cnbc--2020-10-27--Here's how Trump and Biden stack up on crucial foreign policy issues, from Iran to China

WASHINGTON — In one week , the United States will either reelect President Donald Trump or send former Vice President Joe Biden to the White House .
In addition to contending with the coronavirus pandemic and the economic recovery , either Trump or Biden will also have to deal with an array of global pressures .
From the wars in the Middle East to trade relations with China , here 's a look at the foreign policy challenges awaiting the winner of the U.S. presidential election .
The crumbling relationship between Washington and Beijing has intensified following an attempt by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mend trade relations .
Over the past four years , the Trump administration has placed blame squarely on China for a wide range of grievances , including intellectual property theft , unfair trade practices and recently , the coronavirus pandemic .
Retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R .
McMaster , who served as Trump 's second national security advisor , said last week that China posed the biggest national security threat to the United States .
He added that the winner of the presidential election next month will need to elicit the help of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a more ambitious and aggressive China .
`` I think whoever gets sworn in on Jan. 20 has to ramp up international coordination and cooperation , '' McMaster said in an interview on CNBC 's `` Closing Bell . ''
`` Since the 1990s , China has increased their military spending 800 % .
It 's the largest peacetime military buildup in history , '' McMaster said .
`` This is n't just a U.S.-China problem , this is a free world-China problem , and if the world 's largest economies work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as physical aggression , I think we can go a long way in convincing [ Chinese President ] Xi Jinping that his aggressive strategy is not working , '' McMaster added .
Richard Fontaine , CEO of the Center for a New American Security , told CNBC that either administration would have to quickly deal with the large array of high tariffs on Chinese goods .
`` The administration 's first question will be what to do about them : leave them in place , eliminate them , or trade their elimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fontaine said .
`` Biden has said he 'll review the tariffs but has n't specified a plan ; it 's likely that he 'll seek something different from Beijing – think agreements on intellectual property theft or forced technology transfer , say , rather than Trump 's focus on Chinese purchases of soybeans and autos , '' Fontaine added .
Biden has previously said he would work more closely with allies in order to mount pushback against China .
He has also said that during his political career he has spent more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader , experience that Trump lacks .
Trump , who campaigned in 2016 on stopping `` ridiculous endless wars '' in the Middle East , took to Twitter earlier this month to announce that American forces currently serving in Afghanistan will be home by Christmas .
It was unclear if Trump , who is seeking reelection next month , was giving an order via tweet or reiterating a long-held campaign promise in order to appeal to voters .
`` Trump has had four years and has ended no wars , despite making some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security advisors and secretaries of State who supported continuing the wars .
His policy of menacing Iran makes fully getting out of Syria and Iraq impossible , '' Benjamin Friedman , policy director at Defense Priorities , told CNBC .
The war in Afghanistan , which has dragged on to become America 's longest conflict , began 19 years ago and has cost U.S. taxpayers $ 193 billion , according to a Defense Department report .
The Taliban welcomed Trump 's announcement , saying it was a positive step toward a lasting peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States brokered a peace deal with the Taliban that would usher in a permanent cease-fire and reduce the U.S. military 's footprint from approximately 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July .
And by May 2021 , all foreign forces would leave the war-torn country .
As a presidential candidate , Biden is running on his experience shaping U.S. diplomacy and national security priorities in the Middle East .
`` Biden is an experienced politician , and the politics will likely move toward reducing if not fully ending U.S. war efforts , '' Friedman told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Biden will entirely pull out troops .
`` Biden talks about leaving counterterrorism troops behind in some countries , including Syria and potentially Afghanistan , so he does n't seem to fully want out , '' Friedman said .
When he was a senator , Biden supported the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq .
As vice president , Biden pushed for troop reductions in Afghanistan and Iraq and has since called the invasion of Iraq a `` mistake . ''
Biden 's son Beau , who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq for a year and later earned the Bronze Star .
The Democratic presidential nominee has demanded that Trump `` humbly apologize '' to the families of fallen U.S. service members following reports that the president called them `` losers '' and `` suckers . ''
`` When my son was an assistant U.S. attorney and he volunteered to go to Kosovo while the war was going on as a civilian , he was n't a sucker , '' Biden said in September .
`` When my son volunteered and joined the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went to Iraq for a year , won the Bronze Star and other commendations , he was n't a sucker , '' Biden said .
Trump has denied making the comments that were first reported by The Atlantic .
In Afghanistan , Biden has called for bringing most U.S. service members home from during his first term as president .
He has previously said that Washington should keep a small number of U.S. forces and intelligence assets in Afghanistan as talks on a permanent peace agreement with the Taliban continue .
In 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and humanitarian crisis in Syria as one of the `` biggest conundrums '' for the United States .
He has been critical of Russian and Iranian involvement in the war-weary country .
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have mounted following Trump 's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement calling it `` the worst deal ever . ''
The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , or JCPOA accord , brokered by the Obama administration , lifted sanctions on Iran that had crippled its economy and cut its oil exports roughly in half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran accepted limits on its nuclear program until the terms expire in 2025 .
The Trump administration withdrew the United States from the JCPOA in 2018 .
Trump has previously said that he wants to reach a broader deal with Iran that puts stricter limits on its nuclear and ballistic missile work and suppresses the regime 's role in regional proxy wars .
Tehran has refused to negotiate while U.S. sanctions remain in place .
In October , the United States unilaterally reimposed U.N. sanctions on Tehran through a snapback process , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Washington does not have the authority to execute because it withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 .
`` With Iran , we know Biden will try to reenter the JCPOA .
Whether or not that succeeds in pulling Iran back into compliance with its full obligations is not entirely clear , '' Friedman told CNBC .
Friedman added that under a Trump administration , Iran may restart malign activities within the region .
`` If Trump is reelected , they may resume some combative activity , attacks on shipping perhaps .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ State , and U.S. troops increasingly deployed to the region to menace Iran , the odds of war will continue to be high .
Getting through a second Trump term without a war with Iran would be a small miracle , '' Friedman added .
Earlier this year , a U.S. strike that killed Iran 's top military commander triggered the regime to further scale back compliance with the international nuclear pact .
In January , Iran said it would no longer limit its uranium enrichment capacity or nuclear research .
North Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclear weapons this century , spent most of Trump 's first year in office developing its nuclear arsenal .
Under third-generation North Korean leader Kim Jong Un , the reclusive state has conducted its most powerful nuclear test , launched its first-ever intercontinental ballistic missile and threatened to send missiles into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam .
Since 2011 , Kim has launched more than 100 missiles and conducted four nuclear weapons tests , which is more than what his father , Kim Jong Il , and grandfather , Kim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 27 years .
While North Korea has paused nuclear tests that prompted Trump 's threat to bring `` fire and fury '' upon that country , it had already made significant progress before the historic dialogue with the U.S. started in 2018 .
The two leaders first met in 2018 at a summit in Singapore .
That was followed by a second round of talks in Vietnam in February 2019 , but that summit abruptly ended after Trump reportedly handed Kim a note demanding he turn over Pyongyang 's nuclear weapons and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cut a deal with North Korea seem to have run their course , '' explained Friedman .
`` It 's hard to say what would happen there if he were reelected .
But given history and the personnel involved , a reanimation of tension and war talk ca n't be ruled out , '' Friedman told CNBC .
Biden has described Trump 's meetings with Kim as `` photo-ops '' that have yet to yield any concrete commitments from North Korea .
He has also said that he would not pursue diplomatic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pyongyang first .
Biden has also stressed that the United States needs to engage its allies and coordinate with China in order to advance negotiations with Kim .
Biden has criticized the Trump administration for straining Washington 's relationship with crucial Asian allies , like South Korea .
Sen. Kamala Harris , Biden 's running mate , has also downplayed the president 's efforts to rein in Kim .
She said `` Donald Trump got punked '' when she was asked about the administration 's North Korean policy during the fifth Democratic primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden administration would come around to continuing to negotiate with the North , for lack of better options , '' Friedman said , adding that Biden was `` boxing himself into a policy that preserves tension . ''
`` Biden could still get somewhere in talks with North Korea if we accepted denuclearization is n't going to happen and went for normalizing relations and reducing tension , '' Friedman added .
In June , the Pentagon announced its plan to withdraw 9,500 U.S. military personnel from Germany in order to redeploy those forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mark here , '' explained Fontaine , when asked about the future of the NATO alliance under Trump .
`` He does n't like NATO , may even seek to withdraw from it , but might not be successful in the effort .
And though he takes a warm rhetorical line with Putin , his administration 's policies have been quite tough .
So it 's difficult to say , '' Fontaine added .
When asked about the future of NATO under a Biden administration , Fontaine said that the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them know America is back as a reliable and trustworthy partner . ''
`` A Biden administration would likely rally transatlantic partners to take a firm hand with Russia , '' he added .
Heather Conley , director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies , said NATO and EU allies will feel a dramatic change in approach should Biden win the election .
`` There will no longer be a feeling of great fear and anxious trepidation when a NATO summit is scheduled out of fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to damage NATO or surprise announcements of U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe , '' Conley said , adding that Biden will still likely call on Europe to take greater responsibility for its security .
`` A Biden administration will continue to demand that Europe take greater responsibility for its security and defense and regional policy challenges but it will do so in a spirit of shared objectives and cooperation rather than with spite or malice , '' Conley said , adding that `` European partners will be more cautious about dealing with any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been severely damaged . ''

Getty Images
WASHINGTON — In one week, the United States will either reelect President Donald Trump or send former Vice President Joe Biden to the White House. In addition to contending with the coronavirus pandemic and the economic recovery, either Trump or Biden will also have to deal with an array of global pressures. From the wars in the Middle East to trade relations with China, here's a look at the foreign policy challenges awaiting the winner of the U.S. presidential election. Trade relations with China
President of China, Xi Jinping. SeongJoon Cho | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The crumbling relationship between Washington and Beijing has intensified following an attempt by the world's two largest economies to mend trade relations. Over the past four years, the Trump administration has placed blame squarely on China for a wide range of grievances, including intellectual property theft, unfair trade practices and recently, the coronavirus pandemic. Retired Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who served as Trump's second national security advisor, said last week that China posed the biggest national security threat to the United States. He added that the winner of the presidential election next month will need to elicit the help of the international community in order to rein in a more ambitious and aggressive China. "I think whoever gets sworn in on Jan. 20 has to ramp up international coordination and cooperation," McMaster said in an interview on CNBC's "Closing Bell." "Since the 1990s, China has increased their military spending 800%. It's the largest peacetime military buildup in history," McMaster said.
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"This isn't just a U.S.-China problem, this is a free world-China problem, and if the world's largest economies work together to counter Chinese economic aggression as well as physical aggression, I think we can go a long way in convincing [Chinese President] Xi Jinping that his aggressive strategy is not working," McMaster added. Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security, told CNBC that either administration would have to quickly deal with the large array of high tariffs on Chinese goods. "The administration's first question will be what to do about them: leave them in place, eliminate them, or trade their elimination for some concession by Beijing," Fontaine said. "Biden has said he'll review the tariffs but hasn't specified a plan; it's likely that he'll seek something different from Beijing – think agreements on intellectual property theft or forced technology transfer, say, rather than Trump's focus on Chinese purchases of soybeans and autos," Fontaine added. Biden has previously said he would work more closely with allies in order to mount pushback against China. He has also said that during his political career he has spent more time with Xi than any other world leader, experience that Trump lacks. Wars in the Middle East
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the US military during an unannounced trip to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, December 26, 2018. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images
Trump, who campaigned in 2016 on stopping "ridiculous endless wars" in the Middle East, took to Twitter earlier this month to announce that American forces currently serving in Afghanistan will be home by Christmas. It was unclear if Trump, who is seeking reelection next month, was giving an order via tweet or reiterating a long-held campaign promise in order to appeal to voters. "Trump has had four years and has ended no wars, despite making some progress on Afghanistan. He picked national security advisors and secretaries of State who supported continuing the wars. His policy of menacing Iran makes fully getting out of Syria and Iraq impossible," Benjamin Friedman, policy director at Defense Priorities, told CNBC. The war in Afghanistan, which has dragged on to become America's longest conflict, began 19 years ago and has cost U.S. taxpayers $193 billion, according to a Defense Department report. The Taliban welcomed Trump's announcement, saying it was a positive step toward a lasting peace. Earlier this year, the United States brokered a peace deal with the Taliban that would usher in a permanent cease-fire and reduce the U.S. military's footprint from approximately 13,000 to 8,600 by mid-July. And by May 2021, all foreign forces would leave the war-torn country. As a presidential candidate, Biden is running on his experience shaping U.S. diplomacy and national security priorities in the Middle East. "Biden is an experienced politician, and the politics will likely move toward reducing if not fully ending U.S. war efforts," Friedman told CNBC, adding that it is unclear whether Biden will entirely pull out troops. "Biden talks about leaving counterterrorism troops behind in some countries, including Syria and potentially Afghanistan, so he doesn't seem to fully want out," Friedman said.
A file photo from September 2007 showing then-Senator Joseph Biden speaking to U.S. Marines during a visit to Ramadi, Iraq. John Moore | Getty Images
When he was a senator, Biden supported the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. As vice president, Biden pushed for troop reductions in Afghanistan and Iraq and has since called the invasion of Iraq a "mistake." Biden's son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015, served in Iraq for a year and later earned the Bronze Star. The Democratic presidential nominee has demanded that Trump "humbly apologize" to the families of fallen U.S. service members following reports that the president called them "losers" and "suckers." "When my son was an assistant U.S. attorney and he volunteered to go to Kosovo while the war was going on as a civilian, he wasn't a sucker," Biden said in September. "When my son volunteered and joined the United States military as the attorney general and went to Iraq for a year, won the Bronze Star and other commendations, he wasn't a sucker," Biden said. Trump has denied making the comments that were first reported by The Atlantic.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden talks with his son U.S. Army Capt. Beau Biden (L) at Camp Victory on July 4, 2009 near Baghdad, Iraq. Bidden's first visit to Iraq as the Vice President comes days after U.S. forces pulled out from Iraq's cities. Khalid Mohammed | Getty Images
In Afghanistan, Biden has called for bringing most U.S. service members home from during his first term as president. He has previously said that Washington should keep a small number of U.S. forces and intelligence assets in Afghanistan as talks on a permanent peace agreement with the Taliban continue. In 2018, Biden called the ongoing civil war and humanitarian crisis in Syria as one of the "biggest conundrums" for the United States. He has been critical of Russian and Iranian involvement in the war-weary country. Standoff with Iran
Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, pauses whilst speaking during a news conference in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. Bloomberg | Getty Images
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have mounted following Trump's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement calling it "the worst deal ever." The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA accord, brokered by the Obama administration, lifted sanctions on Iran that had crippled its economy and cut its oil exports roughly in half. In exchange for sanctions relief, Iran accepted limits on its nuclear program until the terms expire in 2025. The Trump administration withdrew the United States from the JCPOA in 2018. Trump has previously said that he wants to reach a broader deal with Iran that puts stricter limits on its nuclear and ballistic missile work and suppresses the regime's role in regional proxy wars. Tehran has refused to negotiate while U.S. sanctions remain in place. In October, the United States unilaterally reimposed U.N. sanctions on Tehran through a snapback process, which other U.N. Security Council members have previously said Washington does not have the authority to execute because it withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. "With Iran, we know Biden will try to reenter the JCPOA. Whether or not that succeeds in pulling Iran back into compliance with its full obligations is not entirely clear," Friedman told CNBC.
Getting through a second Trump term without a war with Iran would be a small miracle. Benjamin Friedman policy director at Defense Priorities
Friedman added that under a Trump administration, Iran may restart malign activities within the region. "If Trump is reelected, they may resume some combative activity, attacks on shipping perhaps. And with Pompeo remaining as secretary of State, and U.S. troops increasingly deployed to the region to menace Iran, the odds of war will continue to be high. Getting through a second Trump term without a war with Iran would be a small miracle," Friedman added. Earlier this year, a U.S. strike that killed Iran's top military commander triggered the regime to further scale back compliance with the international nuclear pact. In January, Iran said it would no longer limit its uranium enrichment capacity or nuclear research. North Korea's nuclear ambitions
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches the launch of a Hwasong-12 missile in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on September 16, 2017. KCNA | Reuters
North Korea, the only nation to have tested nuclear weapons this century, spent most of Trump's first year in office developing its nuclear arsenal. Under third-generation North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the reclusive state has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, launched its first-ever intercontinental ballistic missile and threatened to send missiles into the waters near the U.S. territory of Guam. Since 2011, Kim has launched more than 100 missiles and conducted four nuclear weapons tests, which is more than what his father, Kim Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il Sung, launched over a period of 27 years. While North Korea has paused nuclear tests that prompted Trump's threat to bring "fire and fury" upon that country, it had already made significant progress before the historic dialogue with the U.S. started in 2018. The two leaders first met in 2018 at a summit in Singapore. That was followed by a second round of talks in Vietnam in February 2019, but that summit abruptly ended after Trump reportedly handed Kim a note demanding he turn over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and bomb fuel. "Trump's efforts to cut a deal with North Korea seem to have run their course," explained Friedman. "It's hard to say what would happen there if he were reelected. But given history and the personnel involved, a reanimation of tension and war talk can't be ruled out," Friedman told CNBC.
President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea, June 30, 2019. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
Biden has described Trump's meetings with Kim as "photo-ops" that have yet to yield any concrete commitments from North Korea. He has also said that he would not pursue diplomatic talks with Kim without securing concessions from Pyongyang first. Biden has also stressed that the United States needs to engage its allies and coordinate with China in order to advance negotiations with Kim. Biden has criticized the Trump administration for straining Washington's relationship with crucial Asian allies, like South Korea. Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, has also downplayed the president's efforts to rein in Kim. She said "Donald Trump got punked" when she was asked about the administration's North Korean policy during the fifth Democratic primary debate. "I suspect that a Biden administration would come around to continuing to negotiate with the North, for lack of better options," Friedman said, adding that Biden was "boxing himself into a policy that preserves tension." "Biden could still get somewhere in talks with North Korea if we accepted denuclearization isn't going to happen and went for normalizing relations and reducing tension," Friedman added. The future of NATO
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak to the media at a NATO news conference in Brussels, Belgium. Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Throughout his presidency, Trump has frequently dressed down NATO leaders claiming that too many members of the world's most powerful military alliance do not contribute enough financially. He also made good on a threat to reduce U.S. military support if allies, like Germany, do not meet 2% of GDP spending, a goal set at the 2014 NATO summit in Wales. Last year, Trump singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a NATO summit for not meeting the 2% goal. "So we're paying 4 to 4.3% when Germany's paying 1 to 1.2% at max 1.2% of a much smaller GDP. That's not fair," Trump said in December 2019. At the time, the United States spent about 3.42% of GDP on defense, less than what Trump noted, and Germany spent 1.38%, which is an increase of about 11% from 2018. Germany was only one of 19 NATO members that had not met the 2% GDP spending goal.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) looks at US President Donald Trump (R) walking past her during a family photo as part of the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London on December 4, 2019. CHRISTIAN HARTMANN
In June, the Pentagon announced its plan to withdraw 9,500 U.S. military personnel from Germany in order to redeploy those forces elsewhere. "Trump is a question mark here," explained Fontaine, when asked about the future of the NATO alliance under Trump. "He doesn't like NATO, may even seek to withdraw from it, but might not be successful in the effort. And though he takes a warm rhetorical line with Putin, his administration's policies have been quite tough. So it's difficult to say," Fontaine added. When asked about the future of NATO under a Biden administration, Fontaine said that the former vice president will "quickly call allies to let them know America is back as a reliable and trustworthy partner."
European partners will be more cautious about dealing with any future U.S. administration as trust and credibility have been severely damaged. Heather Conley director of the Europe Program at CSIP
"A Biden administration would likely rally transatlantic partners to take a firm hand with Russia," he added. Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said NATO and EU allies will feel a dramatic change in approach should Biden win the election. "There will no longer be a feeling of great fear and anxious trepidation when a NATO summit is scheduled out of fear of what President Trump could say or do to damage NATO or surprise announcements of U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe," Conley said, adding that Biden will still likely call on Europe to take greater responsibility for its security. "A Biden administration will continue to demand that Europe take greater responsibility for its security and defense and regional policy challenges but it will do so in a spirit of shared objectives and cooperation rather than with spite or malice," Conley said, adding that "European partners will be more cautious about dealing with any future U.S. administration as trust and credibility have been severely damaged."


cnbc--2020-10-27--Trump must remain defendant in rape defamation claim case filed by E. Jean Carroll, judge rules in r

Trump must remain defendant in rape defamation claim case filed by E. Jean Carroll, judge rules in rejecting DOJ bid

President Donald Trump rape accuser E. Jean Carroll and her lawyers arrive for her hearing at federal court during the coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) pandemic in the New York , October 21 , 2020 .
`` Even if he were such an employee , President Trump 's allegedly defamatory statements concerning Ms. Carroll would not have been within the scope of his employment .
Accordingly , the motion to substitute the United States in place of President Trump is denied . ''
`` The President of the United States is not an employee of the Government within the meaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote in a 59-page ruling released in U.S. District Court in Manhattan .
Because of that , the DOJ had argued , the government should be the defendant in Carroll 's lawsuit , not the president .
The DOJ argued that the president was acting as a government employee when he said Carroll was lying and motivated by money with her allegation that he attacked her in a New York department store dressing room .
Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected the Department of Justice 's last-minute effort to have the U.S. government replace Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must remain a defendant in a lawsuit that accuses him of defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll after she claimed he raped her in the mid-1990s , a federal judge ruled Tuesday .
The decision effectively saves Carroll 's case from being dismissed outright .
Attorney General William Barr said last month that if the government was swapped in as a defendant , as he said it should be , then the case would be dismissed altogether , because the government had not waived sovereign immunity , as the protection from the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ruling came days after an aborted court hearing in which a DOJ lawyer was barred from the courthouse due to New York 's coronavirus rules .
The lawyer then refused to argue the government 's claim on the telephone .
The decision also comes a week before Election Day .
Trump is facing a strong challenge in his bid for a second term from Democratic nominee Joe Biden , the former vice president .
`` This win is for every woman in the country ! ''
Carroll wrote in a tweet after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokeswoman declined to comment when asked if the department will appeal the ruling .
If the judge 's decision stands , the department will also be barred from defending Trump in the case .
The department sought to intervene in the case last month , nearly a year after Caroll 's suit was filed in New York state court , and only after the White House asked it to do so , Barr has said .
The DOJ 's move came on the heels of rulings by a state judge that would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a a deposition by Carroll 's lawyers , and to submit to a DNA test to see if his genetic material is on a dress that Carroll has said she wore during the alleged attack .
In a statement , Carroll said , `` When I spoke out about what Donald Trump did to me in a department store dressing room , I was speaking out against an individual .
When Donald Trump called me a liar and denied that he had ever met me , he was not speaking on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am happy that Judge Kaplan recognized these basic truths .
As the Judge recognized today , the question whether President Trump raped me twenty years ago in a department store is at 'the heart ' of this lawsuit .
We can finally return to answering that question , and getting the truth out . ''
Carroll 's lawyer , Roberta Kaplan , said in a statement that , `` We are very pleased '' by the judge 's decision .
`` The simple truth is that President Trump defamed our client because she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had sexually assaulted her , and that brutal , personal attack can not be attributed to the Office of the President , '' said the lawyer , who is not related to the judge .
`` We look forward to moving forward with E. Jean Carroll 's defamation case against Donald Trump in his personal capacity in federal court , '' the lawyer added .
Carroll had written the `` Ask E. Jean '' advice column in Elle magazine for 26 years before the magazine fired her in early 2020 , in what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrelated to politics .
She once wrote for `` Saturday Night Live , '' where her work was nominated for an Emmy , and has written a biography about gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson , as well as a book that included her claim about Trump , entitled `` What Do We Need Men For : A Modest Proposal . ''
After Carroll first claimed in a New York magazine article published in July 2019 that Trump had raped her in a changing room in the Bergdorf Goodman store on Manhattan 's Fifth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying he had `` never met this person . ''
Trump also said that Carroll 's account was an attempt `` to get publicity '' and `` sell a book . ''
Photographs show Trump greeting Carroll at an event some time before the encounter happened .
The writer has said the attack occurred `` in the fall of 1995 or the spring of 1996 . ''
At the time , Trump was married to his second wife , Marla Maples .
Judge Kaplan 's ruling noted that the United States government can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sovereign immunity , except if the government explicitly agrees to be sued under the terms of the Federal Tort Claims Act .
`` The FTCA authorizes damages claims for negligence and certain other civil wrongs committed by government employees within the scope of their employment , '' the judge noted .
But , he pointed out `` the FTCA specifically excepts libel and slander cases from the United States 's consent to be sued . ''
`` Thus , if this really is a suit against the United States , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not waived its sovereign immunity , '' which would mean that Carroll 's case might have to be dismissed outright .
The question then becomes whether `` Trump is an 'employee of the Government '' within the meaning of the FTCA , and if his statements about Ms. Carroll were within `` the scope of his employment , '' '' The answer to both questions is 'no , ' Judge Kaplan wrote .
`` While the president possesses all of the executive power of the United States , he is not an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FTCA , '' the judge wrote .
Kaplan said the law 's definition of an employee `` does not include presidents . ''
`` And even if the president were an employee under that statute , his statements concerning Ms. Carroll were not within the scope of his employment under the law of the relevant jurisdiction , which for reasons explained below is Washington , D.C. , '' the judge wrote .
Kaplan noted that Trump 's `` comments concerned an alleged sexual assault that took place several decades before he took office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the official business of the United States . ''
The president in recent months has lost several legal battles in New York .
In one case , a federal judge denied his effort to bar Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. from executing a grand jury subpoena for getting Trump 's income tax returns from an accounting firm .
Trump plans to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the subpoena ruling .
Vance is conducting a criminal investigation of the president 's company , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it accounted for hush money payments to two women who have said they had sex with Trump .
Vance also might be investigating fraud and tax crimes in connection with how the company has valued real estate assets , court records suggest .
In another case , the Trump Organization lost a bid to delay a deposition of the president 's son Eric in an investigation by the New York state attorney general 's office into the valuation of Trump-owned properties for tax and other purposes .
Trump has been repeatedly accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has denied all of their accusations .
But shortly before the 2016 presidential election , a 2005 recording of the show `` Access Hollywood , '' that surfaced revealed Trump bragging about grabbing women 's genitals without their consent .

President Donald Trump rape accuser E. Jean Carroll and her lawyers arrive for her hearing at federal court during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the New York, October 21, 2020.
"Even if he were such an employee, President Trump's allegedly defamatory statements concerning Ms. Carroll would not have been within the scope of his employment. Accordingly, the motion to substitute the United States in place of President Trump is denied."
"The President of the United States is not an employee of the Government within the meaning of the relevant statutes," Kaplan wrote in a 59-page ruling released in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Because of that, the DOJ had argued, the government should be the defendant in Carroll's lawsuit, not the president.
The DOJ argued that the president was acting as a government employee when he said Carroll was lying and motivated by money with her allegation that he attacked her in a New York department store dressing room.
Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected the Department of Justice's last-minute effort to have the U.S. government replace Trump in the lawsuit.
President Donald Trump must remain a defendant in a lawsuit that accuses him of defaming the writer E. Jean Carroll after she claimed he raped her in the mid-1990s, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
The decision effectively saves Carroll's case from being dismissed outright.
Attorney General William Barr said last month that if the government was swapped in as a defendant, as he said it should be, then the case would be dismissed altogether, because the government had not waived sovereign immunity, as the protection from the government being sued is known as.
Kaplan's ruling came days after an aborted court hearing in which a DOJ lawyer was barred from the courthouse due to New York's coronavirus rules. The lawyer then refused to argue the government's claim on the telephone.
The decision also comes a week before Election Day. Trump is facing a strong challenge in his bid for a second term from Democratic nominee Joe Biden, the former vice president.
"This win is for every woman in the country!" Carroll wrote in a tweet after the ruling was released.
A DOJ spokeswoman declined to comment when asked if the department will appeal the ruling. If the judge's decision stands, the department will also be barred from defending Trump in the case.
The department sought to intervene in the case last month, nearly a year after Caroll's suit was filed in New York state court, and only after the White House asked it to do so, Barr has said.
The DOJ's move came on the heels of rulings by a state judge that would have compelled Trump to submit to questioning in a a deposition by Carroll's lawyers, and to submit to a DNA test to see if his genetic material is on a dress that Carroll has said she wore during the alleged attack.
In a statement, Carroll said, "When I spoke out about what Donald Trump did to me in a department store dressing room, I was speaking out against an individual. When Donald Trump called me a liar and denied that he had ever met me, he was not speaking on behalf of the United States."
"I am happy that Judge Kaplan recognized these basic truths. As the Judge recognized today, the question whether President Trump raped me twenty years ago in a department store is at 'the heart' of this lawsuit. We can finally return to answering that question, and getting the truth out."
Carroll's lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement that, "We are very pleased" by the judge's decision.
"The simple truth is that President Trump defamed our client because she was brave enough to reveal that he had sexually assaulted her, and that brutal, personal attack cannot be attributed to the Office of the President," said the lawyer, who is not related to the judge.
"We look forward to moving forward with E. Jean Carroll's defamation case against Donald Trump in his personal capacity in federal court," the lawyer added.
Carroll had written the "Ask E. Jean" advice column in Elle magazine for 26 years before the magazine fired her in early 2020, in what the magazine said was a business decision unrelated to politics.
She once wrote for "Saturday Night Live," where her work was nominated for an Emmy, and has written a biography about gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, as well as a book that included her claim about Trump, entitled "What Do We Need Men For: A Modest Proposal."
After Carroll first claimed in a New York magazine article published in July 2019 that Trump had raped her in a changing room in the Bergdorf Goodman store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, the president issued a statement saying he had "never met this person." Trump also said that Carroll's account was an attempt "to get publicity" and "sell a book."
Photographs show Trump greeting Carroll at an event some time before the encounter happened.
The writer has said the attack occurred "in the fall of 1995 or the spring of 1996."
At the time, Trump was married to his second wife, Marla Maples.
Judge Kaplan's ruling noted that the United States government cannot be sued for monetary damages because of sovereign immunity, except if the government explicitly agrees to be sued under the terms of the Federal Tort Claims Act.
"The FTCA authorizes damages claims for negligence and certain other civil wrongs committed by government employees within the scope of their employment," the judge noted.
But, he pointed out "the FTCA specifically excepts libel and slander cases from the United States's consent to be sued."
"Thus, if this really is a suit against the United States, it is one to which the United States seemingly has not waived its sovereign immunity," which would mean that Carroll's case might have to be dismissed outright.
The question then becomes whether "Trump is an 'employee of the Government" within the meaning of the FTCA, and if his statements about Ms. Carroll were within "the scope of his employment,"
"The answer to both questions is 'no,' Judge Kaplan wrote.
"While the president possesses all of the executive power of the United States, he is not an 'employee' within the meaning of the FTCA," the judge wrote.
Kaplan said the law's definition of an employee "does not include presidents."
"And even if the president were an employee under that statute, his statements concerning Ms. Carroll were not within the scope of his employment under the law of the relevant jurisdiction, which for reasons explained below is Washington, D.C.," the judge wrote.
Kaplan noted that Trump's "comments concerned an alleged sexual assault that took place several decades before he took office, and the allegations have no relationship to the official business of the United States."
The president in recent months has lost several legal battles in New York.
In one case, a federal judge denied his effort to bar Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. from executing a grand jury subpoena for getting Trump's income tax returns from an accounting firm. Trump plans to ask the Supreme Court to overturn a federal appeals court ruling that upheld the subpoena ruling.
Vance is conducting a criminal investigation of the president's company, the Trump Organization, in connection with how it accounted for hush money payments to two women who have said they had sex with Trump. Vance also might be investigating fraud and tax crimes in connection with how the company has valued real estate assets, court records suggest.
In another case, the Trump Organization lost a bid to delay a deposition of the president's son Eric in an investigation by the New York state attorney general's office into the valuation of Trump-owned properties for tax and other purposes.
Trump has been repeatedly accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
He has denied all of their accusations.
But shortly before the 2016 presidential election, a 2005 recording of the show "Access Hollywood," that surfaced revealed Trump bragging about grabbing women's genitals without their consent.


cnbc--2020-10-27--Young voters are poised to be a decisive factor even as coronavirus creates obstacles

A woman poses as people line up in the rain to vote at an early site at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City , New York , U.S. , October 26 , 2020 .
Weeks before the start of the fall semester , Duke University senior Lindsay Maggioncalda found out she would no longer have a place to live on campus .
The university decided to limit campus housing to underclassmen to reduce the potential for coronavirus spread .
Faced with the option of purely online schooling , Maggioncalda chose to take the semester off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't considered how her decision could impact her ability to vote in the 2020 election .
Maggioncalda had registered at her Duke address for the 2018 midterms .
A Bay Area native , she was looking forward to voting in North Carolina in the presidential election because she felt her ballot could be more influential in a battleground state than in California .
Now away for a semester , she did n't know if she would be eligible to vote in North Carolina this fall .
After extensive online research , correspondence with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Durham County Board of Elections , Maggioncalda secured an absentee ballot .
`` On campus , people will give you all the information you need , '' Maggioncalda said .
`` Not being on campus , you really have to figure out yourself how to vote . ''
The coronavirus pandemic has introduced additional barriers to voting for young people , a population that is n't known for turning out in large numbers .
Only 43 % of citizens ages 18-24 voted in the 2016 election compared with 61.4 % of eligible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Census Bureau data .
Despite Covid-19 challenges , however , young voters are poised to be a decisive force in the 2020 election with data suggesting record turnout from the group .
A national poll of Americans ages 18 to 29 released Monday by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School found that enthusiasm for voting in 2020 is on par with 2008 , a historic election for youth turnout as Barack Obama swept into the White House with a Democratic Congress .
This year , Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 % among young voters most likely to vote , the poll showed .
`` Young people could either not show up and decide a toss-up race in favor of almost always a Republican candidate .
Or they could show up in large numbers and help a Democrat win , '' said Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg , director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement , or CIRCLE , at Tufts University .

A woman poses as people line up in the rain to vote at an early site at Madison Square Gardens in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., October 26, 2020.
Weeks before the start of the fall semester, Duke University senior Lindsay Maggioncalda found out she would no longer have a place to live on campus. The university decided to limit campus housing to underclassmen to reduce the potential for coronavirus spread. Faced with the option of purely online schooling, Maggioncalda chose to take the semester off.
At the time, she hadn't considered how her decision could impact her ability to vote in the 2020 election.
Maggioncalda had registered at her Duke address for the 2018 midterms. A Bay Area native, she was looking forward to voting in North Carolina in the presidential election because she felt her ballot could be more influential in a battleground state than in California. Now away for a semester, she didn't know if she would be eligible to vote in North Carolina this fall.
After extensive online research, correspondence with student organizers and two phone calls with the Durham County Board of Elections, Maggioncalda secured an absentee ballot.
"On campus, people will give you all the information you need," Maggioncalda said. "Not being on campus, you really have to figure out yourself how to vote."
The coronavirus pandemic has introduced additional barriers to voting for young people, a population that isn't known for turning out in large numbers. Only 43% of citizens ages 18-24 voted in the 2016 election compared with 61.4% of eligible citizens who voted overall, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.
Despite Covid-19 challenges, however, young voters are poised to be a decisive force in the 2020 election with data suggesting record turnout from the group.
A national poll of Americans ages 18 to 29 released Monday by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School found that enthusiasm for voting in 2020 is on par with 2008, a historic election for youth turnout as Barack Obama swept into the White House with a Democratic Congress. This year, Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads Republican President Donald Trump 63% to 25% among young voters most likely to vote, the poll showed.
"Young people could either not show up and decide a toss-up race in favor of almost always a Republican candidate. Or they could show up in large numbers and help a Democrat win," said Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, at Tufts University.


cnbc--2020-10-27--Former Goldman Sachs president Harvey Schwartz makes late big donation to Joe Biden

Harvey Schwartz , president and co-chief operating officer of the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. A former president of Goldman Sachs made a late contribution to one of Joe Biden 's joint fundraising committees just three weeks ago .
Harvey Schwartz gave $ 100,000 to the Biden Action Fund .
Schwartz 's name appears on a Federal Election Commission filing , and a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed it was him .
The committee raises funds for Biden 's campaign , the Democratic National Committee and state parties .
The filing lists Schwartz and a New York address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self employed . ''
The contribution was processed on Oct. 5 , records show .
Schwartz retired from the bank in 2018 after being its president for just over a year .
Prior to that role he was Goldman 's chief financial officer .
He was involved in a reported succession battle with David Solomon while the two served as co-presidents and co-chief operating officers .
They were both being considered to replace veteran CEO Lloyd Blankfein , but it was Solomon who eventually was given the top post .
Schwartz , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resign if he was n't given the CEO gig .
He ended up retiring in 2018 .

A former president of Goldman Sachs made a late contribution to one of Joe Biden's joint fundraising committees just three weeks ago.
Harvey Schwartz gave $100,000 to the Biden Action Fund. Schwartz's name appears on a Federal Election Commission filing, and a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed it was him.
The committee raises funds for Biden's campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state parties.
The filing lists Schwartz and a New York address and describes his work profession as "self employed." The contribution was processed on Oct. 5, records show.
Schwartz retired from the bank in 2018 after being its president for just over a year. Prior to that role he was Goldman's chief financial officer.
He was involved in a reported succession battle with David Solomon while the two served as co-presidents and co-chief operating officers. They were both being considered to replace veteran CEO Lloyd Blankfein, but it was Solomon who eventually was given the top post. Schwartz, according to The New York Times, threatened to resign if he wasn't given the CEO gig. He ended up retiring in 2018.


cnbc--2020-10-28--As Democrats dream of a blue Texas, tight House race will give a glimpse of how far they've come

To find the forces fueling Democrats ' dream of a blue Texas in 2020 , the Houston suburbs offer a good start .
The party flipped one U.S. House seat on the outskirts of the country 's fourth-most populous city in 2018 .
Democrats have set their sights in the Nov. 3 election on a couple of other area seats , including the state 's 22nd District , which spreads out to the south and southwest of downtown Houston .
Republican Rep. Pete Olson has won six straight elections there .
He carried the district by nearly 20 percentage points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to run for reelection has left a Republican , Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls , vying for the open seat with Olson 's 2018 opponent , Democratic former foreign service officer Sri Preston Kulkarni .
After Kulkarni lost to Olson by only about 5 percentage points in the midterms , the district became one of the most closely watched House battlegrounds in the country .
The race has seen a flood of outside money — more than $ 12 million for and against Nehls and Kulkarni — putting it among the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' 22nd District is one of the most racially diverse congressional seats in the country .
The presence of the energy sector , the health-care industry and NASA have sent the area 's education levels and median incomes soaring .
It 's exactly the type of place where Democrats have seen success in the Trump era .
It 's also one of about a dozen potentially competitive U.S. House races in Texas where the party still has to overcome years of GOP success to win .
`` Donald Trump 's presence in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in converting what was once a safe Republican district as recently as 2016 into a toss up race in 2020 , '' Mark Jones , a political science fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston , said in an email .
Nehls , 52 , is a well known and generally liked local official who has twice won election in Fort Bend County , where most of the district 's voters live .
Even so , political experts in the area said anti-Trump sentiment could drive more people toward the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a tight race .
Democrats aim to keep or even expand their House majority this year in an election where Republicans will struggle to keep control of both the Senate and White House .
Success in the House races could go hand in hand with support for Democrats statewide , as the party reaches for a so far elusive goal of flipping the gargantuan state blue .
An average of recent Texas polls shows President Donald Trump leading Democrat Joe Biden by about 3 percentage points in a close 2020 presidential race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cornyn has an average 8 percentage point edge in this year 's reelection bid — underscoring his favorability relative to Trump 's in the conservative-leaning state .
Why the Houston suburbs look more blue Trump 's policies have contributed to making the 22nd District more competitive .
Still , the president only amplified demographic forces at work over the last decade .
`` CD 22 's population portends what Texas will look like in the coming decades with the nation following decades later , '' Renee Cross , senior director of the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affairs , said in an email .
About 60 % of the district 's population was White last year , while roughly 27 % identified as Hispanic or Latino , according to Census data .
More than 14 % of the district 's residents were Black .
Asian Americans have most driven the 22nd District 's diversity .
They made up about 18 % of the area 's population in 2019 , up from 11 % in 2009 .
`` With these demographic factors in place , the Democratic Party will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of Texas unless the Republican Party 's positions begin to address the interests of non-white voters , '' Cross said .
Asian Americans are generally considered more likely to support Democrats than Republicans now , but that was not always the case .
Jones said fiscal conservatism among the bloc , and anti-communist sentiment among Vietnamese Americans in particular , have helped Republicans in Texas .
But Trump has appeared to damage the GOP 's prospects with Asian American voters .
The president 's efforts to crack down on immigration appeal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may not help with other voters in an area where more than a quarter of the population was born outside of the U.S. , according to Cross .
Jones and Cross both said Trump 's rhetoric around Covid-19 , including repeatedly calling it the `` Chinese virus , '' could inflame disapproval of the president .
Efforts to limit H1-B visas for high-skilled employees , which workers from India disproportionately claim , `` have not gone over well '' among the district 's Asian American voters , Jones said .
Kulkarni , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aims to win in no small part by boosting turnout among Asian Americans in the district .
In February , he told CNBC that his campaign has reached out to voters in 15 different languages .
Meanwhile , the district 's median income jumped above $ 100,000 in 2019 from just under $ 70,000 a decade earlier .
More than 43 % of residents older than 25 had bachelor 's or advanced degrees last year , up from about 33 % in 2009 .
Statewide polls in Texas this year have repeatedly found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters with college degrees than those without them .
Despite the demographic changes in the district , Nehls has a couple major advantages over Kulkarni .
The district has supported the GOP in the last six U.S. House elections and still leans red overall .
In addition , his name recognition as a local elected official gives him an edge over Kulkarni , who has had to work harder to introduce himself to voters .
That could help Nehls ' campaign as it faces a huge fundraising deficit : Nehls has raised $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less than a third of the nearly $ 4.9 million taken in by Kulkarni 's campaign .
The district includes most of Fort Bend County , one of the more populous in the state .
Nehls has won two previous countywide elections .
It also holds a sliver of Harris County , the state 's most populous county where Houston sits , and part of Brazoria County .
Jones expects Nehls to carry the Brazoria portion of the district and Kulkarni to win the Harris piece .
Therefore , he believes the winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the election .
Olson won the Fort Bend portion of the 22nd District by more than 4 percentage points in 2018 .
Democrat Beto O'Rourke defeated Republican Sen. Ted Cruz by about 12 percentage points in the county as he narrowly lost statewide .
Early voting rates have exploded in Fort Bend during the coronavirus pandemic .
By Monday , more than 54 % of the county 's registered voters had cast ballots with four days of early voting remaining , according to the Texas Tribune .
Total early turnout was about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is unclear now whether the high turnout portends increased voting rates overall , or is a result of people who would normally cast ballots on Election Day doing so ahead of time .
The Nehls and Kulkarni campaigns did not respond to CNBC 's requests for comment .
Kulkarni has for the second straight election run with health care as his leading issue .
He most recently targeted Trump after the president , during an interview on the CBS program `` 60 Minutes , '' repeatedly would not detail what he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act if the Supreme Court strikes it down .
`` Today , the president revealed what many of us have known for a long time now : there is no plan to replace coverage for pre-existing conditions if the Affordable Care Act is repealed , '' the Democrat said in a statement Friday .
Kulkarni backs a public health-care option , which Democrats will likely pursue if they control both chambers of Congress and the White House next year .
Nehls has said he will work to keep the ACA 's protections for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the issue a point of emphasis this year after Democrats hammered the GOP over Obamacare repeal attempts on the way to flipping the House in 2018 .
Access to health-care coverage has become a bigger issue during the coronavirus pandemic .
The outbreak has hit the Houston area particularly hard .
Harris County 's nearly 160,000 cases are fourth most in the U.S. , while only eight counties have seen more than the 2,783 deaths in Harris , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University .
Cross said Covid-19 has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than in many other parts of the country because the health-care industry is a major employer .
She added that the economic downturn caused by the outbreak compounded issues already created by lower oil prices before the pandemic .
Biden threw in one more potential wild card in the race when he said during the last presidential debate that he would transition away from oil .
He later tried to clarify that he wants to get rid of fossil fuel subsidies .
Both Kulkarni and Nehls have tried to balance the often competing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their area and slowing climate change that has left Houston vulnerable to extreme weather .
The region saw catastrophic flood damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017 .
Biden 's oil comment could have created difficulties for Kulkarni .
Still , experts say the top of the Republican ticket poses a formidable challenge for Republican candidates in the 22nd District and other areas of the state Democrats hope to turn blue this year .
`` If Nehls loses , it will be largely due to the burden imposed on his candidacy by Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @

Voter arrive to cast their ballots at the Moody Park Community Center polling station in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Sharon Steinmann | Bloomberg | Getty Images
To find the forces fueling Democrats' dream of a blue Texas in 2020, the Houston suburbs offer a good start. The party flipped one U.S. House seat on the outskirts of the country's fourth-most populous city in 2018. Democrats have set their sights in the Nov. 3 election on a couple of other area seats, including the state's 22nd District, which spreads out to the south and southwest of downtown Houston. Republican Rep. Pete Olson has won six straight elections there. He carried the district by nearly 20 percentage points in 2016. But his decision not to run for reelection has left a Republican, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls, vying for the open seat with Olson's 2018 opponent, Democratic former foreign service officer Sri Preston Kulkarni. After Kulkarni lost to Olson by only about 5 percentage points in the midterms, the district became one of the most closely watched House battlegrounds in the country. The race has seen a flood of outside money — more than $12 million for and against Nehls and Kulkarni — putting it among the most expensive contests in the country. Texas' 22nd District is one of the most racially diverse congressional seats in the country. The presence of the energy sector, the health-care industry and NASA have sent the area's education levels and median incomes soaring.
Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards
It's exactly the type of place where Democrats have seen success in the Trump era. It's also one of about a dozen potentially competitive U.S. House races in Texas where the party still has to overcome years of GOP success to win. "Donald Trump's presence in the White House has played a prominent role in converting what was once a safe Republican district as recently as 2016 into a toss up race in 2020," Mark Jones, a political science fellow at the Baker Institute at Rice University in Houston, said in an email. Nehls, 52, is a well known and generally liked local official who has twice won election in Fort Bend County, where most of the district's voters live. Even so, political experts in the area said anti-Trump sentiment could drive more people toward the 42-year-old Kulkarni in what is expected to be a tight race. Democrats aim to keep or even expand their House majority this year in an election where Republicans will struggle to keep control of both the Senate and White House. Success in the House races could go hand in hand with support for Democrats statewide, as the party reaches for a so far elusive goal of flipping the gargantuan state blue. An average of recent Texas polls shows President Donald Trump leading Democrat Joe Biden by about 3 percentage points in a close 2020 presidential race. However, GOP U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has an average 8 percentage point edge in this year's reelection bid — underscoring his favorability relative to Trump's in the conservative-leaning state.
Why the Houston suburbs look more blue
A supporter holds a campaign sign for former Vice President Joe Biden outside of the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center polling station in Houston, Texas, U.S., on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Sharon Steinmann | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Trump's policies have contributed to making the 22nd District more competitive. Still, the president only amplified demographic forces at work over the last decade. "CD 22's population portends what Texas will look like in the coming decades with the nation following decades later," Renee Cross, senior director of the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs, said in an email. About 60% of the district's population was White last year, while roughly 27% identified as Hispanic or Latino, according to Census data. More than 14% of the district's residents were Black. Asian Americans have most driven the 22nd District's diversity. They made up about 18% of the area's population in 2019, up from 11% in 2009. "With these demographic factors in place, the Democratic Party will continue to gain ground in CD 22 and the rest of Texas unless the Republican Party's positions begin to address the interests of non-white voters," Cross said. Asian Americans are generally considered more likely to support Democrats than Republicans now, but that was not always the case. Jones said fiscal conservatism among the bloc, and anti-communist sentiment among Vietnamese Americans in particular, have helped Republicans in Texas. But Trump has appeared to damage the GOP's prospects with Asian American voters. The president's efforts to crack down on immigration appeal to many Republicans in the district, but may not help with other voters in an area where more than a quarter of the population was born outside of the U.S., according to Cross. Jones and Cross both said Trump's rhetoric around Covid-19, including repeatedly calling it the "Chinese virus," could inflame disapproval of the president. Efforts to limit H1-B visas for high-skilled employees, which workers from India disproportionately claim, "have not gone over well" among the district's Asian American voters, Jones said. Kulkarni, the son of an Indian immigrant himself, aims to win in no small part by boosting turnout among Asian Americans in the district. In February, he told CNBC that his campaign has reached out to voters in 15 different languages. Meanwhile, the district's median income jumped above $100,000 in 2019 from just under $70,000 a decade earlier. More than 43% of residents older than 25 had bachelor's or advanced degrees last year, up from about 33% in 2009. Statewide polls in Texas this year have repeatedly found both Trump and Cornyn fare worse among voters with college degrees than those without them.
How Nehls and Kulkarni win


cnbc--2020-10-28--Biden, Obama and Harris work in concert to reach crucial voting blocs in the home stretch

WASHINGTON — For two men whose political legacies are deeply intertwined , the contrast between Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his former boss , President Barack Obama , was a sharp one on Tuesday .
In Warm Springs , Georgia , famous for its healing waters , Biden made his closing argument for election , pledging to `` unite the nation . ''
He quoted Pope Francis on the higher purpose of politics and promised that `` as a people and a country , we can overcome a devastating virus ... heal a suffering world ... restore our soul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hundred miles south of Warm Springs , in Orlando , Florida , Obama made his own closing argument for Biden 's election at a drive-in rally .
Biden `` is not going to screw up testing .
He 's not going to call scientists idiots .
He 's not going to host a super spreader event at the White House , and then take it on a tour all across the country ! ''
said Obama , whose critique of Trump only got sharper from there .
`` Our current president , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too tough .
Do you think he is going to stand up to dictators ?
He thinks Leslie Stahl is a bully ! ''
`` This is not normal behavior .
We would n't tolerate it from a coworker .
We would n't tolerate it from a football coach .
...
Even 'Florida Man ' would n't be doing some of this stuff ! ''
Obama exclaimed , name-dropping a popular Twitter account that pokes fun at bizarre news stories in the state .
At first glance , it might seem like Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans ' better angels , while Obama `` went low , '' appealing to people 's desire to see Trump mocked the same way he mocks his opponents .
But there 's more to it than that .
With a week to go before Election Day and more than 60 million ballots already cast , the three members of the Biden `` A-team '' — the former vice president ; his running mate , Kamala Harris , and now , in the homestretch , Obama — are each delivering a slightly different message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a key voting bloc that could swing the election .
Biden is speaking primarily to crossover Republicans and independent voters , both of whom are key to winning states that Trump won in 2016 , such as Georgia , Iowa and Michigan .
Meanwhile , Obama 's message is aimed at younger voters , precisely the ones who would recognize his `` Florida Man '' quip , at Black voters and at Hispanic voters , who cheered every time Obama said , `` Si se puede '' in Orlando on Tuesday .
Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has been strategically deployed in recent days to appeal to still more distinct constituencies : Black and urban voters in the Midwest and in the Southwest .
A Trump campaign spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Biden 's final week strategy .
But the president has been relentless in his criticism of Biden and increasingly , Obama .
Taken together , the Biden campaign 's three different messages and their respective messengers represent a cohesive and aggressive strategy , one that reflects both their awareness of where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ degree of confidence in a hugely expanded electoral map .
Harris to the North and South On Saturday , Harris visited Cleveland , Ohio , where she decried legal efforts by the Trump campaign and the Republican Party to limit voters ' access to the polls .
Harris called on Black voters to overcome these obstacles in part to honor the legacy of civil rights leaders who fought , and died , for ballot access during the last century .
`` Why are they going through this effort ( to suppress voter turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOP .
`` The answer is because they know our power .
They know our power .
They know when we vote , things change . ''
The following day , Harris took the same message of Black political empowerment to Michigan , where she spoke Sunday at a drive-in service at the Triumph Church , before crisscrossing the state for the rest of the day .
Black voters in Midwestern cities are an absolutely critical group for Democrats , as evidenced by the 2016 collapse of the so-called `` Blue Wall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that President Donald Trump won by tiny margins .
Post-election analysis showed that in several of those states , most notably Michigan and Pennsylvania , the number of urban voters who sat out the election was greater than Trump 's total margin of victory , suggesting that if these voters had turned out for Democrat Hillary Clinton , she would most likely have won the state .
This week , Harris is going to the Southwest .
She was in Nevada on Tuesday and will be in Arizona on Thursday and Texas on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nevada for the past decade .
But concerns this year about possibly weak Democratic turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic , coupled with Trump 's decision to target the state , have made it less reliably blue than polls suggest .
Arizona and Texas are two states where the suburbs around major urban centers such as Phoenix and Houston have grown increasingly diverse in the past 5 years , giving Democrats their first real shot in decades of flipping these two red states blue .
A recent poll in Texas even showed Biden leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling averages overall still give Trump an advantage .
The former president has appeared at three major events for Biden in the past week , one in Philadelphia on Wednesday , one in Miami on Saturday and Tuesday 's speech in Orlando .
He has also clearly enjoyed returning to the campaign stage , where he appears relaxed and happy — two sentiments that are notably absent from the campaign this year on both Biden 's side and Trump 's , casualties of the multiple crises facing the nation .
Obama has reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role of `` attack dog , '' in political parlance , for his dear friend and trusted advisor over two terms in the White House .
It 's a role reversal of sorts , because swinging punches at the other guy is a job typically reserved for vice presidential nominees .
But while Harris has been forceful in her critiques of the Trump administration 's failure to get a handle on the coronavirus pandemic and its undermining of civil rights , it 's difficult to imagine the California senator taking the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Twitter habit as Obama has .
Here , too , Obama is working to shore up support for Biden among constituencies that Democrats acknowledge may not turn out for Biden in the same numbers as they did for Obama in 2008 and 2012 .
Young registered voters are notoriously difficult to turn out in huge numbers , and there 's an evergreen debate among Democratic strategists over how much energy campaigns should put into their `` get out the vote '' efforts for young voters .
But Obama 's campaigns defied the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed that a higher share of young voters turned out that year than in any presidential election since 1972 .
The Biden campaign has yet to release additional guidance about Obama 's schedule in the coming days , but it 's widely expected that he and Biden will appear at an event together sometime over the weekend , as this week 's road show reaches its crescendo .
While his top two surrogates maximize their reach , Biden is doubling down on a somber , emotional message of hope , unity and healing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Springs on Tuesday .
Biden has maintained his lead over Trump nationally throughout the campaign and either holds a slim lead or is tied in the major swing states .
But it was still noteworthy that Biden decided to spend the day Tuesday in Georgia , a state won by a Democratic presidential nominee just once in the past 40 years .
Yet for Biden , delivering his speech in a traditionally red state added gravitas to his promise to unite a bitterly divided country .
Compared with either Obama or Harris , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump .
Instead , Biden told his own biographical story of hardship , and he offered empathy and hope to the families of the more than 220,000 Americans who have died this year from Covid-19 .
`` These are all historic , painful crises , '' Biden said early in the address .
`` The insidious virus .
Economic anguish .
Systemic discrimination .
Any one of them could have rocked a nation .
Yet we 've been hit by all three at once . ''
The second half of the speech was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Recovering from these crises and putting the nation back on the right path `` will take all of us .
Red states and blue states , Republicans and Democrats , conservatives and liberals , '' said Biden .
`` And I believe we can do it . ''
While Biden 's speech might be humble , where Biden is taking this message of unity in the final week of the campaign amounts to a show of political confidence : Biden is spending the week exclusively in states that were won by Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , Biden will be in Florida on Thursday and Michigan on Saturday , his campaign has announced .
Biden himself told reporters he will also be visiting Iowa and Wisconsin later in the week , although the campaign has not yet released details about the trips .
Asked on Monday whether his final week schedule reflects his confidence in the outcome of next Tuesday 's vote , Biden replied , `` I 'm not overconfident about anything . ''

Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Barack Obama Reuters
WASHINGTON — For two men whose political legacies are deeply intertwined, the contrast between Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his former boss, President Barack Obama, was a sharp one on Tuesday. In Warm Springs, Georgia, famous for its healing waters, Biden made his closing argument for election, pledging to "unite the nation." He quoted Pope Francis on the higher purpose of politics and promised that "as a people and a country, we can overcome a devastating virus ... heal a suffering world ... restore our soul and save our country." Four hundred miles south of Warm Springs, in Orlando, Florida, Obama made his own closing argument for Biden's election at a drive-in rally.
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Biden "is not going to screw up testing. He's not going to call scientists idiots. He's not going to host a super spreader event at the White House, and then take it on a tour all across the country!" said Obama, whose critique of Trump only got sharper from there. "Our current president, he whines that "60 Minutes" is too tough. Do you think he is going to stand up to dictators? He thinks Leslie Stahl is a bully!" "This is not normal behavior. We wouldn't tolerate it from a coworker. We wouldn't tolerate it from a football coach. ... Even 'Florida Man' wouldn't be doing some of this stuff!" Obama exclaimed, name-dropping a popular Twitter account that pokes fun at bizarre news stories in the state. At first glance, it might seem like Biden "went high," appealing to Americans' better angels, while Obama "went low," appealing to people's desire to see Trump mocked the same way he mocks his opponents. But there's more to it than that. With a week to go before Election Day and more than 60 million ballots already cast, the three members of the Biden "A-team" — the former vice president; his running mate, Kamala Harris, and now, in the homestretch, Obama — are each delivering a slightly different message but one that is aimed squarely at a key voting bloc that could swing the election. Biden is speaking primarily to crossover Republicans and independent voters, both of whom are key to winning states that Trump won in 2016, such as Georgia, Iowa and Michigan. Meanwhile, Obama's message is aimed at younger voters, precisely the ones who would recognize his "Florida Man" quip, at Black voters and at Hispanic voters, who cheered every time Obama said, "Si se puede" in Orlando on Tuesday. Harris, the third member of the A-team, has been strategically deployed in recent days to appeal to still more distinct constituencies: Black and urban voters in the Midwest and in the Southwest. A Trump campaign spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Biden's final week strategy. But the president has been relentless in his criticism of Biden and increasingly, Obama. Taken together, the Biden campaign's three different messages and their respective messengers represent a cohesive and aggressive strategy, one that reflects both their awareness of where Biden's vulnerabilities lie and a striking degree of confidence in a hugely expanded electoral map.
Harris to the North and South
On Friday, Harris hosted a drive-in rally at Morehouse College, an elite, historically black college in Atlanta. As the first Black woman ever to appear on a major party ticket, Harris, who is multiracial but identifies as Black, is making history in a year when Black Americans have risen up to demand equal protections on a scale not seen since the Civil Rights movement 60 years ago.
U.S. Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., October 25, 2020. Rebecca Cook | Reuters
On Saturday, Harris visited Cleveland, Ohio, where she decried legal efforts by the Trump campaign and the Republican Party to limit voters' access to the polls. Harris called on Black voters to overcome these obstacles in part to honor the legacy of civil rights leaders who fought, and died, for ballot access during the last century. "Why are they going through this effort (to suppress voter turnout)?" Harris said of the GOP. "The answer is because they know our power. They know our power. They know when we vote, things change." The following day, Harris took the same message of Black political empowerment to Michigan, where she spoke Sunday at a drive-in service at the Triumph Church, before crisscrossing the state for the rest of the day. Black voters in Midwestern cities are an absolutely critical group for Democrats, as evidenced by the 2016 collapse of the so-called "Blue Wall," a line of solidly Democratic states that President Donald Trump won by tiny margins. Post-election analysis showed that in several of those states, most notably Michigan and Pennsylvania, the number of urban voters who sat out the election was greater than Trump's total margin of victory, suggesting that if these voters had turned out for Democrat Hillary Clinton, she would most likely have won the state. This week, Harris is going to the Southwest. She was in Nevada on Tuesday and will be in Arizona on Thursday and Texas on Friday. Democrats have done well in Nevada for the past decade. But concerns this year about possibly weak Democratic turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with Trump's decision to target the state, have made it less reliably blue than polls suggest. Arizona and Texas are two states where the suburbs around major urban centers such as Phoenix and Houston have grown increasingly diverse in the past 5 years, giving Democrats their first real shot in decades of flipping these two red states blue. A recent poll in Texas even showed Biden leading Trump by 3 percentage points, although polling averages overall still give Trump an advantage.
Obama on the attack
The former president has appeared at three major events for Biden in the past week, one in Philadelphia on Wednesday, one in Miami on Saturday and Tuesday's speech in Orlando. He has also clearly enjoyed returning to the campaign stage, where he appears relaxed and happy — two sentiments that are notably absent from the campaign this year on both Biden's side and Trump's, casualties of the multiple crises facing the nation. Obama has reportedly told friends he is eager to assume the role of "attack dog," in political parlance, for his dear friend and trusted advisor over two terms in the White House. It's a role reversal of sorts, because swinging punches at the other guy is a job typically reserved for vice presidential nominees.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama reacts as he hosts a pre-election drive-in rally to campaign on behalf of Democratic presidential nominee and his former Vice President Joe Biden in Orlando, Florida, October 27, 2020. Eve Edelheit | Reuters
But while Harris has been forceful in her critiques of the Trump administration's failure to get a handle on the coronavirus pandemic and its undermining of civil rights, it's difficult to imagine the California senator taking the same gleeful shots at Trump's temperament and his Twitter habit as Obama has. Here, too, Obama is working to shore up support for Biden among constituencies that Democrats acknowledge may not turn out for Biden in the same numbers as they did for Obama in 2008 and 2012. Young registered voters are notoriously difficult to turn out in huge numbers, and there's an evergreen debate among Democratic strategists over how much energy campaigns should put into their "get out the vote" efforts for young voters. But Obama's campaigns defied the odds. Data from the 2008 election showed that a higher share of young voters turned out that year than in any presidential election since 1972. The Biden campaign has yet to release additional guidance about Obama's schedule in the coming days, but it's widely expected that he and Biden will appear at an event together sometime over the weekend, as this week's road show reaches its crescendo.
Biden on the high road
While his top two surrogates maximize their reach, Biden is doubling down on a somber, emotional message of hope, unity and healing, exemplified by his speech in Warm Springs on Tuesday. Biden has maintained his lead over Trump nationally throughout the campaign and either holds a slim lead or is tied in the major swing states. But it was still noteworthy that Biden decided to spend the day Tuesday in Georgia, a state won by a Democratic presidential nominee just once in the past 40 years. Yet for Biden, delivering his speech in a traditionally red state added gravitas to his promise to unite a bitterly divided country. Compared with either Obama or Harris, Biden spent little time on Tuesday attacking Trump. Instead, Biden told his own biographical story of hardship, and he offered empathy and hope to the families of the more than 220,000 Americans who have died this year from Covid-19.
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden speaks at The Mountain Top Inn & Resort in Warm Springs, Georgia, on Oct. 27, 2020. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images


cnbc--2020-10-28--Supreme Court rejects GOP request to decide Pennsylvania ballot case before election

People wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease ( COVID-19 ) wait to vote in the primary election in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , June 2 , 2020 .
The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that it will not fast-track Pennsylvania Republicans ' challenge to an extended deadline for counting absentee ballots in the state , though the justices left open the possibility that they may ultimately rule in the GOP 's favor .
The court announced its decision in an unsigned order , as is typical for emergency cases .
Justice Amy Coney Barrett , who was sworn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participate .
A court spokeswoman said that was `` because she has not had time to fully review the parties ' filings . ''
Republicans are challenging a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that extended the deadline for receiving absentee ballots by three days , to Nov. 6 , in order for them to be counted .
Previously , ballots were required to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day , which is Tuesday .
The court 's action means the question will not be resolved before the election .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans , ballots received after Tuesday may ultimately be disqualified .
Pennsylvania is one of the most hotly contested battleground states in the 2020 race between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden .
An earlier challenge by the Republicans , which included the state party and lawmakers , was rejected by the Supreme Court on Oct. 19 .
The court deadlocked 4-4 , with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the court 's three liberals , Justices Stephen Breyer , Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan .
That tie vote left the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Oct. 23 , the GOP renewed its challenge and also asked the justices to resolve the matter on an expedited schedule .
In the meanwhile , Barrett began her term on the Supreme Court , raising the chances of a Republican victory on the issue .
Barrett has faced calls to recuse herself from cases related to the election but has not committed to doing so .
In a statement on Wednesday written by Justice Samuel Alito and joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas , the three conservatives said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needlessly created conditions that could lead to serious post-election problems . ''
Alito wrote that it would be `` highly desirable '' to decide the case before the election and that there is a `` strong likelihood '' that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling violates the Constitution .
`` But I reluctantly conclude that there is simply not enough time at this late date to decide the question before the election , '' he wrote .
In addition to an expedited schedule , Republicans had asked the Supreme Court to order Pennsylvania to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 separated .
Pennsylvania told the justices earlier on Wednesday that it will do so voluntarily .
Alito wrote that nothing prevented the GOP from asking the Supreme Court for relief `` if , for some reason , it is not satisfied '' with the assurance provided by the state .
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement that he applauded `` the Court 's decision to slow down , get to regular order , and let Pennsylvania have an election . ''
`` The denial of expedited review is good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the rules changed on them on the eve of the election without proper review , '' he said .
`` We know this fight may not be over and we are prepared . ''

People wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) wait to vote in the primary election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 2, 2020.
Republicans are challenging a decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that extended the deadline for receiving absentee ballots by three days, to Nov. 6, in order for them to be counted. Previously, ballots were required to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday.
The court announced its decision in an unsigned order, as is typical for emergency cases. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was sworn in earlier this week, did not participate. A court spokeswoman said that was "because she has not had time to fully review the parties' filings."
The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that it will not fast-track Pennsylvania Republicans' challenge to an extended deadline for counting absentee ballots in the state, though the justices left open the possibility that they may ultimately rule in the GOP's favor.
The court's action means the question will not be resolved before the election. But if the justices rule in favor of Republicans, ballots received after Tuesday may ultimately be disqualified. Pennsylvania is one of the most hotly contested battleground states in the 2020 race between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
Later on Wednesday the court also rejected an effort by Republican lawmakers and Trump's campaign to block a six-day extension of the absentee ballot deadline in North Carolina. Barrett did not participate in the decision.
In the Pennsylvania case, an earlier challenge by the Republicans, which included the state party and lawmakers, was rejected by the Supreme Court on Oct. 19. The court deadlocked 4-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the court's three liberals, Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. That tie vote left the state supreme court decision in place.
On Oct. 23, the GOP renewed its challenge and also asked the justices to resolve the matter on an expedited schedule. In the meanwhile, Barrett began her term on the Supreme Court, raising the chances of a Republican victory on the issue. Barrett has faced calls to recuse herself from cases related to the election but has not committed to doing so.
In a statement on Wednesday written by Justice Samuel Alito and joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, the three conservatives said the court's handling of the matter "needlessly created conditions that could lead to serious post-election problems."
Alito wrote that it would be "highly desirable" to decide the case before the election and that there is a "strong likelihood" that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling violates the Constitution.
"But I reluctantly conclude that there is simply not enough time at this late date to decide the question before the election," he wrote.
In addition to an expedited schedule, Republicans had asked the Supreme Court to order Pennsylvania to keep ballots that are received after Nov. 3 separated. Pennsylvania told the justices earlier on Wednesday that it will do so voluntarily.
Alito wrote that nothing prevented the GOP from asking the Supreme Court for relief "if, for some reason, it is not satisfied" with the assurance provided by the state.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement that he applauded "the Court's decision to slow down, get to regular order, and let Pennsylvania have an election."
"The denial of expedited review is good for Pennsylvania voters, who will not have the rules changed on them on the eve of the election without proper review," he said. "We know this fight may not be over and we are prepared."
In the North Carolina case, the court allowed an extension of the absentee ballot deadline in the state that was created by the state's board of elections. The election board moved the deadline to Nov. 12, from Nov. 6. Gorsuch, Thomas and Alito said they would have granted the Republicans' request to block the extension.


cnbc--2020-10-28--Total 2020 election spending to hit nearly $14 billion, more than double 2016's sum

Spending in the 2020 election was already on track to break a record .
Now , the total is poised @ @ @ @ @ the initially projected $ 10.8 billion .
The amount spent on both the presidential and @ @ @ @ @ $ 14 billion , according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics .
That is @ @ @ @ @ spent in the 2016 election , according to an updated CRP report .
This election @ @ @ @ @ spending than the previous two presidential election cycles combined .
By Election Day , next @ @ @ @ @ is expected to end up seeing $ 6.6 billion in total spending , while congressional @ @ @ @ @ with just over $ 7 billion .
Democrats have nearly doubled the spending by Republican @ @ @ @ @ ballot .
Democratic contenders are going into the final week of the election spending $ @ @ @ @ @ put in $ 3.8 billion into the 2020 fight .

Spending in the 2020 election was already on track to break a record. Now, the total is poised to be even bigger than the initially projected $10.8 billion.
The amount spent on both the presidential and congressional campaigns will hit nearly $14 billion, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
That is more than double what was spent in the 2016 election, according to an updated CRP report. This election will end up with more spending than the previous two presidential election cycles combined.
By Election Day, next Tuesday, the presidential campaign is expected to end up seeing $6.6 billion in total spending, while congressional races are anticipated to finish with just over $7 billion.
Democrats have nearly doubled the spending by Republican candidates up and down the ballot. Democratic contenders are going into the final week of the election spending $6.9 billion while Republicans have put in $3.8 billion into the 2020 fight.