Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Democratic National Convention Postponed In Biggest Disruption Yet To The 2020 Elections
The Wall Street Journal: Democratic National Convention To Be Postponed Until Mid-August
This summer’s Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee is being pushed back to mid-August because of the coronavirus pandemic, the biggest disruption yet to the presidential campaign as a result of the crisis. The gathering will now take place during the week of Aug. 17, the Democratic National Committee said. That delays by about a month the date when the party’s eventual nominee can start using general election dollars to directly confront President Trump. (McCormick and Thomas, 4/2)
The Wall Street Journal: Wisconsin Plans Election Despite Coronavirus Pandemic As Poll Workers Drop Out
There is a bigger question surrounding Tuesday’s Wisconsin primary balloting than the Democratic presidential nomination race between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders: can an election be successfully held in the midst of a full-scale pandemic? Wisconsin’s decision to proceed, after more than a dozen other states have delayed their primaries due to the coronavirus outbreak, has caused requests for absentee ballots to soar and a scramble to find enough polling place workers. (Corse and McCormick, 4/2)
Politico: Wisconsin Democrats Apoplectic Over Governor's Handling Of Tuesday Primary
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ refusal to push for a delay of his state’s Tuesday primary has infuriated fellow Democrats in the state, who are now openly accusing him of failing to prevent an impending train wreck. As the nation hurtles toward 5,000 coronavirus deaths and governors across the country take extreme steps to keep people at home, Wisconsin is forging ahead with the election despite having its own stay-at-home order. The likely outcome is that Wisconsinites will wake up on election day being told to stay put at the same time they're greenlighted to head to crowded polling sites. (Korecki, 4/2)
The Washington Post: Federal Judge Declines To Postpone April 7 Presidential Primaries In Wisconsin
A federal judge on Thursday declined to postpone Wisconsin’s scheduled April 7 presidential primaries amid widespread worries that holding elections during the coronavirus pandemic could risk public health and curtail access to the polls. The ruling from U.S. District Judge William M. Conley means Wisconsin will remain the only one of 11 states originally scheduled to hold contests in April that has not postponed or dramatically altered voting amid the pandemic. (Gardner, 4/2)
Politico: The Bruising Legal Battle Underway That Could Decide The Election
President Donald Trump’s political operation is launching a multimillion-dollar legal campaign aimed at blocking Democrats from drastically changing voting rules in response to the coronavirus outbreak. In the past several weeks, the reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee have helped to oversee maneuvering in a handful of battleground states with an eye toward stopping some Democratic efforts to alter voting laws, and to bolster Trump. The mobilization is being closely coordinated with Republicans at the state and local levels. (Isenstadt, 4/3)
