Republicans

Politico reports: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan insisted Thursday that he has pulled no punches in advocating for states’ interests when dealing with President Donald Trump. But the chairman of the National Governors Association also acknowledged he has been careful not to “poke the bear” in the Oval Office amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hogan suggested he had opted to pursue a …

Politico reports: Georgia Rep. Doug Collins on Thursday criticized Gov. Brian Kemp’s aggressive plan to reopen their state’s economy, accusing Kemp of “not communicating clearly” amid the coronavirus outbreak and failing to solicit input from local leaders. The GOP congressman’s harsh assessment represented a rebuke of his Republican governor and signaled Collins’ intention to instead side with President Donald Trump …

Fox News reports: Oklahoma is set to become the latest state to reopen some businesses on Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic after Gov. Kevin Stitt announced that hair salons, spas, nail salons and pet groomers can open their doors. Stitt’s announcement, in which he said that the shops will be open by appointment only and will have to maintain social …

Reuters reports: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday opened the door to allowing U.S. states to file for bankruptcy to deal with economic losses stemming from the coronavirus outbreak that are punching big holes in their budgets. McConnell said in a radio interview that Republicans would not support giving state and local governments more money in future coronavirus aid …

Gosh, who could have predicted this? Nineteen people who either voted in-person or worked at a polling location during Wisconsin’s state elections have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the state’s health department said today. Health officials are in the process of interviewing COVID-19 patients and finding out whether they voted in-person or worked at …

The Independent reports: Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill used his personal Twitter account this week to mock a voter who asked about Alabama’s strict photo ID requirement for absentee voting. A constituent tweeted at Merrill Tuesday morning to ask about voting in Alabama’s July 14 runoff. “I have found the PDF of the application and am fortunate enough to …

The Birmingham News reports: Gov. Kay Ivey did not announce plans to reopen the state in today’s press conference. Ivey said the state’s stay at home order will remain in place at least through April 30. “Keep doing what you are doing,” Ivey said. “I am as eager as anyone to get our economy back open and operating on all …

Talking Point Memo reports: Believe it or not, Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick (R) is actually sticking to his pro-death solution to fixing the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “What I said when I was with you that night is there are more important things than living,” Patrick told Fox News host Tucker Carlson, referring to when he first made …

“I would surely hope so. If you could see what I’ve lived with every day in West Virginia, you would be packing up and heading here tomorrow, because it’s the most pristine air, the most pristine water, good family people that have real values, low crime, good schools, the roads are good. “People have such a misconception of West Virginians. …

The New York Post reports: South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday lauded his home state’s plan to reopen its economy during the coronavirus pandemic — but chided neighboring Georgia for “going too fast too soon.” “I support what South Carolina Governor @henrymcmaster announced yesterday — a small reopening of our state’s economy with a focus on social distancing. I …

Fox News reports: Missouri became the first state to file a lawsuit against China on Tuesday, accusing the country of being responsible for the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and seeking damages to make up for “the enormous loss of life, human suffering, and economic turmoil” resulting from the disease. The suit in the Eastern District of Missouri follows at …

The Daily Beast reports: The Georgia Republican is taking every chance she gets to plug her presidential appointment to a White House task force on “reopening America.” She’s using the appointment to attempt to court campaign supporters, taking out paid ads promoting it, and has even set up a stand-alone campaign website offering coronavirus information to constituents—a site that also …

The Tennessean reports: Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday that his stay-at-home order will not be extended past April 30, and that some businesses around the state will begin reopening next week. “For the good of our state, social distancing must continue, but our economic shutdown cannot,” Lee said at his Monday afternoon briefing. A governor-appointed, 30-member economic recovery group is …

The Houston Chronicle reports: “Health care workers go through a misting tent going into the hospital and it kills the coronavirus completely dead not only right then, but any time in the next 14 days that the virus touches anything that’s been sprayed it is killed.” — U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler. Gohmert made the comment as he discussed a …

Atlanta’s Fox News affiliate reports: Given the favorable data, Gov. Brian Kemp said that gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, beauty shops and salons, barbershops, body art studios, and more would be able to open Friday, April 24. Kemp said the reopening of these businesses “would not be business-as-usual” and would require companies to implement changes to ensure sanitation mandates and …

Charleston’s The State reports: South Carolinians will be able to once again shop in-person at some of the state’s retail stores. Gov. Henry McMaster is expected on Monday to lift restrictions he placed weeks ago on some retail stores in the state, including clothing, furniture and jewelry stores. Under the governor’s upcoming directive, department stores and flea markets can reopen …

Politico reports: President Donald Trump on Sunday admitted he’s still holding a grudge against Mitt Romney, the only GOP senator to be left off a congressional task force on reopening the U.S. economy during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump was asked by a reporter at Sunday’s coronavirus briefing at the White House whether leaving Romney off the list meant the president …

“When you have government telling you that your business is essential or non-essential, yours is non-essential and someone else’s is essential, we have a problem there. “I mean, that’s no different than Nazi Germany where you had government telling people either you were an essential worker or a non-essential worker, and non-essential workers got put on a train. “You can’t …

The Miami Herald reports: As Florida’s elder care facilities are becoming increasingly lethal incubators of the novel coronavirus, state officials revealed for the first time that 303 facilities in 45 counties have staff or residents who have tested positive for the deadly respiratory infection. The facilities were named in a list released by the Florida Department of Health after Gov. …

The New York Times reports: Always one to start a revolt, Representative Thomas Massie is now facing one down — from his own colleagues — less than two months away from his election. Mr. Massie, a libertarian from Kentucky known for his contrarian streak, last month drew the wrath of Democrats, Republicans and President Trump when he objected to the …