The big picture: Hochul, the first woman to serve as governor of New York, is using her might — and her resume — to help the party flip the House while also getting Harris reelected.
The Democratic National Convention (DNC) drew roughly 20 million viewers Monday night, per Nielsen. Like the Republican National Convention (RNC) last month, night 1 ratings for the DNC were up slightly from 2020, but were down significantly (22%) from 2016.
Why it matters: Monday marked President Biden's final convention as a Democratic Party leader, but his speech began late on the East Coast, which may have impacted viewership.
The histories of members of Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign team bode ill for blockchains.
Why it matters: Crypto industry leaders have hoped that next year will see a Congress and a president ready to work out a deal with token slingers, one in which politicians and entrepreneurs can live with each other.
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) touted Vice President Kamala Harris as "pivotal in engaging" with Central and South American countries to address causes of hemispheric migration at an Axios House event Tuesday during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Why it matters: Harris was tapped by President Biden to lead the administration's coordination with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to target factors driving migration to the border. That role positioned Harris as a target for Republican criticism that has followed her to the campaign trail.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) single-handedly raised the stakes of the 2024 elections on Tuesday, revealing he'd consider carving out rare exceptions to allow votes on protecting voting and abortion rights.
Why it matters: It's the most aggressive plan outlined by a Democratic leader on how the party would codify Roe v. Wade. But Schumer will need to avoid losing the Senate majority for the idea to pay off.
A Kamala Harris administration should push Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Democrat from El Paso who is serving in a key position in the Harris campaign, said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The comments from the border lawmaker suggest a way Vice President Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, can talk about immigration issues during the campaign's home stretch.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) said during an Axios House event on Monday that House Republicans' "dysfunction" will be a cornerstone of her party's 2024 strategy.
Why it matters: Democrats are hoping to capitalize on the track record of a Republican House thathas been marked by historic upheaval, including the first ever ouster of a speaker, to win back control of the chamber on Nov. 5.
Democrats are turning to Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) as one of their messengers on immigration and border security at the Democratic National Convention, Axios has learned.
Suozzi is set to speak on Wednesday along with other Democratic lawmakers for a section focused on immigration, according to two sources familiar with the plans.
Why it matters: Suozzi famously won a high-profile special election in February by breaking with his party to tack to the center on the border, a playbook other Democrats have since scrambled to adopt.
The Army Reserve and local law enforcement failed to intervene in known psychiatric issues with the gunman who later committed Maine's deadliest mass shootings, according to a final report released Tuesday.
The big picture: The shootings, which took place at a bar and bowling alley on the same October 2023 night in Lewiston, Maine, left 18 people dead and more than a dozen injured.
UAW president Shawn Fain said Tuesday that he didn't have a problem with the Teamsters President Sean O'Brien addressing the Republican National Convention last month — but said he wouldn't have done it.
Why it matters: O'Brien, Fain's fellow labor leader, became the first Teamsters head in the union's 121-year history to speak the RNC in July. At an Axios House event a day after his own address to the Democratic Convention on Monday, Fain questioned the wisdom of that move.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate Nicole Shanahan said in an interview out Tuesday that the campaign is considering dropping its bid and joining forces with former President Trump as it weighs its options for the future.
Why it matters: Her remarks come as Kennedy's longshot independent bid is losing money and facing legal challenges to ballot access. He has also slowed his public schedule.
Speaking at a Axios House event Tuesday, former Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett said Barack and Michelle Obama's speeches at the Democratic National Convention will be calls to action about the need to translate the excitement for Vice President Kamala Harris into votes.
Why it matters: Jarrett, now CEO of the Obama Foundation and a longtime friend of the family, said the former president and first lady will emphasize the need for an "all hands on deck" approach, while also reflecting the sense of optimism coursing through the party and its voters.
David Plouffe, a top adviser to Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, warned at an Axios House event on Tuesday that former President Trump would be an "all-powerful, all-encompassing" leader if he wins in November.
Why it matters: Harris has focused more on freedom and less on democracy, a central campaign tenet for President Biden, as she races to define herself.
The first night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday was punctuated by powerful reminders of the election's stakes after several women took the stage to share how abortion bans had impacted their lives.
Why it matters: Abortion has consistently been a winning issue for Democrats in midterm and state elections since the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.
A new media company focused on social impact projects intends to open a first-of-its-kind movie studio in Baja, Mexico.
Why it matters: The Latino-founded venture, Phenomena Global, plans to tap Hollywood executives, Washington political players and advocacy groups to fund projects that are entertaining but also tackle issues such as climate change, mental health, and human rights.
Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz disclosed new details about the family's fertility story this week, clarifying that they did not use in-vitro fertilization, as previous comments had implied.
Why it matters: As both governor and the vice presidential nominee, Tim Walz has leaned into his personal experience to make a political argument about the need to protect IVF and access to reproductive health care.
Montana is Democrats' toughest Senate seat to keep blue in 2024, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) said Tuesday during an Axios House event on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention.
Why it matters: Whether Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) successfully defends his seat in a state that former President Trump twice won by double digits could be pivotal in Democrats' bid to retain their majority.
Why it matters: The former first lady, upon her return to her hometown of Chicago, remains one of the most popular — and powerful — galvanizing voices in the Democratic party, despite her longstanding dislike for highly partisan politics.
Former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) spoke to President Biden moments before he dropped out of the 2024 race, and then moved swiftly to help consolidate support behind Vice President Kamala Harris, he recounted at an Axios House event on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Clyburn and the Congressional Black Caucus stood behind Biden until the very end, but he told Axios' Sophia Cai he'd already been watching Harris closely and "knew she was ready" to step up.
David Plouffe, a senior adviser for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, said during an Axios House event on Tuesday that the vice president will campaign "much more vigorously" than former President Trump.
Why it matters: Plouffe, who served as former President Obama's campaign manager in 2008, told Axios' Mike Allen that Trump "campaigned hard" in 2016 and "was out there a lot" in 2020, but he's got a "really lazy schedule" in 2024.
David Plouffe, a senior adviser for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, said during an Axios House event on Tuesday that the vice president "greatly improved" the position of the Democratic Party ahead of November.
Why it matters: Plouffe told Axios' Mike Allen that the Sun Belt battlegrounds are back in play for Democrats, after being widely viewed as out of reach for President Biden.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) will speak on Thursday night at the DNC, a source familiar with the plans told Axios. More Senate Democratic candidates are expected to speak, multiple sources said.
Why it matters: Even if a breakout performance isn't in the cards, look for Democratic candidates to do whatever they can to get a piece of the Harris-Walz momentum, sources tell us.
The first three spotsin climate groups' new $55 million, swing-state ad buy supporting Kamala Harris don't mention climate change or global warming.
Why it matters: It's a striking example of a wider — and longstanding — strategy from Democrats and allies to make economics and jobs the tip of the spear.
One of Kamala Harris' most controversial policy proposals is a ban on grocery price gouging — critics are conflating the idea with Soviet-style price controls, and calling the plan "Kamunism."
Why it matters: If banning price gouging is communist, then the U.S. went Marxist long ago. Most of us live in states that already have bans in place.
"America, I gave my best to you," Biden boomed. He then ad-libbed, "I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you."
Why it matters: When Biden stepped away from the podium, he was comforted not just by his wife, his children and Vice President Kamala Harris — but by a United Center packed to the gills with deeply grateful Democrats.
Democrats have closed a large enthusiasm gap among Latino voters in the weeks since President Biden dropped his re-election bid, according to a new Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll.
Why it matters: The shift to a Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket has particularly energized millennial Latinos — ages 28-43 — as well as the younger Generation Z and women in this fast-growing demographic.
Vice President Kamala Harris will accept the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday without having sat for an interview, held a press conference or released many details about her policy priorities in the month since she entered the race.
Why it matters: The initial strategy is part of a larger pattern of Harris being risk-averse, with highly choreographed and scripted appearances — and just a couple of short gaggles with reporters.
Former President Trump may tap Tesla CEO Elon Musk for a role in his administration if he's re-elected in November, he told Reuters in an interview Monday.
The big picture: The pair have forged an alliance andthe former president has for months reportedly been weighing a possible role for Musk — one of the richest people on the planet who controls one of the world's biggest social media platforms and has endorsed him in the presidential race.
A fiery President Biden delivered an impassioned defense of democracy at the DNC on Monday as he cast November's presidential election as an existential fight for the future of the country.
Why it matters: The 81-year-old president's speech ran past midnight Eastern time as the DNC was behind schedule. Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris and said the fight against Trumpism is far from finished.
The Coalition to March on the DNC had a smaller turnout than expected for Monday's demonstration, but it still attracted thousands to Union Park.
The latest: During his DNC address, President Biden acknowledged the pro-Palestinian protests that have erupted in Chicago and across the U.S. since the Gaza war began following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Vice President Kamala Harris thanked President Biden during a surprise appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, ahead of officially accepting the Democratic presidential nomination later this week.
The big picture: "Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do, we are forever grateful to you," said Harris of Biden, who spoke at the DNC late Monday. Other speakers included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and United Automobile Workers president Shawn Fain.
President Biden said during his Democratic National Convention speech in Chicago Monday that pro-Palestinian protesters "have a point" as he emphasized his commitment to getting a Gaza hostage and ceasefire agreement.
The big picture: A group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators with the Minnesota delegation turned their backs to Biden in a silent protest during his DNC speech and thousands of Gaza war protesters rallied at a nearby park on Monday.
The big picture: Theformer Secretary of State, who was herself the first woman to win a major party's nomination, is putting her weight behind Harris to help her become the first woman president in U.S. history.
Congressional Democrats are eager for Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz to use his sports bona fides as a former high school football coach on the campaign trail.
Why it matters: The Democrats tell Axios that they believe the tactic could help the party appeal to constituencies they have been slipping with in recent cycles – male, rural and working class voters.
The big picture: Frost, who is 27 and the youngest member of Congress, highlighted housing affordability and accessibility as a top priority among young people ahead of the 2024 election.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco recused herself from the special counsel's investigation into President Biden's handling of classified materials last year, three people close to the White House told Axios.
Why it matters: The reason for the recusal remains unclear, but after special counsel Robert Hur's investigation concluded, Monaco conveyed to the White House chief of staff's office that she would have handled the controversial probe differently, one of the sources told Axios.
Teamsters President Sean O'Brien has been ghosted by the Democratic National Convention after his request to speak this week in Chicago.
Why it matters: At least seven leaders of major labor unions were set to take the DNC stage tonight, but O'Brien has become persona non grata in some Democratic circles.
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