Every Saturday morning, we’re publishing “This Week in the 2020 Race”: a quick way to catch up on the presidential campaign and the field of 24 candidates for the Democratic nomination. Here’s our latest edition:
Harris gets a bump from the debates
An immediate consensus emerged among pundits and the political class after the first Democratic presidential debates: Senator Kamala Harris of California had performed exceedingly well; former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. not so much.
Three polls released this week suggested that voters agreed.
The polls — two were national surveys, and one polled Iowa caucusgoers — all showed Ms. Harris vaulting into second place behind Mr. Biden. They also showed a dip in support for Mr. Biden, though more than one in five respondents still said he was their first choice.
The results also affirmed a broader trend: Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has gained ground as Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has fallen back. Ms. Warren remained solidly in the top tier, finishing third in all three polls. Mr. Sanders, who led several polls before Mr. Biden entered the race, finished fourth in each of them.
Buttigieg raises $24.8 million and leads the field (so far)
The second quarter of fund-raising ended Sunday, and some candidates have already started releasing their numbers. (Complete filings are not due to the Federal Election Commission until July 15.)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., was first out of the gate on Monday, in no small part because his numbers were impressive. His campaign announced that he had collected $24.8 million from more than 294,000 donors over the three-month period.
The next day, Mr. Sanders’s campaign announced he had raised $18 million.
On Wednesday, Mr. Biden’s campaign said he had raised $21.5 million since entering the race in late April.
And on Friday, Ms. Harris’s campaign released less-stellar numbers, just under $12 million for the quarter.
Booker plans immigration overhaul through executive action
Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey announced a plan Tuesday to drastically alter the nation’s immigration detention system through an executive order on his first day in office.
Mr. Booker’s platform establishes new standards for facilities operated by the Department of Homeland Security and directs the department to phase out contracts with private prison facilities and county or local prisons.
He also pledged to use executive power to dismantle many of the actions that have defined the first two years of Mr. Trump’s tenure. His plan calls for:
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Restoring protections for young immigrants known as Dreamers under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
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Reforming bond requirements for detained immigrants.
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Ending the Trump administration’s restrictions on immigration from predominantly Muslim countries.
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Halting all construction and expenditures on Mr. Trump’s border wall and removing some sections.
“Although there are limits on what we can do to reverse the damage that has already been done to the lives of thousands and to communities across our country, we can put an end to the horror, and turn the page to a new chapter of our history,” Mr. Booker said in a statement. “Our country must have an immigration system that reflects our values, not one that strips dignity away from people fleeing danger, threats and violence.”
In other policy news:
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Mr. Buttigieg, who has struggled to gain the support of black voters, promised Tuesday to enact a series of policies to address systemic racism. Specifically, he said he would work to improve police training, create a federal fund for investment in minority-owned businesses, abolish private federal prisons and ban incarceration for simple drug possession.
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The next day, he proposed a major expansion of voluntary public service programs. The plan calls for expanding existing national service organizations like the Peace Corps and adding new ones. It aims to attract 250,000 Americans initially and potentially grow to one million members.
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Representative Tim Ryan unveiled an education plan that calls for a $50 billion investment in the nation’s public schools. Under Mr. Ryan’s proposal, reinvigorated public schools would serve as community hubs that offer meals, mental health services, before- and after-school programs and more.
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Former Representative John Delaney of Maryland released a four-part “Opioid Epidemic Plan.” It includes a requirement for doctors to ensure that patients understand the addictive nature of opioids.
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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York rolled out her plan “to protect our democracy and tackle corruption in Washington.” It includes steps like making voter registration automatic and making Election Day a federal holiday.
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Ms. Warren proposed requirements for federal contractors that she said would help increase wages for women of color and open pathways to leadership positions.
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And on Friday, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington both released education proposals. Ms. Klobuchar called for new “Progress Partnerships,” which would provide incentives for states to increase teacher pay, adapt high school curriculums and adjust funding formulas to improve equity.
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Mr. Inslee tied education reform to his signature issue, climate change. He called for STEM training and a “next generation of clean energy apprenticeship programs,” for retrofitting every school building and switching to zero-emission school buses within 10 years; and for a “Climate Conservation Corps.”
There were a couple of viral moments on the campaign trail
Mr. Booker went to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Wednesday and escorted five migrant women across the border to apply for asylum. Immigration lawyers who accompanied him said the women, who had previously crossed the border and been sent back to Mexico to await their court dates, had been sexually assaulted.
The next day, in Iowa, a conservative blogger made a racist comment to Mr. Buttigieg, who has been facing a leadership test after a South Bend police officer fatally shot a black man.
“Mayor Pete, there has been some controversy in South Bend between the police and the black community, and I have a solution for you,” the blogger, Dave Begley, said. “Just tell the black people of South Bend to stop committing crime and doing drugs.”
“Sir,” Mr. Buttigieg replied, “I think racism is not going to help us get out of this.”
“The fact that a black person is four times as likely as a white person to be incarcerated for the exact same crime,” Mr. Buttigieg added, “is evidence of systemic racism.”