Cozen Oconnor Public Strategies - The Beltway Briefing

As Vice President Kamala Harris clinches the Democratic nomination for president this week, the Public Strategies team reports from Chicago, site of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, providing a bipartisan analysis of the current state of play. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Towner French.

Hailing from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Governor Tim Walz joins Vice President Kamala Harris as her Democratic running mate in her bid to secure the White House this November. But who is Tim Walz? Can the Harris-Walz ticket secure the blue wall? How will he govern as Harris’ number two? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Patrick Martin, and John Reich (Minnesota).

With Vice President Kamala Harris rising to the top of the Democratic ticket, the “double-haters” now have a choice this November. The shift from President Joe Biden to Harris has energized the Democratic base, bringing young voters back into the fold. What role will gender and race play in the election? Who will she select as her running mate? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Patrick Martin.

This RNC is being hailed as one of the best stage-managed conventions ever. All eyes now shift to see who comes out of Chicago as the Democrat nominee. One thing is certain, this will not be a normal August. Featuring Public Strategies' Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Towner French.

Concerns over President Joe Biden’s age and fitness are shaking up the Democratic Party, leaving his nomination hanging in the balance. As the party evaluates his viability against Donald Trump, a critical question emerges: who has what it takes to defeat the former president? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Kyle Anderson.

As Americans watched the first televised presidential debate, it became clear that American politics had hit a new low in its political discourse. Between President Biden's inability to set a narrative and pace, and former President Trump’s rapid-fire barrage of false statements, it resembled more of a debacle than anything remotely presidential. Featuring Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Kyle Anderson.

As droves of migrants arrive at the Southern Border, the consequences of the federal government’s inaction on immigration profoundly affect major cities like New York City and Chicago. Members of Public Strategies' Federal, New York, and Chicago teams discuss the national perspective and the localized impact, emphasizing the need for comprehensive federal immigration reform and support to alleviate the burdens of the migrant crisis on urban areas. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Towner French (Federal), Katie Schwab (New York), and John Dunn (Chicago).

Returning to Capitol Hill for the first time post-presidency, Trump found support among Republican leaders and members aiming to emulate the party’s 2016 success. Immigration and economic challenges remain top concerns for American voters, mirroring the recent rise of the far-right in Europe. Shifting focus to the Supreme Court, concerns about judicial politicization, ethics, and impartiality underscore the need for reform to preserve the system's credibility. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Patrick Martin.

With the Trump hush-money verdict in, Trump supporters are more emboldened than ever in their backing of the former president. Meanwhile, concerns are reignited over Biden’s age — is this merely a Republican deflection, or are Democrats genuinely panicking? In an effort to rally support, Biden might be playing politics at the Southern Border with his latest Executive Order restricting immigration, but is it too little, too late? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, the Hon. Rodney Davis, and Kyle Anderson.

The vilification of politics creates a perception that nothing gets done in Washington. While Congress often appears dysfunctional, it continues to govern, quietly advancing bipartisan, critical pieces of legislation. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Towner French.

As Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene attempted to oust Speaker Mike Johnson through a motion to vacate, Democrats calculated that the public's frustration with Washington dysfunction could harm their electoral prospects. Meanwhile, at the forefront of the campaign trial, the competition narrows between Biden, Trump, and the couch. From the hush-money trial to college campus Israel-Hamas protests to concerns about the economy and immigration, voters who harbor discontent toward both candidates, often termed 'double-haters,' face a pivotal choice. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer and Kyle Anderson.

Having once sat on a pedestal, big tech finds itself grappling with a maze of state and global privacy and data security regulations. Now, some major tech companies are asking Congress to force privacy standards. With the unveiling of a new bipartisan, comprehensive data privacy framework, the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA), the question arises: will this be the year Congress finally acts on privacy legislation? Featuring Public Strategies’ Patrick Martin, Madison Smith, and Meagan Foster.

In recent years, the Philadelphia suburbs have emerged as a bellwether for presidential elections. With national voter enthusiasm at an all-time low, is the Commonwealth’s senate race overshadowing the presidential election? The fate of the nation hangs on the smallest shifts in historical voter demographics, encompassing critical issues such as the border crisis and the Israel-Hamas conflict. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, the Hon. Rodney Davis, and Kyle Anderson.

As norms and institutions encounter scrutiny, the political pendulum remains in motion, illustrated by the foreign aid discussion on Capitol Hill, the contentious discourse surrounding the Middle East conflict on college campuses and in major urban centers, and the unfolding of Trump’s first criminal trial in New York City. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Towner French.

State supreme courts have become as political as courts get. Could the recent Arizona Supreme Court ruling on reproductive rights cost Republicans the November election? Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and Towner French.

The intricate interplay between economic perceptions and immigration places President Biden in a delicate balancing act with swing state voters. Given the outcomes of the past two elections hinged on this pivotal electorate, the prevailing political polarization and prominence of these issues could be enough to tip the scales. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and the Hon. Rodney Davis.

As 2024 shapes up to be a turnout election, both Democrats and Republicans are working to fine-tune their messaging to mobilize voters. Can President Biden reshape the economic narrative effectively? Will the "uncommitted" movement, fueled by progressive concerns over the Israel-Gaza conflict, influence the outcome? How are Republicans reframing their discourse on abortion? Featuring Public Strategies’ Mark Alderman, Patrick Martin, and the Hon. Rodney Davis.

Following Super Tuesday and President Biden’s State of the Union address, Public Strategies teams up with Cozen O’Connor’s state attorneys general (SAG) practice to discuss key races and issues ahead of November. From presidential to congressional to gubernatorial to state attorneys general races, they dissect the looming specter of aging presidential contenders, the economic pulse, immigration, discourse surrounding abortion rights, and Israel-Gaza conflict, among other pivotal issues. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer and the Hon. Rodney Davis and SAG’s the Hon. Jerry Kilgore and Stephen Cobb.

As Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving leader of the Senate GOP, announces his planned resignation from leadership, all eyes turn to the “three Johns” – Barrasso, Cornyn, and Thune – each plotting to fill McConnell’s shoes. Coupling this leadership shake-up with the potential for a second Trump presidency, the Public Strategies team navigates turbulent political waters, exploring the normalization of impeachment and the events of the January 6th insurrection. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, the Hon. Rodney Davis, and Towner French.

Despite the influx of dollars into Nikki Haley’s campaign, the South Carolina primary could mark its end of the road. But, until the financial well runs dry, will Haley power through in the off-chance Trump’s court cases take a political toll? Looking to Washington, the Public Strategies team analyzes the ebb and flow of Capitol Hill over the last decade, including a loss of bipartisan socialization, a degradation of party unity, and a consolidation of executive power. Featuring Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin.