July 31, 2024, presidential campaign news | CNN Politics (2024)

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UAW President Shawn Fain speaks with CNN on July 31.

UAW President Shawn Fain slammed former President Donald Trump’s lack ofsupport for union workers in the past, as well as his courting of big donors instead of blue-collar workers, just hours after the union formally endorsedVice President Kamala Harris for president.

When asked why he endorsed Harris after endorsing Joe Biden in January, Fain said the union was excited for Harris, while praising Biden for doing the “honorable thing” by stepping aside.

Fain also called Trump’s remarks at the National Association of Black Journalists convention“pathetic,”saying it was typical of the former president.

“All he knows how to do is name call and divide people. And I don’t even really, his comments today — I don’t even know how they dignify any type of response because, you know, the man is just, it’s just low,” Fain said.

Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended former President Donald Trump’s remarks falsely questioning Vice President Kamala Harris’ heritage Wednesday.

“The issue isn’t what race Kamala Harris identifies as, it’s the fact that she identifies as a San Francisco liberal,” Cottoncontinued.

Pressed on how Trump’s comments help the Republican Party win, Cotton claimed, “Donald Trump said that what matters is that she identifies as a dangerous San Francisco liberal, not what race she identifies as.”

Harris’ mother was Indian, and her father is Jamaican. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Trump saidearlier Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists convention that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, saying that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

Trump’s comments came after an interviewer asked him whether he agreed with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have characterized Harris as a “DEI hire.”

Fred Trump III, former President Donald Trump’s nephew, told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Wednesday that he will not be voting for his uncle in November and that he endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

When Donald Trump ran in 2016, Fred Trump recalled, some members of the family “just thought it truly was a branding exercise.”

“It was about getting his his brand, out there,” he said. “And he did win, and we didn’t think he could do much damage. This was new. I mean, he knows the wheels of politics, but certainly didn’t think things would turn out the way they did.”

Asked if he was surprised by his uncle’s comments earlier Wednesday at the National Association of Black Journalists conventionon Harris’ racial identity,Fred Trump said that “it doesn’t surprise me.” He added, “It seems to be happening lately, he’s, in many instances, misreading the crowd now.”

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday brought on stage a woman who he said was controlling the screens at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and put up the chart that he said “saved my life” because he turned to look at it when a gunman opened fire.

Trump embraced the woman and gave her a brief kiss on the side of her head.

Hi,” the woman said when she came up on stage at the rally.

“No, she’s a computer genius. She saved my life,” Trump said.

JB Pritzker speaks during the 120th Annual Meeting of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce in Chicago, on June 4.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker slammed Donald Trump’s false claims Wednesday about Kamala Harris’ racial identify, saying they showed “the racism coming through him.”

Pritzker, who has been mentioned as a potential running mate for Harris, told CNN on Wednesday that he has long believed the former president is a racist. He pointed to the Republican presidential nominee’s past promotion of false conspiracy theories, including the baseless claim that former President Barack Obama was not born in the US and calling for the death penalty for the five Black and Latino teenagers, known as “the Central Park Five,” who were wrongfully accused of raping a woman

Pritzker said he thought Harris’ response to Trump’s comments struck the correct tone, suggesting that voters can form a clear judgement what the former president said without Harris meeting Trump at his level.

Pritzker suggested that Trump was struggling to find lines of attack against Harris since her elevation to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid.

Asked about his schedule for next week amid reports that Harris and her running mate will appear together at a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Pritzker declined to share details but said he plans to support Harris regardless of “whoever is on the ticket.”

Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a potential vice presidential contender for Kamala Harris, said former PresidentDonald Trump’s earlier comments questioning the vice president’s heritage were “overtly racist.”

Trump had said at a gathering of Black journalists in Chicago that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago and that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

“Donald Trump has shown the American people who he is. He’s been doing this now for a decade. If you were paying attention before that, he was doing it before he was on the national stage as well,” Kellytold CNN’s Kaitlan Collins when asked if he expects Trump to continue similar attacks against his Democratic rival.

Trump’s attack, Kelly said, was “the reaction of a desperate and scared old man.”

“While she’s been across the country kicking his butt that he’s afraid. He’s probably afraid to debate her. He’s certainly afraid to lose an election to her in November. And he’s afraid about his own future,” the senator told Collins.

Kelly declined to comment on any conversations he’s had with the Harris campaign about the vice-presidential role.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at Bitcoin in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 26.

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaignannouncedon Wednesday it has collected enough signatures to qualify for ballots in eight additional states, pushing closer toward the campaign’s goal of achieving ballot access across the country.

In a call with reporters on Wednesday, Kennedy’s campaign said it had collected enough signatures to meet the signature thresholds in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Massachusetts, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and Virginia.

Kennedy is currently on the ballot in 12 states and is eligible to receive 145 electoral college votes. Including the states announced today, Kennedy has either qualified for ballot access, submitted petitions or collected enough signatures to qualify in 43 states.

JD Vance gives remarks at a campaign rally in Glendale, Arizona, on July 31.

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance said Wednesday that his ticket mate Donald Trump “pointed out the fundamental chameleon-like nature of Kamala Harris” in his remarks at gathering of Black journalists in Chicago earlier in the day.

“She is not who she pretends to be. She’s flip-flopped on every issue. She’s fake. She’s phony. And I think our whole campaign is going to have a very fun time pointing that out,” Vance said.

Earlier Wednesday,Trump falsely suggested that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, claiming that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

“She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” the former president said during a combative Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago.

Harris’ mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Kamala Harris responded to Donald Trump’s comments Wednesday about her racial heritage, saying it was “the same old show” and that the “American people deserve better.”

She continued: “The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth. A leader who does not respond to hostility and anger with confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump said at a panel discussion at the gathering of Black journalists in Chicago that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, claiming that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

Harris did not specifically respond to Trump’s false claims, which he made after an interviewer asked him whether he agreed with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have characterized Harris as a “DEI hire.”

“Ours is a fight for the future,” the vice president told the audience in Houston. “And it is a fight for freedom.”

Harris’ late mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Kamala Harris delivers remarks ata gathering of the SigmaGamma Rho sorority in Houston, Texas on July 31.

Vice President Kamala Harris made what she referred to as the “full-on attack” on fundamental freedom and rights a central part of her remarks Wednesday in Houston.

“Across our nation, we are witnessing a full-on attack on hard-fought, hard-won fundamental freedoms and rights,” Harris said ata gathering of the SigmaGamma Rho sorority.

Harristook on a lead rolein championing abortion rights for the Biden administration after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Earlier this year, she launched a “reproductive freedoms tour” to multiple states. The tour included a stop at anabortion clinic in Minnesota, marking the first time a sitting US president or vice president is believed to have visited an abortion provider.

Harris’ remarks in Houston followed her attendance at a fundraiser in the city that a campaign official said earlier had raised $2.5 million.

The Sigma Gamma Rho sorority is part of the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. Harris herself is a member of a Divine Nine sorority – Alpha Kappa Alpha.

Vice President Kamala Harris said in a social media post that she is “honored” to receive the UAW International Executive Board’s endorsem*nt.

“I am honored to receive the endorsem*nt of the United Auto Workers. From walking picket lines to taking on big banks, I have spent my entire career fighting for unions and working families—and, as President, I will continue to deliver for organized labor,” Harris wrote.

The endorsem*nt comes as Harris has worked to rally the labor community around her candidacy since entering the race last week. While Harris has the backing of the board, she could still have work to do with rank-and-file members at a time when former President Donald Trump is seeking to make inroads with the group.

Kari Lake speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16.

Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake defended JD Vance against what she called “false narratives” after he was criticized for past comments attacking Democrats as “childless cat ladies.”

Fresh off her primary night win Tuesday, Lake told the crowd at Vance’s rally in Glendale, Arizona, that the next few months are “going to be dicey.”

“It’s going to be dicey because the mainstream media is in a full-on panic. … The false narratives, the false narratives,” she said on Wednesday.

“We get a great guy like JD Vance, who served this country honorably. He built himself up from nothing. He came from very difficult circ*mstances, and immediately these guys back here on the riser try to tear him down,” she added.

Lake on Tuesday had dismissed a question about Vance’s “childless cat ladies” comments, pivoting instead to attacking the media and saying, “Go ask him.”

Abe Hamedeh speaks during a Republican election night gathering in Scottsdale, Arizona, on November 08, 2022.

Arizona Republican Abe Hamadeh, a former prosecutor in the Maricopa County attorney’s office who narrowly lost a race for state attorney general two years ago, will win the primary for a deep-red House seat, CNN projects, putting him on track to enter Congress next year.

The 8th Congressional District, which lies northwest of Phoenix with its population base in Maricopa County, is a Republican stronghold that is unlikely to be competitive in November’s general election.

It is currently represented by Republican Debbie Lesko, who is leaving Congress to seek a seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.Lesko declared victory in her primary Tuesday night.

In an unusual twist, two candidates in the 8th District primary race received endorsem*nts from Donald Trump.

The former president backed both Hamadeh, who lost the 2022 attorney general’s race by 280 votes after a recount, and Blake Masters, a Peter Thiel acolyte who was the losing GOP nominee for Senate in 2022 to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly.

“They will both be spectacular, and I’m pleased to announce that both Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh have my Complete and Total Endorsem*nt to be the next Congressman of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District,” Trump posted to his Truth Social platform on Saturday.

Trump had already announced his support for Hamadeh last year, but his endorsem*nt of Masters came just a few days ahead of Tuesday primary after early voting had already begun. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, had previously endorsed Masters.

Masters and Hamadeh unloaded a series of attacks on each other during the primary, with Masters referring to Hamadeh as “dishonest Abe” and Hamadeh calling Masters a “snake.”

Kamala Harris told donors at a Houston fundraiser Wednesday that “we are the underdogs in this race,” reiterating that there are under 100 days until the November election, according to reporters traveling with the vice president.

CNN previously reported that Harris’ Houston fundraiser has raised $2.5 million, according to a campaign official. The event was organized in just four days and has exceeded an initial $1 million goal.

Harris used much of her remarks to contrast her record with that of former President Donald Trump and to repeat her intentions to “fight” during the election.

“We are not fighting against something. We are fighting for something,” Harris said. “We know how much is at stake.”

Harris also repeated some lines she has used in previous events, including “We are not going back,” according to reporters.

Following the fundraiser, the vice president headed to deliver remarks in Houston at a gathering of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, which is part of the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities.

Ruben Gallego testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on July 28, 2020.

Democratic Senate nominee Ruben Gallego said Wednesday that it was “sad” that his Republican opponent, Kari Lake, is framing their Senate race as a “battle between good and evil.”

Lake won the Republican primary for Senate on Tuesday in the race to succeed retiring independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Gallego, a Phoenix-area congressman, was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

During her primary night watch party Tuesday, Lake argued that the Arizona race was “not a battle betweenDemocrats or Republicans; this is a battle between good and evil.”

Arizona is among several Senate seats that will be key to deciding control of the chamber next year. Democrats have won the last three Senate elections in Arizona in three consecutive election cycles – beginning with Sinema who won as a Democrat in 2018, followed by Mark Kelly winning a special election in 2020 and then a full six-year term in 2022.

Mark Kelly at the US Capitol, in Washington, DC, on July 31.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, seen as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris, slammedDonald Trump’s remarks earlier Wednesday about the vice president’s racial heritage, telling reporters they were “the comments of a desperate, scared old man who is, over the last week especially, is having his butt kicked by an experienced prosecutor.”

Pressed on whether Trump’s comments were rooted in racism, Kelly replied, “It’s who he is. I mean – and yeah, sure – but it’s who the guy is, and he’s always been like this.”

He added: “I grew up in New Jersey originally. When I was in high school, he was a New Yorker business guy. You know, now he’s a New Yorker, old business guy. And he was like this when I used to see him on the news in the 1980s. He’s still the same today, and he’s not going to change.”

Trump falsely claimed Wednesday that Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, claiming that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

Harris’ late mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff responded Wednesday to Donald Trump’s false claims earlier in the day about Vice President Kamala Harris’ racial heritage, saying that the former president was“a worse version of an already horrible person” with his remarks, The Washington Post reported.

“The insults, the B.S. – it’s horrible, it’s terrible, it shows a lack of character – but it’s a distraction,” Emhoff said at a campaign fundraiser in Maine, according to the newspaper. “It’s about what’s at stake in this election.”

Trump falsely suggested at a conference of Black journalists in Chicago that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, claiming that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

Harris’ late mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

People line up to show their respect for the late Sheila Jackson Lee at Houston City Hall on July 29.

Kamala Harris is expected to deliver the eulogy Thursday at a homegoing service for the late Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Houston, according to the vice president’s office.

Jackson Lee, a longtime Democratic lawmaker who had represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District since 1995, died on July 19 at the age of 74. She had announced the previous month that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Harris’ eulogy is expected to begin at 2:20 p.m ET and she will travel back to Washington after the service, her office announced.

Harris is scheduled to speak tonight at a gathering of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, which is part of the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. The high-profile event will follow a fundraiser in Houston that Harris is attending and that raised $2.5 million, a campaign official told CNN.

Steven Horsfordis seen outside the US Capitol after the last votes before the August recess on July 25.

Nevada Rep. Steven Horsford, a Democrat and the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Donald Trump’s questioning of Kamala Harris’ identity as a Black woman was “racist,” “insulting” and “offensive.”

“The vice president is a lifetime member of the Congressional Black Caucus,” Horsford told CNN’s Pamela Brown on“The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.”

“She participated whenshe was in the United States Senate. She is a graduate of Howard University. She’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.,” he said.

Speaking at a conference of Black journalists in Chicago, the former president falsely claimed that his 2024 Democratic rival “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, saying that “all of a sudden, she made a turn” in her identity.

“Donald Trump has always had disregard for Black people,” Horsford said, referring to Trump’s history of falsely claiming former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Harris’ mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. She is thefirst woman, the first Black person and the first South Asian person to be elected as vice president.

Donald Trump participates in a question and answer session at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois on July 31.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, drew gasps on Wednesday when he said at the National Association of Black Journalists convention that Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic nominee, had suddenly adopted a Black identity.

Harris’ father is from Jamaica, her late mother from India. Trumpclaimed:“I’ve known her a long time, indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian, or is she Black?”

When one of the journalists who was interviewing Trump on stage tried to tell him that Harris had always identified as Black and had attended a historically Black university, Trump continued: “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden, she made a turn, and she went – she became a Black person. And I think somebody should look into that too.”

Trump’s comments prompted immediate bipartisan criticism. Leaving aside the issue of the appropriateness of the remarks, his claims are just not true.

Facts First:Trump’s claims are false. Harris did not “all of a sudden” begin identifying as Black. She has embraced and discussed her Black identity for decades, beginning long before she became a political candidate, while also honoring her South Asian heritage.

Harris graduated in 1986 from Howard University, a historically Black institution where shewas a member of a historically Black sorority. After that, she was elected president of the association of Black law students in her second year at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, according toher 2019 memoir.

Politicoreported in 2021that, as a third-year student at the law school in 1989, Harris rose to speak against anti-Black racism at a campus demonstration prompted by the discovery of racist vandalism: “For Black students, she said, according to archives of theHastings Law News, the cartoon was an example of ‘what we deal with all the time.’”

A profile of Harris in the publication AsianWeek in 2003, when she was running for San Francisco district attorney, was focused on her South Asian heritage. But it quoted Harris discussing her father as “a Black man” and saying, “I grew up with a strong Indian culture, and I was raised in a Black community. All my friends were Black, and we got together and cooked Indian food and painted henna on our hands, and I never felt uncomfortable with my cultural background.”

Read more about why Trump’s claim about Harris’ was false and several other false statements he made at the conference here.

Kamala Harris’ official social media page posted a video Wednesday showing the vice president welcoming the Howard University men’s basketball team to the White House this week.

Harris is an alumna of Howard University, a historically Black university in the heart of Washington, and has previously attended events associated with Howard.

“As a proud graduate of Howard University, I know that when we invest in our HBCUs, we invest in the strength of our nation for years to come. I was honored to welcome the @HUMensBB championship team to the White House to celebrate athletes who are leading on and off the court,” Harriswrote in a poston social media.

The team presented the vice president with a personalized ring during the visit as well as a chain, which she put on. The team shared their own photos onsocial media earlierthis week, showing a close-up image of the ball that was presented to Harris – which bears the logo of her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.

“Oh, my, this is so special,” Harris said when she was handed the ball. “Thank you, guys, I’m very touched.”

Former President Donald Trump continued to falsely question Vice President Kamala Harris’ heritage Wednesday, hours after saying at a gathering for Black journalists that his 2024 Democratic rival “happened to turn Black.”

“Crazy Kamala is saying she’s Indian, not Black. This is a big deal. Stone cold phony. She uses everybody, including her racial identity!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

The post included a2019 videoof Harris and comedian Mindy Kaling cooking masala dosa a popular South Indian dish. Kaling and Harris, who was running for president the time, were bonding over their South Indian heritage in the clip.

Harris’ mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington. She is the first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.

Top Senate Republicans largely steered clear Wednesday of former President Donald Trump’s remarks that Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago.

Donald Trump waves as he walks off stage at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) convention at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois on July 31.

Former President DonaldTrump’scampaignattacked members of the media following hiscontentious Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago Wednesday, while touting his appearance as an effort to “unite the entire country.”

Trumpcampaignsenior advisor Lynne Patton said in a statementthat Trumpappeared at the convention because “if you’re running to unite the entire country, you have to back it up with action like PresidentTrumpdid today.” She also accused the journalists who questionedTrumpduring his panel appearance of wanting “to see us remain divided.”

“Based on the unhinged and unprofessional commentary directed toward PresidentTrumptoday by certain members of the media, many media elites clearly want to see us remain divided. This is unacceptable” Patton said.

The statement comes afterTrumprepeatedly attacked journalists, made falseclaimsabout his record, and at one point falsely suggested Vice President Kamala Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago.

In the statement, Patton suggested media members attending the conference were biased againstTrump. Members of the audience, which was made up almost entirely of NABJ members, audibly groaned and jeered throughout the panel.

“PresidentTrumpremains defiant in the face of media bias and will continue working to make life better for all Americans regardless of how poorly he’s treated by supporters of Kamala Harris,” Patton said.

The statement also doubled down onTrump’s attacks on the media, which have been a cornerstone of hiscampaignrhetoric since he first ran for office ahead of the 2016 election.

JD Vance speaks at a campaign rally in Reno, Nevada on July 30.

Vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance defended Donald Trump Wednesday after the former president sat down for a combative Q&A at the National Association of Black Journalists convention and called Vice President Kamala Harris a “coward” for not appearing herself.

“President Trump walked right into the NABJ conference and showed he had the courage to take tough questions, while Kamala Harris continues to hide from any scrutiny or unfriendly media like the coward she is,” Vanceposted on X.

As CNN previously reported,NABJ president Ken Lemon said in a statement earlier thatHarrisoffered to address the group virtually after the Democratic convention in Chicago because “her schedule could not accommodate” a virtual or in-person appearance this week.

NABJ said Wednesday it was working with Harris’ campaign to schedule a question-and-answer event between the group and the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate in September. The event could take place virtually or in-person, they said, an option Trump claimed was not given to him.

Trump during panel said he “was told my opponent was going to be here. It turned out my opponent isn’t here. You invited me under false pretenses.”

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is slamming former President Donald Trump for his comments at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, saying that Trump “lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency.”

The campaign did not specifically respond to Trump falsely suggesting that Harris “happened to turn Black.” Trump’s comments came when an interviewer asked why Black voters should consider backing a candidate with his history of racist attacks on political rivals. Trump responded by questioning Harris’ heritage.

Responding to a question at the convention from ABC’s Rachel Scott about why Black voters should trust him given his past racist comments about members of Congress and political rivals like Nikki Haley and Barack Obama, and his past flirtation with racist elements of his MAGA movement, Trump said: “Well, first of all I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question so, in such a horrible manner. The first question.”

The Harris campaign’s rapid response account @KamalaHQ has been posting clips of Trump’s NABJ appearance, showing their eagerness to highlight his comments for voters.

Former President Donald Trump defended his running mate Wednesday, saying he chose Ohio Sen. JD Vance because “he’s a very strong believer in work” and touting his academic achievement amid personal struggle.

But in response to a question from Fox News host Harris Faulkner on whether Vance is “ready on day one” in case — in Trump’s own words from a previous interview — “bad things happen,” Trump said, “Historically, the vice president, in terms of the election, does not have any impact.”

Trump’s comments come as he faces questions over whether Vance was the best choice as running mate after some of his controversial previous comments have resurfaced.

Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has yet to announce a running mate but a decision could come within days.

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer speaks about voting machine malfunctions at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Elections Center (MCTEC) in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 9, 2022.

Stephen Richer, a top Arizona Republican election official who pushed back on conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being stolen, conceded his primary for the Maricopa County recorder to Arizona state Rep. Justin Heap.

He congratulated Heap, who has not said whether he believes the 2020 or 2022 elections were stolen.

Richer vowed to “ensure the continued efficient and lawful execution of my duties in recording, voter registration, and mail voting” in the remaining months of his tenure.

He also promised to ensure a smooth transition and that either Heap or Democratic candidate Tim Stringham “has everything he needs to hit the ground running in January 2025.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre looks on during the daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31.

WhiteHousepress secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a fiery rejoinder to former President DonaldTrumpafter he said Wednesday that Vice President KamalaHarris“happened to turn Black,” callingTrump’scomments“repulsive.”

“As a person of color – as a Black woman, who is in this position that is standing before youatthis podium, behind this lectern, what he just said – what you just read out to me– isrepulsive, it’s insulting, and, you know, noone has any right to tellsomeone who they are, how they identify,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a White House press briefing. “That is noone’s right. It issomeone’s own decision.”

Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, claimed during a question-and-answer panel at the National Association of Black Journalists convention that he “didn’t know [Harris] was Black until a number of years ago – and she happened to turn Black.”

“And now she wants to be known as Black, so I didn’t know if she Indian or is she Black?” he continued.

Harrisis the nation’s firstfemale,first BlackandfirstSouthAsian vice president, which Jean-Pierre acknowledged inherrebuttal.

“Only she can speak toherexperience –only she can speak to what it’s like,” Jean-Pierre said. “She’s theonly person that can do that, and I think it’s insulting for anybody – it doesn’t matter if it’s a former leader, a former president – it is insulting.”

“And we have toput– she is the vice president of the United States, KamalaHarris. We have toputsomerespectonhername,period.”

Watch the moment:

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00:59 - Source: cnn

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the killing of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy who responded to her 911 call “didn’t look good,” and said though he would push for local police to have immunity from prosecution if reelected, he wasn’t sure if the sheriff who shot Massey and has since been charged with murder should receive immunity.

“I don’t know the exact case, but I saw something and it didn’t look, it didn’t look good to me,” Trump said at the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention when asked about Massey’s case.

“Why should he receive immunity?” Trump was asked about the sheriff’s deputy who shot Massey.

“Well, he might not. I mean, it depends, it depends on what happens. I’m talking about people that are much different cases than that. We need people to protect ourselves,” Trump said.

Sean Grayson was indicted by a grand jury on three counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct in connection with the July 6 shooting at Massey’s home near Springfield, Illinois.

Trump said, “We need to have our police officers have their respect and dignity back. In this particular case, I saw something that didn’t look good to me. I didn’t like it, I didn’t like it at all.”

When pressed about who would make decisions about which police officers would receive immunity, Trump said, “If I felt or a group of people would feel that somebody was being unfairly prosecuted because the person did a good job, maybe with crime, or made a mistake, an innocent mistake. There’s a big difference between being a bad person and making an innocent mistake. But if somebody made an innocent mistake, I would want to help that person.”

Trump said, “Sometimes you have less than a second to make a life and death decision, and sometimes very bad decision are made. They’re not made from an evil standpoint.”

In a Fox News interview last month, Trump said, “One of the things I’m doing is giving local police immunity from prosecution. They get prosecuted when they do their job.”

Former President Donald Trump answers questions during the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago on July 31.

Former President Donald Trump said if elected, he would “absolutely” pardon rioters who assaulted police officers during the January 6, 2021, US Capitol insurrection.

“If they’re innocent, I would pardon them,” Trump said during a question-and-answer session at the National Association of Black Journalists convention.

When pointed out by moderator Rachel Scott of ABC that many rioters have been convicted, Trump said they were “convicted by a very, very tough system.”

Nearly 875 people have pleaded guilty to federal charges related to January 6, including roughly 275 to felonies, according to the Justice Department. More than 200 people were convicted at a trial.

Trump then attempted to compare the insurrection with the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, falsely claiming those protesters did not face consequences and dramatically exaggerating the incidents in various cities.

“How come the people that tried to burn down Minneapolis, how come the people that took over a large percentage of Seattle, how come nothing happened to them,” Trump asked.

CNN previously reported that Black Lives Matters protesters were in fact targeted by federal government with stiffer punishments, according to report by coalition of Black advocacy groups.

Trump also attempted to draw similarities between the insurrection and last week’s pro-Palestinian protest in Washington, DC, during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit.

“You have people just from five days ago in Washington, DC, they were having fist fights and fighting with the police,” Trump said. “They were spraying and destroy —they were desecrating our monuments in Washington, DC, five days ago and nothing happened to them.”

While protesters gathered at Union Station in Washington, DC, put Palestinian flags on flag poles and burned American flags and a paper mâché puppet of Netanyahu, the event was not comparable to the Capitol insurrection. DC police arrested nine people.

Former President Donald Trump, who would be the oldest person to ever be elected president if he wins in November, said he would “absolutely” step down if his health was declining.

Asked by Semafor’s Kadia Goba if he would step down as president if he felt his health was declining, the 78-year-old said, “Oh, absolutely.”

“If I thought that I was failing in some way … I’ll go a step further, I want anybody running for president to take an aptitude test, to take a cognitive test, I think it’s a great idea. And I took two of them and I aced them,” he said.

Trump advocated for anyone, regardless of age, to take a test if they are running for president.

He said he would take another test along with his presumptive Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former President Donald Trump, left, moderated by from left, ABC's Rachel Scott, Semafor's Nadia Goba and FOX News' Harris Faulkner, speaks at the National Association of Black Journalists, NABJ, convention on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Chicago.

Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed Wednesday that his 2024 rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, “happened to turn Black” a few years ago after “all of a sudden she made a turn” in her identity.

Trump’s comments, at a gathering of Black journalists, came when an interviewer asked why Black voters should consider backing a candidate with his history of racist attacks on political rivals. Trump responded by questioning Harris’ heritage.

Trump’s comments are reminiscent of similar attacks on Black political rivals in the past — including the years he spent pushing the false, racist “birther” conspiracy theory that former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States.

Harris’ mother was Indian and her father is Jamaican; both immigrated to the United States. Harris was born in Oakland, California, and attended a historically Black university, Howard University, in Washington, DC. She is the first female, first Black and first South Asian vice president.

UCLA academic workers from United Auto Workers Local 4811 picket on the first day of their strike on May 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

The UAW International Executive Board voted to formally endorse Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign for president, the union announced Wednesday.

Harris and Fain spoke last Wednesday night for 10-15 minutes, a source familiar with the call said.

The endorsem*nt comes as Harris has worked to rally the labor community around her candidacy in the week and a half since she entered the race. While Harris has the backing of the board, she could still have work to do with rank-and-file members at a time when former President Donald Trump has sought to make inroads with union households.

The UAW’s backing could be helpful in mobilizing working-class voters in key battleground states such as Michigan.

The union said Harris will meet directly with its members and hold a rally with them and Michigan voters next Wednesday.

The UAW formally endorsed President Joe Biden in January, but Fain had recently expressed concerns about the Biden’s ability to defeat Trump following his June debate performance.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during the NABJ on Wednesday, July 31, in Chicago.

Former President Donald Trump, during a question-and-answer panel at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago Wednesday, called a question about his history of making offensive comments about his Black opponents a “very nasty question” and a “rude introduction.”

Responding to a question from ABC’s Rachel Scott about why Black voters should trust him given his past racist comments about members of Congress and political rivals like Nikki Haley and Barack Obama, and his past flirtation with racist elements of his MAGA movement, Trump responded: “Well, first of all I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question so, in such a horrible manner. The first question.”

His comments come as the organization on Tuesday drew a torrent of criticismover its decisionto invite Trump to sit for an interview, with some of its most prominent members publicly expressing dismay.

Trump, after listing policies he said helped Black Americans, called the question a “very rude introduction.”

“I was invited here and I was told my opponent — whether it was [President Joe] Biden or it was [Vice President] Kamala [Harris] — I was told my opponent was going to be here. It turned out my opponent isn’t here. You invited me under false pretenses,” he said.

NABJ said Wednesday it was working with Harris’ campaign to schedule a question-and-answer event between the group and the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate in September. The event could take place virtually or in-person, they said, an option Trump claimed was not given to him.

NABJ PresidentKen Lemon had previously saidHarris’ “schedule could not accommodate” her speaking to the journalists virtually or in-person during their convention this week.

Trump noted his appearance at the conference was 30 minutes late because of technical problems and said, “I think it’s a very nasty question.”

Trump repeatedly criticized the organization for the event’s set up, which he said made it difficult to hear other panelists. A spokesperson for NABJ told CNN technology issues delayed the start of the event.

Trump then called himself “the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln,” a comment that drew audible groans from journalists in attendance.

“For you to start off a question-and-answer period, especially when you’re 35 minutes late because you couldn’t get your equipment to work. I think it’s a disgrace. I really do, I think it’s a disgrace,” he said.

Former President Donald Trump will address members of the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago on Wednesday, a move that has drawn blowback from some members frustrated over his appearance after his previous attacks on Black journalists.

Trump will appear on a panel at the conference alongside ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News host Harris Faulkner and Semafor reporter Kadia Goba, during which he is expected to answer questions from each of the reporters. Trump’s appearance extends the tradition of commanders in chief attending the conference after George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama appeared previously, according to NABJ.

But Trump’s appearance has drawn rebukes from some high-profile NABJ members. Karen Attiah, a columnist at The Washington Post who worked as co-chair of this year’s conference, said yesterday that she would resign from her role due to a “variety of factors,” including Trump’s appearance.

April Ryan, the White House correspondent for The Grio who clashed with Trump and his officials while covering his administration, called Trump’s appearance “a slap in the face” to Black female journalists.

“The reports of attacks on Black women White House correspondents by the then president of the United States are not myth or conjecture, but fact,” Ryan said on social media following the announcement. “To have a presumed orchestrated session with the former president is an affront to what this organization stands for and a slap in the face to the Black women journalists … who had to protect themselves from the wrath of this Republican presidential nominee who is promoting an authoritarian agenda.”

Trump’s appearance further highlights the absence of Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black vice president who was elevated to being the presumptive Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race earlier this month.NABJ initially said in a statement that it had reached out to the Harris campaign about her appearing but that her schedule “could not accommodate” either an in-person or virtual appearance this week.

On Wednesday, NABJ said it was in talks with the Harris campaign about scheduling the vice president for a possible in-person or virtual appearance in September.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is working with the National Association of Black Journalists to schedule a question-and-answer event between the group and the Democratic presidential candidate in September, the NABJ announced Wednesday. The event could take place virtually or in-person.

NABJ President Ken Lemon had previously said Harris’s “schedule could not accommodate” her speaking to the journalists virtually or in-person during their convention this week.

The organization on Tuesday drew a torrent of criticismover its decisionto invite Trump to sit for an interview at its annual convention in Chicago. The Wednesday afternoon Trump event — moderated by ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, Fox News host Harris Faulkner, and Semafor politics reporter Kadia Goba — has roiled the NABJ, with some of its most prominent members publicly expressing dismay, CNN has reported.

While Harris is not expected to participate in this week’s events, the campaign notes other Democratic leaders will be in speaking at the gathering.

Senior officials with the Democratic National Convention are set to participate in a question and answer session with members of the NABJ Political Task Force on Thursday, convention officials said.

The participants are expected to include DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, Democratic National Convention Chair Minyon Moore, Chicago 2024 Host Committee Executive Director Christy George, and Chicago 2024 Host Committee Senior Advisor Keiana Barret. Choose Chicago Chair Glenn Eden will moderate the discussion.

Trump has touted his upcoming appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists’ annual convention and criticized Vice President Kamala Harris for not attending herself.

CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign about the former president’s claim.

Vice President Kamala Harris has asked supporters to sign-up to learn who she will select as her running mate, another chance to build her supporter list heading into the upcoming announcement.

“Though I have not made my decision yet, it is important to me that grassroots supporters – like you,” she wrote in an email, “have direct updates about the state of the race.”

If Harris were to make the announcement to supporters first, it would mirror how President Joe Biden broke the closely-held news about his vice presidential pick in 2020. Biden’s campaign sent a text and email to supporters announcing Harris as his running mate on August 11, 2020.

Ella Emhoff at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, on January 23.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter Ella Emhoff’s US Secret Service protective detail was involved in an incident Tuesday in which a man caused damage to two of her protective detail’s vehicles in New York City.

The man was detained by USSS, with New York authorities putting him in police custody.

Spokespeople for the vice president and second gentleman did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

The incident comes at a moment of heightened scrutiny for the Secret Service just weeks after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump – and days after the agency’s director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in the fallout.

It’s not the first incident involving a USSS protectee’s vehicle. Last November, a USSS agent on President Joe Biden’s granddaughter Naomi Biden’s security detailshot at individualsattempting to break into a US government vehicle in Georgetown.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the progressive independent who has long pushed for a single-payer health care system, noted that he and Vice President Kamala Harris disagreed on that issue – but he declined to criticize her reversal.

In an interview with CNN’s Manu Raju, Sanders didn’t say whether he was concerned that Harris’ campaign now says she no longer supports a government-run health care system. Instead, he noted they are not on the same page.

He added: “What I think is that most Americans understand that our healthcare system is in deep trouble, that healthcare is a human right and there is something wrong that we are the only major country on earth not to guarantee healthcare to all people.”

Asked whether he felt Harris was moderating her past positions, Sanders walked onto an elevator without answering.

Sanders has previously shown his support for Harris, telling rally attendeesSaturday that “our job is not just to defeat Donald Trump, it is to elect Kamala Harris as our next president.”

Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who is not supporting former President Donald Trump, criticized Sen. JD Vance’s now-infamous“childless cat lady” remarksand called them “offensive to me as a woman.”

Asked by CNN about how Trump is conducting his campaign, Murkowski said that they should stay away from “name-calling” and “inflammatory statements.”

The Alaska Republican added that she would not vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November

And Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, who is a Trump supporter, said that while Vance would be a “great vice president,” he doesn’t believe Republicans should echohis“childless cat lady” remarks.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell attacked Vice President Kamala Harris over the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies, alleging that she was tasked with overseeing the southern border.

Harris’ migration root cause work dates to March 2021.During an influx of unaccompanied migrant children, Biden tasked the vice president with overseeing diplomatic efforts in Central America, but in the last three years, her assignment hasbeen bundled with the administration’s larger migration issues.

Biden administration officials have repeatedly maintained thatHarrisfocused on long-term fixes, while the Department of Homeland Security remained responsibleforoverseeing border security.

“Donald Trump does not care about border security, he only cares about himself,” Harris said Tuesday evening.

The Kentucky Republican flung additional insults at Harris alleging that she “has approached this crisis with profound unserious” while calling on her to visit the southern border.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the US, decried former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about Jewish voters on the campaign trail.

During a Tuesday radio interview, Trump claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris “doesn’t like Jewish people.” Harris is married to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish. Radio host Sid Rosenberg also took aim at Emhoff during the interview, calling the second gentleman “a crappy Jew” and “a horrible Jew” – something Trump appeared to agree with, responding, “yeah, yeah” as Rosenberg spoke.

Trump also said during the interview that any Jewish person that voted for President Joe Biden or Harris “should have their head examined. If you love Israel or if you’re Jewish — because a lot of Jewish people do not like Israel and they happen to be in New York, you know that — But if you are Jewish, regardless of Israel, if you’re Jewish, if you vote for a Democrat. You’re a fool, an absolute fool.”

Schumer said that the idea of dual loyalty Trump employed in his comments has “been used for a very long time to drive Jews out of their homes, to paint them as untrustworthy, to deny their basic dignity.”

“So when Donald Trump goes on air and attacks Jews for the way they vote, he knows precisely what he is doing,” the majority leader said. “He is sowing the seeds of division.”

Former President Donald TrumpandVice President Kamala Harrishave been attacking each other’s health insurance positions, warning what Americans could lose if their rival is elected president in November.

The next day, Harris said at a fundraising event in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, that Trump wants to end the Affordable Care Act.

Facts first:Neither Trump’s nor Harris’ claims reflect their rival’s most recent positions on health insurance. Trump most recently said he wants to improve the Affordable Care Act, not terminate it, though he promised for years that he would repeal it. Harris included a role for private insurers in the plan she released during her 2020 presidential campaign, though she had previously said she wanted to eliminate privateinsurance.

Read more here.

Top Republicans in the Senate are continuing to fall in line behind vice presidential nominee JD Vance despite his stumbles on the campaign trail that have led to concerns that the Ohio senator might not have been the best choice to join former President Donald Trump on the ticket.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune defended Vance’s “childless cat lady” comments, telling CNN that “most people understand what he was trying to say.”

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma also defended Vance and argued that he is “absolutely” the best pick for vice president.

Mullin also dismissed concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris’ momentum, calling it “a honeymoon phase” that will “wear off pretty soon.”

Maya Rudolph is returning to “Saturday Night Live” next season — and her role just got a lot bigger.

Rudolph will reprise her portrayal of Vice President Kamala Harris when the NBC show returns for its 50thseasonthis fall, a source with knowledge of Rudolph’s plans told CNN. Rudolph will play Harris through the 2024 election.

NBC and representatives for Rudolph did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

The former “SNL” cast member won an Emmy for her 2019 guest appearance portrayal of Harris in aDemocratic debatesketch. Rudolph has since returned to play Harris several times on the late-night show, including anothermemorable appearancewhen she hosted the show in 2021 and won another Emmy.

Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego on Wednesday morning launched the first TV campaign ad of the general election, attacking his Republican opponent Kari Lake over her past comments on abortion.

Gallego, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, will face off against Lake, the former 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee who beat Sheriff Mark Lamb in Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary.

The two are vying for the seat of retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Gallego’s first event since locking up the Democratic nomination is an abortion-focused roundtable on Wednesday.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona wouldn’t share further details on Wednesday of where he stands in the vetting process to be Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, but vowed to travel the country “tirelessly” to campaign on her behalf.

“I’m not going to get into any of that,” Kelly told MSNBC when asked about his communications with the campaign, continuing, “I am going to be focused on making sure that Kamala is the next president. I’m gonna work as hard as I can.”

Kelly noted that his wife, gun violence survivor and gun reform advocate former Rep. Gabby Giffords, was just campaigning on behalf of Harris in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

While CNN has reported Harris is expected to campaign in multiple battleground states, starting in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Kelly said, “next week, my plan is right now to be in Arizona.”

“Arizona is important, not only for who’s going to be in the White House, but also who’s going to keep control the United States Senate,” he said.

Asked later what qualities Harris should look for in a running mate, especially as she withstands attacks from Republicans on her record, Kelly answered that Harris has “a lot of great choices out there,” but “my focus on this and this is not about me. I mean, this is about the future of our country.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at a post-debate campaign rally on June 28, in Raleigh, North Carolina.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper told CNN Wednesday that this is “just not the right time for me and my state” for him to be chosen as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, following CNN’s reporting that he removed himself from consideration.

Cooper added that Harris “has a wealth of choices” and he feels “comfortable that this is going to be a strong ticket.”

Cooper also refrained from making any comments on a potential Senate run in a few years, telling Berman that he will save any decision on his political future “until I finish my term as governor.”

Following Harris’ high-profile rally in Atlanta Tuesday where the vice president went on the offense about immigration, Cooper agreed with Harris’ strategy, saying, “She should be on the offense.”

Supporters wave signs during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Atlanta, on July 30.

Vice President KamalaHarrishas raised $2.5millionfromafundraiserset to take place inHouston, Texas Wednesday evening, a campaign official tells CNN, the same day she will speak at a high-profile event for a Divine Nine sorority.

The high-dollarfundraiseris yet another sign of donor enthusiasm around her candidacy, which so far has brought in more than $200million. TheHoustongathering was organized in just four days and is exceeding its initial goal of $1million, the official said.

Sima Ladjevardian, a Texas lawyer who ran for Congress against Rep. Dan Crenshaw in 2020, organized thefundraiser, the official said. Reps. Al Green, Lizzie Fletcher, andHarrisCounty Judge Lina Hidalgo are expected to attend the event.

Thefundraiseris taking place on the final day of the fundraising month, and the campaign is required to announce their final July haul before August 20.

Harrisis also set to speak at the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc.’s 60thInternational Biennial Boulé on Wednesday evening. It will mark her third appearance this month at an event with a sorority that’s part of the Divine Nine, a group of nine historically Black fraternities and sororities. The Divine Nine does not endorse political candidates, but its vast alumni network, which includesHarris, could help mobilize voters heading into November’s election.

Before departing forHouston,Harrisis set to have lunch with President Joe Biden at the White House, the first time the two are having lunch together since Biden ended his reelection campaign.

The Harris campaign said Wednesday that former President Donald Trump is “hateful, despicable, and should not be our president,” after Trump claimed the Vice President “doesn’t like Jewish people” and appeared to agree with a radio host that Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff is “a crappy Jew” during an interview on Tuesday.

Trump had claimed during the interview that Harris “doesn’t like Israel” and “doesn’t likeJewish people.”

When the show’s host, Sid Rosenberg, said, “Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, Mr. President, isJewish. He’sJewish like Bernie Sanders isJewish. Are you kidding me? He’s acrappyJew. He’s a horribleJew,” Trump appeared to agree, saying: “Yeah, yeah,” as Rosenberg spoke.

Trump has previously falsely claimed that Harris is against Jewish people. Harris, however has been married to Emhoff, a Jewish man, for nearly 10 years – and she hasrepeatedly denounced antisemitism,expressed fondnessfor the Jewish community andits traditions,complimented Israel at length, andendorsed“America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”

Though she has sometimes beenpointedly criticalof the actions of Israel’s government during the war in Gaza, drawingcriticismfrom conservative Jews and others, there is no evidence she has a general antipathy toward “the Jewish people” as Trump has claimed.

CNN’s Daniel Dale contributed to this report.

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer speaks about voting machine malfunctions at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Elections Center in Phoenix on November 9, 2022.

Maricopa County, Arizona Recorder Stephen Richer, a Republican election official who has been a vocal defender of the county’s voting processes, will lose his primary to a conservative challenger, CNN projects.

State Rep. Justin Heap has the backing of notable election deniers in the state party, including new Senate nominee Kari Lake, and has criticized the county’s election procedures.

During both hiscampaign announcementand at adebate, Heap wouldn’t say if he thought the 2020 or 2022 elections had been stolen, and instead expressed distrust in the county’s current system

Heap will face Democrat Tim Stringham, who was unopposed for his party’s nomination, in November.

The Maricopa County recorder is responsible for mail voting and voter registration, while the county’s board of supervisors manages Election Day voting and vote tabulation.Based in Phoenix, Maricopa County is the largest county in Arizona and the 4thlargest in the country.

Former President Donald Trump leaves the stage after speaking during a rally at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on July 27 in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Houston on Wednesday to address a gathering of a Black sorority and headline a fundraiser in the city.

The vice president is closing in on a running mate decision, with the choice to be revealed by Tuesday, when Harris and her pick will launch the blitz with a kickoff rally in Philadelphia, a campaign official told CNN. The pair will then travel to Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.

Former President Donald Trump, meanwhile, will seek to reclaim the spotlight Wednesday with a pair of events: participating in an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists convention and holding a rally in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

Trump’s evening rally in Harrisburg will be his first trip back to the battleground state since his assassination attempt earlier this month.

Vice President Kamala Harris has offered to address the National Association of Black Journalists virtually after their convention in Chicago this week, the organization’s president Ken Lemon announced in a statement Wednesday.

NABJ had been in contact with Harris’ team about appearing at the convention “for an in-person panel before President Joe Biden dropped out of the race in July,” Lemon said, but Harris’ “schedule could not accommodate” addressing journalists at the convention virtually or in-person this week.

“We are in talks about virtual options in the future and are still working to reach an agreement,” Lemon said.

Former President Donald Trump is expected to sit for an interview at the convention Wednesday, an invitation by the organization that spurred criticism.

Lemon also defended NABJ’s decision to invite the GOP nominee, saying “we believe it is important for us to provide our members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable.”

Lemon added the group would be partnering with PolitiFact for “live fact-checking.”

Bipartisan concern over AI-generated election interference has prompted a patchwork of laws across the country, as state lawmakers seek to blunt theimpact of misinformationand keep deepfakes from overwhelming voters.

More than a dozen states have enacted legislation this year to regulate the use of deepfakes – realistic fake video, audio and other content created with AI – in campaigns, including Florida,Hawaii, New York, Idaho, Indiana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, Alabama, Arizona and Colorado.

Michigan, Washington, Minnesota, Texas and California already had laws regulating deepfakes.

Violation of these state laws can range from a candidate being required to forfeit their office or nomination to hefty fines and even possible jail time.

What does this mean for 2024 election?

The Department of Homeland Securityhas warned about the ability of deepfakes to mislead voters.

Despite momentum in some statehouses,not all of the bills introduced at the state level made their way to governors’ desks following fights over their scope and reach. According to Public Citizen, deepfake related bills were introduced in more than 40 US states in 2024.

There are also few signs that Congress will act on the issue before November.

Absent congressional action, the task falls to agencies like the Federal Election Commission and Federal Communication Commission to try to regulate AI in campaign ads. But the FEC has yet to issue a rule to regulate the use of AI-generated deepfakes in election ads and It’s not immediately clear whether the FCC would finalize any rules before the election.

For now,states are using other ways to protect against harmful deepfakes. Arizona election workers are being trained to recognize deepfakes as part of election preparation, and in New Mexico, the state’s secretary of state has launched a campaign to educate voters on how to spot them.

Read more here.

For Charity Dean, the weight of thepresidential raceis suddenly a bit heavier as she moves beyond the exhaustion of a rematch betweenJoe BidenandDonald Trumpto a fresh start with Vice PresidentKamala Harrisas the presumptive Democratic nominee.

A week after Harrissecured enough delegate supportto effectively lock down the Democratic nomination, the whirlwind of excitement coursing through the party is giving way to the urgent work of building a Harris coalition – after spending a year trying to shore up Biden’s fraying one.

Michigan will be a critical laboratory for how the Harris campaign builds and sustains its coalition and the degree to which it will look different from Biden’s winning 2020 alliance that he struggled to keep together this year, particularly with younger voters and voters of color.

Conversations with more than two dozen voters, party activists and Democratic officials in Detroit and the surrounding communities underscored a surge in interest toward Harris among women, voters of color and younger voters. It’s an open question how her support holds among independent voters and rank-and-file labor union members, particularly as Trump and Republican groups race to define her.

Read more here.

Vice President and Democratic Presidential candidate Kamala Harris walks to board Air Force Two at Indianapolis International Airport in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 24.

Here’s a look at Vice President Kamala Harris’ schedule this week:

Former PresidentDonald Trumpand Vice PresidentKamala Harriseach unleashed a new wave of television ads Tuesday as they race to secure an advantage in a presidential campaign dramatically altered in recent weeks.

In its first major ad blitz targeting Harris, the Trump campaign is zeroing in on her immigration record in ads running across several key battleground states. It’s a sign that the former president has settled on a longstanding GOP line of attack against the vice president, after grappling with the abrupt change atop the Democratic ticket.

Harris, meanwhile, unveiled a minute-long ad entitled “Fearless” that offers highlights of her career dating to her tenure as a prosecutor in the Bay Area of California – as she scrambles to introduce herself as the prospective nominee to voters following PresidentJoe Biden’s decision to end his reelection bid. It’s part of what the Harris campaign said will be a $50 million blitz in the run-up to next month’s Democratic National Convention – fueled, in part, by the record-breaking fundraising the Harris campaign has seen since Biden’s departure from the race and endorsem*nt of her candidacy a little more than a week ago.

Trump, in two new campaign ads, seeks to define Harris on his terms by relying on what has been a political liability for the Biden administration: the management of the US-Mexico border.

In response, Harris campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said Trump is “running on his trademark lies” and said the former president opposed a congressional border deal that would have helped with enforcement.

The Trump campaign so far has reserved about $12.2 million in advertising across six battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – through August 12, according to data from AdImpact, which tracks media buying.

Read more about the ad wars between the likely 2024 opponents here.