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  • BREAKING NEWS
3 hours ago

Suspect shot by Lynchburg police officer after chase, authorities say

Man shot anA Lynchburg police officer is on limited-duty status after shooting a suspect Thursday night, says the department in a news release posted to its Facebook page.d killed by Lynchburg police officer after car chase

A wind chill advisory in effect for Western Highland Region

See the complete list

3 closings or delays reported

See the complete closing list

BREAKING NEWS

Suspect shot by Lynchburg police officer after chase, authorities say

A wind chill advisory in effect for Western Highland Region

3 closings or delays reported

VAL DEMINGS


Transcript: Rep. Val Demings on "Face the Nation," Jan. 29, 2023

The following is a transcript of an interview with Democratic Rep. Val Demings of Florida that aired on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, on "Face the Nation."

cbsnews.com

1st Gen Z congressman-elect denied apartment over bad credit

Rep_-elect Maxwell Frost of Florida, the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, says he is struggling to get an apartment in Washington and lost an application fee because his credit is “really bad.”.

After Florida blowout in midterms, Democrats and media play blame game

Television news outlets and commentators offered numerous hot takes on where to point blame for the collapse of Florida's Democratic Party in the 2022 midterms.

foxnews.com

25-year-old Maxwell Frost will be the first Gen Z member of Congress

Maxwell Frost centered his campaign around progressive issues important to young voters: gun violence, climate change, abortion rights and Medicare for all.

cnbc.com

Democrat Maxwell Frost Is The 1st Gen Zer To Win House Seat

Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost won in a heavily blue Orlando-area district and is seeking stricter gun control laws.

newsy.com

DeSantis touts ‘win for the ages’ as he and Rubio score big victories, shading purple Florida red

After Republicans shellac Democrats in Florida’s statewide elections for governor and senator, it’s pretty clear that the state has shifted from purple to red.

foxnews.com

'After today, Republican party will never be the same': Florida Sen. Marco Rubio reelected

In his race against Democrat Val Demings, Senator Marco Rubio won reelection vowing to change the future of the Republican party.

news.yahoo.com

Maxwell Frost projected to become first Democratic member of Gen Z elected to Congress

CBS News projects that 25-year-old Maxwell Frost has won Florida's 10th Congressional District race, paving the way for Generation Z to head to Capitol Hill.

cbsnews.com

Maxwell Frost wins Florida race, becomes 1st Generation Z member of Congress

Florida House candidate Maxwell Frost won his race on Tuesday, becoming the first Generation Z member of Congress, the Associated Press projected.

news.yahoo.com

Florida's Marco Rubio wins 3rd Senate term, defeats Demings

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has won a third term, defeating U.S. Rep. Val Demings and holding a key seat as the GOP tried to regain control of a closely divided Senate.

Amid GOP gains, Dem Frost is 1st Gen Zer to win House seat

Amid Republican gains in the U.S. House races in Florida, Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost has become the first member of Generation Z to win a seat in Congress.

Marco Rubio previews a possible Republican-led Senate after midterm elections

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., appeared on “Sunday Night in America” to preview the upcoming midterm elections and the potential impact of a Republican Senate.

foxnews.com

Doctors and advocates tackle a spike of abortion misinformation – in Spanish

False information targeting the Latino community is surging. Much of it is designed to galvanize voters or discourage pregnant women from seeking care.

npr.org

President Biden Travels To South Florida To Address Medicare And Costs

The President is headed to South Florida to give remarks on social security and Medicare, and fundraise for the DNC candidates.

newsy.com

'Disaster': Democrats call in Biden to campaign for struggling candidates

President Joe Biden will campaign with Democrats Charlie Crist and Val Demings in Florida, while former President Barack Obama visits vulnerable Democrats in Nevada.

foxnews.com

Biden tears into GOP, labels DeSantis ‘Trump incarnate'

President Joe Biden has lashed out at Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “Donald Trump incarnate,” zeroing in on a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender as he campaigns for Democrats facing uphill fights in next week’s midterm election.

Florida Senate election: Trump tells supporters to back Rubio over Rep. Demings, a 'radical left impeacher'

Former President Donald Trump praised Sen. Marco Rubio on social media Saturday, encouraging his supporters to choose him over his Democratic senatorial opponent, Rep. Val Demings.

foxnews.com

Pelosi attack shocks country on edge about democracy threats

At times these days, it can feel like the United States is on edge about threats to American democracy.

Judge Jeanine Pirro blasts Dem candidate for cop career joke: It's the 'toughest job you can have'

'The Five' co-hosts react to Florida Senate candidate Val Demings saying it's harder to be a politician than a cop and what policies she supports ahead of the midterm elections.

foxnews.com

Rubio canvasser attacked in Florida; 1 arrested

Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that a canvasser supporting his campaign was attacked Sunday night by four people in who allegedly said Republicans are not welcome in the area.

foxnews.com

NFC Week 7 overreactions: It's officially time to panic for Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady

Tony Anderson 'overreacts' to the biggest storylines in the NFC from all the action from Week 7 in the NFL.

news.yahoo.com

A swing state no more? GOP confidence grows in Florida

Democrats are increasingly concerned that Florida may be slipping away this fall — and perhaps beyond — as emboldened Republicans seize on divisive cultural issues and demographic shifts in crucial contests for governor and the U.S. Senate.

Facing tough midterms, Biden releasing oil from US reserve

President Joe Biden is telling voters that he hasn’t given up on lowering gasoline prices.

Val Demings goes on attack against Marco Rubio in Florida Senate debate

Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida went on the attack Tuesday in her first debate against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.

npr.org

At fiery debate, Rubio opposes gun measure he championed after Parkland

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said days after the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. — at an event with student survivors — that he would support banning 18-year-olds from buying assault-style rifles, as well as expanded background checks.

washingtonpost.com

Florida Senate: Democrat Val Demings doesn't say whether she will accept the results of election

Florida Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Val Demings did not say Tuesday during a debate whether she would accept the results of the 2022 election between herself and GOP Sen. Marco Rubio.

foxnews.com

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL): "Imagine someone decides, 'Oh, there’s a drop box, I’m just gonna put some explosive in it.'"

Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, and Representative Val Demings, a Democrat from Florida, got into a heated debate about voter fraud during the Florida Senate debate. Okay, that we want a federal takeover?

news.yahoo.com

Demings goes on attack against Rubio in Fla. Senate debate

Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida went on the attack in her first debate against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, accusing him of being a serial liar, while Rubio criticized her for supporting President Joe Biden’s economic agenda.

Rep. Demings uses Hurricane Ian to tout Inflation Reduction Act’s climate provisions: ‘So glad’ it passed

Florida Democratic Senate candidate Val Demings praised the Inflation Reduction Act for combating climate change during an MSNBC appearance discussing Hurricane Ian.

foxnews.com

Top Democratic candidates seek to cash in with women-themed campaign merchandise, but won't define the term

Several Democratic midterm candidates remain silent when asked to define the term "woman," after selling merchandise with the word.

foxnews.com

Democrats in Florida seek to win over Latinos on gun control

Democrats in Florida are trying to make inroads with Latino voters by focusing on gun safety.

The GOP claim that Democrats support abortion ‘up to moment of birth’

We dug into the data. The reality is that abortions past the point of viability are extremely rare.

washingtonpost.com

The Trailer: Five big things this year's primaries told us

What we learned from the midterm primaries, what's showing up in campaign ads since Labor Day, and questions and answers with some of the people we've been checking in with on the trail.

washingtonpost.com

Several GOP Senate candidates reveal they do not support 15-week federal abortion limits

Several Republican candidates running in this year's midterm elections who agreed with the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade do not support a federal abortion law.

foxnews.com

Rubio riffs on Biden's inflation celebration: 'I'm embarrassed for James Taylor'

Sen. Marco Rubio snarked at James Taylor performing "America the Beautiful" as well as "Fire & Rain" at the White House during a ceremony on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

foxnews.com

Schumer sending $15M to Democrats, Senate Campaign Committee

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is transferring $15 million from his campaign account to his party’s candidates, incumbents and political committee for the fall election.

A record number of Black candidates for higher offices aim to reshape U.S. politics

Since Reconstruction, voters have elected just seven Black U.S. senators and two Black governors. This year, 16 Black candidates — 13 Democrats and three Republicans — are major party nominees for those offices.

washingtonpost.com

The Val Demings Gamble

Can the Florida congresswoman inherit Joe Biden’s Democratic Party?

theatlantic.com

Battleground Democrats embrace law enforcement 2 years after "Defund the Police"

Democratic candidates across the country are highlighting ties to law enforcement, as they try to make headway on a frequent GOP issue.

cbsnews.com

Tuesday brought more evidence abortion rights could help Democrats in November

Abortion rights once again appeared to be a key motivator for Democratic voters — plus three other takeaways from primaries in New York and Florida.

npr.org

Four takeaways from the New York and Florida primaries

One of the last big primary nights of the season gave us clear trends for the midterms.

washingtonpost.com

Crist prevails in Florida, will face DeSantis; Nadler defeats Maloney in N.Y.

In one of Tuesday’s marquee races, Crist, a one-time Republican governor of Florida, won the Democratic primary for his old job, and will face a governor with a national profile

washingtonpost.com

Florida Democrats Choose Rep. Crist To Challenge Gov. Desantis

Rep. Charlie Crist defeated Nikki Fried, who staked out a more progressive campaign, in the Florida governor race.

newsy.com

DeSantis Rival To Emerge From High-Stakes Florida Governor Primary

Voters will choose Tuesday between U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried for the Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

newsy.com

Florida Democrats choose Rep. Crist to challenge DeSantis

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Florida, putting him in position to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis this fall in a campaign the Republican incumbent is eyeing as the first step toward a potential White House run.

What to watch for in Florida's primaries

Democrats are choosing who will take on powerful Republicans Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio.

cbsnews.com

What to watch: Top Democrats square off in Florida, New York

Tuesday’s primary elections feature two top Florida Democrats squaring off for the right to face Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Demings up by 4 points in challenge to Rubio: poll

Rep. Val Demings (D) leads Sen. Marco Rubio (R) by 4 percentage points in Florida’s Senate race, according to a poll released Tuesday. The poll, released by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab, shows Demings with the support of 48 percent of surveyed registered voters who said they would vote in the…

news.yahoo.com

Black educator Mary McLeod Bethune honored in Statuary Hall

Civil rights leader and trailblazing educator Mary McLeod Bethune has became the first Black person elevated by a state for recognition in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.

Democrats seize on abortion ruling in midterms, as Republicans tread carefully

Democrats who will face voters in November seized on the Supreme Court decision, putting abortion rights at the center of their campaigns. The Republicans they are facing largely remained quiet, with some GOP strategists acknowledging that the issue might not be good for their candidates.

washingtonpost.com

This week on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 29, 2022: Murphy, Hutchinson, Garza, Demings, Hockley, Corin

Senator Chris Murphy, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Uvalde County Commissioner Ronald (Ronnie) Garza and more appear on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" this Sunday.

cbsnews.com

Biden's election year challenge: Blame GOP for nation's woes

President Joe Biden has an election year message for frustrated voters: At least he’s trying.

DeSantis-sanctioned congressional map passes after Black lawmaker sit in

They chanted ‘We will not be denied,’ sang 'We Shall Overcome’ and bowed their heads in prayer before the session went into recess.

washingtonpost.com

Iowa's political swing makes Obama's wins harder to repeat

Iowa was Barack Obama’s unlikely launching pad in 2008 to become the nation’s first Black president.

Black Democrats try to revive party in Trump territory

Dozens of Black Democratic candidates are seeking office in heavily Republican states that former President Donald Trump won easily in 2020.

Democrats embrace politically risky strategy on rising gas prices

Ban on Russian oil is likely to further spike prices at the pump, creating a potential political headache for Democrats.

washingtonpost.com

Republican 'unforced errors' threaten path to Senate control

Republican missteps that include intense infighting are threatening the GOP’s path to the Senate majority.

Activists who defended VP Harris now mobilizing for Supreme Court pick

Black activists and women's groups banded together when Harris was targeted by racist or sexist attacks. Now they are organizing in anticipation of Biden picking a Black woman to sit on the high court.

washingtonpost.com

GOP lawmaker apologizes for cursing at Democrat over masks

A senior Republican lawmaker has apologized for using an expletive when Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio asked him to put his mask on while in the Capitol.

Sen. Rubio Slammed For Anti-Semitic Dog Whistle In Bashing 'Upscale Liberal' Media

"What happened to you, man?" asked fellow Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger.

news.yahoo.com

'Hatred in the eyes': How racist rage animated Jan. 6 riots

The Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection by pro-Trump supporters and right-wing group members shattered the sense of security that many had long felt at the Capitol as rioters forcefully delayed the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

In their own words: House lawmakers remember Jan. 6

Around three dozen Democrats were trapped in the House gallery on Jan. 6 after the rest of their colleagues had been evacuated, ducking beneath their seats as supporters of former President Donald Trump laid siege.

'We were trapped': Trauma of Jan. 6 lingers for lawmakers

A year after the Jan. 6 insurrection, some of the lawmakers who were trapped in the upper House balcony that day are still recovering from lingering trauma.

Florida Democratic Rep. Murphy won't seek reelection

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy says she will not seek reelection next year.

Rubio takes Big Business to task a year before election

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is taking Big Business to task.

Census data sets up redistricting fight over growing suburbs

The once-a-decade battle over redistricting is set to be a showdown over the suburbs.

Law enforcement officials seek office as US debates policing

About a half-dozen police chiefs and high-ranking law enforcement officers are running for higher office more than a year after George Floyd’s murder prompted debate over police reform and whether to slash law enforcement funding.

‘Nothing short of historic.’ Congress holds first hearing after Cuba protests.

The first congressional meeting to address widespread, pro-democracy protests that ricocheted throughout Cuba on July 11 turned into a referendum on the U.S. government’s longtime embargo.

news.yahoo.com

DeSantis parts with Trump in response to Surfside tragedy

The tragedy in Surfside, Florida, is exposing voters to a different side of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as he prepares for a reelection bid next year that could propel him into a presidential campaign.

AME, church with 'justice in DNA,' meets after virus delay

The African Methodist Episcopal Church, a denomination that says it has "justice in its DNA,” has launched its General Conference.

Voters didn't elect us to do nothing and blame the Senate filibuster. Get rid of it.

Voters elected us to fix problems and we should. Yes, the other party might take power and pass bills I think are bad, but that's how democracy works.

news.yahoo.com

A strong Black woman challenging him, Marco Rubio claims that identity politics are Marxism | Opinion

Florida Senator Marco Rubio is terribly predictable.

news.yahoo.com

Congress designating Pulse massacre site a national memorial

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has taken a formal step toward sending a bill to President Joe Biden that designates the site of the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in American history as a national memorial.

With Marco Rubio’s seat up for grabs, Miami-Dade gets front-row seat to feisty Senate race | Editorial

South Floridians, especially those in Miami-Dade, have just won a front-row seat to what is expected to be one of the most heated Senate races in the country in the 2022 midterms — the state’s senior Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Miami vs. Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Orlando, who just announced her candidacy. or Miami City Commissioner Ken Russell. And that’s just so far.

news.yahoo.com

Lawmakers mourn the 49 people killed by a gunman five years after the Pulse nightclub shooting

Earlier this week, the Senate unanimously passed legislation designating Pulse, a gay nightclub in Florida, a national memorial.

news.yahoo.com

Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings launches campaign for Marco Rubio's Senate seat

Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings launches campaign for Marco Rubio's Senate seat

news.yahoo.com

Val Demings launches Florida Senate campaign to challenge Marco Rubio

The Florida Democrat made her Senate bid official Wednesday with a campaign announcement video.

cbsnews.com

Val Demings launches Florida Senate campaign to challenge Marco Rubio

The Florida Democrat made her Senate bid official Wednesday with a campaign announcement video.

cbsnews.com

Florida's Val Demings launches bid to oust Rubio from Senate

U.S. Rep. Val Demings has launched a bid for the U.S. Senate, raising hope among Democrats of ousting Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from the evenly divided chamber.

Black women's next targets: governorships and Senate seats

Black women are stepping up as Democratic candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate as the party looks to expand its footprint in Sun Belt battlegrounds.

As pandemic wanes, Florida's DeSantis seizes national stage

As he heads into his 2022 reelection campaign, Florida's Ron DeSantis has emerged from the political uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic as arguably the country’s most prominent Republican governor.

Val Demings plans to challenge Marco Rubio in FL Senate race

Rep. Val Demings is planning to challenge Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, giving Democrats a boost in a competitive 2022 race that could decide control of the Senate.

From city halls, the plea for COVID-19 aid is bipartisan

City agencies in Arlington, Texas, have been cut by up to 8%, with officials bracing for more later this year. AdA bipartisan group of mayors notes that aid should be the easy part. A Republican, Williams has joined Democratic Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, to lead the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ lobbying effort for local aid. State and local lobbies tried again in a second round of COVID-19 aid but were left out altogether. AdMayors attributed the rebuff to McConnell blocking state and local aid as leverage against Democrats who opposed Republicans’ provision to shield businesses' immunity from lawsuits related to COVID-19.

Biden, at prayer breakfast, calls out 'political extremism'

Biden is expected to address the National Prayer Breakfast, a Washington tradition that calls on political combatants to set aside their differences for one morning. The breakfast has sparked controversy in the past, particularly when President Donald Trump used last year's installment to slam his political opponents and question their faith. Ad“For so many in our nation, this is a dark, dark time,” Biden told those watching the event. During the 2020 breakfast, Trump singled out Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who had voted to convict the president during his first impeachment trial. The event went entirely virtual this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, with Biden and all other speakers appearing via taped remarks.

Deadly siege focuses attention on Capitol Police

This undated image provided by the United States Capitol Police shows U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, of injuries sustained during the riot at the Capitol. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died Thursday night from injuries suffered during the riot. Another disturbing video shows a bloodied police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. Still, the riot — and Sicknick's death — focused renewed attention on Capitol Police, a force of more than 2,300 officers and civilian employees that protects the Capitol, lawmakers, staff and visitors. Capitol Police turned them down both times, according to senior defense officials and two people familiar with the matter.

Capitol siege by pro-Trump mob forces questions, ousters

Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. The tragedy deepened late Thursday as a Capitol police officer injured in the melee died, the fifth death related to the riot. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that Officer Brian D. Sicknick died from injuries sustained responding to the riot on Wednesday at the Capitol. The procedure allows for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president unfit for office. Black lawmakers, in particular, noted the way the mostly white Trump supporters were treated.

Capitol police chief defends response to 'criminal' rioters

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)WASHINGTON – Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund on Thursday defended his department's response to the violent breach at the Capitol, saying officers “acted valiantly when faced with thousands of individuals involved in violent riotous actions” as they stormed the building. Rioters “actively attacked” Capitol police and other law enforcement officers Wednesday with metal pipes, discharged chemical irritants, and took up other weapons against our officers,'' Sund said in a statement. Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other law enforcement for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent lawmakers into hiding. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a former police chief, said it was “painfully obvious" that Capitol police "were not prepared for today.

Lawmakers vow to investigate police after Capitol breach

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how law enforcement handled Wednesday’s violent breach at the Capitol, questioning whether a lack of preparedness allowed a mob to occupy and vandalize the building. U.S. Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other law enforcement for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent lawmakers into hiding. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening. Three other people died after suffering “medical emergencies” related to the breach, said Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a former police chief, said it was “painfully obvious" that Capitol police "were not prepared for today.

Disney to lay off 28,000 at its parks in California, Florida

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate, first Black woman

FILE - In this Nov. 8, 2019, file photo, then-Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., reacts as she speaks at a town hall event at the Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas. Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen Harris as his running mate. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate, first Black woman

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden has chosen Harris as his running mate. In choosing Harris, Biden embraced a former rival from the Democratic primary who is familiar with the unique rigor of a national campaign. A woman has never served as president or vice president in the United States. Harris launched her presidential campaign in early 2019 with the slogan “Kamala Harris For the People,” a reference to her courtroom work. Some Biden confidants said Harris’ debate attack did irritate the former vice president, who had a friendly relationship with her.

How it happened: Inside Biden's search for a running mate

Whitmer sent word to Bidens team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Florida Rep. Val Demings impressed Bidens team with their leadership during the police brutality protests. The public disclosure of Dodds comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Bidens campaign team. Eleni Kounalakis, who organized a call with Bidens vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any doubts about whether the senator was the right choice for the ticket. The call ended with Bidens vetting team telling the Harris supporters that they had all recommended her as one of the top candidates for the job.

How it happened: Inside Biden's search for a running mate

Whitmer sent word to Bidens team that while she was flattered, she no longer wanted to be considered for the running mate slot, according to a high-ranking Democrat familiar with the process. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and Florida Rep. Val Demings impressed Bidens team with their leadership during the police brutality protests. The public disclosure of Dodds comments angered some of the highest-ranking women on Bidens campaign team. Eleni Kounalakis, who organized a call with Bidens vetting team about two weeks ago to assuage any doubts about whether the senator was the right choice for the ticket. The call ended with Bidens vetting team telling the Harris supporters that they had all recommended her as one of the top candidates for the job.

VP contender's Cuba baggage a burden in Florida

But the recent college graduate had long heard stories from his grandfather recounting the days of oppression in Cuba under Fidel Castro. Even for some young Cubans, the congresswoman's remarks are troubling and a reminder that Castro still stirs strong passions. The Pew Research Center estimates that nearly a third of Floridas Hispanic voters have roots in Cuba. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a Cuban American, has called the congresswoman a Castro sympathizer." But his real worry is that Republicans would use Bass' remarks as distraction from what he called the more important goal of electing Biden.

From police chief to VP? Inside Val Demings' unlikely path

FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2019, file photo, Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., gives her opening statement during a House Judiciary Committee markup of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill in Washington. Demings is among the women Joe Biden is considering for his vice presidential running mate. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

From police chief to VP? Inside Val Demings' unlikely path

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)ORLANDO, Fla. Val Demings has already been vice president. We created an environment of inclusion, Hartley said, recalling how she and Demings invited white students to join. In sixth grade, she was part of a group of black students bused to a predominantly white school 15 miles from home as part of desegregation. Being the first Blacks to integrate Loretta Elementary School wasnt always the best, most fun experience, Demings said. One lady called my district office and said, Well, why is she trying to dress like a white woman?" Demings said.

Biden says he's getting briefings from lawyers on VP options

WASHINGTON Democrat Joe Biden said Monday that he is getting extensive briefings from lawyers vetting candidates for vice president and plans to have personal discussions with his final choices for running mate. The presumptive presidential nominee said on MSNBCs The ReidOut that he is getting a "two-hour vetting report" on his VP contenders. Biden has been under some pressure to choose a Black woman as his vice presidential candidate in a nod to the constituency's role as the most dependable Democratic base of voters. He would not commit Monday to selecting a Black woman when asked on MSNBC, saying only, "I am not committed to naming any but the people I have named, and among them there are four Black women. So, that decision is underway right now.Among the Black women Biden is believed to be considering are California Sen. Kamala Harris, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Florida Rep. Val Demings, California Rep. Karen Bass and former Obama administration official Susan Rice.

2020 Watch: Does Trump have a strategy to win in November?

FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump points as he arrives to speak at a campaign rally, in Toledo, Ohio. Multiple polls suggest that a majority of voters, including many Republicans, simply don't believe what Trump says about the pandemic. Meanwhile, Trump also refused to say whether he would accept the results of the general election. Scott Walker, the former Wisconsin governor and a Trump ally, tells us that he sees no clear strategy coming from the Trump campaign. ___2020 Watch runs every Monday and provides a look at the week ahead in the 2020 election.

'A problem that we need to solve': Harris takes on policing

Harris wouldn't comment on her vice presidential prospects, saying her top priority is for Biden to pick someone who will help defeat President Donald Trump. Brian Brokaw, who managed her 2010 campaign for attorney general, said its easier for Harris to be herself outside the scrutiny of a presidential campaign. We need people who are going to be in these offices that will be true champions for the causes of the oppressed, McBride said of Harris' vice presidential prospects. He suggested Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is white, would be a better vice presidential nominee. But DeJear, Harris' Iowa campaign chairwoman, said the vice presidency could provide an opportunity for Harris to drill down on reforming the criminal justice system.

'Why not a Black woman?' Consensus grows around Biden's VP

But following the outrage over the police killing of George Floyd last month, many Democratic strategists say there's growing consensus that the pick should be a Black woman. Like it or not, I think the question is starting to become, Well, why not a Black woman? said Karen Finney, a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign. Finney, who was one of 200 Black women who signed a letter to Biden encouraging him to select a Black woman for his ticket, warned that the former vice president could face a backlash if he chose a white woman. Gretchen Whitmer, said last month that she had opening conversations with Bidens team about potentially serving as vice president. Heitkamp said she's long believed Biden should choose a Black woman, in part because of the current political climate, but also because Black women are some of the Democratic Party's most loyal voters.

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