OnPolitics: They're coming, Mitch
President Donald Trump is running for re-election, sure, but this week let's turn our thoughts as he did to Mitch McConnell, the GOP's top senator who's had a heck of a week: "Democrats are coming after our great Kentucky Senator, Mitch McConnell," Trump tweeted Tuesday. Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot, announced this week that she's gunning for McConnell's seat in the Bluegrass State. She's a self-described moderate who says "if President Trump has good ideas, I'll be for them." The Democrat's team said it raised $2.5 million in the first 24 hours — an apparent record for any U.S. Senate campaign. Also: McConnell's great-great-grandfathers owned at least 14 slaves. That's according to an NBC News report just weeks after McConnell opposed reparations for slavery. Not the best optics, but McConnell's status as Congress' most powerful Republican means his well-funded campaign won't go down easily. And besides, he said, former President Barack Obama's ancestors owned slaves, too.
While we're talking Congress, did you know: Rep. Ilhan Omar called Tucker Carlson a "racist fool", Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for the DHS to be abolished and the House passed legislation to nix gendered language about the presidency?
The OnPolitics 2020 revolving door of the week
Eric Swalwell, we barely knew ye: The California congressman became the first Democrat to quit the presidential race this week. That could kick off the inevitable foldings of several lower-rung campaigns, except we're still getting new candidates, folks. Enter Tom Steyer, a billionaire activist who wants to focus on climate change. He's the latest to enter the Democrats' 2020 field. Here's who all is running for president right now, if you need a reminder like I do.
This week in Trump
Trump's approval rating in a Washington Post/ABC News poll marked a new high.
Trump's self-approval rating is up, too: He called himself "so great looking and smart."
The president's July 4 celebration in D.C. drained the city's security fund meant to fight terrorism.
The British ambassador said "Trump radiates insecurity." So Trump called the ambassador a "very stupid guy."
"Fight for Bernie Marcus and Home Depot:" The president backed Home Depot amid anti-Trump boycotts.
Trump's renewed fight for a Census question over citizenship will end in defeat.
Oh, and Jeffrey Epstein: The wealthy sex offender arrested on sex trafficking charges once received a plum plea deal with help from Alexander Acosta, Trump's current secretary of labor. Acosta defended himself against calls for his resignation from top Democrats.
This week in 2020 Dems
Joe Biden apologized in South Carolina after his comments on working with segregationists.
Biden, by the way, made over $15 million after leaving the Obama administration.
Elizabeth Warren raised $19.1 million, nearing Biden's haul and topping Bernie Sanders.
A Cory Booker presidency would only refer to the New York Giants as the New Jersey Giants.
Sanders teamed up with AOC to call for a climate emergency declaration as "a moral imperative."
Beto O'Rourke: "This country was founded on white supremacy."
Candidates who interrupt "consistently" in future Dem debates will be penalized and have time taken away from them.
Thanks, OnPolitics friends. Until next week — Josh Hafner
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: News on Trump, Epstein, Warren and more: The week in politics
