Harris’ Rise Spurs Downballot Query: What to Know in Washington

Democrats and Republicans are scrambling to set the narrative around Vice President Kamala Harris as they weigh her impact on competitive downballot races that could decide control of Congress. But first, you should know:

• Biden says it’s time for younger voices as he seeks to define his legacy.
• Attacks are flying in the ‘ugliest’ House race.
• Delta’s flight disruptions should smooth out today — but Congressional oversight is ramping up.

Parties Race to Define Harris

Congressional Democrats in tight races this fall are largely embracing the energy and fundraising prowess Vice President Kamala Harris is bringing to this fall’s campaign, even as Republicans insist they can link vulnerable Democrats to her and the Biden administration’s most unpopular policies.

It may be weeks before congressional campaign committees see decisive polling on how Harris’ ascension as the party’s new standard bearer will help — or hurt — House and Senate Democrats. Until then, both parties will race to define the vice president. Their efforts could impact not just the presidential race, but also control of Congress.

• “I love Joe Biden, but I think it’s a fact that we were having a difficult time activating our base,” said retiring Rep. Dan Kildee (D), who represents a swing Michigan district. “We have that problem solved now,” he added, citing “hundreds” of new volunteers at their campaign headquarters after the announcement.
• But Republicans say they’ll continue hammering the Biden agenda, tying Harris closely to the situation at the border and accusing her of helping cover up Biden’s alleged mental decline. Read More

As for Biden, the president sought to define his legacy yesterday evening with an 11-minute Oval Office address — one that he has staked on defending US institutions from Donald Trump. He cast his exit from the race, made under intense pressure from fellow Democrats, as an act of self-sacrifice because “nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy.”

Addressing voters casting ballots in the fall, Biden said, “the great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands.” Biden went on to recognize, “there’s a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes — younger voices.”

It was a tacit admission of how a calamitous debate performance had devastated confidence in the president’s ability to serve four more years in the job, effectively ending a five-decades long political career. Read More

BIDEN’S SCHEDULE

• 1 p.m. — The president will host a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• 1:30 p.m. — Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will hold a briefing.
• 2:30 p.m. Biden and Netanyahu will meet with the families of Americans held hostage by Hamas.

HARRIS’S SCHEDULE

• 11 a.m. — The vice president will deliver the keynote speech in Houston at the American Federation of Teachers, which said they are the first union to endorse Harris.
• 4:30 p.m. — Harris will host a meeting with Netanyahu.

CONGRESS’ AGENDA

• The House will meet 9 a.m. to consider a legislation condemning Harris for her “failure to secure the United States border.”
• The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. to vote on a judicial nominee and set up a procedural votes on kids online safety bills.
• For the full detailed agenda, read BGOV’s Congress Tracker.

More on Election 2024

Harris’ Pacific Region Security Credentials Touted by Democrats

Kamala Harris’ support for a strong defense budget and years of building Indo-Pacific region ties will bolster the US’s global posture as well as an alliance with Australia and the United Kingdom, according to leading national security Democrats.

Biden Says Time for ‘Younger Voices’ in Oval Office Speech

President Joe Biden framed his momentous decision to drop out of the 2024 race as a bid to unify the nation under a new generation of leaders, in his first speech since ending his reelection campaign and political career.

Barack Obama Plans to Endorse Harris for President Soon: NBC

Barack Obama plans to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president soon, NBC News reports, citing four people familiar with their discussions.

Harris’ Past Anti-Fracking Position Seized Upon by GOP

As a 2019 presidential candidate, Kamala Harris pledged to ban fracking. Now Republicans are betting her opposition to the drilling technique will hurt her at the polls.

Trump Attacks Harris on Abortion, an Issue He Rarely Discusses

Donald Trump attacked Democrats on abortion, seeking to position himself as a moderate voice on the issue as he pivoted to a new general election challenger, Vice President Kamala Harris.

VP Harris Set to Hold Campaign Event in Atlanta on July 30: AJC

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to hold a campaign event in Atlanta, Georgia on July 30, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, citing an official familiar with the VP’s schedule.

Attacks Fly in Arizona Primary Called ‘Ugliest’ US House Race

The ballot is crowded, but attention and vitriol surround front-runners Abe Hamadeh and Blake Masters, who ran in unsuccessful 2022 races. “It’s teaching us something about the new world of politics in Arizona, and I imagine nationally as well,” said one political consultant.

US Judge Recounts Security Concerns After Trump Election Ruling

Federal appeals judge Stephanos Bibas was so concerned over the blowback from a 2020 opinion he authored rejecting a Trump election-related challenge that he told his children to be careful when answering the door at their home.

Happening on the Hill

Committee Chair Shuffle for the 119th Congress: BGOV OnPoint

The BGOV OnPoint detailing potential committee leadership changes has been updated with information on additional candidates for House Republican roles and the Senate Foreign Relations shuffle after Sen. Bob Menendez’s conviction.

House Approves Bipartisan Review of Trump Assassination Attempt

The House on Wednesday voted 416-0 on a measure (H.Res. 1367) to create a team of seven Republicans and six Democrats to examine security lapses that led to the recent shooting that wounded Trump, killed one person, and injured two others.

Delta’s ‘Unacceptable’ Flight Disruption Spurs Congress Scrutiny

The missive included a range of questions for the top executive and raised concerns about Delta’s compliance with rules requiring airlines to provide refunds for extreme flight delays and cancellations.

House Cuts Biden Climate Efforts to Fund Tribes, Firefighter Pay

House members voted 210-205 to pass their fiscal 2025 Interior-Environment appropriations bill Wednesday night.

Two US Tax Court Nominees Move Toward Senate Confirmation Vote

Two of President Joe Biden’s US Tax Court judge picks moved a step closer to confirmation in the Senate on Wednesday.

UBS Questioned by US Senator Over $350 Million Tax Evasion Case

UBS Group AG was asked by a powerful US lawmaker about whether the bank it acquired, Credit Suisse Group AG, failed to report an American accused of evading taxes on $350 million in income.

What Else We’re Watching

Biden Order Sets Up Board for NJ Transit Rail Labor Dispute

President Biden signed an executive order setting up an emergency board to help resolve an ongoing dispute between the New Jersey Transit Rail and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, according to a statement issued by the White House.

Boeing Completes Deal to Plead Guilty Over 737 Max Crashes

Boeing Co. has completed an agreement with the US government to plead guilty to criminal conspiracy in connection with two fatal crashes of its 737 Max jetliner, setting the stage for a possible courtroom confrontation with relatives of those who were killed.

US Permitting Agency Eyes Permanent Roots, Broader Portfolio

A little-known federal agency is quickly becoming a permanent fixture in the permitting world, doubling its staff, bringing in-house much of the work it used to have to contract out, and spreading the word about what it can do for developers and local governments across the US.

FTC Health Breach Rule Poised for More Litigation After Updates

Makers of health-related mobile apps and other businesses soon covered by the Federal Trade Commission’s amended rule on health data breach notifications set to take effect July 29 could have to endure increasing litigation.

EPA Releases $325 Million in Grants for Neglected Communities

The EPA will reveal on Thursday the first recipients of a new grant program meant for communities long suffering from environmental and climate injustice.

FCC Broadband Subsidy Scheme Unconstitutional, Court Says

The funding mechanism for a Federal Communications Commission broadband subsidy is “‘incompatible with our constitutional structure’” the en banc Fifth Circuit ruled Wednesday, in striking the scheme down.

Bloomberg Law’s They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40

Bloomberg Law today debuted the 2024 honorees of “They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40,” the fourth-annual special report recognizing the accomplishments of stellar young lawyers. Read More

Some of this year’s honorees scored government-adjacent wins, including:

• Marcus Childress from Jenner & Block, who served as investigative counsel for the House’s Jan. 6 Committee. Read More
• Scott Lerner of White & Case, who worked to overturn a court ruling in a federal defense contractor’s case that would’ve severely limited access to a federal forum for those who work in federal enclaves. Read More
• Eric Sandberg-Zakian of Covington & Burling, who got the Justice Department to publicly decline prosecution of a client by managing voluntary disclosure, proactive cooperation, and timely remediation. Read More

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com; Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com