Election 2020 Today: Biden in Iowa, Trump packs in thousands
When Joe Biden was last in Iowa, his presidential campaign was on the verge of collapse and he was soundly trounced in the caucuses
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Your support makes all the difference.Here’s what’s happening Friday in Election 2020, four days until Election Day:
ON THE TRAIL: President Donald Trump will be in Michigan and Wisconsin; Democratic challenger Joe Biden will travel to Iowa Minnesota and Wisconsin; Vice President Mike Pence will be in Arizona; Biden’s running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris will travel to Texas.
HOW TO VOTE: AP’s state-by-state interactive has details on how to vote in this election.
TODAY’S TOP STORIES:
BIDEN RETURNS TO IOWA: When Biden was last in Iowa, his campaign was on the verge of collapse and he was soundly trounced in the caucuses by a former Indiana mayor nearly 40 years his junior. He returns as the Democratic nominee, believing he’s just days away from becoming president-elect. Biden’s trip reflects the growing confidence among Democrats in the closing days of the campaign.
REFERENDUM ON RACE RELATIONS IN U.S.: An unprecedented convergence of three crises that disproportionately affect people of color — the coronavirus pandemic, joblessness and police brutality — has led many to believe this presidential election is a referendum on race relations in America. Black voters will be decisive in the outcome. Biden is relying on strong turnout among Black voters in cities such as Detroit, Philadelphia and Milwaukee to tip critical swing states in his direction. The Republican president, meanwhile, is focusing on appeals to his core base of white voters.
ELECTION DAY ROLE FOR NATIONAL GUARD?: Federal laws and long-standing custom generally leave the U.S. military out of the election process. But Trump’s unsubstantiated warnings about widespread voting irregularities have raised questions about a possible military role. If any element of the military were to get involved, it would likely be the National Guard under state control.
TRUMP, HEALTH ADVISERS SPLIT UP: A multistate coronavirus surge in the countdown to Election Day has exposed a clear split between Trump’s bullish embrace of a return to normalcy and urgent public warnings from the government’s top health officials. It’s the opposite of what usually happens in a public health crisis, because political leaders tend to repeat and amplify the recommendations of their health experts, not short-circuit them.
TRUMP RALLIES KEEP PACKING IN THOUSANDS: Trump’s campaign rallies are among the nation’s biggest events held in defiance of coronavirus-related crowd restrictions. The president’s rallies regularly cram supporters together — with masks optional and social distancing frowned upon. Public health experts say Trump is setting the wrong example at a time when greater precautions are urgently needed.
ICYMI:
Supreme Court issues flurry of last-minute election orders
Harris target of more misinformation than Pence, data shows
Pelosi wants ‘big’ health care, infrastructure push in 2021
Philly shooting brings policing, racism back into campaign
Florida, butt of election jokes, believes system is ready
In South, most Black Senate candidates since Reconstruction