2020 roundup: Klobuchar wants to build bridges (and roads)
WASHINGTON — Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar just dropped her latest policy proposal, a trillion-dollar plan aimed at improving America's infrastructure and creating new jobs in the process.
In it are some obvious planks — repairing bridges, highways and roads; updating airports; protecting against floods; and expanding public transportation. But the plan includes some policies that aren't normally a part of infrastructure packages, like connecting every American household to the internet in two years, an investment in green technology and invest in public schools and public housing.
Klobuchar's plan is the latest in a busy week for Democratic policy proposals — this week, California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren rolled out proposals to increase teacher pay and break up agribusiness respectively.
Read more on the Klobuchar plan in a Medium post from her campaign here, and read on for more stories from the 2020 trail.
- The date is set for first Democratic presidential debate hosted by NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo: June 26 and 27 in Miami. Each night, 10 candidates will take the stage at a time in the first debate of the cycle.
- Quinnipiac University just released its latest poll of the Democratic presidential field, which has the same two candidates at the top as most polls do right now—former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke is the only other candidate to hit double digits. Other notable results include a bump in the polls for South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and that former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper's 1 percent means he's hit the polling criteria needed to qualify for the first presidential debate.
- Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet continues to tip-toe toward a bid, telling MSNBC's "Morning Joe" he's "very inclined" to run and pitching himself as the candidate who will tell voters "the truth."
- Miramar, Fla. Mayor Wayne Messam, who is also a former college football player who won a national championship with Florida State University, is jumping into the presidential race. Messam is a significant longshot, but has an interesting personal story and is running as a Washington outsider.