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| On Politics With Lisa Lerer: Kavanaugh’s Midterm Effect | On Politics With Lisa Lerer: Kavanaugh’s Midterm Effect |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. I’m Lisa Lerer, your host. | Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. I’m Lisa Lerer, your host. |
| [Get On Politics delivered to your inbox.] | |
| There was one name that kept coming up at a fund-raiser for Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, a Democratic congressional candidate, in Springfield, Ill., on Monday night. | There was one name that kept coming up at a fund-raiser for Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, a Democratic congressional candidate, in Springfield, Ill., on Monday night. |
| It wasn’t hers. It was Anita Hill’s. | It wasn’t hers. It was Anita Hill’s. |
| As donors spilled onto the sidewalk outside the event, they kept returning to a moment that was all-but-ancient history: the congressional testimony of Ms. Hill, who accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing. | As donors spilled onto the sidewalk outside the event, they kept returning to a moment that was all-but-ancient history: the congressional testimony of Ms. Hill, who accused Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearing. |
| A group of older women told Ms. Londrigan how worried they were that Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault, would be treated with the same disrespect they believed Ms. Hill once faced. Others expressed frustration with how little control voters had over the confirmation process, asking what, if anything, they could do. | A group of older women told Ms. Londrigan how worried they were that Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault, would be treated with the same disrespect they believed Ms. Hill once faced. Others expressed frustration with how little control voters had over the confirmation process, asking what, if anything, they could do. |
| Controversies that spark huge outrage in the halls of Congress usually take some time to filter down into elections. Sometimes they don’t register much with voters at all. | Controversies that spark huge outrage in the halls of Congress usually take some time to filter down into elections. Sometimes they don’t register much with voters at all. |
| In July, just a few days after President Trump’s summit in Helsinki with Vladimir V. Putin, I drove down to the suburbs of Richmond, Va., to ask voters what they thought about the president’s comments — a performance that prompted withering bipartisan criticism in Washington. They largely responded with shrugs. | In July, just a few days after President Trump’s summit in Helsinki with Vladimir V. Putin, I drove down to the suburbs of Richmond, Va., to ask voters what they thought about the president’s comments — a performance that prompted withering bipartisan criticism in Washington. They largely responded with shrugs. |
| That seems unlikely to be the case with the accusations against Mr. Kavanaugh. | |
| “So much happens in D.C. that doesn’t really reach people,” said Emma Brown, Ms. Londrigan’s campaign manager. “Something about this has really struck a chord, especially with women.” | “So much happens in D.C. that doesn’t really reach people,” said Emma Brown, Ms. Londrigan’s campaign manager. “Something about this has really struck a chord, especially with women.” |
| Ms. Londrigan hadn’t said much about the charges publicly, waiting until late Tuesday afternoon to post a statement on Twitter. | Ms. Londrigan hadn’t said much about the charges publicly, waiting until late Tuesday afternoon to post a statement on Twitter. |
| But her campaign says they’ve already seen an uptick in volunteers, with people wandering into their offices asking for yard signs and signing up to help. About three times as many people as expected showed up to her Monday night fund-raiser, a group that included not only Democrats but some independents and Republicans as well. | But her campaign says they’ve already seen an uptick in volunteers, with people wandering into their offices asking for yard signs and signing up to help. About three times as many people as expected showed up to her Monday night fund-raiser, a group that included not only Democrats but some independents and Republicans as well. |
| Ms. Londrigan is challenging Representative Rodney Davis, a three-term congressman who leads the centrist Republican caucus in the House. Mr. Davis is still the favorite in the district — he won it by 19 points in 2016 — but with the national landscape tilting against Republicans, even he is vulnerable. | Ms. Londrigan is challenging Representative Rodney Davis, a three-term congressman who leads the centrist Republican caucus in the House. Mr. Davis is still the favorite in the district — he won it by 19 points in 2016 — but with the national landscape tilting against Republicans, even he is vulnerable. |
| Of course, the confirmation hearing could also benefit Republicans. Traditionally, G.O.P. voters have been more motivated by Supreme Court politics, particularly the socially conservative wing of the party. If Mr. Kavanaugh doesn’t get confirmed, it would certainly mobilize the right. | Of course, the confirmation hearing could also benefit Republicans. Traditionally, G.O.P. voters have been more motivated by Supreme Court politics, particularly the socially conservative wing of the party. If Mr. Kavanaugh doesn’t get confirmed, it would certainly mobilize the right. |
| But Democrats have never seen a fight quite like this, combining the kinetic energy of the #MeToo movement with a battle over the balance of the court. | But Democrats have never seen a fight quite like this, combining the kinetic energy of the #MeToo movement with a battle over the balance of the court. |
| For candidates like Ms. Londrigan, running in a district held by Republicans for over a century, how well she translates that kind of national momentum into local action could make all the difference. | For candidates like Ms. Londrigan, running in a district held by Republicans for over a century, how well she translates that kind of national momentum into local action could make all the difference. |
| ____________________ | ____________________ |
| The president’s battle of tariffs with China continues to escalate. But what does that mean for the average American? We asked Alan Rappeport, a Times reporter in Washington who writes about taxes and trade, to help us make sense of it. He sent us this: | The president’s battle of tariffs with China continues to escalate. But what does that mean for the average American? We asked Alan Rappeport, a Times reporter in Washington who writes about taxes and trade, to help us make sense of it. He sent us this: |
| President Trump promised as a candidate to bring the phrase “Merry Christmas” back in style. | President Trump promised as a candidate to bring the phrase “Merry Christmas” back in style. |
| But the latest round of his trade war with China could make him out to be a Scrooge. | But the latest round of his trade war with China could make him out to be a Scrooge. |
| Mr. Trump, frustrated that negotiations are going nowhere, is moving ahead with tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports from China, taking effect on Sept. 24. That comes on top of the $50 billion of tariffs that have already been imposed. The president has promised to essentially tax all Chinese imports if China continues to retaliate. | Mr. Trump, frustrated that negotiations are going nowhere, is moving ahead with tariffs on $200 billion worth of imports from China, taking effect on Sept. 24. That comes on top of the $50 billion of tariffs that have already been imposed. The president has promised to essentially tax all Chinese imports if China continues to retaliate. |
| While the two governments do the tit-for-tat thing, American consumers are about to feel the pain in their wallets. | While the two governments do the tit-for-tat thing, American consumers are about to feel the pain in their wallets. |
| • The new tariffs target imported products such as handbags and golf bags, sporting goods and autumn apparel like rain jackets. | • The new tariffs target imported products such as handbags and golf bags, sporting goods and autumn apparel like rain jackets. |
| • Those big holiday dinners could soon be more costly, too. From sea bass to sturgeon, the price of fish imported from China is going to spike. | • Those big holiday dinners could soon be more costly, too. From sea bass to sturgeon, the price of fish imported from China is going to spike. |
| And it looks like things will only get worse. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump accused China of meddling in the midterm elections by targeting its tariffs to hurt his supporters. He suggested that such a move would be met with fire and fury. | And it looks like things will only get worse. On Tuesday, Mr. Trump accused China of meddling in the midterm elections by targeting its tariffs to hurt his supporters. He suggested that such a move would be met with fire and fury. |
| “There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!” Mr. Trump tweeted. | “There will be great and fast economic retaliation against China if our farmers, ranchers and/or industrial workers are targeted!” Mr. Trump tweeted. |
| Happy holidays. | Happy holidays. |
| [Read the latest on the trade war with China.] | [Read the latest on the trade war with China.] |
| ____________________ | ____________________ |
| When was the last time you had a productive conversation about politics on Facebook? | When was the last time you had a productive conversation about politics on Facebook? |
| We know, it seems like a trick question. But The Times is trying to do just that with our new Facebook group, Voting While Female. Think of it as a virtual clubhouse for talking about the midterm elections. | We know, it seems like a trick question. But The Times is trying to do just that with our new Facebook group, Voting While Female. Think of it as a virtual clubhouse for talking about the midterm elections. |
| The group is a “community of open-minded women (and like-minded allies) looking for common ground in politics.” People of all political perspectives are welcome. | The group is a “community of open-minded women (and like-minded allies) looking for common ground in politics.” People of all political perspectives are welcome. |
| There will be daily discussion questions, often suggested by members, and a team of moderators will make sure that the conversation stays constructive and free from things like personal attacks and hate speech. | There will be daily discussion questions, often suggested by members, and a team of moderators will make sure that the conversation stays constructive and free from things like personal attacks and hate speech. |
| Click here to read more, and to apply. | Click here to read more, and to apply. |
| ____________________ | ____________________ |
| • Anita Hill has advice for the Kavanaugh hearings. “There is no way to redo 1991,” she writes, “but there are ways to do better.” Read Ms. Hill’s op-ed here. | • Anita Hill has advice for the Kavanaugh hearings. “There is no way to redo 1991,” she writes, “but there are ways to do better.” Read Ms. Hill’s op-ed here. |
| • Ranch is the undisputed king of American dressings. Here’s how the creamy, delicious dip conquered our plates. | • Ranch is the undisputed king of American dressings. Here’s how the creamy, delicious dip conquered our plates. |
| • Instagram was supposed to be the one social media platform that didn’t stress you out. But more and more users say it does — and the problem is the positivity that once made it so enticing. Read more in The Guardian. | • Instagram was supposed to be the one social media platform that didn’t stress you out. But more and more users say it does — and the problem is the positivity that once made it so enticing. Read more in The Guardian. |
| ____________________ | ____________________ |
| _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Thanks for reading. Politics is more than what goes on inside the White House. On Politics brings you the people, issues and ideas reshaping our world. | Thanks for reading. Politics is more than what goes on inside the White House. On Politics brings you the people, issues and ideas reshaping our world. |
| Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com. | Is there anything you think we’re missing? Anything you want to see more of? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com. |