates are staring down the coronavirus pandemic, which has turned 2020 campaign logistics on their head. With peak infection rates still several weeks away for many parts of the country, the outbreak and related economic devastation will play a major role in shaping voter attitudes and campaign logistics.
For now, Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump are effectively stuck at home like much of America.
Mr. Biden's team suggests that his empathy and experience are right for the moment, yet he has struggled to be heard from the makeshift television studio in the basement of his Delaware home. The campaign has committed to at least one virtual event each day, while Mr. Trump has starred in widely viewed daily White House briefings about the coronavirus outbreak.
Despite the challenges, Mr. Biden will move into the fall with a broad coalition comprised of working-class white people, older African Americans, and even disaffected Republicans who have been alienated by Mr. Trump's GOP. The Lincoln Project, a collection of former Republicans, formally endorsed Mr. Biden shortly after Mr. Sanders' announcement.
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"As America contends with unprecedented loss, we need a leader who can steady our ship of state, bind up our common wounds, and lead us into our next national chapter," said group co-founder Reed Galen. "Joe Biden has the humanity, empathy and steadiness we need in a national leader."
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.


csmonitor--2020-04-08--Bernie Sanders is out, but his influence on Democrats lives on

Bernie Sanders ’ withdrawal from the presidential race Wednesday was hardly a surprise .
Joe Biden had a prohibitive lead in delegates and in polls for the Democratic nomination .
But the Vermont senator ’ s decision , after a likely loss in yesterday ’ s strange Wisconsin primary , is still momentous .
Former Vice President Biden , the presumptive nominee , now faces the formidable task of uniting the party .
Senator Sanders is not even a “ big D ” Democrat , he ’ s a social democrat , and his advocacy for such programs as Medicare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his movement into a force , ranging from septuagenarian “ social justice warriors ” to millennials saddled with debt , as two Monitor colleagues wrote in February .
Most Sanders supporters can be expected to vote for Mr. Biden , if only as the vehicle for ousting President Donald Trump .
But in a close race , any drop-off in Democratic participation in battleground states could doom the party ’ s chances .
Mr. Biden has already shifted leftward .
Last month , he adopted a version of Mr. Sanders ’ college tuition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another liberal former candidate , Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
“ While the Sanders campaign has been suspended — its impact on this election and on elections to come is far from over , ” Mr. Biden wrote in a long statement , name-checking the Sanders agenda .
I can ’ t let this moment pass without noting Mr. Sanders ’ remarkable ( and ongoing ) career , agree with him or not .
As a college senior in Vermont , I remember when Mr. Sanders was elected mayor of Burlington by 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Brooklyn who railed against millionaires – sound familiar ?
My former colleague Warren Richey traveled to Burlington in 1984 to interview Mayor Sanders , and found a character who talked like a socialist but governed like a pragmatist .
When Mr. Sanders reached Congress in 1991 , it was more of same : Talk the talk , but when push came to shove , vote with the Democrats .
Until 2015 , Mr. Sanders toiled largely unnoticed .
Then he took on Hillary Clinton , the embodiment of the Democratic establishment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grabbing the party ’ s presidential nomination .
Like President Trump , he had tapped into something deep within the American electorate , a populist yearning to smash entrenched forces in Washington .
Whether Mr. Biden can indeed unite the Democrats is an open question .
Stay tuned for our coverage of that important story .
Let us know what you ’ re thinking at csmpolitics @ csmonitor.com .

Dear reader:
Bernie Sanders’ withdrawal from the presidential race Wednesday was hardly a surprise. Joe Biden had a prohibitive lead in delegates and in polls for the Democratic nomination. But the Vermont senator’s decision, after a likely loss in yesterday’s strange Wisconsin primary, is still momentous.
Former Vice President Biden, the presumptive nominee, now faces the formidable task of uniting the party. Senator Sanders is not even a “big D” Democrat, he’s a social democrat, and his advocacy for such programs as Medicare For All and free college tuition turned his movement into a force, ranging from septuagenarian “social justice warriors” to millennials saddled with debt, as two Monitor colleagues wrote in February.
Most Sanders supporters can be expected to vote for Mr. Biden, if only as the vehicle for ousting President Donald Trump. But in a close race, any drop-off in Democratic participation in battleground states could doom the party’s chances. Mr. Biden has already shifted leftward. Last month, he adopted a version of Mr. Sanders’ college tuition plan and endorsed the bankruptcy plan of another liberal former candidate, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
“While the Sanders campaign has been suspended — its impact on this election and on elections to come is far from over,” Mr. Biden wrote in a long statement, name-checking the Sanders agenda.
I can’t let this moment pass without noting Mr. Sanders’ remarkable (and ongoing) career, agree with him or not. As a college senior in Vermont, I remember when Mr. Sanders was elected mayor of Burlington by 10 votes. He was a hippie transplant from Brooklyn who railed against millionaires – sound familiar? My former colleague Warren Richey traveled to Burlington in 1984 to interview Mayor Sanders , and found a character who talked like a socialist but governed like a pragmatist. When Mr. Sanders reached Congress in 1991, it was more of same: Talk the talk, but when push came to shove, vote with the Democrats.
Until 2015, Mr. Sanders toiled largely unnoticed. Then he took on Hillary Clinton, the embodiment of the Democratic establishment, and a movement was born, nearly grabbing the party’s presidential nomination. Like President Trump, he had tapped into something deep within the American electorate, a populist yearning to smash entrenched forces in Washington.
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Whether Mr. Biden can indeed unite the Democrats is an open question. Stay tuned for our coverage of that important story.
Let us know what you’re thinking at csmpolitics@csmonitor.com.


csmonitor--2020-04-08--Bernie Sanders ends 2020 campaign, handing nomination to Biden

Sen. Bernie Sanders , who saw his once strong lead in the Democratic primary evaporate as the party ’ s establishment lined swiftly up behind rival Joe Biden , ended his presidential bid on Wednesday , an acknowledgment that the former vice president is too far ahead for him to have any reasonable hope of catching up .
The Vermont senator ’ s announcement makes Mr. Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in November .
`` The path toward victory is virtually impossible , '' Mr. Sanders told supporters as he congratulated Mr. Biden , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very decent man whom I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward . ''
Mr. Sanders initially exceeded sky-high expectations about his ability to recreate the magic of his 2016 presidential bid , and even overcame a heart attack last October on the campaign trail .
But he found himself unable to convert unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination amid `` electability '' fears fueled by questions about whether his democratic socialist ideology would be palatable to general election voters .
The senator began his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he could win back the supporters who chose him four years ago as an insurgent alternative to the party establishment ’ s choice , Hillary Clinton .
Despite winning 22 states in 2016 , there were no guarantees he ’ d be a major presidential contender this cycle , especially as the race ’ s oldest candidate .
Mr. Sanders , though , used strong polling and solid fundraising – collected almost entirely from small donations made online – to more than quiet early doubters .
Like the first time , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was able to make new inroads within the Hispanic community , even as his appeal with African Americans remained small .
Mr. Sanders amassed the most votes in Iowa and New Hampshire , which opened primary voting , and cruised to an easy victory in Nevada – seemingly leaving him well positioned to sprint to the Democratic nomination while a deeply crowded and divided field of alternatives sunk around him .
But a crucial endorsement of Mr. Biden by influential South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn , and a subsequent , larger-than-expected victory in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president into Super Tuesday , when he won 10 of 14 states .
In a matter of days , his top former Democratic rivals lined up and announced their endorsement of Mr. Biden .
The former vice president ’ s campaign had appeared on the brink of collapse after New Hampshire but found new life as the rest of the party ’ s more moderate establishment coalesced around him as an alternative to Mr. Sanders .
Things only got worse the following week when Mr. Sanders lost Michigan , where he had campaigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was also beaten in Missouri , Mississippi , and Idaho the same night and the results were so decisive that Mr. Sanders headed to Vermont without speaking to the media .
The coronavirus outbreak essentially froze the campaign , preventing Mr. Sanders from holding the large rallies that had become his trademark and shifting the primary calendar .
It became increasingly unclear where he could notch a victory that would help him regain ground against Mr. Biden .
Though he will not be the nominee , Mr. Sanders was a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that dominated the Democratic primary , including a “ Medicare for All ” universal , government-funded health care plan , tuition-free public college , a $ 15 minimum wage , and sweeping efforts to fight climate change under the “ Green New Deal.
” He relished the fact that his ideas – viewed as radical four years ago – had become part of the political mainstream by the next election cycle , as Democratic politics lurched to the left in the Trump era .
Mr. Sanders began the 2020 race by arguing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr. Trump .
He said his working-class appeal could help Democrats win back Rust Belt states that Mr. Trump won in 2016 , including Michigan , Wisconsin , and Pennsylvania .
But as the race wore on , the senator reverted to his 2016 roots , repeatedly stressing that he backs a `` political revolution '' from the bottom up under the slogan `` Not me .
Us . ''
Mr. Sanders also faced persistent questions about being the field ’ s oldest candidate .
Those were pushed into the spotlight on Oct. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally in Las Vegas and asked for a chair to be brought on stage so he could sit down .
Suffering from chest pains afterward , he underwent surgery to insert two stints because of a blocked artery , and his campaign revealed two days later that he had suffered a heart attack .
But a serious health scare that might have derailed other campaigns seemed only to help Mr. Sanders as his already-strong fundraising got stronger and rising stars on the Democratic left , including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , endorsed him .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthened their resolve to back him .
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren outshone him throughout much of the summer , but Mr. Sanders worked his way back up in the polls .
The two progressive candidates spent months refusing to attack each other , though Mr. Sanders offered a strong defense of Medicare for All after Ms. Warren offered a transition plan saying it would take the country years to transition to it .
The two longtime allies finally clashed bitterly , if briefly , in January , when Ms. Warren said that Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting that a woman couldn ’ t be elected president .
Mr. Sanders denied saying that , but Ms. Warren refused to shake his outstretched hand after a debate in Iowa .
Ms. Warren left the race after a dismal Super Tuesday showing in which she finished third in her own state .
In 2016 , Mr. Sanders kept campaigning long after the primaries had ended and endorsed Mrs. Clinton less than two weeks before their party ’ s convention .
This cycle , he promised to work better with the national and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the race now could be a step toward unity .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who saw his once strong lead in the Democratic primary evaporate as the party’s establishment lined swiftly up behind rival Joe Biden, ended his presidential bid on Wednesday, an acknowledgment that the former vice president is too far ahead for him to have any reasonable hope of catching up.
The Vermont senator’s announcement makes Mr. Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in November.
"The path toward victory is virtually impossible," Mr. Sanders told supporters as he congratulated Mr. Biden, adding that the former vice president is "a very decent man whom I will work with to move our progressive ideas forward."
Mr. Sanders initially exceeded sky-high expectations about his ability to recreate the magic of his 2016 presidential bid, and even overcame a heart attack last October on the campaign trail. But he found himself unable to convert unwavering support from progressives into a viable path to the nomination amid "electability" fears fueled by questions about whether his democratic socialist ideology would be palatable to general election voters.
The senator began his latest White House bid facing questions about whether he could win back the supporters who chose him four years ago as an insurgent alternative to the party establishment’s choice, Hillary Clinton. Despite winning 22 states in 2016, there were no guarantees he’d be a major presidential contender this cycle, especially as the race’s oldest candidate.
Mr. Sanders, though, used strong polling and solid fundraising – collected almost entirely from small donations made online – to more than quiet early doubters. Like the first time, he attracted widespread support from young voters and was able to make new inroads within the Hispanic community, even as his appeal with African Americans remained small.
Mr. Sanders amassed the most votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, which opened primary voting, and cruised to an easy victory in Nevada – seemingly leaving him well positioned to sprint to the Democratic nomination while a deeply crowded and divided field of alternatives sunk around him.
But a crucial endorsement of Mr. Biden by influential South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, and a subsequent, larger-than-expected victory in South Carolina, propelled the former vice president into Super Tuesday, when he won 10 of 14 states.
In a matter of days, his top former Democratic rivals lined up and announced their endorsement of Mr. Biden. The former vice president’s campaign had appeared on the brink of collapse after New Hampshire but found new life as the rest of the party’s more moderate establishment coalesced around him as an alternative to Mr. Sanders.
Things only got worse the following week when Mr. Sanders lost Michigan, where he had campaigned hard and upset Mrs. Clinton in 2016. He was also beaten in Missouri, Mississippi, and Idaho the same night and the results were so decisive that Mr. Sanders headed to Vermont without speaking to the media.
The coronavirus outbreak essentially froze the campaign, preventing Mr. Sanders from holding the large rallies that had become his trademark and shifting the primary calendar. It became increasingly unclear where he could notch a victory that would help him regain ground against Mr. Biden.
Though he will not be the nominee, Mr. Sanders was a key architect of many of the social policies that dominated the Democratic primary, including a “Medicare for All” universal, government-funded health care plan, tuition-free public college, a $15 minimum wage, and sweeping efforts to fight climate change under the “Green New Deal.”
He relished the fact that his ideas – viewed as radical four years ago – had become part of the political mainstream by the next election cycle, as Democratic politics lurched to the left in the Trump era.
Mr. Sanders began the 2020 race by arguing that he was the most electable Democrat against Mr. Trump. He said his working-class appeal could help Democrats win back Rust Belt states that Mr. Trump won in 2016, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. But as the race wore on, the senator reverted to his 2016 roots, repeatedly stressing that he backs a "political revolution" from the bottom up under the slogan "Not me. Us."
Mr. Sanders also faced persistent questions about being the field’s oldest candidate. Those were pushed into the spotlight on Oct. 1, when he was at a rally in Las Vegas and asked for a chair to be brought on stage so he could sit down. Suffering from chest pains afterward, he underwent surgery to insert two stints because of a blocked artery, and his campaign revealed two days later that he had suffered a heart attack.
But a serious health scare that might have derailed other campaigns seemed only to help Mr. Sanders as his already-strong fundraising got stronger and rising stars on the Democratic left, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, endorsed him. Many supporters said the heart attack only strengthened their resolve to back him.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren outshone him throughout much of the summer, but Mr. Sanders worked his way back up in the polls. The two progressive candidates spent months refusing to attack each other, though Mr. Sanders offered a strong defense of Medicare for All after Ms. Warren offered a transition plan saying it would take the country years to transition to it.
The two longtime allies finally clashed bitterly, if briefly, in January, when Ms. Warren said that Mr. Sanders had suggested during a 2018 private meeting that a woman couldn’t be elected president. Mr. Sanders denied saying that, but Ms. Warren refused to shake his outstretched hand after a debate in Iowa.
Ms. Warren left the race after a dismal Super Tuesday showing in which she finished third in her own state.
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In 2016, Mr. Sanders kept campaigning long after the primaries had ended and endorsed Mrs. Clinton less than two weeks before their party’s convention. This cycle, he promised to work better with the national and state parties. His dropping out of the race now could be a step toward unity.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-04-08--Wisconsin primary disproportionately impacted minority voters

If Wisconsin was a test case for voting in the age of the coronavirus , it did not go well for many voters .
Thousands were forced to congregate for hours in long lines on Tuesday with no protective gear .
Thousands more stayed home , unwilling to risk their health and unable to be counted because requested absentee ballots never arrived .
Voters reported being afraid , angry , and embarrassed by the state 's unwillingness to postpone their presidential primary elections as more than a dozen other states have already done .
Neither Joe Biden nor Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until next Monday in accordance with one of several court orders that shaped the contest .
Going forward with the election was especially problematic in the state 's largest city , Milwaukee , where roughly 4 in 10 residents are black .
The city of 590,000 has suffered roughly half the state 's coronavirus deaths , many of them minorities .
Officials closed all but five of the city 's 180 polling places , forcing thousands of voters to congregate at only a handful of voting sites .
Evidence showed that minority voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their communities .
Michael Claus , an African American man , said he requested an absentee ballot in March but it never showed up .
His only option was to vote in person , so in a protective mask and Tuskegee Airmen cap he waited to vote .
He blamed the Republican-controlled state legislature for the situation .
`` They could have delayed the election with no problem , '' Mr. Claus said .
`` They decided if they can suppress the vote in Milwaukee and Madison , where you have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people elected you want elected .
And that 's sad . ''
The chaos in Wisconsin , a premiere general election battleground , was expected to reverberate across states that still have primaries ahead .
Alaska , Wyoming , and Ohio are conducting contests by mail this month , and other states , including Georgia , are slated to hold in-person voting in May .
Election experts warned that Wisconsin was an example of what not to do .
And the experience added immediate context to the broader debate about protecting voting rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward with an election , but we have not moved forward with democracy in the state of Wisconsin , '' warned Neil Albrecht , executive director of Milwaukee 's election commission .
With results not coming until next week , the state did not offer Mr. Biden the knockout blow he hoped for in his presidential nomination fight against Mr. Sanders .
The candidates spoke out late Tuesday on separate livestreams from the safety of their homes hundreds of miles away but had little to say about the Wisconsin contest .
Mr. Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election on Tuesday after warning the night before that holding the election was `` dangerous '' and `` may prove deadly . ''
Mr. Biden , too , said in-person voting should n't have taken place .
Democrats accused Republicans of holding to the Tuesday election date in part to benefit from reduced turnout in the state 's most populous cities , which lean Democratic .
Reduced turnout there would benefit a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who is on the ballot for re-election .
Republicans defended moving ahead with the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that elections have not been delayed during other times of national crisis .
They also argued it was important to fill thousands of local offices where terms will expire later this month .
It 's too early to say how much of an effect fears over coronavirus along with all the last-minute confusion about whether the election would happen would reduce turnout .
But any decline could have long-term consequences .
“ If black voices are not represented in the vote and in decisions that are made by folks that are elected , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Farmer with the ACLU of Wisconsin .
“ They do n't receive the same amount of resources , the same amount of funding in their communities .
Long term , this will have a ripple effect.
” Keisha Robinson of Milwaukee works to mobilize voters with BLOC – Black Leaders Organizing Communities .
Ms. Robinson herself requested an absentee ballot from the city on Thursday , a day before the deadline .
She had her fingers crossed that it would arrive in Tuesday ’ s mail .
When it did n't , Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote in person .
Feeling scared due to her immune system that she says “ is not so strong , '' she decided against it .
“ Not being able to vote when that ’ s exactly what I urge and inform my community to do feels like hypocrisy ” she said .
“ It feels like i didn ’ t complete my end of an important deal or something . ''
Lest there be any doubt about the GOP 's motivation , President Donald Trump on Tuesday broke from health experts who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by calling on his supporters to `` get out and vote NOW '' for the conservative judicial candidate .
The unprecedented challenge created a chaotic scene across the state where voters and officials fought health risks in order to vote .
In Madison , city workers erected Plexiglas barriers to protect poll workers , and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots .
Tens of thousands of voters who received absentee ballots had not returned them as of Tuesday , Mr. Albrecht said .
He noted that his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who did n't get an absentee ballot or were concerned theirs had n't been delivered to election officials .
Milwaukee resident Megan Nakkula was forced to vote in person after she requested an absentee ballot but did n't receive it .
`` It 's been a very emotional day thinking about what the outcome of this could be , '' she said , holding back tears .
`` It just does n't feel like it was the safest decision to do .
I saw a lot of elderly voters , people who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many precautions as they could .
We were 6 feet apart , but you know , we do n't know what we do n't know about this virus at this point in time , and it 's really scary . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Associated Press writers Gretchen Ehlke , Christina A. Cassidy , Carrie Antlfinger , Amy Forliti , and Doug Glass contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

If Wisconsin was a test case for voting in the age of the coronavirus, it did not go well for many voters.
Thousands were forced to congregate for hours in long lines on Tuesday with no protective gear. Thousands more stayed home, unwilling to risk their health and unable to be counted because requested absentee ballots never arrived.
Voters reported being afraid, angry, and embarrassed by the state's unwillingness to postpone their presidential primary elections as more than a dozen other states have already done. Neither Joe Biden nor Bernie Sanders will be declared a winner at least until next Monday in accordance with one of several court orders that shaped the contest.
Going forward with the election was especially problematic in the state's largest city, Milwaukee, where roughly 4 in 10 residents are black. The city of 590,000 has suffered roughly half the state's coronavirus deaths, many of them minorities. Officials closed all but five of the city's 180 polling places, forcing thousands of voters to congregate at only a handful of voting sites.
Evidence showed that minority voters were disproportionately impacted by widespread poll closures in their communities.
Michael Claus, an African American man, said he requested an absentee ballot in March but it never showed up. His only option was to vote in person, so in a protective mask and Tuskegee Airmen cap he waited to vote.
He blamed the Republican-controlled state legislature for the situation.
"They could have delayed the election with no problem," Mr. Claus said. "They decided if they can suppress the vote in Milwaukee and Madison, where you have a large minority presence, you can get people elected you want elected. And that's sad."
The chaos in Wisconsin, a premiere general election battleground, was expected to reverberate across states that still have primaries ahead. Alaska, Wyoming, and Ohio are conducting contests by mail this month, and other states, including Georgia, are slated to hold in-person voting in May.
Election experts warned that Wisconsin was an example of what not to do. And the experience added immediate context to the broader debate about protecting voting rights this November.
"We have moved forward with an election, but we have not moved forward with democracy in the state of Wisconsin," warned Neil Albrecht, executive director of Milwaukee's election commission.
With results not coming until next week, the state did not offer Mr. Biden the knockout blow he hoped for in his presidential nomination fight against Mr. Sanders. The candidates spoke out late Tuesday on separate livestreams from the safety of their homes hundreds of miles away but had little to say about the Wisconsin contest.
Mr. Sanders didn't say a word about the election on Tuesday after warning the night before that holding the election was "dangerous" and "may prove deadly." Mr. Biden, too, said in-person voting shouldn't have taken place.
Democrats accused Republicans of holding to the Tuesday election date in part to benefit from reduced turnout in the state's most populous cities, which lean Democratic. Reduced turnout there would benefit a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice who is on the ballot for re-election.
Republicans defended moving ahead with the election, saying it could be done safely and that elections have not been delayed during other times of national crisis. They also argued it was important to fill thousands of local offices where terms will expire later this month.
It's too early to say how much of an effect fears over coronavirus along with all the last-minute confusion about whether the election would happen would reduce turnout. But any decline could have long-term consequences.
“If black voices are not represented in the vote and in decisions that are made by folks that are elected, their communities suffer,” said Ryeshia Farmer with the ACLU of Wisconsin. “They don't receive the same amount of resources, the same amount of funding in their communities. Long term, this will have a ripple effect.”
Keisha Robinson of Milwaukee works to mobilize voters with BLOC – Black Leaders Organizing Communities. Ms. Robinson herself requested an absentee ballot from the city on Thursday, a day before the deadline.
She had her fingers crossed that it would arrive in Tuesday’s mail. When it didn't, Ms. Robinson had to decide whether to go vote in person. Feeling scared due to her immune system that she says “is not so strong," she decided against it.
“Not being able to vote when that’s exactly what I urge and inform my community to do feels like hypocrisy” she said. “It feels like i didn’t complete my end of an important deal or something."
Lest there be any doubt about the GOP's motivation, President Donald Trump on Tuesday broke from health experts who have encouraged all Americans to stay home by calling on his supporters to "get out and vote NOW" for the conservative judicial candidate.
The unprecedented challenge created a chaotic scene across the state where voters and officials fought health risks in order to vote.
In Madison, city workers erected Plexiglas barriers to protect poll workers, and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots.
Tens of thousands of voters who received absentee ballots had not returned them as of Tuesday, Mr. Albrecht said. He noted that his office received hundreds of calls from people who didn't get an absentee ballot or were concerned theirs hadn't been delivered to election officials.
Milwaukee resident Megan Nakkula was forced to vote in person after she requested an absentee ballot but didn't receive it.
"It's been a very emotional day thinking about what the outcome of this could be," she said, holding back tears. "It just doesn't feel like it was the safest decision to do. I saw a lot of elderly voters, people who were high risk and everyone is taking as many precautions as they could. We were 6 feet apart, but you know, we don't know what we don't know about this virus at this point in time, and it's really scary."
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Associated Press writers Gretchen Ehlke, Christina A. Cassidy, Carrie Antlfinger, Amy Forliti, and Doug Glass contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-08--White House shakeup: Trump replaces press team amid outbreaks

President Donald Trump shook up his communications team on Tuesday , replacing his press secretary and adding new staffers as he grapples with the coronavirus pandemic .
Stephanie Grisham , who had held the titles of press secretary and White House communications director since last June , is out after never holding a formal press briefing .
She will be rejoining the first lady ’ s office in a new role as Melania Trumps 's chief of staff .
Kayleigh McEnany , a top Trump campaign spokeswoman , will take over as Mr. Trump ’ s fourth press secretary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah .
She will lead strategic communications , according to a senior administration official familiar with the moves who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions had not been formally announced .
The shakeup comes as the president is facing the biggest crisis of his administration , with the coronavirus spreading across the country .
The virus has killed more than 12,000 people in the United States and fundamentally transformed American life while plunging the economy into what is expected to be a major recession .
Ms. Grisham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was arguably the nation ’ s least visible press secretary in modern history , having never held a press briefing during her nine months on the job .
While she made occasional appearances on the Fox News Channel , she preferred to tape her interviews in a studio to avoid having to speak to reporters who gather on the White House driveway to interview officials after they appear on TV via cameras set up outside the executive mansion .
Her departure was not a surprise .
Ms. Grisham had been largely sidelined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the press team for Vice President Mike Pence , the head of the coronavirus task force , taking the lead .
In addition , Mark Meadows , the president 's new chief of staff , has been working to bring on his own team , including senior adviser Ben Williamson .
The role of press secretary has been a particularly challenging one under the media-obsessed Mr. Trump , who believes himself to be his best spokesman , communications director , and strategist , and demands absolute loyalty .
Over the last several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tradition of the daily press briefing , personally taking the stage in the White House briefing room to try to put a positive spin on the federal government ’ s response to the pandemic .
Mr. Trump has a highly volatile relationship with the press , slamming unflattering stories as `` fake news '' while closely following his coverage .
Briefings earlier in the administration often turned combative , especially under Mr. Spicer .
He began his tenure with a much-panned briefing in which he claimed the president 's inauguration crowds had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms. McEnany was already a regular defender of the president on television .
Ms. Farah has deep ties to the White House , having served as press secretary to Mr. Pence and as Mr. Meadows ' communications director .
Ms. Grisham 's new role was announced Tuesday by Mrs. Trump .
The first lady said Lindsay Reynolds , her chief of staff for the past three years , had resigned to spend more time with her family .
Ms. Grisham , who had said in a statement that she would remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a smooth transition for as long as needed , '' tweeted her thanks to Mr. Trump on Tuesday evening `` for the honor of a lifetime . ''
Anita McBride , who served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush , said Ms. Grisham ’ s return to the East Wing shows her close ties to Mrs. Trump .
Ms. McBride recalled that it was the first lady , and not the president , who announced last year that Ms. Grisham would become the White House press secretary .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ms. McBride said .
She added that Ms. Grisham `` knows how Mrs. Trump likes things done .
They ’ re clearly very close . ''
But Lis Power of the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America said Mr. Trump was `` replacing a White House press secretary who did little more than appear on Fox News and other right-wing media outlets , with a person who is best known for her sycophantic pro-Trump media appearances . ''
`` We should expect Kayleigh McEnany to follow the lead of her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This story was reported by The Associated Press .
AP writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

President Donald Trump shook up his communications team on Tuesday, replacing his press secretary and adding new staffers as he grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephanie Grisham, who had held the titles of press secretary and White House communications director since last June, is out after never holding a formal press briefing. She will be rejoining the first lady’s office in a new role as Melania Trumps's chief of staff.
Kayleigh McEnany, a top Trump campaign spokeswoman, will take over as Mr. Trump’s fourth press secretary. Also heading to the White House: Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah. She will lead strategic communications, according to a senior administration official familiar with the moves who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decisions had not been formally announced.
The shakeup comes as the president is facing the biggest crisis of his administration, with the coronavirus spreading across the country. The virus has killed more than 12,000 people in the United States and fundamentally transformed American life while plunging the economy into what is expected to be a major recession.
Ms. Grisham, who succeeded Sarah Sanders and Sean Spicer, was arguably the nation’s least visible press secretary in modern history, having never held a press briefing during her nine months on the job. While she made occasional appearances on the Fox News Channel, she preferred to tape her interviews in a studio to avoid having to speak to reporters who gather on the White House driveway to interview officials after they appear on TV via cameras set up outside the executive mansion.
Her departure was not a surprise. Ms. Grisham had been largely sidelined since the start of the pandemic, with the press team for Vice President Mike Pence, the head of the coronavirus task force, taking the lead. In addition, Mark Meadows, the president's new chief of staff, has been working to bring on his own team, including senior adviser Ben Williamson.
The role of press secretary has been a particularly challenging one under the media-obsessed Mr. Trump, who believes himself to be his best spokesman, communications director, and strategist, and demands absolute loyalty.
Over the last several weeks, Mr. Trump has revived the tradition of the daily press briefing, personally taking the stage in the White House briefing room to try to put a positive spin on the federal government’s response to the pandemic.
Mr. Trump has a highly volatile relationship with the press, slamming unflattering stories as "fake news" while closely following his coverage. Briefings earlier in the administration often turned combative, especially under Mr. Spicer. He began his tenure with a much-panned briefing in which he claimed the president's inauguration crowds had been the largest ever, which was untrue.
Ms. McEnany was already a regular defender of the president on television. Ms. Farah has deep ties to the White House, having served as press secretary to Mr. Pence and as Mr. Meadows' communications director.
Ms. Grisham's new role was announced Tuesday by Mrs. Trump. The first lady said Lindsay Reynolds, her chief of staff for the past three years, had resigned to spend more time with her family.
Ms. Grisham, who had said in a statement that she would remain in the West Wing "to help with a smooth transition for as long as needed," tweeted her thanks to Mr. Trump on Tuesday evening "for the honor of a lifetime."
Anita McBride, who served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush, said Ms. Grisham’s return to the East Wing shows her close ties to Mrs. Trump. Ms. McBride recalled that it was the first lady, and not the president, who announced last year that Ms. Grisham would become the White House press secretary.
"It will be an easy transition for Stephanie," Ms. McBride said. She added that Ms. Grisham "knows how Mrs. Trump likes things done. They’re clearly very close."
But Lis Power of the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America said Mr. Trump was "replacing a White House press secretary who did little more than appear on Fox News and other right-wing media outlets, with a person who is best known for her sycophantic pro-Trump media appearances."
"We should expect Kayleigh McEnany to follow the lead of her predecessors," Ms. Power said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-07--High Court ruling: Wisconsin polls open despite safety concerns

Wisconsin is asking hundreds of thousands of voters to ignore a stay-at-home order in the midst of a pandemic to participate in Tuesday 's presidential primary election , becoming a test case for dozens of states struggling to balance public health concerns with a core pillar of democracy .
The National Guard is helping to run voting sites across the state after thousands of election workers stepped down fearing for their safety .
Dozens of polling places will be closed , but those that are active opened at 7 a.m. CDT .
The lines were particularly long in Milwaukee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic stronghold , where just five of 180 traditional polling places were open .
Many voters across the state did not have facial coverings in line with public health recommendations .
Results were not expected to be released election night .
In the wake of a legal battle over whether to conduct the election as scheduled , a court ruling appeared to prevent results from being made public earlier than April 13 .
The Election Day chaos that loomed over Wisconsin , a premiere general-election battleground , underscored the lengths to which the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek a nominee to take on President Donald Trump this fall .
Joe Biden hopes the state will help deliver a knockout blow against Bernie Sanders in the nomination fight , but the winner of Tuesday 's contest may be less significant than Wisconsin 's decision to allow voting at all .
Its ability to host an election under the lash of a growing pandemic could have significant implications for upcoming primaries and even the fall general election .
`` This is a warning sign for November and a problem that states need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Wendy Weiser , director of the Brennan Center for Justice 's democracy program .
`` Americans should not have to choose between their health and their right to vote . ''
Democrats in and out of Wisconsin screamed for the low-profile contest to be postponed , yet Republicans – and the conservative-majority state Supreme Court – would not give in .
The partisan split was colored by a state Supreme Court election in which a lower turnout was thought to benefit the conservative candidate .
In an overnight tweet , Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed an earlier tweet in which the president urged those going to the polls to `` be safe . ''
While Mr. Trump 's health advisers encouraged all Americans to stay home , Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt downplayed the health concerns .
The state had reported nearly 2,500 coronavirus infections and 77 related deaths as of Monday night .
`` Wisconsin voters are pretty determined , '' Mr. Hitt said , noting that Wisconsin residents are still going to the grocery store , the liquor store , and even boating stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't really think of something more essential than voting . ''
Mr. Hitt said he would be among those voting in person on Tuesday , even though he did not have a mask to cover his nose and mouth .
On Friday , Mr. Trump said a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that all Americans wear masks if they leave their homes was `` voluntary . ''
`` I don ’ t have one .
I ’ m sure most of Wisconsinites don ’ t have masks , '' Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City . ''
U.S .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams , asked about the dilemma facing Wisconsin voters , said he understands how important the right to vote is .
He urged anyone going out to vote to do so `` as safely as possible '' by following social distancing guidelines pushed by the White House .
`` I say , as a black man that I know that people have died for the right to vote .
This is very important to our entire country , and if people are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , please , do it as safely as possible , maintain six feet , '' Dr. Adams said Tuesday on NBC 's `` Today . ''
`` Please , especially in Wisconsin , consider wearing a cloth facial covering to protect your neighbor .
If you ’ re going to exercise your right to vote , do it as safely as possible . ''
Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers issued an executive order Monday afternoon to postpone the election .
Less than four hours later , the state Supreme Court sided with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t have the authority to reschedule the race on his own .
Conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court quickly followed with a 5-4 ruling that overturned a lower court 's decision expanding absentee voting .
Mr. Evers himself had questioned whether he had the power to reschedule the election , but said the worsening situation , including an increase in COVID-19 deaths , made clear there was no way to safely move forward .
The first-term Democrat said he sought the delay because he was motivated by protecting public health , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the majority of them , don ’ t spend all their waking hours thinking about are Republicans or Democrats getting the upper hand here , '' Mr. Evers said .
`` They ’ re saying they ’ re scared .
They ’ re scared of going to the polls . ''
With the U.S. Supreme Court decision , voters found no extra time for absentee voting .
The court said absentee ballots must be hand-delivered by Tuesday evening or postmarked by Tuesday , although they can arrive at clerks ’ offices as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials said the high court ’ s order left intact a provision of the lower-court order that no returns be reported until that day .
In dissent , Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that the coronavirus outbreak had caused a surge in absentee ballot requests and thousands of voters who requested them will not have received their ballots by Tuesday .
`` The Court ’ s order , I fear , will result in massive disenfranchisement , '' she wrote .
In response to the decisions by the Republican legislature and the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election amid the virus outbreak `` dangerous '' and `` may very well prove deadly . ''
The Sanders campaign will not engage in traditional get-out-the-vote efforts , he said .
Meanwhile , critics raised the prospect of major Election Day complications , particularly given that thousands of poll workers stepped down .
That led the state 's largest city , Milwaukee , to reduce its planned number of polling sites from 180 to just five .
More than 2,500 National Guard troops were dispatched to staff the polls , where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functions of poll workers while also distributing hand sanitizer .
In Madison , city workers erected Plexiglas barriers to protect poll workers , and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots .
Kat Devlin , a magazine editor who works from her home in Milwaukee , applied for an absentee ballot during the third week in March but never received it .
The state should have postponed the election , she said .
`` It ’ s just dangerous to have so many people going to the polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was reported by The Associated Press .
Peoples reported from Montclair , New Jersey .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Wisconsin is asking hundreds of thousands of voters to ignore a stay-at-home order in the midst of a pandemic to participate in Tuesday's presidential primary election, becoming a test case for dozens of states struggling to balance public health concerns with a core pillar of democracy.
The National Guard is helping to run voting sites across the state after thousands of election workers stepped down fearing for their safety. Dozens of polling places will be closed, but those that are active opened at 7 a.m. CDT.
The lines were particularly long in Milwaukee, the state's largest city and a Democratic stronghold, where just five of 180 traditional polling places were open. Many voters across the state did not have facial coverings in line with public health recommendations.
Results were not expected to be released election night. In the wake of a legal battle over whether to conduct the election as scheduled, a court ruling appeared to prevent results from being made public earlier than April 13.
The Election Day chaos that loomed over Wisconsin, a premiere general-election battleground, underscored the lengths to which the coronavirus outbreak has upended politics as Democrats seek a nominee to take on President Donald Trump this fall.
Joe Biden hopes the state will help deliver a knockout blow against Bernie Sanders in the nomination fight, but the winner of Tuesday's contest may be less significant than Wisconsin's decision to allow voting at all. Its ability to host an election under the lash of a growing pandemic could have significant implications for upcoming primaries and even the fall general election.
"This is a warning sign for November and a problem that states need to take all steps to avoid," said Wendy Weiser, director of the Brennan Center for Justice's democracy program. "Americans should not have to choose between their health and their right to vote."
Democrats in and out of Wisconsin screamed for the low-profile contest to be postponed, yet Republicans – and the conservative-majority state Supreme Court – would not give in. The partisan split was colored by a state Supreme Court election in which a lower turnout was thought to benefit the conservative candidate.
In an overnight tweet, Mr. Trump encouraged people to vote. That followed an earlier tweet in which the president urged those going to the polls to "be safe."
While Mr. Trump's health advisers encouraged all Americans to stay home, Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Andrew Hitt downplayed the health concerns. The state had reported nearly 2,500 coronavirus infections and 77 related deaths as of Monday night.
"Wisconsin voters are pretty determined," Mr. Hitt said, noting that Wisconsin residents are still going to the grocery store, the liquor store, and even boating stores classified as essential businesses. "I can't really think of something more essential than voting."
Mr. Hitt said he would be among those voting in person on Tuesday, even though he did not have a mask to cover his nose and mouth. On Friday, Mr. Trump said a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation that all Americans wear masks if they leave their homes was "voluntary."
"I don’t have one. I’m sure most of Wisconsinites don’t have masks," Mr. Hitt said. "This isn't New York City."
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, asked about the dilemma facing Wisconsin voters, said he understands how important the right to vote is. He urged anyone going out to vote to do so "as safely as possible" by following social distancing guidelines pushed by the White House.
"I say, as a black man that I know that people have died for the right to vote. This is very important to our entire country, and if people are going to go out there and vote, then, please, do it as safely as possible, maintain six feet," Dr. Adams said Tuesday on NBC's "Today." "Please, especially in Wisconsin, consider wearing a cloth facial covering to protect your neighbor. If you’re going to exercise your right to vote, do it as safely as possible."
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers issued an executive order Monday afternoon to postpone the election. Less than four hours later, the state Supreme Court sided with Republicans who said Mr. Evers didn’t have the authority to reschedule the race on his own.
Conservative justices on the U.S. Supreme Court quickly followed with a 5-4 ruling that overturned a lower court's decision expanding absentee voting.
Mr. Evers himself had questioned whether he had the power to reschedule the election, but said the worsening situation, including an increase in COVID-19 deaths, made clear there was no way to safely move forward. The first-term Democrat said he sought the delay because he was motivated by protecting public health, not politics.
"The people of Wisconsin, the majority of them, don’t spend all their waking hours thinking about are Republicans or Democrats getting the upper hand here," Mr. Evers said. "They’re saying they’re scared. They’re scared of going to the polls."
With the U.S. Supreme Court decision, voters found no extra time for absentee voting. The court said absentee ballots must be hand-delivered by Tuesday evening or postmarked by Tuesday, although they can arrive at clerks’ offices as late as April 13. Wisconsin election officials said the high court’s order left intact a provision of the lower-court order that no returns be reported until that day.
In dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that the coronavirus outbreak had caused a surge in absentee ballot requests and thousands of voters who requested them will not have received their ballots by Tuesday.
"The Court’s order, I fear, will result in massive disenfranchisement," she wrote.
In response to the decisions by the Republican legislature and the state Supreme Court, Mr. Sanders called holding the election amid the virus outbreak "dangerous" and "may very well prove deadly." The Sanders campaign will not engage in traditional get-out-the-vote efforts, he said.
Meanwhile, critics raised the prospect of major Election Day complications, particularly given that thousands of poll workers stepped down. That led the state's largest city, Milwaukee, to reduce its planned number of polling sites from 180 to just five.
More than 2,500 National Guard troops were dispatched to staff the polls, where they were expected to help perform the normal functions of poll workers while also distributing hand sanitizer. In Madison, city workers erected Plexiglas barriers to protect poll workers, and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots.
Kat Devlin, a magazine editor who works from her home in Milwaukee, applied for an absentee ballot during the third week in March but never received it. The state should have postponed the election, she said.
"It’s just dangerous to have so many people going to the polls," she said.
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Peoples reported from Montclair, New Jersey.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-06--Hours before polls open, Wisconsin governor seeks election delay

Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers on Monday moved to postpone the state 's presidential primary for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic , prompting a court challenge and adding to confusion about whether voters will be able to head to the polls on Tuesday .
The executive order from Mr. Evers , a Democrat , would delay in-person voting until June 9 .
But Republicans almost immediately said they would ask the state Supreme Court to block the order , calling Mr. Evers ' decision `` an unconstitutional overreach . ''
The maneuvering left the fate of the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours before polls were slated to open .
Other states that were scheduled to vote this month have postponed their elections until May or June , but Republicans in Wisconsin have refused to delay .
At the presidential level , Joe Biden already has a commanding delegate lead over Bernie Sanders , and the Wisconsin results aren ’ t likely to dampen his march to the Democratic nomination .
But the tumult in one of the most critical general election battlegrounds underscored the challenge of voting during a pandemic when public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any reason to prevent the spread of the virus .
Mr. Evers himself has questioned whether he has the power to reschedule the election , but said the worsening situation , including an increase in COVID-19 deaths from 56 on Friday to 77 on Monday , made it clear there was no way to safely move forward .
Mr. Evers said he was motivated by protecting public health , not politics .
`` The people of Wisconsin , the majority of them , don ’ t spend all their waking hours thinking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand here , '' Mr. Evers said .
`` They ’ re saying they ’ re scared .
They ’ re scared of going to the polls .
They ’ re scared for their future .
At the end of the day , someone has to stand up for those folks . ''
Republicans are expected to take their case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court , which is controlled 5-2 by conservative justices .
One of them is on the ballot Tuesday and has not participated in other election-related legal fights , narrowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate legal fight over absentee ballots was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court .
Given the expected `` fast-moving '' legal action , the Wisconsin Elections Commission told local election clerks it should proceed with planning as if the election would still occur on Tuesday .
Mr. Evers and Republicans initially agreed that it was imperative for the election to proceed because thousands of local offices are on the ballot Tuesday for terms that begin in two weeks .
There is also a state Supreme Court election .
Mr. Evers ' order would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the June election .
Ohio saw a similar eleventh-hour flurry the day before its primary last month .
After the state ’ s governor and secretary of state failed to persuade a judge to shift the election date , the state health director stepped in and ordered voting shut down .
Legislators set a new , almost all-mail primary for April 28 , sparking new legal challenges from voting rights groups , but a federal judge on Friday said the election could go forward .
Wisconsin Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach said Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat-heavy Milwaukee , because that will benefit Republicans and the conservative Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly , who is seeking a 10-year term .
`` Democrats have always been good about getting out the vote on the day of , '' Mr. Erpenbach said .
`` If you ’ re looking at the newspapers , watching TV , you know right now it ’ s dangerous . ''
Mr. Evers is among the governors who have issued a stay-at-home order and closed all nonessential businesses .
Dozens of polling places have been closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and vote in person and take a chance on contracting COVID-19 or stay home , '' Mr. Erpenbach said .
`` What do you think people are going to do ? ''
The state and national Democratic parties , along with a host of other liberal and voter advocacy groups , filed federal lawsuits seeking a delay in the election and other changes .
A federal court judge just last week handed Democrats a partial win , allowing for absentee ballots to be counted through April 13 , delaying the reporting of election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and later a federal appeals court , declined to postpone the election .
Republicans have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court , asking that it not allow absentee ballots to be counted beyond Tuesday .
They argue that partial results could be leaked .
The court was considering whether to take action .
As of Monday morning , a record-high 1.2 million absentee ballots had been requested , but about 500,000 had yet to be returned .
Many voters who requested ballots said they had not yet received them , including Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fear that if the Supreme Court reverses the judge ’ s ruling and cuts short the amount of time those ballots can be returned and still counted , thousands of voters will be disenfranchised and not have their votes counted .
Thousands of poll workers had said they would n't work , leading Milwaukee to reduce its planned number of polling sites from 180 to just five .
More than 2,500 National Guard troops were dispatched to staff the polls .
They were also distributing supplies , including hand sanitizer , to polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , city workers were erecting plexiglass barriers to protect poll workers , and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots .
George Dunst of Madison , who has volunteered at his local polling site for nearly every election since he retired , said he 's not going Tuesday .
`` No matter what safety precautions you take , there ’ s going to be exposure , '' he said .
`` Who knows who comes into the polling place ? ''
This story was reported by The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
AP writers Todd Richmond from Madison , Wis. , and Julie Carr Smyth from Columbus , Ohio , contributed to this report .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Monday moved to postpone the state's presidential primary for two months because of the coronavirus pandemic, prompting a court challenge and adding to confusion about whether voters will be able to head to the polls on Tuesday.
The executive order from Mr. Evers, a Democrat, would delay in-person voting until June 9. But Republicans almost immediately said they would ask the state Supreme Court to block the order, calling Mr. Evers' decision "an unconstitutional overreach."
The maneuvering left the fate of the election up in the air less than 19 hours before polls were slated to open. Other states that were scheduled to vote this month have postponed their elections until May or June, but Republicans in Wisconsin have refused to delay.
At the presidential level, Joe Biden already has a commanding delegate lead over Bernie Sanders, and the Wisconsin results aren’t likely to dampen his march to the Democratic nomination. But the tumult in one of the most critical general election battlegrounds underscored the challenge of voting during a pandemic when public health officials are discouraging groups from gathering for virtually any reason to prevent the spread of the virus.
Mr. Evers himself has questioned whether he has the power to reschedule the election, but said the worsening situation, including an increase in COVID-19 deaths from 56 on Friday to 77 on Monday, made it clear there was no way to safely move forward. Mr. Evers said he was motivated by protecting public health, not politics.
"The people of Wisconsin, the majority of them, don’t spend all their waking hours thinking about are Republicans or Democrats getting the upper hand here," Mr. Evers said. "They’re saying they’re scared. They’re scared of going to the polls. They’re scared for their future. At the end of the day, someone has to stand up for those folks."
Republicans are expected to take their case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is controlled 5-2 by conservative justices. One of them is on the ballot Tuesday and has not participated in other election-related legal fights, narrowing the conservative majority to 4-2.
A separate legal fight over absentee ballots was pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Given the expected "fast-moving" legal action, the Wisconsin Elections Commission told local election clerks it should proceed with planning as if the election would still occur on Tuesday.
Mr. Evers and Republicans initially agreed that it was imperative for the election to proceed because thousands of local offices are on the ballot Tuesday for terms that begin in two weeks. There is also a state Supreme Court election.
Mr. Evers' order would allow local officials to continue serving until the June election.
Ohio saw a similar eleventh-hour flurry the day before its primary last month. After the state’s governor and secretary of state failed to persuade a judge to shift the election date, the state health director stepped in and ordered voting shut down. Legislators set a new, almost all-mail primary for April 28, sparking new legal challenges from voting rights groups, but a federal judge on Friday said the election could go forward.
Wisconsin Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach said Republicans want to suppress turnout, particularly in Democrat-heavy Milwaukee, because that will benefit Republicans and the conservative Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, who is seeking a 10-year term.
"Democrats have always been good about getting out the vote on the day of," Mr. Erpenbach said. "If you’re looking at the newspapers, watching TV, you know right now it’s dangerous."
Mr. Evers is among the governors who have issued a stay-at-home order and closed all nonessential businesses. Dozens of polling places have been closed.
"Your choice is to go and vote in person and take a chance on contracting COVID-19 or stay home," Mr. Erpenbach said. "What do you think people are going to do?"
The state and national Democratic parties, along with a host of other liberal and voter advocacy groups, filed federal lawsuits seeking a delay in the election and other changes. A federal court judge just last week handed Democrats a partial win, allowing for absentee ballots to be counted through April 13, delaying the reporting of election results until then. But the judge, and later a federal appeals court, declined to postpone the election.
Republicans have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking that it not allow absentee ballots to be counted beyond Tuesday. They argue that partial results could be leaked. The court was considering whether to take action.
As of Monday morning, a record-high 1.2 million absentee ballots had been requested, but about 500,000 had yet to be returned. Many voters who requested ballots said they had not yet received them, including Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz.
Democrats fear that if the Supreme Court reverses the judge’s ruling and cuts short the amount of time those ballots can be returned and still counted, thousands of voters will be disenfranchised and not have their votes counted.
Thousands of poll workers had said they wouldn't work, leading Milwaukee to reduce its planned number of polling sites from 180 to just five. More than 2,500 National Guard troops were dispatched to staff the polls. They were also distributing supplies, including hand sanitizer, to polling sites across the state. In Madison, city workers were erecting plexiglass barriers to protect poll workers, and voters were encouraged to bring their own pens to mark the ballots.
George Dunst of Madison, who has volunteered at his local polling site for nearly every election since he retired, said he's not going Tuesday. "No matter what safety precautions you take, there’s going to be exposure," he said. "Who knows who comes into the polling place?"
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This story was reported by The Associated Press. Peoples reported from New York. AP writers Todd Richmond from Madison, Wis., and Julie Carr Smyth from Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-01-02--Why Julian Castro is bowing out of the 2020 presidential race

Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro , the only Latino in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race , on Thursday ended his campaign that had pushed the field on immigration and swung hard at rivals on the debate stage but never found a foothold to climb from the back of the pack .
“ I ’ m so proud of the campaign we ’ ve run together .
We ’ ve shaped the conversation on so many important issues in this race , stood up for the most vulnerable people and given a voice to those who are often forgotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video .
“ But with only a month until the Iowa caucuses , and given the circumstances of this campaign season , I have determined that it simply isn ’ t our time.
” The video continues , “ So today it ’ s with a heavy heart and with profound gratitude that I will suspend my campaign for president .
To all who have been inspired by our campaign , especially our young people , keep reaching for your dreams — and keep fighting for what you believe in . ''
Castro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , dropped out after failing to garner enough support in the polls or donations to make recent Democratic debates .
A former San Antonio mayor who later became President Barack Obama 's secretary of Housing and Urban Development , Castro had stalled for most of his campaign around 1 % in polls and never came close to raising money like his better-known rivals .
He had not yet released his end-of-year fundraising totals , but by October he had raised less than $ 8 million total .
As Castro exited the field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than $ 34.5 million in the previous three months alone .
Sanders ' total exceeds the strong $ 24.7 million that Pete Buttigieg , the former mayor of South Bend , Indiana , announced a day earlier that he 'd raised during last year 's fourth quarter .
And businessman Andrew Yang said he 'd collected $ 16.5 million over the same period .
Those fund-raising totals suggest a long , protracted 2020 primary fight .
Castro 's exit reflects the increasing lack of color in a Democratic field that began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
Between Sen. Kamala Harris of California dropping out and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey also lagging , the sixth and final Democratic debate of 2019 had no black or Latino candidates on stage .
Castro expressed disappointment and concern about the growing lack of diversity , and in Iowa he ran an ad arguing that the state should no longer go first in Democrats ’ nominating process because it doesn ’ t reflect the diversity of the Democratic Party .
Castro , 45 , was among the youngest in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ascendant left wing is demanding generational change .
And as the grandson of a Mexican immigrant , Castro said he recognized the meaning of his candidacy in the face of President Donald Trump ’ s inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric and hardline policies on the U.S.-Mexico border .
But he labored not to be pigeonholed as a single-issue candidate .
He made the attention-getting choice of Puerto Rico as his first campaign stop , recited the names of black victims killed in high-profile police shootings and was the first in the field to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also was a leading voice in he field on poverty and ending hunger .
But his sagging poll numbers never budged .
Early on , he was often eclipsed by another Texan in the race who dropped out this fall , former Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke , and another young former mayor , Pete Buttigieg of South Bend , Indiana .
His campaign and supporters , meanwhile , grumbled that he didn ’ t get due credit for taking out-front positions .
Warren was among the first in the field to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ Thank you @ JulianCastro for being a powerful voice , for proposing bold and progressive plans , and for using your campaign to help people who need it now.
” Trying to show he could go toe-to-toe with Trump , Castro swung for big moments on debate stages , and he flirted with a much-needed breakout in June after confronting O ’ Rourke over not supporting decriminalization of illegal border crossings .
But turning his sights on Biden on a later stage brought swift backlash .
During the September debate in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the age of the then-76-year-old former vice president and added a parting shot at him .
“ I ’ m fulfilling the legacy of Barack Obama , and you ’ re not , ” Castro said .
Castro , who was Obama ’ s housing secretary in his second term , denied taking a personal dig at Biden as others in the field condemned the exchange .
Three days later , Castro lost one of his three backers in Congress , Rep. Vicente González of Texas , who switched his endorsement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a fundraising appeal that failing to make the November debate stage would spell the end of his campaign .
He needed to hit at least 3 % polling in four early state or national polls but didn ’ t get even one .
What is next for Castro is unclear .
Back home in Texas , Democrats had long viewed Castro as their biggest star in waiting , and some have urged him to run for governor as the state trends more diverse and liberal .
Castro was pegged as a rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nation ’ s seventh-largest city at age 34 , and he was on the short list for Hillary Clinton ’ s running mate in 2016 .
In the video announcing his exit , Castro concludes with `` ¡Ganaremos un día !
” — which translates to “ We will win one day !
”

Former Obama housing secretary Julián Castro, the only Latino in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race, on Thursday ended his campaign that had pushed the field on immigration and swung hard at rivals on the debate stage but never found a foothold to climb from the back of the pack.
“I’m so proud of the campaign we’ve run together. We’ve shaped the conversation on so many important issues in this race, stood up for the most vulnerable people and given a voice to those who are often forgotten,” Castro said in an online video. “But with only a month until the Iowa caucuses, and given the circumstances of this campaign season, I have determined that it simply isn’t our time.”
The video continues, “So today it’s with a heavy heart and with profound gratitude that I will suspend my campaign for president. To all who have been inspired by our campaign, especially our young people, keep reaching for your dreams — and keep fighting for what you believe in."
Castro, who launched his campaign in January, dropped out after failing to garner enough support in the polls or donations to make recent Democratic debates. A former San Antonio mayor who later became President Barack Obama's secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Castro had stalled for most of his campaign around 1% in polls and never came close to raising money like his better-known rivals.
He had not yet released his end-of-year fundraising totals, but by October he had raised less than $8 million total. As Castro exited the field, Bernie Sanders announced Thursday that he brought in more than $34.5 million in the previous three months alone.
Sanders' total exceeds the strong $24.7 million that Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, announced a day earlier that he'd raised during last year's fourth quarter. And businessman Andrew Yang said he'd collected $16.5 million over the same period. Those fund-raising totals suggest a long, protracted 2020 primary fight.
Castro's exit reflects the increasing lack of color in a Democratic field that began as one of the most diverse in history. Between Sen. Kamala Harris of California dropping out and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey also lagging, the sixth and final Democratic debate of 2019 had no black or Latino candidates on stage.
Castro expressed disappointment and concern about the growing lack of diversity, and in Iowa he ran an ad arguing that the state should no longer go first in Democrats’ nominating process because it doesn’t reflect the diversity of the Democratic Party.
Castro, 45, was among the youngest in the running at a moment when the party’s ascendant left wing is demanding generational change. And as the grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Castro said he recognized the meaning of his candidacy in the face of President Donald Trump’s inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric and hardline policies on the U.S.-Mexico border.
But he labored not to be pigeonholed as a single-issue candidate. He made the attention-getting choice of Puerto Rico as his first campaign stop, recited the names of black victims killed in high-profile police shootings and was the first in the field to call for Trump’s impeachment. He also was a leading voice in he field on poverty and ending hunger.
But his sagging poll numbers never budged. Early on, he was often eclipsed by another Texan in the race who dropped out this fall, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, and another young former mayor, Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana. His campaign and supporters, meanwhile, grumbled that he didn’t get due credit for taking out-front positions.
Warren was among the first in the field to react to Castro's departure, tweeting, “Thank you @JulianCastro for being a powerful voice, for proposing bold and progressive plans, and for using your campaign to help people who need it now.”
Trying to show he could go toe-to-toe with Trump, Castro swung for big moments on debate stages, and he flirted with a much-needed breakout in June after confronting O’Rourke over not supporting decriminalization of illegal border crossings.
But turning his sights on Biden on a later stage brought swift backlash. During the September debate in Houston, Castro appeared to touch on concerns about the age of the then-76-year-old former vice president and added a parting shot at him.
“I’m fulfilling the legacy of Barack Obama, and you’re not,” Castro said.
Castro, who was Obama’s housing secretary in his second term, denied taking a personal dig at Biden as others in the field condemned the exchange. Three days later, Castro lost one of his three backers in Congress, Rep. Vicente González of Texas, who switched his endorsement to Biden.
Castro had warned supporters in a fundraising appeal that failing to make the November debate stage would spell the end of his campaign. He needed to hit at least 3% polling in four early state or national polls but didn’t get even one.
What is next for Castro is unclear. Back home in Texas, Democrats had long viewed Castro as their biggest star in waiting, and some have urged him to run for governor as the state trends more diverse and liberal.
Castro was pegged as a rising Democratic star after being elected as mayor of the nation’s seventh-largest city at age 34, and he was on the short list for Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
In the video announcing his exit, Castro concludes with "¡Ganaremos un día!” — which translates to “We will win one day!”
___