Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been.

But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form.

The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate.

“From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.”

Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters.

“For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said.

The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote.

Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket.

“That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated.

But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree.

“Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.”

The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation.

“Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.”

Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.”

“So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said.

Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.  

“Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time.

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The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.”

“The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said.

2024-07-24 23:48:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3098427%2Fpossible-harris-vp-pick-mark-kelly-always-supported-pro-union-bill-once-resisted%2F?w=600&h=450, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been. But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would,

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been.

But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form.

The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate.

“From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.”

Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters.

“For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said.

The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote.

Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket.

“That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated.

But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree.

“Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.”

The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation.

“Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.”

Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.”

“So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said.

Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.  

“Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time.

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The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.”

“The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said.

, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), a top contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, said Wednesday he’s all in for pro-labor legislation known as the PRO Act and insisted he always has been. But Kelly is one of three Senate holdouts in the Democratic Caucus yet to co-sponsor the measure that proponents say would make it easier for workers to form and join unions, and in years past has expressed opposition to passing the bill in its current form. The battleground-state senator, who’s emerged as one of Harris’s top potential vice presidential candidates, has been panned by left-leaning union leaders in hopes of swaying her to reassess, or outright reject, picking him as a running mate. “From the day I got here, I was planning on — I always said I would vote for the PRO Act. There’s still some things we’re working on to try to make it better,” Kelly, who took office in 2020, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it was day one of when I got sworn in or today if it came to the floor, I would vote for it.” Kelly noted his parents were union members as police officers and that he hails from a “union family” of police officers and firefighters. “For that reason, and also because unions are so important to working everyday people, I’ve always supported the PRO Act,” he said. The PRO Act advanced from a committee last year that Kelly does not sit on, but Democratic leadership has not brought it to the floor for a full vote. Kelly rejected the notion that his public embrace of the legislation, which would also penalize illegal union-busting, prevent employers from permanently replacing those on strike, and nullify state right-to-work laws, is in any way tied to his possible political future on a presidential ticket. “That’s always been my position. That’s been my position on the PRO Act since the day I got here,” he stated. But some of the current and former leaders at the country’s largest labor organizations disagree. “Only 3 Democrats refused to sign on to the Pro Act, one of whom was Mark Kelly,” Richard Bensinger, former organizing director at the AFL-CIO, recently posted on social media. “The right to organize unions is the most important thing to labor, so that’s a hard no.” The AFL-CIO endorsed Harris this week. But an affiliate of it, the Transport Workers Union, has not. That decision will be left to TWU President John Samuelsen, who has criticized Kelly for his statements on the PRO Act and past labor legislation. “Kelly’s police union story is diminished by his refusal to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which reverses Janus and grants all public sector workers the right to organize and bargain contracts,” Samuelsen wrote on social media. “Combine this with his Pro-Act refusal and a pattern becomes undeniable.” Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a ceremonial swearing-in of Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Kelly recalled that when he was younger and his mother was injured, “it was the union that got her her benefits.” “So, I see the value of unions, and I come from a union family,” he said. Kelly previously expressed concerns about the PRO Act to HuffPost in 2021 over giving collective-bargaining rights to independent contractors, stating that he wanted “to see some changes.” He was open at the time to approving certain provisions through a budgetary process known as reconciliation.   “Depending on how it’s done, I’m not necessarily opposed to that,” Kelly told HuffPost at the time. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER The apparent concerns with Kelly from some in the labor movement evidently failed to persuade his home state party. The Arizona Democratic Party on Wednesday endorsed him for vice president, saying he’s been “a champion for Arizonans, engaging them in the path towards building a better Arizona and creating a strong and diverse coalition along the way.” “The path to the White House runs through Arizona, and we are confident that with Kamala Harris and Mark Kelly at the top of the ticket, Democrats will win in November,” state party Chairwoman Yolanda Bejarano said., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/mark-kelly-always-supported-pro-labor-bill.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee.

“I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.”

Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle.

His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state.

Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention.

Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future.

“We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.”

In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.”

“Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo.

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Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy.

“We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored.

2024-07-23 21:57:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fsenate%2F3096541%2Fvulnerable-senate-democrat-jon-tester-harris-nomination-isnt-done-deal%2F?w=600&h=450, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee. “I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.” Tester is one of only a handful,

Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee.

“I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.”

Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle.

His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state.

Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention.

Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future.

“We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.”

In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.”

“Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy.

“We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored.

, Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), one of several Senate Democrats in a “toss-up” reelection race, suggested Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris may not become the Democratic Party’s nominee. “I think we’re in the middle of a process,” Tester told the Washington Examiner. “I don’t think that’s a done deal.” Tester is one of only a handful of Democratic senators yet to endorse Harris and the only one among those considered vulnerable this election cycle. His stance stands in stark contrast with other Senate Democrats in tough reelections, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), who on Tuesday appeared with Harris at a Wisconsin campaign rally after previously skipping those held by President Joe Biden in her home state. Harris has locked up support among the majority of Democratic National Committee delegates, all but securing her fate as the presumptive nominee for next month’s party convention. Still, Tester questioned what lay ahead for Harris’ political future. “We’ll let the process work out, then we’ll figure it out,” he said. “The process needs to work its way through.” Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) walks to a vote on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) In criticizing Tester for keeping Harris at arm’s length, Senate Republicans have noted that when he led the campaign arm of Senate Democrats, he encouraged Harris in 2015 to run for the California Senate seat she held prior to becoming vice president. The campaign arm of the Senate GOP is advising candidates to cast Harris as “weird” and a “San Francisco radical.” “Candidates should not be shy about aggressively tying their opponents to Kamala Harris’ extreme agenda,” Jason Thielman, executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a campaign strategy memo. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Tester’s Republican challenger is former Navy SEAL, Tim Sheehy. “We’ll see who runs,” Tester said when asked what other possible Democratic presidential candidates he favored., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/tester-questions-harris-as-nominee.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Ramsey Touchberry,

Sen. J.D. Vance’s (R-OH) nomination as former President Donald Trump’s running mate means Senate Democrats will likely have more, albeit small, breathing room with their razor-thin majority during tight votes.

There’s a long history of senators from both sides of the aisle with presidential and vice presidential aspirations being chronically absent from their chamber. Those who have run for president or been on their party’s ticket throughout U.S. history have largely put their day jobs on the back burner, participating in fewer Senate votes and crisscrossing the country for campaign events more.

In today’s Senate, that could have significant ramifications in a chamber Democrats control by just one seat. Although there are limited days in session between now and Election Day in order to give incumbents ample campaign opportunity, crucial votes such as funding the government still lay ahead in the coming months.

Senate Democrats will have a little more wiggle room when it comes to party-line votes, such as on controversial judicial nominees, that offer vulnerable incumbents the opportunity to buck President Joe Biden without broader implications.

Vance’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the senator’s plans to balance his Senate job with his campaign schedule.

But looking at the attendance record of past senators who were on their party’s ticket as the vice presidential nominee, Vance would not be out of step with predecessors if he missed half or more of future votes.

From July through September of 2008, when Biden was running for vice president while holding his senate seat in Delaware, he missed roughly 28% of Senate votes, according to data from the Congress-tracking site GovTrack.

Since taking office in January 2023 until present day, Vance has missed approximately 7% of votes.

From July through September of 2016, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), then-vice presidential nominee, missed 44% of votes. Vice President Kamala Harris, as a California senator, was absent for 62% of votes from July through September of 2020 when she was on the ticket.

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During the same months in 1992, then-Sen. Al Gore (D-TN), tapped as former President Bill Clinton’s running mate, missed more than 84% of votes. In 1988, former President George H. W. Bush’s vice presidential nominee, then-Sen. Dan Quayle (R-IN) missed about 24% of votes.

In election years, Congress is often on recess for the majority, if not all, of October in the final days of campaigning before voters hit the polls in November.

The office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Wednesday criticized reporting from ABC News that the New York Democrat told President Joe Biden during a one-on-one meeting this weekend to drop out of the race.

Schumer’s office did not explicitly deny the reporting but labeled it “idle speculation” of a private conversation.

“Unless ABC’s source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden, the reporting is idle speculation,” a spokesperson for Schumer said in a statement. “Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden on Saturday.”

ABC’s Jon Karl reported during the meeting that took place Saturday at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth, Delaware, Schumer “forcefully made the case that it would be better for Biden, better for the Democratic party, and better for the country if he were to bow out.”

White House spokesman Andrew Bates, however, said Biden is not bowing out: “The President told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”

In public, Schumer has stuck to the same three words in recent weeks when prodded by reporters about Biden: “I’m with Joe.”

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The report comes amid sweeping anxiety among Democrats that Biden can no longer beat former President Donald Trump following his weak debate performance that called into question the president’s mental acuity. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) is the lone Senate Democrat to call for Biden to bow out, but others in the upper chamber have expressed deep concerns about his electability in swing states.

Schumer was also reportedly part of a lobbying effort, along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to delay the nomination of Biden via a virtual roll call vote with party delegates and the Democratic National Committee ahead of next month’s convention.

Federal law enforcement officials will provide an all-senators unclassified briefing on Wednesday about the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.

Briefers will conduct a senator-only conference call in the afternoon that will include officials from the FBI, Department of Justice, and Secret Service, according to the office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who requested the briefing.

The call will come as lawmakers are on recess for the week and away from Washington, D.C., in addition to mounting frustration over lingering questions about apparent security failures that nearly led to Trump’s death.

Finger-pointing has encapsulated the post-shooting investigation between Secret Service and local law enforcement, which assisted in the security of Saturday’s campaign rally where a gunman perched on an adjacent rooftop clipped Trump in the ear before being killed by Secret Service countersnipers. Local officers were alerted by rallygoers of the alleged shooter’s rooftop position prior to him firing on the GOP presidential nominee, according to eyewitness accounts and footage from the rally.

Meanwhile, House Republicans say the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, is stonewalling its Oversight Committee’s efforts to receive information. The Secret Service was set to brief panel members on Tuesday but failed to do so after intervention from the Department of Homeland Security, according to the committee.

“The Department of Homeland Security took over communications with the Committee and has since refused to confirm a briefing time,” an Oversight Committee spokesperson said. “The Oversight Committee has a long record of bipartisan oversight of the Secret Service and the unprofessionalism we are witnessing from current DHS leadership is unacceptable.”

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Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) requested the briefing and will now subpoena Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to compel her appearance for a separate public hearing slated for next week.

The Secret Service could brief the House Homeland Security Committee as soon as Tuesday, a source familiar with the plans told the Washington Examiner.

Cami Mondeaux and Anna Giaritelli contributed to this report.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) has parted ways with one of his congressional staffers who said, “Don’t miss next time” in a social media post about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

The congressman’s office confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Sunday that Jacqueline Marsaw, a former case manager and field director for Thompson, was no longer employed. In a brief statement, Thompson did not specify whether Marsaw was fired or if she resigned.

“I was made aware of a post made by a staff member, and she is no longer in my employment,” he said.

In since-deleted Facebook posts, Marsaw wrote: “I don’t condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time ooops that wasn’t me talking.”

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In others captured by SuperTalk Mississippi News, she wrote: “Couldn’t happened to a nicer fellow but was it staged” and “That’s what your hate speech got you!”

Thompson, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, said in a Saturday statement following the shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania that there was “no room in American democracy for political violence” and he was “glad the former president is safe, and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved.”

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday left his supporters still guessing who he will choose as his running mate despite mounting speculation about the veepstakes.

Speaking at a rally at his South Florida Doral golf resort near Miami, Trump only went so far as to praise Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), one of his VP finalists who was in attendance, as a “fantastic guy” and acknowledge the large amount of press present.

“I think they probably think I’m going to be announcing that Marco is going to be vice president because that’s a lot of press,” he said.

Trump’s other finalists include Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), who were not in attendance.

The presumptive GOP presidential nominee took a victory lap in the wake of last month’s debate, which left many Democrats questioning President Joe Biden’s political future and ability to defeat his predecessor over signs of advanced aging. Trump said he was eager to go another round with Biden on the debate stage but this time without the moderators.

“Let’s do another debate this week so that sleepy Joe Biden can prove to everyone all over the world that he has what it takes to be president,” Trump told supporters. “But this time, it will be man to man, no moderators, no holds barred. Just name the place — anytime, anywhere.”

The second debate is already scheduled to be hosted by ABC on Sept. 10.

Trump also challenged Biden to an 18-hole golf charity match on Doral’s championship Blue Monster course. Trump offered to give the president 20 strokes and said should Biden win, he’ll donate $1 million to the charity of Biden’s choice.

“It will be among the most watched sporting events in history,” Trump said. “May be bigger than the Ryder Cup or even the Masters.”

The Biden campaign rejected the challenge.

“Joe Biden doesn’t have time for Donald Trump’s weird antics — he’s busy leading America and defending the free world,” Biden campaign spokesman James Singer said. “Donald Trump is a liar, a convict, and a fraud only out for himself — par for the course.”

The two candidates got into a spat at the debate over their handicaps and who is the better golfer.

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The rally offered a debut of sorts for Trump’s youngest son, Barron, who attended. He received a standing ovation from the crowd upon being introduced by Trump.

“You’re pretty popular. He might be more popular than Don and Eric,” Trump said, referencing his two other sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. “Barron, it’s good to have you. Welcome to the scene, Barron.”

The Senate will begin debate next week on its spending proposals to fund the government for fiscal 2025, teeing up the appropriations process that will be a monthslong battle and is likely to include stopgap measures along the way to avoid shutdowns.

Political tensions over spending and hot-button policy issues will be intensified in an election year when the balance of power in Washington could dramatically shift and alter which party controls the nation’s purse strings.

On Thursday, the Appropriations Committee in the Democratic-led chamber will begin considering three funding bills, which cover spending for the legislative branch, military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration.

The panel, led by Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and ranking member Susan Collins (R-ME), passed all 12 last year in the summer for the first time in several years.

House Republicans are further along in the process this year, having passed four of the 12 bills with plans next week to pass a fifth and consider another six in committee. Leadership has high ambitions to pass all 12 by the August recess, when Congress embarks on its annual monthlong summer break.

Once both chambers pass their versions of the budget, lawmakers will need to reconcile their differences and hash out topline figures.

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Congress has until the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 to approve government funding, otherwise a temporary spending bill must be passed to avoid a shutdown. With lawmakers having met that deadline only four times in the past 40 years and the November election fast approaching, a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution will almost certainly be required until after the election.

Lawmakers did not approve the full fiscal 2024 spending until late March of this year, nearly six months into the budget year.

President Joe Biden’s electoral path to staying in the White House runs through a handful of battleground states. But that route is quickly fading.

The continued fallout from his disastrous debate performance that raised questions about his mental acuity and his electability against former President Donald Trump includes key states shifting in the GOP’s favor and more Democrats hitting the panic button.

The University of Virginia Center for Politics’s election forecaster, Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball, downgraded a state that’s historically been a Democratic stronghold, Minnesota, from “likely Democratic” to “leans Democratic,” putting it one notch away from the toss-up states of Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Michigan was also moved into the toss-up category from “leans Democratic.”

“We are solidly behind President Biden here in Michigan, and we’re very focused on the work that we know we need to do to win in November,” Michigan Democratic Party Chairwoman Lavora Barnes told the Washington Examiner.

New Hampshire and Virginia, where Democrats likewise typically perform well, are also being closely watched.

A spokesperson for Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) did not deny a Washington Post report Friday that said the Virginia Democrat was organizing a group of Democratic senators to lobby Biden to exit the race.

The PR messaging that emerged from a White House meeting this week between Biden and 20 Democratic governors was they were on board with their party leader, in contrast to the trickle of sitting House Democrats who say he needs to withdraw.

But behind the scenes and reading between the lines, there are signs that the cracks continue to widen throughout the party.

Govs. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM) and Janet Mills (D-ME) questioned whether Biden could still win their blue states, according to Politico. The president in 2020 carried New Mexico by 11 percentage points and Maine by nine.

Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA), a close Biden ally who sits on his campaign advisory board, on Friday called on the president to consider dropping out and “carefully evaluate” his political future.

In another sign of splintering support on Capitol Hill, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) noted in a series of social media posts that “counter to popular belief, the rules of the Democratic Party do NOT require that pledged delegates vote for Biden at the convention.”

“Party rules require delegates’ votes, ‘reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,’ at the time the delegates cast their ballots,” Sherman wrote. “Democratic Primary voters have one overarching sentiment: We need a candidate who will beat Donald Trump.”

Four sitting members of Congress have said Biden should no longer be the name at the top of the ticket: Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Mike Quigley (D-IL).

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A defiant Biden told supporters Friday at a campaign rally that he had no intention of calling it quits.

“I am going to run and I’m going to win again,” the president said in Madison, Wisconsin.

Marisa Schultz contributed to this report.

President Joe Biden is facing calls to end his reelection bid from a growing number of prominent Democrats after his debate performance raised serious questions about the 81-year-old’s mental fitness.

The president and his campaign remain defiant and are pressing ahead, but an avalanche of calls to step aside and let someone such as Vice President Kamala Harris be the Democratic nominee could change that calculus.

Here are the Democrats who have so far said Biden should bow out of the race against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX)

On Tuesday, Doggett became the first sitting member of Congress to say Biden should withdraw from the race. The longtime House Democrat praised the president but said he “failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trump’s many lies.”

“Recognizing that unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw,” Doggett said in a statement. “I respectfully call on him to do so.”

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ)

The ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Grijalva on Wednesday became the second sitting member of Congress to call for Biden to drop out.

“If he’s the candidate, I’m going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere,” he told The New York Times. “What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race.”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA)

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) became the third sitting House Democrat to call on Biden to withdraw, arguing the president should step aside to allow someone else to run against Trump.

“President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our Founding Father George Washington’s footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Trump,” Moulton told Boston-area radio station WBUR on Thursday. 

Just the day before, Moulton said his party should consider “all viable options” to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL)

Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) called on Biden to exit the race on Friday.

“Mr. President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude,” Quigley told MSNBC. “The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this.”

Former Rep. Tim Ryan

Ryan, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, wrote in a Monday op-ed that Harris should replace Biden as the party’s nominee after a “deeply troubling” debate performance.

“It isn’t just about a 90-minute debate and a terrible performance,” Ryan wrote. “This election needs to be about generational change — something about which I have been shouting for more than a year now.”

Obama HUD Secretary Julián Castro

Castro, who was also a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and has been critical of Biden in the past, said it was time for someone else to take the reins.

“I believe that there are stronger options out there for Democrats,” Castro said Tuesday on MSNBC. “We have a stable of folks who could do a better job, including Vice President [Kamala] Harris. It’s too risky to let Donald Trump walk into this in November.”

Colorado congressional candidate Adam Frisch

Frisch, who nearly unseated Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) in 2022 and is running for the open seat in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, on Tuesday called on Biden to withdraw from the race.

“It has been clear to me for some time, and the debate only reinforced it — neither candidate should be running for president,” Frisch said in a video statement. “We deserve better. President Biden should do what’s best for the country and withdraw from the race. I thank President Biden for his years of service, but the path ahead requires a new generation of leadership to take our country forward.”

Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson

Williamson said Tuesday that Biden should be replaced.

“President Biden deserves our respect, our compassion, and our gratitude,” Williamson said in a video statement. “The debate last week, however, made clear that the time is now for another Democratic candidate to take his place on the November ballot.

“Today, I throw my hat in the ring,” she added.

Former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang

Yang, who left the Democratic Party in 2021 to become an independent, endorsed Biden’s Democratic primary challenger this cycle, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). Yang was among the first prominent voices after Biden’s debate to say he should drop out.

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“Guys, the Dems should nominate someone else – before it’s too late,” Yang posted in a series of tweets. “#swapJoeout”