Summary of the day
Here’s a recap of today’s developments:
Family members of Democratic presidential hopeful Robert Kennedy Jr joined the White House in condemning his “deplorable” claim that Covid-19 was engineered to target some ethnic groups and spare others. The former attorney and nephew of John F Kennedy made the extraordinary assertion during a recent dinner in New York city, saying the virus was “targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people”.
Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Republican former Utah governor Jon Huntsman repeatedly dodged questions on whether they would run on a third-party ticket in the 2024 presidential election under the No Labels movement. The pair appeared at the group No Labels’ town hall meeting to co-headline the organization’s “commonsense” policy platform release, the first in a series of events that the group says it will hold as the 2024 presidential election takes shape.
Manchin’s appearance at the No Labels event on Monday has fueled speculation that he is considering a run for the presidency. If he ran for the presidency as a No Labels candidate, it could not only split the Democratic vote in a way that gives the White House to the Republicans in 2024 but also hands the party his crucial seat in what is currently a finely-balanced Senate where the Democrats have a very narrow majority.
An Iowa judge has temporarily blocked the state’s new abortion ban from taking effect, just days after Governor Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law. The move restores access to abortion in Iowa for up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality. Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut warned that it is “100% certain” that the Republicans will pass a national abortion ban if they win Congress next year.
House Democrats plan to unveil a resolution to formally censure Republican congressman George Santos for lying to voters about his education, work history and family background. The resolution from Representative Ritchie Torres will be privileged, meaning that the Republican-controlled House must act on it. Santos has “disgraced [Congress], and the institution should speak with one voice against his misconduct,” said Torres.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced a list of candidates he would nominate to the supreme court if he were elected, including Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Senator Mike Lee of Utah as possible nominees for the nation’s top court.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds dodged a question about whether she would be Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s running mate if he won the Republican presidential primary. DeSantis, at a fundraising event on Saturday, told reporters that he would consider Reynolds as a pick for vice president if he won the GOP nomination.
Ohio secretary of state Frank LaRose formally announced his candidacy for US Senate, becoming the third prominent Republican hoping to challenge Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown in 2024. Ohio’s Senate race looks to be one of the most competitive in the country next year, alongside races in Arizona, Montana and West Virginia. The state backed Trump in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
A leading environmental group has hit out at US climate envoy John Kerry over comments he made rejecting calls for the US to pay climate reparations to developing countries affected by climate-change fueled disasters.
Joe Biden has invited Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to Washington for an official visit, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. The phone call between the two leaders took place as Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, is traveling to Washington for meetings with Biden and to address a joint address to Congress.
The chair of the US Congressional Progressive Caucus apologized for calling Israel a “racist state”. “I offer my apologies to those who I have hurt with my words,” Pramila Jayapal of Washington state said in a statement on Sunday.
Joe Manchin refuses to rule out third-party run for president
Democratic Senator Joe Manchin and Republican former Utah governor Jon Huntsman repeatedly dodged questions on whether they would run on a third-party ticket in the 2024 presidential election under the No Labels movement.
Manchin and Huntsman appeared at an event hosted by the bipartisan group in New Hampshire to unveil their platform, called Common Sense.
The event at Saint Anselm College in Manchester was described as the first public opportunity to highlight the group’s policies.
Asked if he would consider Huntsman as a potential running mate on a unity ticket, Manchin said people were “putting the cart ahead of the horse” and that the pair were there “to make sure the American people have an option”.
He dismissed concerns that his candidacy could serve as a “spoiler” to Joe Biden that could help Donald Trump become president.
I’ve never been in any race I’ve ever spoiled, I’ve been in races to win. And if I get in a race, I’m gonna win. I haven’t made a decision.
At a No Labels event in New Hampshire, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) says he “hasn’t made decision” on a 2024 independent run but rejects the idea he’d be a spoiler.
— The Recount (@therecount) July 17, 2023
"I’ve never been in any race I’ve ever spoiled, I’ve been in races to win. And if I get in a race, I’m gonna win." pic.twitter.com/SYGJ9JXC6Y
Asked what his party affiliation is, Manchin said he was “the most independent Democrat you’ve ever met”.
