The county Trump “never left”
Former President Donald Trump will return to Fulton County Thursday — not for matters relating to the election interference case there, but to face off against President Joe Biden in a debate in Atlanta, the Washington Examiner’s Naomi Lim reports.
As the two prepare for the head-to-head hosted by CNN at 9 p.m., the charges District Attorney Fani Willis has brought against Trump, alleging he attempted to overturn the 2020 election, will be hanging over his head. The judge on the case, which is currently on pause while Trump’s attorneys attempt to have Willis disqualified due to her improper relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, has not yet set a trial date.
Trump and 18 others charged as his co-conspirators have all pled not guilty, though Trump hasn’t appeared in court yet. However, one-time Georgia Republican state Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, speaking with Naomi, said, “It feels like he’s never left.”
Some say the case could boost Trump’s support, citing the fundraising boom the campaign saw following the guilty verdict rendered in the Manhattan hush money trial.
“Now voters are leaning toward Trump,” Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) said. “A lot are saying, ‘Look, this has all been a witch hunt, it’s gone overboard now. It’s one thing to prosecute him in the press, but now they’re taking legal action.’ People are saying if they can do this to a former president, they can surely do it to us.”
Others say the trial isn’t top of mind.
“I don’t know that we’re really viewing it that way,” Fulton County GOP Chairwoman Stephanie Endres said. “But you might as well come back, and stand tall and strong, look down those who are using the legal system to impact your ability to be successful in a political campaign.”
Click here to read more about how the guilty verdict is playing on Georgia voters’ minds.
Not looking good for Bob
Rep. Bob Good’s (R-VA) enemies in the House Freedom Caucus are ready to boot him, the Washington Examiner’s Cami Mondeaux reports. Good has been locked in an election stalemate since last Tuesday’s primary, with his opponent, state Sen. John McGuire (R-VA), in the lead by less than 400 votes. The results have been sent to the state for certification, but both McGuire and the leader of Virginia’s Republican Party have declared Good defeated. Regardless, the incumbent announced he will demand a recount.
“Bob Good is one of the most toxic people in Congress. And he’s carrying that level of toxicity back home,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said.
Despite his membership in the Freedom Caucus, the furthest-right group in Congress with strong loyalty ties to Trump, Good supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s candidacy, prior to his dropping out, over the former president. In response, Trump endorsed McGuire, a similarly MAGA-style Republican and said on Truth Social that he is the candidate who will help “Make America Great Again.”
“It’s time for [Good] to go,” said Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), who campaigned alongside McGuire during the primary cycle. “The reason being is this: If you have someone on your team who is cutting the laces on your combat boots before you went on a mission, you get rid of them.”
Click here to read more from Cami about the Freedom Caucus fallout.
What’s next for pro-Israel groups after conquering Bowman
Pro-Israel groups are celebrating after helping George Latimer defeat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in the Democratic primary Tuesday, but their work is far from over, the Washington Examiner’s Samantha-Jo Roth reports.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s (AIPAC) political action committee, known as the United Democracy Project, spent nearly $15 million on ads, mailers, canvassing, on-the-ground campaigning for Latimer, and opposition research that uncovered Bowman’s social media posts touting a 9/11 conspiracy theory.
“The voters are smart,” Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster and president and CEO of a pro-Israel PAC, told Roth. “They know what to pay attention to. If there hadn’t been a strong case here, voters wouldn’t have paid attention to it.”
Next on the agenda is Rep. Cori Bush’s (D-MO) primary on Aug. 6. AIPAC has said they have a $100 million plan to unseat Bush and other anti-Israel candidates, but have been mum on specifics. So far, the group has spent almost $2 million supporting Bush’s opponent St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell.
Down the line, AIPAC is likely eyeing Rep. Ilhan Omar‘s (D-MN) Aug. 13 primary. Omar, who is facing calls for censure for declaring some Jewish students “pro-genocide,” is being challenged by former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels, who the pro-Israel lobby has yet to donate to.
“Cori Bush is an extremely flawed candidate. Ilhan Omar is an extremely flawed candidate. I think if you’re both of these lawmakers who have very, very credible challengers from within their own communities — I would be quaking in my boots today because now there is a proven model that works,” Jon Reinish, a prominent Democratic strategist, said.
Click here to read more from Samantha-Jo about where AIPAC is spending.
What to watch for in the Trump-Biden debate
Trump and Biden will face off in a rematch-debate on CNN tonight at 9 p.m. ET. The two last faced each other in Nashville on Oct. 22, 2020. This debate will swap out Covid restrictions for other new rules, the Washington Examiner’s Jack Birle writes.
During negotiations, the Biden camp demanded microphones be muted. In 2020, Trump kept talking over Biden and interrupting, frustrating the then-candidate so much that he turned to Trump and said, “Will you shut up, man?”
Biden also won out with his request to not have an audience, so the two will debate in CNN’s Atlanta studio with only moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Trump snagged a win during negotiations, however, mandating the candidates stand for the entire event. There will also be two commercial breaks, new this year, and the candidates will only have two minutes to respond to questions, and one minute for a rebuttal.
Before any questions are asked, viewers can count on a few topics almost certain to be brought up. Namely, abortion, immigration, the economy, Trump’s trials, crime, foreign wars, and EV mandates are sure to be topics of conversation, the Washington Examiner’s Ramsey Touchberry writes.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
This week was the two-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, and Biden will surely bring up Democrat’s efforts to protect abortion and slam Republicans’ attempts to restrict it. He may have a harder time toeing the line on Trump’s criminal conviction in a Manhattan court, where he was found guilty of 34 felony counts in the hush money trial, particularly since his son Hunter Biden was also recently found guilty on felony counts.
The debate will be streamed on CNN, CNN International, CNN en Espanol, and CNN.com. The network has also allowed ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC/MSNBC to simulcast the debate on their own networks, the Washington Examiner’s Annabella Rosciglione writes. For viewers who don’t have cable, CNN is also partnering with Max, formerly HBO Max, for subscribers to watch there. CNN can also be accessed by any cable provider, YouTube TV, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV.
Click to read more from Jack, Ramsey, and Annabella on the debate rules, likely topics, and how to watch.
