Politics Daily

The Atlantic Politics & Policy Daily: One Primary, Two Paul-iticians

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is squaring off against primary challenger Paul Nehlen in Wisconsin.

By Elaine Godfrey and Candice Norwood
J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Today in 5 Lines

Donald Trump said at a rally that “the Second Amendment” is the only way to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing federal judges if elected, and Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook condemned the remark, saying that Trump was suggesting violence. Republican Senator Susan Collins said in an interview that she will not vote for Trump because he would make the world “more dangerous.” House Speaker Paul Ryan is hoping to hang on to his seat against businessman Paul Nehlen as voters in Wisconsin—as well as Connecticut, Minnesota, and Vermont—head to the polls to participate in the state’s primary election. Hillary Clinton called on Congress to cut its summer recess short in order to pass Zika funding during a visit to Miami. Bernie Sanders is fundraising for Tim Canova, the former Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s primary challenger. The parents of two Americans killed in the 2012 Benghazi attack are suing Hillary Clinton for wrongful death.

Today on The Atlantic

  • What’s the Status of Security in America?: Since September 11, 2001, the United States has spent $1 trillion to defend against a host of threats. In this month’s cover story, Steven Brill examines whether that has made the country any safer.

  • Trump Wants to Rebuild America: The economic goals Donald Trump laid out in his Detroit address Monday include spending big money on large-scale infrastructure projects, prompting criticism from Trump’s own economic advisers. (Russell Berman)

  • Google Has a New Job Opening: Chris Urmson, the face of Google’s Self-Driving Car Project, announced that he’s leaving the company. While the specifics of his departure are unknown, it could affect Google, especially if he lands at a competitor that has taken on a similar initiative. (Adrienne LaFrance)  

Follow stories throughout the day with our Politics & Policy portal.

Snapshot

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott chats with poll worker Donna French while checking in at the polling station to cast his ballot in in the primary election on Tuesday in Berlin, Vermont. Wilson Ring / AP

What We’re Reading

Remembering Michael Brown: Today is the second anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. This is how Brown’s death propelled a 2013 hashtag into the influential Black Lives Matter movement. (Josh Hafner, USA Today)

Out of House and Home: The nation’s capital has seen substantial growth and prosperity in recent years, but another trend on the rise in the District is the eviction of low-income residents for small debts—even $25 in some cases. (Terrence McCoy, The Washington Post)

Yes, Trump Is Actually Losing: Poll “unskewers” are on the hunt to cast doubt on the legitimacy of national poll figures by suggesting that they favor Democrats. But FiveThirtyEight’s Harry Enten argues these theorists have it wrong: Professional polls are not biased, and Donald Trump really is losing badly.

Room for Three?: With Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson approaching the threshold for eligibility in the presidential debates, the debate commission is asking venues to prepare to add a third podium on the stage. (Hadas Gold, Politico)

Clinton’s Down-Ballot Ripple Effect: There’s no question that Hillary Clinton is currently ahead of Donald Trump in the race for the White House, but if she wins in November, will her victory actually have big down-ballot implications? (Charlie Cook, National Journal)

Visualized

Dolla Dolla Bill, Ya’ll: Check out these maps to see how much $100 is worth in every state. Hint: If you live in Maryland, California, or New Jersey, you’re getting a lot less bang for your buck. (Niraj Chokshi, The New York Times)

Question of the Week

For two weeks, President Obama, Michelle Obama, and their two daughters will be vacationing at Martha’s Vineyard, a usual spot for the first family. Obama’s predecessor, President George W. Bush, preferred to holiday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

But where would President Trump or President Clinton choose to spend their downtime? Submit your answer by Thursday afternoon for consideration.

-Written by Elaine Godfrey (@elainejgodfrey) and Candice Norwood (@cjnorwoodwrites)