President Donald Trump intensified his push to stay four extra years in the White House by rousing supporters in Wisconsin on the same day Democrats opened their four-day virtual convention, formally from that host state.
What We Know:
- Trump made a statement that there was “no choice” but to campaign during the convention to speak to voters in the face of what he seems to describe as hostile news media.
- At a stop in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Trump stated, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if this election is rigged.” This is the second of various battleground events he is using this week to win one up on the Democrats’ all-digital convention.
- Trump urged his supporters to vote at the end of a speech in Oshkosh, Wis., on Monday afternoon. This follows months of Trump declaring without evidence that widespread mail-in voting during the coronavirus pandemic would encourage fraud into the election.
- Democrats are expanding their analysis of the U.S. Postal Service; it warned states last week, it could not vouch that ballots entered by mail for November elections would arrive in time to be counted, even if voters follow state guidelines.
- Trump proposed last week that he was opposed to extra Postal Service funding because it would help fulfill universal mail-in voting this fall. Still, hours later changed his position by saying he would approve funding if Democrats made other authorizations sought by the White House in coronavirus relief legislation. The president has tried to blame Democrats for the shortage of funding for the Postal Service to help the election.
- Through the Wisconsin rally, the president said to the people he would race for a third term if re-elected in November due to his claims of his campaign being spied on in 2016, although the FBI found no evidence of illegal spying.
- Presidents are prohibited from pursuing a third term in office, as stated by the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution, saying, “No person shall be elected to the President’s office more than twice”.
He implored his supporters to make sure their votes are counted and told them to “do those beautiful absentee ballots”.
