Oct 15, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Beto O'Rourke "cannot fathom" running for public office if he's not 2020 nominee

Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images

2020 candidate Beto O'Rourke told Politico that he "cannot fathom" a situation where he would run for public office again if he doesn't win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Why it matters: O'Rourke has long faced pressure from Democratic activists to abandon his low-polling presidential bid — which has seen diminishing fundraising in 2019 — and run for Senate in his home state of Texas. It's worth noting that he similarly ruled out a presidential bid last year, unequivocally telling CBS' "60 Minutes" that he wouldn't be in the 2020 race.

Go deeper: Beto O'Rourke's 2020 relaunch still targets Trump instead of Senate

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Axios
Updated 25 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 10:30 a.m. ET: 20,388,408 — Total deaths: 743,599— Total recoveries: 12,616,973 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 10:30 a.m. ET: 5,150,590 — Total deaths: 164,681 — Total recoveries: 1,714,960 — Total tests: 63,252,257 — Map.
  3. Business: U.S. already feeling effects of ending unemployment benefits — U.S. producer prices rose last month by the most since October 2018.
  4. Public health: America is flying blind on its coronavirus response.
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Fadel Allassan
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Trump congratulates QAnon conspiracy theorist on GOP runoff win

Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump on Wednesday tweeted congratulations to Marjorie Taylor Greene, a vocal QAnon conspiracy theorist who won the Republican nomination in Georgia's deep-red 14th Congressional District runoff.

Why it matters: The president's approval illustrates how the once-fringe conspiracy theory has gained ground within the GOP. Greene is among the at least 11 GOP candidates for Congress who have openly supported or defended the QAnon movement or some of its tenets, per Axios' Jacob Knutson.

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Ben Geman, author of Generate
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

What Kamala Harris means for Biden's climate change plans

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Joshua Lott/Stringer.

Sen. Kamala Harris' VP selection could heighten the ticket's focus on environmental justice while prompting fresh Trump campaign political attacks on Democrats' energy plans.

Why it matters: Her introduction comes in an election year that has seen more emphasis on climate change than prior cycles. One effect of the movement ignited by the police killing of George Floyd is a new focus on environmental burdens that poor people and communities of color face.

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