Priorities USA outraised America First by $8 million last year.

WASHINGTON, DC - The Republican super PAC formed to help President Donald Trump win reelection raised less money in 2019 than its Democratic counterpart, a sign big Democratic donors are readying a cash onslaught to fight Trump.

Priorities USA, which will be the main outside spender backing the Democratic nominee for president, raised $58.5 million in 2019, the group announced on Friday — $8 million more than the $50.4 million more than America First, the group backing Trump.

The millions raised by both groups, more than a year before Election Day, foreshadow a costly election ahead. And Trump and his allies are starting 2019 at an unusual cash disadvantage: Usually, a super PAC tied to the president would raise millions more than its rival, because donors and corporate interests itching to gain power in Washington want to contribute. A super PAC representing the party out of power, especially one without a clear nominee, usually has no such luck.

But in a Friday memo, Priorities USA Chairman Guy Cecil boasted that his group has increased its fundraising goal for the 2020 cycle by $50 million, to $150 million total, and has already placed a total of $70 million in ad reservations to run from now to July. The group has also been outspending Trump’s campaign on digital advertising in four battleground swing states that it is targeting with ads.

“Priorities is well-positioned to continue taking a leading role in the general election campaign against Donald Trump until a Democratic nominee for president has been selected,” Cecil said.

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Printed Politico: Trump’s super PAC lags behind Dem rival heading into 2020

January 31, 2020

By Maggie Severns and Alex Isenstadt

Stevens Point Republican Refuses to Commit to Gov. Evers' Rural Prosperity Special Session

MADISON - During his State of the State Address, Gov. Evers called for a Rural Prosperity Special Session to address the dairy crisis in Wisconsin and help rural communities succeed.

The Governor’s call to action comes at a time when Republicans refuse to address Wisconsin’s alarming spike in farm bankruptcies and suicide rates. Insecurity for family farms was further escalated after Republicans rejected the appointment of Brad Pfaff as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).

“Months after rejecting Brad Pfaff as DATCP Secretary, farmers fear that Republicans like Senator Testin will once again turn their backs on the dairy crisis in Wisconsin,” said SSDC Executive Director Katie Iliff. “Senator Testin has a pattern of siding with party bosses in Madison rather than voting for what’s best for local families. His constant flip flopping has proven he can’t be trusted to do what’s right for our family farms and rural communities.”

Governor Tony Evers’ initial budget proposal included initiatives to support farmers such as Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin, Farm to School, Dairy Processor Grants, and additional county conservation positions. Senator Testin and his Republican colleagues rejected these proposals and opted instead to prioritize more tax breaks for wealthy donors and out-of-state corporations.

Milwaukee, WI - In the critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Citizen Action of Wisconsin’s board voted to endorse both Ed Fallone and Jill Karofsky.

After interviews which included members from across the state, Citizen Action member and board leaders concluded that both would be independent judges who will fairly interpret and apply the law for everyone, regardless of their race, their income, or where they live. Their judicial integrity is in sharp contrast to the current Supreme Court that regularly twists the law to rubber stamp the priorities of a single political party, and caters its decisions to the interests of the rich, the powerful, and the well connected.

“Both Ed Fallone and Jill Karofsky would make excellent and impartial Wisconsin Supreme Court justices who give every case a fair hearing and render decisions based on rigorous legal interpretation not ideology,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Fallone or Karofsky would be a breath of fresh air on a Supreme Court where the majority regularly puts politics and ideology ahead of the fair interpretation of the law. Does any fair minded person doubt that the Supreme Court majority would have struck down the lame duck session laws, if the shoe was on the other foot and a newly elected Republican governor’s power were curtailed by a Democratic Legislature?”

Citizen Action is a statewide membership group with chapters (organizing co-operatives) in Metro Milwaukee, Green Bay/Fox Valley, Wausau, Eau Claire, and the Driftless Area. Citizen Action’s top issues are health care reform, a just climate transition that creates living wage jobs for communities of color and rural regions that need them most, and protecting and expanding our democracy. Citizen Action was a lead plaintiff in the federal lawsuit that struck down Governor Walker’s restrictions on early voting, and the lame duck session attempt to restore this attack on democracy.

Cassidy Geoghegan of the Priorities USA group here in Wisconsin offers her take on the events of the week.

MADISON - A few things of note this week:

1. The biggest bombshell this week was certainly the news that Trump admitted he is open to cuts to Medicare and other programs that hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites rely on.

Some important context if you plan to cover this:

• 1,178,275 Wisconsin residents had Medicare coverage as of October 2019. That’s nearly 20 percent of the state’s population.

• 934,831 Wisconsin seniors receive Social Security benefits.

2. New research published by Baldwin Wallace University’s Community Research Institute shows that Trump is falling behind in key states, including Wisconsin. In fact, 18.4% of voters in Wisconsin remain undecided about who they’ll vote for in 2020. Additionally, health care issues are the #1 concern in Wisconsin (30.6%), "the lone Midwest or Northeast state that did not expand Medicaid under Obamacare."

3. As you probably know, Pence is coming to Madison next week to speak at the Wisconsin School Choice Student Showcase. While Pence’s focus will be on school choice, it’s important to note that the Trump administration’s actions have been making it harder for schools in Wisconsin to succeed. A few things we likely won’t hear from the vice president are that:

• Trump has proposed billions in federal education cuts that would weaken public schools while simultaneously supporting increased funding and benefits for private schools and charter schools.

• Trump's education budget cuts would have harmful impacts on Wisconsin schools, including major cuts for after-school programs and teacher training programs.

• Wisconsin ranks as one of the worst states in the country for students with college debt. In the class of 2018, 64% of Wisconsin graduates had student debt — the seventh-highest percentage in the nation. But Trump has failed to address the issue and has proposed massive cuts to federal student aid programs.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to be connected to any of our storytellers or if you’d like additional information on how Trump’s actions have made it difficult for Wisconsin schools to succeed.

Best,

Cassidy

MADISON, WI - Wednesday, Trump explicitly said he is looking to cut Social Security and Medicare if he wins a second term. This comes after barnstorming Wisconsin in 2016 promising he’d protect these benefits that millions in the state rely on.

TRUMP: “We're going to save your Social Security. You know, all the guys I'm running against, they want to cut your social security. They want to take your Medicare, take your social security, cut the hell out of it. I'm not going to do that...You're going to keep your social security...I'm the only one that says it, believe me, the only one. You're going to keep your so ... as sure as you're sitting there, you're keeping your social security. You've been paying in all your lives. You're going to keep your social security and your Medicare.” [Trump Campaign Rally, Appleton WI, 3/30/16]

In response, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler released the following statement:

“Trump’s announcement that he’s aiming to cut Social Security and Medicare is a profoundly broken promise for Wisconsinites. He promised in 2016 to protect Social Security and Medicare, essential benefits that millions in our state paid into their entire lives so they could retire and live with dignity. But over and over he has proposed cuts in his budgets, and now he’s doubling down. These cuts threaten the health and well-being of our state and voters aren’t going to stand by for another four years of Trump’s threats and broken promises.”

Wisconsin gun violence survivor Khary Penebaker says Bloomberg is “committed to saving lives”.

MILWAUKEE, WI - Wisconsin-based gun violence prevention advocate and DNC Representative Khary Penebaker endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg today, praising his progressive track record and agenda on common-sense gun safety laws.

“Mike Bloomberg stood on the front lines of gun violence prevention long before it became a leading Democratic issue. He knew the impact that gun violence inflicts on families and dedicated himself to ending the crisis,” said Penebaker. “Thanks to Mike’s leadership in establishing Everytown for Gun Safety, I was able to transform the heartache of my mother’s gun suicide into meaningful advocacy.”

Penebaker lost his mother Joyce to suicide in 1979 — she was only 27 years old. The experience moved Penebaker to volunteer as a spokesperson for various gun violence prevention organizations including Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, where he is currently a Wisconsin Survivor Fellow. He also serves on the board of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort (WAVE).

Penebaker continued, “My mother’s voice was silenced by a bullet, fired from a gun that she should have never possessed. She won’t have the opportunity to meet her grandchildren or see the man that I grew up to be, but I continue to carry her legacy with me. Moved by my mother's spirit, I am proud to endorse my friend Mike Bloomberg for president. None of the current candidates understand the pain gun violence survivors and their families endure like Mike does — he is committed to saving lives.”

More than 36,000 people are killed with guns in an average year, including over 22,000 suicides. Further, America’s gun suicide rate is 10 times higher than other high-income countries. Despite these facts, Donald Trump has remained a steadfast friend to the National Rifle Association. Trump expanded access to assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to groups, like those who may be suicidal, previously prohibited from ownership.

“Khary Penebaker is a household name in Wisconsin progressive politics and we are fortunate to have him on our team. We will certainly harness his passion to convey the urgency for common-sense gun safety laws,” said Jorna Taylor, Wisconsin State Director for Mike Bloomberg 2020. “Khary’s support will play a major role in rebuilding the Blue Wall and defeating Trump.”

Mike has proposed a gun safety policy that treats the gun violence crisis like a true national emergency: creating an effective background checks system, keeping guns away from people who pose a danger to themselves or others, protecting young people in schools and Americans in their homes, tackling daily gun violence in the hardest-hit communities, and confronting the gun industry head-on.

MILWAUKEE, WI - DNC Chairman Tom Perez blasted Donald Trump for his broken promises on health care to Wisconsinites at a roundtable at Coffee Makes You Black in Milwaukee yesterday. Trump has repeatedly tried to take protections away from Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions and has fought against legislation that would lower prescription drug costs, despite promising to do just the opposite. 

See some of the coverage from the event below.

WISN: DNC chairman: Wisconsin 'the tipping point state'

WPR: “During a visit to Milwaukee Thursday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez called out President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans for breaking their promise to offer people better, more affordable health care coverage. ‘There are 2.4 million Wisconsin residents with a pit in their stomach because their health care is in danger,’ Perez said during a round table discussion at Coffee Makes You Black, a coffee shop on Milwaukee’s north side…The events were part of a tour Perez is on across battleground states to discuss health care following last month's passage in the House of Representatives of a bill that would allow the government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. The bill, HR 3, is titled the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, is not expected to get through the U.S. Senate, and the White House has announced that Trump would veto it if it came to his desk, according to NPR.

Says he no longer has the resources to continue his bid for the Democratic nomination.

WASHINGTON, DC - Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) announced on Monday that he would suspend his presidential campaign, acknowledging that he no longer saw a path to the Democratic nomination.

"I will carry this fight forward -- I just won’t be doing it as a candidate for president this year," Booker said in an email to supporters.

"It’s with a full heart that I share this news -- I’ve made the decision to suspend my campaign for president."

Read the developing report here

Ed Fallone is running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court this spring.

STATEWIDE - This spring, we have a chance to make a real difference on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. We don’t have to settle for the same type of judicial candidate, from the same mold as our current Justices. The voters have a choice on February 18.

Ask yourself: “What sort of Justice would you like to see sitting on our state’s highest court?” Chances are, you would like to see a Justice with a wide range of legal experience … someone who is highly respected in the legal community … someone who is committed to defending our civil rights … and someone who is a staunch defender of the public’s right to know the workings of our government. Chances are, you would like to elect a Justice who will follow in the footsteps of Justice Shirley Abrahamson, who was a law professor before her appointment to the Court.

You can measure a person by the stands they took - even when no one was paying attention. Just last week, the GOP resurrected a bill to make English the official language of Wisconsin. Ed was fighting against English Only legislation in 1996. You know what you’re getting when you vote for Ed.

With Ed Fallone, we have a chance to elect a constitutional law professor, an outspoken advocate of our right to vote and our right to equal protection under the law, and someone who has spent decades helping working families navigate the justice system.  This is our chance to add Ed’s experience and perspective to the Court. We can’t miss this opportunity! The next election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court won’t occur until 2023.

Donate today, and let’s make sure that we put Ed’s voice on the Court.

Let’s seize this opportunity.

Team Fallone

P.S. Watch Ed’s most recent interview on PBS “Here and Now,” and join us in Door County on Friday!

Trailed by another progressive, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, then Pete Buttigieg.

DES MOINES, IOWA - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has taken in the lead in Iowa, according to a Des Moines Register/CNN poll released on Friday that shows the Vermont senator jumping past his top rivals after a third-place finish in the poll in November.

Read the full story here