WASHINGTON — If it’s Monday … President Biden attends Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. … Biden says “the pandemic is over” in interview with “60 Minutes.” … In the identical interview, president says but once more the U.S. would defend Taiwan if attacked by China. … Newest NBC Information ballot finds congressional desire tied at 46%-46%, with Biden’s approval score at 45% (up 3 factors from final month). … Donald Trump stumps for JD Vance in Ohio Senate. … And Joe O’Dea pitches himself as pro-abortion rights in Colorado Senate whereas Democrats push again.
However first: What perhaps stands out probably the most from the most recent NBC Information ballot are the 2 very totally different difficulty campaigns Democrats and Republicans are operating with 50 days to go till the midterms.
The Republican Get together holds all-time excessive benefits on the economic system, crime and border safety, whereas the Democrats have an all-time excessive on abortion and a double-digit edge on well being care.
Simply have a look at these numbers when registered voters had been requested in our ballot which occasion higher handles 12 totally different points:
“There are basically two campaigns in America proper now,” stated Republican pollster Invoice McInturff, the GOP half of the NBC Information ballot. “There’s a marketing campaign in regards to the economic system, value of dwelling, crime, and border safety, and Republicans are successful this marketing campaign.”
“However there’s a second marketing campaign on abortion, democracy, and local weather change, and Democrats are successful that marketing campaign,” he added.
A method to consider the upcoming elections in November: In the event that they’re in regards to the economic system (in addition to crime and immigration), Republicans are going to be the massive winner.
But when they’re about anything, then Democrats have the prospect to drag off a midterm shock.
Tweet of the day
Knowledge Obtain: The variety of the day is … 507
That’s the seven-day common in day by day Covid deaths in America, per the NBC Information knowledge visualization workforce, a lower of 1.7% over the past two weeks. Circumstances are down nearly 26% within the final two weeks to a day by day common of 60,731, whereas hospitalizations are down 12% to 31,800.
It’s towards that backdrop that President Biden declared the pandemic “over” in a brand new interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
“The pandemic is over. We nonetheless have an issue with Covid. We’re nonetheless doing a lotta work on it, however the pandemic is over. Should you discover, nobody’s sporting masks. Everyone appears to be in fairly fine condition. And so, I feel, it’s altering.”
Politico experiences that Biden’s feedback caught some in his personal administration abruptly, because it wasn’t a part of what he had deliberate to say. Final week, the top of the World Well being Group stated that the “finish is in sight” as world circumstances dipped 22% week-over-week to about 11,000.
Different numbers to know:
Practically 1.5 million: That’s what number of clients in Puerto Rico haven’t any energy after Hurricane Fiona hit, reducing off energy to all the island. The Nationwide Hurricane Heart is warning the island may face 12 to 18 inches of rain shifting ahead, even 30 inches in some native areas.
1 in 10: The portion of Covid speedy assessments that iHealth Labs is now making in comparison with its manufacturing in February, per new reporting from NBC Information’ Shannon Pettypiece that appears at how Covid take a look at suppliers are scaling again manufacturing.
24: The share-point benefit that Democrats have over Republicans within the generic congressional poll with Latino voters within the new New York Occasions/Siena Ballot.
Greater than 100: What number of native faculty board candidates backed by the 1776 Undertaking PAC, a bunch that has monetary backing from GOP megadonor Richard Uihlein.
6: The variety of GOP primaries the place Democrats spent cash serving to to select their most well-liked Republican nominee the place Democrats now look closely favored to win in November, per Axios’ evaluation.
Midterm roundup: Trump hits the path in Ohio
Former President Donald Trump traveled to Ohio over the weekend to spice up GOP Senate hopeful J.D. Vance, and Trump pushed again on a New York Occasions report that some Republican candidates are distancing themselves from himas they head into November.
“The New York Occasions did a pretend story right now, massive entrance web page, that J.D. wasn’t positive for those who wished my assist,” Trump stated on the Youngstown rally, per NBC Information’ Jesse Kirsch. “J.D. is kissing my ass. He desires my assist.”
Vance’s spokesman Luke Schroeder informed Kirsch that Vance “has been calling on the president to hitch us on the marketing campaign path, each publicly and privately, all through the summer time,” however the Occasions reported that Vance didn’t particularly invite Trump to the state. The rally additionally got here as Vance finds himself in an unexpectedly tight race towards Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan.
Not each GOP Senate candidate is raring to marketing campaign with Trump. Colorado Republican Joe O’Dea famous on “Meet the Press” that Trump has not endorsed him, including, “I don’t need to see him run once more.” Trump’s favorability additionally reached a brand new post-presidency low in the most recent nationwide NBC Information ballot.
For his half, Trump as soon as once more teased one other run for the White Home, telling the group in Ohio, “Keep tuned, all people, keep tuned.”
Elsewhere on the marketing campaign path:
Georgia Senate: Republicans are focusing new assaults on Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock on his “monetary positive aspects” since taking workplace, Politico experiences.
Pennsylvania Senate: The Philadelphia Inquirer delves into the cognitive assessments that Democratic Lt. Gov. John Fetterman took as he recovers from a stroke. And Politico experiences that an inside Fetterman marketing campaign memo raised issues about elevated GOP advert spending.
Arkansas Governor: Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee Sarah Sanders says she is “most cancers free” after surgical procedure for thyroid most cancers, and launched an announcement from her physician saying: “I don’t anticipate any of this slowing her down.”
Arizona Governor: NBC Information’ Liz Brown-Kaiser confirmed that Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin plans to marketing campaign with Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake.
Nevada Governor: NBC Information’ Adam Edelman experiences on how GOP gubernatorial nominee Joe Lombardo is focusing closely on training points as he tries to win in a purple state. He’s additionally going through criticism from the Las Vegas Solar editorial board for talking at a church it known as “notorious for its violently anti-gay rhetoric.”
Maine-02: The Related Press experiences on how the rematch between Democratic Rep. Jared Golden and former Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin may very well be a bellwether.
Texas-34: The Texas Tribune experiences that Republican Rep. Mayra Flores’ district director resigned amid sexual harassment allegations stemming from each his time in Flores’ workplace and on the county Republican Get together. The previous staffer denies the allegations.
Advert watch: O’Dea pitches himself as pro-abortion rights
In a brand new advert out over the weekend, Republican Colorado Senate candidate Joe O’Dea’s daughter tells viewers, “He’s a distinct form of Republican, too. My dad helps a lady’s proper to decide on.”
O’Dea’s in favor of permitting abortion as much as 5 months, after which he would solely assist the process in circumstances of rape, incest and “medical necessity,” he informed “Meet the Press”.
It’s a place on abortion that’s totally different from that of his fellow Republican Senate candidates, a lot of whom favor stricter bans with few exceptions. However that hasn’t stopped Democrats from attacking him on the problem, warning that he may give the GOP the bulk it must push for stricter abortion laws, and pointing to his vote on a 2020 poll measure that didn’t embrace these exceptions.
O’Dea is styling himself as a average in his bid towards Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, bucking his occasion on points like immigration.
ICYMI: What else is occurring on this planet
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, signed right into a legislation an abortion ban that applies to all phases of being pregnant and contains exceptions just for victims of rape and incest and medical emergencies.
The Justice Division is asking a federal appeals court docket to dam a decrease court docket’s ruling that forestalls it from accessing labeled paperwork that had been recovered from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this yr.
Gov. Ron DeSantis received a standing ovation at an occasion in Kansas over the weekend after he flew migrants from the Southern border to Martha’s Winery final week.
The Taliban launched an Illinois Navy veteran in a prisoner swap that NBC Information’ Ken Dilanian experiences was personally authorized by the president. In change, America is commuting the sentence of an Afghan drug lord who has been in custody for 17 years.
