Going virtual: The Democratic National Committee announced changes to its convention this week. The convention will be “anchored” in Milwaukee, where Biden will still accept the nomination, and will include four nights of programming from Aug. 17-20. State delegations will not travel to Wisconsin, however, and will conduct convention business remotely. The committee is still waiting for guidance from public health officials to figure out how many people can gather in person. And in other convention news, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, was named the convention’s permanent chair.
Small steps: As states loosen social distancing restrictions, some candidates and organizers are starting to take steps back to the campaign trail. Progressive Turnout Project announced Thursday morning it will be “the first national progressive organization to launch in-person, door-to-door canvassing for the 2020 election.” Field programs are planned in Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Wisconsin, launching Saturday.
Bipartisan antibodies: South Carolina GOP state Rep. Nancy Mace announced this week that she tested positive for the coronavirus after her campaign staff was exposed. She has asked her campaign staff and volunteers to self-quarantine and work remotely. This appears to be one of the first instances where both candidates in a critical House race have battled the virus. Mace is running in the 1st District against freshman Democrat and top GOP target Joe Cunningham, who had COVID-19 in late March. Cunningham offered support for Mace over Twitter, writing, “This virus is rough but my family and team are here if you need anything at all.”
Porter’s got a PAC: California Democratic Rep. Katie Porter launched Truth to Power PAC this week to support liberal candidates, including some in competitive races. She told The Daily Beast she wants to push back on the assumption that lawmakers in competitive districts are moderates. As a reminder, Porter has built a massive campaign war chest of her own, and even some Republicans acknowledge she may not be vulnerable until the 2022 midterms.
Stamp of approval: Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that makes California an all vote-by-mail state, where all active registered voters will be mailed a ballot for the November elections. Many Californians already regularly vote by mail. In 2016, 59 percent of ballots cast were by mail, while mailed ballots made up 68 percent of votes cast in 2018.
